aHunter4Saken (aHunter4Hire) (25 page)

“Not
any riskier than you trading yourself for the kids.” Ann pulled her keys from
her pocket. “We can take my car.”

“Good.”
Niail closed the door to the house. “Kimi’s truck is not here.”

“Where
are we to meet them?” Kimi’s voice trembled.

“He
wants to meet on the old Browning road, outside of town.” Ann unlocked the rear
door.

“He’s
going to do the exchange on the reservation?” Kimi’s hand shook as she reached
for the handle. “That’s awfully bold of him.”

“Or
smart.” Niail held the door while Kimi got in. “He probably thinks the police
are now aware of his activities and are watching his warehouse.”

Ann
went to slide behind the driver’s seat, but Niail held his hands out for the
keys. “It is safer if I drive there.”

“It’s
my car.” Ann’s voice was defensive.

“Kimi
needs your support.” Niail put the extra gun on the seat beside him. “Give me
the directions and I will get us there.”

“Men,”
Ann muttered under her breath as she walked around to the front passenger seat.
“Always think they’re the only ones who can handle anything.”

Kimi
touched Ann’s arm when she slid into the car. “Niail will keep us safe.”

“The
police are needed. We can’t go out there half-cocked with weapons. Someone
could get hurt.”

“People
are already dead.” Kimi’s voice was low. “I don’t want Wil or Peta hurt. Niail
will do what is necessary.”

Ann
glanced over at him. “How do you know? I thought he was dragged into your place
half dead.”

“We
have been running from Kowal’s men since I left the kids at your house.”

Niail
started the engine. “I need to finish this business with Kowal. It is the only
way Kimi and the children will ever be safe.”

“I
don’t like the sound of this.” Ann’s hand was on the door handle. “Maybe I
should get out now?”

“That’s
up to you Ann.” Kimi sighed. “It might be safer if you stayed here.”

“You’re
scaring me.” Ann’s voice held a hint of horror. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Kowal
will try to kill me.” Niail’s hand rested on the steering wheel. “That is why I
must get the children to you before I exchange myself. It will give you a
chance to escape.”

“That’s
absurd.”

Ann’s
words fell on silence. She looked back at Kimi and then over at Niail. In the
faint light from the car’s dashboard Niail could make out the horror on her
face.

“Say
something,” Ann begged.

“Niail
is speaking the truth.” Kimi wiped a hand over her face. “Our lives are in
danger. It might be best for you to stay out of it.”

“He’s
already been to my house.” Ann’s voice had dropped to a whisper. “That means
I’m not safe either.”

Niail
put the car in drive. “I will do my best to keep you protected.”

“How?”
Ann twisted around to face Kimi. “Does Jake know about this?”

“Yes,
but he is with Grandfather right now. He won’t be able to help.” Kimi’s voice
sounded faint from the rear. “What are your plans Niail?”

“I
will get Wil and Peta to you before I hand myself over to Kowal.” He gave the
spare gun back to Kimi. “Use this to protect yourselves. As soon as the kids
are in the car you drive as fast as you can to the police.”

“I’ll
drive.” Ann’s voice boomed with decisiveness. “The kids will be upset. They’ll
need you Kimi.”

“What
about you Niail?”

“I
will stay and kill Kowal.”

“And
his men will shoot you.” Kimi’s voice shook with unshed tears.

“They
will try, but many of them will be slain first.”

Ann
cleared her throat. “Are we talking a massacre here?”

“This
is about justice.” Niail clenched his jaw.

Kimi
leaned forward, her hand touching his shoulder. A shiver of awareness chased
through him. To have known paradise and then lose it was too painful to think
about. He forced his thoughts back to the children. He would do everything in
his power to stay alive, but if necessary he would die protecting his pair
bond.

“What
about the others?”

“I
cannot connect with them.” Niail silently cursed his injury. “I will stand
alone.”

They
drove in silence for several miles. The darkness of the evening was absolute.
There were no street lights to illuminate their way. The low cloud cover only
added to the suffocating feel of the night. The only light was from the headlights
of the car as they drove toward their destination.

“There
it is.” Ann’s hand pointed to the right.

Niail
looked over. There was a clearing with an unearthly glow hovering over it. It
looked as if the beams of several vehicles were illuminating an area. The light
was bouncing off the clouds and creating a bigger circle of brightness. This
was where he would make a stand against Kowal.

The
man deserved death.

Honor
demanded satisfaction.

The
only question was whether Niail would be able to survive the fight. He knew
with a certainty that he would be able to live long enough to kill most of the
men responsible for the kidnapping. He was not certain if he could kill them
all.

That
meant that he would have to rely on his brother Hunters to do the deed once he
was dead. In order to do this, Kimi had to escape with the children and contact
Partlan. There was no other way.

He
slowed the vehicle down and leaned forward. His eyes scanned the road until he
saw a dirt path off to the right. He turned and brought the car to a stop. He
twisted around and looked at Kimi.

“Once
you have the children, I want you to drive away as fast as possible. Do not
stop.”

“You
can’t expect me to leave you there alone?” Kimi’s shook her head.

Niail
turned to Ann. “Promise that you will drive away and not come back.”

Ann
looked back at Kimi and then nodded. “If that’s what you want.”

“It
is.”

“What
about you?” Kimi grabbed his shoulder. “I can’t leave you there.”

“You
need to contact Partlan.” Niail winced as the full force of Kimi’s distress
filled him. “They will protect you.”

“I
don’t want protection.” Kimi’s words were a sob. “I want the children and you.”

