The man's words were foreign, but Jai recognized it as the healer's language. Fury ripped through him. Images of the many ways he would torture her for this betrayal passed through his mind. He almost stopped listening in favor of nurturing those fantasies, but the sound of a hard slap caught his attention.
Even understanding only a few words of what was said, the emotion came through loud and clear. He was angry, presumably at whomever he had struck. Careful to move slowly, Jai tilted his head to hear better. His bloody head protested, but he didn't pay attention. From the location of the wound and Jai's knowledge of the weaponry on this planet, he knew the damage likely looked much worse than it was. Although he could feel the blood that soaked his hair, his enhanced bone structure would not have allowed the primitive bullet to penetrate his skull.
Behind him, the man had stopped speaking, and after a long pause, the erratic breathing of the other person broke into speech. Instantly he recognized his healer's voice. He refused to think why she was his, except that it felt right to think of her that way.
If he'd thought himself enraged over a betrayal, though, the tremble in her voice that gave away her tears brought him to a boil. Mieli was the one the man had struck; he knew it. She was at the mercy of the bastard who'd shot him, and whether she'd been part of it or not, Jai had laid claim to her. In his mind, if any man were going to beat her or make her cry, it was damn well going to be him.
KYRE WAS BEYOND reason. He'd beaten her, humiliated her, and now he would rape her. Mieli knew that in his mind, he was in the right. He'd managed to unfasten his pants, and she could feel his erection against the soft flesh between her legs.
"Please don't do this, Kyre.” Mieli despised the weakness in her voice and the quaver that made her sound frightened and desperate. But she was both and couldn't hide it. She would have said anything to make him stop.
"You owe me this, whore. You owe it to all of us, and I'm going to get our due.” Unable to see him, she could still feel the tension in the line of his body. He started to press against her, and she screamed.
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Chapter Nine
The scream brought Jai off the ground and into a sprint, despite his aching head. Behind him a small man hunched over Mieli's naked body, his pants around his hips. Bloodlust washed over Jai and fueled his speed. In four ground-eating strides he reached the man and pulled him from her by the throat, snapping his neck and discarding the body in one fluid motion. The satisfaction of the kill was fleeting, though, and when he saw the healer, really saw what had been done to her, he wished he had tortured the little bastard.
She was on her back. Between strands of hair, her face was swollen red with purple-tinged bruises. Her eyes were almost swollen shut, and blood smeared her mouth. More bruises marred her arms and torso. Wet tracks on her cheeks and her unsteady breaths were a testament to her suffering, and Jai reached out with uncharacteristically tender hands to pick her up.
At the first touch of his hands, she shuddered and tried to pull away, her hands rising to protect her face.
"Shh, little healer, it is me.” Jai tried to keep his voice low and even and was rewarded by a subtle easing in the tension of her body. When he lifted her against his chest, she made a small sound and wound her arms around his neck.
Jai moved her to the blanket they'd slept on the night before, and he retrieved the small medical stimulator he'd found in the wreckage. After using it to heal his still-bleeding wound, he applied the beam to Mieli's face and body while he mulled his options.
As recently as last night he'd considered how best to eliminate the woman. Now he knew not only would he not kill her, but he would not let anything happen to her. His crash had changed many things. Chief among them was the new course of his life, a path that would lead him far from the military and deep into the undesirable life of a mercenary. Jai knew now he had also been given a rare and valuable gift when his enemies had tried to kill him over this forest.
Mieli.
He had been so consumed with his plans of revenge he'd almost failed to recognize what he'd found. She was hardly in a position to refuse his help. There was no doubt in his mind that she would be grateful to be under his protection. This planet was no longer a home for her; most of her people were dead or in service to the War Tribe. With him, she would have no greater freedom, but he would teach her his ways and protect her from the usual fate of a woman. A fate she'd almost met today.
He hesitated when he reached her hips. Her legs were closed, and he gently pried them open to look at the heart of her femininity. Although he did not believe the man had actually raped her, she was no doubt still sensitive from what they'd done the night before. Mindful of his need for her, he passed the medical device over her there too. He would need to have her before the day was out, and he'd rather it were not painful for her.
Finished with the stimulator, Jai looked down at Mieli. No visible bruising remained, and a healthy pink flush was returning to her cheeks. After a moment, her eyes fluttered open hesitantly, and he saw their color for the first time in the light of day.
A million galaxies and all their mysteries were alive in her eyes. The blue-black color of her irises sparkled with tiny fragments of color. If he'd harbored any doubt about his plans for her, they were banished in that moment. He'd never seen anything like her eyes, and he knew that was a sign. The universe was his home, and the only peace he'd ever known was when he was exploring that infinite abyss.
Once he'd recovered somewhat from the shock of her gaze, Jai pulled himself together enough to speak.
"Mieli."
The sound of her name seemed to startle her back into awareness, and she jerked up into a sitting position. In her haste to rise, she nearly knocked heads with him. A tangle of emotions crossed her face, each one passing so quickly that he could not sort them. She hesitantly touched her face first and then moved down her body to stop at her breasts, stomach, hips, and thighs.
