aHunter4Saken (aHunter4Hire) (20 page)

“I
hear only your thoughts.”

Kimi
exhaled. “As long as you’re the only one.”

“Not
everything is clear, but as the bond grows I will know more and more of your
desires.”

Kimi’s
tongue skittered across her lips. Niail’s words had sent a thrilling heat
through her. His gaze was intense, his voice low, and somehow she knew that to
have this man’s attention would be heavenly. Still, she couldn’t allow herself
to forget that she was a mother with children to look out for.

Niail
bent closer, his lips a hair’s breadth away. Kimi’s breath caught in her
throat, anticipation heightened as she waited for his touch. His lips skimmed
hers and she moaned as he moved away. His mouth returned, this time he captured
her lips with deftness and firmness. She gasped at the electric sensation that
raced through her. His tongue delved into her mouth. He drank from her, sending
shivers of delight throughout her. She reached her arms up to his neck and
pulled him closer. Everything disappeared. All that mattered was Niail and the
pleasure he was sending throughout her body. She pressed closer to him, craving
for a deeper connection.

Her
head spun with the dizzy thrill of ecstasy. She was lost. She surrendered to
the passion and joy of being with him. Their kiss deepened until she felt part
of him.

They
were one.

She
needed more.

She
ached to be joined with him, to feel his body next to hers. He was all that
existed. The world vanished except the exquisite passion that was building
within her. She was lost to everything except Niail.

The
blast of a shotgun tore them apart.

Every
cell in Niail’s body jumped into protection mode. For a few minutes he had lost
himself in the feel and taste of Kimi. He had let himself forget the danger
they were in. He should not have listened to Jake. His instincts had warned him
it was not safe. He pushed Kimi down flat on the seat.

“Stay.”

He
locked and shut the door before running to the house. The nondescript building
looked non-threatening, but that gunshot had been close. Niail flattened his
body against the side wall and then inched his head out so he could see the
front porch.

There
was no sign of Jake or Mark. Eluwilussit was hurrying toward him, though. When
he spotted Niail he ran to his side and leaned against the wall. His breath was
coming in gasps and he put his hand to his chest.

“What
happened?” Niail’s voice was low.

Grandfather
shook his head. “I was outside the door. I didn’t see anything.”

“So
we do not know if Jake is okay?” Niail reached behind and pulled a handgun out
of his waistband.

“You
can’t go in there.” Grandfather’s voice rose. “They’re armed.”

“I
cannot leave Jake to fight alone.” Niail pushed the safety off his weapon. “He
has shown himself to be a man of honor. You need to go back to the truck. I
left Kimi there.”

“I’ll
start the vehicle and have it running just in case you need a quick escape.”

Niail
nodded. “Good. If we are not out in five minutes, you are to leave. Kimi needs
to get to safety.”

Niail
didn’t wait for Eluwilussit’s agreement. He steadied his breathing and then
slipped around the edge of the wall. He kept his body flat against the building
and took short side steps until he was at the front door.

The
door was wooden with a glass upper section. There was a bullet hole in the
bottom corner of the window. Around the hole was an area of shattered glass
with spiral cracks extending from it in on all sides. The shot had come from
inside the house.

Niail’s
grip on the handgun tightened.

He
inhaled and kicked the door open in one motion.

He
ducked low and rushed to the nearest wall for cover. In the hallway, near the
door, was a dead body. It was male. Niail had never seen him before, so he
assumed it was Jake’s contact.

Bullets
whizzed by his head.

He
counted three.

He
eased along the wall. When he reached the corner he took several steadying
breaths. Once his heart rate was lowered, he peered around the edge. Three men had
surrounded Jake. One had a gun to his head. The other two were pointing in his
direction. Mark was nowhere in sight.

“We’ve
got your buddy,” one of the men yelled. “We’ll let him live if you give
yourself up.”

“Don’t
believe them.” Jake’s voice was defiant. “They’ve already killed Andrew.”

Niail
pulled back just as two bullets flew by. A third one embedded in the wall
behind his head. He crouched down on his knees, keeping the gun in front of
him. He cocked his pistol and leveled it at the corner.

He
closed his eyes and envisioned the position of the men. He reached out with his
senses and focused on the different cadence of each man’s breathing. He exhaled
and steadied his hand before jumping from behind the wall. He pulled the
trigger three times as he rolled side over side, to the opposite wall.

“Damn.”
There was a tremor in Jake’s voice. “You were dead center in the forehead for
all three.”

Niail
eased around the edge of the corner. The men were lying on the floor and Jake
was standing. His eyes scanned the room for Mark. There was no sign of him.

“I
do not miss.” Niail pulled the magazine from his 9mm and checked the number of
bullets. He still had ten left.

“Where
is he?”

“Mark?”

“Is
there more than him?”

“He’s
the only one left. He ran out the back door the minute you entered the house.”

Niail
stood and leaned against the wall. He eased his breathing and wiped the beads
of sweat from his head. He glanced around the corner. Jake had picked his way
around the bodies and was coming toward him.

“How
did you do that?” Jake’s voice was hoarse. “Can you see through walls?”

“No.”
Niail moved into the room. “This planet gives us increased abilities. My
hearing is better, so I used that to locate you before shooting.”

“Incredible.
You could’ve hit me.”

Niail
shrugged. He could hear the anxiety in Jake’s voice. It was a waste of energy.
He had not missed. Now they had to focus on what to do next. As long as Mark
and Kowal were free, Kimi was in danger.

“What
happened here?”

