aHunter4Saken (aHunter4Hire) (7 page)

“I
will join you later.”

Niail
watched the two children run out of the house with a sense of wonder. They were
carefree and happy. He had never been either of these things. He would like to
spend time with them, but he knew his first priority was getting in touch with
Partlan.

“How
did you learn English?” Kimi’s voice made him turn back to her. “Is it very
different from your language?”

“We
do not have words that have two meanings.” Niail grinned. “It makes things
easier to understand.”

“So
you didn’t know English when you crashed?”

“No.
At that time we were connected with our translating devices. The language was
sent directly to our brain. Now of course we would not be able to do that.”

“That’s
because you removed your implants.” Kimi nodded. “So they were more than
tracking devices.”

“They
were also enhancers.” Niail leaned back in his chair. “Most things have more
than one use. What is good for one may be bad for another.”

“Not
being tracked is more important.” Kimi sighed. “Living without the conveniences
of the rest of the world means I have total privacy. Except for my cellphone,
there is no way for us to be found through electronic devices. Someone has to
physically locate us.”

“You
worry about people knowing where you are?” Niail frowned. “Is this a problem in
your country?”

“Not
for me.” Kimi leaned toward Niail. “Jake thinks I’m crazy, but he’s not the
best person to listen to. He’s always in trouble.”

“He
does not accept easily.”

 “That’s
an understatement.” Kimi laughed. “Right now he’s on suspension from the
Bureau. He’s supposed to stay away from investigations, but I bet he’s
following someone that will get him in trouble again.”

“He
has a strong sense of what is just.”

“Yes.”
Kimi sighed. “I just wish he could see that it’s okay to be Blackfeet.”

“He
must find his own path.”

Niail
touched Kimi’s hand that rested on the table. A jolt of pleasure traveled up
his arm and lodged in his lower gut. This woman affected him. He saw an
answering response in her eyes. She was aware of him also.

With
his brain muddled, he could only rely on his body’s reactions. Ardal had told
them that as his bonding grew stronger with his mate, he had known her thoughts
and feelings. Niail couldn’t mind connect, but he knew what he felt.

Desire
coursed through his veins.

She
was as aware of him, as he was of her. Her fingers fluttered under his hand and
his body hardened. Never had that happened before. He inhaled and relished the
sensation.

He
wanted more.

Hesitation
and fear lurked in Kimi’s eyes. She wasn’t ready to surrender to their bonding.
She needed time. Niail straightened his shoulders. He would prove her wrong.
Deep in his bones he knew that she was his pair bond. With or without the mind
connection, he would be linked to her always.

No
matter what she wanted from life, he would be there for her. He would never
interfere in her choices or plans. He would protect and care for her. One day
she would see that they were bonded as one, and hopefully, she would chose him
as her mate.

Before
that could happen, Kimi had to learn to trust him. The best way to do that was
to support her.

“The
children asked for help.” Niail released her hand. “Where can I find them?”

Kimi
stood. “I’ll take you up there. I want to look at my water pressure tank and cistern.
All that rain last night, means everything should be full.”

“You
do not get your water from the kitchen?”

Kimi
grabbed a light jacket and waited for Niail to leave the house before shutting
the door. “The kitchen’s pump is attached to the well. That’s mainly for
drinking water. I use rainwater to supplement our washing.”

“This
system sounds complicated.”

“I’m
used to it.” Kimi pointed to the home that was built of logs. “My family and
friends helped build the house and set up the alternative energy system, but
I’ve had to learn how to maintain it.”

“This
is how your people used to live?”

Kimi
shook her head. “Not even close. This just allows me to control the things that
enter our house from the modern world. In the summer, when school is closed,
the children and I move into a tipi and try our best to live off the land.”

Niail
frowned. “That is an unusual thing to do.”

“I
know.” Kimi sighed. “I want them to know the best of both worlds. There are
some traditions I could never accept, but it is important to remember where we
came from.”

“I
can understand.” Niail looked around at the forested landscape, and the
mountains with their snow-caps in the distance. He took a deep breath of the
fresh pine scent. Humans were fortunate that their planet was still alive.

“We
had nothing like this on Cygnus. The water and atmosphere had been destroyed
eons ago. Everyone lived within giant pods that had artificial atmosphere and
scenery.”

“How
horrible.” Kimi shuddered. “It would be claustrophobic. I need space.”

“People
do what they must to survive.”

“True.”
Kimi rubbed her arms. “Heritage is more than where you come from. It’s also the
customs and language.”

“I
am a Hunter. We do not know where we come from, only that we exist to serve and
obey. We are warriors and protectors.”

“That’s
sad.” Kimi stopped. They were several feet higher than the house and a large
tank was perched beside them. “You have no sense of your heritage.”

“My
fellow Hunters and the Sacred Code are all I know.”

“I
understand why it’s so important for you to contact them.” Kimi’s hand rested
on his arm. “This afternoon I’ll drive you into Browning. My computer is at the
school. You can use it to contact them.”

Gratitude
filled Niail. “Thank you.”

“No
problem.” Kimi turned and examined the tank. “Everything looks fine here. Let’s
go and play with the kids.”

Play?

It
sounded intriguing.

He
had never done it before.

The
rest of the morning was spent building a fort. It started out as an outline and
when they were finished they had taken fallen logs and branches and made walls.
It was one room with an entranceway. Wil and Peta were pleased.