Jai could tell she was amazed at his ability to heal her, but something else was there. She was clearly in shock. A fine trembling had begun in her limbs, and she was crying again.
He was not eager to cover her nude body, but for her sake he reached for her thin, sleeveless shift and pulled it over her head. The few buttons at the chest were easily done. She didn't protest his care; in fact, she barely looked at him.
Uncertain what he could do or say that would possibly comfort her, he stood and began to pack up their camp. Jai had no desire to be caught unprepared again. The sooner they left this area, the better.
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Chapter Ten
Mieli woke to the sound of rustling leaves. At first it was just like many other mornings. The smell of the earth beneath her back, the sound of a breeze that stirred the fallen foliage, and the feel of dappled light on her face were all familiar. Underneath the normalcy of those things was a disturbing memory, though. It persisted and finally came back in a rush.
She opened her eyes and stared up into the trees. She was alive. Images of her fight with Kyre flickered through her mind. There were no bruises, and her body felt normal, healthy even. He had not killed her, and the damage to her body inflicted by his angry fists was nonexistent. Jai had saved her. Somehow he had survived being shot and had killed Kyre.
Around her the forest was dense and undisturbed. Through the trees, there was only more forest. No sign of the clearing made by the crash, which meant she was truly far from that place. On her body, only her simple sleeveless shift covered her from neck to thigh. She knew it was hers, as was the thin blanket on which she lay, but that was all. Her pack and all of her supplies were gone, along with her ruthless protector.
Mieli looked around uneasily. She remembered a little, but the shock made the memories spotty at best. Jai had packed up camp and then carried her into the forest. At some point, the rhythm of his walk had lulled her to sleep.
Both legs responded to her command, so she stoo
d. Her bare feet looked pale against the deep brown earth, and she took several steps. The doctor in her marveled at how well she felt. Bruises and welts from Kyre's hands should have taken weeks to fade, and yet her body was better than before. Heat flushed her face when she realized how even her most private parts had benefitted from Jai's healing tool.
A brisk breeze cut through the trees, and a cold shiver brought bumps to her skin. Mieli moved back to the blanket and picked it up, shaking the leaves out before she wrapped it around her shoulders. Judging by the quality of the light and the distinct positions of the suns, she guessed it was well past midday. There was still no sign of Jai.
Why he had saved her only to leave her defenseless, she did not know. He must have carried her for hours since she could hear the birds and her surroundings were not at all familiar. Why would he go to all that trouble and then abandon her?
She hesitated, unsure what to do, and a wave of sadness washed over her. For better or worse, she had made her choice to go with Jai, and there would be no turning back now. Not with Kyre dead. Mieli tried to discover if she felt any regret over losing her connection with her people. There was some unhappiness, but whether it was because of what she had done, or another choice she had failed to make was hard to tell. A heavy sigh escaped her, and she settled down on the ground, careful to keep the blanket wrapped close to her.
The great forest spread in every direction, seemingly without end. It was responsible for the air her people had breathed for thousands of years. The trees native to it were printed on their money, depicted in their art, and held up as a symbol of giving. Her whole life she had been taught to revere the forest, not only because of its unspoiled beauty, but for its selflessness. Without the forest, they would have no air to breathe, and without the unique minerals the trees deposited in the soil and from there into the water table, they would not have nutrient-rich water to give them life.
If asked, she would have said that being a doctor was a career in giving. Only now, on the other side of the world, could she admit it was the prestige and honor of the job that she had been focused on. At every turn she had proven herself to be self-serving and opportunistic. What should have been a time of bravery and sacrifice had become only a testament to her willingness to do anything—even consort with the enemy—to preserve her own life.
THE HEAT OF blood warmed Jai's fingers and dripped swiftly into the dirt. His kill was a fairly small animal, but he'd decided to clean it before carrying it back to Mieli. He'd spotted it about an hour ago and recognized its fur. The waxy coat was waterproof, and the pack he carried was made of the same. After he'd settled Mieli to the ground and tracked the animal down, it seemed simpler to prepare the meat out of her sight.
Jai couldn't deny a small spurt of anticipation. When she woke, there would be no way to tell her his plans, but she would understand her place. There would be more of what he'd only begun to sample last night. Erotic images of the tiny healer as she'd appeared in his arms rose in his mind. Already he was drunk with the power of ownership, rock hard at the memory of her submissiveness.
Mieli had been more than willing to take him, and she had obviously found pleasure in his possession. As much as he reveled in those memories, he was also driven by his yearning to see her on top of him. Jai was impatient to have her again.
All day he had carried her through the forest, and all day he had fought the demands of his body. He knew it was imperative that they reach the War Tribe station and from there get passage back to a Tribe planet. How he was going to do that, he hadn't decided yet, but he knew it was going to cost him some of his hard-earned money. Especially with a native in tow; she was hardly going to go unnoticed.
With the raw meat ready and wrapped in the skin, Jai started back to where he had left his woman. His woman. The thought brought an uncharacteristic smile to his face.
