A male voice said, “Greetings, Alana.”
She startled and opened her eyes. She found Ice leaning over her. Alana’s first instinct was to berate him. Then she realized how vulnerable she felt, strapped down and naked. Fear was there, rolling in her stomach, but not as much as she might have expected. She glared at him, growling, “How dare you. Just wait until I get my hands on you, I’m gonna kick your ass six ways to Sunday.”
Ice looked puzzled. “Forgive me; I don’t understand what you mean. Is that human’s idiom?”
“Har-de-har-har. Very funny.”
“I assume that’s sarcasm. Forgive me, Alana. If it helps you to know this, I had no intention of taking you. Suddenly circumstances changed, and I didn’t have the time I wanted to ask you more questions or even convince you to come willingly.”
“It doesn’t explain anything. I don’t know what your problem is, you can’t just kidnap people willy nilly.”
“I understand. If it makes you feel better, this is the first time I had to abduct somebody.”
“Oh, what a relief. That’s sarcasm, by the way.”
Ice gave her a unreadable expression. Was he amused? Pissed? She couldn’t really tell. He was lucky he was handsome. She itched to kick his sexy ass, no matter how big he was.
Rain distracted both of them when she tapped the silver circle device a few times and said, “We can let you up now.”
Then she took the thin sheet that covered Alana and whipped it to the side to unstrap her, leaving her completely naked with them all standing over her.
With Ice standing over her.
The moment she could move, she sat up and put an arm across her breasts and one across her lap. “Where are my clothes?”
Ice responded first. “Would you like a uniform, or your—”
“My clothes.”
Leaf retrieved her slacks, blouse, and underwear from a cabinet and handed them to her in a neat, folded pile. They all stood around her, watching.
“Am I not going to be allowed privacy?”
All three strangers looked at one another.
“I don’t know where you come from but women don’t go around naked in front of men. Or get dressed with them watching.”
Ice stared at her for a moment, then seemed to realize what she was saying. “Oh. I promise you I have no interest in your naked body, but I can leave the room if you wish.”
She gritted her teeth. She didn’t know why what he declared irritated her to the high hell. “Just turn around until I’m done, okay?” She didn’t want him to leave, because she had a few things to say
to him.
Well, a lot.
Ice turned, though he seemed confused about it, and Rain and Leaf turned away, as well. Alana quickly dressed, and immediately felt less vulnerable. She walked around Ice to look him in the face. “You. Take me back to my shop.”
Ice looked at Rain, who said, “We’ve explained that we can’t do that.”
“Right, because you’re taking me to your home planet. Seriously, people, I’ve got work to do. I know you people are so committed to this larping thingy, but I can’t keep playing. So, either you take me back right now or I’ll call the cops and press charges. Your call.”
“Cops?” Rain repeated it as if it was a foreign word.
“The police!” Alana brandished her hands in frustration. “I can think of a few things to charge you with already. Kidnapping. Unlawful imprisonment that leads to emotional distress. Reckless endangerment. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer too. And oh boy, you’re not going to like it.”
Ice seemed unperturbed with her outburst. “I would if I could but I can’t.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”