There were no screams. No shouts. Only music as Noah pulled me through the bar and out onto the sidewalk out front. I held onto his hand as he ran full speed once the crowds were no longer an issue. He only slowed a few times to check to make sure Angie was with us.

“What the hell was that?” Dale asked out of breath as we slowed down once we made it around the block.

“I don’t exactly know,” I admitted after taking a long look down the street. I also looked up. One could never rule out a creature’s ability to fly. I wanted to believe Noah’s water trick had gotten rid of him, but nothing was that easy. At best it bought us enough time to get away. The problem was if the creature had found me once, he could find me again. “But he was there for me.” I was sure of that. Maybe Noah would believe me now, because that guy didn’t look like he was from Earth.

“No matter what he was, we have to keep moving.” Noah took my hand again even though this time I wasn’t frozen. I didn’t mind at all.

“Where are we going?” Angie jogged beside us. “Or are we just randomly running?”

“Somewhere. Anywhere.” Noah was taking charge, and I was glad. I was still in too much shock to think straight. “Wait. I know.” He crossed the street, leading us toward a grassy area in the center of the street. We stopped right in front of a set of tracks.

“Great idea, Noah. Leave us as sitting ducks.” Dale glanced around in every possible direction. “Shouldn’t we just head to campus? Find a crowded place?”

“I know what I’m doing. I can hear the streetcar already.” Noah stared down the grassy way. I followed his gaze and saw a bright light heading toward us. There was a loud rumbling and what appeared to be a train car came into view. Noah still held my hand as it came to a stop, and I followed him onboard. He took some money out of his pocket and started to feed it into a small machine.

The streetcar started up, and I stumbled into him.

He walked back until he found two empty seats right behind one another. He sat down, and I sat right beside him.

“Have you been on the streetcar before?” Noah spoke as though we weren’t running from a crazy creature. I wasn’t sure how he was so calm when my heart was beating uncontrollably. Maybe it was because he hadn’t had that creepy hand reaching down his shirt in search of the medallion.

“I have.” The vague memory came back to me as the streetcar lurched forward.

“Okay. She can play the memory game later. Let’s get back to the important thing.” Dale watched us from over the seat in front of us. “What the hell was that thing?”

“I don’t know what it was, but it isn’t the first time I’ve seen it.” I could still remember the jolt of fear my first interaction with him gave me. And in that situation he was far less out of place. “I mean when he looked more humanoid like. But he had red eyes then, and I knew he was different.”

“I assumed that by the way you followed it.” Noah turned in the seat to look directly at me. “Is he from Andrelexa?”

“No. Of course not.” I shook my head.

“What’s Andrelexa?” Angie asked leaning over the back of the seat like Dale.

“It’s where I was raised, and the Lexas look like us only taller. Much taller.” And more muscular too." Both males and females were naturally strong.

“It’s another planet.” Noah rested his arm against the window.

“Oh hell, yes.” Dale grinned. “We just took on a damn alien?”

“Another planet?” Angie’s response was far more subdued. “Come on, Noah. I’m not an idiot.”

“Then how do you explain that thing?” Noah shifted in his seat, causing his leg to brush against mine. I liked the sensation against my bare skin and wished it could have lasted more than the brief few seconds. I was losing it. With everything else going on I was worried about how good Noah felt against my skin?

“You expect us to believe you are from another planet?” Angie frowned.

“No. I’m from Earth. But I was raised on Andrelexa… I told you you’d have never heard of it.”

“Wait.” A slow smile spread across Dale’s face. “Got it. You were abducted by aliens. This is so unbelievably cool I can’t even take it.”

“This is not cool.” Angie groaned. “Whether she’s telling the truth or not, there is a monster in New Orleans.”

“There are lots of monsters in New Orleans.” Dale rested on his elbows. “Only this one isn’t human.”

“Do you know what it wanted?” Angie’s frown deepened.

I glanced around. “I don’t want anyone to see.”

“See what?” Dale narrowed his eyes. “Do you have alien treasure or something?”

He was more right then he knew. But I wasn’t going to tell him that.

Noah squeezed my hand. “We’ll go somewhere private.”

“But this is taking us further from your house.” I gestured to the floor, meaning the streetcar.

“Yes. I wasn’t going to let the creature tail us back there. More than likely he knew where you were staying and was waiting for an opportunity. He’d expect us to go home. He might even be waiting there now.”

I shivered. “Then where are we going?”

“Do you remember Carl?” Noah addressed Dale. “From our floor last year?”

“Of course. The weirdo two rooms down from us. How could I forget him? That guy was out there. I mean even more than I am.”

“He’s got a loft downtown. He’s been posting online about some new program he’s created to help track alien lifeforms. I’m sure he’s full of it, but who knows.”

Angie chortled. “Seriously? That’s your plan? We just confronted a monster—”

“An alien,” Dale interrupted.

She glared at him. “And we’re going to see your weirdo friend? Tell me how is this going to help?”

“Do you have any better ideas?” Noah leaned back against the seat.

“No.” She sighed. “I don’t. I believe I’m in a state of shock.”

“Good. Then let those of us who are handling this better take care of things.” Dale crossed his arms.

Angie turned toward Dale. “I heard your shrill scream when the monster let his fangs out. No pretending you took this well.”

“That was my initial reaction. My reaction now is far better than yours.”

“I hope the creature doesn’t hurt anyone.” I believed he was only there for me, but would that stop him from hurting anyone else? I wished I were braver. I could have faced him down. But I knew that wouldn’t have done any good. He’d have kidnapped me and put everyone in more danger.

“Me too.” Angie’s frown was gone, but she sure didn’t look happy.

“Noah?” I blinked a few times, trying to clear my head.

“Yes?” he turned toward me.

“How did you know to throw water on it? How did you predict its weakness?” It had all happened so fast.

He shrugged. “I didn’t. I just reacted on instinct, I guess.”

“Well, you have good instincts.” I scooted closer to him. “Thank you. You saved me.”

“Anytime.” He smiled. “Anytime.”