“Are you sure?” Lexi asked finally, sighing softly.
She saw her sisters nod and had to push down her feelings of nervousness. She had to trust her instincts that this was the right thing to do. Evie certainly looked like she had no reservations. She was looking at Browen as if she wanted to claim him right then and there.
The other warriors who stood around them were exuding auras of goodness and caring. Looking into their eyes, Lexi could see that they were honorable men. There was not one bit of deception within them. Sebastian and his men were the warriors they were meant to help.
Torin and Sebastian exchanged glances. They both knew that these women were taking a risk by revealing themselves to them. They also knew that they would protect these women with their lives. All of the warriors of Altavesta would.
Sebastian watched the sisters debate their safety. He could not fault them for their hesitation. He looked at each one of them, making eye contact and hoping that they would see the sincerity within his heart.
“Trust must be earned,” Sebastian said after a moment, breaking the silence of the encampment. “I hope that someday, you will trust us enough to share your secrets.”
Torin could not help but growl softly. He feared that they would not be able to protect these women if he and his men did not understand their secrets. He could not bear that they had already been put in a position of danger in their world.
His chest was still tight from the rush of physical and magical power he had expended during the fight. He was not foolish enough to deny the fact that he also was experiencing sheer terror deep down to his bones. When he had seen the women fighting so bravely beside them, he could barely breathe. Any one of them could have lost their life at any moment. The Gorin showed no mercy. They were brutal, heartless killers who showed that the sex of their enemy mattered not to them.
He turned to face Bree who stood slightly to his right as she held Hanna loosely on her hip. Hanna smiled up at him sweetly. At least there was one Gallagher woman who trusted him and was open with him.
“Hi, Torin,” she said sweetly, reaching out to him and waiting for him to take her into his arms.
Torin reached for her without hesitation, careful not to touch Bree in any way as he did so. He tucked Hanna against his side and sighed softly as she rested her head against his chest. He cradled her head carefully and kissed her forehead lightly, breathing in the sweet scent of the innocent child. She was a treasure, this little one.
“Lady Hanna, will you rest against me while I speak with your mother?” he asked her gently.
Hanna nodded, smiling up at him and brushing aside the lock of blonde hair that had fallen into her eyes. She snuggled closer against Torin’s chest and closed her eyes, popping her right thumb into her mouth and gripping his long black hair within her left hand, rubbing its silkiness between her index finger and her thumb. The texture soothed her. She closed her eyes and settled peacefully beneath the big man’s chin.
“Thank you, little princess,” he told her, smiling at the sweet giggle that escaped her. He ran his large hand down the golden tresses of her hair and could not prevent the contented sigh that left him. To hold such a precious bundle of love was a treasure. To have this child as his own daughter would truly be a gift—one that he knew he had no right to want or be given.
Bree had to pull back on her emotions as she saw the natural, caring nature of the big man named Torin. He was tall, dark, and handsome, just like the men in the romance stories that she had loved to read since the time she had been a teenager. In those stories, the hero came in and swooped down to save the heroine and carried her off to live their happily ever after life.
But this was not fiction. This was real life—a life that had held nothing but brutality and pain for her so far. She could not allow herself to be taken in by the dreams of her youth. She had learned long ago that dreams were nothing more than fluff, and hope was the stupidity of innocence.
“We will start with you, my lady,” Torin began, holding Hanna against him securely as he stepped closer to Bree.
He stopped suddenly when he saw the tear in the left sleeve of Bree’s tunic just below her shoulder. Her blood was already soaking through the white material of her blouse, turning it a crimson red. It was apparent that her injury was not a small one. He stepped closer toward her and reached out to move aside the material of her shirt in order to assess the wound.
“You are injured,” he told her, doing his best to remain calm and keep Hanna from becoming upset.
“Don’t touch her, you big gorilla!” Gaiya’s angry voice boomed across the camp as she stalked toward him.
