Jesse blinked in surprise when she felt herself being lifted. Her heart thundered in her chest as she tried to remember where she was. She looked up in surprise as she was carefully lowered to the thin pallet where Saber had been lying.
“What?” She started to say. “Saber? Are you…?”
“I’m fine thanks to you, little warrior,” Saber said with an amused smile.
Jesse grimaced as she lay back with a tired smile. “Not much of a warrior if I fall asleep on guard duty,” she said ruefully. “What time is it?”
“Mid-morning. The sun would burn your delicate skin,” Saber said, nodding to the area where she had been hiding. The sun was now creeping toward it. “It is a good thing I woke up.”
“How is your leg?” Jesse asked as she covered a yawn. “I have more medicine if you need it. I think Taylor emptied all of Carp’s supplies.”
Saber shook his head in amusement. “How did you get here, Jesse. You know Hunter is going to be very upset with you, don’t you?”
Jesse grinned. “He’ll have to stand in line. I think Jag is going to be even madder when he wakes up,” she said with a twinkle in her eye before it faded. “Where is Hunter? Is he… is he hurt?”
She couldn’t ask if he was dead. She couldn’t imagine a life without him in it. It would kill her if he was no longer there to hold her and make her feel safe.
Saber’s face grew grim. “One of the residents who pulled me from the rubble has been keeping me informed about Hunter and Dagger. They were captured shortly after the attack on us. They are being held in a compound not far from here. He will have more information tonight. His son works in the kitchen there,” he said. “They are alive but I’m not sure for how much longer.”
“We have to save them,” Jesse whispered. “Please, Saber. I can’t live without him. I love him so much.”
Saber’s eyes softened as he saw the distress on Jesse’s face. He needed to search for more of their warriors but he couldn’t leave Jesse alone and unprotected. He knelt next to her, studying her face.
“I need to let some of our people know where they are,” he said heavily. “I will see if Moor will go. I cannot leave you alone.”
“I’ve been alone for a long time, Saber,” Jesse said tiredly. “I’ve been on this planet for four days now. I think I can handle being alone for a few hours.”
Saber shook his head in amazement. “You are a remarkable alien, Jesse. Hunter is one lucky bastard to have claimed you.”
Jesse reached out and briefly caressed Saber’s cheek before dropping her hand onto her stomach. She yawned again and felt her body being dragged down to sleep from a combination of exhaustion and the heat. She blinked several times before giving up the fight. She wouldn’t be any good to anyone if she didn’t get a little bit of rest. She would only sleep for a few minutes.
Saber looked at the still figure of the female lying on the pallet where he had thought he would spend the last few minutes of his life. A tender smile curved his lips as she rolled over and tucked her hands under her chin. She looked so small and fragile but she had a core of steel inside her. Hunter was indeed one lucky bastard.
Saber glanced at the two bags next to the mat. He opened one and sure enough, it was filled with medical supplies. He began pulling items out, stopping and whistling under his breath when he found several high-impact explosive devices, a laser pistol with extra charges and a light-weight laser knife.
“Taylor,” he murmured.
He thought of the young girl who already showed promise of becoming a beautiful, strong-willed woman. He shook his head as he fingered the small but deadly explosives. That one was going to give some poor warrior a headache as he tried to keep up with her. A frown darkened his face as a sense of anger burned at the thought of some unknown warrior choosing the rambunctious female. He shrugged. It would be years before Hunter would let any male near her. In the meantime, he would help protect the female from not only others but from herself.
..*
Jesse came awake as the first bands of stars began to twinkle. She rubbed her eyes in confusion before memories of where she was and what had happened washed through her. Sitting up, she raised her hands above her head and stretched. Her hands dropped when a familiar figure moved out of the shadows.
“Saber,” Jesse said with a relieved smile. “Thank you for letting me sleep. Is your leg still doing okay?”
Saber stepped closer and sat next to her. He handed her a small clay bottle containing water and a plate of fresh fruit and bread. He waited until she took them before he looked out over the tops of the roofs.