aHunter4Rescue (aHunter4Hire)

by Clement, Cynthia

Ardal shut his eyes briefly and then nodded. “As you command.” He stripped with quick, economical movements and then lay down beside her.

  He was magnificent.

  She ran her hand down the full length of him.

  She shuddered at the piercing throb of excitement that filled her. Would she be able to accommodate him? The thought flittered through her brain for a second before Ardal’s hands were working their magic again.

  She surrendered to sensation.

  His tongue and hands coaxed and enticed her body to a fevered pitch, leaving her panting and begging for completion. She reached for him and stroked down the long length of his arousal.

  Ardal groaned. “You will unman me.”

  “I need you inside me.” Fiona’s words came in breathless gasps. “Now.”

  “Show me.”

  She pushed Ardal onto his back and straddled him. She reached between them and guided him until he was on the verge of entering her. With slow, deliberate concentration she eased herself down onto him until it felt as if he filled and stretched her whole being.

  She shivered with bliss.

  Then she moved.

  She established an unhurried rocking motion. Her body set a rhythm that sent a luscious spiral of rapture singing through her until she could handle no more. That’s when Ardal gripped her back and hips and with a smooth twist of his body swung her beneath him.

  He thrust into her and then pulled out before gliding in again. He continued his leisurely strokes until Fiona was on the searing edge of climax. He captured her mouth and scream as he plunged deep, driving her over the top to exquisite ecstasy. Seconds later she felt his body shudder his fulfillment.

  His weight collapsed onto her and she held him tight, letting the soft glow of the aftermath of their loving envelop and cocoon them. He grunted a protest and then shifted their bodies so they were on their sides. Languidly she let her lips roam his chest.

  She couldn’t remember ever feeling this euphoric.

  Everything was perfect, especially this man, her mate.

  “You have shown me heaven.” Ardal gave her a lingering kiss.

  “It was fantastic.” Fiona nipped at his lips. “Where did you learn to move like that?”

  “Instinct.” Ardal moved his hips. “I need to pleasure you again.”

  Fiona laughed. “It’s too soon.”

  “Not for me.”

  Another thrust and Fiona felt the hardened truth of Ardal’s words deep within her. She moaned as the coil of passion gripped her again. Who was she to argue with a Hunter?

  ***

  The light fingers of dawn were touching the sky when Fiona woke. It had been a night of lovemaking that had only ended a few hours ago. She would be sluggish for the rest of the day, but what was sleep compared to the paradise that she’d found in Ardal’s arms. The man was inexhaustible and she had the aching muscles to prove it.

  She stretched her arms over her head. She felt good. Better than she’d ever felt in her whole life. She touched Ardal’s cheek. He’d made her whole. Now it was time to let him do his duty. She could face anything, knowing that he was with her.

  She grabbed her pants and pulled them on.

  “You need more sleep.” Ardal’s voice was gentle.

  “It wouldn’t do for your men to find us like this.”

  When she’d finished dressing she stood and pulled the curtains, shutting out the glow of sunrise before switching on a light. Ardal’s eyes followed her every move. A shiver of awareness skittered across her body. He was hers as much as she was a part of him. There was a mutual give and take between them that would only strengthen the longer that they were together.

  How could she bear it if he went away?

  “I cannot leave you.” Ardal stood and pulled her into his arms. “It would be like cutting out my heart.”

  “You’re reading my thoughts again.” Fiona shook her head and sighed. “I hope you’re the only Hunter in my head.”

  Ardal frowned. “You are my pair bond and mate. No other can touch your thoughts.”

  “That’s a relief.” Fiona relaxed into his embrace. “I’ve got some pretty crazy stuff going on in there. You’re the only man I’d share it with.”

  “I hold your trust sacred. I will never betray it.” Ardal kissed her forehead. “Until last night I did not understand the full meaning of being mated. There is nothing that is more important.”

