Jessie (The Mark Series Book 1)

by D. A. Stafford

  Mac had spoken to Jessie earlier in the week about what he’d do if MEDS made it here. He’d make it as long as he could to help the women and children then take his own life. He was a protector, not a raping, torturing killer. Mac grabbed all the cash out of the register then dug his keys out of his pocket and handed it to Jessie. “Both of you listen to me. It’s happening. Whether you believe it or not it’s happening. I’ll get you two to the store room and help grab as much canned food as we can carry. We’ll load all of it in my truck in the back alley, and then I want you to drive straight to your parent’s house Jessie. Do not stop for any guy, not a cop, not anything! Do you understand me, Jessie?” Jessie again unable to speak just nodded.

  In a crouching position Jessie, Riley, and Mac hurried quickly to the end of the bar. Mac grabbed both of their hands and started running for the door with the words employees only in big red letters on it. Halfway there a man grabbed Riley. Mac turned around and decked the guy, knocking him out cold. They continued to run and made it through the door where Mac was able to brace it closed with a latch. Mac took Riley and Jessie into the back room and grabbed any food he could. Since it was a bar, Mac didn’t have the best food in the world, but it was snack food which would last a while. After they both grabbed all the food they could carry, they made their way to the back exit. Mac checked to see if the coast was clear, then they all made their way to Mac’s truck.

  Mac threw everything in the bed of the truck and then pulled Jessie into a big hug. Jessie was crying and shaking. She couldn’t believe this was happening. So many questions ran threw her head. When would Mac fall victim to MEDS? Why was this happening? Was her family safe? What about her friends? Is there a cure? If not, how long was she going to be able to protect Riley and herself?

  Mac gave her a little shake to bring her out of her thoughts. He said, “Darling, remember what I said. You’ve got a full tank of fuel, so I want you to go straight to your parent’s house. Maybe it will miss your dad since they are so far up in the mountains. Don’t leave unless necessary. Protect your family at all costs. This means shooting someone if needed. You’ve been hunting plenty of times with your dad. This whole situation is like hunting, except this time you’re the prey. It’s kill or be killed, Jessie. Repeat what I just told you.” Jessie could hear Mac talking, but she was still in shock. Mac shook her again and said “Jessie! Tell me what I said.”

  She shook her head and blurted out, “Kill or be killed.”

  “That’s right Jessie. Kill or be killed.” Mac grabbed her head in between his hands, then kissed her forehead.

  Jessie looked at Mac and said, “Come with us, Mac.”

  Mac gave her a sad smile and gently brushed the back of his hand across her cheek and slowly brought his lips to hers. He kissed her ever so gently. When he broke away from the kiss, he said, “Jessie darling. You know I can’t come. I wish I had more time with you. I’ve grown very fond of you and would have loved to take you out on a date. I just never had the nerve to ask. Now I’m out of time.”

  Jessie was a little shocked at his revelation. But now wasn’t the time to analyze her feelings for him.

  Riley was in the passenger’s seat of Mac’s truck crying profusely but managed to grab her car keys out of her jeans and pass them to Mac. “It’s the Silver Outback in the front. It has a full tank. I don’t want you to be here, stranded. I’m sorry you can’t come with us, Mac. You’re a great man. Remember that.”

  “Thanks, Riley. I want you two to look out for one another and Jessie’s parents. Hopefully, they’ll find a cure, and this whole thing will be a nightmare forgotten soon enough.” With that said Mac opened the driver’s side door and helped Jessie inside his truck. “Stick to the back roads; people will panic and try to flee town the quickest way they know how. Slow and steady wins the race. Okay?”

  Jessie nodded and started the truck. “Thank you for everything. I-I….”

  “I know Jessie. It’s okay. You need to get going.”

  Jessie put the truck into gear and slowly took off, all the while glancing at Mac in the rearview mirror until she couldn’t see him any longer. Looking over at Riley, Jessie grabbed her hand and gave her a watery smile and said, “You and me, we’re going to make it.”

  Chapter Six

  Leigh was exhausted. With wave after wave of Earth females coming to the ship for healing, he’d little time to think of how Looch and their ayah were getting along.

