aHunter4Saken (aHunter4Hire)

by Cynthia Clement

  Kimi swallowed. “By battle I’m assuming you mean war?”

  “There are many battles that do not involve war.”

  Kimi shook her head. “Who are you?”

  “I am a Hunter.” Niail shifted on the bed. “One who must rely on your hospitality.”

  “You’re welcome to stay here until you’re better.” Kimi stood up. “That gash on your head is going to need a dressing change.”

  “It’s not the outside of my head that concerns me.” Niail turned to give her access to the wound.

  “It should.” Kimi unraveled the gauze. “Infections are not easy to fight.”

  She frowned. Last night it had been an ugly wound that slashed across the right side of his head for several inches behind his ear. There had been gravel and dirt embedded, and it had taken a while to cleanse it. She had thought it needed stitches. Bobby had insisted she not notify anyone, so against her better judgement, she had just applied antibiotic lotion and gauze.

  “Is there a problem?” Niail grunted as he tried to look back at her.

  “It’s amazing.” Kimi muttered to herself. Louder, she added, “It’s a lot smaller than last night. I think I can keep the bandage off.”

  “Good.” Niail turned to her. “There’s no need to be concerned. We heal quicker in this place.”

  “By place, do you mean Montana?”

  “I mean Earth.”

  Kimi stared for a second, and then backed away from the bed. He couldn’t be saying what she thought. There was no way he was from the stars. The Star People had given messages of peace and harmony. They had not talked of war or battles. Besides, he was human. He might be larger than most, but he was all man. That knock on the head had done more damage than he knew.

  “I think I should leave you to rest.” Kimi moved to the door. “I have to make supper. You must be starved.”

  “I would ask that you leave my pants.

  Kimi nodded. “They should be dry. I’ll put them by the bed.”

  She closed the door behind her, and for a second she leaned against it. The man had to be confused; there was no other reasonable explanation. If only her grandfather were home. He would know what to do.

  She went outside and pulled the pants from the clothesline. The rain had held off all day. There was still a brisk breeze blowing from the north. The rest of the clothes on the line were dry so she took them down also. She folded them into a basket and then brought them inside.

  She took Niail’s jeans into him and laid them across the bed. He had an arm flung across his forehead and was sleeping. He looked like any other man who had had a rough night. Her eyes shied away from the sight of his fading bruises, though. He did not heal as other men.

  With a sigh, she pushed away and set about fixing dinner. The kids were at the table. Peta was doing homework and Wil was coloring. She gave him a quick hug as she went to the fridge and started pulling food out. She had to do something to take her mind off the stranger in her bedroom.

  She was draining the pasta when her back door slammed open. She jerked the strainer in her hand, splashing a small amount of boiling water on her wrist. She dropped the colander in the sink and turned to see who the intruder was.

  It was her brother, Jake.

  “I thought you had said everything you needed to this morning.” Kimi lifted the pasta back into the pot and then pumped some cold water on her wrist. It had a quick soothing effect on the burn.

  “That’s before I heard the utterly stupid thing you did last night.”

  Kimi’s heart beat faster.

  She’d been hoping Jake wouldn’t hear about Bobby dropping the stranger off at her place. Her brother was overprotective ever since he had joined the FBI. She pulled her hand out of the water, and turned to face him.

  “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “Like hell.” Jake’s voice rose to an ear-piercing shout. “I thought it was bad enough you let Sam bamboozle you into signing away his responsibilities, but to risk your life and the lives of the kids is crazy.”

  She crossed her arms. “He was injured.”

  “We have hospitals for that.”

  “Bobby thought he would be safer here.” Kimi lifted her chin. “I happen to agree with him.”

  “What is wrong with your head? He’s probably a killer for all we know.” Jake moved in front of her. “You are making stupid decisions. You’ll be lucky if the authorities don’t take the kids away from you.”

  She gasped. “You’re my brother. How dare you threaten me?”

  “Don’t yell at Mom.” Peta’s voice joined the fray. “He’s not a bad man.”

