Mark gave him a smirk. “The minute you try and drag me in, Kowal’s men will take you out.”
“It can’t be that easy, or he wouldn’t have hired someone else to do it.”
“He has enough problems without trying to cover up a killing.”
“Now that is interesting.” Jake plopped the chair back on its legs. “What could be keeping his attention occupied?”
Mark turned his head away, but Jake clasped his chin and leaned close. “Tell me.”
“Someone else wants his territory.”
“Who?”
“The FD Warriors.” Jake released Mark’s chin.
Niail recognized the name. They were a feared bike gang heavily invested in criminal activity. The gang controlled most of the illegal ventures in eastern North America and were expanding west. Hunters had been keeping a close eye on their activities.
“We have dealt with them in the past.” Niail’s voice was cold. “They attacked our leader. They lost. They are not warriors and have no honor.”
“You have a leader?” Jake frowned. “That sounds awfully organized.”
“We maintain our unit.”
“A unit of you guys? That means you’re military.”
“Yes.” Niail raised an eyebrow. Jake’s constant doubts were becoming tiresome.
“Great.” Jake flung himself back into his seat. “Now there’s more than one assassin running around.”
“We only kill when necessary.”
“You kill for money.” Jake crossed his arms. “You’re the worse kind of criminal there is.”
Niail took a deep breath and pushed back his anger. He required a clear head to plan their next move. Arguing with Jake was getting him nowhere. He needed to resolve this problem with Kowal.
“Your words show your ignorance.” Niail motioned to Mark. “A criminal would have let him kill you.”
“He’s right.” Kimi pushed away from the table. “Niail saved your life.”
Jake rubbed his hand over his face. “None of this makes sense.”
“That does not make it less real.” Niail finished his coffee and put the mug on the table. “I am going to check the perimeter.”
“I’ll go with you.” Kimi stood.
She took the empty mugs and put them on the countertop. She poured a small amount of the hot water in each and then turned back to her grandfather. She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on his forehead.
“I won’t be long.”
Niail went outside and waited for her to join him. He surveyed the area, noting the most likely place a potential threat would come from. The aspens hid the cabin from view. The only way in was a dirt track. That gave him pause. There was no clear sight line from the cabin. He reached for his gun just as Kimi opened the door.
“I hate those things.”
“They’re primitive.” Niail shoved it back into the waistband of his jeans. “It is a necessary item on this planet.”
“I wish it wasn’t.” Kimi sighed and started to walk away from the cabin. “We’re at peace and we have people shooting at us. The law should be protecting us, yet we have an FBI agent and a drug dealer trying to kill us.”
“Justice is never easy.” Niail followed Kimi. His eyes continued to sweep the area. “That is why Hunters are needed.”
“You seek justice?”
“We exist so that others may enact their own justice.” Niail moved toward the trees along the side of the cabin. “The only reward for us is an honorable death.”
Kimi stopped. “That’s crazy. Everyone has something they look forward to.”
Niail squinted to block the sun from his eyes. She was beautiful. Her body vibrated with outrage. The sudden urge to pull her close and ease her anger was overwhelming. He could not forget who he was though.
His expertise as a warrior was exceptional, even for clan Giath. Members of clan Giath were front line soldiers, skilled in marksmanship and storming the enemy. The fact that he had lived longer than most in his clan spoke to his ability. Now he was faced with a new threat. Kimi.
The scent of her drew him near.
The feel of her seduced him.
Hunters had been denied the normal life of men by the use of enhancers and implants, still their legends spoke of such attraction. Niail was an experienced warrior, slow to change his ways. Unable to mind connect he could not seek the counsel of his fellow warriors. He was cast adrift. Forsaken.
His anchor now was Kimi.
Her safety was his mission.
“We are not like others.” Niail chose his words with care. “There is only our brotherhood.”
“So instead of wives and children they become your family.”
“Yes.”
“You can’t believe they’ve abandoned you.” Kimi frowned. “From everything you’ve told me they would be searching for you.”
“It is not that simple.”
Niail took a deep breath. The knowledge of mind connection was only known to Hunters and their mates. Kimi was his pair bond. He was certain even without being able to mind connect with her.
“Explain it then.” Kimi touched his arm. “You are important to me. I need to understand.”
“There is something I have not told you.” Niail straightened his shoulders. “My injuries have made me incomplete.”
Kimi’s eyes searched his face. Her hand reached out to his head, her fingers feathering across the healing gash that Kowal’s men had inflicted. She then moved down, caressing his chest before capturing his hands. Peace settled inside of him.
“Tell me.”
“We are connected in ways that humans are not.” Niail brought her hands up to his mouth and kissed them. “Remember our talk of pair bonds?”
Kimi nodded. “You form an intense bond that interferes with your ability to follow orders.”
“We bond with only one woman.” Niail’s voice was low. “This bond is more than just physical.”
Kimi frowned. “You said something about that before. Is there some strange alien ritual you haven’t told me about?”
