by Smith, S. E.
Tansy didn’t wait for an answer from him. She turned and gripped the doorknob, yanked it open, and disappeared outside. She needed some space. Her body was running on empty both physically and mentally. She thought she was going to die back there in the warehouse. She had psyched herself up for it. When she heard the commotion over the headset about the men dropping like flies, she hadn’t believed it at first. There was no way Cosmos could have sent help for her in just a couple of hours. Then she had caught a glimpse of the huge dark figure on the platform. When she heard the one man ask what the hell the massive figure was, she knew he must be Cosmos’ supposed alien warrior come to rescue her. Her heart jerked uncomfortably in her chest and she rubbed at it when she remembered seeing the sites line up on his chest and back. She didn’t stop to think of the consequences. She used every one of the bullets left in her gun on the bastards, including the one she was saving for herself.
Never! A deep voice echoed in her head. You will never take your own life. You will do whatever you have to do to stay alive. I will never leave you.
What the…. Tansy thought dropping to the ground near the outside shed and pulling one of the pistols she took earlier. She looked around frantically. Her eyes darted from one spot to the other. Had those sons of bitches done something to her when she was out? She could have sworn they were dead. She rose slowly onto one knee before standing the rest of the way when she didn’t see anyone.
I must be losing my mind, Tansy thought running a shaky hand through her long length of hair. I’ve finally gone insane.
No, not insane, je talli. But, you do need food and rest. Come to me. Let me care for you, Mak’s deeply accented voice came through clearly this time.
Tansy bit her lip in uncertainty. How can you talk to me like this? What did you do to me when I was passed out?
You do not need to fear me, Mak’s sad voice floated through her mind. I never want you to fear me.
Tansy didn’t reply. She turned around making sure she kept her mind blank and marched back toward the house. She didn’t even say a word when she saw him standing outside watching her from the corner. She caught herself right before she slammed the door in his face. Mak pushed it open and followed her inside. Tansy remained silent until she was in the center of the kitchen. Only then did she turn around and look at him.
“I don’t know how you can talk to me in my head,” Tansy raised her hand when he started to speak. “Right now, I really don’t give a damn how or why you can. I am too tired to deal with it. But, let us get one thing perfectly clear,” she said taking a step closer as she stared into his dark silver eyes that were looking more than a little wary at her. “I… am… not… afraid… of… you. Not now, not when I first saw you, not ever. Do you understand? You might be big, you might be an alien, but I will never be afraid of you.”
Mak’s heart lurched with each word Tansy carefully enunciated. He couldn’t have taken his eyes off her if his life depended on it at that moment. He had never seen anything so beautiful as this tiny human female daring him to think she could even be remotely intimidated or frightened of him. Mak watched the fire in her eyes as she looked up at him. It was as if she was challenging him to prove her wrong.
For the first time in his long life, Mak wasn’t sure what to do. His first thought was to gather her close but he feared showing her too much physical affection. Females, with the exception of his brother J’kar’s mate and now his mother, did not care for being touched. He had been with his share of females when he was off-world at the pleasure houses to know females merely tolerated it. Those females did not care about his size as long as he paid the asking price. There had even been a few women on Prime who had agreed to be with him for a price or a favor. But they had always looked at him with fear and loathing. He did not see fear in Tansy’s eyes. He took a stumbling step back as she walked determinedly toward him. He bumped into the door behind, startled. No, he saw something else and it did not bode well for him if he disagreed with her.
“Don’t you ever, and I mean ever, think I am afraid of you,” Tansy snapped out right before she reached up and pulled his head down far enough to give him a hard kiss on the lips.
Chapter 8
Tansy leaned forward letting the hot water run down over her shoulders. She rested her forehead against the wall and groaned in enjoyment and frustration; enjoyment at the hot water and the feeling of being clean again. Frustration at her feelings for a certain huge-ass alien male who was making her insides quiver with emotions she didn’t totally understand. A shiver ran through her body as she tried to decide just how big of an idiot she was for kissing him.
Why did I have to kiss the big guy? Tansy thought tiredly. It just makes things more difficult.
Why do you think that, je talli? Mak’s deep voice echoed in her mind.
Tansy’s head jerked up and she scowled at the wall of the shower in irritation. Get out of my head! I’m having a private conversation with myself right now and I don’t need you in the middle of it.
Why not? Mak asked.
Why not? Why not? Because… Tansy’s tired brain refused to go behind that. Just because!
Tansy was so tired it took everything in her just to remain upright. She was shaky from fatigue and lack of food. She reached up to try to push her hair back but even it was too heavy for her suddenly weak arms. She let her head fall forward again and let the tears come. It helped a little. She didn’t ever remember being so tired in her life. If only she could just slip to the floor of the shower and let the hot spray run over her for a few hours. If only…
“You could ask for help. I would not think you weak if you were to do so,” Mak’s quiet voice shook her out of her mini-pity party.
Tansy’s head jerked up and she swayed dangerously at the sudden movement. “What are you doing in here?”
Mak smiled as he pulled the shower curtain back and climbed into the shower with her. “And where in the hell are your clothes?” Tansy choked out as her eyes grew wider at the sight of all those rippling muscles covered by a dark, olive skin.
