aHunter4Saken (aHunter4Hire) (4 page)

“It’s
amazing.” Kimi muttered to herself. Louder, she added, “It’s a lot smaller than
last night. I think I can keep the bandage off.”

“Good.”
Niail turned to her. “There’s no need to be concerned. We heal quicker in this
place.”

“By
place, do you mean Montana?”

“I
mean Earth.”

Kimi
stared for a second, and then backed away from the bed. He couldn’t be saying
what she thought. There was no way he was from the stars. The Star People had
given messages of peace and harmony. They had not talked of war or battles.
Besides, he was human. He might be larger than most, but he was all man. That
knock on the head had done more damage than he knew.

“I
think I should leave you to rest.” Kimi moved to the door. “I have to make
supper. You must be starved.”

“I
would ask that you leave my pants.

Kimi
nodded. “They should be dry. I’ll put them by the bed.”

She
closed the door behind her, and for a second she leaned against it. The man had
to be confused; there was no other reasonable explanation. If only her
grandfather were home. He would know what to do.

She
went outside and pulled the pants from the clothesline. The rain had held off
all day. There was still a brisk breeze blowing from the north. The rest of the
clothes on the line were dry so she took them down also. She folded them into a
basket and then brought them inside.

She
took Niail’s jeans into him and laid them across the bed. He had an arm flung
across his forehead and was sleeping. He looked like any other man who had had
a rough night. Her eyes shied away from the sight of his fading bruises,
though. He did not heal as other men.

With
a sigh, she pushed away and set about fixing dinner. The kids were at the
table. Peta was doing homework and Wil was coloring. She gave him a quick hug
as she went to the fridge and started pulling food out. She had to do something
to take her mind off the stranger in her bedroom.

She
was draining the pasta when her back door slammed open. She jerked the strainer
in her hand, splashing a small amount of boiling water on her wrist. She
dropped the colander in the sink and turned to see who the intruder was.

It
was her brother, Jake.

“I
thought you had said everything you needed to this morning.” Kimi lifted the
pasta back into the pot and then pumped some cold water on her wrist. It had a
quick soothing effect on the burn.

“That’s
before I heard the utterly stupid thing you did last night.”

Kimi’s
heart beat faster.

She’d
been hoping Jake wouldn’t hear about Bobby dropping the stranger off at her
place. Her brother was overprotective ever since he had joined the FBI. She
pulled her hand out of the water, and turned to face him.

“I’ve
done nothing wrong.”

“Like
hell.” Jake’s voice rose to an ear-piercing shout. “I thought it was bad enough
you let Sam bamboozle you into signing away his responsibilities, but to risk
your life and the lives of the kids is crazy.”

She
crossed her arms. “He was injured.”

“We
have hospitals for that.”

“Bobby
thought he would be safer here.” Kimi lifted her chin. “I happen to agree with
him.”

“What
is wrong with your head? He’s probably a killer for all we know.” Jake moved in
front of her. “You are making stupid decisions. You’ll be lucky if the
authorities don’t take the kids away from you.”

She
gasped. “You’re my brother. How dare you threaten me?”

“Don’t
yell at Mom.” Peta’s voice joined the fray. “He’s not a bad man.”

“Peta
stay out of this, honey.” Kimi motioned for her daughter to sit back down.
“Your uncle Jake doesn’t mean what he’s saying. He’s just upset right now.”

“The
hell I am.” Jake’s voice shook the room. “The guy is leaving now, and I’m going
to see to it.”

Jake
started toward the bedroom door and Kimi ran to stop him. She grabbed his arm.
“No.”

Jake
shook her hand off. “Don’t think you can stop me. He goes, and then I’ll deal
with you.”

Before
Jake took another step the bedroom door opened. Niail stood there, pants on and
chest bare. There was a cold decision in his eyes. Had her brother been right
about the man being a threat? Her heart started to pound at a frantic pace. She
reached out to stop the inevitable confrontation. Niail was injured, and Jake
was a former Navy Seal. Jake would rip Niail’s head off.

Then
Niail moved.

One
step and he reached Jake.

He
grabbed her brother by the neck and backed him up against the wall. He held him
off the ground. Jake went for his pistol, but Niail was quicker. He had unarmed
him in a second, and shoved the gun into the back of his waistband.

“You
disrespected a woman and children. You have broken the Sacred Code and deserve
to die.”

Jake’s
words had condemned him.

No
man should speak to women or children in the manner, or voice, that this one
had. Niail had followed the Sacred Code his whole life. This woman had taken
him in and kept him alive. She deserved better than the shouting and disrespect
this one had given her.

“You
have no honor.” His voice was cold with disdain. “You were here this morning,
but I was too weak to stop you.”

“Let
me go.” Jake struggled. His fingers tried to loosen the grip around his neck,
but Niail held firm.

“Niail.”
Kimi’s voice was a soft plea in his ear. “Let him down. He’s my brother and I
don’t want to see him hurt.”

“He
disrespected you.” Niail didn’t loosen his grip. “This morning when he left you
were crying. No man treats a woman like that.”

“Look,
I’m sorry.” Jake’s voice had calmed. “I’m only trying to protect my sister.”

“By
threats?” Niail raised an eyebrow.

“I
didn’t mean them.”

“Peta
believed you.” Niail glanced at the little girl who was sitting at the table,
her eyes wide. “Your words do harm.”

“You’re
right.” Jake’s voice was conciliatory. “Let me down and we’ll discuss this.”

“Please.”
Kimi touched his arm. A shock of electricity shot through him. He sucked in a
deep breath and felt the ache of his injured ribs. He almost dropped Jake, but
he tightened his hold.

“Is
that your wish?” He looked at Kimi.

“Yes.”
Kimi nodded. “He won’t do any harm.”

