Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,70

at the girls and sighed. “Charlee does that when she’s scared. That’s how Dad Evan found her. The humans thought a girl had gone missing at the orphan place, and Dad Evan was there that day and was helping them search. When he saw the Hawk beating at a window, trying to escape, he knew she was the missing girl and couldn’t stay in that place, so he opened the window, thinking she would fly away. Then he realized she was too young to be alone, so he went outside and found her and took her home.”

Jana wondered if Zane’s and Mace’s stories would be similar. They’d already been told that the blood prophet had been taken from the people claiming to be her parents. Had run away, with Mace’s help, and was hidden by Evan and Kenneth.

“Deputy Jana will ask Anya Sanguinati to bring up food for you,” Virgil said.

“Meat?” Mace asked hopefully.

“Meat.”

Mace looked at the girls. “Charlee likes meat too, but maybe you have fruit for Maddie?”

“She doesn’t eat meat?”

“She does, but she likes fruit better.”

Virgil walked out of the room, leaving Jana to follow. He rapped on the next door, which was immediately opened by Evan Hua, who looked frightened—and resigned.

“I’ll take you to the mayor’s office now to talk to Tolya.”

“The children?” Evan asked as Kenneth joined him at the door.

“Deputy Jana will arrange to have food brought to their room. They will be safe there.”

“We’ll just be a moment.” Evan closed the door.

Jana felt relieved. She’d prevailed. Virgil had listened. She …

Looking at her, Virgil bared his teeth and said quietly, “Those youngsters better be safe with those humans.”

“They will be.”

“If they’re not, I will tear out the throats of those two humans—and then I’ll tear out yours.”

Moments later, Evan and Kenneth left their room and followed Virgil for their meeting with the mayor.

Jana stood in the corridor, waiting for her heart to stop pounding, for her body to stop shaking. When she finally regained control, she went downstairs to find Anya Sanguinati and arrange for some meat and fruit to be sent up to the children.

* * *

* * *

Jesse looked at the Simple Life women and wondered how two of them had been able to hide their lack of tolerance from the leaders of the Lakeside Courtyard. They might be excellent housekeepers and cooks, but they would be hard neighbors. Something she needed to point out to Tolya, but that could wait. The women were already committed to going to the ranches tomorrow, and she had another concern right now. “Mr. Sanguinati? If I could have a minute?”

Tolya had sent Joshua Painter on his way but had remained in the general store. Jesse wasn’t sure why he had stayed, but her left wrist had quieted to a dull ache, which should be a good sign that the crisis was over, but she needed to be sure.

“We’ll just get these boxes filled.” Candice grabbed a box, her list … and Lila.

Jesse led Tolya to the stock area of the store, where they were out of sight and hearing of the other people.

“Are you okay with them living here? The men, I mean?”

He looked puzzled. “Should I object?”

“No,” she said quickly. “I … wasn’t sure if you’d encountered same-gender mates before.”

“Among the terra indigene, mating is about having offspring and requires male and female. That doesn’t mean we don’t form bonds with those of our own gender, but it is not the same as mating.” He looked polite but uninterested. “Is there anything else?”

“Those men are Intuits. They wouldn’t have brought those children here if they’d done anything wrong.”

“Deputy Jana seems to be of the same opinion.”

Jesse wondered what Deputy Jana had said, but apparently it had been enough to sway the decision to let the family stay in Bennett. “I’d better get back out there. Those women are heading to the ranches in the morning. I want to make sure they have everything they need. Being from the Northeast, they might overlook something that would be real useful.”

“If you need anything, I will be at my office. Virgil is bringing the men over to discuss work and houses.”

She should have been relieved. Instead, she felt there was still reason to worry.

Tolya was barely out the door when Jesse’s mobile phone rang. “Jesse Walker.”

“It’s Rachel. I smelled mouse in the back room of the store. Can I chase it?”

Damn it, mice were the last thing she needed in her store when she had packed it