  When they first arrived in Earth’s rotation, Looch quickly realized what the males of Earth were doing to the women; he hastily sent numerous transports to the surface to recover as many females as possible. There was no planning involved. Looch had explained they would save as many females as possible and figure out how to get them back to Arenia as soon as they were safe aboard the Solace. As soon as the first transport left, Looch immediately sent communication to Arenia to dispatch several ships to help with the recovery of the females. They soon discovered the original three and a half billion females on Earth had dwindled to roughly five million and dropping rapidly with the males becoming increasingly violent.

  Leigh had suggested setting up safe fortresses around the planet protected by the Arenian warriors as the Solace couldn’t hold all five million females left on the planet. All females needed to be kept safe, and the Arenian warriors were just the males to do it. Healers were sent with each warrior’s transport to assess the worse cases of abuse and those females would come to the Solace for additional healing as the handheld device wouldn’t fix the worst of the injuries. That is how Looch came across Jessie.

  Today when the intake of females slowed, and things started to die down, Leigh let one of the other healers take over. As Leigh made his way to the sleeping chamber of their cabin where he last left Looch and Jessie, he couldn’t help but think about their little Jessie and how energetic, resourceful, and alluring she was. Leigh couldn’t believe they found their ayah. He thought she’d make a beautiful queen. Leigh opened the door to the sleeping chamber and was shocked to find a sleeping Jessie in his brother’s arms.

  As Leigh looked to Jessie and then slowly to his brother, he noticed Looch was staring back at him with a satisfied smile on his face. Leigh stripped down and gradually got into bed on the other side of Jessie. Looch slowly rolled Jessie towards Leigh, and she instinctively curled into Leigh’s side resting her head on his chest and throwing her arm over his stomach.

  With a knowing smile, Looch said, “I must check on all the transports for updates and speak with councilman Heloc. I’m unsure of when I’ll return. Don’t upset her my brother; she is very giving with the anook.

  Leigh looked at Looch to find an angry welt marring each shoulder. Leigh couldn’t help but smile widely. Leigh already knew she was skilled by the way she’d maneuvered around Lian and Lyon in the healing ward. But, if their little Jessie could put marks on Looch, it meant she was exceptionally skilled.

  All males of Arenia were trained in the ways of a warrior no matter what position they held. Unlike the men, Arenian women were never trained. Females were too big of a commodity to risk. Warrior training was for males only. Jessie would be discontinuing any more risky behavior as Looch and Leigh would be taking care of her from now on.

  After Looch left for the bridge, Leigh laid there with Jessie in his arms. Leigh was so tired, but couldn’t sleep as he was too afraid when he woke, his ayah would be gone. He gently stroked her hair, and when he could stand it no more, he drifted off to sleep.

  When he woke a short time later, Jessie was staring at him with big wild blue eyes. “Hi,” Jessie said with apprehension.

  “Greetings Jessie,” Leigh said with a smile.

  “You’re the doctor who helped me. I want to thank you. I’m sorry I surprised the other two guys in the hospital. I was a little…scared, to say the least.” Jessie said shyly.

  “There’s nothing to apologize for. You have been through many tragedies. My name is Leigh, and I’m the master healer on the
Solace. Judging by the marks on his shoulders, you obviously met my brother, Commander Looch.” Leigh stated with a chuckle.

  Jessie blushed a little and said, “Sorry about that. As you can imagine, we have all been on alert for the past several months.”

  “Several months?” Leigh asked a little more harshly than intended. Jessie jumped at his harsh tone. “I’m sorry Jessie I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m just upset you were unprotected for so long. I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through.” Leigh said calmly.

  “I can’t say it’s been easy, but hopefully we’re safe now?” Jessie said questionably.

  “Of course you’re safe ayah. You can trust us. We’re here to protect you. I know it’s difficult, but please understand our race means to take care of you and any unprotected female.”

  “What does ayah mean?”

  “Your culture calls it an endearment. It means miracle. You are our chosen, our bonded, our companion. Just…ours.”