  “Peta stay out of this, honey.” Kimi motioned for her daughter to sit back down. “Your uncle Jake doesn’t mean what he’s saying. He’s just upset right now.”

  “The hell I am.” Jake’s voice shook the room. “The guy is leaving now, and I’m going to see to it.”

  Jake started toward the bedroom door and Kimi ran to stop him. She grabbed his arm. “No.”

  Jake shook her hand off. “Don’t think you can stop me. He goes, and then I’ll deal with you.”

  Before Jake took another step the bedroom door opened. Niail stood there, pants on and chest bare. There was a cold decision in his eyes. Had her brother been right about the man being a threat? Her heart started to pound at a frantic pace. She reached out to stop the inevitable confrontation. Niail was injured, and Jake was a former Navy Seal. Jake would rip Niail’s head off.

  Then Niail moved.

  One step and he reached Jake.

  He grabbed her brother by the neck and backed him up against the wall. He held him off the ground. Jake went for his pistol, but Niail was quicker. He had unarmed him in a second, and shoved the gun into the back of his waistband.

  “You disrespected a woman and children. You have broken the Sacred Code and deserve to die.”

  Chapter 3

  Jake’s words had condemned him.

  No man should speak to women or children in the manner, or voice, that this one had. Niail had followed the Sacred Code his whole life. This woman had taken him in and kept him alive. She deserved better than the shouting and disrespect this one had given her.

  “You have no honor.” His voice was cold with disdain. “You were here this morning, but I was too weak to stop you.”

  “Let me go.” Jake struggled. His fingers tried to loosen the grip around his neck, but Niail held firm.

  “Niail.” Kimi’s voice was a soft plea in his ear. “Let him down. He’s my brother and I don’t want to see him hurt.”

  “He disrespected you.” Niail didn’t loosen his grip. “This morning when he left you were crying. No man treats a woman like that.”

  “Look, I’m sorry.” Jake’s voice had calmed. “I’m only trying to protect my sister.”

  “By threats?” Niail raised an eyebrow.

  “I didn’t mean them.”

  “Peta believed you.” Niail glanced at the little girl who was sitting at the table, her eyes wide. “Your words do harm.”

  “You’re right.” Jake’s voice was conciliatory. “Let me down and we’ll discuss this.”

  “Please.” Kimi touched his arm. A shock of electricity shot through him. He sucked in a deep breath and felt the ache of his injured ribs. He almost dropped Jake, but he tightened his hold.

  “Is that your wish?” He looked at Kimi.

  “Yes.” Kimi nodded. “He won’t do any harm.”

  “As you command.”

  Niail released him.

  Jake pushed him away and made a swing at his head. Niail blocked it with his arm. Jake swung the other arm and he stopped that too. He shook off Niail’s hands. His opponent wasn’t finished. Almost on cue, Jake bent his head, rushed him, and hugged him tight about his waist. He tried to force Niail back against the wall.

  Pain seared through Niail’s bruised ribs, but he suppressed it. There would be time to worry about his injuries after he had defeated his opponent. Niai
l brought both arms down on Jake’s shoulders with just enough force to release his grip, but not enough to break his collarbone. Jake gasped and bent in pain as Niail’s knee connected with his chin.

  He fell to his knees. Niail hauled him up by his shirt and locked his arm around his neck. Then he leaned close to his ear.

  “Next time I will kill you.” His whisper was a promise. “Now sit.”

  He loosened his arm from around Jake’s neck and led him to a kitchen chair. He pushed him down and held him there with a hand on his shoulder. Jake sagged against the back of the seat. Niail released him. He grimaced as a spasm of pain shot through his head. He grabbed a chair and sat. The legs shook, but it held his weight.

  Wil ran to Niail’s side. “Are you okay?”

  “You’re asking him?” Jake didn’t hide his resentment. “I’m your uncle.”

  “You were mean to Mom.” Wil leaned against him. “Niail’s a superhero.”

  Peta nodded. “He’s a Hunter.”

