Page 4 of The Alien Who Saved Christmas

Xane didn’t respond to her assurance. He didn’t even seem to hear it.

His incredible eyes were memorizing her features, apparently finding them far more interesting than anyone else ever had.

His focus was so intense it felt like an x-ray.

Gigantic fingers grabbed her by the chin, angling her face this way and that, as if searching for some sign of a mask.

“The colors of your voice…”

“Voice colors?” She interrupted blankly.

He ignored that, his tone now much lower than it had been before. “You’re truly a female.” It sounded like an accusation mixed with something akin to awe.

“No kidding.” Had he not noticed that before? She’d been trying to hide her species, not her gender. The hideous robe really did look like Santa’s shroud, though. On her short, curvy body, it was like wearing a red-and-white tent.

“Gods.” Xane slowly shook his head, denying this entire situation. “You should not be here, woman. It is far too dangerous.”

He was still traumatized by the auction. Sadie felt a surge of compassion. Of course he was. He might be huge and horned, but this had to be a terrifying experience. And the drugs were probably making everything confused in his head.

“It’s alright.” She soothed. “You’re safe now. I’ll protect you.”

He wasn’t listening. It was like he was in a trance. A massive thumb traced along the side of her mouth, as if he just couldn’t help himself. The gentleness of his touch surprised her, considering his colossal size and deadly claws.

The unexpected contact caused Sadie to jolt, heat flooding her core.

Sex hadn’t been high on her priority list, even before her interstellar abduction.

Wesley, her last boyfriend, had dumped her months ago.

When they were together, he’d been able to satisfy her needs, but so did a vibrator, and a vibrator didn’t cheat with their ex-girlfriend at a waterpark.

Sadie had been perfectly okay with giving up men in favor of handheld technology.

Maybe she’d been a little too hasty.

Xane’s touch had her nipples beading and her breath catching.

Sadie had always been drawn to muscular guys, but this level of lust was a little overwhelming.

He was an alien! She was sexually attracted to aliens now?

Apparently. But was she allowed to be sexually attracted to this alien?

It was probably wrong, considering he was drugged and not in his right mind.

She’d better stop picturing him naked. And she would. Really, really soon.

Xane muttered out an alien curse and dropped his hand from her face. Shaking his head, he seemed to rally. “This has to be a trick.” He declared in a more forceful tone.

“What does?” Sadie asked, trying to get her wayward thoughts under control.

“You. Being here . It’s impossible. It’s…” Xane got distracted again, before he could finish that. “Is it the drugs? Are you even real? And why do you smell like that?”

His billboard-sized chest expanded as he breathed in the scent of her. It probably wasn’t an edifying experience. Back in Ohio, it was winter, but this planet was hot and desert-y. It was stifling under the stupid Santa Claus robes.

Sadie had been “showering” with some kind of powdered, foaming dry-wash stuff for the better part of a month. She didn’t stink, but she also didn’t smell like the delicious marshmallow pumpkin spice bath gel she used back home.

An inhuman growly sound issued from his throat.

Okay… He obviously did not like the smell of her. Who could blame him?

Sadie edged back. “Me being at a slave auction is not normal.” She agreed, focusing on that, rather than on her lack of quality soap.

“I know that you probably don’t believe that, since I’m at a slave auction, but I swear, I’m not buying anyone.

I mean, I technically bought you , but not really.

I am fully against slavery, because I’m not an evil dick. ”

He stared at her.

Sadie chewed her bottom lip. The man seemed overwhelmed with all that had happened to him. Of course he was. Anyone would be, after such a horrific ordeal. “Don’t worry. I’ll explain it all later.” She patted one of his many arms comfortingly. “And I am real.”

He glanced down at her palm touching his green skin, his jaw tightening.

Sadie yanked her fingers back. There was a power-dynamic issue between them, considering he was in chains.

She didn’t want to overstep his boundaries.

“I’m sorry this happened to you.” She told him, praying he understood her lack of sinister intentions.