  Fiona grinned. “That’s because it’s new. Give it a few years and you’ll be like all the other old married men.”

  “Married?”

  “It’s sort of the same as your mating, except some people get divorced.”

  “That does not sound good.”

  Fiona shook her head. “It isn’t. They separate and decide not to see each other again.”

  “Never.” Ardal’s hold tightened. “Even if you do not want me, I will always honor our mating.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I love you, now and always.”

  Ardal leaned down and kissed her with a tenderness that brought tears to her eye. “We will honor your customs and marry.”

  Fiona blinked back her tears and nodded. “Can we? It’s legally binding and would be on record. I wouldn’t want it to endanger you or your men.”

  “Catal and the others will know how to avoid problems.”

  “You’d be my husband and I’d be your wife.” Fiona tried to keep her excitement down. She had to think of Ardal’s safety.

  “This is important to you.” Ardal leaned back and let his eyes roam her face.

  “It would be a binding commitment that no one could sever or doubt.”

  Ardal nodded. “Then we will marry.”

  At that moment there was a pounding at the door and then Niail’s voice. “We must leave.”

  Chapter 23

  Fiona threw his clothes at him. “Get dressed,” she mouthed.

  He reached out and caressed her cheek. She turned her face into his palm and kissed it. A surge of emotion rushed through him.

  Last night she had given him heaven.

  Now he must do his duty.

  Fiona gave him a quick smile and then left the room. With a grunt he pulled on his pants and shirt. The men would be waiting their orders. As much as he wished to continue pleasuring Fiona it was time to begin their lives on earth. They were Hunters and last night had shown him there was a need for them on this planet.

  When he got downstairs the smell of breakfast cooking permeated the small space. Fiona was humming at the stove and Firbin was putting food on plates. He took the dish offered him and sat at the table beside Niail.

  “Are the others ready?”

  “We await your command.”

  Ardal nodded. “I need you to take Gur and Turlo with you. You are to head west and await your instructions.”

  “You give me the new ones?” Niail raised an eyebrow. “I am not good with trainees.”

  “No, but I trust you with them.” Ardal bit into a piece of bread. “Once you are west, you will join with Ranon, Partlan, and Malac.”

  Firbin sat across from them. “What is the plan?”

  “I have given thought to our purpose on this planet. It is our home now and we must find our way as Hunters.”

  “So we continue to do as Lorcan has?”

  “No.” Ardal’s voice was firm. “There is no honor in the choice he made. A Hunter must always live with honor no matter where he finds himself.”

  “True.” Niail pushed his empty plate away. “There does not seem to be much of it on this planet though.”

  “That is not true.” Fiona leaned between Ardal and Niail and took away their plates. “You just have to look deeper to find it.”

  Niail watched Fiona walk to the kitchen. “I do not think I will get used to women waiting on me.”

  “It works both ways on earth.” Ardal leaned back in his chair. “Each gives and takes. It is a fairer division.”

  Niail frowned. “You belie
ve this.”

  “I know it.” Last night had shown him how much greater the reward when it was shared. “There is still a need for Hunters though.”

  “What will we do?” Lorcan leaned against the kitchen island. “Honor does not put food on the table or buy weapons.”

  “There is much injustice and corruption here.” Ardal hesitated as he tried to find the right words. “You said the law is not able to stop many of the wrongs that happen.”

  Lorcan nodded. “Sometimes the police and lawyers are as corrupt as the criminals they try to catch.”

  “That is why they need Hunters.” Ardal put his hands around his coffee mug. “We can fill the void for the people who are being wronged.”

  Catal pulled out a chair beside Ardal. “Explain.”

  “Last night we took care of such a problem.” Ardal glanced over at Fiona. “The law protected a man who deserved to die.”

  Niail nodded. “So we do what others on this planet won’t.”

  “Yes.”

