He’d just turned toward her house at the bottom of the ramp when he heard the sound of glass breaking, followed by a scream. A scream, he was sure, that could be heard aboard the large vessel orbiting this water-filled planet. Her scream died abruptly as she crumpled to the ground in a faint. Ryo sighed. So much for approaching slowly and attempting to earn her trust. He turned back toward the shuttle and grimaced. No wonder the girl fainted. The shuttle was still cloaked. It must have looked as though they’d all appeared from thin air. Though, he was certain, appearing from a strange spacecraft would have had similar results.

Sighing, he strode over to her, bent and picked her up out of the puddle of spirits, then headed for the door. He only hoped there wasn’t anyone else in the house who would have a similar reaction.

The last thing he needed was for the whole world to know they’d arrived. It could be illegal to approach ordinary citizens without the permission of their government. They certainly didn’t want, or need, any legal entanglements.

He strode into the house, the woman in his arms. He didn’t see anyone else as he walked through a sweet-smelling room with a table and six chairs, a sink and some other things he didn’t recognize. He assumed it was where she prepared her meals, judging by the delicious smells.

Following a faint light, he entered a room with soft-looking chairs and a low-slung sofa with overstuffed cushions. Smiling that he found something familiar, he laid her upon it and brushed the hair from her face. Dark lashes spread over her high cheekbones accentuated her pallor, along with her full red lips. High cheekbones gave away her Hienial ancestry along with her tall stature.

Generous breasts rose and fell easily with her breath and he consoled himself that she wasn’t injured, just startled into a faint. It wasn’t any wonder. She hadn’t expected to see him and his contingent of men exiting the craft. Not to mention, said craft was invisible.

A small smile curved his lips as he took in the fullness of her breasts, the narrow rib cage, wide hips and legs that seemed to go on forever. Legs that he could well imagine wrapped around his waist as he drove into her with abandon.