Vados (Scifi Alien Romance) (The Ujal Book 1) by Erin Tate Page A

condominium high-rise. Your immediate orders are for her protection until the press relents and moves on to another target.”
    Vados’ feelings mirrored his prince’s. The media were vultures and he would gladly rid Earth of them all. Unfortunately, his numerous requests were denied. He would submit another after this assignment. A female was being threatened. If he did not think past situations warranted deadly intervention, this one certainly did.
    “Understood, sire.” Vados straightened his spine and pressed a hand over his chest as he flicked his tail downward. He was ramrod straight with no fluttering of fins as he saluted his Earth-based ruler. He knew Niax was positioned in the same way. “It will be as you say.”
    “Good. Dismissed.”
    They both relaxed, and with a quick flick of their tails, they headed toward the throne room’s exit. Vados nodded to a few other guards under his command. He hated to leave them but was proud his ruler deemed him worthy to guard a female who proved to be a friend to Ujals. Even if such protection included being on land .
    He mentally shuddered and a chill traveled down his spine. Land.
    The last time he’d been on land, as humans said, dammit . He needed to banish Maris—and the feelings she created inside him—to the seas. She’d left . Gone.
    Niax darted through the opening, and Vados paused within the archway. “Sire?”
    Tave turned toward him, blue eyebrow arched.
    “The female’s name?”
    Tave shook his head. “Dr. Maris Xayer.”
    Maris…
    * * *
    Maris thought she knew fear. It’d been her companion for the last week, carried around on her shoulder like an old friend. From the moment the pictures appeared in the local paper then tabloids, her world had been upended. She would have thought the news would focus on hurricane cleanup. No, it’d been on her. Her and… Vados. Though, she’d refused to release his name. The purists prodded and threatened her, the UST made firm inquiries, which had her wondering just how far they’d go for the truth, and then her home. The hurricane hadn’t done it in, but someone had.
    The scent of smoke often assaulted her, memories of waking to a wall of gray and black, and of heat licking at the walls. She’d gotten out alive and mostly unscathed, only a few red areas and a couple of scratches from the window she’d broken in her attempt to get free. She’d managed to make it to the neighbors—and safety—before the attackers realized she’d lived.
    Even now, the memories made her shiver.
    Now she shivered for another reason. Mainly, the guards currently following her toward her temporary accommodations. The Ujal prince, furious she’d been injured due to involvement with them, had been quick to secure her a place to stay. Somewhere safe , he’d assured her.
    The building was secured against nonresidents. In addition, the elevator was reprogrammed to stop a floor below the Ujal levels. This way, visitors could be checked over thoroughly before being granted access to higher floors. It was as safe as they could make it at this juncture. There were guards aplenty for the high-rise.
    Including the two following her to her new home.
    Human guards who scared the ever-living hell out of her. She was unable to pinpoint the reason. Not a single word or look hinted at disgust or hatred for her. And yet… she shuddered with revulsion. There was something .
    “Are you all right, Miss Xayer?” the larger of the two males said.
    Maris’ response was automatic, a correction she’d been handing out ever since her graduation years ago. “Doctor. And I’m fine. Long day.”
    She ignored his snort and instead focused on digging her keys out of her purse. The derision was normal. If she wasn’t a medical doctor, she wasn’t a doctor. At least in the general public’s eyes. Whatever. She was tired, hungry, and annoyed by the situation she found herself in.
    And missing Vados. Can’t forget that one.
    She pushed the thought