Alienated Read Online Free Page B

know humans and L’eihrs are genetically compatible, we believe it’s our women they’re after, to spawn a race of mutants.”
    What utter lunacy. She could teach HALO a thing or two about proper persuasive writing techniques. “Oh, come on,” she said. “This is total propaganda. Who takes this stuff seriously?”
    “This isn’t a joke.” Eric’s jaw clenched and his eyes hardened in a way she’d never seen before. It sent frost skittering down her spine to see the boy she’d once loved disappear inside the furious stranger glaring at her now. “They won’t talk about anything, especially not their weapons, and that telepathy crap they do is—”
    “Creepy as hell,” Tori finished.
    “Look, it’s done. I already signed—”
    “It’s not the only scholarship in the world, you know.” Eric pushed off the sofa, propelling himself to his feet with the force of his anger. “This program’s only for valedictorians. So if you say no, the freak goes to another school. But if you say yes, we’re all stuck sitting next to him in class, in the lunchroom, sharing a bathroom.…What if they let him play sports?” He raked a hand through his hair, setting it on end. “Think about it. Everyone’ll hate you for bringing him into our lives. And they’ll hate us”—pointing to himself and Tori—“by association.”
    Cara studied both of them in shock. “You won’t want to be seen with me?”
    Eric’s hot gaze darted to the scuffed hardwood floor between his feet.
    “I’m not gonna ditch you, but think about it.” Tori rocked back in her chair. “We don’t know anything about them. What if they’re up to something? What if they don’t let you come home when it’s your turn?”
    “They healed my mom. Why bother with that if they just want to wipe us out?”
    “Oh, grow up, Cara.” Eric charged to the door and snatched his cleats off the front porch. “They want something for that cure. Nothing’s free. It’s time to take one for the team. Shred the contract or whatever. Undo it.”
    “No!” How dare he order her to do anything? “This could make my whole career.”
    “No? Just like that? God, you’re so selfish!” Eric was shouting at her—for the first time in all the years they’d known each other. “Putting yourself and the whole town at risk, and why? So you don’t have to take out student loans?”
    “ I’m the selfish one? You arrogant pri—”
    “What’s the problem?” Dad strolled in from the kitchen, his hair wildly tousled from Mom’s fingers. He gave Tori’s shoulder a playful squeeze, then scowled at Eric and offered a curt nod of acknowledgment. “Bet you’ve got some homework to do.”
    Eric took the hint. “Yeah.” He leaned in to kiss Cara’s cheek, but instead delivered a whispered warning in her ear. “You better figure out what’s important.” And then he turned and left without saying good-bye, pulling the door shut so softly it barely made a sound. Somehow it stung her ears worse than a slam.
    Eric’s HALO pamphlet had fallen to the floor, and Cara picked it up, glancing at the last lines. It is better to die proud Patriots of Earth than to live in quivering supplication to an alien race. Take care that you recognize the L’eihr enemy. He may look human, but he is not.
    She shook off a chill. It terrified her to think Eric actually believed this drivel and that Tori wasn’t far behind. What if he was right about the whole student body despising her for bringing Aelyx to school?
    Cara pulled a deep breath in through her nose and held it. No, she couldn’t believe that. Reasonable people would have doubts, just like she did, but they wouldn’t come after her with pitchforks and torches. And Tori was crazy to think the L’eihrs wanted to lure her to their planet and trap her there to make babies. If that was their goal, why not abduct her now? They had the technology to do it—easily.
    So why did her palms feel clammy again? Why was her heart