The responsibility is mine. How is that arm, Vax?”
The Imdiko tried for a brave smile, but he looked like he might vomit. “Sore, but I think I’ll survive.”
“I want you to take a pain inhibitor.” When Vax opened his mouth to protest, Bacoj held up his hand for silence. “We’ve got enough for you to last until we get to the search party’s base.”
“But if someone else needs it—”
“No one else is hurt. You’ll take as much as you need.” It was easy to be clan leader with Vax. He took orders with little argument.
Japohn stiffened, and they immediately looked in the direction that had his attention. Vax asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Someone’s coming.”
Bacoj saw nothing moving among the refuse of the Earther landscape but didn’t doubt his Nobek’s claim. A bounty hunter before the war, Japohn could detect danger better than most. Bacoj’s hand went to the dagger sheathed in his belt. “How many?”
“I think one. You two had better get back inside the shuttle just in case.”
Bacoj let go of the blade, confident in Japohn’s ability to handle a single Earther. “We’re a rescue operation first and foremost. It may be someone who needs our help.”
“We aren’t in much of a position to help anyone, including ourselves,” Japohn reminded him.
“Still, let’s not be too hasty to attack if we’re approached. We can at least give a good impression of our people.”
Japohn snorted, his gaze still riveted on a burnt out husk of a transport vehicle. Bacoj couldn’t be sure if he would obey his orders. Not for the first time, he wondered if he’d made a mistake clanning the assertive Nobek.
* * * *
Peeking through the filthy windshield of an electric car, Lindsey swallowed. Her dry throat clicked. All three aliens were staring in her direction. She’d been spotted despite her best efforts to remain hidden.
At least she was still a block away. Surely that was enough of a head start for her to evade the Kalquorians. Lindsey thought if she was going to abandon her plan to ask for help, now was the time to do so.
But her parents were starving, especially her father. Lindsey knew he’d been going without to make sure Tara had enough food. He wouldn’t last much longer, not the way things were falling apart. None of them would.
Desperation made Lindsey bold. She stood up straight and walked towards the Kalquorians, putting on a brave face like a mask.
She studied them as she drew closer, staring at them as frankly as they stared at her. Her eyes went to the tallest one first. She’d known Kalquorians were big, averaging about six and a half feet tall, but this one was a monster. His clinging black outfit showed every bulge of his amazing physique. Black curls hung to his wide, bare shoulders. His skin, like the other two, was dark like the people of the Middle East. His face was handsome but the expression he wore, watchful with suspicion, made him look brutish.
Fear licked through Lindsey’s belly, turning her insides strangely warm. Heavens, that big man was the most virile-looking creature she’d ever set eyes on. He could probably crush her with one hand. She was insane to approach such a beast.
Intimidated, she moved her gaze to another of the waiting Kalquorians. The smallest of the three men was still at least a foot taller than her own five-five height and well-muscled in proportion to his frame. The tense but gentle expression he wore gave Lindsey courage to keep going towards them.
Hair swept back from his attractive face in soft waves. She liked the strength of his chiseled jaw. He’d apparently been injured. One of his arms was encased in a hard-molded gray shell, and a strap slung around his thick neck held it close to his chest.
The third man was thicker bodied than his injured friend, his face striking even though it wore a frown. Despite the downturn of his sensuous lips, he didn’t look unfriendly. His was a look of concern, as if he had enough problems without an Earther showing up for who-knew-what reason. He tossed his head as a breeze blew an errant lock of his long, wavy hair across his unlined face. Lindsey wondered if the hair was as soft as it looked.
Lindsey had known the Kalquorians were similar in features to Earthers, but she hadn’t expected them to be so attractive. They were gorgeous examples of masculinity with wide shoulders, tapered waists, muscled thighs and … she warmed as her