Hannah's Warrior: Cosmos' Gateway Book 2 (26 page)

“
Te’mar is bringing a glider. We will
have her to a healer soon.” Teriff said gently as he laid his hand
on Borj’s shoulder.

“
She does not deserve this.” Borj said.
“I should never have claimed her. I have done nothing but placed
her in danger since she met me.” Borj choked out.

“Nonsense.” Teriff said
gruffly. “She is a fighter. She is truly fit to be the mate of a
Prime male.”

“They hurt her.” Borj said
quietly. “She shielded me but I see the evidence. They hurt her
badly. She…” Borj looked at his father with such pain, Teriff fell
back a step. “She protected me from it.”

Teriff looked down at the pale face of his
son’s bond mate. She was breathing on her own but not without
difficulty. “Then you must protect her. Accept her and help her
heal for it is your strength that will help her the most.”

Borj watched as a group of warriors pulled
Bachman and Mazzum down towards a ground transport that was about
to land. “I demand the Right of Justice against all three men.”
Borj said emotionlessly looking at two of the men being loaded onto
the transport.

“
Granted. I will stand as your second.”
Teriff said coldly watching as the transport lifted off.

Chapter 19

Hannah stirred enjoying the
cool breeze floating in through the windows. She frowned as she
looked around. It took a moment for her eyes to focus as she
realized she was back in Borj’s and her living quarters at the
palace. Hannah sat up gingerly trying to figure out how she got
here. The last thing she really remembered was slipping from the
rock. Everything else was more like a dream.

“Not a dream,
ku lei
.” Borj said softly
coming into the room.

Hannah’s breath caught at
how beautiful he looked. He was wearing nothing but a pair of low
cut pants that were not fastened at the top. His hair was a little
longer than she remembered as well. Hannah’s eyes widened when she
saw a long cut that was almost healed running across his chest.
There was another one on his left arm.

“
What happened to you?” Hannah asked
anxiously reaching out a hand to touch it.

Borj sat down on the bed.
His eyes closed briefly as he felt Hannah’s hand gently trace the
wounds he recently received. He opened his eyes to stare into the
intense green ones of Hannah which were searching his with worry. A
small smile curved his lips. She was safe. That thought sent waves
of warmth and happiness through him. She was safe.

“
It is nothing. I am almost healed.”
Borj said quietly letting his fingers run through the soft waves of
Hannah’s long hair.

Hannah fell back suddenly exhausted. She
frowned up at Borj. “Why am I so tired?” She grumbled out. “I’m
never this weak!”

Borj chuckled as he moved to lie down on top
of the covers next to her. Pulling Hannah into his arms, he held
her tightly against him enjoying her sweet scent and soft curves.
They were both quiet for a moment before Borj spoke softly into
Hannah’s mind.

“I almost lost you.”
Borj said quietly.
“When
I was able to finally get to you, you were gone.”

Hannah felt the shiver that
ran through Borj’s tall frame.
“How did
you bring me back?”
Hannah asked
tentatively.

“I wrapped my life force
around yours refusing to let the last tiny spark fade away. I was
able to clear your lungs and you finally began breathing again on
your own but you were hurt from the many times you were thrown into
the rocks along the river. Te’mar landed shortly after with a
glider and I was able to transport you back to the village. It was
closer than the palace. The healer was able to stabilize you but
you were still in danger. It took two days of healing before it was
safe to transport you back to the palace. Once here, the healers
continued to heal you.”
Borj explained in a
husky voice.

“What about Bachman and the
other two men.”
Hannah asked.

Borj let his one hand trace the long, healing
scar on his chest. He felt Hannah’s hand move to lie on top of his.
He brushed a kiss across the top of her head and squeezed her
gently before letting his fingers thread through hers.

“They are dead. All three
of them are dead.”
Borj told
Hannah.

The breath Hannah was
holding escaped in a soft exhale.
“How?
What happened?”

“I invoked the Right of
Justice. All three men committed a grievous injustice against what
is mine.”
Borj said coldly.