Niail smiled. She was beautiful. He would never tire of looking at her. She defended him to her brother and grandfather even though she had her doubts.
“I told you that a pair bond may refuse to mate.” Niail’s voice was low. “But he will be forever bonded. Her thoughts and desires will be his.”
Niail waited for Kimi to speak. She bit her lip and looked away from him for a few seconds and then back. “So if she denies the bonding then he will suffer forever?”
“Never.” Niail brushed a strand of hair from Kimi’s face. “They can bond without being mated. We can connect with our brothers in the same way.”
Kimi tilted her head. “Are you incomplete because your ability to unite is not working?”
Niail’s gaze was fixed on Kimi. She had shown him that she could be trusted. Now he had to have faith in his instinct. She needed to know what they were facing. That was the honorable way.
“Yes.” Niail cleared his throat. “All Hunters can mind connect with each other. A Hunter and his mate have the same linking.”
“Are you talking about extra sensory perception?”
“What is that?”
Kimi shrugged. “I suppose it is using your mind to do things such as communicate or move objects. Sometimes it involves seeing the future or knowing where a person is.”
“It is very specific with Hunters.” Niail cleared his throat. “We communicate with each other with our thoughts, either all at once, or individually.”
Kimi stared at him for several seconds before she shook her head. “You have your own built in cell phone. That’s why you’ve been desperate to contact the others.”
“There is only one reason for me to be silent and that is death.”
Kimi gasped. “So they won’t be looking for you.”
“They have no reason to believe I am alive.”
Niail watched Kimi as shock, disbelief, and then horror passe
d across her face. He sensed her emotions deep within his being also. It might not be a complete connection, but it was better than nothing.
Kimi took a deep breath. “Are you telling me that you can read your pair bond’s thoughts also?”
“It works both ways.” Niail took Kimi’s arm and started to walk down the drive. “It is necessary for a Hunter to know if his mate is in trouble. That way he can protect her.”
Kimi kept pace with him. “Can you read my thoughts? Is that why you think I’m your pair bond?”
“The hit on my head has made it impossible for me to mind connect.” Niail leaned close to her.
“So you can’t be certain.”
“I sense your emotions and concerns.” Niail’s voice was firm. “I also know that you were worried by Mark’s remarks about me and what I do.”
Kimi’s eyes widened. “Are you going to refute them?”
Niail caught the sight of a tire track out of the corner of his eye. He crouched down to examine it. There was no other. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. His eyes followed the track to where it turned around and then circled back along the dirt track that led to the cabin.
“Eight months ago we crashed on your planet.” Niail’s voice was steady, his gaze unwavering. “Since then we have found our way throughout North America. We have joined with others who were already on Earth. Our task is to give justice to those who cannot get it on their own.”
“Are you some kind of vigilantes?” Kimi gave a choked laugh. “That’s insane. Why would Kowal hire you to kill my brother?”
“He made the mistake of thinking he could fool us.” Niail took Kimi’s arm and started to walk with her to the cabin. “I can only surmise I uncovered his lies and that is why he tried to kill me.”
“Thank goodness he wasn’t successful.”
Niail turned her to face him. “I need you to trust me. That is why I’ve told you what few humans know. It is imperative that no one else finds out about us.”
Kimi’s eyes roamed his face and then she nodded. “I’m not sure I believe all of it yet, but your secret is safe.”
Niail nodded. It was done. He could not take back his words. She had protected him and given him time to heal. Her actions had shown courage. He would trust in that now.
He opened the door. The change in light forced him to squint and allow his eyes to adjust. When he could see, he walked to the table. Jake looked up.
“Anything new?”
“We must leave.” Niail started to untie Mark. “There are tire tracks outside.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “Grandfather just came in.”
“These are single wheeled tracks.”
“Is that important?” Kimi rubbed her arms.
“Motorcycle.” Niail yanked Mark to his feet.
“It can’t be Kowal. His men don’t ride cycles.” Jake’s voice was a low hiss. “Who is it?”
“Does it matter?” Niail reached for Kimi’s pack. “We need to leave now.
Chapter 13
Kimi’s head ached. She had been trying to assimilate everything that Niail had told her. He had been matter of fact about his life. It even made sense when he had explained it. Deep down she knew he thought she was his pair bond. She just couldn’t see how that would fit in with her plans.
He wasn’t Blackfeet.
Never mind that he was an alien.
What an alien, though. He was larger than most men. His muscles were well developed, and there wasn’t an ounce of fat on his body. Any man who frequented a gym could be in the same shape. His physique did not mark him as an alien. He could easily pass for a human.
He had miraculous healing abilities.
The gash on the side of his head had been real. When Bobby had brought Niail to her, she hadn’t thought he would live through the night. His body had been battered and bruised, and then there was the damage to his brain.
He had fallen from a truck and struck a boulder. People died from less. Bobby had been insistent that she not take him to a hospital. She had honored Bobby’s wishes. After Niail’s revelations, she was glad she had.
If he were an alien, the authorities would want to observe him. They would interrogate him. They might even do experiments on him. Niail would be lucky to be left alive.