“I cannot very well wear my clothes in the bathing stall. I would have nothing to put on afterwards. You need help. I will care for you,” Mak said reaching for one of the containers on the small shelf inside the shower. He opened it and sniffed. Please with his discovery, he poured a little into the palm of his hand and turned toward Tansy. “Turn with your back to me. I will wash your hair for you. If you need to brace your arms on the wall, then do so. I will care for you now.”
Tansy stared at the huge male in the shower with her in confusion and disbelief. She was too tired to deal with this. Turning back around to face the wall again, she braced her shaking arms against it before leaning forward slightly. She moaned softly when she felt his strong fingers working the shampoo into her thick hair. Between the hot water and his fingers, she melted back against him. Soon, it was only his arm around her waist holding her up. He picked up the bar of soap and ran it gently over her skin. Tansy quit thinking. She didn’t care that they were both naked. She didn’t care that she really didn’t know him. She wouldn’t have cared if the world ended at that moment as long as he continued to clean her with a tenderness she hadn’t felt in years.
She was half asleep when Mak reached around her and turned the shower off. He lifted her carefully and stepped out of the shower, uncaring of the water dripping on the floor. He grabbed a couple of the towels off the counter and walked out of the bathroom. He paused looking down the hallway. He moved toward the door that was open and found it contained a full size bed. It would be small for him but he was more concerned with Tansy. He gently laid her down on the bedspread before he began to dry her. He watched as goose bumps formed on her arms and legs from the chilly air. Reaching down, he grabbed a quilted comforter at the foot of the bed and draped it over her.
“I have to dry my hair,” Tansy slurred out without opening her eyes. “If I don’t…”
“Shush, I will dry it,” Mak rep
lied quietly.
“’Kay,” Tansy murmured with a deep sigh.
Mak carefully dried the thick reddish-brown locks marveling at the different colors appearing as he did so. After he was satisfied it was as dry as he could get it with the towel, he picked up a brush off a nearby table and began brushing it out. Tansy didn’t move, even when he gently lifted her up in his arms so he could brush the back of it. Once he was done, he pulled the covers of the bedspread back so he could lay her on the crisp, cool sheets.
Mak frowned as he took in the bruises marring Tansy’s pale, thin shoulders. He moved her hair to one side and bit back a curse when he saw the faded scar on her left shoulder blade. Deciding he needed to see if she had any other injuries before he brought up the soup he warmed up for her, he pulled the quilted comforter back a little at a time trying to keep her as covered as possible so she wouldn’t get cold.
Her body was a patchwork of different colored bruises. She had the wound on her right side just above her hip that was still red and angry. There was a long shallow cut about ten centimeters long that ran across her lower abdomen at a forty-five degree angle showing she had moved just in time as the blade was coming at her.
Mak ran his fingers lightly over her ribs which were showing. Rage filled him at the thought of how long it had been since she had eaten. The fact that she was so exhausted that she couldn’t even stay awake long enough to eat burned through him.
Never again, he swore to himself. Never again would she put herself through such stress. Never again would she come so close to dying. And, he vowed, never again would she feel she needed to save a method to kill herself so she could not be taken.
He continued his examination of her body, pausing when he reached the wound he had covered earlier with the sealant patch. The skin around it looked much better. It was no longer red, swollen, and hot to the touch. By morning, it should be completely healed. Mak rose off the bed and returned to the bathroom where he left his clothes. He pulled his pants on and reached into his vest for his MED kit before he returned to Tansy. He replaced the pain patch with a new one and sprayed a light mist of HM over the cut on her stomach and her side. He did not want to use any more of the sealant patches in case she needed it later. He recovered her with the quilt, tucking it firmly around her before going down to the kitchen. He would reheat the soup and wake her long enough to eat. Then, he would let her rest. Her body and mind needed it. He could feel the fatigue pulling at her when he touched her mind earlier.
Mak gazed down at the intricate circles on the palm of his hand. A shudder went through him as he remembered his first touch with her. The shock to his system was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He felt his cock harden at the memory and groaned. He would need to wait to claim her. She needed rest and care, not a horny Prime male right now. He would heal her, claim her, and return with her to his world where he could keep her safe.
He moved over to the stove and turned the burner on under the pot of soup he had warmed up earlier. It had taken him a few minutes to figure out where everything was but he often cooked at home so it wasn’t that difficult. He warmed the soup up enough so it could be eaten without burning Tansy’s mouth. Pouring it into a bowl, he pulled a spoon out of the kitchen drawer. He carefully balanced the bowl of soup and a glass of water as he moved back up the stairs. He wanted to make sure she had something to eat before he let her sleep. Once she was done, he would check the perimeter of the farmhouse again before he joined her.
He stepped through the door and moved quietly over to the bed. The only thing she had moved was her arm which was thrown out to the side. Mak couldn’t get over how beautiful she looked lying with her hair spread out over the crisp white of the pillowcase. His body jerked in reaction but he quickly gave himself a mental rebuke. The dark shadows and clear exhaustion were too evident to ignore. He set the soup and water down on the small nightstand and gently pulled Tansy into his arms.
