Hunter's Claim: The Alliance Book 1 (14 page)

“Don’t you flash your teeth at me, buster,”
a soft, familiar voice said. “At least not until you can do
something with them,” she added in a trembling voice. “Hey, Dagger.
How’s it hanging?”

Hunter froze. Every muscle in his body
stiffened as if he had suddenly been turned into stone before hot,
fiery warmth swept through him. His eyes burned to see if he was
imagining things. There was no way in hell….

“Jesse?” He muttered in a hoarse voice
filled with horror.

Dark brown eyes turned to look at him as she
sliced through the rope. A soft smile curled her lips. The dark
hood fell forward when she bowed her head to walk around the other
side of him as if she was checking to make sure that strap was
secure as well.

“Act like you are still tied until I get
Dagger undone,” she said quietly. “When you get loose, head to the
left. There is a cart that you can use to get over the compound
wall.”

“What of the guard?” Dagger asked, following
Jesse’s figure as she knelt and acted as if she was adjusting her
boot. The knife she held sliced through the thick rope as if it was
butter. “There are at least three of them on the roof.”

“Not anymore. Saber took the one out on that
side. That is him standing guard,” she replied as she stood up and
sliced through the rope holding his right arm.

“Saber?!” Dagger hissed. “He lives.”

“Yes,” Jesse said, turning as another guard
walked toward her. “Be quiet.”

“Shaj nu!”
Who are you?
The man
called out.

Jesse shrugged and lifted a glove covered
hand up. She turned and started walking toward the wall where Saber
stood watch. She ignored the man as he called out again.

“Shaj nu!” The man demanded again.

Jesse gasped when the man reached out and
grabbed her arm forcing her to turn around. The man reached up and
yanked down the hood of the cloak she was wearing. A loud curse
burst from his lips and he turned to yell out an alarm.

Jesse didn’t know what to do. She hadn’t
understood what he was saying as it didn’t translate in the
translator in her ear. She reacted without thinking. She threw her
arm out, her hand flat and karate chopped him in the throat as hard
as she could. The male’s choked gasp showed she had caught him off
guard.

She had not expected him to backhand her.
The blow lifted her off her feet and sent her flying several feet
before she hit the hard ground. Her ears rung from the blow and she
lay still as her vision blurred.

She almost cried out when hard hands gripped
her forearms and lifted her off her feet. The sound of bones
cracking behind her barely registered before all hell broke loose.
Shouts from the other guards stationed across from them echoed a
warning to those sleeping inside.

Saber opened fire with the laser rifle he
had taken from the other guard. Jesse found herself wrapped in warm
arms that swept her feet up off the ground. She heard Hunter grunt
out to Dagger to go up first. She did scream when she felt herself
going airborne as Hunter tossed her up to Dagger as if she was a
toy doll instead of a hundred and ten pound human.

“I’ve got you,” Dagger said, turning with
her.

Jesse’s eyes flew over Dagger’s shoulder
trying to keep Hunter in her vision. She breathed a sigh of relief
before crying out for him to duck as a figure behind him fired. She
struggled to be set down but Dagger’s arms tightened around
her.

“Not yet, little warrior,” Dagger said with
an amused chuckle. “Your
Amate
would have my head if I
didn’t get you to safety first.”

Additional fighting broke out on the ground
and Jesse saw a large group of Trivator warriors pouring into the
compound. Her head fell back to watch as several battle transports
flew over the building. The sky brightened as the sun broke over
the horizon illuminating the battle, or what was left of it,
below.

Jesse felt her body being transferred again
and pressed protectively against Hunter’s solid form. She relaxed
back into him as relief washed over her. He was safe. Her
Amate
was safe. She closed her eyes as the sounds of
fighting ceased and more battle transports arrived.

“Hunter,” Jesse murmured.

“What, my Jesse?” Hunter asked, running his
hand over her hair as he watched Thunder’s men round up the last of
the mercenaries.

“I love you,” she whispered, burying her
nose against his neck. “I’m glad you didn’t leave me too.”

Warmth spread through him at her words. The
tightness in his chest appeared again. This time in a different way
than it had when he first realized that it was her and not the
guard. The tightness and the burning in the back of his eyes were
beginning to irritate the hell out of him. He needed to speak with
Carp about it.