MIELI WAS WRAPPED tightly in the blanket and her own thoughts, but the sound of light rustling brought her attention up, and she came to her feet. In between two tall fenn trees Jai stood silently. He was wearing his mended uniform and carrying her pack. One of his hands held the edges of a meento fur, freshly skinned.
He stared hard at her, and the message was unmistakable. Of course. She'd accomplished what she'd set out to do weeks ago. Hadn't he saved her, healed her? He had proven he was capable of protecting her, of caring for her, and what he wanted in return was what she had been willing to give just hours ago.
Now, though, her mind was in turmoil. Her certainty and assurance were gone, stripped away as she questioned her version of the events of the last few months. Kyre had proven to be a poor leader, but honesty compelled her to admit to herself that she would have been no better. Perhaps the men had, in fact, been wise. Maybe they had seen what she had thought so well hidden. Her selfishness and single-mindedness would hardly have made her a logical choice.
Mieli knew she would never have put their safety and happiness ahead of her own stubbornness. Vaguely, she wondered why everything seemed so clear now. Kyre's attack had been the first time in her life that she had ever been struck. Her parents had never so much as slapped her hand from the cookie jar.
If she had believed herself powerless before, the attack had shown her that there were worse things than hiding from the enemy. Kyre had so easily abused her, his wounded pride enough to justify his actions in his mind. Mieli had felt real fear. Jai had been far kinder, but she had no way of knowing how long that would last. He was so much bigger than Kyre; the damage Jai could do was beyond even her imagination.
There was a chance, admittedly a small one, that he might still leave her behind. Mieli toyed with the idea. She was torn between her desire to go with Jai and an equally strong impulse to convince him to leave her alone. In the tumult of today and yesterday, some internal balance had been forever shifted, and Mieli was afraid. It was an emotion she realized she had never truly experienced before. She had been bored and frustrated in Kyre's camp, restless and eager to leave what she perceived to be a group of fools.
Now she could see that they had been afraid too. Those young boys had learned to fear physical violence, a lesson she had managed to miss in the hospital tent. She finally understood exactly what she should be afraid of. Jai had so far treated her with sufficient restraint that she was sure he didn't intend to hurt her. Kyre had become a different person when she crossed him. So could Jai.
SOMETHING WAS AMISS. Jai could see it in the sad slant of her head and the guarded expression in her eyes. She was not happy to see him, nor did she appear to be ready to submit to him. Whatever had occurred between her and the man he'd killed had changed her attitude. Anger flared to life within him. It did not matter. She was his, and she would relearn that lesson if need be.
He took the pack from around his neck and tossed it to the ground. More carefully he set the fur-wrapped meat next to it. Two long strides brought him close enough to touch her. Her body was rigid; he could feel it across the small space that separated them. The tilt of her little chin was defiant but also scared. It was obvious she was struggling with something, perhaps even planning a struggle with him.
"Mieli.” The use of her name clearly startled her, and she regarded him through wide, nervous eyes. “You can't possibly understand this, but I think you'll get the gist.” Jai reached out with both hands and gripped her upper arms to draw her closer. “I own you, Mieli. Your life belongs to me. You will do as I bid, and I will treat you like what you are to me—a gift.” He released one arm to cup her pale face in his palm. “A gift that will please me or risk being discarded."
MIELI KNEW RESISTANCE wouldn't be easy, but when he pulled her close, she was rendered a coward. His words meant nothing to her, but the purpose behind them shone through. Jai sounded both proud and tender when he said her name, and there was a warning in his words. The firm grip on her arm and the hard palm on her face were a statement of their own. He handled her carefully but with no hesitation, only certainty and possession. As if
he didn't intend to let her go.
When he stopped speaking, there was a tense silence. Mieli glanced around wildly. There was nowhere to run, and no weapon that would prove effective against one such as he. With the moment of truth at hand, she had no desire to be at the mercy of his anger. Her new goal in life was to never be subjected to his wrath or anyone else's for that matter.
She looked up at Jai, but he was not watching her. Something had caught his attention, and she twisted around to look. In the woods about ten meters away, a big sarkla was lumbering along. The sarkla were native to these woods but rarely seen. They were three times the size of a man and weighed nearly five times as much. Long, carnivorous teeth and curved claws were a testament to their hungry ferocity. This one would not be a problem; he was headed away from them, and his most recent kill was still tightly clamped in its jaws.
Mieli could see that it was a large meento, the same animal Jai had returned with. It was only after a moment that she realized it was still alive. Trapped in the unforgiving vise of the sarkla's teeth, it made terrible bleating sounds that could just barely be heard across the widening distance.
Finally the beast was beyond sight among the trees, and Mieli uneasily turned her head to face her captor. She met his eyes and saw an expression there that solidified her worst fears. He understood the sarkla. To him, there had been nothing disturbing in that tableau. Only she had felt anguish for the much smaller meento. Even though she killed them for food as well, she did so with compassion and thanks. The great beast that let it suffer until he was ready to eat it had nothing in common with her yet everything in common with Jai.
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