Torin froze and dropped his hand, turning to face Gaiya as she approached him with a look on her face that showed such fierceness and determination, he was shocked by it. He did not know what a gorilla was, but, judging by the anger emanating from Gaiya, it was obviously something that was not good.
He raised his right eyebrow in curiosity. He had no idea what this little warrior planned on doing to him. Gaiya did not want him to touch Bree. He agreed with her. His impulse to touch Bree had been instant and had been based upon his need to protect her. Seeing her blood had caused something within him to burn with fire that this sweet woman had been injured. His instinct to touch, to hold, and to care for her, had outweighed any logical thought.
Lexi looked at her sister in shock at the vehemence in Gaiya’s voice. Gaiya was one sister who never failed to surprise her. Others took it for granted that being the youngest of the girls meant that Gaiya had to be the weakest, but Lexi knew better. Gaiya had strength equal to the rest of them and a will that was as strong as steel. She was a fierce and capable soldier in any fight, and a true defender of every one of the Gallagher siblings. All of them protected their niece Hanna with dedication, but Gaiya had a bond with the little girl that was deep and pure.
Gaiya also had been the one who had found Bree the night that she had been attacked. She had seen Bree’s pain. She had sensed Bree’s fear. Although Gaiya had remained calm and had brought Bree home to be cared for, Lexi knew that what had happened had shaken Gaiya to the core. From that moment on, her fierce protection of Bree had been constant.
Lexi was certain that Gaiya had a reason to defend Bree from Torin. It would only be a matter of time before Gaiya let her in on that reason. Until then, Lexi would defer to Gaiya’s judgment. She stepped forward and took her place beside Bree. If Gaiya needed help to protect Bree, Lexi was going to be ready to offer it.
“Easy, my lady,” Torin said calmly as he faced Gaiya, trying to placate her. “I need to be certain that your sister’s injury isn’t life-threatening.”
Gaiya stepped right up to Torin, getting in his face despite the nearly ten inch difference in height. She poked the index finger of her right hand directly into his chest, successfully backing him up another step away from Bree.
“You keep your hands to yourself, Torin,” Gaiya warned him. “You were the one who threatened Sebastian’s warriors to keep their hands off all of us. And here you are doing the very thing you threatened major punishment for, you idiot.”
Torin’s shocked expression quickly turned to anger as Gaiya continued to poke him with each of her heated words. It was not that she was hurting him. It was that she was demanding that he keep himself from Bree. Something within him revolted at the very idea, even though he knew that she was correct in her warning.
“You will cease this prodding,” he warned her, standing rock still as she continued to assault him.
“I will not, you big oaf,” Gaiya spat back. “You need to back, the hell, off!”
Torin reached out and grabbed Gaiya’s hand to still her, setting Hanna on the ground beside him and carefully pushing her toward her mother. Turning quickly, he grabbed for Gaiya’s other hand as she swung around to hit him. He was intent on preventing her from injuring him—something he knew that she was very capable of doing. He had seen her fight. She was powerful. She was quick. And
she fought without mercy.
“Cease this immediately,” he told her, commanding her as he would his own warriors. He was able to pin her hands against his chest, but knew she would be able to achieve her freedom quick enough. She was using his strength against him in the way she was twisting her arms. She had been trained well.
Suddenly, Gaiya’s face lost all color as realization hit. She had attacked Torin with no concern for her own safety or protection. The only thought in her mind was that she had to keep him from touching Bree. Bree had been through enough. Gaiya couldn’t just stand by and allow this big brute of a man to play with her sister’s emotions. She had seen how Bree had been watching him as he interacted with Hanna. She could see how Bree was becoming confused.
She wanted Bree to be happy. She wanted her sister to find a man who was gentle and kind and treated Bree with love and respect. Gaiya wasn’t sure that Torin was that man, but she was going to do everything within her power to give Bree as much time as she needed so she could evaluate the man that Torin was. She couldn’t bear to see Bree be hurt again. The last time had almost destroyed her sister. It had taken its toll on Gaiya, as well.