  “There are so many disturbing things about that statement I don’t know where to begin. I’m sure you’re a very nice guy, but I don’t know you. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘ours’ either. Ours, meaning you and who else? Commander Looch?” Jessie squeaked.

  “Calm Jessie. I did not mean to offend. In our culture, bondings are with multiple males and a single female. Usually brothers, so yes, Looch and I would like to pursue our bonding. You’ll grow heavy with our offspring and…” Leigh stated matter-of-factly.

  Quietly, Jessie rose from the bed and whispered in an ominous tone, “I see.”

  Leigh should have known by her scent his declaration distressed her but didn’t heed the warning sign. When Jessie calmly rose from the bed, walked over to the wall and slowly took the anook in hand, wielding it, he should have known he was in deep excrement. “Please put the anook down Jessie. I’m not here to harm you. I’m not sure what’s upset you Jessie, but you need to put the weapon down.” Leigh said. CRACK is all Leigh heard before he felt the burning sting radiating from his thighs. “Molinka! She struck me!” Leigh thought.

  “Look I didn’t leave one hell to be enslaved into another. I’m not some broodmare. I appreciate everything you two have done for me but use some tact. I’ve just been saved by an alien race. Alien! I can’t wrap my head around there being aliens in the first place, and then you tell me we’re getting married or whatever you call it? My parents raised me to be independent and self-sufficient. I don’t need a man to take care of me. You two have some nerve. I’m not some whore. My friends and I don’t sleep with a bunch of men and are not passed around like a shiny new toy. We’re not your sex slaves. I want to see my friends now. I want to see they’re okay, especially Sloane.” Jessie shouted.

  Just then Looch came into the sleeping chamber, startling Jessie. She whirled around with the anook and smacked Looch in the shoulder catching him off guard. “Quit doing that ayah,” said Looch. The declaration of ayah fueled Jessie’s anger and gained Looch another quick strike with the anook across the other shoulder… again.

  All Leigh could do is laugh. This tiny female was fighting off his beast of a brother with an anook and getting the better of him. Leigh laughed and laughed even though his thighs burned from the strike Jessie had given him. Looch and Jessie froze and looked at Leigh then to each other.

  Jessie suddenly felt silly. She’d been through a lot in the last several months, but Looch and Leigh had been nothing but kind to her. She was treating them like the enemy. With a sigh, she calmly placed the Bo staff back on the wall turned around and softly blurted, “I’m sorry.”

  Leigh rose from the bed, unabashed of his nakedness. Averting her eyes Jessie blurted, “Jesus, don’t you guys believe in underwear?”

  “We don’t believe in under coverings. Only children wear such things. You’ll learn we’re a very sexual race. We don’t wish for such under coverings to encumber our couplings.” Looch explained.

  Jessie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Was he for real? Encumber our couplings her ass.

  Leigh grabbed some fresh clothes and started dressing. He looked at Jessie, held out his hand to her and said, “It’s quite evident your parents did a fine job raising you to be self-sufficient. Not many females could protect themselves, let alone others for several months in the conditions you were in. There’s nothing wrong with being independent, but accepting help does not mean you give up control. Looch and I will take you to see your friends. All we ask is that you keep an open mind about us courting you. You have our word; we won’t harm you.”

  Jessie immediately relaxed. Looch and Leigh looked sincere in their words. With a nod of her head she said, “Okay, I’ll try.” Looch and Leigh smiled. After a long pause, Jessie asked, “Could I get some clothes? I’m feeling a little exposed standing around in my underwear and bra.”

  “Of course, Jessie, but I’m afraid we only have mechanics coveralls on this ship, and you’ll need to take your under coverings off as they will adhere better to your skin. We rarely have females on an exploration ship. I hope you’re not disappointed.” Leigh stated.

  “Anything will be fine. Thank you.” Jessie took the enormous black garment from Looch and put it on. She didn’t know how, but it formed to her body like a second skin. She felt like Scarlett Johansson on the Avengers, ready to kick some ass. When she was ready, she looked at Looch and Leigh expectantly. Looch and Leigh corralled her out the door and flanked her as they walked down the steel, utilitarian corridor. Jessie was very intimidated by the sight of all the huge men they passed in the corridor. It seemed to be one after another. They stared at her like they had never seen a woman before. Leigh growled at several men who were too close or eyes lingered on her a little too long.

