by Frost Kay
“Should I leave you and the carpet alone?”
Allie rolled her neck to shoot Sid a wry look. “Only if you insist.” She pushed away from the wall, eyebrows raised as Sid continued to stand just outside her door in the hallway. “You coming in?”
He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment, standing gingerly inside the threshold like she’d bite. She chuckled and made a face at him for a moment before moving into the living room. He played the flirt and rogue perfectly, but he was always gentlemanly and proper when it came to being alone with her, which she appreciated. She was sure her mama would’ve loved him for that.
“Close the door,” she hollered as she plopped onto her comfy blue couch. A sigh escaped her when she slung her aching feet onto the shiny metal coffee table. She rubbed the heal of her foot along the top, making a smudge. She grinned. Jer was obsessed with keeping all things spotless, and marks on the coffee table drove her nuts.
A hiss followed by soft footsteps approached her from behind. Sid rounded the couch and leaned against the adjacent wall, his gaze distant, as if he was lost to a completely different world.
Allie flopped her head to the side of the couch and snuggled into it. “You seem like you have the world on your shoulders. You wanna talk about it?”
Sid blinked his alien eyes and slowly seemed to pull himself from wherever he was. He smiled weakly, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. Which was unlike him. Her friend was full of smiles, charisma, and charm. The silent and serious Sid kinda freaked Allie out. Genuine concern filled her.
“You know you can tell me anything, right? I’m a great listener. Anything you say to me will stay between us.”
His lips thinned in reply, showing just a touch of fang. Well, that wasn’t the response she’d expected.
He pushed away from the wall and began to slowly pace the room, passing the coffee table over and over. His mouth opened a few times as if to say something, before he snapped it closed each time and remained silent.
Her worry deepened. Something was seriously wrong. Sid never held back anything. That was part of what she loved about him.
She jumped when he finally spoke, his voice dark and weary.
“Have you ever done something completely wrong because it is the right thing to do?”
“I can’t say that I have,” she said slowly. What in the world was he talking about? “Have you gotten yourself into some sort of trouble?”
He stilled. Light shone off his inky little scales along his cheekbones and arms. “I feel like I’m stuck. There’s no way out.”
She straightened, her feet falling to the floor as her gaze narrowed. “There’s always a way out. Sometimes, we need to look for a new angle or have someone help us with the problem. What can I do to help?”
He laughed, the sound hollow and eerie. “There’s nothing you can do. I’ve made my decision, and now I have to live with it.”
Sid blew out a breath and then sat on the coffee table, his long legs stretching out, almost touching hers. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and loosely clasped his fingers hanging between his legs. The picture of defeat.
Allie leaned closer, pulled his hands apart, cradling his right one in her lap, and threaded her fingers through his, his scales catching on her dry skin.
“It’s not like you to beat around the bush,” she said quietly. “You’re really starting to freak me out. Please tell me what’s going on? I can’t help unless you talk to me.”
He tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling, the scales on his neck catching the light. Allie squinted at the column of his throat. She’d never noticed before, but there seemed to be a pattern to his scales. She peeked at his arms, and then back at his exposed throat. Well, the pattern was only on his neck. Weird. What did it mean?
He squeezed her fingers, distracting her from her thoughts, and nodded. Sid released her hand and pulled away as if he regretted doing so. He dropped his head and stared at her for a moment.
“Can you promise that you’ll still be my friend if I tell you?” he asked.
The hair along the nape of her neck rose, and her stomach churned. What was he so scared of? Why was he so worried? What in the Sam Hill had he gotten himself into?
“You know I love you,” Allie said softly. “You’re my friend. I’ll help you through whatever I can, but I can’t promise I’ll always be your friend. You know how I feel about honesty. I won’t lie to you. But I can promise to hear you out.”
Sid swallowed hard, his expression grim, and for a moment, she thought he’d get up and leave, but he didn’t. He nodded and slowly pulled something from inside his pants pocket.
“Do you know what this is?”
She squinted at the vial he held in his claw-tipped fingers. The dainty bottle was shaped like a heart and filled with black liquid and hung from a velvet ribbon. A necklace.
“Take it.”
She hesitated. What if it was dangerous?
“It won’t hurt you.”
Allie stared into Sid’s eyes and found no deceit. With care, she reached out and gently pulled the vial from his hands, a black, velvet ribbon dangling off the top. She held the vial to the light and turned it back and forth, noticing that it wasn’t a black liquid at all, but a deep purple. It sparked a memory.
“Such a unique color,” she murmured absently. “I’ve only ever seen this color once. I remember how enamored I was with it. It was the deepest eggplant color I’d ever seen.”
“Eggplant?”
“An Earth vegetable.” Allie turned the glass pendant in her hand and shivered at how cold it was. It almost seemed alive. “What is this? Drugs?”
“The elixir you need.”
She glanced sharply at him. “My what?”
Sid reached out and touched the cyan lines on her bicep that grew every day. “The lines are spreading, and you don’t have much time. What you hold in your hand is your elixir for the poison.”