She twisted her hands as her father had trained her to do, snapping them outward quickly and breaking Torin’s hold on her. She saw the surprise on his face, but she also saw the respect and admiration that he had for her training. It was a small step in her acceptance of him as a good guy. A very small one. That did not alleviate the panic that his touch had brought her. She was horrified to think that by touching her, Torin had claimed her as his.
She didn’t want him. Just the thought of being locked into a bonding with this man made her stomach seize in fear. He was everything she didn’t want in a man. Yeah, he was handsome in a warrior kind of way. Yeah, he was a capable fighter. But he didn’t make her ache for him. He didn’t have the humor she needed to be a part of her life. She needed someone who made her see an uplifting side of her future. She had been under a cloud of danger and misery for too long. They all had been.
Lexi .
I’m here, Gaiya.
Lexi stepped forward as Gaiya’s anguished cry reached into her mind. She could feel the absolute terror within her youngest sister and was at a loss to understand why Gaiya was so afraid. Torin had not hurt her. He had defended himself from Gaiya’s attack as any warrior would. Even when Torin prevented Gaiya from continuing with her assault on him, Lexi could see that he had been careful not to injure her youngest sister in any way.
“You touched me,” Gaiya whispered, staring up at Torin.
“You were going to hit me,” Torin explained calmly. Understanding finally hit and he paled visibly as he realized that he had indeed broken the command that he had given his men. “I am truly sorry for touching you.” He released his hold on her at once.
Sorry doesn’t cut it, buster!
Gaiya’s voice screamed in Torin’s mind. He stepped back, stunned.
“What did you say?” he questioned, unsure if he had truly heard her.
You jerk!
“My lady,” he warned her.
Please tell me you’re not my mate!
“Perish the thought,” Torin said calmly.
Thanks a lot.
“You started this, my lady,” he warned her.
You jerk!
“You have already said that,” he told her, finding it difficult to hide the smile from his face.
Don’t laugh at me, you idiot.
“Cease this name calling,” he warned her.
No! You. Are. A. Goon.
“Gaiya.”
An ape.
“Gaiya.”
A Neanderthal with a little prick.
Torin’s face registered shock at her last words, which quickly gave way to a smile, which quickly morphed into complete joy as he let loose a bark of laughter that had him sitting down on the tree stump behind him while he dissolved into deep belly laughs.
This youngest sister had certainly surprised him. Between her being able to speak to him within his mind, and the onslaught of names that she had called him, he did not know which he enjoyed more. Probably her calling him a Neanderthal with a little prick. He knew without a doubt that she had accused him of having a member that was lacking in size.
“I can guarantee you, my lady, your assessment of my manhood is incorrect,” he told her finally, loving the immediate blush that came to Gaiya’s face. “Be certain that you are ready to accept my words when you hurl such unpleasant accusations at me.”
Sebastian looked from his mate, to Gaiya, and then to Torin, not sure what had just happened. He saw the blush on Gaiya’s face. He heard Torin’s words and was stunned by his warrior’s choice of topic. Torin was the ultimate gentleman. He would never think to give any woman cause for embarrassment or discomfort. Yet, here he was declaring such a personal thing with the youngest Gallagher sister. Even more confusing than that was the fact that Torin was laughing. Torin never laughed.
“Lexi, please explain why the commander of my warriors is sitting there consumed with laughter,” Sebastian said seriously, the smile on his face betraying the fierce tone of his voice.
Chapter 18
“My sister Gaiya has the ability to project her thoughts into someone else’s mind,” Lexi explained, looking at Gaiya to make sure that her sister was okay with what she was revealing.
Even though Gaiya looked incredibly pissed off, Lexi knew that her sister’s anger wasn’t directed at her. As far as Torin was concerned? Well, Lexi knew that he was going to find out how to deal with the wrath of Gaiya. It was going to be something to watch, that was for sure. Gaiya in protective mode was more than fierce.