  All three of them reached a cabin which housed Jessie’s friends. Teagan was in the corner of the cabin sitting on the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees rocking herself, which was common for her. When Teagan looked at Jessie, she didn’t say a word but gave Jessie a half-hearted smile and a small nod. Jessie nodded back to Teagan. Marie, Sloane, and Riley were sitting on a bed quietly talking. Jessie was excited to see everyone. Marie, Sloane, and Riley hugged Jessie, but it was Riley who was teary-eyed. “Are you okay Jessie?” Sloane asked.

  “Yes, Sloane. Looch and Leigh have been very accommodating. I can truly say I can’t remember a time I’ve ever felt better. Enough about me. How are you doing Sloane and what about the rest of you, are you all right?”

  Riley spoke up first. “We’re under house arrest,” hitching her thumb to familiar looking men standing at attention in the corner. Jessie let out a small gasp realizing it was the men from the healing bay.

  “I’m so sorry mister…” Jessie stammered.

  The men looked to the commander, and with a nod from Looch, the first man said, “My name is Lyon, and this is my brother Lian. No apologies are needed. Although I’m still not exactly sure what it means, I think you were using the Earth syndrome known as fight or flight. Arenian males always fight so I can appreciate you attacking my brother and I the way you did. It takes courage to do so, especially when you’re so small.”

  Jessie blushed with his compliment. “It’s nice to officially meet you Lyon and Lian.” Jessie said extending her hand for Lyon to shake. Both Lyon and Lian backed up and looked to Leigh and Looch for guidance. Out of nowhere Looch grabbed Jessie’s extended hand and asked harshly, “What are you doing ayah? Do you want sex with these males?”

  “No. What the hell Looch? Why would you think that?” Jessie screeched.

  “Females who touch unbonded males mean they are interested and willing to couple with them.” Looch harshly stated.

  “Oh my God. That is not how things work on Earth. It’s called shaking hands.” Jessie looked to her friends for help.

  Riley spoke up immediately and said, “She’s right. A handshake can mean several things, but it doesn’t mean she’s interested in Lyon or Lian.”

  Jessie pulled her arm from Looch’s gri
p and said “See?” as she extended her hand again to Lyon. Lyon didn’t move, so Jessie finally grabbed his hand and shook it three times. Although Lyon made no move towards Jessie, Leigh audibly growled at the situation. Leigh didn’t like Jessie touching other males. Jessie finally released Lyon’s hand and did the same thing to Lian, then said, “That wasn’t too bad now was it?”

  Sloane looked at Looch and extended her hand to him. Looch looked at Jessie, and she nodded. Looch then squared his shoulders and extended his hand to Sloane. Sloane took it in hers and shook it. “Thank you, Commander Looch for saving my friends.”

  Lian cleared his throat and spoke up, “I know now is not the time, but I would like you to know Jessie, my brother and I will be pursuing your female friend Sloane for bonding. I’m confessing this to you as she doesn’t have any male protectors and you’ve kept our ayah safe from harm until we could find her. We’re forever in your debt.”

  Jessie didn’t know what to say. She looked at Sloane with a puzzled expression on her face. Sloane blushed at first but then gained her composure and said to Lian, “Look here buddy! Jessie doesn’t speak for me. I’m my own woman and make my own way!”

  “Of course you are ayah. With no acceptable males to protect you, you’ve had to do things on your own. Lyon and I are here now and will be your providers.” All the women bristled, and Jessie even hissed an inward breath with astonishment of Lian’s words.

  If looks could kill, Lyon and Lian would be ash. Sloane crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll have you know I’ve been working since I was twelve years old, I bought my first car with my own money, put myself through college, bought a house by myself and have been an educator for several years now. I’ve been doing just fine for my twenty-five years on Earth. I’ve never needed a man in my life. In fact, there’s nothing more you two can do for me that my vibrator can’t. It has three settings, slow…medium…and who needs a man.”