aHunter4Saken (aHunter4Hire) (12 page)

Jake
looked at her for a second and then walked into the kitchen. They followed him.
He pulled out a chair and sat.

“You
had better tell me fast.”

“Don’t
act like that Jake.” Kimi sat opposite him. Niail stood at the counter, his
body tense and alert.

“You
showing up at this time of night can only mean bad news.” Jake raised an
eyebrow. “Who is it? Grandfather?

Kimi
shook her head. This was worse than she had expected. Jake’s face was hard and
unmoving. Niail stood rigid with arms crossed. These two men might be enemies,
and yet they were more similar than different.

“There
was a problem at my house.” Kimi twisted her hands in her lap before looking
her brother in the eyes. “We had a visit from some men.”

Jake
frowned. “Who?”

“Bobby
thought they were Miles Kowal’s men.”

Jake
stood and shoved back from the table with such speed that he sent his chair
flying to the floor. “How the hell did they come to be at your house?”

“They
came for me.” Niail moved to stand beside her.

“Why?”

“I
have no memory of meeting them, but Bobby thinks they might be the men who left
me for dead.”

Jake
glared at Niail, his eyes bulging. A muscle twitched at the side of his face
and for a few seconds Kimi thought he was going to have a stroke. Then, he
exhaled and swung around. His fists beat at the air and he shook his head
before turning back to them.

“Are
you one of Kowal’s contacts?”

“I
do not associate with criminals.” Niail held Jake’s gaze. “Kowal is a
criminal.”

Jake
nodded. “We’ve had him under surveillance for several months. Just when we
think we’ve got a break in the case, someone disappears.”

“Did
you have him watched two nights ago?” Kimi hoped her brother could give her an
answer that would explain why the men had shown up at her house.

“Yes.”
Jake heaved a sigh. “We lost him for about a half hour and when we had caught
up, he was alone. We don’t know where the men with him went.”

“Was
I one of those men?”

“What
kind of person do you think I am?” Jake’s voice rose in disgust. “I would never
have let you stay at my sister’s house if I had recognized you.”

Niail
nodded. “Good. I can trust you then to protect Kimi.”

“She’s
my sister for God’s sake. What do you think I would do?”

“You
did not act honorably yesterday.” Niail’s voice held a note of rebuke.

“That’s
how families are. It doesn’t mean we don’t love each other.” Jake shook his
head. “You’re clueless about people.”

“Niail
doesn’t have a family like we do.” Kimi’s voice was low.

“Okay,
I’ll overlook your lack of tact.” Jake picked up his chair and sat down. “Now
what happened to the men who came to your house?”

“I
took care of them.”

“What’s
that supposed to mean?”

Kimi
held her breath. Jake was a hothead, especially when people didn’t follow the
rules. He wasn’t going to be happy with Niail’s solution.

“I
killed them.”

Niail
was fascinated by Jake’s reaction. The man had been a soldier. He should have
understood the necessity to kill. Instead, he was pounding his fist on the
table and hollering. Niail let the noise reverberate in his head for a few
seconds before grabbing the man’s arm.

“Enough.”
Niail thrust away Jake’s hand. “It was necessary.”

“How
do you plan to explain that to the authorities?” Jake was spitting his words.
“You’ve told me, and there is no way I can ignore it. It’s against the oath I
took when I accepted the badge.”

“Then
you must tell them the truth.”

“I
have to take you under custody.” Jake shook his head. “Do you understand what I
am saying?”

“You
want to arrest me.”

“You’re
darn right I do.”

“It
wasn’t like that.” Kimi stood up. “He was defending us. Those men burst into my
house carrying guns and threatening us.”

“They
had guns?” Jake frowned. “How the hell did you manage to overtake them all?”

“I
am proficient in such things.” Niail walked toward the kitchen doorway.

“I’m
skilled and there’s no way I could do that.”

“You
are not a Hunter.”

Jake
rolled his eyes. “That’s supposed to mean something to me?”

Niail
shrugged. There was no point in arguing. Jake did not understand. He was not
trained and bred as an elite warrior. He had not killed his first man when he
was ten. He had not fought his first battle when he was thirteen.

They
were miles apart in experience and knowledge. There was no training that could replace
the genetic modifications given to him. Being on Earth gave him even greater
advantages with speed and strength, not mention healing.

Niail
walked into the living room. Was his training putting Kimi and the children at
danger? It was him that they had come for. If only his memory of the mission
would return. Then he could understand better what his enemy wanted.

There
was only one solution.

He
must leave.

He
walked to the window. There was darkness everywhere. He could see the reflected
light of the kitchen mirrored in the window. He needed to use Jake’s computer
to contact his team. Then he had to tell Kimi he was going. His heart lurched
at the thought.

Even
though he had seen his own leader Ardal claim a mate, he had not believed in
the legend of pair bonds. He had never felt any attraction to a woman before.
Even with his implants removed and living among humans for almost a year, there
had been no desire to mate with one. That had changed the moment he had looked
into Kimi’s eyes.

When
those men had burst into the house his only thought had been to protect her. At
that moment, he had understood why he was drawn to her. He could almost read
her mind. Kindness and gentleness shone from her eyes. If his head had not been
so confused after the hit, he would have been certain sooner. He no longer had
doubts.

Kimi
was his pair bond.

She
was his mate.