“We are going to talk about this when I have
you safely back on the
Star Raider
,” he said gruffly.

Jesse sighed heavily again. “About that,”
she murmured. “I think I might be in a little bit of trouble.”

A chuckle from Saber drew Hunter’s
attention. “She might be in a bit more than a little,” Saber
laughed. “She knocked Jag’s ass out just like she did you when he
threatened to lock her in a detention cell.”

Dagger’s bark of laughter mixed with
Hunter’s groan.

Several hours later, Hunter wrapped his arm
around Jesse’s waist as they departed the transport that had taken
them back to the warship. She had refused to let him carry her off
it. Fury still burned him. It was a good thing Dagger had killed
the guard that had struck Jesse. His eyes moved over the dark
bruise covering almost the entire right side of her face. He had
not noticed it before because she had kept her face turned into his
chest. It was only as they settled in the transport and one of the
medics came over to ask if he could examine Jesse that Hunter
remembered that the guard had struck her.

“I’m okay, you know,” Jesse said quietly as
two guards escorted them to the bridge. “Has anyone let Jordan and
Taylor know that we are back?” She asked worriedly. “They should be
told.”

“I’ve asked Bree, Carp’s
Amate
, to
inform them,” Dagger said coming up behind them. “I figured you’d
be as worried about them as they are about you.”

Jesse gave Dagger a smile of thanks before
wincing as the swelling that had begun on the transport pulled on
her face. She sighed deeply. She looked a mess. She hadn’t had a
bath in almost a week and knew she must stink, her face looked like
she had been in a boxing match and lost and she was covered in
dirt. She pulled on her shirt but it was useless. A large section
was missing from where she had torn it to use as a washcloth to
clean Saber’s face.

“Are you sure I can’t get cleaned up first?”
She asked self-consciously. “My face…”

Hunter stopped in the middle of the corridor
outside the bridge and swung around to glare down at Jesse in
concern. Dagger and Saber had to stop quickly so they didn’t run
into him. His face turned dark with rebellion.

“I knew it!” Hunter bit out. “You do need to
go to medical first. I should have ignored the order to…”

“No,” Jesse interrupted. “No, Hunter. I’ll
be fine. I just wanted to get cleaned up before I faced the music,
that’s all. It is bad enough to have to face your boss after
knocking him out but to do it looking like something the dog dug up
doesn’t give me a lot of courage.”

Twin barks of laughter drew a furious scowl
from Hunter. He shot both Dagger and Saber a heated look. He pulled
Jesse closer to him, as if to protect her.

“You think she looks bad?” Hunter
snarled.

Saber held his hands up. “No, I think it is
funny as hell that she knocked Jag out and thinks she doesn’t have
courage. I’ve never met a braver, more determined warrior in my
life.”

“That goes for me, too,” Dagger added
quietly. “You have nothing to fear, Jesse. We will stand beside
you.”

Tears glittered in Jesse’s eyes as she
stared at the three men towering over her. This is what it meant
not to be alone any longer. For so long, it had just been her and
her sisters. Now, she felt like she had found a home for all of
them. Some place safe where they could lay their heads down to rest
and not wonder if they would live through to the next day.

“Thank you,” she replied in a husky voice.
“Thank you for everything.”

Dagger cleared his throat. “Let’s get this
over with so Carp can take a look at Jesse before you take her to
get clean,” he said gruffly. “I’d like to have a talk with one of
her sisters as well.”

“You aren’t the only one,” Saber muttered.
“Taylor is lucky she didn’t blow her and Jesse up with all the
explosives she had packed in that damn bag of hers.”

Jesse tuned everyone out when she saw Jag
waiting impatiently for them. She tilted her head defiantly as his
eyes skimmed her appearance before resting on her battered face.
His eyes flashed with fury before he concealed it.

She walked stiffly into the conference room
off the bridge, very conscious of the silence on the bridge as all
eyes followed her. Hunter squeezed her hip in support. She stood
stiffly, clasping her hands in front of her to hide the trembling
in them. She waited until the commander of the
Star Raider
turned before she said anything.

