Page 13 of Adtovar (The Alliance Rescue #1)

“Engineer?” I rolled the word around on my tongue. I knew the concept, of course, but in my experience, engineers were creators and builders—they did not destroy.

“Yes,” Maddie curtly nodded, her smile widening. I could see the pride she felt at the distinction. “Technically, I’m a biotechnology engineer with secondary degrees in environmental health and chemistry.”

“And because of this, you know how to blow things up?”

Her laughter tinkled through the air, like the sound of faint bells.

She glanced downward, her small foot kicking at the gray pebbles littering the floor.

“Pretty much. Because of this, I recognized the gray stones are something called niter, a naturally occurring mineral made of potassium nitrate—we call it saltpeter on Earth. Mixed with the activated charcoal used around here for cleaning, it gives off a nice little explosion. Not a strong one, mind you, but enough to scare the shit out of Bozzo.”

I laughed, unsure of what impressed me more: that she possessed this knowledge or had used it to keep Bozzo in line. Brilliant as well as beautiful. Anyone would be proud to call her mate. Of course, my horns itched like crazy the moment the thought passed through my brain.

“Bozzo used me as a cleaner when I first arrived.” Maddie gave a sneaky little smile.

“He didn’t think I was tame enough yet for a prize.

One day, I was cleaning the dining hall after a meal and dropped some of the charcoal on the floor.

It reacted with a puff of smoke when it hit one of the stones.

The rest was easy to figure out. I’ve noticed some small yellow crystals lying about that I think might be sulfur—which means I could make gunpowder, but I haven’t been able to test that theory. ”

“Gunpowder?” The word didn’t translate.

Maddie held her hands wide apart to demonstrate, “Big boom.”

“Ahh. And you used the saltpeter explosions to make Bozzo think your voodoo gods were smiting him?” I moved from the doorway, settling into the rickety wooden chair.

Maddie’s full lips curved into a guilty smile. “Yep.”

“Brillant,” I admonished. She was the most extraordinary woman I had ever encountered, a dazzling combination of brains and beauty.

On the Aljani home world, Ajaxiun, a female, was either, but never both.

Those with beauty became mates and courtiers while the ones with the brains, while not wholly unattractive, devoted themselves to politics and sciences.

“How did you become this engineer ? Is it like the Garoot where you are born with the knowledge embedded in your DNA?” For Aljani females, extreme intelligence was a natural birthright.

DNA manipulation of the fetus, while within our technology, was not something we practiced unless to save the life of the child or mother.

“I wish,” Maddie snorted. “I studied my ass off and got a full scholarship to MIT. You might not believe it to look at me, but I was a nerdy girl.”

“Nerdy girl?” Our conversation was proving as much an Earth vernacular lesson as it was delving into Maddie’s history—both fascinating subjects.

“You know....” Maddie’s cheeks flushed as she drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. “A nerdy girl—a girl more interested in books and learning. Girls who are socially awkward and perennially stuck in that ugly adolescent stage... at least I was.”

I propped my elbows on my thighs and leaned forward, catching her deep brown gaze with my own. “I cannot imagine there was ever a time you were not beautiful.” Her rich brown skin and spasm of curls were not common in the cosmos, which to me made her all the rarer and more breathtaking.

Maddie’s cheeks took on a deeper reddish hue.

Our gazes locked, creating an invisible thread that seemed to weave an entire universe between us.

I wanted the moment to last forever. I wanted her to last forever.

Then a flicker of discomfort washed over Maddie’s face.

She cleared her throat softly, the sound barely audible in the stillness, and her fingers reached up to adjust the multicolored headband that kept the halo of curls off her face.

“So,” she began, clearing her throat again. “How do you think you’ll fare in the arena? I could make up some explosives to help you.”

Her eagerness was adorable. “I think I will do fine. The intel we received on Bozzo’s setup didn’t indicate his pit housed anyone with outstanding skill.”

“There’s Melakor.” Her face contorted into an exaggerated scowl. Despite the effort, she looked cute.

I felt sure the scowl that settled on my face wasn’t as delightful. “A male that beats a female isn’t strong. He is weak.”

“Still, if you get a chance, kick his ass for me?”

“It will be my pleasure.” For her and for the injury Lafalia endured, I would not wait for fate to give me the chance. I would make one myself... and enjoy it.

From down the dimly lit corridor, I heard the clatter and commotion of the dining room prepping for the evening meal.

The sounds of clinking dishes and hurried footsteps echoed against the stone walls.

While the scents wafting through the air weren’t exactly what I would describe as appetizing, at the very least, the food smelled edible.

A rare luxury that not many of the gladiator pits I had inhabited could boast.

I rose from my seat, planning to offer Maddie an escort to the dining hall.

She sprang up as well, her movements light and energetic, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.

Her eyes flitted over me nervously, like an insect hovering before landing.

Then a delicate smile formed on her lips, softening her expression.

With a graceful bounce, she moved to my side, rising onto the tips of her toes as her lips brushed my cheek with a feather-light touch.

The gentle, barely there touch of her lips against my skin made my knees weak. Her subtle, sweet fragrance overtook my senses, pushing away all thoughts of food for something far more exhilarating.

A kiss.

Kissing had not always been in the affection repertoire for Aljani. It had only come into fashion in the years since Duke Ako took the human female Helene as his mate. I’d certainly seen my daughter Willa and her mate Charick kiss enough to have a working knowledge of the concept.

