Paris, France
The near future

    The tall Shadrani stood against the wall, silent, watching, allowing the pulsating rhythm of the club to wash over him. He was Modon, sent by his lord on a mission that could turn out to be the most vital in the history of his people. The thought of it made him proud, proud that he had been chosen for such an honor, proud that his lord had so much faith in him. When he’d first arrived, he’d been amazed by the life he had found on this strange, young planet, and constantly astonished with the shameless way males and females carried on here.
Of course, he had been warned, told what this place was like, told that here, he would be the one considered wrong, even immoral, for his Shadrani ways. On this planet, he was called names that he did not care for in the least. His only comfort was that this would be a relatively quick visit. The Wulkareen who oversaw this quadrant of the galaxy were not only dedicated environmentalists, but staunch purists when it came to life on other worlds and they used their formidable might to ensure that no interference would be brought to bear against any of the species that were under their wing. As it was, he knew the Council of Gemen had had to play politics for some time before the Wulkareen had given an inch and allowed even one stranger to visit this land.
    One stranger.
    Him.
    He knew he was only going to be here long enough to make the identification, if that were even possible. Now, as he lounged against the wall of the crowded club, he wished, not for the first time, that he could simply find his quarry and be done with it. He had been on this planet called Earth for several weeks now and felt he was no closer to fulfilling his mission than he had been upon arrival.
    This male he sought was elusive, that was certain.
    Across two continents and dozens of dead ends, the Shadrani had followed the rumors. The rumors were encouraging. The stories about this man lead him to the absolute conclusion that he was the one. And those rumors had finally brought him here. He felt a shudder of unease as he glanced around the hard core club and witnessed the blatant displays of sexuality that seemed to emanate from every corner of the room. As a Shadrani male, he was no innocent when it came to matters of sexual excess, and still, this place unnerved him. But it was said to be a favorite of the one he sought and was the best lead he had uncovered so far. 
    Now, if only he would show.
    Even as he willed it to happen, he felt the atmosphere in the room suddenly begin to vibrate. Modon straightened and shifted his focus. Someone with an overpowering presence had just entered the place. He eagerly searched the doorway, hoping against hope that it was his quarry that had just arrived. He knew that one such as he would certainly create a stir of excitement on this young planet. In fact, a Shadrani loose on Earth would create many strong emotions: excitement, jealousy, obsession, even hatred, he though,t to remind himself of the potential danger in his mission. Still, his pulse thumped with an intense thrill over the prospect that he may finally come face to face with him, that he, Modon, would be the first to look upon his face. It took him a moment to separate the man from the throng of pulsing flesh that instantly surrounded him. But then he saw him, just a quick flash.
    His heart rate skyrocketed. Could it be him at last? 
    The Shadrani knew he would have to get closer, knew he had to know that answer, knew it better than his own name, for so much was riding on this. He moved like a shadow across the room and came up on the group, hanging on the edges, waiting for a closer look.
    Then the man, as if sensing his presence, looked up and straight into his face.
    Modon felt his blood freeze and his heart-rate re-double at the exquisite, dangerous eyes that challenged him. 
    Shadrani eyes.
    Great Tsandis, it was him!
    Modon stood staring, his mouth agape. This male was possibly the most beautiful he’d ever seen, but there was something else...something… 
    Those eyes continued to pin him, riveting him to the spot, raking him with dark suspicion. Backing away, Modon felt his body trembling with the magnitude of the truth now facing him. He knew he was looking into the face of his greatest enemy...and the only hope for his people.
    But his quarry was quick to sense the potential threat, quick to recognize that something was amiss. With an instinct for survival that only served to strengthen the Shadrani’s conviction, the elusive one slipped back out of the club and disappeared into the night.
    Modon fled after him, not willing to lose him again, knowing it would take him precious time to relocate him, if it was even possible. As he dashed out the door of the club, he caught the tail end of the man’s long black coat disappearing around the corner of an alley halfway down the block. 
    He was moving fast.
    The Shadrani began to move quickly himself, determined to catch up, but still exercising caution. As he rounded the corner of the alleyway, he once again caught sight of his quarry disappearing deeper into the darkness. Modon took a deep breath and moved as rapidly as he dared after him. It was halfway up the alley that he stopped dead in his tracks.
    There was something there; something in the darkness surrounding him. All of his keen Shadrani senses were suddenly of full alert, telling him he was in danger. He lifted his head and employed the full use of his almost preternatural senses to try to identify what had stopped him. His eyes raked the inky blackness while his ears strained for even the slightest sound. Even his sensitive nose went into overdrive in an effort to pinpoint the source of the threat.
    But there was nothing he could sense, and that only served to heighten his anxiety. What could possibly exist on this planet that a Shadrani could not suss out?
    The possible answer to that filled him with dread. Struggling to dismiss the unfamiliar feeling, he moved forward again, still determined not to lose his prey. But he had only moved a few feet before he was brought up short again, this time rooted to the spot. The trepidation he felt a moment before now grew and blossomed into a sensation that was totally foreign to him...cold stark fear.
    Then from the corner of his eye, he caught a motion in the darkest recesses of the alley. He whirled to face it. Still on full alert, he sensed that there was someone there...or something. Still he could not determine what it was. He only knew that it was smart and deadly and had him in its focus. 
    Who or what was it? 
    Could it be the one he sought? Could his quarry have doubled back and was now waiting in ambush for him? And if it was the one he sought, then why was there such a sense of dark evil about him? Suddenly Modon did not want to know. Suddenly he knew only that if he did not escape the dark alleyway within the next second, he would not live to send in his report. And he had to send in his report. He had to get a message back to Caidon.
    The Council had to know as soon as possible.
    Stifling a feeling of disgust at his own cowardice, the Shadrani turned and fled for his life.