Cutlass: Motor City Alien Mail Order Brides: Intergalactic Dating Agency by Ellis Leigh Page A

moment her door closed. Ran away from me as if I would harm her. She did not even seem to want to look at me.”
    “But you think she’s your mate.”
    “Yes, I did.” And I still want her to be mine , I thought. But those words carried pain with them, something I didn’t want to keep piling on myself. So I kept them inside, refusing to admit my failure.
    Hohddshoun shrugged as if this was nothing. As if there were options. As if my world hadn’t crashed around me the moment Klow-ee ran.
    “Then it will work out.”
    If he’d been standing any closer, I’d have punched him again.
    “Come,” he said as he headed for the door. “I want to check with the agency on my match. We can ask them about your Klow-ee again.”
    “Ampetheia won’t help.”
    He shrugged. “So we skip Ampetheia and charm the female at the desk. Or we try to access the information ourselves. Either way, I have a good feeling about today. It’s time for a mated pairing.”
    As much as I wanted to ignore him, anything would be better than sitting around and waiting. I jumped up, unable to resist the temptation of any sort of news regarding her. Perhaps Ampetheia would tell me something this time. If Klow-ee checked in. If she was okay.
    If she’d requested placement with another male.
    Ampetheia was standing at the front desk when we walked in, almost as if she was waiting for us. As if she knew we were coming. There went the charm-the-other-female idea.
    “Ah, two of my three warriors. How are you today? Cutlass, how are things going with Klow-ee? Your time period is almost up, you know.”
    I growled, looking away even as my heart jumped. Klow-ee must not have requested a new placement if Ampetheia still thought we’d complete the bond. That had to be good news.
    Hohddshoun jumped in with an answer when I didn’t. “They haven’t been able to reconnect yet, but it’ll work out.”
    Ampetheia’s happy expression dropped. “I see. So then, what can I do for you two today?”
    Hohddshoun gave her a smile, the one he’d been practicing. “I was hoping my match had been found.”
    “We can certainly check,” Ampetheia said, her glittering eyes darting from Hohddshoun to me and back again. “Why don’t you come with me?”
    We followed the female to the back office where she’d told me about Klow-ee the first time. Where she’d explained customs and woo, made sure my translation core was functional for the language on this planet, and walked me through what would likely happen. Of course, my Klow-ee hadn’t responded as expected, so those lessons had been a waste. So much time to prepare myself for my human. So many long days ago since I’d had a chance to speak with her. Too many.
    Ampetheia was right… My time was up.
    “I’m surprised to hear about you and Klow-ee,” Ampetheia said, focusing that hunter’s gaze on me as she settled behind her computer. “That match should have been ideal.”
    I sighed, glaring at Hohddshoun. “Apparently not.”
    “Perhaps she’ll come around,” Hohddshoun said, still trying to bolster my emotions. An impossible task.
    I had long grown tired of everything Hohddshoun tried. “If you say that again, perhaps I’ll gut you and serve your offal for breakfast.”
    “Behave, boys,” Ampetheia said as she typed away, frowning. “I’m sorry, Hohddshoun—off, that’s a mouthful. Your name won’t translate. How about we go with…Hudson? Sounds similar enough.”
    My soft growl was ignored as Hudson accepted his new name.
    “And my match?” he asked, ever the focused hunter.
    “Your match isn’t ready. Not quite yet, but we’re close. If I had more time…” Ampethei sighed and shrugged her sharp shoulders. “There are just too many applicants and not enough of me. Plus, they’re all coming here and expecting me to find them a place to live as well as a mate.”
    I understood that need. Hohddshoun—or Hudson now—Maivehricck, and I had come to Earth without a place to call