Modified: the Alien's Mate

Chapter Two

He gave her enough time to run away from the Allarians before he turned back the way he had come. The Allarian’s time on the planet would expire in another hour. If he could help her escape them, they would leave without her. It was what he wanted; she was his to take in. His orders were simple. Find her and bring her to the head of the Intergalactic Bureau of Investigations. Usually, he did not normally follow the human, Lionel Corbin’s orders but in this case it was personal. They needed her.

            Edgar weaved his way through thick undergrowth, stirring up desiccated leaves as he ran towards his prey. The scent of his planet filled his nostrils, and he lifted his head and howled his satisfaction at being able to change into his Canidae form.

Onboard his ship, he did not have time to relish this feeling of freedom. Being Captain of a medium cruiser for the Intergalactic Space Corp had been a joy for the last decade or so. Yet, he often wondered if it was time to leave it all to the younger generations and retire to Black Isle his family’s estate. Though he could not envision living a simple life he knew it would be better than living on a ship where he had to hide his Canidae from his subordinates.

            Running free like now was what he longed for, but it would have to wait. He had to complete his mission first. Resolutely, he headed for his prize. He was certain she thought she had escaped.  His large canine mouth peeled back as he let the wind caress his tongue. Those Allarians liked to talk, they should have taken the female the instant they had cornered her. He would not be so foolish he thought as he hunted her.

            It took him ten minutes to track her down near the canyon where he had his shuttle.

How fortuitous he thought as he slowed his pace, then walked towards her appearing in her path.

            She came to an abrupt stop a startled sound leaving her.

“What do you want?” she said, her voice resonating deep within him. She twisted the bracelet of the handcuff around her wrist and his eyes went to it.

            She was favouring one leg he saw. Was she in pain? He wondered; his thought surprised him. It should not matter to him if she was in discomfort, but why was he concerned. Edgar looked away from her, but he was aware of her every move.

Had she guessed what he was?

He saw her shift from foot to foot and he met her eyes. She stopped immediately and stared at the ground.

            Edgar had never been indecisive in his seventy years, yet as he stared at the human female, he was wondering how to approach her. He did not want to take her by force. What he wanted was her cooperation.

            Whilst he was deciding what to say to her, he became aware that the Allarians he had believed had given up had followed her. They were coming towards them at great speed, and they made no effort to stop.

            “I can’t stay here,” she mumbled, her eyes searching the area.

Since the decision was taken out of his hands, he did the unthinkable. He cleared his mind and commanded his body to shift from his Canidae form into his humanoid one. The snap, pop, and c***k of his bones as they contorted within his body and transformed him was audible in his ears. When he stood before her taller than he had been minutes before, he was aware that she was staring at him in awe.

            “We must leave before the Allarians get here,” he said, his eyes meeting hers.

“I can’t. My ankle. I sprained it.” Her words were soft and filled with defeat.

This, he thought did not suit her. From the moment he had seen the report on Regina Wilde he had known she was not the sort of female to give up easily, it was admirable. He could not allow her to feel this way now.

            “I must give you, my apology then.” Edgar scooped her up into his arms. She let out an audible breath but remained silent as she stared up at him.

The instant she was securely in his grasp he took off towards the canyon. Edeva, his second in command would see that the Allarians were taken care of, he thought as he swiftly skirted around trees not caring that thorns scraped his skin and low hanging limbs grabbed at his loose waist-length white hair like old ladies’ fingers.

            He had not gone far when the surrounding trees and vegetation bent low beneath the engines of a small rectangular shuttle that hovered above the tops of the tallest trees.

Coming to a stop, Edgar looked up and scanned the belly of the shuttle, it was Allarian. He had not believed they would be bold enough to have their shuttle follow them. The Allarians were not going to give her up easily.

“I do not believe the Allarians will give up on you,” he commented, glancing at her briefly before tilting his head up to stare at the shuttle.

“I think we should find a place to hide before they come,” Regina said, as she followed his gaze.

“You are correct we cannot stay here,” he agreed. “This way, I know a place where we can be safe.”

He veered left in the direction that they were going. As he did so he explained that they were heading for a place where they would be able to evade the shuttle’s sensors.

Feeling her eyes on him, he turned. “Is anything the matter?” he asked as he waited for her to catch up with his longer strides.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked suspiciously.

            He thought of lying, but he could foresee this damaging the trust he wanted to build with her.

“I am here to arrest you.”

He expected a sort of reaction, but he was mildly surprised when she stared at him and said, “Who sent you?”

            “I am representing the Intergalactic Space Corp.”

“I see.” She drew the words out as if she had an idea of what he wanted from her.

“Are you going to hand me over to the earth authorities?”

Edgar shook his head. “I want something else entirely.” He deliberately let his words be vague. He had given her enough information to interest her and he hoped she would accept the bait.

            “We must hurry,” he urged.

He took two steps and came to a sudden standstill. He had been too engrossed with the human to notice that an Allarian had tracked them. It was the one he had heard called Bando. Before he had been unarmed but now, he held a small laser pistol pointed at them.

            “Give me the ouman,” he hissed his eyes shifting from Edgar to Regina.

“I cannot do so,” he answered stepping before her completely so his body blocked the Allarian’s line of sight.

“It’s a shame then, Karan,” he said, pulling the trigger on the weapon.

Reacting fast, he shoved Regina to the ground the same instant the burn of the weapon pierced his side.

In a blur of speed, he was on the Allarian before he could fire again. A right hook took the mercenary off guard and he staggered back at the force. Righting himself he shook his head and raised the weapon again. Edgar knocked it out of his and the pistol hit a nearby tree and discharged hitting Bando right in his chest.

There was a blank look on the Allarian’s face as he collapsed before him.

 With his hand placed over his wound, he went back to Regina. “I believe we should forfeit hiding and head towards my ship instead.”

Standing, she brushed dirt from her derriere. Taking off the vest she wore she handed it to him. “This should stop the bleeding until we get to your ship.” Her eyes watched him as he placed the vest on his wound. It was not life-threatening. His kind regenerated quickly but it did not mean he would not need medical help. He wondered what his chief medical officer would say when he turned up in his medical bay.

“Would you let me help you,” she offered, and he scrutinised her face before nodding.

She drew nearer to him until they stood shoulder to shoulder. Or more like shoulder to waist. She was short for a human he thought as he places one hand on her shoulder. “I believe our differences in height will make this difficult.”

She glanced at him. “If you hold on to my shoulder at least you will be able to take some pressure off your side.”

Considerate, he had not thought of her as having these qualities. Baffled, he stared down at her. Edgar had never thought about what she was like. He had believed she was just like any other convict.

“Let us make haste then,” he said, changing direction for a second time.

Edgar controlled his body weight and attempted to put little or no pressure on her. Whilst he did this, he wondered why it was that when the Allarian had held that laser pistol at them a part of him had been afraid. He was a ship’s captain for goddess sakes, how could a weapon being pointed at him make him tremble inside?