Her brows furrowed. She stared blankly at her friend as she tried to process his words. An elixir. It couldn’t be. How could he have an elixir for her?
“How is this possible?” she whispered through numb lips.
“You know how,” he said, equally as soft.
Her fingers clenched around the vial as she tried to understand the simple words that had passed his lips. He had her elixir. Sid knew what was killing her. There was only one other person who had that information…
Allie jumped to her feet, tripping over Sid’s legs in her attempt to put space between them. His fingers wrapped around her waist to steady her, but she slapped at his hands and moved so the couch became a barrier between them. A tremor worked through her as she lifted the bottle by the velvet ribbon.
“How did you get this?” she demanded to know, desperately hoping she was wrong.
He sighed, a wealth of emotion and pain in the action. “I’ll answer all of your questions, but you need to drink that elixir.”
“I’m not drinking a darn thing until you tell me what the hell is going on.”
He winced like he was tasting something sour. “I work for Sloven.”
Four words. Only four little words. That’s all it took.
All it took for the world to slip out from beneath Allie’s feet once again.
13
Back Biters and Back Stabbers
“How could you be working for him?” Allie yelled.
“I didn’t have a choice.”
If he believed that, Sid was delusional.
“Everyone has a choice.”
“Not everything is black and white, Allie.”
She ignored his sorrowful eyes as anger, shock, and betrayal worked through her.
“Why does this keep happening to me?” she whispered, rubbing at her heart like she could make the pain go away.
Was there a mark on her forehead that said, Fool me, Abuse me, or Use me? Her gaze narrowed on Sid as he sat on her coffee table, despair clear in his posture. How long had he been t
ricking her?
“How long?” she barked, feeling sick to her stomach.
Sid’s gaze dropped to his fingers. Coward.
“From the beginning.”
“What do you mean, the beginning?” Allie wished something more intelligent came from her mouth. It seemed all she could do was repeat the Sarpe’s words.
He looked up at her, clearly ashamed. Good, he should be.
“As soon as you stepped off that ship, I marked you. I was made aware of my assignment weeks before you entered our atmosphere.”
Her lungs labored to breathe as the information settled in. He didn’t see her as a friend. She was a job. Tears threatened to make their appearance, but she gulped them back. “Why?” she asked.
“Because I had no other choice.”
“Utter rubbish,” she hissed. “That’s the excuse criminals use when they don’t want to be accountable for their actions. Man up and take responsibility for your choices.”
“They have my mate.”
Four little words.
“And she’s pregnant.”
Three more to shake her world again.
Mates were precious on Sars, but children were even more revered. Allie leaned heavily against the back of the couch, her fingernails biting into the fabric. It was a rarity for females on this planet to conceive, a blessing, the same as on Earth. Her papa once told her he’d do anything for his children, and that she’d understand when she got older. And as she imagined having a child of her own, she knew her papa’s words were true. There would be nothing and no one that would hurt her child. She’d kill them first.
She exhaled deeply and rubbed at her forehead, feeling like she’d been through emotional whiplash. How could she blame Sid for protecting his family when she would have done the same?
“Is your mate in danger?” she asked.
“Not for now,” Sid said.
“What does that depend on?”
“On how well I perform.”
Allie gazed at Sid’s hunched-over form like he was waiting for her to strike the final blow, but she didn’t think she needed to. He seemed to be beating himself up. Her heart squeezed, and she found herself rounding the couch and reaching out to him.
Sid jerked back and jumped over the coffee table, startling her. His chest heaved as he stared at her angrily.
“Why are you offering me comfort? I’m the one who betrayed you,” he growled, harshly. “I hurt you. I’ve been lying the entire time, and yet you offer me support?” He ran his claw-tipped hands over his bald head. “You protect and care for the innocent, and I’m not one of them. I’m a monster.” Sid stalked to the wall. “None of this would have happened if you hadn’t befriended me. Why do you have to be so nice?” He spat the word like it was something distasteful.
Her heart pinched. She’d always appreciated the truth over sugarcoated lies, but sometimes the truth plain old sucked rocks. Allie pushed aside the hurt and tried to focus on what would calm Sid down. He had information she needed.
Allie sat on the edge of the couch, rolling the bottle between her fingers as she stared at a point over Sid’s head. “If it hadn’t been you, it would’ve been someone else.”
And that was the truth. History had proved that Sloven the Slayer got what he wanted, and, for some reason, he wanted her. She held the elixir to the light, admiring the deep purple undertones. Would it really heal her?
“Is this really an elixir, or is he trying to kill me?”
“If he wanted you dead, you would be.”
A shiver worked down her spine, but she forced herself to smile at Sid. “That’s comforting.” She glanced from the vial and then back to Sid. “Do you know what’s in it?”
“I don’t.”
“And you expect me to drink it?”
“You have to trust me.”
What stupid words they were. She wouldn’t trust Sid as far as she could throw him.