Niail
put the car into gear and started down the path. He wanted her more than
anything in the whole world, but he was a warrior first. He knew his duty.
Right now all he could focus on was getting Wil and Peta back into their
mother’s arms. After that he would do the best he could to stay alive.

They
reached a circle of vehicles a couple of minutes down the path. Niail stopped
the car several yards away. There were no lights behind them. Kimi would have
an escape route.

“You
should be able to swing the car around here without interference. Scoot over to
the driver’s side as soon as I leave the vehicle. You may not have enough time
later.”

Ann
cleared her throat. “We’re really going to do this?”

Niail
looked over at her. “It is necessary.”

“What
if something happens?”

“These
are not men of honor.” Niail’s voice was devoid of emotion. “They will lie.
They will try and stop you. Do not let them.”

“How
are we going to prevent that?” Ann waved her hands at the headlights glaring at
them. “There are too many of them. Is it even worth trying to fight?”

“Never
surrender.” Niail clasped Ann’s hand in his. “You are the driver. That means
everything depends on you. Can you do this?”

Ann
bit her lip. “I don’t know.”

“The
children will need comforting.” Niail looked back at Kimi. “Will you be able to
drive?”

Kimi
took a shaky breath. “Yes.”

Niail
sensed her strength and determination. Kimi was focused on saving her children
now. Gone was her anger and shock. In its place was cold resolve. He knew she
would do what was necessary to get the children to safety.

“Trade
places.”

Niail
watched as Ann climbed into the back and Kimi came forward. He needed someone
with fortitude to push through what was to come. Kowal would not let them drive
away. He would stop them from escaping because they were witnesses. Niail would
do his best to kill all of the men, but Kimi must escape.

He
looked back at Ann. “When the children are in the car, make certain they lay
down on the floor. If necessary you must cover them with your body. I do not
want them to see what I must do.”

Ann
rubbed her arms. “Okay.”

“Promise.”
Niail’s voice was insistent. “It is very important.”

“I
understand.” Ann’s tone was stronger. “I don’t want to see what’s going to
happen, so I will definitely cover them.”

Niail
nodded. “Good.” He turned to Kimi. “You must drive, no matter what.”

“What
are you expecting?”

“Kowal
will try to stop you.” Niail reached out and touched her cheek. “I will prevent
that, but you have to drive away. No matter what you hear or see.”

Kimi
choked back a sob. “Come back to me.”

“It
is all I think about.” Niail’s voice was low. “You are the only thing that
matters.”

Niail
twisted in his seat. She reached for him and lifted her face. His lips clung to
hers. Passion and desire raged within him, but he put it aside to send her
reassurance, and love. He surrounded her with peace.

“I
must go.” Niail left the car running and opened the door. “Use the gun to
protect yourselves.”

He
stepped out of the car.

A
voice shouted out of the darkness. “You’re a hard man to kill.”

Niail
straightened his shoulders. The cold metal of the gun in his waistband gave him
comfort. He would be able to get at least one shot off before they got him. For
a second he wished he had a disintegrator, but that was not to be. He was on
earth now, and must fight with the weapons this planet provided.

“Where
are the children?” Niail’s voice slashed the air. “I will not move until I see
them.”

He
heard a car door open and then the scramble of feet. Into the blinding
headlights of one of the vehicles he saw Wil and Peta pushed forward. A surge
of anger raced through him. How dare they mistreat children? Every sacred tenet
that he lived by was being broken tonight.

Niail
took a deep calming breath. Anger would not save Kimi and the children. Determination
replaced the anger. Hunter blood flowed through his veins. Never had anything
mattered so much to him. His pair bond and her children were in danger.

He
would not fail.

If
necessary he would die for them.

He
took one step forward. “Send the children.”

Niail’s
training took over. He might be alone, but he was the best marksmen in the
unit. He would succeed.

“Go.”
A voice boomed from beyond the headlights.

Peta
was in the lead. She held Wil’s hand and led the two of them into the center of
the circle of light. Her lower lip quivered. Her eyes darted back and forth,
but she kept walking. Wil held a blanket close to his chest, his head half
buried in it.

“I
am here, Peta.” Niail kept his voice gentle. “Keep walking. Soon you will be
with your mother.”

Wil’s
head shot up. “Is that you Niail?”

“It
is.” Niail took another step forward. “You just have a few more steps.”

“Now
you start walking.” The same gruff voice from beyond the headlights barked. “I
want to make sure you’re the right guy.”

Niail
took another two steps. “A Hunter never lies. As soon as the children are safe,
then I will come with you.”

“You
guys never give up, either.” The voice started laughing. “You thought you would
get the best of me, but I fooled you. I’ll do anything to get what I want.”

“You
should never have contacted aHunter4Hire.” Niail could not keep the sneer out
of his voice. “Our contract is very specific. We do not allow our honor to be
besmirched.”

“You
can talk all you want about honor, but I have you now.”

Niail’s
took another step forward. The children were a few feet away. They had to
continue on to the car no matter what happened next. When they were even with
him, he crouched down beside them.

“I
need you both to be very brave.” Niail touched Peta’s cheek. “Remember, you
have the spirit of a warrior.”

Peta
nodded. A slight tremor of the hand that clung to her brother was all that
Niail noticed. Beside her, Wil was looking at him with wide eyes. His blanket
covered his mouth, but his eyes showed his fear.

Niail
swallowed. “I am going over to those men now. You have to keep walking to the
car behind me.”