Page 25 of Alien in the Depths

Vexis let out a short laugh that sounded more like a grunt. “You’re good. I’ll give you that.”

He gestured for Sofia to follow him inside. As she walked through his huge home, her heart raced. She clutched her purse tighter, as though it might protect her.

Fuck, why didn’t I bring a weapon?she thought, suddenly wincing. She remembered what she’d seen in Zaraq’s pack that first day in the catacombs and realized that her suspicions were correct. Itwasa blaster. It had to be. Why hadn’t she asked him for it?

“Drink?” Vexis asked as he led her to a vast living room, equipped with its own bar.

“Sure,” she replied, setting down her purse and making herself at home on the plush gray couch with feigned confidence. “I’ll have what you’re having.”

She winked, draping her arms over the back of the couch in a gesture she hoped he found endearing. Her feminine charms were the only weapon she had at her disposal now, and while they weren’t quite as good as a blaster, she hoped they would be enough to keep her safe.

Vexis seemed to like this, and he grinned at her before turning to fix the drinks. In the silence that followed, Sofia heard a quiet voice in her ear.

“See if you can spot anything incriminating,” Zaraq told her. The amount of interference reminded her he was way back on the other side of the city. “If this guy is second-in-command, it’s because he’s earned Slik’s trust. That means he’s probably up to his neck in murders and extortions. And that might include Ryka’s death.”

Sofia nodded even though Zaraq couldn’t see her and scanned the room, looking for anything that might give her a clue. But the place was spotless. The only thing she saw was a locked cabinet built into the wall. She stared hard at it, wondering what could be behind those doors…

“You like guns?” came Vexis’s voice, and Sofia nearly jumped.

When she met his gaze again, she saw he was holding the drinks in his hands. He glanced at the cabinet, and Sofia figured he’d caught her looking. In two strides he’d joined her on the couch. His weight tipped her toward him, and she hoped he didn’t see the panic on her face.

If he did, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he held out a drink toward her. It was almost impossibly cold to the touch and to Sofia’s relief, the sensation stopped her fingers from shaking.

“I prefer dancing,” Sofia replied with a smile, trying to hide her panic at the word “guns.”

She took a sip of the drink which, in contrast to the glass, was warm, peaty, and almost bubbly in her mouth.

“Well, I like both,” Vexis told her with a seedy grin before taking a swig of his own drink. “But if guns don’t turn you on, let’s stick with the dancing for now.”

Sofia looked at him through her lashes before taking another sip of her drink. Finally, with intentional slowness, she set her glass on the coffee table, making sure she leaned down enough that Vexis caught a flash of her cleavage.

She hated that she was doing this, hated that she was letting this man objectify her, and hated, most of all, that this felt like a betrayal to Zaraq.

This isforZaraq, she reminded herself. In some twisted way, giving this creep a glimpse of her body was all for a good cause.

“Got some music?” Sofia asked as she stood from the couch and shot Vexis a sultry look.

He grinned, his dark eyes roaming her body as he touched a hidden keypad in the couch’s arm. A slow beat came on over hidden speakers, filling the room with something close to R&B music except… alien.

Still, it was something she could move to, and she laughed internally at what she’d heard over the earpiece yesterday. The chicken dance was definitely not the only dance she knew.

Moving her body slowly to the rhythm, she let her hips roll seductively. Vexis appeared to enjoy this because he leaned back in his seat as if to better appreciate the show she was putting on for him.

Fueled by her success, she let her lips curl into a suggestive smile before raising her arms above her head. With them, she felt her dress lift up a little higher. When she turned around to waggle her ass at the Rikuan, she knew the move would drive him wild.

Apparently, she was right because Vexis practically growled at her. When she turned around again, sliding her hands over her body as she did so, she caught the telltale look of lust in his eyes.

“What do you think?” she teased, still dancing seductively to the music.

“I think you’re a natural,” he replied, practically salivating. “And I think you should try those moves out over here.”

With that, he patted his lap and spread his legs wider. It was obvious he expected Sofia to giggle, saunter over, and plant her ass squarely in his lap. Sofia, of course, had other ideas, but she was pleased to see her plan was working exactly as intended.

“Sorry, honey,” she told him, feigning disappointment. “I have to go, got an appointment. But how about you and I meet up again tomorrow? You could take me dancing.”

She flashed him a look that she knew he couldn’t say no to and bent over again to pick up her purse. This time, she lingereda little, hoping one last glimpse of her cleavage would seal the deal.

“I don’t usually let women keep me waiting,” Vexis replied, hitching his crotch, which was quite obviously bulging. “But you’re so cute I might just have to make an exception.”