***
She was a strange lady. Never had he seen such an exquisite female before and he had seen many an attractive mistress. The women on his planet were noted for their loveliness and grace, but none could compare with Fiona. Her hair was the color of the early morning dawn on his home planet, deep, rich red with a hint of gold. The people of his planet were either dark haired warriors or had hair the color of the Kaladin and their mates, which was brown.
The other difference was her eyes. They were a deep green, the shade of grass under the light of the setting sun. Her hair and eyes were truly spectacular, but even more so against the pale ivory of her skin. A creature of unique beauty, but never before had he seen such fear in a woman’s eyes. She tried to hide it, but every time she looked at one of the men, it was there.
Despite this, she had insisted on helping. She looked fragile, but that was not the case. There was courage and strength in all her actions. He respected that, and even though it wasn’t required of a warrior to admire those he obeyed, it would be an honor to serve her.
Ardal watched her enter her sleeping chamber before turning back to his men. The Captain was rubbing his jaw and glaring at him with hatred. He was less than a man. He would deal with him shortly. As for the others, he had to ensure that their entry into this planet was hidden. That was his first task.
Ardal signaled Darrogh and Jehon. Garguin had died in the crash. Now Darrogh was next in command. The man was strong and loyal. He was a Hunter to be trusted. Jehon followed.
“We need to make the crash disappear.” Ardal spoke low so Eamon could not hear. Then he turned his back on the Captain and continued to speak through mental connection. “The Captain needs to be in a secure place where he cannot harm us.”
“There are slots in the barn.” Darrogh was clearly amused. “I believe they have been used for animals in the past.”
Ardal gave his second in command a steady gaze before nodding his affirmative. Eamon had to be dealt with and if it gave the men a bit of fun, so be it. The man might be able to give them information as to why they were being brought to this planet. If not, they would kill him.
“Can you run the equipment, Jehon?”
“It is primitive, but useable.” Jehon stood with his feet apart, his body ready to obey. “There is a machine that has been used to turn the fields. I think I can convert it to something that will dig.”
“Set as many men to the task that are able-bodied. I need the craft hidden and the bodies of our brothers and of our enemies buried or burned. Keep them separate.”
“It can be no other way.” Jehon nodded and then turned. Half of the less injured men followed.
Now it was the Captain’s turn. Both he and Darrogh turned to the man.
“What?” the Captain whined. “Haven’t you done me enough damage?”
“You are indiscreet and forget your place.”
“We’re not on Cygnus now. Women do not rule us here.”
“That is no excuse for forgetting your breeding and rank.” Ardal pulled the man to his feet. “By Cygnus and Warrior you will learn respect or die.”
They dragged the Captain from the house and went to the barn. Already the log outbuilding was empty. The men residing there had followed Jehon.
There were numerous compartments in the building and Ardal chose one without a window. There would be no sunlight, but he could not risk him revealing their secrets.
“You can’t leave me here.”
Ardal slammed the compartment door shut and then used a chain to secure it in place. “We have no choice. Until I know we are safe, you must remain here.”
“Don’t think I’ll keep quiet.” The Captain raised his voice. “I’ll bellow my innocence until someone comes to rescue me.”
“So be it.” Ardal unchained and opened the door. Darrogh pulled a syringe from his pocket and forced Eamon back against the wall. The Captain struggled, but to no avail. Darrogh injected the man and then watched him slowly slide down the wall of the barn. Within seconds he was sleeping on the pile of hay used as bedding.
“He will be silent for at least twelve hours.”
Ardal nodded. “When he wakes, feed him and then inject him again. If he continues to be difficult, kill him. Without a craft to fly, he is not necessary. He may have information we need, but we cannot trust that he will not turn the people from this planet against us.”
They left the barn and headed toward the far field where the crash had happened. The sun of this planet had risen less than an hour ago and with it a mist had formed over the land. It was a crisp, cool sensation. He had always preferred the cold to the heat of the palaces of the Kaladin.
That was the past. They were on a new planet and must make a home for themselves. Once the evidence of their landing was hidden, he would decide what was best for him and his men. They were the last of the Hunter brotherhood. They must continue to survive until the Kaladin of Cygnus return to their rightful place as rulers.
They reached the crash site, which was hidden from the house. His men had been busy cleaning the area. They had gathered the dead into two separate funeral pyres. There was another pile of clothing, tools, and weapons that could be salvaged. Ardal reached in and pulled out a shirt to replace his torn one. After he’d changed, he walked to Jehon who held a burning torch out to him.
The first pyre held his fallen men. His body tensed as he forced his emotions under control. The loss of so many men at once was unheard of for Hunters. They lived every day knowing that death was their partner. To accept his own end was different than knowing his orders had led to the demise of others. He had less than a unit of men left. His hand tightened on the torch.
“They died with dignity.” Darrogh’s voice was low. “You have always led us true and right.”
Ardal swallowed hard and straightened his shoulders. As their leader, he had one last duty. He would see their death had not been in vain. He walked to his fallen men and held the torch above his head.