  “I can’t believe you did that.” Kimi ran a shaky hand through her hair. “Jake’s ex-Navy Seal and you’re injured.”

  “He is poorly trained.” Niail crossed his arms and winced at the pain. He fought down the nausea.

  “No.” Jake’s eyes were wide. “You’re just better than anyone I’ve ever been up against.”

  “Niail is a warrior who protects people.” Peta started putting her homework into her backpack. “He’s from the Star People.”

  Niail held his breath and waited for Jake’s reaction. Their experiences with the authorities on this planet had not been pleasant. All Hunters avoided them. It was safer.

  Jake lifted an eyebrow in his direction and then laughed. “I’m afraid he’s been telling you some tall tales, sweetheart.”

  Peta shook her head. “He didn’t tell me. He wears the symbols on his arm.”

  Jake smirked. “Tattoos don’t mean anything.”

  Kimi cleared her throat. “Perhaps not, but until Grandfather returns, he stays safe at my house.”

  Niail met Kimi’s gaze and felt the strong pull of attraction. She was a beautiful woman and she was defending him. It was a unique feeling to have a woman think about him. The life of a normal man had been denied him with the use of implants and enhancers. Since their escape and crash landing on earth, all that had changed.

  Niail forced himself to look at Jake. The man was solidly built with the same dark hair and brown eyes as Kimi. That’s as far as the resemblance went. Kimi’s eyes showed understanding and compassion. There was a coldness and wariness in Jake’s expression and stance. His moves showed that he had some military training, but Jake was no match for him.

  “You can’t still believe that old man makes sense.” Jake’s voice held disdain.

  “Grandfather is a medicine man.” Wil spoke now. “He knows all about the ancient ways and the Star People.”

  “Those are legends told around the campfire to scare children into behaving.”

  Kimi inhaled a loud breath. “You have no reason to disrespect Grandfather.”

  “Those ancient stories have no place in today’s world.” Jake pushed back his chair. “They’ll hold you back. The sooner Wil knows the truth the better.”

  Kimi touched her brother’s arm. “I know you’re ashamed of your heritage, but that’s no reason to belittle it.”

  Jake stood. “Perhaps not, but I’ve seen more of the world than you.”

  “More violence you mean.” Kimi shook her head. “The Navy changed you.”

  “I grew up.” Jake walked to the door and stabbed a finger at Niail “I want you out of here by Monday, or I start asking questions. I’m sure you won’t be happy with the answers I get.”

  Niail didn’t need a human to tell him to leave. He had already stayed longer than was smart. Even if he couldn’t communicate with the others, he had to get to a safe place. He might not complete his mission, but he did remember the city his team had last been in.

  “I’m sorry Jake was rude.” Kimi’s voice broke into his thoughts. “He was never fond of the old traditions, but he wasn’t so hostile before.”

  “He carries much anger.”

  Kimi nodded. “I’m sure you’re right. I just don’t understand what the people have done to make him that way.”

  “He has not yet found his place.” Niail grimaced as he tried to stand. “He doesn’t feel as if he belongs.”

  Kimi pushed him back in the chair. “Stay seated. I’ll get your dinner.”

  “A woman does not wait on a man.”

  “You’re my guest.” Kimi cleared the rest of the papers off the table. “Besides, you’re still weak. Tackling Jake must have used up most of your strength.”

  “I could not let him disrespect you any longer.”

  “What is the sacred code?” Peta sat up on her knees and leaned her elbows on the table.

  “They are the rules that I live by.” Niail shifted in his chair. “Your uncle has broken the first law by disrespecting your mother and you.”

  “Is this code written down?” Wil’s eyes widened. “Can I see it?”

  “It is written on the Wall of Memories where I come from.” Niail pushed back the memory of the last time he had visited the Wall. It had been the day before the Holman, the rebel rulers of Cygnus, had taken his unit captive.

  “It makes you sad.” Peta spoke with conviction. “Don’t you like the rules?”

  “A Hunter does not question what he is told. He follows orders.”