“For now, just trust that I would never keep you enslaved. Cross my heart. But, we have to get out of here…”

“Is he giving you trouble already?” Octopus-man demanded, striding over. “You should have let me buy the wretch, Lythion. Teach him some manners.”

Sadie winced, realizing he was talking to her. Crap. The guy was right behind her. As soon as she turned, he was going to see that she wasn’t a See-Through Alien Kidnapper, and it would be a whole big thing.

Xane’s turquoise gaze went to Octopus-guy, to Sadie, and then back again. His brows drew together.

“I’ll give you twice what you paid, so he can come back to the mines with me.” Octopus-man went on. “I ran out of credits during the auction, and they were completely unreasonable about accepting a marker.”

Sadie rolled her eyes at Xane. Mr. Octopus sounded about two seconds away from asking to see the manager.

Xane didn’t appreciate the shared moment of levity. His scowl took on a “WTF is wrong with you?” intensity.

“I didn’t expect the beast’s price to go so high. But I’m willing to pay whatever you ask for him.” Octopus-man continued with universal rich-guy entitlement.

Sadie shook her head, keeping her face averted.

Octopus-man wasn’t taking “no” for an answer. “You must have a price in mind! What is your kind even going to do with a Rtaharion? You specialize in exotic species, not brutes like this one.”

Sadie seriously didn’t like Mr. Tentacles. He reminded her of her ex-boyfriend, who’d been just as slimy, but way less menacing. She began to turn, trying to come up with an excuse for not having visible internal organs and ready to tell him to get lost.

Xane wouldn’t let her move, though. His grip on her arm tightened, preventing her from facing the octopus. Over the top of her head, his turquoise gaze fixed on the other man, and he gave a rabid snarl of warning. It sounded like a salivating hellhound mixed with a chainsaw.

Sadie flinched at the horrifying noise. She instinctively tried to back away, but Xane wasn’t letting her go. He yanked her closer to his body.

The Octopus-guy stopped in his tracks at Xane’s menacing stare.

“Leave.”Xane intoned.

Octopus-man fled. It was a Christmas miracle!

Sadie grinned for the first time in weeks. “Good work!”

Xane ignored that. He grabbed the end of the chain leash and shoved it into her hand. “Walk.” He ordered wrathfully. “Keep your head down and your mouth shut. Do not draw attention to yourself.”

Sadie’s smile faded. “I’ve been doing that this whole time. You’re the one making noise and scaring everyone.”

“ Move .”

Sadie moved, marching forward again and tugging him along. Not that he needed any tugging. Xane was now stomping right beside her. “I just saved your life, you know. You could be a little less grumpy.”

“Quiet.”

“Do they have manners on your planet?”

“Do they have survival instincts on yours?”

Sadie rolled her eyes and headed into the main part of town. Off to her left, the cyclops alien was dragging one of the fluffy ducklings towards a shack with an iridescent roof. She’d lost track of the other little yellow guy, but one would do for now. “Hey, do you know what that building is?”

Xane barely spared it a glance, busily scanning the crowd like he was a secret service agent watching for terrorists. “A tavern. Why?”

“Because I’m going to have to break into it later.”

He gave his head a shake, like he was trying to focus. “My translator is having difficulty with your language. Either that or you’re saying nonsensical things.”

“Also, you’re drugged.” Sadie reminded him. “Do you want to rest for a minute?” They were farther away from the auction now, and every step seemed to drain more of his energy. She felt the urge to try and care for him. “Let’s take a break, so you can catch your breath.”

“No. Keep moving.” Xane was clearly staying on his feet through sheer effort of will, but he refused to slow down. “It’s not safe for you here alone. Why are you here alone? Who allowed it?”

“No one ‘allowed’ it. No one even knows I’m on this planet.”

“That will not last for long.” He intoned. “We need to get somewhere, before this situation becomes untenable. Somewhere hidden.”

Sadie shrugged. “Will my spaceship do?”