Except I didn’t want just a simple kiss on the cheek from Maddie.

I longed for the warm press of her lips against mine, the electric connection that would spark as our mouths met.

I yearned for the intoxicating dance of her tongue with my own, a tantalizing exploration that promised both mystery and delight.

Yet before I could make a move on my desires, Maddie stepped away.

“Thank you Adtovar.”

I laid a hand over the spot on my cheek where the feel of her lips lingered like flickers of a dying flame. “For what?”

“For giving me the chance to go home. Back to Earth and my family.”

Home.

To Earth.

Of course, she would want to return home.

The Trogvyk had snatched her away, torn her from her life into something fearful and unknown.

A part of me couldn’t fault her for wanting to go back, while another part of me ached at the mere idea of her departure.

Yet, as much as the thought of her absence left a desolate hollow spot in my chest, I would do anything to make her happy.

I placed my fist on my chest. “I give you my vow. I will get you home.” Each word felt like the tip of a dagger piercing my heart.

A smile. That was all it took from her, and my horns itched with an intensity that felt like the march of tiny insects across my skin.

I gritted my teeth and ignored the sensation.

While I would admit to an attraction toward this beautiful human—I didn’t need itching horns to tell me that—she could not be my mate.

Once, the gods had smiled upon me. I received a rare blessing—that of a mate and child.

I was not the kind of male whom the gods would choose to favor a second time.

The brutality and violence of my time as a gladiator saw to that.

I would live the remainder of my life alone, and Maddie would return to Earth.

She did not know of the Garoot Healer, which meant she likely had not been altered.

And the Alliance returned unaltered humans to Earth if they wished.

She returned to the bed, sitting atop the lumpy mattress with her legs crossed, her posture relaxed.

Her hair cascaded around her head in a wild and radiant halo of rich brown curls, each lock coiling and bouncing as though possession of will of its own.

Even from across the dim, musty room, her scent called to me, floral and musky, with just a hint of spice.

Most earth females possessed a certain fragile beauty, an undeniable allure that was uniquely their own, but Maddie was extraordinary.

Her deep and expressive eyes held stories untold, while her smile, warm and inviting, could light up even the gloomiest of days.

Her presence was magnetic, drawing attention not just through physical beauty but through an aura of grace and resilience that I had never found in another creature.

She noticed my stare and cocked her head slightly in question.

“Thank you for the salve,” I blurted, indicating my horns, careful not to scratch. I didn’t want her to realize the salve was worthless for my ailment. There was only one thing that could cure me of this affliction. Something I could never have.

“Anytime,” Maddie grinned, jerking her chin toward where the battered tin sat on the bedside table. “Just promise me I won’t have to fix up anything worse than an itch after your fights.”

I chuckled. The thought of Maddie tending to my wounds was so appealing it almost made the idea of being stabbed once or twice seem worthwhile. “I will endeavor to stay whole.”

We gazed at each other in an awkward silence, our eyes searching for words that seemed to dance just out of reach. It felt as if a thousand unspoken thoughts hovered between us that neither of us knew how to weave into sentences that could bridge the gap.

Finally, Maddie stood, brushing her delicate hands against the rough fabric of her pants. “I need to go check on Lafalia.”

“Of course.” I didn’t move from my perch by the door, instead reaching into my pocket and pulling out the oblong medi-kit. “I have more pain-relieving substrates if needed. They are the blue ones.”

“Thanks.” Maddie took the medi-kit from my hand, and the shift of her fingers made me think she didn’t want us to touch again, skin to skin.

She cleared her throat awkwardly, giving me a shy glance from beneath her lashes. “I’ll see you later.” I watched her walk away, the sashay of her hips as she strode through the door and down the hall as unique and enticing as the rest of her.

For a fleeting moment, the sting of what I perceived as rejection caused my heart to stutter, a sharp pang echoing through my chest. But then, like a gentle breeze dispelling dark clouds, an idea emerged that perhaps, just perhaps, it wasn’t rejection at all.

Did our touching stir her senses in the same way it ignited mine, like a lick of fire dancing across her skin, sending tiny electrical shocks cascading over her body?

Did it feel like there was an invisible force, a magnetic pull between us, that irresistibly drew her hands back to my skin, again and again, like moths to a flame?

Was her hesitation to touch me not due to a lack of desire, but rather because, like me, she felt overwhelmed by how much she actually desired it?

I craved the latter, even though knowing there would never be anything more than a few stolen touches between us. I would rescue Maddie and the others, bring them aboard the Historia , and she would return to Earth.

Burying my desire under duty, I entered my own cell.

It was a twin of hers, except the blanket that covered the bed seemed even more threadbare.

I stretched out on the narrow cot, feeling the thin, lumpy mattress beneath me.

It sagged in places and poked uncomfortably in others, though it wasn’t the worst thing I’d ever slept on.

The metal frame creaked slightly as I shifted, its cold, hard surface just barely cushioned by the worn fabric.

I should have gone to the dining hall and not lingered here, waiting for her return, yet I felt utterly powerless to stop myself.

Our time together would be brief, a mere whisper in the eons, and would never reach the depth of connection I yearned for.

Yet, I was determined to savor every single heartbeat, every fleeting moment, like a rare melody that would linger in my soul long after she was gone.