Trace by Annie Nicholas

~ NEW ~ EXCERPT BELOW ~



Cosmos Resort and Dating Agency, a place where aliens come to win the heart of a beautiful and rare human mate. Or that’s what the brochure says.

The IIA isn’t so sure since humans are being sold on the black market. They send Trace and his team undercover to the primitive world of Earth as customers to investigate the resort.


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A spaceship descended toward the island at incredible speed. Lily backstepped and bumped into a woman passing behind her. “Do you see that?” Lily pointed at the sleek, dark vehicle that suddenly hovered over the jungle canopy. There were no engine sounds or high winds, like from a plane. It just stopped midair air and turned, not even affecting the breeze from the ocean. 
The woman tilted her head, her brows furrowed. Not at the UFO but at Lily. “Is this your first shuttle?”
Lily gave her a slow blink, not knowing what to say. Her first shuttle? That implied more than one ship had landed on this remote island. She bit the inside of her cheek to prevent a hysterical laugh from escaping. Letting her cover slip now could mean her life.
She had thought she’d hit the news-story-jackpot-of-a-lifetime by stumbling upon clues pointing to a human trafficking ring. A giggle leaked out and she clapped her hand over her mouth. Other people strolled on the walking path that connected the buildings of this luxurious resort and none of them were gawking at the sight.
“Maybe you should head over to orientation.” The woman pointedly stared at the folder clutched in Lily’s arms.
Adrenaline coursed through her veins. “I was on my way when I spotted the spaceship.” The words tripped over each other. She had purposely avoided the orientation by taking the wrong path to explore the vacation area. No evidence of human trafficking so far. She’d been shocked to find an actual resort on the island and that her informants had been wrong. So very, very wrong. Until the spaceship, Lily had decided the place was a legit singles resort where the beautiful met the wealthy. As advertised.
“Shuttle. The correct term is a shuttle. The real ship is up there.” The woman pointed at the sky. “You shouldn’t be here. Not until after orientation. They’re going to be upset that you’re late. The landings are purposely scheduled at this time to avoid panic from newbies.” She rested a kind hand on Lily’s shoulder. “Like what you seem to be experiencing. Take deep, slow breaths. In and out. That’s it.” She leaned forward and peered at Lily’s nametag. “Lily Elms.” 
For her false identity, she had kept her first name so as not to make the error of missing a cue when someone said it. She was a reporter, not a spy. Her lack of training luckily hadn’t been so obvious until now. “Are you going to report me?” Lily didn’t have much money left to bribe the woman. She’d used the last half to secure a ride home on the next boat and needed the other half to ensure they allowed her onboard. 
“I don’t have to.” The woman glanced behind Lily.
She turned to find security standing at her back. 
“Miss Elms, we were worried when you didn’t arrive at orientation.”
Heart racing, she swallowed with a throat gone dry. “I overslept,” she lied. The shuttle had disappeared behind the trees and she hadn’t thought to take a picture as proof. “I better hurry.”
Oh, she was in over her head. Come meet rich singles had been the sales pitch. The application process hadn’t been easy either. Her internal alarms had rung louder when nobody had asked about a passport or any other forms of identification. They had been more concerned about her connection to family and friends.
In other words, how much would she be missed if she disappeared. Something human slavers would be concerned about.
“Too late for that.” The dark-haired security guard grasped her upper arm. “Come with us.”


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