aHunter4Trust Read online

  “I do not think you have a choice.” Savis’s voice was solemn. “We are only bonded with one and it is beyond our control.”

  “True.” Darrogh only had to remember how hard he had fought the attraction to know that it was not his decision. “It is time I had a talk with Tamsin to see how she feels.”

  “That is best.”

  “I will tell the team once I know for certain.”

  Darrogh’s chest tightened as he considered having to reveal any of this to Tamsin, or the rest of his team. He had scoffed at Ardal, their leader, when he had announced that he had mated. Now, it was his turn to admit that pair bonding was a reality for Hunters on Earth.

  Just then, the van door opened and Peter and Kerm jumped in.

  “Everything is set.” Kerm started the engine and pulled away from the curb. “I will drive around to be certain that we have a signal from a distance.”

  When they were positive that the camera was transmitting, Darrogh went back to Tamsin’s house. The men at the house needed rest if they were going to be doing surveillance on the mailbox tomorrow. Peter stayed with Kerm and Savis in the van. They intended to park down the street from the drop box, and wait for the client to appear.

  When he opened the house door, Tamsin was waiting for him. It was as if she had known he was close. He had barely closed the door behind him, when she grabbed his arm. A shock of intense awareness passed through him.

  Tamsin’s eyes widened.

  She had felt it too.

  “We need to talk.”

  Chapter 12

  “What was that?” Tamsin rubbed her hands together.

  Darrogh’s body still tingled from touching Tamsin. “I can explain.”

  “I hope so.” Tamsin led him up the stairs to the second floor lounge attached to her bedroom. She sat on the settee and motioned for him to take a seat in the wingback chair across from her. “Did you find what you wanted at Peter’s house?”

  Darrogh looked at the chair and then walked to the window. He needed to distance himself. He and his team had failed to properly monitor the people around Tamsin. The consequences of such an oversight could have been death. Despite finding Peter, disaster still might happen. Until they located the person that the photos had been given to, and retrieved the evidence, Tamsin was not safe.

  “Peter had been following you long before we took over your security. His photos were very revealing.”

  “It sounds bad.” Tamsin curled her legs under her body and leaned back.

  Darrogh looked at her. “I did not protect you properly. I fear it may have been because I am unfamiliar with the ways of women.”

  “I’m tired of hearing things that don’t make any sense to me.” Tamsin’s voice was filled with exasperation. “You talk about humans and Earth as if you don’t belong. What does being a member of a security team called Hunters have to do with whether you can be near women?”

  “We are not just security people.” Darrogh struggled to find the right words to explain. “We are warriors.”

  “So you were soldiers and now you’re civilians. Even soldiers are allowed to be with women.”

  “Not Hunters.” Darrogh’s gaze did not waver from her.

  He sensed her confusion and frustration.

  It was time he told Tamsin who he was.

  Tamsin sighed. “It’s like we’re speaking two different languages.”

  Darrogh cleared his throat. “Before I came to Earth, I had only been on battlefields and combat frontlines. I was transferred into the unit that guarded the High Council of Cygnus, one week before execution orders were issued. I do not know how to speak to women.”

  “You are only making it more confusing.” Tamsin held up her hands. “One thing at a time. What do you mean before you came to Earth?”

  “I was born and bred on Cygnus. It is a planet in the Barnard Galaxy.”

  “You’re from another planet?” Tamsin’s voice was filled with doubt. “Does my Father know this?”

  “He did not ask.” Most people did not want to know where Hunters were from. Tamsin was different. He could not fight his connection with her. She needed to understand everything.

  “So it’s a don’t ask, don’t tell, policy.” Tamsin’s voice was filled with sarcasm.

  “We live in secret.”

  “I’m not stupid.” Tamsin rolled her eyes. “You’re taller than most men and very muscular, but you’re still human. Your hair is dark and your eyes black. You have two arms, two legs, and one head. You look like every other man on this planet.”

  “We share the same genes as humans.”

  “But you don’t come from Earth.” Tamsin’s tone was dry. “This is a fascinating fantasy as far-fetched as it is fantastic. You believe you’re an alien from outer space who shares the same genes as humans.”

  “It is the truth.” Darrogh struggled to keep his voice steady.

  Tamsin shut her eyes for a second. “How long have you been on Earth?”

  “We crash landed here a year ago.” Darrogh walked toward Tamsin.

  “Why didn’t you go home?” Tamsin tapped her fingers on the back of the settee. “If you’re able to travel through space and come to Earth, you must have the technology to leave.”

  He sat on the chair across from her.

  “There was a civil war on our planet.”

  “Let me guess, you were on the losing side.” Tamsin rubbed her forehead.

  “We were ordered executed because the Kaladin were defeated.” Darrogh clenched his hands into fists as he remembered the devastation the war had caused. “The Holman took over the planet and decreed that all Hunters, and our genes, be destroyed. We were being transported to our deaths when we crashed.”

  Tamsin frowned. “Genocide is pretty extreme. Why would they do that?”

  “Hunters were bred to protect and obey the Kaladin.”

  “So these Holman thought that you would continue fighting against them?” Tamsin brushed a strand of hair off her face. “Why not banish you?”

