Page 77 of Saved By the Alien Hybrid

Lyra’s fingers traced over her lower stomach as her eyes went distant. There was something wistful in her expression despite her earlier objections.

A gray-skinned male with towering horns and red eyes was staring with fervent and vaguely threatening intensity at Seren. Cordelia had the sinking realization that Rentir wasn’t the only one experiencing hormonal changes. Seren wrapped her blanket tighter around her shoulders, ducking her head as she avoided his gaze. Cordelia stepped sidelong until she was blocking his view of the mechanic.

“Ease up,” Cordelia warned in a low voice.

The male’s tail whipped, anger flickering in his eyes, but he looked away.

Nyx noticed the tension. A muscle jumped in her jaw, and she edged toward Seren, crossing her arms over her chest and rolling her shoulders back in obvious challenge as she glared at the male.

“Alright, no heavy petting the aliens unless we want to screw,” Nyx said, rolling her neck until it popped. “Now that wehave that highly pressing matter out of the way, what the fuck are we going to do about our missing people?”

Cordelia covered her eyes, biting back on a groan of frustration at Nyx’s delivery. Sighing, she dropped her hand, turning to Rentir. “She’s right. We need a plan. We’re still missing four people.”

“I can get the pods’ distress signals back online once we deal with theGidalan,” one of the males said. He had three piercing yellow eyes and long, dark red hair framing a short pair of upturned black horns. His skin was a dusty shade of currant, covered in the same sweeping stripes that Haerune sported.

Most astonishing of all? He hadhoovesinstead of feet. She gaped at them a moment too long, forgetting what he’d said.

“I… what?” She blanched.

He cast a look at Rentir that very clearly expressed, ‘Is she stupid?’

“She means to elaborate.” Nyx sniffed, looking down her nose at him even though he had a few inches on her in height. “What’s your plan?”

The male grinned, his tail swishing in a lazy arc. His was tufted with hair at the tip, rather than scales. “Don’t have one. But I can’t help you find your missing pods unless someone deals with theGidalan, or the second I boot them up, they’re gonna be crawling with auretians.”

“What do these other aliens want with us?” Lyra asked.

The male shrugged. “They don’t share their motives with us as a rule.”

“Well, you’re helpful,” Nyx muttered. “Any of you actually have a plan? Or are you just here to gawk at us while we make one?”

“Nyx,” Cordelia said wearily.

“If you don’t want our help, you can say as much,” the male who’d been staring at Seren hissed. “We have our own mattersto attend to that don’t involve falling on our plasma-blades for a bunch of useless, helpless fe?—”

Rentir smacked him hard in the gut with one hand before he could finish his rant. “That’s enough, Xeth.”

Xeth opened his mouth to argue further, but the sound of footsteps cut him off. They all turned as a familiar figure limped into the room with Lidan on her heels.

“You guys throwing a party without me?” Eunha grinned weakly, her hand pressed to a bloody spot on her shirt.

Cordelia and Nyx rushed her at the same time, throwing their arms around her as they talked over one another. Nyx even grabbed her by the chin and pressed kisses over her cheeks until Eunha cringed and batted her away.

“Gross,” she whined. “Keep it to yourself.”

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, you miserable cow.” Nyx was beaming. “I can’t believe you’re not dead.”

Eunha scoffed. “I’d last longer in the wild than you would in civilization. If anything, being around other sentient beings diminishes your chances, given that you don’t know when to shut up.”

“Okay, well now I wish youweredead.”

Eunha snorted, shoving Nyx’s shoulder. She winced, fingers curling into the fabric of her dirty tank top.

“What happened to you?” Cordelia asked, sliding a hand under the pilot’s elbow to take her weight.

Eunha limped over to the edge of the couch, sinking down with Cordelia’s help. She panted, slumping back against the dark cushions.

“Made a friend out there.” Eunha grunted, shifting until she was comfortable. “Big gray dickhead who wanted to take me for a little ride.” She popped her neck with a wince. “Thing is, I didn’t agree with his destination, so I tookhimfor a little ride instead. Didn’t quite stick the landing.”