aHunter4Rescue (aHunter4Hire) (24 page)

“I
had no choice.”

Fiona
sighed and turned away from Karen. There was no point in continuing this
discussion. It always ended with her being in the wrong. All her family saw was
that David was a successful doctor.

The
doorbell rang and the knot in her stomach tightened. Surely he hadn’t found her
yet. She swung back to Karen and looked around for a weapon. She reached for
one of the knives out of the knife block, but Karen stopped her.

“It’s
only Mom and Dad.” Karen shook her head. “You really are a mess. I’d have
thought your year away would have helped you see sense.”

Her
parent’s arrival was bitter sweet. On one hand she was glad to see them, but
after their initial joy, their criticism started to weigh heavily. She loved
them dearly, but their struggle to better their life and ensure their children
had a bright future showed in their parenting. Fiona had once believed in their
vision, but David had cured her of that. Now all she wanted was to be loved.

“Where
have you been?” Her mother’s breathy voice demanded once she was sitting in the
living room.

“Safe.”

“You
couldn’t call?” Her father frowned. “Your mother’s been worried sick. We didn’t
even know whether you were alive.”

“I
left you a note. You knew I was in good hands.”

Fiona
twisted her hands in her lap. This was more difficult than anything she’d
imagined. She’d foolishly expected them to be glad that she was safe. She
hadn’t expected their anger.

“A
lot of good a note does.” Her father glared at her. “I was almost tempted not
to come and see you after your sister called, but your mother wanted to forgive
you.”

“Forgive
me?” Fiona tried to keep the astonishment from her voice. “I didn’t do anything
wrong.”

“You’ve
disappointed us.” Her mother held a tissue to her nose and sniffed. “We were
bragging to all our friends about our daughter the doctor and then you
disappear before you could take the final exams.”

“So
you’re angry because I didn’t finish med school?” Fiona shook her head. “I was
trying to escape from David.”

Her
father stopped the conversation with a chop of his hand. “You’re a silly girl,
but still our daughter. Now that you’ve returned you can sit for your exams.”

Just
like that they’d summed up her life. It didn’t matter that David would be
waiting for her at the med school or that this time he might actually kill her.
Their only concern was that she not
disappoint
them.
Why had she expected a year’s absence to change them?

Karen
prepared supper and by the time her parents left Fiona was exhausted. She was
past caring what her parents wanted. She didn’t have the energy to fight them
any longer. She needed sleep. After the dishes were cleared she made her way to
the guest bedroom and collapsed on top of the covers.

She
slept soundly until her door crashed open and she was dragged from bed. Fear
and panic clamoured inside her. She landed on the floor with a thud. She was
still half asleep, but she knew there was only one person who would treat her
so violently.

David.

“I’ve
found you now.”

A
shiver of dread scraped across her spine.

There
was no mistaking the voice. It still haunted her nightmares. Strong hands
yanked at her shoulders and gripped her with a fierce, painful hold. She was
hauled to her feet and pulled from the room. She found Karen cowering on the
landing. Her face was red and puffy on one side. She reached for her, but David
yanked her away.

“I’ve
had enough sisterly love for one evening.” David’s hand whipped hard against
Karen’s cheek sending her head back against the floor with a vicious bang. “No
one has the right to keep you from me. You’re mine.”

Fiona’s
eyes widened as she stared at Karen, willing her to move. Her sister lay still
against the floor, her hair spilled out about her. Nausea overwhelmed her and
she fought to keep down the bile that rose in her throat. Dear God, please
don’t let her be dead.

Fiona
struggled to reach Karen, but David’s iron grip wouldn’t release her. “Let me
go.”

David
hauled her close to him, his hot breath feathering across her face. “You belong
to me.”

“Never.”
Fiona shook her head. “That’s something you’ve made up in your mind.”

“You
refuse to see that we were meant to be together.” David shook her. “You forced
me to do all the work. Do you know how exhausting that is?”

“I
never asked you to like me.”

“You’re
young. You don’t understand what love is.”

“This
isn’t love.” Fiona struggled to free herself, but he held her firm.

“Running
got you nowhere.” David threw her over his shoulder and stomped down the
stairs. “I knew you couldn’t stay away forever. You’re lucky that I’m a patient
man.”

She
looked back up at Karen. She hadn’t moved. Fiona shuddered as she took one last
look. This would be the last time that she would see her sister. David wasn’t
going to let her live. His anger and insanity were out of control. He had gone
over the edge.

Once
outside, he threw her into the back of his car. She struggled to move away, but
he grabbed her hand and snapped the end of a steel handcuff onto her wrist. He
attached the other end of the manacle to the base of the front seat. She was
forced to lay on the backseat to prevent the cuff from ripping into the skin of
her wrist. David slammed the door shut and then climbed into the driver’s seat.
Seconds later they were speeding off. It was hopeless to fight. Her fate had
been decided.

She
would die this night.

Her
heart cried for what might have been, for all the dreams that would never come
true. Most of all she mourned the loss of love. She would never feel a
man’s loving
embrace again. Her last moments would be filled
with violence and anger. She fought back a sob of regret. She wouldn’t let that
happen. Even if she never escaped, she could control what she would see in
those last minutes of life. She would focus on love.

She
would focus on Ardal.

She’d
let his love and strength surround her.

The
car came to an abrupt stop sending her flying off into the rear of the front
seats. She groaned as her back hit the bump on the car floor. If she were lucky
she’d live long enough to see the bruises.