  “We are too dangerous to ignore.” Darrogh’s voice was low. “We have been bred to defend. We excel at it.”

  “You could be trained to do other work.”

  “There is no other task for us. We are an ancient warrior race that has been genetically modified.” Darrogh lifted his chin. “We are the best soldiers in the universe.”

  Tamsin shook her head. “That’s like saying you’re the prettiest woman in the galaxy because you won Miss Universe.”

  “I have fought on many worlds and defeated numerous enemies. I know that Hunters are feared and respected by all.”

  “If you’re from another planet then there is no way you could have human genes.” Tamsin looked pleased with her logic.

  “We came from Earth originally.” He clenched his jaw in an effort to remain calm. He had to convince Tamsin about Hunters, otherwise she would never believe him about the Albireons.

  “So you were humans that were abducted by the Kaladin?”

  “Eons ago.” Darrogh kept his voice steady. “It was so long ago that all knowledge of Earth had been stripped from our collective memories. We did not know about this planet or our connection to it.”

  “Do you understand how difficult this is to believe?” Tamsin stopped fidgeting with her hair. “You’re bigger than most men, but you still look human.”

  “We were modified and altered to be warriors. Fighting is all we are used for. We do not have children or mates like other men.”

  “Never?”

  “It is forbidden. We guard women and fight their wars, but we have no other contact with them.”

  “You’ve never been with a woman?” Tamsin sat on the edge of the settee. “I find that hard to believe. Men are not known for their celibacy, especially when women would be eager to spend time with you.”

  “Hunters are not like other men.” Darrogh sensed Tamsin’s beginning acceptance of who he was. “That is why it is difficult for us to be arou
nd women.”

  “Why agree to protect me then?” Tamsin frowned. “I’ve given you more than enough reasons to refuse the job.”

  “You needed help,” Darrogh said. “That is what we do.”

  “But now you have doubts.”

  “When I accepted the assignment, I had no connection with you. I did not believe that bonding was possible.” Darrogh leaned closer to Tamsin. “I understand fighting and war. Since crashing on Earth, we have found that things are different here. I do not trust the changes that this planet has made to us.”

  “How is it different?”

  Darrogh’s stomach tightened at the thought of revealing the secrets of his abilities. Silence was what had given his race the advantage in battle and it had kept them alive on this planet. If the connection between him and Tamsin was strengthening then it would not be long before she realized everything about him. He had to trust Tamsin with the truth.

  “This planet affects our metabolism. We have quicker reflexes and keener senses, and we live longer.”

  Tamsin put up her hand. “You only crashed here a year ago. You can’t possibly know that.”

  “There are other Hunters who have been on this planet for thirty years. They were stranded here when they were children. Kerm is one of them.”

  “Kerm doesn’t look thirty.”

  “He is older than me.” Darrogh clasped his hands in front of him. “He has had to hide from humans in order to survive. That has given him many talents that have made our transition to this Earth easier.”

  “How old are you?” Tamsin’s voice was quiet.

  “I have seen thirty-two summers. Seventeen of those years have been on the battlefield.”

  “That means you started fighting at fifteen.” Tamsin shook her head. “Why would your parents allow that?”

  “Hunters are bred in birthing chambers. We do not have parents.”

  “This is insane.” Tamsin’s voice cracked. “So you work as mercenaries now.”

  “We right wrongs on this planet.” He sensed Tamsin’s disbelief.

  “I’m surprised you don’t hire yourself out to governments if your skills are as good as you say.”

  “The older Hunters did that in the past.” Darrogh grimaced as he remembered what the others had done to survive. “Now they fight with honor and for justice.”

  “Because that is better than fighting for a country?” Tamsin’s voice was scornful. “None of this makes sense.”

  Darrogh leaned back in his chair. “It is important that you understand and believe what I am telling you if we are going to continue to protect you.”

  “You were protecting me before. What has changed?” Tamsin’s voice held a hint of suspicion.

  Darrogh clenched his jaw. “There is one thing I have not told you about Hunters.”

  Tamsin tilted her head. “From the tone of your voice, I assume this is the reason we’re having this discussion.”

  “One of the reasons.” Darrogh nodded. “I told you that our genes had been manipulated and modified to make us the best warriors possible. Along with strength, we were also bred to be focused and dedicated.”

  “That makes sense.”

  “These abilities affected how we react to women. That is why it is forbidden for a Hunter to mate.”

  Tamsin’s eyes widened. “Are you telling me that you’re abusive?”

  Darrogh considered letting her believe the worse of him. It would ensure that she kept her distance and decrease the likelihood of their bonding. Honor and truth would not allow a falsehood to stand between them.

  “Any harm against a woman or child is punishable by death. That is the first law of the Sacred Code which I have defended my whole life.”

  Tamsin’s shoulders sagged. “For a second, you had me worried. So you’re protective of women. That’s not a cause for concern.”

  “We protect and obey women.” Darrogh hesitated as he struggled to find the right words. “Even though we were forbidden to mate, we have legends from ancient times when it was allowed.”

  “There must have been a reason to prohibit it.”

