aHunter4Rescue (aHunter4Hire) (23 page)

“I’ll
contact them from my sister’s house.” Fiona took a deep breath. “I’ll be fine.
You and your men have done more than enough for me. You have to get yourselves
spread out and away from any possible threats.”

Ardal
nodded. “I will take you to your sister.” Then he turned to the other men. “We
are dividing ourselves into groups of four and five. Each group has an assigned
city. You are to make your way there and wait for commands.”

The
other men nodded their understanding before Ardal continued. “Darrogh will take
Oisen, Padrig, and Rork. They are to go east. Catal, Firbin, and Niail will
come with me. We are heading south.”

“You’ll
need identification for that.” Catal spoke for the first time.

“That
is why I want you with me.” Ardal walked to the other man and put his hand on
his shoulder. “We rely on your expertise of this planet to get us through the
security systems.”

Catal
nodded. “It will be my honor.”

There
was a spark of respect in Ardal’s eyes. “You three will stay here until I
return. If there are supplies we need for the trip, Catal can get them.
Any questions?”

“No.”

Ardal
nodded to the men.
“Until we are together again, Hunters true
and right.”

“By
Cygnus and Warrior, we will succeed.” The men answered in unison.

Ardal
motioned for Fiona to follow him. She picked up her backpack and left the room
with him. She refused to look at him. Her emotions were too close to the
surface to trust. Instead, she kept her eyes straight ahead. The sooner she put
distance between herself and Ardal, the better.

“You
have no need to hurry.” Ardal’s voice was close beside her. “My men will wait
for me.”

“The
sooner I’m at Karen’s, the better.” Fiona forced her voice to remain
indifferent. “You have to get to safety.”

“I
will not be secure if you are in danger.” Ardal took her arm and led her to a
black sedan.

“Nonsense.”
Fiona stopped and waited for Ardal to open the door. Once inside she took a
deep breath. It was crazy to think he owed her anything. No matter what he
said, they had just met. It was time to move on with her life. She’d never
forget him, though.

He
climbed in behind the driver’s wheel and paused before putting the key in the
ignition. He turned to her. She tried to smile, but failed. He grabbed her chin
and leaned forward, brushing his lips across hers. Fire sparked through her.
Just a brief touch and her body came to life. His lips lingered, moving back
and forth, his tongue gliding across the seam of her mouth until she groaned
and opened for him.

She
was lost. She drank from him as he did from her. They surrendered to the joy of
being one with each other without thought of the past or the future. The
present was all that mattered. The kiss ended with a sigh. Ardal put his
forehead against hers.

“Do
not doubt me.” Ardal’s voice was husky with emotion. “You are essential to me.
I am part of you and it will always be so.”

Fiona
nodded. “I understand that you have huge responsibilities and your men must
come first. I shudder when I think what the military had in store for us. I
wouldn’t want that for anyone.”

“You
are unique for the people of this planet.” Ardal moved away and started the
engine. “These days apart have been a lesson about the problems of this
planet.”

“There
are others like me.” Fiona sighed. The world was full of selfish, cruel people,
but there were many more that were giving and kind. “You will find that out
over time.”

“Perhaps.”
Ardal pulled out of the parking lot. “There was a reason we were bonded though,
and I am grateful.”

The
drive to Karen’s house was less than half an hour. When they reached her small
house in the north end of the city Fiona’s stomach clenched. Ardal’s face was
blank. The Hunter was back.

She
knocked at the door and Karen opened it almost immediately. Her eyes widened
when she recognized Fiona and then she threw her arms around her, hugging,
laughing, and crying at the same time.

“Where
have you been?” Karen held Fiona at arm’s length and looked at her with tears
in her eyes. “It’s been over a year.”

“I
couldn’t help it.” Fiona started to edge out of her sister’s arms. She turned
to Ardal. “This is my sister Karen. Karen, this is Ardal.”

“Nice.”
Karen grinned at him. “At least my little sister wasn’t lonely.”

Ardal
frowned. “I do not understand.”

“Seriously?”
Karen looked at Fiona with a raised eyebrow.

“We
only met a couple of days ago.” Fiona cleared her throat. “Is it possible for
me to stay with you?”

“Of
course.”
Karen opened the door wide and invited
them in. Ardal turned back to his car, but Karen grabbed his arm. “Not so soon,
big guy. We need to get acquainted. Let me get some coffee.”

Karen
went to the kitchen and left them in the entryway. Fiona almost laughed at the
expression of confusion on Ardal’s face. She led him into the living room.

“It’s
customary to talk a bit when meeting someone’s family. Trust me, no one likes
it, but you’ll survive. My sister is easier to deal with than my parents.”

“Why
do I need to deal with them?” Ardal put emphasis on the word deal.

“It’s
just a saying.” Fiona pushed her sister’s cat aside and sat on the tattered
brown couch. She patted the place beside her and Ardal sat, but didn’t take his
eyes from the cat.

“Why
is that creature inside?”

“It’s
a pet.” Fiona bent and captured the cat in her arms before depositing it on
Ardal’s lap. “Don’t you have animals that you keep around you?”

“Animals
are for food.”

“Don’t
let my sister hear you say that.” Fiona leaned closer to Ardal. “Personally I
like dogs, but she can’t abide their barking.”

“Dogs?”

“They
look a little like the wolves I showed you.”

“Surely
you would not keep such a vicious animal close?” Ardal pushed the cat off his
lap. It hissed and then jumped to the floor. Obviously the two would not become
friends.

“They
were domesticated eons ago. They actually have a use, either as guard dogs, or
helping farmers with their livestock.”