Hannah rose up to look down
into Borj’s flaming silver eyes.
“What is
the Right of Justice? What are you not telling me?”
Hannah asked pulling her fingers from Borj’s to
trace the scar along his left arm.

Borj looked up into Hannah’s
soft eyes.
“Each man is given a chance to
fight back. They choose one weapon. It was my right to give out
justice. I fought each man. Each one died a very long, slow death
for what they did to you, Hannah.”
Borj
said as he cupped her cheek and leaned up to press a soft kiss to
her lips.

“You could have been
killed.”
Hannah murmured
fearfully.

Borj’s soft chuckle caressed
Hannah’s lips.
“No. I may be an Ambassador
for our planet but I am a warrior first. I was the stronger, more
experienced warrior of the three. They stood little chance of
defeating me. Besides, I had something to live for…you.”
Borj whispered as he brushed his lips back and
forth across Hannah’s.

“
How long have I been sleeping?” Hannah
asked puzzled. It seemed like a lot had happened in just a few
short days.

“
Oh, you’ve been sleeping for almost a
week and a half, sweetheart.” Tilly Bell said as she breezed into
the bedroom carrying a tray, Angus right behind her.

Hannah squealed and ducked
back under the covers. She wasn’t wearing any clothes and the last
thing she wanted was for her parents to see her in the buff. Hannah
weakly punched Borj’s arm when he sat up chuckling.

“
This is not funny.” Hannah hissed out
glaring up at him from where she had the covers pulled up to her
nose. “Didn’t you lock the door?”

“
Of course he did, love.” RITA’s voice
said cheerfully. “Your mom overrode the command with a little help
from me.”

“
Great, just great! Now we can’t even
have a locked door to keep them out.” Hannah groaned out
loud.

“
Oh Angus! She really is alright.”
Tilly sniffed as she set the tray down next to the bed.

Hannah looked at the tears
glittering in her mom’s eyes and sighed. Her mom hardly ever cried
except in cheesy romantic movies. Hannah saw the same look of
anguish in her mom’s eyes that was in them when she first saw her
standing on the dock as Jacq brought her back when she was fifteen.
Hannah sat up, tucking the sheet around her, and reached for her
mom. Borj scooted over as Tilly Bell fell into her oldest
daughter’s arms sobbing.

Borj looked at Angus who had tears in his own
eyes. “I’m glad you’re safe, Hannah bug.”

Hannah looked up at her dad and gave him a
watery smile. “Me, too. I love you both so much.”

Tilly leaned back smoothing her small hands
over Hannah’s damp cheeks. “How are you feeling?” Tilly asked
softly.

Hannah knew her mom was
asking her more than about her physical health. She was worried
about Hannah’s mental health. Both of them sat there for a moment,
each reflecting on a different time and place. Hannah looked at her
mom then at her dad and grinned.

“
I’m doing good…really good.” Hannah
said reaching a hand out to hold Borj’s. “I’m going to be alright.
I promise.”

Tilly must have felt the truth in Hannah’s
words because she turned and sent a breathtaking smile to Angus.
“She is going to be fine.” Tilly whispered up to her husband.

Angus chuckled. Leaning over, he pulled his
tiny wife up off the bed and into his arms. “Then, I suggest we
give them some peace. I can think of a few things we can do on the
way back to our living quarters. Are you interested?” Angus growled
playfully.

Tilly’s light laughter filled the air as she
brushed her hand across Angus’ chest. “What do you have in mind?”
She whispered huskily.

“
Will you two go get your own room?!”
Hannah groaned out loudly. “This is way more information than I
need to see this soon.”

Angus chuckled as he swung his wife around to
the door. Tilly turned just before he could scoot her through. “Oh!
Before I forget, Hannah, we are having a movie marathon tonight! I
had RITA download ‘When Harry Met Sally’, than we are doing a
chick-flick night of romance! I can’t wait. Lan and Brock have it
set up on a big screen outside in the garden.” Tilly said gleefully
before Angus finished getting her out of the room.

