A Son for the Alien Warrior (Treasured By The Alien #2)(2)

She immediately ducked down one of the narrow pathways between the containers, anxious to get out of sight in case someone else appeared. Should she stay here? There didn’t appear to be anyone else around and there were a number of little nooks and crannies where she could hide. But then she remembered that even on an Earth plane, the cargo area was unheated and unpressurized. In the case of a spaceship, it might not even have oxygen.

Biting her lip and trying to keep her damp sandals from squeaking on the metal floor, she sidled back behind the stacks, then edged along the white metal wall until she came to a door panel. No one had appeared, so she took a deep breath and pressed the button next to the door. With a soft whoosh, the door slid open to reveal an empty white corridor and a whiff of antiseptic air. As soon as she passed through the opening, the door slid shut behind her and she had to suppress a surge of panic. There was nowhere to hide in the open hallway, and she needed to find somewhere where she could conceal herself as soon as possible. One side of the passageway was lined with half a dozen door panels, while the other side held only two. Did that mean that they opened into larger areas, with more room to hide? Or were they just more likely to be populated?

Shuddering at the thought of opening a door to a sea of alien faces, she opted for the first of the six doors. Crossing her fingers that her assumption was correct, she tentatively pressed the button next to the door. A small storage room met her gaze, but the walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling cabinets and there was nowhere to hide. Her heart thudded and sweat began to dampen her palms as she moved to the next door and she had to force herself to press the open button. This looked like a better option. It resembled a small lab, with a counter along one side that included something resembling a sink, and rows of tall shelves perpendicular to the counter on the other. She thought she could conceal herself between the shelves and as she looked at the sink, it occurred to her that she would be able to at least have something to drink.

The practical thought of food and drink brought her to a sudden stop. What the hell was she thinking? She didn’t have any supplies; she didn’t have a plan. All she had was a desperate hope that this ship, appearing in the same place where her sister and nephew had disappeared exactly a year earlier could somehow lead her to them. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.

Yes, it was foolish, it was reckless, but they were the only two people in the world who she loved, and she was going to take this chance.

Her resolve was tested almost immediately when she heard voices in the corridor. In a cold sweat, she rushed to the rear of the room and wedged herself behind the last set of shelves. It was a tight fit, but no one would be able to see her unless they were standing directly in front of her. A second later, she heard the door panel open.





Chapter Two


As Mariah heard the door open, she slid down the wall of her hiding place as quietly as she could until she was huddled in a small heap. Her heart sank as at least two voices filled the small room, the clicking sounds of their language reminding her uneasily of insect noises. From the increased volume and rapid exchange, she suspected they were having an argument.

Great. The last thing she wanted was to be discovered by aliens who were already angry.

As if in response to her thoughts, a figure appeared at the end of the shelves bordering her hiding place. She peeked up over her bent knees, praying that he would not look in her direction. Like the aliens she had seen outside the ship, he was tall and thin with flat white skin and matte black hair. The severe black outfit she had mistaken for a suit appeared to be some type of uniform. He wasn’t looking in her direction. Instead, he was waving his hand at his unseen companion. His six-fingered hand, she noted again, and for some reason that difference more than any other drove home to her just how alien these beings were and sent a shudder up her spine.

The alien made a frustrated gesture, then she watched in slow-motion horror as he turned until his glowing red eyes looked directly at her. His eyes widened as she froze, too afraid to move. She braced herself for his outraged cry or for a weapon to appear in his hand. Instead, he wiped his face blank of expression and turned back to his companion. His voice dropped to a soothing level and she could tell that the argument seemed to be coming to an end. A few moments later, she heard the door panel open again.

What had happened? She knew that he had seen her—his reaction had been quite obvious. A horrible possibility occurred to her. What if he intended to go and get more of the aliens? After a moment’s thought, she decided that didn’t seem likely. While he was definitely slender, he was easily a head taller and she suspected he would have little trouble subduing her. Whatever his reasons, what mattered now was finding a new place to hide while he was gone.

As she pushed herself upright, she realized to her horror that he hadn’t left after all. Once again, he stood at the entrance to her little hideaway. She braced herself, prepared to fight even if the effort proved futile, but he merely stood there and looked at her. She stared back, waiting for him to take some action but he didn’t move. Eventually the tension proved too much for her.

“What are you going to do to me?” she whispered, then groaned inwardly. It was a silly question, but it was all she could think to say.

He regarded her thoughtfully for another moment, then disappeared. Had she chased him off?

Before she had a chance to feel relieved, he reappeared and this time he had a long silver syringe in his hand.