The Arrival: A Sci-Fi Alien Warrior Paranormal Romance Read Online Free PDF Page A

night. You might give what I said some thought. Okay bye."
    And with that, he was gone, leaving Sorrin behind with very little idea what had just happened. He wasn't used to getting words of wisdom from Caldir of all people. The world was a strange place.
    Time, as it was wont to do, always passed quickly. Sorrin contented himself with doing odd jobs for people who weren't worried about using a former warrior for things he had never been trained for and training himself. Just because he wasn't a warrior anymore didn't mean he wasn't going to keep himself in shape. The Camadors would be back one day, and it wouldn't do for him to be floppy and out of shape when it happened. He needed to be at his prime, both mentally and physically, ready to act when it was necessary. Because it would be.
    He spent his days alone for the most part, preferring to keep to himself. Caldir had a point when he spoke about keeping people at arm's length. It wasn't that Sorrin didn't trust people. It had never been about that, to be honest. He trusted plenty of people to do right by him and he trusted the intentions of everyone who had ever claimed to want to help.
    He just didn't trust himself.
    Sorrin was responsible for the deaths of so many people, and he never wanted to find himself in a position like that again.
    So he didn't let people get close. Didn't let himself need anyone, and didn't let anyone need him.
    His apartment in the building he lived in was sparse when it came to personal effects. He had the things he needed to survive, the things he needed for basic comfort, and the things he needed to train and to track the Camadors. That was about it. His bed was serviceable and unadorned, just a frame that came out of the wall with a mattress on top, sheets and a blanket. Standard issue, no frills. His couch and chairs were similar, designed for function rather than comfort.
    Most of the living room was condensed into the smallest space possible to make room for his workout equipment, and it was a good thing there were vaulted ceilings because he was currently doing pull ups on a bar, biceps bulging as he pulled his considerably muscled frame up and then lowered himself again. He'd lost count of how many he'd done at this point, but he could feel the burn in his arms and knew he still had a ways yet to go.
    As he worked out, he thought. Sorrin let the faces of the dying keep him motivated. His second in command as the light bled from blue eyes, the heads of the three squads under his leadership, taken out by a single blast. His parents, whose faces he hadn't seen, but he could remember the charred husk of their home when he'd gotten to it. He could taste the ash in the air, and knew what it felt like to be a failure.
    Before he was even considering being done for the day, there was a knock on the door. Without even looking, he knew who it would be. Most of the other people who lived in the building were content to leave him alone most of the time now that they knew that was what he preferred. Only Amalda seemed to have trouble with that.
    Sorrin sighed and let himself hang from the bar for a moment before he dropped to his feet and went to the door. He was sweaty and it showed. His shirt was thin and sleeveless, showing off his skin with its light silver blue tint, and the sweat that ran down his arms. The tattoos he had were visible too, thick lines in a dark color that wrapped around his arms and led up to his chest.
    When he pulled the door open, Amalda stared.
    And stared.
    And then, for good measure, stared some more.
    "Did you need something?" Sorrin asked briskly after she'd just been looking at him for a good two minutes.
    She shook herself and licked her lips, giving him a warm smile. "I just wanted to see if you'd like to come down for dinner," she said. "I know you're going to say no, but I made my famous casserole, and I can't eat it all by myself."
    "You shouldn't have made so much, then," Sorrin said bluntly. It was rude, but he