“We do honor to our brothers who have died with courage.” He lowered the torch to the pyre and watched as the flames began to lick through the bodies of the fallen. “Hunters true and right, their memory and deeds will remain with us until the end of time.”
The fire burned quick. When it was finished the ashes were buried. Only then did Ardal move to the smaller second pyre of fallen Holman soldiers. Most had been disintegrated on entry to this planet, but a few of the dead still needed to be disposed of. He lit the fire and walked away.
The pieces of the spacecraft had been gathered in the area where the partially intact launching chamber had landed. Anything useable had been taken out. All that remained was the debris and shell of the craft. Ardal nodded and his order to destroy the craft was carried out. Within seconds it burst into a non-flammable explosion that consumed and melted the craft into globular fragments of shiny material. As soon as the reaction had finished, the pieces were scraped from the soil and buried.
With the site cleared of evidence all that remained was for the men to search the rest of the wooded area for pieces that may have been overlooked. He was about to join the search himself when a shout in his head stopped him. It was Firbin.
“We have been found.”
Chapter 4
Fiona awoke to the sound of loud pounding. At first she thought it was her head, but when men’s voices were added to the noise, she knew there was someone at the front door. How could they have locked themselves out? If they were skilled enough to fly in space, they must know how to use a key.
With a groan she pushed away her blankets and stood. She still wore the clothes from the night before, wrinkled but presentable. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and went into the hall. She frowned when she entered the living room. It wasn’t empty. The more severely wounded men were standing and alert. Who was hammering at the door?
Firbin was at her side before she reached the entryway. Despite his leg wound, he moved with a swiftness that Fiona had seldo
m seen before. Most men would be under sedation. His pain threshold had to be very different from humans.
“I’m coming.” Fiona’s voice was loud enough to carry through the door. She reached to open it when Firbin put a hand out to stop her. He shook his head once and she knew it wasn’t the crash survivors. This was someone else.
Immediate fear coursed through her veins. David couldn’t have found her. Beatrice, her contact at the Woman’s Underground Network was the only person who knew where she was. She’d been warned that most women were found within a couple of years, but she’d been careful.
Her hand trembled as she grasped the handle. “Who is it?”
“It’s Marshall, your neighbor down the road.” The familiar voice filtered through the door. “I’ve got Clyde with me and we’re hoping to have a look at your back field.”
Fiona straightened her shirt. This could mean only one thing. Someone had seen the crash last night. She looked at Firbin, who nodded. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. She never let anyone into the house.
“Isn’t it a bit early for hunting season?” Fiona kept her voice light. “You don’t need to set up another blind?”
Marshall was a small round man. He was in his late forties and had lived in the area his whole life. He gave her a crooked smile and a wink. Most of the man’s teeth were yellow with nicotine stains and he was almost bald. Still, he seemed to think he was God’s gift to women. There was no understanding the male ego.
“Nah, me and Clyde here just want to ask if you had anything strange happen. Clyde thinks he saw something fall out of the sky last night.”
“Was it a meteor? I was in the fields last night watching the light show. It was quite spectacular. I would have noticed something fall, though.
Clyde leaned forward, his voice low. “I think it was one of those government planes. You know, the CIA or something like that.”
“What would the CIA want with us?” Fiona bit back a smile. These guys had definitely watched too many conspiracy shows.
“They’ve secret airports around these parts.” Clyde looked at Marshall. “Tell her.”
“The CIA’s been using this area for years. A cousin of mine works at an airport and he says they’re always flying in low and saying their flight plan is classified.”
“So you think they’ve crashed?”
Fiona looked back toward her fields. How long had Ardal and his men been working? She glanced up to the sun which was past the midday point. It was probably early afternoon. It would take days to clean up the mess, though. She couldn’t risk letting these guys look at the field today.
“That’s the most likely thing.” Clyde shrugged. “The fireball was too big to be a meteor.”
“Wouldn’t the government be all over this by now?” Fiona’s tone was doubtful. “I don’t think they’d want a plane of theirs falling into the wrong hands.”
Marshall cleared his throat. “We were thinking they don’t know exactly where the crash site is.”
“And you want to tell them?” Fiona didn’t bother to hide her disbelief.
“There might be a reward.” Clyde’s voice was a low whisper. “Of course we’d cut you in for a bit of the money.”
“Why would they give a reward?” Fiona tilted her head. “They’re more likely to make you disappear.”
Marshall swallowed hard and looked at Clyde. “We hadn’t thought of that.”
Clyde frowned and then shook his head. “If all we did was report it, I’m sure they’d leave us be.”
“Why report it then?”
Fiona was searching for any excuse to make these men leave. She didn’t owe her guests loyalty, but she didn’t want them tracked down like dogs. That’s what would happen if people knew that there were aliens among us. There’d be no safe place to hide. She wouldn’t wish that experience on her worse enemy.
“Aren’t you curious?” Marshall spat on the ground. “Hell I know you’re new to these parts, but nothing interesting ever happens. This might be a chance to put Limer on the map.”