  Silence filled the room. Ardal knew that he was right, but his men needed to believe it also. He could have blindly demanded they obey, but he wanted them to be part of the decision. This was the one truth that he had learned last night. It was wrong for others to dictate and control your life. If he were to continue to command his men, they must agree to it.

  The Kaladin had used Hunters for their own purposes. They altered them, trained them, and demanded they do their killing. This was who he was and he would not deny his breed. What he found hard to forgive was that the Kaladin had denied them the simple gift of a mate.

  They had done this out of fear and power.

  No more. Ardal had broken with the past the moment he disobeyed the execution order. This was a new world with new rules. He would continue as he had begun.

  “So we fight for those who cannot defend themselves.” Firbin’s voice held interest. “Do we charge for this service?”

  “We must.” Lorcan spoke now. “There is no other way to survive on this planet.”

  “You can charge those who can afford it.” Fiona moved to Ardal’s side. “You can trade services or favors with those who have no money.”

  He reached for her and pulled her onto his lap. She put her arm around his neck. He was complete. Fiona had given him that, not the Kaladin. He almost reeled under the surge of fierce protectiveness for Fiona.

  Ardal looked at Lorcan. “How do we do this?”

  “We advertise.” Lorcan crossed his arms over his chest.

  “What do we call ourselves?” Catal leaned forward on the table. “We need a new name if our mission is to change.”

  “Suggestions?” Ardal looked back at his men.

  “We are Hunters, so people must understand that is what they are hiring.” Niail glanced down at his coffee.

  “You need something simple.” Fiona leaned her head on his shoulder.

  “Hunters for Hire.” Catal grinned. “That’s something you’d see in the want ads.”

  “Funny.” Lorcan shook his head. “I hope you don’t think that we’ll advertise in the newspapers.”

  “The Internet is the best place.” Catal tapped his finger on the table. “It will give us the anonymity that we need and the ability to access it from anywhere in the world. If we do it right, no one will find us.”

  “We will be safe?” Ardal was not going to risk anymore of his men’s lives.

  “Completely.” Catal nodded. “Now we need a name for the website.”

  “aHunter4Hire.com.” Fiona’s voice rose in excitement. “Use the number 4 instead of the word for.”

  “That would work.” Lorcan rubbed his chin. “You’d have to be careful that people won’t misuse us, though.”

  Ardal frowned. “In what way?”

  “Have us kill someone who wasn’t guilty of any wrongs.” Lorcan’s voice was full of disdain. “Humans will often lie to get what they want.”

  “Then we will kill them.” Niail spoke with quiet certainty.

  Ardal locked eyes with Niail. He understood. There would be no room for mercy if a Hunter’s honor was tarnished. The only recourse would be death. The code was very clear on this.

  “Agreed.” His decision was final. “We are Hunters. We will maintain our honor at all costs.”

  “That needs to be made clear on the website.” Fiona’s voice wavered. “You don’t want any mistakes.”

  “The contract will be very precise and we will do surveillance before accepting a mission.” Ardal looked at each of the Hunters around the table. “If we do this we must all agree.”

  Everyone gave their nod.

  “I will contact the others and let them know the plan.” Ardal pushed back his chair. “Now we need to find safety. Gur and Turlo will go west with Niail. The rest stay with me. We will set up the site and find a place to operate from.”

  Niail stood. “We leave in five minutes.”

  Everyone started to rise, but Lorcan’s voice stopped them. “What about her?”

  “Fiona stays with me.” Ardal fought the urge to hit the man. “She is my mate. No Hunter can break that bond.”

  “Is that in the code that you’re constantly quoting?” Lorcan’s voice held suspicion.

  “No.” Ardal held Lorcan’s gaze. “It will be though. We are no longer on Cygnus and neither the Holman nor the Kaladin control us. We are free men without implants. I may be the first to find my pair bond and mate, but I will not be the last.”

  “We’ve been on this planet longer than you and we’ve never found a mate.”