Ardal
gave her a steady look that spoke volumes. She could tell there was something
else he wanted to do more than discuss cats and dogs. A tingle began to spread
through her fingers. She itched to touch his face; to feel the warmth of his
skin beneath her fingertips; to caress his strong jaw. A shudder of yearning
raced through her.

The
shrill of the telephone broke the spell.

Fiona
could hear Karen answer, but her eyes were still focused on Ardal. All she
wanted was to experience the wonder of his lips on hers, once more before he
left. Who knew if they would ever see each other again? He might find another
woman, or his men might convince him to forget about her. It wasn’t as if he
didn’t have bigger problems to deal with besides her.

“Never,”
he whispered. His voice was so low that at first she thought she had imagined
it.

He
clasped her hand in his and raised it to his mouth, letting his lips lightly
caress and his tongue tease a moan of longing from her. She bit her lip. This
was crazy to sit in her sister’s house and burn to make love with a man she had
just met.

“That
was work.” Karen spoke from the doorway. She was pulling on a light jacket and
grabbed her purse from the nearby table. “I have to fill in for someone who’s
sick. I’m afraid we’ll have to delay this get-to-know-you chat for another
time.”

“How
long will you be?” Fiona tried to keep the anxiety from her voice.

“An
hour, no more.”
Karen pushed her hair out over her
jacket collar. “They’ve found someone to fill in, but they’ll be delayed a bit.
I live the closest, so they call me in emergencies.”

“I
should leave.” Ardal pushed himself up from the couch.

“Stay.”
Karen waved him back down. “Make yourself at home.”

The
door slammed shut on Karen’s last words. It was so like her sister, always on
the run, never finding the time to listen. Fiona heaved a sigh and turned to
Ardal. She leaned in to kiss him and he didn’t disappoint.

He
pulled her close, letting his mouth and hands show his desperate need of her.
Fiona let his hunger wash over her, answering with an equally frantic desire to
keep him near. This might be the last time she would hold him.

“I
must stop or I will never leave you.” Ardal’s voice was a husky whisper. “

“I
don’t want you to go.” Fiona had never begged in her life, but if she didn’t
move away soon she’d start. She knew he’d stay if she asked, but she couldn’t.
His men needed him.

“Ask.”
Ardal captured her lips again. “I cannot refuse you.”

“Don’t
tempt me.” Fiona released a shaky breath. “I’ll be safe with Karen.”

“I
cannot leave you like this.” Ardal groaned. “I have a duty to protect you.”

Fiona
shook her head. “Your men need you.”

“You
should come with us.”

“I’ll
hold you up.” Fiona pushed back the pain of leaving Ardal. “Besides, they don’t
want me.”

“I
am still their leader.”

“And
you shouldn’t have to prove it because of me.” Fiona pushed away from the
couch. “Knowing you and your men are safe is the only way I’ll have peace.”

“This
is only for a short time.” Ardal stood and went to the door. “Once we are
across the border I will have Catal make documents for you. Then I will come
back for you.”

“I’ll
be waiting.” Fiona swallowed the lump in her throat. “If I have to move I’ll
let Karen know where I’ve gone.”

“I
will find you by your thoughts.” Ardal looked at her with unblinking eyes for
several minutes before turning and leaving.

Fiona
let out the breath she had been holding. She knew he’d been memorizing her,
just as she had him. Soon they would be able to be together, but now it was
more important for him to be safe.

She
went back to the living room and straightened the couch before wandering to the
kitchen. She was restless and looking for an answer. The loss of Ardal gnawed
at her until she felt hollow. She filled the kettle and put it on the stove.
Maybe something hot would take away the bone deep ice inside her.

The
chill of Ardal’s leaving.

The
chill of fear.

No
part of her believed that David had really stopped looking. Tomorrow she would
have to contact the Underground Women’s Network and find another life. The only
consolation was that Ardal would be able to find her if he wanted to. He would
be able to hear her thoughts and connect to her. She would never be truly alone
again.

Her
sister came home an hour later. By then Fiona had composed herself enough to
put on a bright welcome. Karen took one look at her and shook her head before
dumping a bag full of groceries on the counter. She unloaded the bag before
turning to Fiona.

“You’re
not fooling me. Where’s the hunk?”

“Ardal
had to get back to his job.” Fiona decided that was the best explanation.
“Besides we only met a couple of days ago.”

“I’ll
bet.” Karen leaned back against the counter. “Where the hell have you been for
the last year? Mom and Dad are beside themselves with worry. I already phoned
them and let them know the prodigal had returned.”

Fiona
groaned. “I didn’t want them to know. That’s why I came to you. I thought I
could trust you.”

“You
can.” Karen put the milk and eggs into the fridge. “I’ve got your best interest
in mind. I’m glad you came home. I hope this means you’ve seen the truth about
David. The man only wanted what was best for you, but like always you were too
dramatic. Quitting med school and running away. Honestly Fiona, you acted
crazy.”

“I
didn’t imagine David’s behavior.” Fiona hugged her arms to herself. “I don’t
understand why none of you believe me.”

Karen
leaned against the counter “Look I can recognize a jerk when I see one. David
was intense, but he wasn’t abusive.”

“How
do you know?” Fiona’s fingers dug into her skin. “He made damn sure no one saw
him in action. I was the only one who bore the evidence of his brutality.”

Karen
rolled her eyes. “You wouldn’t understand brutality if it bit you in the ass.
The man was in love with you.”

“David
doesn’t know the meaning of love.”

“Look
if you didn’t like the man that’s fine by me, but don’t go off about abuse.”
Karen tapped her index finger on the counter. “And you sure as hell didn’t have
to cut your family out of your life.”