"You look tired," she said, glancing back at him. "Long day?"

"Something like that."

"Work?"

"You could say that."

She smiled. Kael watched her move. The way her hips swayed slightly as she reached for cups. The way her blonde ponytail swished between her shoulder blades. The way the light blue dress stretched across her back when she leaned over.

She was beautiful.

And she had no idea who was sitting on her couch.

Kael let the silence stretch as Sarah hummed something—a lullaby, maybe, or a song from her childhood—completely at ease with a stranger in her home. The kettle began to hiss. Steam curled upward. The bungalow felt warm and safe and utterly disconnected from the violence that had occurred less than a day ago.

Click.

The kettle clicked off. Sarah poured two cups and brought them over, handing one to Kael before settling into the armchair across from him. She tucked her legs beneath her, cradling her own tea, looking at him with open curiosity.

"I don’t think I’ve seen you before," she said. "How long have you and Steve worked together?"

"A few months." Kael took a sip. The tea was decent—herbal, slightly sweet, probably grown in her own tiny garden. "He keeps to himself mostly. Doesn’t talk about home much."

Sarah’s expression flickered. Something wistful. "That sounds like him."

"He talks about you, though."

The words landed exactly as Kael intended.

Sarah’s cheeks colored—just a faint pink, barely visible in the warm light. "He does?"

"When he’s had too much to drink." Kael smiled. "Mostly just that you’re beautiful. That he got lucky. Things like that."

The pink deepened. She looked down at her tea, a small smile playing at her lips.

"That’s... sweet of him."

Kael said nothing.

Sarah glanced up. "Can I ask your name?"

"Kael."

"Kael." She tested the word. "That’s unusual. Where are you from?"

"Far away." He set his tea down and leaned back, spreading his arms along the back of the couch with a casual and relaxed expression. "A place not too different from here, actually. Rough around the edges. People doing what they have to survive."

"You don’t look like you’re from a place like that."

"No?"

She shook her head slowly, her gaze traveling across him—the expensive clothes beneath the dust, the confident posture, the silver eyes that seemed to catch light differently than normal. "You look like you’re from somewhere important."

Kael’s smile didn’t waver. "Looks can be deceiving."

"They usually are." Sarah sipped her tea. "Steve looked like a normal man when I met him. Kind. Gentle. The type who’d help an old woman cross the street."

She paused. Something distant in her eyes.

"He still is, mostly. Just... distant sometimes. Comes home with injuries he won’t explain. Leaves for days without saying where he’s going." She looked at Kael. "You probably know more about his work than I do."

"I might."

"Is it dangerous?"

Kael tilted his head. "Do you want the honest answer?"

Sarah hesitated. Then shook her head.

"No. I think I’d rather not know."

They drank their tea in comfortable silence. Sarah asked occasional questions—about Kael’s travels, about the academy she’d heard Steve mention once or twice, about whether the food was better on other planets. Kael answered with half-truths and complete lies, each one delivered with the same warm smile.

Twenty minutes passed. The tea cooled. Sarah refilled their cups. The bungalow settled into an evening quiet that felt almost peaceful.

Then the door opened.

Steve stood in the doorway.

Paper bag in one hand. Bandaged ribs. Pale face that had been healing nicely until three seconds ago.

His eyes found Kael on the couch. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Then found Sarah in the armchair.

Then found the two cups of tea.

Something in his expression shattered.

"Stay the fuck away from her."

The words came out low and dangerous. His hand was already moving toward his storage ring as dark energy was flickering around his fingers, shadows beginning to coalesce.

Kael’s hand moved faster.

One moment he was leaning back on the couch. The next he was standing, Sarah’s throat in his grip, her body pressed against his chest, his silver eyes cold and empty and absolutely devoid of the warmth they’d held five seconds ago.

"If you even think about attacking," Kael said, his voice soft as a whisper, "I will snap her neck."

Steve froze.

The dark energy died in his hand. His eyes went wide—not with fear for himself, but with horror. Pure, unfiltered horror at the woman in Kael’s grip.

"Kael—what are you doing?" Sarah’s voice came out strangled, choked by the pressure on her throat. Tears were already building in her green eyes. "Honey, what’s going on?"

"Sarah." Steve’s voice cracked. "Sarah, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry."

"Sorry?" Sarah choked. "Steve, what—"

"I never intended to put you in my mess." Steve was shaking now. His whole body trembled like a leaf in a storm. "I never wanted this. I thought—I thought I could keep you safe. I thought if I was careful—"

"Please." He dropped to his knees. Paper bag hit the floor, spilling healing pills across the tiles. "Let her go. I’ll do anything."

Kael looked down at him.

"Well." His grip on Sarah’s throat didn’t loosen. "You made that too easy."

He say as an evil smile plastered across his face.

"Here you are. Enjoying a lovely family." The words came out almost conversational. "While you ruin other families. What did you think? That you could live here forever, undisturbed?"

Steve’s face crumpled.

"Well." Kael’s smile widened. "Too bad for you. Karma’s a bitch."

"Honey—" Sarah’s voice was barely a whisper now, tears streaming down her cheeks. "What is he talking about?"

Steve couldn’t answer. Couldn’t look at her.

"Love," Kael said, glancing down at Sarah, "this isn’t a conversation for you."

His free hand came up as he hit her on her neck with just enough force to knock her unconscious without causing damage.

Sarah’s eyes rolled back. Her body went limp in Kael’s grip.

He carried her gently to the couch and laid her down. Adjusted her head so she wouldn’t wake with a cramp. Tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"You have such a beautiful wife," Kael said, straightening. "Well. Off from that."

He turned to Steve, who hadn’t moved from his knees. Who was staring at Sarah’s unconscious form with an expression of absolute devastation.

"This is how it works." Kael crouched in front of him. "I’m going to ask some questions. And you’re going to answer honestly."

Steve looked up. His eyes were red. His voice was broken.

"Ok. Ok. I’ll do whatever you say."

His gaze shifted to Sarah.

"Just don’t harm her."