Healing Fire (8 page)

"You have and you will be
compensated, but you can't stay here anymore, you can't…"

"Kiss you. Desire you?"

She pursed her lips, but her pupils
dilated. Her grip on the whisk tightened.

"You are not to talk to me like
that. There can be no us. Last night was…"

"Wonderful, filled with the
pleasure of my touch… "

"Damn it. Stop putting words into
my mouth." She slammed the whisk down on the counter, glaring at him.

"Then stop speaking what you do
not mean." He rose up from the stool. He was not about to let her shut him
out now.

She took a
step back, even though the bench was between them. "Keep your distance. I
don't know you, I don't know who you really are, and I'm not willing to take
that chance."

"Your husband is dead. Do you not
think he would want you to move on with your life, give your daughter a chance
to have a father?"

"She has a father!" Summer's
voice rose.

"It has been three years since
his passing, and you deny not only yourself but your daughter."

Her cheeks flushed in rage. "This
is none of your business. How dare you judge me for what I do or don't do with
my life? I'm not the crazy one who thinks he's from another planet!"

Melor moved around the counter. Summer
backed up against the sink. He shook his head. Anyone who looked deep enough
could see past her strong exterior.

"I do not judge you, I have no
need to. You do a good enough job of it yourself. It is quite clear you hide
yourself and your daughter away from the world. I have told you the truth from
the beginning. If you come with me to L.A, I will take you to Kell and heal
you."

"You just won't give up, will
you?! Is this some kind of scam you're pulling, luring unsuspecting people to
the city then robbing them blind?"

"Damn the moons, woman! All I
want to do is help you. I…"

A scream from outside made them both
jump. Melor bolted for the front door, skidding to a halt on the top step to
scan for danger.

Blossom was caught between a large
lumbering black creature and the bushes.

"Oh my God. It's a black bear. It
will kill her!" Summer shrieked.

She started waving her arms and
hollering loudly.

Melor
wasted no time. He jumped over the porch steps, running down the slope. He
leaped the expanse of the small stream, landing in front of Blossom and the
creature.

Pulling the crystal dagger from his
boot, he faced the bear that stood on two feet, growling menacingly. Melor
studied the creature's teeth, powerful jaw and deadly looking claws, no doubt
dangerous to humans.

He shouted to scare the bear away, but
instead it charged at him. Melor was prepared; his training kicked in. He
crouched low and braced himself for the attack.

~ * ~

A sickening wave of terror made Summer's
stomach roll. Her only thought was to reach her daughter as Melor ran down the
slope, placing himself between the black beast and Blossom. Summer ignored the
pain in her leg as she tried to run, only to stumble and fall heavily into the
grass. Sweat broke out over her entire body as she struggled to her feet. She
kept her eyes on Blossom who stood three feet behind Melor, frozen in fear.

Summer fought back her scream as the
angry bear roared and charged Melor, knocking the big man over. Then she
watched in horror as the bear's large teeth sunk into his shoulder.

The bear howled in what seemed to be
pain before it slumped forward, the black mass twitching for just a moment
before it ceased to move altogether.

Summer blinked, trying to figure out
what the heck had just happened. The bear moved again, and Summer jumped in
fright as it rolled off Melor. It took a moment for her to realize the bear was
dead.

Melor climbed to his feet, and she saw
the weapon clutched in his palm. She knew it was the beautiful dagger which she'd
placed on the kitchen bench for him to find.

She watched as he turned towards
Blossom.

"It's okay little one. It cannot
harm you now. Come, the creature is dead." He held out his arms.

Summer
saw in her eyes the utter trust Blossom had in him as she stumbled forward.
Melor, careful not to transfer blood on Blossom's clothing, picked her up and
carried her back over the stream towards Summer.

Summer let out a breath she didn't
realize she was holding. He had put himself in danger to save Blossom.

"Mom." Blossom reached for
her, falling from Melor's arms into hers. She clutched Blossom tightly. Summer
glanced up at him as he stood silent, expressionless.

"Come, let us get you inside."
His tone was tender as he took Blossom; he placed his hand under Summer's
elbow, guiding her back up the slope.

No one spoke until they were inside.
Melor set Blossom down on the sofa.

"Are you okay, baby?"

"I'm fine, Mom. I was scared, but
Melor saved me."

"I know, baby, I know."

She turned her attention back to him.
Large red welts where the bear had bit and scratched him showed from where the
shirt was torn on his chest and shoulders.

