“Your ride?”
“My partner. Well, not really a partner. He’s probably drinking with the rest of the crew and forgot about me.”
“Your mate?”
She scoffed. “God no, we work in the same field office, but his heart isn’t in the work. That’s why I’m here and he’s not.”
Jeff was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. All he cared about was honor and awards, rubbing elbows with wealthy sponsors and kissing the right ass. The only reason Ella partnered with him was to get her research funded. She knew he’d take all the glory if she discovered new life from other planets, and she really didn’t give a shit. This was much more than dollars, cents, and recognition—to her, anyway.
But now it was late and she had no clue if he’d remember her. She couldn’t sit out in the open waiting for another wolf attack.
“Do you have a vehicle?” she asked. If she had to, she’d beg for a ride to the nearest micro town.
“Not a working one, as I mentioned,” he said. “It’s too dangerous for you to be out here alone. You’ll come with me.”
“Where exactly?”
“A couple of miles’ walk from here. I have food and necessities.”
“Do you have a flashlight?”
He shook his head. “I know my way.”
She wanted to ask him if he was military or some branch of police but wasn’t brave enough. It was dark. They were alone together in the middle of nowhere. And there were many crazed homesteaders living off the grid. She didn’t want to push any wrong buttons.
Ella reached for her backpack. It weighed a ton, but she couldn’t leave behind her tools and supplies. They cost way too much to abandon.
But he took it from her, easily tossing it over one of his shoulders.
“Let’s go,” he said.
She did feel somewhat at ease around him. Maybe it was the calm tone of his voice. Deep with a slow drawl she’d never heard before. He had excellent pronunciation. And he looked, well, perfect—from his muscular physique and sheer size, to his chiseled jawline and the most unique shade of eye color she’d ever seen.
She took one last look at the wolf carcasses, still unable to process how he’d managed that feat. They moved away from the dying fire and couldn’t see much at all. Darkness surrounded them. Ella didn’t want to be rude and grab his hand or hold on to his coattail. She tried her best to keep up.
“How many years do you have?” he asked.
She frowned at first but was already realizing he had a strange way of speaking. “I’m twenty-four years old, if that’s what you mean.”
“You’re young in human years.”
“I suppose.”
“And why were you out here alone without protection?”
“I’m searching for meteorites to study. I want to discover new life from other planets.”
He chuckled, a sound she didn’t think he was capable of. Dhiro walked a brisk clip, and she struggled to tag along.
“Do you have family?”
That was a topic for another day. Her parents saw her as a failure a long time ago, probably when she’d chosen her major in university. They’d kept their distance ever since. She had no siblings. Ella supposed that was why it was so easy to get absorbed in her work. “Not close, no.”
All she could hear was the crunch from his boots on the dry ground.
“Good.”
“Good? How is that good?”
“You won’t miss anyone. No one will wonder why you’ve disappeared.”
Now her hackles were up. Her heart began to race. Maybe he was one of those crazy ex-military types. Was he going to torture her? Keep her in some makeshift prison? So many creepy thoughts flooded her mind, but what could she do? Where would she run?
She kept silent.
“You said you were looking for new life. What alien civilizations has your race already discovered? I wasn’t aware humans had made such advances.”
The only thing she could conclude was that he’d isolated himself from the modern world. Maybe he didn’t even realize they’d landed on the moon. There were some people who refused to own a phone, television, or other modern amenities.
“I’m not sure what to say. We’ve been looking for bacteria and fossils on Mars, but it’s far from what I’d call discovering an alien civilization. It doesn’t stop me from searching though. You never know unless you look, right?”
“Yes.”
She tripped over a stone, vaulting forward, but he caught her before she fell.
“Thank you. Again,” she said.
“You’re skittish. I hear it in your voice, and your blood pressure is too high. What are you afraid of?”
“I guess I’m still shaken up from the wolves,” she lied.
Once surrounded by nothing but solid darkness, the sky transformed into a painter’s canvas—more stars than she could count. She’d never get tired of stargazing. It calmed her racing nerves somewhat.
“You have nothing to be afraid of. Not any longer.”