  Kimi put a plate and utensils in front of him. “That doesn’t sound very pleasant. Surely you must have some freedom?”

  “I did not know what that meant until I came here.”

  Wil frowned. “You mean the reservation is freer than your home?”

  Niail smiled. The simplicity of Wil’s mind was new to him. A Hunter never associated with children, even when protecting them. The Kaladin, the former rulers of his home planet Cygnus, had feared that conversing with a warrior might damage or scare children.

  Niail leaned back in his chair. “You have choices and that makes a person free.”

  “You sound like our teacher.” Peta took her hands off the table. “He’s always saying we should be thankful for the freedom we have in this country. I don’t think that’s true.”

  “Why?” Kimi put a large bowl of pasta on the table.

  “We’re not the same as other Americans.” Peta handed her mother her plate. “We once owned all this land, but we’re treated differently now.”

  “Where did you hear that?”

  “Daddy used to tell me that all the time.” Peta stretched her hand out for her food. “I think that’s why he left. He didn’t think we were good enough.”

  Kimi inhaled sharply. “That’s not true. Your daddy didn’t want to stay with me. He loves you kids.”

  “Then why doesn’t he visit us?”

  “He doesn’t have the time. He works very hard and is always traveling.”

  “He was here yesterday.” Peta thrust out her lower lip. “He only wants to be with his new family.”

  “He is a fool.” Niail held his plate out to Kimi. “He is less a man for not behaving with honor.”

  “What does honor have to do with this?” Kimi frowned.

  “No man of principle would desert his responsibilities. He would never leave his woman and children.” Niail shook his head. “You people do things differently, but some laws are universal.”

  “Is that part of your sacred code?” Wil’s voice was solemn.

  “Yes.” Niail looked at the boy. “A man of honor does his duty always.”

  Kimi laughed. “Is there no room for spontaneity in that code?”

  “No.” Niail knew that wasn’t the answer she wanted, but he didn’t evade the truth. “We always follow the code.”

  “What about being happy?” Kimi sat at the table. “Everyone needs joy in their lives.”

  “We do not care about such things.” Niail took a mouthfu
l of pasta. It warmed his hollow stomach. “We have been bred to follow orders and the Code.”

  “That sounds dreary.”

  “There is no time for sadness. A Hunter’s reward is death.”

  Kimi hesitated as she put pasta on her plate. “What about family?”

  “We do not have such things.”

  Peta frowned. “You don’t have children.”

  “No.” Niail leaned back. “It might distract us from our duty.”

  “Then your duty sounds stupid.” Kimi pulled the salad toward her. “People are more than following orders.”

  “It makes me glad that you have that freedom.” Niail took another mouthful of food. “We make certain that is possible.”

  “So you sacrifice your own lives so that others can be free?” Kimi’s voice shook.

  “That sounds like a superhero to me.” Peta’s voice held a note of awe.

  “We have no super powers.” Niail rubbed his head. “As you see, I can be injured. It took two people to help me stay alive. I will be forever grateful.”

  “There is no need to thank us.” Kimi relaxed in her chair and started to eat.

  Niail continued to fork the pasta into his mouth, but his eyes never left her face. Just looking at her gave him a joy he had never known before. She took his breath away. He would keep her safe and happy no matter what it took.

  The meal continued in companionable silence. Niail ate everything that was put in front of him. A warrior never knew when his next meal would be, so he didn’t waste. The last few months on earth had meant a steady flow of food, but old habits were hard to forget. He had spent too many years on the front lines to believe that his life was different. He was always on guard.

  Niail stood to help clear the table. The room started to spin and he grabbed onto the table. He would have fallen if Kimi hadn’t grabbed his shoulder and guided him back into the chair.

  “You’re still weak.” Kimi rubbed his shoulder. “Give it a second and then I’ll help put you back to bed.”

  Wil came to his side. “You should have rested after fighting with Uncle Jake.”

  Niail grimaced. “You are right.” He gripped the table and took a deep breath before forcing himself to stand. He exhaled and pushed back the pain.