If he weren’t an alien, then he would be committed to the nearest mental institution. His delusions would ensure he was locked up for many years.
Neither scenario was good.
She shivered as she remembered his words about pair bonds and mating. He had been intense when he had told her. His eyes had never left her face while he spoke. She still thought that he was confusing gratitude with bonding. Her mind shied away from the possibility that he was right.
“How much further?” Niail’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Grandfather’s directions said that we would have at least a one hour hike.” Jake hitched his pack higher on his back. “We should have taken Mark to the nearest police station this morning.”
“It was too risky.” Niail took her arm and steadied her as she jumped over a small creek. “They had time to prepare for that.”
“Kowal might still think Mark killed us.”
“True, but he would have returned if that were the case.”
Niail clasped her around the waist to help her over a fallen tree. A jolt of shock seared her body and for a second she contemplated leaning back and letting him wrap his arms around her. The heat of desire flickered deep inside, but she damped it down. She wasn’t ready to have that kind of relationship.
“Enough Jake.” Kimi’s voice was harsher than she had intended. “You and grandfather discussed all the options. You agreed to hike through these trails and skirt back onto the road. If anyone was watching the cabin, all they would see is Grandfather leaving in his truck.”
“I didn’t know how rough the terrain would be.” Jake stopped and put his hands on his hips. “You can’t tell me you’re enjoying this?”
“I haven’t enjoyed anything since the men broke into my house and started shooting.”
Kimi pursed her lips. That wasn’t strictly true. Jake had been a thorn in her side since he had started interfering in her life. It had begun when he had been suspended from the FBI. He had too much time on his hands. That’s also when he had probably started to make a nuisance of himself with Kowal.
“Your interference in my life hasn’t helped; especially your lectures concerning Sam.”
“Your low-life ex isn’t worth wasting breath on.” Jake started walking again. “You’re too soft. That’s why I didn’t want you seeing the man alone. I knew he would con you out of something and I was right.”
“He couldn’t afford to pay support.”
Kimi wiped the sweat from her brow. She didn’t have the energy to argue. She had moved on, and so had Sam. She had a good career. There was no reason not to sign the papers releasing him from his parental responsibilities.
“You shouldn’t have let him off the hook.” Jake spat the words at her. “He’s their father. Just because he’s started a new life and family, doesn’t absolve him.”
“He never sees the kids.” Kimi grabbed Niail’s arm as she teetered on some loose rocks. “This way I don’t have to worry about his influence or demands.”
“A man of honor remains with his family.” Niail’s voice was gruff.
Jake shrugged. “It’s not right for two people to stay together when they detest each other.”
“I never hated Sam.”
“True.” Jake shook his head. “You couldn’t dislike anyone, but that only shows how poor your judgement is. Sam was useless.”
“And now he’s out of my life for good.” Kimi blew the hair out of her eyes. “I made the right decision for me and the kids.”
“We need to rest.” Niail spoke in a stern voice.
“We don’t have time.” Jake stumbled forward.
“You are tired and your steps are unsure. Your arguments are illogi
cal.” Niail put his pack against a limber pine and brushed off a large boulder. “An amateur could follow us.”
Kimi rolled her neck and massaged some of the kinks out with her hand. “I doubt anyone will want to traipse through here.”
“You may be right. That means stopping will not be a problem.” Niail led her to the rock. “Sit.”
“Hey what about me?” Mark’s voice was a loud whine.
“On the ground.”
“You treat her like she’s spun silk and me you just throw around.” Mark struggled to sit with his hands tied in front of him. “That’s no way to treat a prisoner. I’ll probably get off for police brutality.”
“I’m not the police. Your rules do not apply to me.” Niail pushed Mark to the ground. “Women need protection and care. Men follow the orders.”
“You really are from a different planet.” Jake’s eyes widened. “At the very least men and women are equal, although there are many who still believe that men are superior.”
“They are wrong.”
Niail pulled a bottle of water from his pack and handed it to Kimi. Her hand shook as she took it. She had the top unscrewed before it reached her mouth. The searing coolness soothed the gritty feeling in her mouth and throat. They had been walking non-stop for three-quarters of an hour. The sun was high in the sky and even though it was early June, its heat had her top soaked through with sweat.
“Kimi can barely keep up with us.” Jake grinned as he accepted water from Niail. “She proves that women are the weaker sex.”
“Women are more intelligent and compassionate then men.” Niail held a water bottle up to Mark’s mouth. “It is logical that they rule. It is the man’s duty to protect and obey her.”
Mark yanked the container out of Niail’s grasp and held it up to his mouth with his bound hands.
Jake choked on a gulp of water. “You don’t actually believe that?”
“It is the way of my world.” Niail sat on the ground and raised his water to his lips. “It is who I am.”
Jake stared at him for several seconds before shaking his head. He finished his water and then gathered the empty bottles. “I can hear a stream. I’ll fill the bottles and put in the chlorine tablets.” He was gone before anyone could stop him.
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