Read Online Guard (A Sci-Fi Alien Romance) by Zara Harris - Free Book Online

bored.
    “You don’t understand. I’m in trouble. We’re in trouble.”
    “Why are you speaking to me and not your commander?”
    Simo shook his head. “It’s way too serious for that. I needed to come to you.”
    “Did anyone see you?”
    “No, luckily. I bumped into one of the guards from the prisons unit before we caught the train, but I don’t think—”
    “I mean here, in New York,” Saman snapped. “Did you tell anyone you were on your way to see me with that wh—”
    “Careful Saman.”
    “With her in tow.”
    Simo shook his head. “Only your assistant.”
    Saman muttered under his breath.
    “It’s okay, we still have time to escape before anyone realizes.”
    “It’s not you I’m concerned about. The President of the higher council returns to Eros next year. What do you think it’ll do to my campaign if other members of the council hear about my father’s half-human son?”
    “What?” I gasped.
    Saman laughed, cruel and humorless. “She didn’t know?”
    Simo shook his head. “Not many people do.”
    “You can’t hide what you are.”
    “I never wanted to.” Simo took a deep breath and stood up tall. When he finally spoke, he sounded calmer. “I don’t know what’s happened to you Saman, but I don’t like it.”
    I stepped to one side and watched Saman. I would have chosen almost anyone else to decide our fate. His face was scrunched up in utter disgust. He couldn’t even look at me without flinching.  “What have you done?” he said finally.
    “Clementine was mated to a member of the city council, Ke—”
    I elbowed his side as hard as I could. “Shut up,” I hissed. “Don’t tell him.”
    Simo looked down at me, confused.
    “I don’t trust him,” I whispered as quietly as I could.
    “We don’t have a lot of options.” He stroked my face gently with his fingers. I glanced up in time to register Saman’s reaction. Unsurprisingly, he looked thoroughly outraged.
    “She was mated to a member of the city council, Kefi,” Simo continued.
    “Was?”
    “There were some complications during the ceremony.”
    “Explain.”
    “I couldn’t stand by and watch that monster take her.”
    “So you took her for yourself?”
    Simo shook his head. “Not like that, no. I helped her escape.”
    “This Kefi. You killed him?”
    “No.”
    “Surely he would have raised the alarm?”
    “I drugged him. He’ll be out cold for hours.”
    Saman tapped a fat finger against his chin. The whole world seemed to stand still as he deliberated.
    “What do you want me to do?”
    Simo exhaled loudly. “Help us. Get the record of her mating deleted. Help us escape.”
    “You’re asking a lot.”
    “You’re my brother, even if you refuse to admit it.”
    “Like I said, you’re asking a lot.”
    “We don’t have time for this. Can you do it?”
    Saman shook his head slowly.
    “What?” Simo cried.
    Saman walked to the door. “I should have you arrested. Instead I’m allowing you to leave.”
    “It’s the same thing,” Simo whispered.
    Saman shrugged.
    “We grew up as brothers. If you won’t help me as my brother, then do it for our father.”
    With two long strides, Simo was across the room at his brother’s heels. Saman spun around.
    “What are you doing, you fool. They’ll arrest you if you touch me.”
    “Who?” Simo grabbed his shoulders and shook him roughly. “There’s no one to help you here.”
    Saman laughed. “So you’re going to kill me?”
    “No. I’m just trying to make you see sense.”
    “My mind is made up. I won’t jeopardize my campaign. I’ve worked too hard to get this far.”
    “And that’s it. You’d let me rot for your precious career?”
    Saman shrugged. “That’s life. I’ll allow you to walk out of here without raising the alarm.”
    Simo let him go. “That’s noble of you, big brother.”
     
    I was still staring at Simo in disbelief long after Saman had walked out and banged the door behind him. “That was your