“I’m not sorry for what I did,” she said
softly. “I’d do it again. If you want to… to…,” her voice broke and
she had to draw in a deep breath before she could finish. “If you
want to throw me in prison… or… or worse, I’ll accept my
punishment.”

Three low growls filled the room as Hunter
drew Jesse back against his body while Saber and Dagger stepped up
on either side of her. Jag glared at the three men in warning.

“I’ll throw all your asses in detention if
you don’t shut up,” he warned before turning his eyes on Jesse
again. “Is it true? You patched Saber up and snuck into the
compound dressed as a guard and cut Hunter and Dagger free.”

Jesse bit her lip only to wince when she
discovered the cut on it. She slowly nodded her head. She looked up
at Hunter when he caressed her side in comfort.

“Yes,” she said. “I found Saber, well, he
actually found me as I was climbing up onto the roof of a building
to see if I could get a better look of the area. He had been hurt.
His leg was infected. Taylor,” her voice faded when she saw the
commander scowl again. “Taylor had, well, she had gathered a few
medical supplies in case we needed them. I was able to use them to
patch him up.”

“Yes, I am aware of some of the items your
youngest sister took,” Jag commented coolly. “Including the
explosives,” he added dryly, glancing at Saber.

“Hunter, I expect a detailed report sent to
me by tomorrow afternoon,” Jag said. “I want Carp to check your
Amate
out when you leave here. Until further notice, your
Amate
will remain in your living quarters under your
supervision. I expect you to remain with her to make sure that she
does not cause any further problems. Additional forces have been
sent by the Alliance to clean up the remaining insurgents. The
Star Raider
has been redirected back to Rathon. You are
dismissed.”

Hunter nodded tersely before he scooped
Jesse up in his arms and turned sharply on his heel. He didn’t
pause, even when Jag barked out for Dagger and Saber to remain. His
only concern now was for Jesse. He could feel the trembling she had
tried so bravely to hide. He could smell her pain and feel her
fatigue. He had no intentions of disobeying his current orders.

A small smile curved his lips as he thought
of his commanding officer’s reaction to what Jesse had done down on
the planet. He knew Jag well enough to know that the huge Trivator
warrior was not immune to the effort it was taking for Jesse to
stand upright. He also knew that his orders had not been what Jag
had originally planned but once word swept through the warriors of
Jesse’s bravery he couldn’t discount her courage.

“Hunter,” Jesse murmured. “Can I just get a
shower and go to bed? I’m so tired.”

“Soon, my
Amate
,” he replied. “Just
close your eyes and let me care for you now.”

“Okay,” Jesse replied, closing her eyes and
releasing a deep sigh. “Love you.”

“I… love you too, Jesse,” Hunter whispered
in shock as he finally understood what that tight feeling was in
his chest. “I love you too, my
Amate
.”

Hunter stepped inside the lift that would
take them down to medical. He blinked against the burning in his
eyes as he stared down at Jesse’s closed eyes and swollen face. He
was in love! All this time he hadn’t understood what was wrong with
him and it was him falling in love. His heart beat heavily as he
thought of how easily he could have lost Jesse without ever telling
her.

Bending, he rubbed his nose along her
forehead as visions flooded his mind. Memories of her staring at
him terrified as she worked the locks holding the chains on him the
first time he saw her. Other visions followed. Images of her lying
on the floor of the collapsed garage, flushed with fever and
bleeding. Her fighting against the men that had surrounded her and
her sisters, the first time they made love, teasing him as she cut
the ropes from his wrists and ankles and defiantly telling his
commanding officer that she would disobey him again if
necessary.

“Gods, Jesse,” he whispered as the lift
slowed. “I love you!”

He cradled her tenderly in his arms as he
stepped off the lift. Warriors in the corridors paused, placing
their hands over their chest in a show of honor as he carried her.
Word of what she had done had spread throughout the warship. She
was being given a warrior's salute for her bravery.

Hunter nodded as he carried her into the
medical unit. Carp stood ready, along with Bree who cursed when she
saw Jesse’s battered body. Hunter carefully laid Jesse down on the
bed. She was so tired, she didn’t move. He brushed her hair back
from her bruised cheek. He didn’t care if the others saw that his
hand wasn’t quite steady.