“As
you command.”

Niail
released him.

Jake
pushed him away and made a swing at his head. Niail blocked it with his arm.
Jake swung the other arm and he stopped that too. He shook off Niail’s hands.
His opponent wasn’t finished. Almost on cue, Jake bent his head, rushed him,
and hugged him tight about his waist. He tried to force Niail back against the
wall.

Pain
seared through Niail’s bruised ribs, but he suppressed it. There would be time
to worry about his injuries after he had defeated his opponent. Niail brought
both arms down on Jake’s shoulders with just enough force to release his grip,
but not enough to break his collarbone. Jake gasped and bent in pain as Niail’s
knee connected with his chin.

He
fell to his knees. Niail hauled him up by his shirt and locked his arm around
his neck. Then he leaned close to his ear.

“Next
time I will kill you.” His whisper was a promise. “Now sit.”

He
loosened his arm from around Jake’s neck and led him to a kitchen chair. He
pushed him down and held him there with a hand on his shoulder. Jake sagged
against the back of the seat. Niail released him. He grimaced as a spasm of
pain shot through his head. He grabbed a chair and sat. The legs shook, but it
held his weight.

Wil
ran to Niail’s side. “Are you okay?”

“You’re
asking him?” Jake didn’t hide his resentment. “I’m your uncle.”

“You
were mean to Mom.” Wil leaned against him. “Niail’s a superhero.”

Peta
nodded. “He’s a Hunter.”

“I
can’t believe you did that.” Kimi ran a shaky hand through her hair. “Jake’s
ex-Navy Seal and you’re injured.”

“He
is poorly trained.” Niail crossed his arms and winced at the pain. He fought
down the nausea.

“No.”
Jake’s eyes were wide. “You’re just better than anyone I’ve ever been up
against.”

“Niail
is a warrior who protects people.” Peta started putting her homework into her
backpack. “He’s from the Star People.”

Niail
held his breath and waited for Jake’s reaction. Their experiences with the
authorities on this planet had not been pleasant. All Hunters avoided them. It
was safer.

Jake
lifted an eyebrow in his direction and then laughed. “I’m afraid he’s been
telling you some tall tales, sweetheart.”

Peta
shook her head. “He didn’t tell me. He wears the symbols on his arm.”

Jake
smirked. “Tattoos don’t mean anything.”

Kimi
cleared her throat. “Perhaps not, but until Grandfather returns, he stays safe
at my house.”

Niail
met Kimi’s gaze and felt the strong pull of attraction. She was a beautiful
woman and she was defending him. It was a unique feeling to have a woman think
about him. The life of a normal man had been denied him with the use of
implants and enhancers. Since their escape and crash landing on earth, all that
had changed.

Niail
forced himself to look at Jake. The man was solidly built with the same dark
hair and brown eyes as Kimi. That’s as far as the resemblance went. Kimi’s eyes
showed understanding and compassion. There was a coldness and wariness in
Jake’s expression and stance. His moves showed that he had some military
training, but Jake was no match for him.

“You
can’t still believe that old man makes sense.” Jake’s voice held disdain.

“Grandfather
is a medicine man.” Wil spoke now. “He knows all about the ancient ways and the
Star People.”

“Those
are legends told around the campfire to scare children into behaving.”

Kimi
inhaled a loud breath. “You have no reason to disrespect Grandfather.”

“Those
ancient stories have no place in today’s world.” Jake pushed back his chair.
“They’ll hold you back. The sooner Wil knows the truth the better.”

Kimi
touched her brother’s arm. “I know you’re ashamed of your heritage, but that’s
no reason to belittle it.”

Jake
stood. “Perhaps not, but I’ve seen more of the world than you.”

“More
violence you mean.” Kimi shook her head. “The Navy changed you.”

“I
grew up.” Jake walked to the door and stabbed a finger at Niail “I want you out
of here by Monday, or I start asking questions. I’m sure you won’t be happy
with the answers I get.”

Niail
didn’t need a human to tell him to leave. He had already stayed longer than was
smart. Even if he couldn’t communicate with the others, he had to get to a safe
place. He might not complete his mission, but he did remember the city his team
had last been in.

“I’m
sorry Jake was rude.” Kimi’s voice broke into his thoughts. “He was never fond
of the old traditions, but he wasn’t so hostile before.”

“He
carries much anger.”

Kimi
nodded. “I’m sure you’re right. I just don’t understand what the people have
done to make him that way.”

“He
has not yet found his place.” Niail grimaced as he tried to stand. “He doesn’t
feel as if he belongs.”

Kimi
pushed him back in the chair. “Stay seated. I’ll get your dinner.”

“A
woman does not wait on a man.”

“You’re
my guest.” Kimi cleared the rest of the papers off the table. “Besides, you’re
still weak. Tackling Jake must have used up most of your strength.”

“I
could not let him disrespect you any longer.”

“What
is the sacred code?” Peta sat up on her knees and leaned her elbows on the
table.

“They
are the rules that I live by.” Niail shifted in his chair. “Your uncle has
broken the first law by disrespecting your mother and you.”

“Is
this code written down?” Wil’s eyes widened. “Can I see it?”

“It
is written on the Wall of Memories where I come from.” Niail pushed back the
memory of the last time he had visited the Wall. It had been the day before the
Holman, the rebel rulers of Cygnus, had taken his unit captive.

“It
makes you sad.” Peta spoke with conviction. “Don’t you like the rules?”

“A
Hunter does not question what he is told. He follows orders.”

Kimi
put a plate and utensils in front of him. “That doesn’t sound very pleasant.
Surely you must have some freedom?”

“I
did not know what that meant until I came here.”

Wil
frowned. “You mean the reservation is freer than your home?”