Read Online Alien Hostage by Tracy St. John - Free Book Online Page A

Diltan too? Ancestors, this is huge.”
    If men like Ospar, Rajhir, and Diltan were on board for this Earth Two project, then it was almost certainly a done deal. The Imperial Clan might also be in the thick of such a plan, though they would pursue such an interest quietly. Huge didn’t begin to cover it.
    Falinset paged back to the scientific specifications of the company’s first project, but he already knew he’d take a stake in it. He knew the other investors by reputation only – particularly the wily Ospar who always seemed to be barely one step ahead of trouble. He and Rajhir had been fingered in the charges of abducting Earther women, the same charges that had put the Empire in so much conflict as of late. Despite it being clear to anyone with half a brain how guilty they’d been, the pair had walked with no more than losing some money and prestigious government positions. Maybe they had done what they had with the best of intentions, as they’d sworn. That didn’t change the fact they had helped bring on a war with Earth. The planet was now a dead rock in the universe, incapable of sustaining most forms of life.
    Falinset grinned. Even a guilty conscience wouldn’t convince a rogue like Dramok Ospar to sink a small fortune into a project like a new home planet for the displaced Earthers who’d survived. The science and company had to be rock solid. Falinset would do his research, but there was no doubt he was in. His heart galloped with excitement to think he’d be part of bringing an entire planet to life.
    He settled into his hover chair, bringing up the leg rest and taking its temperature down a couple of degrees for comfort. He sighed and started to read about the newly created AED – atmosphere establishing device – that would be part of the first steps of creating Earth Two.
    He’d no sooner brought up the specifications when he heard the sound of the front door’s announce. Nur’s voice drifted to him and a lighter, female voice responded. Falinset froze.
    She didn’t dare come here, not after last time. Falinset had made it abundantly clear she was no longer welcome in his home.
    Yet the light footsteps coming down the hall were not Nur’s tread. As Falinset’s mother Feyom breezed into the room as if she thought herself a wanted guest, Falinset rose to his feet. He did not bow however, purposely insulting her.
    Feyom wasn’t looking at him anyway. As usual she took in the state of his office, the well-made but secondhand furnishings Nur had gleefully collected, the computer with its multiple readouts hovering in the air over the cluttered desk, and the large window vids that afforded Falinset of the many views of woods and dunes and trails surrounding his home. The way her nose wrinkled said Feyom was not impressed.
    With a long-suffering sigh, she finally turned her gaze to her son. She was greeted by his glare. It was her turn to freeze, a moment of unease flickering in her eyes before she switched to the cold expression Falinset knew all too well.
    As if they hadn’t parted with shouts the last time, she gave him a put-out tone. “Well, my son. No greeting for your mother?”
    “Hello. Now goodbye,” he bit out.
    She rolled her eyes. Instead of getting the hell out of his life as he wanted her to, Feyom sank daintily in the overstuffed seat in front of his desk. She didn’t so much sit as float down.
    Graceful. Stunning in her aloof manner. As usual Falinset had to marvel at how a despicable creature like Feyom could present such a lovely front. His anger surged at himself for admiring the image she projected despite knowing what the woman was.
    She gazed up at him, her confidence in her unassailability as a rare Kalquorian Matara firmly in place. She sniffed at his offense. “After all your fathers and I paid for tutors and manservants to raise you with some notion of decorum—”
    Falinset spat out, “They aren’t my fathers, and you’ve never paid for anything in your life.