Hannah dropped back down onto the bed with a
chuckle. “You have no idea what you have done to your planet! A
chick-flick movie night! The next thing will be the Tilly and Angus
Bell Center for Sexual Discovery.” Hannah joked looking up at the
ceiling.

“
What a wonderful idea!” RITA said.
“I’ll have to suggest that to your mom!”

Hannah jerked up. “RITA,
don’t you dare. It was a joke. RITA? RITA!” Hannah called
frantically trying to scramble out from under the covers only to
fall back exhausted against them.

Borj laughed as he saw Hannah’s flushed face.
“My planet will be fine. Come, let me help you up. You will need to
take things slowly until you recover completely.” Borj said lifting
Hannah into his arms and walking with her to the cleansing
room.

Hannah let her head drop back against Borj’s
shoulder. “Borj, do you think you can take me to that place you
told me about? The one with the pink sand and water dragons.”
Hannah asked softly.

Borj’s arms tightened around Hannah for a
moment at her tentative question. “We will leave tomorrow and can
stay as long as you like.” He said huskily.

“
I would like that.” Hannah whispered
sleepily.

Borj’s lips curved in a tender smile as he
brushed a kiss against Hannah’s hair. He would bath her and let her
rest some more. Once she was asleep, he would make the necessary
arrangements to be gone for an indefinite period of time. He would
give Hannah all the time she needed to recover.

Chapter 20

Hannah laughed as she adjusted the lens of
her camera and snapped several more shots of the sea dragons
playing in the surf. They were amazing creatures and she never got
tired of watching them. Her head turned when she heard Borj call
out to her and she waved her hand to let him know she heard
him.

Turning, she slid off the
rock she was lying on and felt the soft, pink sand slide between
her bare toes. They had been at Borj’s home on the ocean for almost
a month and she still wasn’t ready to return to the palace. It was
amazing that it really wasn’t that far from the palace. Her mom and
dad had visited with J’kar and Tink, who was beginning to show. She
loved spending time with her family but she enjoyed having Borj all
to herself more. Maybe it was selfish of her but she didn’t
care.

They had been here for a
week before she was finally feeling like she had regained her
strength. During that time, Borj treated her like she was made of
spun glass. It was only when she tied him to the bed late one night
and had her wicked way with him that she got the full reason out of
him. He thought she had been raped by Mazzum. He didn’t want to say
anything to her but it finally came out during her interrogation
session. She learned that little move from Tink who told her how
she did it to J’kar. The running of her tongue up and down his
extended canines really did work! Once she did that than worked her
way down his body, he sang like a canary telling her everything she
wanted to know.

It took several hours of ‘intensive
interrogation’ to finally convince him nothing happened. Yes, she
had been scared. Yes, Mazzum was an ass to her. But, he was now a
very dead ass thanks to her protective warrior who promised to come
for her and did.

The weeks after that were filled with
laughter and love. They played in the water, ate lunch and dinner
oftentimes watching the sea dragons playing in the surf, walked
through the thick forest surrounding Borj’s beautiful home, and
made love…lots and lots of love.

Hannah smiled as she walked
up to Borj. There was a handsome older man standing next to him.
Hannah recognized the man as the healer from the palace. Smiling,
she walked up to the men as they waited for her.

“
Good morning, Saury. How are you
doing?” Hannah asked with an inquiring smile.

Saury bowed slightly to Hannah before smiling
in return. “I am most well, Lady Hannah. How are you feeling?”

“
Never better.” Hannah turned with a
puzzled look at Borj. “Is something the matter?”

Borj flushed and looked at Saury quickly
before he turned to Hannah and gripped her hand tightly. “I asked
Saury to come and make sure you are well.”

Hannah stared intently at Borj for a moment
before shrugging her shoulder. “But, I told you yesterday that I
was fine. I was a little queasy but it passed as soon as I ate some
toast.”