"Please sit down, you're hurt. I'll
get the first aid kit." She hurried into the kitchen, snatching the first
aid kit from under the kitchen sink. She realized how badly her hands were shaking
as she carried it back. Melor took it from her hand.

"Mayhap you should sit. I am
accustomed to battle. This is but a scratch,"

"You're bleeding, so much blood,
so much blood…I..." The vision of Tyler's bloody body flashed into her
mind. Bile rose up in her throat.

"You could have been killed!"
she suddenly screamed at him. Oh God, she couldn't handle this. She ran from
the room, only just making it to the toilet before crumpling to her knees and
heaving her guts out.

~ * ~

"Blossom, do not take your mother's
words to heart. She loves you and was very frightened by what happened. Will
you be alright here while I tend to her?"

Blossom put on a brave smile. "Mom
needs looking after more than I do. I'll be okay."

He leaned forward and kissed her
forehead. "You are very brave, just like a warrior of Kell."

She beamed him a proud smile. He stood
up, walking swiftly down the hall and into the bathroom.

Summer lay on the floor; her head
pressed against the wall, her eyes closed. Her whole body trembled. Melor
stripped off his bloodied shirt. The claw and teeth wounds were minor. He
fetched a cloth; wet it from the sink before kneeling down to gently wipe down
her face.

Her eyelids fluttered open. He scooped
her up into his arms and rose to his feet in one swift move, carrying her into
the bedroom.

"I should be thanking you, not
yelling at you."

"It matters not. The burden of
your grief is great. I have known great sorrow in my life. I once had a family,
father, sister and mother. My father was killed in the Great War when I was
scarcely old enough to lift a blade. And half a year ago, my sister and mother
were viciously murdered by our enemy, the Drac."

He drew in a steady breath and set her
down on the bed before sitting down beside her, brushing strands of hair away
from her ashen face.

"I know you do not believe my
tales, but hear me out. Not only did the Drac kill my family, they hunted down
and slaughtered every woman and child they could find."

"Where were you when this happened?
What happened to the great warriors of Kell ready to defend their kingdom?"

"We had marched across to their
lands to put an end to the war once and for all, leaving the city undefended.
It was a cruel lesson to learn. We were left without hope, destined to die out,
for we no longer had women to bear our children."

"I'm not saying I believe you,
but is that why you came to earth? To find women to, um, marry." Her
stormy blue grey eyes held simple curiosity.

"Aye, our hope of survival came
with a single human woman. She had fallen through a natural doorway which
connects our worlds. She brought with her hope of survival, a way to move on
and forward. I was there the day we found her. My commander became quite taken
with her human beauty." He gave a small smile.

"I don't understand. Did you come
to earth to find a wife?"

"Aye. Every lady I have met
rejected me for another. I was on my way back to Kell when the trembling of the
earth caught us by surprise. I fell into the portal, and it brought me here, to
you." He took her hand, raising it, and brushed his lips over the back.

"I believe in fate, which brought
me here to you and Blossom. I want to take care of you and protect you
both.
 
I care not if you have no wish to
travel to L.A. with me and go to Kell. I am quite willing to give up my
homeland and stay here with you. You need never be alone again. I am here for
whatever you need or want."

He released her hand and stood up from
the bed. "Think on my words, my lady."

"I need to get up. Blossom needs
me."

"No, you will stay. Blossom and I
can fend for ourselves today. You said she has a dance lesson in the afternoon?"

She nodded.

"As I am not trained to drive
your mode of transport, we need you to rest until then. Let us take care of
you." He bent over the bed, placing a swift kiss on her lips.

He could feel the heat of her gaze on
his back as he walked out of the door. The black bear had been a blessing as
much as it had frightened Summer. Perhaps now she would start to see the truth
through his actions rather than his words.

Chapter
Seven

He wasn't going to give up his story
of being an alien, and somehow it no longer mattered. Melor had proven himself
a level-headed man of action with a wisdom in his dark eyes Summer could not
refute.

It was time to get up. She couldn't spend
all day wallowing in self-pity. She still wasn't sure what she wanted, but
somehow the dynamics had shifted. She knew what she didn't want; to be pitied,
or hide away as a hermit. If she wanted her daughter to live a full happy life,
she needed to lead by example. Even before she married the handsome U.S. Army
captain, life had been an adventure worth living.

It was clear her body wanted Melor,
but her mind still cautioned about getting too close. The guilt over Tyler's
death still weighed heavily on her heart.