David
peered over the headrest. “We’re almost there.”

A
blast of warm air let her know that the door had been opened. David twisted her
back onto the seat before pulling her sleeve up on her arm. He held a needle in
his other hand. A sharp burning sensation seared her bicep.

“That
should keep you quiet until I’m ready.”

“What
are you going to do?” Fiona couldn’t keep the fear from her voice.

“I
tried to love you, but you refused.” David pulled her sleeve down. “Now you’ll
die like all the rest.”

“I
don’t understand.” Fiona swallowed back her horror.

“It’s
quite simple.” David pushed the needle protector up. “I thought you might be
different, but you’re not. I’ll kill you like the others, slowly and painfully
until you beg for my love.”

He
slammed the door and within seconds, the car was moving again. She felt the
dragging action of the drug he’d given her start to take effect. Her eyelids
felt heavy and she fought to keep them open. She wanted to remember Ardal’s
face as long as possible.

His
beloved face was clear in her mind’s eye.

Now
when it was too late, she realized how much she loved him. He was truly the
only man she would ever love. It was fitting that he would be the last man in
her thoughts. She wouldn’t let David win. She would block his evil and focus on
Ardal. Her last thoughts would be of him. At least he would know how she really
felt as she sent her message to him.

“I
love you,” she repeated until the words blurred and her mind clouded.

Ardal
was the last word on her lips as the world darkened and her thoughts ceased.

Darkness
encompassed the vehicle and his heart. For the first time in his life, Ardal
felt detached from his men. He was a Hunter of the clan Rioge, the last leader
of his breed and yet he could only think of Fiona. The pain of leaving her
gnawed at his gut. He knew his men came first, but he should never have let
them convince him to do something that felt so wrong.

Despite
what Darrogh had implied, he knew she was not a distraction. She was his
anchor. She grounded him. He might not have needed that in the past, but since
bonding he realized that it was necessary to have a constant connection with
her. He cursed himself for not realizing this earlier, but it was all so new.

No
Hunter had pair bonded before.

There
was no rule or code to follow.

He
was floundering in a strange land with no guidance. He suddenly understood much
clearer what the stranded Hunters had endured. It was worse for them because
they hadn’t finished their training. They had been children.

Ardal
sighed and looked out the window. No matter how he felt, he had to put it
behind him and get his men to safety. They had dispersed and were trying to
find new lives. Catal had made arrangements for his group to have papers and
identities. With these in place, they could travel to the far reaches of this
planet.

A
wave of nausea hit Ardal with a piercing ache that twisted his gut. He grimaced
and clutched his side. Never had he felt anguish like this, not in the worse
battle, not when tortured, nor when punished as a boy.
Never.

He
gripped the door handle until his knuckles were white. The nausea lessened, but
the agony grew. He took several deep breaths and forced the sensation away.
Years of training had made him adept at ignoring discomfort. Every Hunter had
the ability.

The
torment grew more intense. There was only one explanation. This was not his
pain.

Fiona
was in agonizing distress.

His
bonding meant that he felt what she did, but the intensity of it could only
mean one thing. She was in peril. Worse, she was probably close to dying.

“We
must return.”

Catal
glanced round from the front. “We’re leaving the city. We need to put distance
between us.”

“Fiona
is in danger. I have to find her.”

Firbin
moved the vehicle into the right lane and took the next exit.

“You
can’t just turn around. The military are looking for us.”

“Ardal
is leader. I obey my leader.”

Catal
exhaled a heavy sigh. “This is nuts. What don’t you understand about the danger
we’re in?”

“We
are always in danger.” Niail spoke from beside Ardal. “A Hunter obeys.”

Catal
turned and looked at him for a few seconds. “You’re serious.”

Niail
gave him a steady gaze. “Ardal has always led us true.”

Catal
shook his head. “I hope that you still feel the same when we’re captured.”

“I
do not put my men in unnecessary danger. I will return on my own. You may
continue the journey without me.” Ardal kept his voice low.

“No.”
Niail shook his head. “We follow where you lead.”

“This
is to protect my pair bond.”

Firbin
stopped at a red light and signaled a right turn. “I made a vow to Fiona also.
A Hunter does not betray his word.”

“You
would never let us face danger on our own.” Niail added.

Catal
rubbed his face with his hands. “It’s three against one. Short of jumping out
of this car, I have no choice but to go along with you.”

“You
are young, but you learn quickly.” Niail’s voice was dry.

“I’m
older than you.” Catal’s voice reverberated in the closed vehicle.

“Only
in years.”
Niail’s voice held a hint of humour.
“Your life as a Hunter begins today.”

It
took them fifteen minutes to reach Fiona’s sister’s house. They pulled into the
driveway and Ardal jumped out of the vehicle. The others followed and together
they went to the front door. It was open by several inches. Ardal steadied his
breathing and calmed his adrenaline surge as he prepared for battle.

They
entered the house with soft steps, Ardal motioning his men to spread out and
search. The ground floor was cleared before they started up the stairs. That
was when he saw Karen on the upper landing. She was sprawled out as if dead and
he feared the worse. He knelt beside her as his men began their search of the
upper floor.

He
shook Karen’s shoulder and was greeted by a groan. She was alive. When the
others returned, she was struggling to sit up on her elbows. His men moved away
from her, forming a circle as they stood looking down, hands behind their
backs, and legs spread.