“Je talli, you must wake enough to eat something. Then, you may sleep all you wish,” Mak said soothingly. “Come, little one, open your eyes for just a little longer.”
“Don’t want to,” Tansy mumbled sleepily. “Five more minutes, just five more minutes.”
Mak chuckled. “Eat the soup I have fixed you and drink some water and I will give you all the five minutes you wish,” he promised tenderly.
Tansy’s head fell back into the curve of his arm. She forced her eyes open until they were narrow slits and peered through her lashes up at the man holding her. She snuggled closer to him as the chill in the room moved around where the covers had fallen from her shoulders. She was about to tell him she wasn’t hungry but the combination of the determined look on his face and her nose picking up the delicious smell helped her decide to give in.
“I don’t know if I have the strength to even pick up the spoon right now,” Tansy said honestly.
“You do not have to,” Mak said as he helped her into a sitting position against the headboard of the bed. He tucked the covers firmly over her breasts with a muttered curse. “I will feed you.”
Tansy sat back against the pillows, a small, sad smile curving her lips. “Why are you helping me? You know it will only get you hurt or killed, don’t you?” She whispered fighting to keep her eyes open.
“Open,” Mak growled out in a low voice as he held the spoon to her lips.
Tansy groaned as the warm soup slid down her throat and hit her empty stomach. The warmth seemed to spread out and suddenly she was famished. She leaned forward eagerly for the next spoonful, opening her mouth like a little bird.
“Damn but that tastes so good,” she moaned out.
“When is the last time you had nourishment?” Mak asked gruffly as he spooned bite after bite into her open mouth.
“I don’t remember,” Tansy answered looking at Mak with a muddle expression. “I ran out of power bars three, maybe four days ago. I can’t really remember,” she said suddenly full and fading fast again. “I can’t eat any more right now. I need to get some sleep. If you can wake me in a couple of hours I would appreciate it.”
“Drink some water first,” Mak said holding the glass to her lips so she didn’t have a choice.
He didn’t give her a chance to refuse as he tipped the glass up enough for some of the cool liquid to slide down her throat. She was dehydrated. He would do what he had to do to take care of her, even if it meant bullying her a little. Only when he was satisfied she had drunk enough did he pull the glass away from her lips.
“What did you do to my leg?” Tansy asked after she had drunk half the glass. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“You were fevered. Your leg was infected. I reopened the wound, cleansed it, sprayed it with a healing mist, and used a pain and sealant patch on you. I also gave you a heavier dose of HM mist to help your body heal faster,” Mak said setting the glass back next to the nearly empty bowl of soup.
Tansy slid back down under the covers, yawning. “I need to get a truck load of the stuff. It would be great to have the next time I get stabbed or shot.”
Mak’s eyes flashed with fire but he bit back the retort he was about to make. They would talk about the fact there was NOT going to be a next time if he had any way of preventing it. He wanted to get her out of this world that was so dangerous. It tore him up to think about a knife or other weapon cutting through her delicate skin. He saw the faded scars from other wounds. It was amazing she had survived this long.
“Sleep,” he replied quietly. “I will make sure you are safe.”
His words fell on deaf ears. Tansy was already asleep before her head was all the way down on the pillow. She let out a deep sigh in her sleep and rolled onto her side curling into a little ball. Mak ran his hand down over her silky hair before he leaned over and gently kissed her cheek.
“Sleep tight, je talli,” Mak whispered. “I will protect you with my life.”
*.*.*
Mak finished checking the perimeter of the small farm. It
was not very big, less than ten acres. The house was surrounded by thick woods with a long narrow driveway leading to the highway. The wood covering was both good and bad. It allowed the house to remain relatively unseen and provided ample cover but it also made it difficult to see if any intruders approached. Natasha and Helene must have thought of that as they set up sensors around the property high enough most animals would not trip it but low enough a human walking would. Helene had shown the sensors to Mak and given him a small tablet PC programmed to indicate when and where a sensor was activated. He carried it with him now. Moving and watching as the lights lit up.
He made two passes around the property before he was satisfied everything was clear. Moving back into the farmhouse, he checked each of the windows. The bottom floor of the house consisted of four rooms, a kitchen, a large living area, a small bathroom, and another small room that was set up as an office. Once satisfied, he moved quietly up the narrow stairs to the upper level. It contained three bedrooms and one bathroom. The bathroom was off the main hallway with one large bedroom across from it and two smaller bedrooms on the same side. Tansy was in the larger bedroom. Mak glanced through the open door. He caught a peek of her dark red hair before moving further down the hallway to check the two smaller rooms. He opened one door and looked in. There was a small single bed, a nightstand, an armoire, and a chair in the corner. He walked over to the small, narrow window and checked to make sure it was secure.
He moved out to check the last room. It was set up the same way. He checked the window pausing as a movement outside caught his attention. His eyes narrowed in on it and he waited. Within a few minutes, the dark shape of a deer appeared. It took cautious steps forward, looking around before lowering its head to feed on some of the grass around the house. Mak released the breath he didn’t even realized he was holding. He had been fearful he would need to wake Tansy and move her. She desperately needed rest and care.