After
lunch Kimi tried the battery in her cellphone, but it wouldn’t work. Niail
watched as she bit her lip and then heaved a sigh. She grabbed her purse from
the sideboard and headed to the door.

“Come
on kids. We’re going into town.”

Niail
followed them out of the house. Kimi was already behind the wheel by the time
he sat in her truck. She turned the key and nothing happened. She tried it a
second time and still nothing. The engine was not starting.

“The
battery’s dead.” She hit her hand against the steering wheel. “Did you notice
anything when you got the phone Wil?”

“The
door was open a bit.” Wil was in the rear seat.

Kimi
exhaled. “The door light drained the battery.”

Niail
sensed her frustration. “How far to Browning?”

“
It’s
several miles away.” Kimi looked over at him. “You
can’t walk there.”

“I
am used to walking distances.” Niail opened the truck door.

“Not
after the injuries you sustained.”

“I
have had worse.”

Niail
stepped out of the truck and started down the drive. He had to reach the other
Hunters before they gave him up for dead. He might never be able to mind
connect again. It was imperative that he find them.

“Wait.”
Kimi ran up behind him. “You don’t have to walk. Someone usually stops by to
check on me during the weekend.”

Niail
hesitated. He could see that Kimi was worried. He had been trained to obey
women. Since crashing on earth, they had learned that women on this planet
often made decisions based on emotions. This wasn’t logical. Uncertainty about
whether Kimi was ordering him to stay or making a suggestion made him question
her further.

“I
can reach the town. Just tell me which direction.”

“It’s
too dangerous.” Kimi clasped his arm. “You’re injured. Bobby was insistent you
stay hidden here.”

“That
was when I was unconscious.” He turned toward Kimi and put his hands on her
shoulders. “I will not be captured again.”

“It’s
getting late. The sun will be down soon. I would feel better if you stayed.”

Niail’s
eyes roamed over Kimi’s face. Her brow was creased and she was biting her lips.
She was sincere in her concern. His response was immediate. His body jolted
with purpose. The last thing he wanted was to upset her. He would honor her
wishes.

“Then
I will remain here until tomorrow.”

Kimi
smiled. “Great. We could even try to use one of the batteries I have for the
solar system.”

“No.”
Niail started back to the house. “Tomorrow is soon enough for me to leave.”

His
fellow Hunters might not understand, but there was nothing he wouldn’t do to
keep Kimi happy. Her desires were the only thing that he cared about. His pair
bonding was growing stronger. He would contact the others when he could. Until then,
he would stay.

The
rest of the day was spent outside. The kids played and Niail stayed near Kimi.
She worked on the gardens. She weeded the flowerbeds while Niail turned the
earth in the vegetable patch at the rear of the house.

“Is
this how your people would have lived traditionally?” Niail wiped the sweat
from his forehead with the back of his hand.

Kimi
laughed. “They followed the buffalo. They didn’t stay in one place long enough
to grow food.”

“So
why are you doing it?”

Kimi
shrugged. “With this much space, it would be silly not to live off the land a
bit. I don’t have any animals, but in the summer, it isn’t a problem to tend
the garden.”

“I
would have preferred to move around like your ancestors.”

“You
have itchy feet like my ex-husband.” Kimi shrugged. “I always wanted a stable
home. My parents died when I was young and my grandfather raised Jake and me.”

“So
that means living in one place?” Niail frowned. “I can understand, but if you
are bonded to each other, does it matter if one of you moves around?”

Kimi
stood. “I don’t think Sam and I considered how long we would be together. We
were young and foolish.”

“You
and Sam are no longer mates.” Niail didn’t miss the flicker of pain in Kimi’s
eyes.

Kimi
took off her gardening gloves. “Sam has a new wife and son now.”

“And
this is why Jake was upset the first morning?”

Kimi
turned back to the house. “Jake is angry at everything.”

Niail
followed her into the house. The longer he spent with Kimi the more he was able
to sense her feelings. The subject of Sam had upset her. Trying to understand
without being able to connect fully was a challenge. One he had never had to
deal with before.

In
the past he followed commands. He took the position he was told to. He killed
when he was ordered to. He obeyed. He never contemplated strategy. It was
automatic; part of his training. He had relied on his commander to decipher
their enemies’ motives and emotions.

“I
do not want to distress you with my questions.” Niail stood behind Kimi as she
washed her hands in the sink. “I am trying to understand why you deny what you
feel.”

Kimi
shook the water from her hands and reached for a towel. When she had finished
she turned to face Niail. She was within a few inches of him and his stomach
tightened. The scent of her filled his nostrils and it took all his strength
not to pull her into his arms.

“This
attraction between us is crazy.” Kimi’s gaze seemed to penetrate to his soul.
“You’re not right for me. I need a man who understands my goals and people.”

“My
bond grows stronger each minute I spend with you.” Niail’s fingers caressed her
face. “My injury is preventing you from understanding the depth of our
connection.”

Kimi
shook her head. “It has no future.”

“I
will honor whatever you decide.” Niail’s kept his voice steady, even though it
felt as if he were breaking in two.

Kimi’s
eyes widened and he was lost. Surely she would not deny him one kiss. He leaned
close and waited. She didn’t disappoint. Her hands clasped around his neck and
she pulled him in close.

Niail
wrapped his arms around her waist.

He
brushed his lips across hers and felt his heart thundering in his chest. The
world spun as his tongue slid across the crease of her mouth. She sighed and
opened for him. All thought vanished as he was swept into a maelstrom of
sensations and feelings.