Page 16 of Sublime Target
So he’d decided to engineer his own terms. He’d consulted with Zyara’s human, Kainan, and technologically—and culturally—astute Mavrel to find any excuse for Darkstar to engage in dealings with Clarissa’s employer—this so-called Garner Corporation. Indeed, the Darkstar Mercenaries had plenty of reasons to be interested in a company that was involved in the procurement and development of one of Earth’s dwindling resources—land.
Of course, they could just go ahead and take territory from the humans, but they’d decided to respect Earth’s rights as a sovereign planet.
This was a much softer approach.
Land could always be acquired through the proper channels—respecting human laws and customs—and as they now owned assets on Earth, the Darkstar Corporation had a universally justifiable right to defend them.
Not a single member of the New Intergalactic Forum—a ruling body composed of representatives from all planets and territories in the Nine Galaxies—could argue against the legal right to defend one’s property.
Earth was theirs.
Humans were their responsibility.
As a secondary measure, he’d enlisted Xalikian—with the help of his mate, Sera—to create a cultural event. It wasn’t only Clarissa who’d received an invitation. Others had been selected to attend based on potential genetic compatibility.
Today’s visit served two purposes. It was about business, but it was also about forming a preliminary connection.
It would not be unreasonable for him to approach her should she decide to attend the Cultural Event.
And she would.
Jerik stared at the female who had unwittingly become the target of his undivided attention. It was strange, but ever since she’d come into his awareness, he’d been thinking about her. What was she like? What did she like? Of course, he knew things about her already—factual things—but you couldn’t quantify character or the innate biological sense of a person through packets of data.
Humans were complicated beings.
And right now, this human, Clarissa Lee, who’d been nothing but a distant image; a profile on his holo—was standing right before him.
In the flesh.
And Jerik couldn’t stop looking at her.
She had no idea who he was or why he was here—what his true intentions were—and yet she met his gaze unflinchingly, and everything about her was perfectly polished and unflappable.
He took in her appearance, which was completely alluring, to say the least.
She was a creature of softness and elegance; of self-assuredness wrapped in a fragile armor—gleaming smile, perfectly groomed hair, tailored clothing that was both demure and wicked, for although it hugged her form in all the right places, her outfit left almost everything to his imagination.
So this was what it felt like to encounter a human female who had the potential to form a mate-bond. He took in her delicate features, which had been artfully accentuated with the application of a small amount of pigment.
Kaiin’s Hells; she was fucking beautiful.
Her smile was gorgeous but Callidum-hard. Her eyes betrayed nothing of her nervousness, even though he could detect it in the slight tremor of her fingers.
“So, what brings you to Garner Tower today?” Her voice was as fluid as a stealth cruiser’s slipstream, her Universal fluent.
Jerik was transfixed. He’d never encountered a human female like this before. The only others he’d met were the mates—already spoken for—there was no way he would ever allow himself to take even the slightest bit of interest in an already claimed mate.
But she… she was ripe for the taking.
As long as she was willing.
How could he, as-rough-as-guts and accustomed to the bastardy and brutality of war; he, who liked to blow things up, for the Goddess’s sake, claim a delicate creature like her?
How was he even supposed to talk to her?
Jerik hated to admit it, but he was a little lost for words right now.
He needed more time to process his thoughts.