Close Encounters Read Online Free PDF Page B

studying me as he touched his bleeding lip with one hand.
    Flexing my knees, I dropped into a defensive stance and waited. He came at me slower, a calculating gleam in his eyes. Warily, we circled each other, him edging ever closer. It didn’t take an empath to understand his plan. He figured if he could only get his hands on me, I wouldn’t stand a chance. And if I were a Natural, he’d have been right.
    But I wasn’t even a normal GEP.
    I stopped circling and let him come. With a grunt of triumph, his massive arms fisted around me and lifted me from the ground. Using the edge of my boot, I made contact with his shin, and then jammed my elbow into his throat.
    Choking and gasping, he released me to clutch at his neck, and I used the movement to grab his arm and toss him over my hip. He landed on his back with a bone-jarring thud that would have knocked the air out of a lesser creature, and then rolled to his feet.
    Before he could take another step toward me, I dropped to the ground and kicked his feet out from under him. Even as he hit the dirt again, I returned to an upright position, but the maneuver had knocked my cap off and my braid spilled down my back.
    Instantly, the big guy roared a command that froze Brownie in his tracks. He glowered in his leader’s direction while they exchanged a series of grunts and growls, then three sets of eyes lowered to my chest.
    “I think they just realized you’re female,” Max commented in my ear.
    With a smile, I propped my hands on my hips and thrust my boobs out so there would be no doubt in their minds. Hey, they might not be my best feature, but I was proud of what I had.
    Brownie groaned and shut his eyes, humiliation in every line of his body. Not only had he got his butt whipped, it had been a female who’d done the job.
    The big guy snapped another order, and Brownie shot me a hate-filled glare as he retrieved his spear from Junior and slunk off into the jungle. I’d have to do something about that, and soon, I realized. I couldn’t afford to have enemies in the Buri tribe.
    I glanced back at the two remaining Buri to find them watching me, the big guy’s dark gaze intent, as though he couldn’t quite figure me out. Still smiling, I walked slowly forward until I was right in front of him. Junior took a few steps back, but the big guy held his ground.
    Normally I wouldn’t have to worry about names as our scientific team would have supplied the important ones during introductions on my arrival. This time I was on my own. I’d named Junior because of his age and Brownie based on his color. But it didn’t feel right to name the big guy that way for some reason.
    “Key-rah,” I said, touching my chest. “Key-rah.” I moved my fingers to his chest. “What’s your name?”
    He glanced at my fingers and then lifted his gaze back to mine, his expression inscrutable. I wasn’t picking up a single emotion from him, even when I touched him. All I felt was the solid warmth of his skin under my hand.
    “Key-rah.” I tried again. “My name is Key-rah. Your name?” He captured my wrist in his big hand, holding it gently but firmly so I couldn’t pull away. His free hand went around me and lifted my braid.
    He studied it for a moment, rubbing it between his fingers, then leaned down and sniffed. Now I was getting something from him. A feeling of…expectation? That was the only way I could describe it. Whatever it was, he was pleased.
    His lips curved in a smile and he grunted something to Junior as he straightened. Without any warning, he released me and turned back to the jungle, vanishing into the thick brush.
    “Same to ya, buddy,” I grumbled. “And if you just told him I was a harmless female, you’ve got a big surprise coming.”
    Junior watched me warily throughout my remarks, so I gave him my most reassuring smile, then turned toward Max. To my surprise, the young Buri followed me. I brightened. Apparently the big guy’s comment hadn’t been