aHunter4Rescue (aHunter4Hire) (14 page)

Now
the implants had been deactivated and he was the first to experience the
bonding.

It
was ironic. He had chosen to disobey a direct order and he would be the first
to suffer the consequences. His men would have to be warned. They would find it
hard to understand, but they would accept that he might have other
considerations when making decisions. It would be up to them whether he
remained their leader.

Five
hours into his watch Ardal had notified his men of the situation. They had been
surprised, but wanted him to remain as leader. The night had grown cold by the
time he woke Jehon to relieve him. Jehon yawned and then stood.

“You
have told them?” Jehon’s voice was a low whisper.

Ardal
nodded. “They are aware.”

“What
is your decision?”

“In
the morning you and Firbin travel without us.”

Jehon
nodded. “I will take watch.”

Ardal
turned to sit down when Fiona’s voice stopped him. “Is it time to wake?”

“No.
We are changing watch.” Ardal picked up Jehon’s blanket.”

“I’m
cold.”

Her
voice was husky with sleep and tugged at his previously dormant heart. There
was no combating the need to please her. He snapped the blanket open and walked
to where she lay. He spread it over her.

Her
voice was low, but audible. “Stay.”

“That
is not wise.” Ardal’s whisper echoed through the cave.

“I
need you.” Fiona didn’t care how illogical it was; having Ardal near kept the
panic away.

With
a grunt, he lay beside her. He pulled her close and wrapped the blanket around
both of them. His body heat warmed her. It melted away the shock of the last
twenty-four hours. She snuggled her head high on his chest and snaked her hand
up under his shirt. Soft whorls of hair brushed her fingers before she reached
his heart. It beat strong and steady.

“Better?”
Ardal’s voice was husky.

She
sighed. “I feel safe.”

“Then
I am content.” Ardal’s arm tightened around her. “I will not leave you.”

“I
know.”

It
was crazy, but deep inside she knew it was the truth. Any other man who had
killed with such precision and calm would have terrified her, but not Ardal.
His every action had been to keep her safe. Even now, tired and in need of
sleep, he had given her what she needed.

“Thank
you,” she mumbled before sleep claimed her once again.

It
was several hours later when faint light filtered through to the rear of the
cave. Fiona blinked her eyes in protest. With a groan she twisted her head on
her pillow, frowning at the warmth pouring from it. It felt like a furnace. The
rest of her body was stiff. With a start she realized that she wasn’t sleeping
on a bed, but bedrock. Her hand stretched and explored the heat beneath her
head.

“Dangerous.”

With
a gasp she looked up.

Ardal.

Fiona
winced. Heat flooded her face as she lifted her head from his chest. “I’m
sorry.” Her voice was barely a squeak.

“No
need.” Ardal sat up. “You were cold.”

“Thank
you.” Fiona pushed her hair off her face and grimaced as she tried to sit.
Every bone in her body ached. “Did someone beat me last night?” she groaned.

“No
one touched you.” Ardal’s voice was firm.

“I
was joking.” She sat and stretched her arms over her head. “Where are the
others?”

“Firbin
is on watch and Jehon has gone to hunt.”

She
pushed off her blanket and stood. “I have energy bars in my pack.”

“Save
them until it is necessary.” Ardal stood and took the blanket from her. “We
need to conserve our supplies.”

“But
we’ll reach Toronto this afternoon.” Fiona’s eyes narrowed as she watched Ardal’s
face. Something was different. The man refused to look her in the eye and he
was making damn certain that he didn’t touch her.

“What’s
happened?”

He
shook his head. “Our plans must change. Your military was looking for us last
night.”

“And
you let me sleep?” Horror and anger surged through her. What if they’d been
found? God, was she ever going to feel safe again?

“I
will protect you.” Ardal’s quiet voice broke into her thoughts. “You said that
you would trust me to make the right decisions.”

“I
do.” She shook her head. How had he known what she was feeling? Was she that
obvious?

Ardal
touched her arm and again that shock of electricity raced through her body. “Do
you need privacy?”

It
took a second for her to realize what he was asking. She gave him a slight
smile. After all her efforts to make them understand last night, this was a
welcome change.

“I’ll
find a tree or something.”

He
frowned. “I do not understand.”

“We’re
camping.” Fiona walked to the overhang. “It’s not like we have indoor plumbing.”

Ardal
shrugged and pointed to a path that led down to the water. “I will meet you
there.”

Fiona
found the cover of a cedar and took care of her morning business. When she was
finished she took stock of their surroundings. They were on a high rock outcrop.
It was a great hiding place. You could see anyone coming at you from miles
away. She had to hand it to these Hunters. They knew what they were doing.

When
she reached the water, Jehon and Firbin were there also. They looked up as she
approached. There was a small fire near the water’s edge and fish on sticks
were being cooked over it. Ardal retrieved one of them and brought it to her.

“Eat.”

“So
much for morning conversation.”
Fiona sat on a rock
and started to pick the meat off the stick. It was surprisingly delicious with
a smoky taste.

“We
have made plans.” Ardal sat beside her. “Firbin’s leg is much improved. He and
Jehon will take the vehicle. You and I will go by foot. We will find another
way to Toronto.”

“Is
that safe?”

“They
will be looking for three men and a woman. You will be recognized. ” Ardal
cleared his throat. “Also, you are a distraction.”

“You
mean because I can’t make up my mind.”

Ardal
looked at Jehon and then back to her. “You are a woman and that makes it
difficult for us to focus.”

“You
said you weren’t affected by that kind of stuff.”

