Page 13 of Adored By the Alien Warlord

I unlocked the outer door and swung it wide. Patrons tumbled inside, weaving around tables to reach the bar. While the tender poured drinks, I slipped down the stairs to the lower level, creeping along the hall to stop outside Maggie’s open doorway.

She sat on the bunk, her hair neatly secured at her nape with the strand from the top of the bag I’d left her after bringing in sand and communing with my god. She’d dressed in one of the tunics and pants and they fit her quite well, something common when a god provided clothing. She leaned forward and stroked the shoes on her feet.

Hearing me, she startled. But when she looked up, she not only relaxed, the hint of a smile curled her mouth upward.

Knowing she might actually welcome me . . . That I’d done something that made her happy shattered me.

Her smile was an oasis in this cold world, a glimmering pool of warmth after I’d walked for days across the sand. My heart shook and surged like the rare desert rain, each beat coating me with wonder.

She rose to her feet. “Davon.” Her gaze darted to the box and the slumped, empty bag on her bed. “Did you do all this for me?”

“You deserve the world, Maggie. Everything.”

Her face darkened, and I was stunned by her beauty all over again. She looked much different from me with her light-colored skin and brown eyes, her dark hair unlike my silver. Compared to a Zuldruxian female, she was small, almost the size of a youngling. But I’d seen the strength in her eyes and her resilience when she danced all last night. This female had stamina. Any male would be proud to have her stand by his side.

If only I could be that male for her.

While this was not possible, I’d do what I could to protect her until I could leave her with her sister. I’dgather up whatever smiles she shared and store them inside me for the coming days when I’d no longer see them.

“I appreciate it.” She rubbed her arms. “I don’t think I’ve felt full in ages. Light-years, probably. You didn’t have to bring me things.”

“Yes, I did.”

“No, really. I eat. They deliver trays with food.”

“Not good food.”

She winced. “I eat it. I assume it’s nutritious even if it tastes nasty. Although, I wasn’t eating enough of it to keep me going for long.”

“I want to help you.”

“I appreciate it. Thank you.” She swallowed. “I assume you’ve come to take me upstairs.”

“It’s time for you to dance.” I wanted to tell her to rest some more, to give her body the break it must need, but if I didn’t bring her upstairs, Wortek would collect her. I worried about what he’d do to her after that.

“Who would think I’d wind up here, dancing for aliens? I’ve danced all my life. My sister too. We took lessons and when we were grown, we opened our own studio.” Pausing, her shoulders fell. “Everyone must be wondering where we are. Someone will call the police, but since the robocops were involved, I doubt they’ll find any evidence. They’ll see that she and I struggled. Chairs got knocked over. Papers were strewn across the floor. When our bodies don’t turn up, I guess they’ll think we were taken. Sold somewhere. Which for me, is certainly true.”

“I’m sorry.” If only I’d found her sooner.

“Long ago, in my planet’s past, people owned other people, but we’ve mostly done away with that. How sick is that, right? Owning someone else as if they have no value other than what their body can deliver. It’s dehumanizing.”

“You’re right. Only the Veerenads sell others, own others.” I stepped into her room.

“After a while, the people on Earth will sell our business. We didn’t have wills, so I guess it’ll go to probate or wherever property goes when there are no heirs to claim it.”

She sounded so sad. Though I wasn’t a male known for his softness, I wanted to hold her. Tell her things would be alright. But I couldn’t lie to her. If nothing else, I would always tell the truth.

“We need to go,” I said, moving toward the wall where I’d secured her earlier.

“I heard the thump of the music begin.” Her smile came out more like a grimace, and she plucked at the clothing I’d given her. “I need to change back into what I’ve worn every other night. Wortek will notice, and we don’t want him asking questions.”

She was right. “I’ll tell him I brought you some clothing from my youngling brother who outgrew them.”

Her head tilted, and she studied my face. “He won’t believe you. You don’t have a tail, and I assume that’s the norm with your kind.”

“No tail.” I nodded slowly. “I do have a youngling brother, though he’s much bigger than you.”

“Everyone here is bigger than me.”