  “We didn’t think that it was possible.” Catal cleared his throat. “If we’d found our pair bond, would we have believed it?”

  Lorcan looked at him for a few seconds before shaking his head. “No.”

  “This is a new world and a new beginning for us.” Ardal let his words be understood before continuing. “We are no longer just Hunters. We are able to be men.”

  “You think this is possible for all of us?” Firbin’s voice sounded hopeful.

  “I know that it is.” Ardal clenched his hand on the table. “The Kaladin denied us much when they took away our ability to find mates. I understand how important this gift is. I will not risk any of my brothers’ chances of losing their pair bond.”

  “So a Hunter’s mate must be protected?” Lorcan’s voice held doubt.

  “It is fitting.” Niail spoke with quiet authority. “It is the honorable thing to do.”

  “Then it is so.” Ardal pushed back his chair and stood with his arm around Fiona. “We begin a new life here. We will use our skills and talents to better our brotherhood. By Cygnus and Warrior we will thrive on this planet.”

  “Hunters true and right,” Niail said before leaving the house. Turlo and Gur followed him.

  The others began to gather equipment. They would take what was necessary for their new life. New identities and a new safe house were needed.

  “Your life as the mate of a Hunter will not be easy.” Ardal gathered her close.

  Fiona leaned up and kissed his chin. “I enjoy adventure and new places.”

  “I promise that it will not always be so.” Ardal brushed a strand of her hair from her face. “One day it will be safe for us to settle, but not now.”

  “I’ve been on the run for over a year. I know the score.”

  “I would wish a different life for you.”

  “I’ll be happy so long as you’re by my side.” Fiona’s eye sparkled with mischief. “Besides, who’s going to protect you in this strange new land?”

  Ardal squeezed her close and then set her free. “We need to leave.”

  “I’m ready.” Fiona twirled in a circle. “I travel light. The clothes that I came in are all I have. You’re the one with the heavy equipment.”

  Ardal grinned. He could never have predicted where his decision to disobey the execution order would lead him. Putting honor and duty to his men first, had led him to his mate. The path ahead was unsure an
d he would have to make choices, but there was doubt and question in all decisions.

  From the Sacred Code he knew that great risks could bring much honor and reward.

  Fiona was his reward. She gave him joy, purpose, and honor.

  Author’s Note

  In November 1953, an American F-89 was scrambled from Kinross Airbase, north of Sault Ste. Marie, MI. to intercept an intruder that had shown up on radar. The fighter flew over Lake Superior for about thirty minutes before it was seen on radar to merge with the unknown aircraft, over Canadian airspace. After that, the F-89 signal was lost, but the intruder continued on its course for a while until its signal was also lost.

  Algoma Central Railroad crews 100 miles north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, heard a crash on the same night that the F-89 disappeared. There was also a report of a low flying aircraft before the crash.

  In October of 1968 wreckage from an aircraft was found by two prospectors about 70 miles north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. At the time this wreckage was thought to belong to the missing F-89, but the United States Airforce denied it.

  In the 1950’s, Wawa was an isolated area. The Algoma Central Railway was the only means of getting in and out of the community. Highway 17, also known as the Trans-Canada Highway, had not yet been completed. The search for the missing fighter was done from the air, but no wreckage was ever found.

  There are many unanswered questions about this incident, beginning with why the fighter was scrambled in the first place?

  The intruder was intercepted in Canadian airspace, so the concern over the unidentified aircraft had to be serious to take this action.

  The official story was that the intruder was a C-47 aircraft that was flying 30 miles below its flight plan. The pilot of this aircraft denies that he was off course and his instruments were in good working order. Furthermore, he was contacted that night to see if he saw anything in the sky and reported that there was nothing within his sight. This means that the airbase in Kinross knew of his location and that he was flying in the area. He would not have been the unidentified intruder.

  This raises numerous questions:

  Where is the wreckage of the F-89?

  What happened to the intruder?