Dagger’s Hope

2. Two and a half years before - Earth:-2

The area was littered with trapped vehicles. Some of the vehicles were crushed from where parts of the building had collapsed, while others remained intact, trapped in what was now an underground tomb. They moved through the dark area with ease, heading for the faint flicker of light. Stepping around a thick concrete support, all three of them froze for a moment as they took in the heart-wrenching scene in front of them.

Nestled in the corner between the thick walls of the underground parking garage and a dark blue transport on the other side were two human females. They both appeared to be very young. One sat beside the makeshift fire pit constructed of building debris while the other lay on the hard ground. What was heart-wrenching was the realization that this cold, dark and stark area was their home.

Dagger’s eyes swept over the first figure before settling on the second. He drew in a swift breath and stared at the female lying weakly on the makeshift pallet on the cold concrete floor. He had been totally unprepared for the sudden onslaught of emotion that hit him when he saw her pale, heart-shaped face.

She was facing his direction, giving him an unobstructed view of her pain-filled eyes. It felt like he had been struck in the chest. In fact, his hand actually started to rub at the discomfort. He watched the small figure of the other female rise with a steaming cup in her hand. She quickly moved to help her companion who struggled to sit up.

His eyes were arrested by the sheer delicate beauty in the female that was leaning weakly against the other young woman, as if she didn’t have the strength to do so on her own. The firelight highlighted her delicate bone structure as she gazed at her companion. In the dim light, he could see dark bruises marring the pale skin of her right cheek when the other woman brushed her hair back from her face. Fury churned inside him, making his eyes glow with a dark, dangerous light.

He watched as she turned to smother her cough. It was obvious that it left her even weaker. A sick feeling washed over him as he wondered if this was the female Hunter was searching for. He hoped not.

The thought of his friend claiming the fragile human made him almost double over as another wave of emotion hit him… jealousy. The strange primitive instinct to protect and care for the female gripped him tightly in its grasp as she struggled to keep from sinking back down to the pallet. It was obvious that she was both ill and hurt.

Dagger glanced at Hunter to see his reaction to the scene in front of him. He almost fell to his knees in relief when his friend glanced at him with a dark frown and shook his head. He nodded when Hunter raised his hand and held up two fingers before raising a third one.

Dagger breathed a sigh of relief. There were three females. Three! Neither one of the two was the one Hunter was searching for. Dagger turned his attention back to the two by the fire. His eyes narrowed as he watched the younger one help his female to sit up again when she started to slide back down.

Mine, he thought in stunned disbelief. My female.

Dagger barely registered the softly spoken words as the two women talked. His eyes were glued to the pale face, trembling hands and fragile form as she moaned and closed her eyes in pain. It took every ounce of discipline he had to remain still. His body shook as he fought to remain in position. He couldn’t compromise the mission. He repeated that over and over as he clenched his fists.

“Are you still hurting a lot, Jordan?” the young female asked with concern. “Maybe Jesse found some medicine for you when she was out tonight. I think your fever isn’t as bad as it was earlier.”

“I’m… I’m okay, Taylor,” Jordan whispered in a low, husky voice. “Where is Jesse? It shouldn’t take her this long.”

“She said she had a cut she needed to clean,” Taylor replied as she slid her arm around to balance Jordan when she started to slide back down onto the pallet. “She’ll be back any minute. You need to eat. This will help you get stronger.”

Glazed hazel eyes blinked and a weak smile curved the female named Jordan’s lips as the younger girl held the steaming cup up to her mouth. He didn’t miss the way her hands trembled as she weakly took the nourishment. His body jerked forward in protest as her softly spoken words ripped through him.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be strong again,” Jordan whispered, dark despair making her words echo with sorrow.

Dagger had to strain to hear Jordan’s soft words. When they registered, the unfamiliar wave of alarm and a fierce determination to help her gripped him. He could hear the pain and exhaustion in her response. A cold fury burned in him at the human males that had hurt her. He had no doubt that is what happened as he stared at her face.

“Don’t!” Taylor hissed, holding the cup up to Jordan’s lips. “We promised each other we would never give up. It is okay to feel down. You deserve it after… well, you deserve it, but don’t ever give up, Jordan. We need you. I need you.”

“I can do this,” Jordan whispered. “You need to eat too.”

He watched as the young female called Taylor, reluctantly handed the battered cup of soup to Jordan. He felt his body start forward when the cup shook in her hand. She needed immediate medical attention.

All thought of the mission, the need to find the other female, disappeared from his mind as he watched her. He ignored Hunter as he moved off into the darkness. With a determination born out of confusion and concern, he silently stepped forward.

She will be safe and strong once again, he thought as he stepped into the faint light cast by the fire. I will make sure that she is.