A peal of laughter burst free from her, followed by another, until tears filled her eyes. She hiccupped and swiped at her eyes. “Excuse me for not taking your word for it.”
Sid laughed humorlessly. “I know you don’t trust me, but he doesn’t want you dead. He needs you for something.” He tipped his chin toward the vial dangling from her fingers. “I was told that you need a dose every two days for the next three weeks, and I’m your dealer.”
What were her choices? Not drink it and die, or take a risk? Allie eyed the liquid inside the vial.
“I’m under instructions to make sure you take it,” Sid said softly.
Code for he’ll force it down my throat if I become difficult.
She uncorked the bottle and hesitated for a moment. It couldn’t be any worse than what she was already going through. Her body felt like it was disintegrating, like she was wasting away. And if she wasted away, what would that accomplish?
Decision made, Allie tossed back the elixir and gagged as the cloying taste of mildew and mold filled her mouth. She choked but just managed to get it down. “Water,” she croaked.
Sid rushed into the little kitchenette, filled a glass of water, and placed it in her hand. Allie began gulping the cool liquid as quickly as she could to get the revolting taste from her mouth. She rubbed her tongue against the roof of her mouth. It was as if the elixir had coated her tongue in oil.
“That’s disgusting,” she panted.
“I know. You have to do that three times a week.”
Allie dry-heaved and placed a hand over her lips. “Just let me die,” she moaned.
“Don’t be such a baby.”
She glared up at Sid. “You weren’t the one who had to down the vile concoction.” Her nostrils flared as she slammed her glass down on the coffee table and corked the bottle, so she wouldn’t have to smell the elixir any longer. “So, he wants me alive. Why? What does Sloven the Creep want from me?”
Her ex-friend, or whatever he was, pulled a little black compact from his back pocket and held it out to her.
“More gifts?” she growled, snatching it from Sid’s large hand.
“More like a curse.”
Allie grimaced and forced herself to open the compact. Her brows furrowed as she tried to figure out what she was supposed to do with the item inside. “Contacts?” she blurted. “Why does he want me to wear contacts? I can see just fine.” Her lips thinned, and she snapped the compact closed. “If this is some fetish thing, I’m not playing along. Not for you or your mate. I’ve played the harlot once and ended up with these.” She held her hands out to display her scars and then tugged on her scoop-necked dress so her cyan lines were on full display.
Sid shook his head. “It’s nothing like that. You’re to spy for him.” He gestured toward the contacts. “Those will help him see what you see.”
“Cameras,” she said dully. “He wants to use me as a Human camera.”
“It’s routine.”
“And do you have to wear such a spectacular accessory?”
“Sometimes.”
How very nonspecific. “And if I refuse?”
“Use your imagination. His paintings were just a little taste of the atrocities he’s committed. Nothing is beneath him. There’s no line he won’t cross to gain what he wants.” Sid stilled, his face, turning into stone. “Then I’ll be punished, and so will my wife.”
“Don’t you dare put that on me,” she said. “You got yourself into this situation. It’s not my responsibility to get you out of it.”
“You’re right, but my wife and I won’t be the only ones to suffer.” He glanced at her in sympathy. “You think he doesn’t know who you care about? He’ll take out the ones you love, one by one, until you crack. I’ve seen it before, and it won’t be quick. It’ll be long and painful.”
Fear trickled down her spine. “Why are you telling me this?” she whispered, her throat dry.
“Because you need to know what you’re up against. There are consequences for each of your actions. Don’t be rash.”
“I’m never rash. I’m a lady.”
Sid hummed, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. “You need to tread carefully.”
“If I was a betting woman, I’d almost say you were trying to warn me.”
“I want you to be informed and not naive. You’ve been caught in his web, and now it’s time to dance to his tune or people will die.”
Allie had never danced to anyone’s tune, and she certainly wouldn’t start now. Sloven had singled her out and threatened those she loved. That was a mistake. Anyone who knew anything understood that one never threatened a Southern woman’s family. It brought out the crazy and dangerous before someone could say sweet tea and biscuits.
She’d play Sloven’s game. He only thought he had her in his web. She was a wily one, and he wasn’t about to get away with this. He’d rot in prison forever if she played her cards right.
“I accept,” she said cheerfully. “When do I start?”
“Now.”
14
The Clumsy Femme Fatale
Sid held up a little round, black device. One that looked suspiciously like a bug.
“What’s that?” Allie asked, sitting down on the couch.
“It’s an ear comm.” He touched the small hole in the side of his head. “Once you place it in your ear, it molds and blends to your skin. It’s virtually undetectable.”
She grimaced and leaned back. “I’m not putting that in my ear.” All she could think about was that it looked like a little black beetle. There was no way she was putting an insect in her ear. “No.”
“No?”
“No,” she said firmly.
“Allie, I don’t think you understand the situation.”
Her eyes narrowed on the Sarpe. “I’m perfectly capable of understanding the situation. I’m not dumb, and I don’t like the insinuation that you think I am.”
“I’m not saying that…”