  “A Hunter forms a pair bond with one woman.” Darrogh’s voice was filled with sincerity. “We have found that this connection is absolute and complete.”

  Tamsin raised her eyebrows. “You said that Hunters don’t mate.”

  “Things have changed since we came to Earth.” Darrogh pulled up the sleeve on his left arm and exposed a small scar. “Our implants were removed so that we could not be pursued.

  Tamsin nodded. “They were tracking devices.”

  “They boosted our skills and inhibited us from mating.”

  “They made you impotent.” Tamsin’s voice held acceptance. “Without the implant, you are attracted to women. That doesn’t seem to be a problem.”

  “You do not fully understand about pair bonding.” Darrogh tried to keep his voice calm. “Hunters are not casually available to women like most men on your planet. There is only one pair bond for a Hunter. Not even death can break the link. His mate is the most important thing in his life. He will disobey orders if it means protecting her, and he will never bond or mate with another woman.”

  Tamsin’s eyes widened. “That’s why it was forbidden for you to mate.”

  “Nothing is more powerful than the connection between mates. They think as one and they communicate on a level that is unique.”

  “It sounds intense.” Tamsin’s eyes never left his face. “Why does this concern me?”

  “I am bonding with you.”

  Chapter 13

  “And I’m not the woman you desire.” Tamsin forced her voice to remain calm.

  It was clear that Darrogh didn’t want her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so upset. What was it about men? At least he was telling her before they became involved. That was more honest than Winchester had ever been.

  “You are the only woman who is right for me.” Darrogh’s voice sounded tortured.

  “What’s the problem then?”

  “I do not know if I can trust how I feel.” Darrogh clenched his hands into fists. “This planet has had a strange effect on us. Others of my unit have found their pair bond and mated, so there is truth in the legends. I still believe that a Hunter should not let anything interfere with his ability to fight.”

  As rejections went, this one was unique.

  She was a magnet for men unable to commit. It had to be a personality flaw that they sensed. Darrogh’s reason for rejecting her was unbelievable. He was taller and more muscular than most men, and had rugged good looks. She was drawn to his aura of suppressed power. The only drawback was that he was constantly on alert and always in control.

  He was like no other man she had ever met.

  It was just her luck that he thought he was from another planet and didn’t want her. There was no doubt that Darrogh believed what he was saying. How could she possibly accept such a wild story? It sounded as if he’d lost touch with reality. Was it even safe to be alone with him?

  “I would never harm you.”

  Tamsin’s eyes widened. “You keep anticipating what I’m thinking.”

  “It is part of the bonding.” Darrogh dropped his head in his hands. “I do not think there is any way to stop it.”

  “Deciphering my facial expressions is what you call bonding?” Tamsin’s snapped out the words. She was tired of his parlor tricks. “I’m not that easy to read.”

  “I hear your thoughts and sense your emotions.” Darrogh looked up. “The others explained the pair bonding, but I never thought it would be like this.”

  “How do you hear my thoughts?” Tamsin’s tone was hesitant.

  “Your doubts and questions are in my head.” Darrogh’s voice was low. “It is like the mind connect between Hunters, and it has the power to reach inside of me and twist. Your voice is all I want to hear.”

  “This is what your pair bonding is about? Telecommunication?”

  Darrogh shook his head. �
�That is only part of it. The bonding is a complete joining of body and mind.”

  “I don’t want anybody crawling around in my head.” A shiver went through Tamsin. What irrational rants had Darrogh been listening to? It was an invasion of her privacy.

  “Your thoughts are never indiscreet.” Darrogh smiled. “You have the power to block the pair bonding if you wish.”

  “I wish.” Tamsin sat back and crossed her arms. “It’s not right for people to hear someone’s thoughts.”

  “It is not a bad thing.” Darrogh’s tone was thoughtful. “I knew you were in danger when you left with Saxby. I could hear your cry for help and feel your desperation. I was out of my mind with the need to find you before that monster put his hands on you.”

  “You reached me in time.” Tamsin pushed back her memories of that evening.

  “I was too late. He had already hit you.” Darrogh’s hands clenched into fists. “It took all of my years of training to refrain from killing him right away. I had to make certain that you were being held against your will.”

  “How could you even think that I wanted that?”

  Darrogh shrugged. “I have seen much on this planet. For some people, that would have been pleasure.”

  Tamsin looked out the window. “You’re right.”

  “At the time, I could not trust that I had read your thoughts correctly. My response to seeing you hurt, may have caused harm. I reacted in haste and was careless.” Darrogh shook his head. “That is why I think it would be better if I put some distance between us. I want to protect you, yet how can I, if I hesitate or overreact.”

  Tamsin turned back to Darrogh. “You say you’re an alien who has feelings for me and that interferes with your work. Who protects me when you’ve left?”

  “One of the others will take charge.”

  “And what happens if they decide that they are bonding with me and they want to leave?” Tamsin could have cried at how ridiculous the situation was. “No member of your team will want to guard me.”

  “You do not understand the nature of the pair bond.” Darrogh leaned toward her. “We only bond once. There is no attraction to other women.”