a long black pelt tied back as was the custom of his world. No, he was sure she’d never seen any other enforcer quite like him.
He took a moment to gaze into her eyes, attempting to judge her reaction. For a split second he thought he saw real fear in her blue, enraged stare. But as he acknowledged that fright with the slightest nod, she rallied and lifted her chin higher. He got the impression she didn’t like being studied and presumed weak.
She gripped the glass jar in her left hand with firm resolve. Whatever momentary lapse in courage she’d had, she quickly willed it away and faced him like some demon goddess about to strike.
Anger over her ungracious and childish behavior warred with something in his gut, some instinct to protect. That last emotion was outrageously absurd, especially given her apparent willingness to cause trouble. But it was there all the same.
• • •
Laurel forced herself to quit shaking. He sensed it. And when someone knew you were scared they used it. But how could one man possibly be so big? How could a man look so much like the mythical Ares, god of war? Why did she fear someone who looked human enough when bear man and blue girl hadn’t frightened her at all?
Towering at least seven feet, the man staring her down had shoulders as broad as the front end of a small sports car and a chest about as thick as most walls. At least that was the way he looked from her current, unclothed position with nothing but a jar to wield in defense.
Though his black tunic, tall black boots, and tight pants were uniform perfect, the darkness of it appeared to match his mood. Hair about pectoral length, currently tied back and left to flow over one shoulder, was in absolute contrast to any uniform code she’d ever heard of.
Like everything else over the past few hours, reality was proving worse than any nightmare. Tan guy was glaring at her with all the love a big panther showed a small rabbit. At almost five feet, nine inches, with all kinds of martial arts titles and trophies, and seven years of police experience, she’d thought herself fully capable of fighting pretty much anything when it came to hand-to-hand battles. Big, tall, and square-jawed, handsome god man stood in front of her reminding her to check that conceit. Dark green eyes drilled holes into and through her. If she’d been anywhere else in the known universe, it wouldn’t be far enough away.
She mustered what courage she had left. No one was going to find her wanting in the nerve department. That much she could do for all the other Earthlings who’d been abducted, probed, and disbelieved over the past decades. Poor, poor souls. If the rest of Earth knew what she did, those people wouldn’t be made fun of any longer.
Laurel took a deep breath and spoke her piece.
“I’m guessing
you’re
the infamous commander I’ve been hearing so much about? Or did I just dream they’d called you that when I was lying in that coffin?”
Laurel forced herself to glare at him when every instinct told her to run. Once again, she was startled that this mountainous being
looked
human but he could easily be some kind of head-popping insect for all she knew. Maybe these creatures could shapeshift and this one was just holding back until such time as he figured out what to do with her or how to serve her for dinner.
As she’d spoken, his hands came from behind his back and now opened and closed menacingly. As another show of strength, he placed them on hips that appeared to be forged from iron. Like bear man, this human-looking entity wore a weapon that hung from his right side in a low-slung leather-like holster. The angle of it reminded her of old Saturday morning westerns she’d watched on TV as a child. Fortunately, the thing was still holstered. He hadn’t aimed it.
Yet
.
She moved away from the wall, hoping he would follow. If she could lure him away from the hatch, there might still be a way to get out of this space. Sad for her,
He took a moment to gaze into her eyes, attempting to judge her reaction. For a split second he thought he saw real fear in her blue, enraged stare. But as he acknowledged that fright with the slightest nod, she rallied and lifted her chin higher. He got the impression she didn’t like being studied and presumed weak.
She gripped the glass jar in her left hand with firm resolve. Whatever momentary lapse in courage she’d had, she quickly willed it away and faced him like some demon goddess about to strike.
Anger over her ungracious and childish behavior warred with something in his gut, some instinct to protect. That last emotion was outrageously absurd, especially given her apparent willingness to cause trouble. But it was there all the same.
• • •
Laurel forced herself to quit shaking. He sensed it. And when someone knew you were scared they used it. But how could one man possibly be so big? How could a man look so much like the mythical Ares, god of war? Why did she fear someone who looked human enough when bear man and blue girl hadn’t frightened her at all?
Towering at least seven feet, the man staring her down had shoulders as broad as the front end of a small sports car and a chest about as thick as most walls. At least that was the way he looked from her current, unclothed position with nothing but a jar to wield in defense.
Though his black tunic, tall black boots, and tight pants were uniform perfect, the darkness of it appeared to match his mood. Hair about pectoral length, currently tied back and left to flow over one shoulder, was in absolute contrast to any uniform code she’d ever heard of.
Like everything else over the past few hours, reality was proving worse than any nightmare. Tan guy was glaring at her with all the love a big panther showed a small rabbit. At almost five feet, nine inches, with all kinds of martial arts titles and trophies, and seven years of police experience, she’d thought herself fully capable of fighting pretty much anything when it came to hand-to-hand battles. Big, tall, and square-jawed, handsome god man stood in front of her reminding her to check that conceit. Dark green eyes drilled holes into and through her. If she’d been anywhere else in the known universe, it wouldn’t be far enough away.
She mustered what courage she had left. No one was going to find her wanting in the nerve department. That much she could do for all the other Earthlings who’d been abducted, probed, and disbelieved over the past decades. Poor, poor souls. If the rest of Earth knew what she did, those people wouldn’t be made fun of any longer.
Laurel took a deep breath and spoke her piece.
“I’m guessing
you’re
the infamous commander I’ve been hearing so much about? Or did I just dream they’d called you that when I was lying in that coffin?”
Laurel forced herself to glare at him when every instinct told her to run. Once again, she was startled that this mountainous being
looked
human but he could easily be some kind of head-popping insect for all she knew. Maybe these creatures could shapeshift and this one was just holding back until such time as he figured out what to do with her or how to serve her for dinner.
As she’d spoken, his hands came from behind his back and now opened and closed menacingly. As another show of strength, he placed them on hips that appeared to be forged from iron. Like bear man, this human-looking entity wore a weapon that hung from his right side in a low-slung leather-like holster. The angle of it reminded her of old Saturday morning westerns she’d watched on TV as a child. Fortunately, the thing was still holstered. He hadn’t aimed it.
Yet
.
She moved away from the wall, hoping he would follow. If she could lure him away from the hatch, there might still be a way to get out of this space. Sad for her,
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