Healing Fire Read online

  Jane sighed. "I don't want to leave until I know he's okay, but I don't want to leave Joy here either. She's safe on Kell."

  "You know your sister would love the chance to care for Joy." Tuthal gave them a small smile.

  "So would many of the other ladies," added Drystan. Their daughter was currently the only infant on Kell, but soon there would be many more.

  "Alright."

  He was relieved to see a small smile on her face.

  "We'll take her to Kell then come back and wait."

  ~ * ~

  Agony gripped Summer as she jolted awake, whimpering in pain. She glanced over at her bedside clock. It was ten in the morning. She'd been without her medication for over ten hours. Tossing off the blanket, she sat up. Her clothes were crumpled from sleeping in them. It wasn't like her to fall asleep fully clothed. It was hard to think clearly with the pain clouding her mind.

  Man, car accident, Blossom. It all came flooding back. But she was in her bedroom. How? She gritted her teeth and placed both feet on the floor before placing her weight on them. Her knee screamed in pain. It shot through her leg. She gripped the bed post to stop herself from falling to the floor.

  She needed her pills, but more importantly, she needed to check on Blossom and their guest.

  Doc Mableton had been right about her needing something stronger today. Hobbling to the door, she snatched up her cane, which only slightly eased the pressure on her leg as she walked.

  In the hallway she noticed Blossom's door open and knew she wouldn't be in there. With measured breaths she made it to the guest bedroom only to find it empty.

  Panic swelled, making her heart thump faster. Where was he? And where was Blossom?

  "Baby!" she called into the house, but getting no reply fear shot through her as she tried to push back the pain. She limped through the house looking for any sign of them. Had the stranger taken her daughter?

  All sorts of horrid imaginings flashed through Summer's mind as she searched, glancing through the front window where there was nothing but her truck parked out front. She struggled down the steps, sweat breaking out over her body, a mix of pain and fear.

  A loud WHAWP! echoing through the serene forest around them made her jump. A loud cracking followed. She moved as quickly as she could up and around the side of the house towards the back shed.

  Her heart in her throat she came to a jolting standstill as the huge, tall man, still with no shirt, stood with an axe in his hand. His dark hair, tied back with one of Blossom's hair ties, sparkled in the sunlight.

  "Wow, do that again. You're way better than Mr. Rickshaw who comes once a week to help with the chores."

  Blossom picked the splinters of split logs and placed them on a pile while the stranger picked up another log and set it on the chopping block.

  Summer stood transfixed, watching the display of muscles ripple along his back as he swung the axe with relative ease, delivering such a blow to the log that it split the timber easily in half.

  Summer eased her stance and relief flooded through her system. The shot of adrenaline that had made her pain take a back seat in her mind now shot forward. Summer panted, trying to hold back an agonizing whimper.

  The man paused, turning his head, and she got a first glimpse of his dark and mesmerizing eyes as he studied her, a scowl over his gorgeous features.

  "Oh, hey Mom."

  Summer waved. As she spotted her, Blossom's bright face fell. Summer realized she must have looked as bad as she felt.

  The giant of a man set aside the axe as Blossom ran towards her.

  "Is the pain bad today?"

  Summer nodded, but her eyes were fixed on the man as he took long powerful strides towards her. She felt herself shaking with a mixture of awe and pain.

  "Mom, this is Melor, he's the coolest… "

  Summer could barely hear her daughter over the pounding in her head.

  "Mr. Melor, I'm sorry I hit you…"

  "My lady, Summer."

  His deep rich voice held an edge of roughness to it. The kind she would normally appreciate, but her mind was too clouded with pain. "No apologies are necessary; it is I who humbly thank you for taking care of me."

  "She needs her pills," Blossom blurted out, making Summer glare at her daughter. What other secrets had she been telling this tall, dark, sexy… Um, Melor?

  What kind of name was that anyway? My lady? Was he some sort of historical actor from L.A?

  She couldn't think.

  "You are in pain. I will help you inside."

  Before she could even think what he meant, he stepped right into her personal space, Summer's world tilting slightly as he picked her up into his arms as easily as lifting a sofa cushion.

  The power and strength it took to lift her heavy weight left her stupefied along with the smell of masculine spice, leather and something deeper, darker she couldn't identify.

  Blossom ran ahead to open the back door while Mr. Huge and Muscle Bound carried her inside. Summer couldn't tear her gaze away from his dark, almost black eyes. In no way did they appear evil, but exotic and enthralling.

  "Your lovely daughter has been kindly showing me your home. I hope you do not mind, I took liberties with your bath chamber and Blossom gave me most flavorsome food."

  "I, um, it's okay. I'm glad to see you're alright and Blossom has fed you."