Horror at the thought sent her heart into a pounding frenzy. Publicity was the last thing she wanted. She didn’t need reporters or strangers poking around in her life, or her home. Fiona fought back her panic and tried to focus. The fear was paralysing, but she had to push past it and think. There must be a solution.
“Do we have to look today?” Fiona asked. “I was up all night watching the stars. Surely you guys could come back another time?”
“We understand.” Marshall and Clyde looked at each other and moved away from her. “You go back to bed and we’ll take a quick look at your field.”
“No.” Fiona shouted. She wanted these men gone, not giving her sympathy. “I don’t want anyone on my property.”
Clyde tilted his head. “Now that’s a bit strange.” His voice was a low growl. “You got something you’re hiding back there?”
“Of course not.” Fiona clasped her hands together. This was going from bad to worse. Now they were suspicious.
“Can I help you men?” Ardal’s voice boomed in the distance.
Fiona’s head jerked toward the barn. Never had she been so glad to see a man before. He was striding toward them, his steps purposeful and strong. Gone was the ripped and burned top of his uniform. In its place was a shirt that molded his body and showcased his powerful muscles. He wore fatigue styled pants and boots that looked heavy, but were silent with each step. The sun was behind him. It illuminated him in a soft glow, like an angel from a renaissance painting. Right now that was exactly what he was.
A saviour.
Somehow he’d known she needed help.
“Who are you?” Marshall’s voice held a hint of speculation. “I knew Fiona couldn’t be the goody two shoes she pretended to be.”
Ardal stopped a foot away from Marshal and lifted an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Clyde snorted. “She acts like she’s better than us, but I can see it just took the right kind of man to make her human.”
Fiona’s stomach tightened with revulsion. “He’s a friend.” Her voice shook with indignation.
Ardal glanced at her and then back at the men. “You have upset Fiona.”
Marshall shrugged. “Look, between us men I’m glad for you. I’ve never seen a better looking woman. If you can get it on with her, hey I’m all for it.”
Ardal’s eyes narrowed. “Explain.”
Clyde moved his hips in a crude imitation of the sexual act. Before he could repeat it, Ardal picked him up by his shirt and threw him on the ground. “Your suggestion is wrong.”
Marshall put up his hands and backed away. “Hey man, we just assumed because you were here,” his words petered out under the steely glare of Ardal’s eyes.
“Only stupid men make assumptions.” Ardal moved toward the second man.
Fiona put her hand on his arm to stop him. Again that strange sensation of electricity rushed through her body, causing her breath to catch in her throat. Was this the way it was with all aliens? Did they have an energy field around them that affected humans? Fiona shook off the thought and focused on the problem before her.
“These men want to check out the back field.” Fiona forced a smile. “They think they saw something fall from the sky last night.”
He turned back to the men. “Which field?”
Marshall pointed to the one furthest away and closest to the forest. Ardal nodded and walked toward it. Clyde stood and followed, motioning Marshal to come too. Was the man insane? Fiona ran to catch up with the men. If there was going to be a scene, she was damn sure she’d be part of it.
Reaching the field was anticlimactic.
Instead of a wrecked spacecraft, there was newly tilled soil. All evidence was gone. Fiona glanced at Ardal, but his stony face gave nothing away. His men must have worked miracles to have the crash debris and bodies cleared up this fast.
“So this is why you needed a man around.” Clyde spoke in a subdued voic
e. “I didn’t know you were interested in farming.”
Fiona shrugged. “I just want to maintain the land. The bush was starting to encroach. Before long it would have reverted back to nature.”
“Most of these fields do.” Marshall bent down and picked up a handful of dirt. “The soil’s too poor to support much but trees. Still, it’s a shame to think of all the work it took to clear it going for naught.”
“I want to look into the bush.” Clyde started walking toward the trees. “If it isn’t in the open, then the forest is a good place for it to be.”
Ardal nodded. “How far do you intend to search?
“Just a few feet,” Clyde said with a raised eyebrow. “I’m trying to satisfy my curiosity.”
“You know what they say about curiosity.” Fiona’s tone was teasing. “I’d hate that to happen to you gentlemen.”
“That sounded like a warning.” Marshall was suddenly too close.
Fiona stepped back, but bumped into Ardal. He pushed her behind him. She found herself staring at the back of his shirt. The man was huge. She tried to look around him, but his hands prevented her.
“I never make threats.” Ardal crossed his arms over his chest. “Take your look and then leave Fiona’s property.”
“Come on Marshall.” Clyde was already at the edge of the bush. “We don’t have all day.”
Marshall gave Ardal an uncertain look and then followed his friend. When they were out of earshot, Fiona stepped from around Ardal.
“Will they find anything?”
Ardal shrugged. “If they go too far my men will kill them.”
“No.” Fiona’s voice rose. She clapped her hand over her mouth when she saw Marshall look back at her. “Sorry,” she whispered.
“My men have their orders.”
“You can’t go around killing people.” Fiona forced her voice to stay low. “We have laws in this country.”
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