Free Guard (A Sci-Fi Alien Romance) by Zara Harris Page B

like he’s arrived fresh from Eros and hates all humans because he’s never known one. My mother was good to him when he was a boy. And that’s how he repays her love?”
    I opened my mouth to comfort him but words failed me. I stroked his back. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Don’t be.” He shifted his weight onto his hands and leaned up to kiss me.
    I started as the speakers in the corner let out a buzzing sound.
    “We’re here,” he whispered, easing himself off the daybed and reaching for his clothes. He looked around at me solemnly. “Are you ready?”
    I nodded, trying to ignore the knot of terror that was growing in my chest.

Chapter Twenty
    “What are we going to do?” I was finding it harder and harder to stay calm. We were back in Kefi’s city. Anything could happen to us know.
    “Relax.” Simo squeezed my hand without slowing down. “We’ve still got a couple hours if we’re lucky.”
    “If we’re lucky?”
    “Yeah,” he said. He stopped walking to allow me to catch up to him. “We don’t know for sure. And let’s not talk about it in public.”
    I looked up into his amber eyes and nodded. “We’re going back to Kefi’s?” I had known it deep down ever since we stepped off the train but that didn’t stop me from being absolutely terrified at the prospect.
    He looked wary. “Yeah. It’s the only way.”
    He let go of my hand. We ducked into the alleys as soon as we could and took the backstreets to Kefi’s. I was glad it was still dark: the streets were almost deserted. Finally, we reached the old cathedral. The street was empty. Simo knocked loudly on the door.
    I balked. “Do you want to get us killed?” I hissed.
    “Of course not,” he muttered. He reached down and pushed my hair out of my eyes. “Trust me.”
    I nodded.
    He banged on the door again. There was no answer. Just as he reached down to open the double doors, they flew open in front of us. I gasped in shock. It was one of the Erostrians who had opened the door to us the previous day. One of Tyno’s colleagues. My heart beat so fast I could barely breathe. He looked at me in surprise.
    “Aren’t you going to let us in?” Simo snapped, grabbing my arm roughly.
    “What’s she doing here? She’s supposed to be inside. It’s mating night,” the assistant muttered, glancing from me to Simo.
    “Doing your job. Catching her. What would Kefi have done if I wasn’t here, eh?”
    Simo pushed past him and dragged me through the door into the foyer. I stared up at him in confusion, but he wouldn’t look at me.
    “Where is he?” Simo demanded.
    “I don’t know,” the other Erostrian stuttered.
    “What do you mean you don’t know?”
    “I just got here. I had the night off because of the mating. It’s tradition. You know that.”
    “This isn’t turning out to be a normal mating,” Simo said gravely. “Where’s Tyno?”
    He shrugged. “I don’t know, I swear. I assumed everything was going to plan. If I’d known…”
    Simo shook his head. “Kefi won’t be happy with you, what’s your name?”
    “Yon, sir,” he muttered. “But please don’t tell him you saw me. It’s not my fault. I wasn’t supposed to be here.”
    Simo stared at him coldly. “Go back to whatever you were doing.”
    Yon turned around and started for the interior door. He hesitated. He turned back to us with his hands on the handles. “I’ll take you to him.”
    “And let you place the blame on me?” Simo roared.
    Yon flung the doors opened and rushed down the corridor. We followed closely behind him. In front of me, I saw Simo’s shoulders relaxed. My terror intensified. I grabbed his arm and raised my eyebrows. He looked confused. I nodded toward Yon, who was getting further and further away from us. Simo glanced at him and shook his head. We continued walking.
    I held my breath as Yon got closer and closer to the end of the corridor. I was about to keel over by the time he made it. If he reached the living quarters before