  "He likes Fruit Loops, Mom," Blossom chimed in from behind them.

  Melor set her down on one of her over-stuffed couches and took a step back as Blossom handed her some pills and a bottle of water.

  With shaky hands, she downed the pills and water.

  "Sorry, I'm not usually this bad, I…"

  "Your daughter has explained many things, and your over-exerted state for helping me last eve."

  She glanced at Blossom, her grin reached from ear to ear.

  "If you permit me?" he asked, lowering his large frame and kneeling by the chair. His large hands hovered just above her painful right leg.

  She nodded her consent, not knowing what he was going to do. There was nothing he or any doctor could do to ever stop the pain. It was something she had to live with.

  Taking painkillers for the rest of her life was nothing less than she deserved--a constant reminder of the mirrored pain in her heart after losing the man she loved.

  He laid the palm of his hand over her leg. His heat scorched her even through the layer of fabric, making her gasp. Despite the pain, she felt her nipples harden in response to his closeness and touch. Her body rode the fine line between arousal and pain. Her mind warred with her body as he gently slid his hand from her upper leg along over her knee, feeling, gently squeezing. He lifted it and, with a cushion he snatched, propped up the offending limb.

  "I am familiar with some injuries. I wish to take you to my people. I have not the gems with me that I need to heal you."

  She snorted in disbelief and anger, finally snapping to her senses. This man affected her yes, but clearly he was some kind of new age hippy.

  "I don't know who you are or where you're from, but if the best doctors on the planet can't fix my leg, then I very much doubt yours will be able to."

  The corners of his sensual mouth lifted slightly in a small knowing smile.

  "My people are not of this world. We have magic and medicines beyond human understanding."

  "Melor's been telling me about his home called Kell. It sounds great. He rides horses called stags and is a warrior in an army. But they fight with swords and not guns, like dad used to do," Blossom piped in.

  Melor turned his head to smile at Blossom. Oh good gracious. Summer's heart fluttered in her chest seeing him smile, the dimple in his chin, the way his eyes lit up, devastatingly sexy.

  "We have not had to fight for many moons now, little Blossom. We once had a great war that went on for many generations, but our enemy is now defeated. Our land is now at peace. You will like it there. The rivers are clear, the air fresh and the twin moons in the sky at night g
ive everything a silver glow."

  Riding on stags, magic crystals, warriors who fight with swords, medicines beyond human understanding.

  Summer sat perfectly still as she absorbed his words. It was clear she was dealing with a crazy man. Not just any crazy man--a big six feet six, incredibly sexy, crazy man. She glanced down at his large hand still resting on her leg and realized he could quite easily snap her neck and not even be breathing hard.

  Summer plastered on a fake smile.

  "And, Mr. Melor, how does one get to your land with these magic crystals?"

  "I will not lie to you my lady Summer, but a portal must be opened between your land and mine. The portals are created from the magic of our sorcerer. It may be hard for you to believe, but I am not from your world."

  Great. She had the most attractive alien man in her living room. She rolled her eyes.

  "It's not that I don't want to believe you, Mr. Melor…but it does sound a little far-fetched."

  "I understand if you do not believe me now. It does not matter. What matters is I can make you well. Do you not wish to be free from pain?"

  Summer felt her eyes narrow. Okay, so he was some kind of con artist as well.

  "I am fine, Mr. Melor. It is none of your concern."

  Melor removed his hand from her leg, Towering over her reclining form, he stepped back. He bowed his head.

  "You need not fear me, my lady. I would never harm you. Women in my world are revered and precious. It pains me to see your suffering."

  The man had a nerve, spouting all this alien, I can heal you crap. She needed to get him out of her home.

  "I'll call someone to come and take you home, Mr. Melor. Is there a lodge or hotel you're staying at? I'm sure someone has noticed you missing by now."

  The mental hospital.

  ~ * ~

  Jane warned Melor, along with the other Kell men, when they first came through the portal to earth; not all humans were open to the idea they were from another planet.

  Humans, for the most part, seemed a straight-laced people of science and technology. Magic and other planets simply did not play well in their minds. Fantasy and magic existed only as a form of entertainment.

  Melor found it most confusing. But the main rule Jane had told them was not to tell anyone they were aliens, as they could be arrested by the human law and locked up.

  He couldn't help it; he could not and would not lie to this stubborn little earth woman. It was so hard to watch her suffer knowing there was something he could do to ease her pain.

  He could not understand why so many earth women were unaware of their beauty. Of all the human women he'd met, Summer was simply exquisite. None compared to her, and he wanted her.

  His body and soul yearned for closer contact, and it took great willpower not to reach out and touch her again. She needed time and space to come to terms with the fact of who he was. He would prove to her he could be trusted.

