Unwelcome
Page 22
In the picture, a man in a white jacket is hunched over, cradling his head in his hands. I stare at him, waiting for him to look up so maybe I can try to read his lips. Taking a long swig of coffee, I choke, and it spews all over the chairs in front of me.
A pair of eyes I’ve only seen in photographs. Worn, weathered skin hangs from his face and accentuates the deep creased lines of his forehead. It can’t be. I must be short on oxygen after all that smoke inhalation.
“Skara…what is wrong?” Ren asks, kneeling down beside me. He tries to turn my face away from the screen, but I can’t move. I’m afraid if I look away, the image will disappear.
“Sol, what’s the date on this video?” I ask, barely above a whisper.
“I do not know I would have to look…” he mumbles, his attention elsewhere.
“Then look! What’s the date?” My heart beats wildly in my chest, and I’m somewhere amid panic, confusion and delight. Ren attempts to get my attention to no avail.
“Two of your Earth weeks ago, Aciana.”
“Impossible. You’re sure?”
“On my life.”
Panic stricken, I look to Ren. He runs his thumb along my cheek, forehead creased in concern.
“We have to go there. Wherever this is. We have to find it.”
“I do not understand. What is it that you see?”
“That’s my great grandfather, Ren. He’s alive, and something’s wrong with him.”
To be continued…
Hey there!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read Unwelcome. For me, this book was all about fighting for what’s right, changing what isn’t, and not being afraid to make waves. I hope you loved it!
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The third installment of this series, Unmatched, is available for preorder! So don’t forget to pick it up! And keep reading…there’s a special sneak peek at the prologue right after this letter.
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Xoxo- Annalise
Unmatched - Prologue
She’s trembling—grasping her mother’s purple gown and holding on like her life depends on it. At only fourteen, after what’s she’s been through, it likely does.
“Acia, our scanners indicate we have been recognized and tagged for annihilation. We must leave now,” Sol pants, out of breath after jogging from the navigation bay. “The Universal Community is dispatching seek and destroy carriers as we speak.”
“Skara…” Ren says, giving my neck a light squeeze.
I glance back through the ship’s open hatch, giving the last of the displaced non-Illusian females we saved from the auction a wistful look. For the past two weeks we’ve traveled halfway across the galaxy to bring this little Deebian to her parents, and the thought of leaving her feels wrong. After Ren found out she was a child, he insisted we take her ourselves rather than utilizing freelance crews to drop her off. He wasn’t taking any chances she could get lost again. Only problem was, her home planet, Deeb, is on the outskirts of UCom territory and navigating through their restricted zone unnoticed is almost impossible.
“I know this one affected you greatly. But she is home, back with those who will care for her and ensure she moves past this. We have only our own to think about now.”
Almost as if she notices my hesitance to leave her, Mae-isa waves goodbye, cracking a smile for my benefit. She’s a sweet kid, resilient enough to still feel something good after what those pricks put her through.
Naya examined her when we found her. The damage was extensive. She’ll never have children.
The sound of Sol anxiously tapping draws me away from Mae-isa’s mother’s tear-drenched face and back toward Ren. Not willing to wait any longer with the impending threat, Ren throws me over his shoulder and hits the lever to lower the hatch.
“Rivan, Sol—update,” Ren demands as he drops me into my seat and glides toward the star map. The other Illusians are already strapped in.
“We have maybe ten minutes to clear the atmosphere of Deeb before the closest Universal Community vessel will intercept us.” Sol slides his finger across his tablet and gulps. “They have been given clearance to pursue, Acia.”
“Don’t they always give chase?” Leandra asks. Ragar snorts from behind her and she turns to glare at him. “Oh, you shut right the hell up. I either exist, or I don’t. You don’t get it both ways. So, keep your shitty little noises to yourself.”
The vein on Ragar’s forehead bulges as he stares anywhere but at her. No matter how obvious his frustration, he never actually disrespects her. Only says, or does, just enough to drive her insane.
And me. And everyone else.
For two weeks they’ve been at each other’s throats, and I’m done with it. All they do is sulk and glare. Neither one bothering to address the real issue and actually talk about what happened before she went on the mission with Ari. I thought things would get better after Ari and his new mate Dena left, but it didn’t. If anything, it got worse.
Sol clears his throat. “Yes, but on occasion they are given permission to go beyond the Universal Community’s boundaries to seek their targets. This is one such time.”
“Oh, then what the hell are we waiting for?” Leandra asks, concern straining her face.
Another snort from Ragar, and a string of angry mumbles from Leandra, and Ren has had enough. “We leave now. The next to speak loses their tongue.”
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Acknowledgments
Acknowledgements
To my readers, you guys are fabulous! Every review, good or bad, keeps me going and gives me insight. Your support means everything, and I appreciate each and every one of you.
To my wonderful alpha/beta readers Mandy, and Haley, you’re the best. You help keep me on track when my mind starts taking me other places.
To my besties Ashley and Sara, thank you for reading endless excerpts and dealing with a million questions. As always, a giant thank you to my editor, Patricia @ The Novel Fixer. Your guidance is invaluable.
Last but not least, to my husband, baby daddy, mr. fix-it extraordinaire, thank you for your constant support, unwavering love, and for always saving me the last piece of bacon.
About the Author
Annalise Alexis is a free-spirited mother of three who lives with her husband and kids in the heart of Texas. A huge fan of Firefly, Gilmore Girls, and anything with Jason Momoa, Annalise combines her love of all things sexy and strange by writing in several genres including: science fiction romance and contemporary.
Don’t forget to join her newsletter for snippets, sneak peeks, and all the things. You can also find Annalise’s Word Fiend reader group on Facebook.
You can find Annalise on the web at http://annalisealexis.com
Also by Annalise Alexis
Contemporary Romance
Moist
Science Fiction Romance
Unexpected (Her Illusian Warrior #1)
Unwelcome (Her Illusian Warrior #2)
Unmatched (Her Illusian Warrior #3)