Free Torq's Acceptance (Chaetdorian Mates Book 2) by E.M Reders Page B

The ship is repaired and ready to blast off this planet. Now comes the real work."
    Torq listened closely as Teks explained exactly what his job would be in preparation for their departure, and he wasn't best pleased.
    "So let me this straight," he said once only he and Teks remained. "You want me and my males to go to a civilian location to round up a bunch of humans that will be joining us on our journey, offering their blood for consumption so our males on the surface will not suffer side effects from blood withdrawal?"
    The Chaetdorian race had a built in camouflage system. They could change their appearance to blend in by ingesting the blood of another species. That was how they had stayed hidden so well among the humans for so long. Problem being, it appeared that after centuries of consuming human blood, they found it could not just be given up. The males consuming it now had to be weaned off if they ever wanted to return to their true Chaetdorian form and avoid any painful side effects.
    Luckily for Torq, he wasn't one of them. Protecting the ship all this time meant that he had never once had to ingest human blood.
    "Exactly."
    Fuck! "When's the pickup?"
    "In one earth moon. The location we have selected, while in a civilian area, is well known for its crime, so any individuals you may meet will not be missed."
    Meaning that if anyone other than the humans he was being sent to collect saw him or any of his males it would be a clean kill with no consequences.
    Not that he was particularly bothered. If a mess was made he cleaned it up, period.
    "I want us off planet an earth moon after pickup. No delays. So please, don't fuck this up."
    What was there to fuck up? Get the humans. Come back. Simple.
    Right?

Chapter 3
     
    There is nothing more sobering than looking down the street and seeing your friend's violent and controlling ex-boyfriend standing only forty meters away, his face a mask of hate and anger.
    Alice had known going out with the girls had been a bad idea, she'd sensed it. Now something big and potentially dangerous was going to happen. But these were her friends, women that had been by her side through everything, even when they’d had their own problems to deal with.
    Now, looking into the eyes of a madman - or Eric, Nora's obsessed ex as he was more wildly known - Alice momentarily regretted her decision. She should have stayed at home.
    "What do we do?" she cried, dread filling her as Eric took a step towards them.
    "Run!" Nora called out.
    As one they turned and bolted across the road, narrowly avoiding being hit by numerous vehicles. Honks and yells followed them down the street. Alice's legs were burning, tiring. She wasn't as fit as the rest of her friends. She had lost weight over the past few months and barely slept. She knew she should take better care of herself, but... well, it was hard to care when the one you thought loved you said you were nothing, that the world would be a better place without you in it.
    Sensing her struggle, Hannah grabbed a hold of her hand, pulling her along behind her.
    "The police station is just a few blocks away," Hannah gasped. "If we cut through the alley off James Street, we'll get there faster."
    The alley that Hannah was talking about was well known for its drug deals and gang-related fights. That was the last place Alice wanted to go, but with Eric in fast pursuit, it didn't look like they had much of a choice.
    "I think he's gone," Nora gasped breathlessly a minute later, coming to a stop once they had all entered the alley.
    "Why didn't you tell us he was back?" Jessie demanded, leaning against the wall, trying to catch her breath.
    "It was just a few phone calls and text messages."
    "Just? You have a restraining order against him, Nora. He shouldn't even be doing that, never mind chasing us down a fucking street in the middle of the night. Why didn't you call the police?"
    "I did. They didn't seem to care."
    They never did. Alice had learnt long ago that