  From what Blossom told him, her mother had been suffering for many years, since Summer's first protector was tragically killed in a transport accident. Clearly, she still mourned his loss.

  There were images of the other man along the mantle of her home; a fine strong looking human male.

  A tugging at his arm brought Melor out of his thoughts. He glanced down to little Blossom.

  "Mom said do you need to call someone?"

  "Yes, I thank you. There is one place I need to contact, if you permit me."

  "Knock yourself out." Summer's tone was dry.

  "Although I have seen your communication devices, I may need assistance in using it."

  He watched Summer huff out an irritated breath. "I'm sure your communication devices on your planet are far more advanced than ours."

  He did not miss the sarcasm in her words. Melor leaned down, almost an inch from her face. She started and her eyes widened. Her breath quickened, but not in fear. Oh no, he could see the flame of desire in her soft grey blue depths. He was pleased he could affect her like this.

  "You will see for yourself when you come with me."

  Her mouth opened as if to make a retort. His gaze fell to her soft parted lips. It would be so easy to lean in a little further and taste her. Again, he fought to keep control over what his body wanted, opposed to his rational mind.

  He pulled back, straightened, feeling every part of his body throb with need. His hardened cock pressed against his turrets.

  "Blossom, could you assist me in using your telephone?"

  The child beamed him a toothy smile. She needed a father and her stubborn mother needed a protector.

  Melor suddenly understood his Commander Drystan's fierce possessiveness over his lady Jane.

  An overwhelming need gripped him to know everything there was about this small earth woman, learn every inch of her body. More than anything he wanted to possess her heart, mind and soul. Here was the one woman he could give his life to in return. He would not let anything stand in his way of making Summer his.

  Chapter Four

  Drystan leaned against the door, watching the graceful movements of his wife as she prepared the mid-day meal. From the blessed day he'd first caught her in his arms, to the time he helped her through her labor to birth their child, she grew more beautiful.

  Her heavy sighs alerted him to the fact she was still unsettled worrying over the lost Melor.

  "Are you going to stand there all day?" She glanced over her shoulder with an elegant raised brow.

  "Aye, mayhap I enjoy the view."

  She turned her head back, but he knew she smiled. "I bring good news. Melor is found."

  She set down the knife and turned around.

  "Really? And he's okay?"

  "It seems he was transported up the coast of California, unharmed." He wouldn't relay the information a car hit him. His lady worried too much as it was.

  She let out a relieved breath. "Oh, thank goodness, I was so worried. We should go get him."

  "Nay, love, he has requested to stay where he is for the present. You see, there is a lady he wishes to get to know better."

  Jane's face lit up with a knowing grin.

  "The earthquake was a blessing in disguise. No one was hurt and he may have found himself a protected."

  "This is wonderful. He was so dejected for not finding his lady, and now… Oh honey, this is wonderful."

  "He needs time to convince the lady and her young daughter to journey back to L.A. as the portal gem. Give him time. He will contact us when he can bring them down. The portal gem is lost and will need a journey back to L.A."

  Drystan moved in, wrapping his arms around her. Pulling her softness back against him, he licked lick the outer shell of her ear. Jane shuddered in response.

  "And while we have this time to ourselves, my love, I was thinking perhaps our little Joy needs a brother."

  ~ * ~

  "Please, Mom, can we keep him. I really, really like him."

  Summer winced at her daughter's pleading tone. The pills had kicked in, and she was feeling much better. Melor returned to chopping wood while Summer showered and prepared a stack of sandwiches for lunch. After lunch she was determined to drive her guest into Fortuna and leave him there, despite his request he be allowed to stay and help about the property.

  "Baby, he's a grown man, not some puppy. We can't just keep him."

  "I know that. He's super nice and I bet a hundred times more helpful than Mr. Rickshaw."

  Rick Rickshaw came once a week and did two hours of work, smoked nearly all the time and swore. She kept Blossom inside when his allotted time came and went. She needed the help to keep the property from falling into disrepair.

  Tyler's life insurance policy was nearly all gone, eaten up by her expensive medical treatment and her drugs to ease the pain of her right leg.

  She couldn't afford much beyond the wage she paid Mr. Rickshaw.

  Sooner or later she knew she would have to sell the property and move back to Australia. Knowing Tyler l
oved this place made her reluctant to let it go.

  Melor was dangerous on her senses and obviously off his rocker crazy, but so far he'd been nothing but polite and helpful. He hadn't asked about the weapons she'd taken from him either.

  It made her wary of his motives. Who was he really, and what was he up to? She wasn't stupid, nor would she be played for a fool.