Wounded
and unable to mind connect with his fellow Hunters, he had been given the gift
of a pair bond. It was incomprehensible why a warrior like him would be linked
with a mate. His value to his unit was his marksmanship. There was nothing
outstanding about him; no reason he should be chosen. He wasn’t going to
question the workings of the universe, though.

His
path was clear.

Kimi
must be protected.

He
rubbed his side. A bullet had grazed him at the house. It was a constant ache,
but minor. He would tend to it when Kimi was safe. He turned away from the
window when a flash caught his eye. He stepped back and watched for several
seconds. The light was repeated, but this time it was closer to Jake’s house.
He waited. He counted three separate signals. That could mean only one thing.

They
were being stalked.

He
moved back to the kitchen. Jake opened his mouth to speak and Niail put his
finger up to his lips for silence. Kimi stood and frowned. Worry was evident in
her eyes. Niail fought the urge to hold her and wipe the anxiety from her eyes.
Now was not the time.

“We
are being surrounded.”

Jake’s
eyes widened. “Who would dare?”

“Someone
who knew you were working on a case against Kowal.” Kimi held her hand up to
her mouth. “There’s no time. You have to call for backup.”

“I
can’t do that.” Jake’s voice was serious.

“You
are not working within the law.” Niail knew the truth before Jake answered.
There was only one reason someone would not call for help. They were disobeying
direct orders. “What do you want to do?”

“I’ll
call my partner Mark.”

Niail
grabbed Kimi’s hand. “I am leaving with Kimi.”

“You
can’t just take her.” Jake’s voice rose. “She’s my sister. She stays with me.”

“No.”
Niail pulled Kimi close. “Kimi and the children are my responsibility. I will
not go back on my word.”

“Okay.”
Jake raised his hands. “Wait a second. Let me call Mark and then I’ll go with
you. We can strategize together.”

“I
have no need for plans. We have weapons and that is enough.”

“You
can’t shoot your way out of this.”

“Why
not?” Niail walked to the door with Kimi following him. “I have the guns from
the men who broke into the house earlier.”

“You
can’t use those and expect me to turn a blind eye.” Jake grabbed his arm. “I’m
a FBI agent.”

Niail
stopped at the front door. “I do whatever it takes to protect.”

Jake
put his hands on his hips. “Let me call Mark, then I’ll come with you.”

Niail
looked at Kimi. She hadn’t said a word since he had taken her from the kitchen.
“Do you want to wait?”

“We
can’t leave him here.” Kimi turned her face up to him, her eyes beseeching him
to understand. “He’s my brother.”

“Then
we will wait.” Niail shifted his gaze to Jake. “Phone him now.”

Jake
nodded and then turned back to the living room. He picked up his cell phone and
made a quick dial. “Mark, we have a problem.”

Niail
turned his attention to Kimi. She looked frozen with shock. He pulled her close
and rubbed his hand up her back. It was an unusual situation for him, but it
felt right. The tight rein he kept on his heart and emotions loosened as Kimi
eased against him.

Jake
hung up and grabbed his coat. “How do you want to go about this?”

“I
am putting Kimi in the truck.” Niail turned the door handle. “Then I will take
care of the intruders. You stay with your sister.”

“And
let you have all the fun?” Jake shook his head. “Not on your life buddy.”

“My
actions may not be legal.”

“The
only thing that matters is that we get out in one piece.” Jake pulled a gun
from a chest of drawers by the door. “Mark will meet us on the reservation.”

Niail
pushed Kimi behind him. The night was cool and dark. He rushed to the truck,
and within seconds, she was lying across the front seat.

“Start
the vehicle and wait five minutes.” Niail put the keys in the ignition. “If we
have not returned, leave.”

“Where’s
Mark meeting us?” Kimi turned to look up at her brother.

“He’s
going to be at the main road into the reservation. Then he’ll follow us.” Jake
took the safety off his pistol. “We’re going to Grandfather’s sweat lodge.”

“That’s
where I’ll go if you don’t return.”

“Mark
will get you to safety if we fail.”

“We
will not fail.” Niail reached for the guns he had stashed under the front seat.
“We might take longer than expected.”

Jake
shook his head. “Where did you get this guy?”

Kimi
smiled. “He found us.”

“Five
minutes, no more.” He shut the door and turned to Jake. “There are three men.
Do not get in my way.”

He
crouched and moved to the cover of the bushes that lined the driveway. Jake
followed. He did not have to explain the drill to him. The light came again.
Niail watched for a second flash and then motioned Jake in that direction.

He
would take the first man and then wait for the next signal. Staying close to
the ground the two men inched their way toward their quarry. The sounds of the
night masked their approach. They were within a few feet of the watchers and
able to see the guns that were braced against their shoulders.

The
guns were aimed at the truck.

Waiting
was not an option.

Niail
jumped the first intruder. He broke his neck before he could send off a warning
shot. Jake pulled the automatic rifle away from his opponent. The second light signaled.
Niail was upon the man before he could shout a warning. He smothered his cry
with his hand before choking him to death.

That
left the third stalker.

Niail
did not wait for Jake.

He
pounced on the man and pulled the rifle up against his neck, holding it there
until the life had drained from him. Jake reached him, just as he threw the
body to the ground.

“You
killed them all.” Jake’s whisper was incredulous. “What if they had been innocent?”

“They
were not.”

“You
don’t know that.” Jake raked his hands through his hair. “I can’t believe I’ve
gone from a peace officer to a killer.”

Niail
stood. “I did the killing.”

“Is
this normal for you?”

Niail
picked up the assault rifle. “We do the killing.”