“It was how I knew she was in trouble at the lagoon,” Lexi continued, looking at Sebastian and unable to keep the guilty blush from her face.
“Thank the heavens for such a gift,” Sebastian said softly as he reached out and ran the pad of his thumb across the light pink that painted Lexi’s cheek before turning to face the youngest sister. “We were able to save both you and Hanna, thanks to your ability, Gaiya. What was it that you told the commander of my warriors that has affected him so?”
“I told him that he was a Neanderthal,” Gaiya told them, turning to face Sebastian with anger flashing in her violet eyes. “He shouldn’t have touched me. What if he bonded me to him? That would be horrible!”
“My Lady Gaiya, I do not believe that Torin’s touch bonded you to him,” Sebastian said calmly, looking at Torin and delighting in the joy that was still escaping his commander and best friend in deep chuckles.
“How do you know that for sure?” Gaiya asked warily. “Won’t it take time for me to feel sick because he isn’t touching me?”
“If you were his life mate, yes, it would take time,” Sebastian explained thoughtfully. “But it would seem that you are not.”
“It would seem? Can’t you be more definite?” Gaiya asked, her voice tinged with a bit of panic.
“Did you feel the pulling of your soul drawing you to Torin when you first neared him?” Sebastian asked her gently. “Did you feel the need to touch him or be close to him from that moment?”
“No way.”
Gaiya’s response was immediate. It was also filled with no small amount of disgust.
Sebastian coughed to cover his laughter. “I did not think so,” he told her as he did his best to keep himself under control.
Hanna squirmed in Bree’s arms, insisting on pushing out of her hold so she could climb down. Bree eased forward and carefully released her, watching silently as Hanna toddled over to Torin and stood between his legs, tapping at them happily as she looked up at him. Torin continued to chuckle as he reached down, lifted Hanna up into his arms, and set her down on his right thigh.
Hanna reached up and captured Torin’s face between her little hands so that he would look at her. “Happy,” she said as she smiled up at him, her violet eyes twinkling with joy. “Good, Torin.” She giggled as she struggled to stand u
p on his leg and reach around his neck before she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
Torin stopped laughing immediately. His face was consumed with tenderness as he experienced the sweet kiss and looked down at the beautiful child.
“Yes, Hanna,” he whispered, gathering her gently within his arms and hugging her carefully. “Happy.”
Hanna giggled sweetly as she squirmed against his chest, patting his face repeatedly as she smiled up at him. Torin looked up at Bree, his breath catching in his throat as he saw the soft expression on her face as she watched him with her daughter. Was there tenderness there? Was it for him? He pushed aside his errant thoughts and stood quickly, releasing Hanna into Bree’s arms as she stepped forward to take her daughter.
“You are not my mate. I don’t feel any different now that you’ve touched me,” Gaiya voiced loudly. “Lexi, please tell me that he’s not my mate.”
Lexi looked at Sebastian. She had no way of knowing. What was she to say?
“No, Gaiya,” Torin assured her. “The heavens would not be so cruel as to bond you to me.” His voice was firm, guarded. He took a step back from her, not daring to look at Hanna for fear that his longing to hold that beautiful child forever as his own daughter would be seen. He was careful to keep his eyes averted so he would not take in the beauty of the child’s mother. Bree was so captivating, it actually made him ache to look at her.
“Thank God!”
Gaiya’s declaration was loud enough and adamant enough to draw everyone’s attention. Lexi cringed at the words, seeing the way Torin looked at her sister with equal relief. But she also saw a deep sadness within him. His eyes betrayed the tough exterior he presented. This man was a deep well of feelings.
“Gaiya,” Lexi warned her, her heart going out to the silent warrior who stood so stoically before her youngest sister.
“What?”
“Be nice.”
“I’m not trying to be mean,” Gaiya said, honestly meaning what she said. “I just don’t want to be bonded to him.”
If Torin had not been enjoying himself so much, he might have been offended. But he was not. He shared the same thought because he did not want to be bonded to Gaiya, either.
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