“Our
implants are deactivated.” Jehon spoke in a tight voice. He held a knife that
he was heating in the fire. “We are as normal men now.”

“And
that bothers you?”

“It
is not something we have dealt with in the past.” Ardal nodded to Jehon. “We
need to focus on fitting into this world.”

So
there it was. Fiona heaved a sigh and blew the hair from her face. “Drop me off
at the nearest town. I’ll get a bus.”

“No.”
Ardal held his left arm out to Jehon. “You and I will travel together.”

Fiona
frowned as she watched Jehon bring the heated knife to Ardal’s skin. “What the
heck are you doing?”

“Removing
the implant.”
Jehon felt Ardal’s forearm with a
finger and then plunged the knife in.

Ardal’s
jaw tightened but no sound escaped him. Was the man made of stone? Just as the
thought raced through her mind, he looked at her. She saw the fire and pain in
his eyes and gasped. He knew what she was thinking. His gaze was fixed on her
so that she was the only one who could see his suffering.

She
bit her lip and forced back the nausea. His distress was hers. She couldn’t
take her eyes from him. How could he stand the burning, searing probe of the
knife? Just when she was going to shout for Jehon to stop, he pulled the knife
out. A small metal object came away with the blade. Ardal released the breath
he’d been holding.

“Are
you insane?” Fiona’s voice shook with shock. “A doctor should have taken that
out.”

“There
is no time.” Ardal pressed his hand against the wound. “We cannot risk the
implant being activated.”

Fiona
scrambled to his side. She ripped a strip off her shirt and pressed it against
the wound. “Someone get my bag.”

Firbin
ran back to the cave and returned a minute later. He threw the bag over to her
and she rummaged in it until she found a small first aid kit. She found the
antibacterial lotion and a bandage. “It needs a stitch.”

“It
will heal.”

She
shook her head and went to cleaning and closing the wound as best she could.
“Are you all going to do this?”

“Yes.”

“At
least I’ll be prepared.”

She
looked into Ardal’s dark eyes. She saw understanding and gratitude there. A
surge of warmth flowed through her and centered in her heart. This man affected
her in a way that she had never experienced before. She exhaled a shaky breath
and forced her gaze away.

When
Jehon went to use the knife on Firbin, she intervened. Despite their skill, her
medical training gave her an edge. She found the implant and with deft assurance
sliced and removed it with half the damage Jehon had inflicted on Ardal. She
did Jehon next. When both of the men were bandaged she put the knife back in
the fire along with the implants.

“Are
you safe now?”

“The
Holman will not be able to track us.” Ardal pulled on his hoodie. “If they
learn that the ship crashed, they might search for survivors. It is best they
think us dead.”

“What
about the others?” Fiona pulled the knife from the fire and brushed the
charcoal on her jeans. “Won’t they be at risk, too?”

“They
know to remove the implants.” Ardal picked up the small baggie that had held
the first aid kit. He filled it up with water and splashed it on the fire.

Fiona
opened her mouth to ask how when she was caught by Ardal’s glance. It was
intense and warning. She shrugged. It was no big secret. These guys had a
hidden communication system like mobile phones. She frowned. That didn’t make
sense though. Phones required a cellular system to work off. Perhaps they’d
tapped into one of the cell towers.

“It’s
not safe to use phones.” Fiona blurted the words before thinking. Ardal raised
an eyebrow. “I just don’t want you guys caught. It’s my fault that all of this
is happening.”

“You
did not cause us to crash.” It was Firbin who spoke in a low voice. “You have
only tried to help.”

“If
I hadn’t insisted that we stop to eat, you’d be in Toronto right now.”

“It
is done.” Ardal’s voice was firm. “We must leave.”

Just
like that, the military leader was back. Fiona stood and watched the wheels of
command take over. Any second now and she’d have expected the men to salute. He
had an easy way of directing, though. Before long they had broken camp and were
standing by the stolen car. Firbin seemed to hesitate when it came to
separating.

“It
is for the best.” Ardal opened the SUV door. “You need to recover. Your skills
are needed.”

“I
would risk it.”

“I
will not.” Ardal pushed the younger man into the vehicle. “That is why I am in
command.”

Firbin
sighed.
“Hunters true and right.”

“By
Cygnus and Warrior we will meet again.”

No
further words were spoken. The vehicle drove down the rough path to the
highway. Within seconds it was out of sight. Silence surrounded them. Fiona
rubbed her arms, trying to suppress the sense of isolation and loneliness that
she felt.

“I
will not leave.” Ardal’s voice was quiet and sincere. “We need to move.”

They
had already cleaned the cave area and hidden the evidence of their campfire.
Ardal carried a pack fashioned out of their blankets, which held most of their
supplies. Fiona slung her backpack over her shoulder.

As
they left the area, Ardal took branches and covered their tracks. They avoided
the soft ground and walked along the stony shoreline for at least two miles
before cutting inland toward the highway. By the time they reached the road’s
edge, it was well past noon.

Fiona
was exhausted and her feet hurt. At this rate, they’d be in Toronto next year.
She groaned when Ardal moved back into the treeline. It made sense to stay
hidden, but the land was harder to navigate and the branches had already cut
her arms to pieces. She wasn’t even counting the number of mosquito and
blackfly bites she had.

Ardal
stopped without warning. “You are tired. We will rest here.”

Fiona
tried to deny it, but her mouth refused to work. She sat down with a thud and
pulled out her water bottle. “How long do we have to do this?”

Ardal
shrugged.
“Until we are safe.”

“How
will you know?” She didn’t hide her sarcasm. “You’re not exactly familiar with
how things work here.”