Perfect Specimen by Kate Donovan

realized she was famished. She hadn’t had a bite to eat since she and Clay had devoured take-out in preparation for their sex-fest the night before.
    If Ga’rag knew she hadn’t been having regular meals, he’d be furious. He insisted she keep herself physically fit by the perfect blend of healthy eating and exercise, but she hadn’t met either of those needs yet today.
    If Ga’rag is furious, it’s not about your diet, she reminded herself. Then she laughed out loud. What exactly would the overlord do if he appeared at this moment? Overpower Sara and Lizzie? Impossible! Sara was as strong as any comparably sized man, and Lizzie looked pretty scrappy as well.
    And Ga’rag can barely breathe on Earth! So no worries in that department. You and this kid would just kick his cloned ass.
    Her euphoria faded as she remembered the second half of the equation. Sure, she could momentarily defeat Ga’rag. Randy had opened her eyes to that quite well. But then, Ga’rag would dematerialize, return to his ship, and kill the babies. Or worse, Ga’rag would die, and the babies would be left alone on the ship to perish from neglect and malnutrition.
    In other words, Sara couldn’t win.
    So just get rid of Randy’s girlfriend. Fast .
    She brought a tray filled with cheese, crackers, and iced tea and set it down on the coffee table. Then she sat next to Lizzie on the sofa and gave her a sheepish smile. “Do you want the short version or the long version?”
    “Neither,” the girl replied just as wistfully. “You don’t need to lie to me, Sara. And you don’t need to be afraid anymore.”
    “Oh?”
    “I’m here to help you.”
    “I’ve already got more help than I can stand,” Sara assured her. “No offense. But everyone’s so sure they know what I need, when the truth is, I’m fine. I was perfectly happy before I met Clay Ryerson. He’s the problem. He fell in love with me and he needs to get over it. End of story.”
    When Lizzie barely reacted, Sara asked her, “I take it you read the diary? It’s not true, Lizzie. It’s just a therapeutic tool created under the direction of a licensed psychologist. Clay’s brother Mark doesn’t handle domestic disputes—by his own admission. So he’s not familiar with the technique. And I hope you never need it—”
    “I won’t.” Lizzie surprised her by smiling. “I’m never getting married. But I’ve always wanted to be a mom. That’s why I think I can help you.” Grabbing Sara’s hand in her own, she explained in a soft, excited voice. “I’ll go with him. I’ll take care of the babies. I want to. I hate it here. I don’t fit in, and you—well, look at you. You’re perfect. You belong here. Maybe with Clay, maybe with someone even better. But I know you won’t do that until your children are safe. So convince Ga’rag to take me instead of you.”
    “Oh my God . . .”
    “I’m smart. Off-the-charts smart even, but don’t tell the guys. So the Ra-ahlians should love me. And I’m physically fit. I might not be beautiful, but they don’t share our concept of beauty anyway, right? They have gills, for Khan’s sake! And I’ll go willingly. Gratefully, even. He should appreciate that, don’t you think?”
    “Lizzie—”
    “I wouldn’t be his first choice, but that’s a moot point, don’t you think? His whole plan is falling apart. And so is yours. Because you both missed the most important fact.”
    Sara licked her lips, concerned but also touched. This young girl—so pretty yet so injured—couldn’t think straight. She was getting tangled in her own logic—a logic that made sense only in her fractured little world.
    Just like Sara.
    “Okay, Lizzie. What’s the important fact we all missed?”
    The girl smiled through her tears. “You belong here. You can thrive here. I can’t. I won’t. I don’t even want to try. So I should go. And you should stay.”
    Forcing herself to adopt a strict, almost deprecating tone, Sara demanded, “Go