Jesse stepped cautiously through the doors. She would have turned and run back to the cabin where she had woken earlier if it wasn’t for the fact that Hunter was blocking the doorway. Her eyes swept the large dining room filled with mostly men. There were a few female aliens scattered among the men but they were far outnumbered. All of them were seated near a male.
Her eyes paused briefly on the female she had met once before. Her brow creased as she tried to remember the woman’s name. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had met her.
“Her name is Bree,” Hunter said as he slid his hand around her waist when he felt her hesitate. “She is the Amate of Carp, the healer who took care of you and Jordan.”
Jesse nodded but her eyes were focused on the two small, pale females sitting next to Bree and Carp. Jordan saw her first before Taylor. Jordan looked at her in concern while Taylor’s eyes lit up and she rose from her seat with a cry of delight.
Jesse took a step forward and opened her arms as Taylor rushed forward. Jesse closed her eyes and held her little sister tightly, overcome with emotion to see the sun shining in Taylor’s eyes again. Jesse pulled back far enough to cup Taylor’s cheeks. She searched every area of her sister’s face, needing the reassurance that Taylor was really alright.
“Are you okay?” Jesse asked hesitantly.
Taylor smiled. “Yes,” she said with a small smile. “I got knocked out so I didn’t know what was going on, thank goodness. Jordan didn’t say anything but Saber said that they took care of the men who attacked us. From the look on Jordan’s face, I’d say they kicked some ass.”
“Taylor,” Jesse said sternly in rebuke at her sister cussing but she couldn’t prevent the corners of her mouth from lifting at the mischievous twinkle in her eye. “They kicked some major ass.”
Taylor tilted her head. “Are you okay?” She asked, suddenly seeming so much older than fifteen. “We woke up a few days ago but Hunter said you needed more time and we needed to let you rest.”
Jesse looked over to where Hunter was talking quietly with Saber and Dagger. He looked up as if he knew she was thinking about him. She flushed and lowered her head. She was so confused. None of this made any sense to her.
“I’m fine,” she replied. “I’m just glad you and Jordan are alright and… safe.”
Taylor grinned. “Come on and sit with us. Are you hungry? It is so different, being able to eat when we want and not be starving all the time.”
A low growl rumbled through the room as several warriors heard Taylor’s comment. Jesse flushed again, this time out of guilt. She had done a piss-poor job of protecting and taking care of her sisters. She had done the best she could but it was obvious from Taylor’s comment it had not been good enough.
“Don’t,” a soft warm voice whispered in her ear. “What you did was remarkable. I do not know of many warriors, myself included, who could have done what you did.”
Jesse glanced up at Hunter and gave a small shake to her head. She stiffened when he turned her to face him. He carefully cupped her face between his hands, tilting her face upward so he could see her eyes.
“I mean it, Jesse,” he said. “What you did is remarkable. There is not a warrior here that is not in awe of what you have done.”
Doubt clouded her eyes as she continued to stare up at him. “Why? You heard Taylor. We were always cold, hungry, tired. We had to move constantly and they were always in danger,” she murmured in regret. “That is no life for a fifteen and seventeen year old. They should have been enjoying high school, going to dances and thinking of boys.”
“Things that you gave up to care for them,” Hunter pointed out. “You risked your life to save mine.”
“I couldn’t let them kill you like that,” she started to say, stopping when he touched her lips with his thumb.
“I was an alien to your world,” he reminded her. “My people were the reason your world was the way it was. Others would have left me to die and felt I deserved such a death and more.”
Jesse flushed when she realized that the room had become silent as all the warriors in the room listened to her and Hunter’s conversation. She looked at all the eyes staring at her, waiting for her response. She trembled and moved closer to Hunter. She turned to look at him when she felt his arms move down to draw her closer.
“My world is like it is because of the humans who live there,” she stated calmly. “Your coming only gave them the excuse they were looking for to self-destruct.”
Hunter drew her against his chest and held her close. This human female continued to shake him. It took several long moments before her arms reached out and circled his waist. He looked over at Jordan as he felt Jesse relax against him. Jordan nodded and smiled sadly at him before she turned away. It would not be easy but he was beginning to learn and be accepted by his new family. He just needed to assure them that he would not leave them as well.
..*