“Mark
knew these guys were staking out Andrew’s place.” Jake bent down and with a
shaking hand he picked up a pistol. “As soon as we were inside, the men barged
in from the rear. They killed Andrew before I knew what was happening.”

“Your
partner is not a man we should let live.”

Jake
lowered his eyes. “Perhaps not, but he is a witness to what happened to you. He
knows Kowal’s operation. I want him alive.”

Niail’s
eyes narrowed. How many times did Jake have to see the error of his choices?
Humans might think that they were being fair by letting a man stand his trial,
but where was the honor in this? Mark was a traitor who had knowingly allowed
innocent people to die. He was a coward.

“You
are only delaying the inevitable.”

Jake
shook his head. “There will be more justice if Mark pays for his behavior.”

“Death
is a payment.”

“Not
in this case.” Jake picked up a second pistol. “He has to testify to what these
men have done.”

Niail
heaved a sigh. “It is your decision.”

He
walked past the dead men on the floor and went through a passageway that led to
the kitchen. There was an open door to the outside. Now he needed to track his
prey. He paused at the doorway and sniffed the air. The stench of body odor
assailed his nostrils.

Mark
was nearby.

Niail’s
eyes scanned the darkness.

A
shadow moved to the right, but it was too small to be his prey. He took a step
forward and the stillness of the night closed in upon him. A jolt of cold
skittered up his spine. Instinct and experience, told him that Mark waited
close by. The sound of a dog barking in the distance broke the silence.

He
took another step forward.

The
nightscape seemed to have eyes that peered deep within him. A sharp cracking
sound came from the left. Niail tilted his ear in that direction. A soft
rustle, and then a sigh alerted him to his quarry. Niail eased his gun up.

He
bent low and moved on silent feet, inching his way into the darkness. Mark was
there. He could feel and smell him. When he reached a stone edging, he stepped
over it onto a gravel path. A soft crunch of stone reverberated in his head. He
lightened his footstep as he turned in direction of the sound.

A
shadow swooped from nearby and Niail ducked. He wasn’t quick enough to prevent
the blow to the head. He staggered back several steps as the cold metal of a
gun cracked against his skull. Niail winced at the tooth jarring pain that shot
through him. He pushed past it and grabbed the arm that wielded the weapon.

“Let
go.” Mark screamed in pain.

Niail
twisted the arm back. “Release the gun.”

“Never.”

Niail
grunted and put the full weight of his body behind the force of his hold. He
was within seconds of breaking the arm, when Mark relented.

“Stop.”
The clatter of metal on the gravel followed.

Niail
released Mark’s arm and then pulled back his fist and punched him in the jaw.
Mark’s body slumped to the ground just as Jake ran up.

“What
did you do to him?” Jake’s words came out between his gasps for air.

Niail
hauled Mark to his feet. “You can thank me later.”

He
shoved his prisoner ahead of him as they moved back to the house. Instead of
entering the back door, Niail pulled Mark around the side of the building. The
truck was still there and running just as Eluwilussit had promised.

Jake
took Mark from Niail and cuffed his hands.

“He
almost broke my arm.” Mark’s voice was a high pitched whine. “You’ll never be
able to try my case in court. You’ll be arrested for brutality.”

The
door opened and Kimi came rushing to their side. “What happened?”

“They
were watching the house.” Jake dropped the tailgate and pushed Mark up onto the
truck bed. “One minute I’m talking to Andrew and telling him about the
operation and the next he’s dead.”

“How
horrible.” Kimi’s voice shook.

“Your
sister does not need to hear this.” Niail leaned against the side of the
vehicle. His head ached. He clenched his jaw and pushed back the pain.

Kimi
turned to him. “Are you okay?”

Niail
straightened away from the truck. “Mark put up a fight.”

“I
clocked him good.” Mark chuckled. “He’s not so tough.”

Kimi
inhaled a deep breath. “Where did he hit you?”

“My
head.”

Kimi
reached up and brushed the hair from his forehead. Her hand feathered across
the spot where Mark had bashed him. He winced and had to force himself not to
move away from her. Her caress was soothing. Never had anyone cared about his
injuries before. It was a unique sensation.

“You’re
bleeding.” Kimi pulled him along with her to the front of the truck. “Let me
have a better look.”

She
flicked the interior light on and pushed him toward the light. She frowned as her
fingers moved his hair aside and revealed the open gash a few inches above his
temple.

“You
need stitches.”

“There
is no time.” Niail winced as he straightened up.

“He’s
right.” Jake spoke from the rear of the truck. “We need to get you to safety
and then I’m going straight to Billings.”

“You
thought it would be safe here.” Kimi’s voice was sarcastic.

“I
was wrong.” Jake put his hands on his hips. “I think you should go back to your
house, gather a few things, and then find someplace to hide. They’ve already
been to your place, so it’s not likely they’ll return.”

“You
can’t be certain.”

“Well
I can’t take you to Billings.” Jake crossed his arms over his chest. “There
isn’t enough room in the truck.”

Kimi
looked over at Niail with a raised eyebrow. A rush of warmth went through him
at her silent question. She was looking to him for direction. She trusted him
enough to want his input.

“I
will not leave you.” Niail touched her arm. “You will be safe.”

“Are
you certain?” Kimi looked at his forehead. “We should get you stitches first.”

“I
am fine.”

Niail
helped Kimi back into the truck and shut the door. He hopped into the back and
braced himself against the side. His head was pounding and his stomach rolled
with nausea, but that was not going to stop him from staying close to Kimi. She
needed him.