Read Online Taken: Warriors of Hir, Book 2 by Willow Danes - Free Book Online Page B

populates the mountains of our clan’s northern territory. These are greens grown at our enclosure’s fields and this is candied cali fruit, a delicacy brought from Be’lyn, Hir’s capital city.”
    “Well, it smells great,” Hope said, putting the cloth napkin on her lap and wondering briefly if aliens did that too. Apparently they did, since R’har did the same.
    “This ship was stocked by my enclosure’s future clanmother. Provisioned well to welcome you to the Yir clan.”
    “Right,” she murmured. Hope picked up the two-pronged fork he’d set beside her plate. It was far too large for her hand, looking more like a serving utensil than an eating one. She hoped she wouldn’t make a fool of herself using it.
    She managed to spear a piece of meat and get it to her mouth. The seasoning was unfamiliar, of course, as was the meat, but it was delicious. She looked up to see that he was watching her and froze mid-chew.
    Had she goofed on g’hir etiquette or something?
    “What?” she asked, covering her mouth and talking around a mouthful of braised karlet.
    “Jenna, Ra’kur’s mate, helped me choose dishes best suited to the human palate. It is my hope you will enjoy what she has chosen.”
    “Well,” she began, then chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. She couldn’t imagine it was good manners even on an alien world to talk with her mouth full. “The braised karlet rocks.”
    He blinked glowing eyes at her. “So . . . it is good then?”
    She nodded and speared another piece. “Very good. Actually it reminds me a lot of barbeque. But I guess that makes sense if this Jenna’s from North Carolina.”
    “Because she is a backwoods hick?”
    This last was said in growled English and Hope gave a short surprised laugh. “What?”
    He paused, his own fork halfway to his mouth. “You said despite the forest I had taken you from you were not a ‘backwoods hick,’” he reminded. “Since Jenna’s clan makes its home in that territory she must be a backwards hick.”
    “Oh!” Hope exclaimed, remembering how she’d insisted he drink from the goblet first, surprised he recalled the English words at all, but the logic of it worked. “I forgot I said that. Well, it was nice of her to help you pick everything out.”
    “Jenna is lonely for her own kind. I know she wishes that you and she will become friends.”
    “Her own kind meaning human,” Hope said, spearing some of the greens and suddenly more than a little annoyed that this Jenna thought nothing of helping aliens kidnap other women.
    What the hell kind of person does something like that?
    “I meant female. There are so very few on our world. The son of my father’s brother will be clanfather. His mate too, looks forward to your arrival.”
    “Even though I won’t be staying?”
    He shrugged but it wasn’t an easy or casual movement. “If that is what you decide.”
    “When I woke up earlier you said that the injury to my palms when I fell in the woods was superficial,” she said, holding her water cup between her hands. “You knew I tripped, that I was crying. You were watching me, weren’t you?”
    “Yes, but I did not anticipate the animal becoming aggressive. Other furred creatures of its kind seemed to take pains to avoid contact. I assumed this one and her offspring would retreat from the area without confrontation. I should have safeguarded you better. ” He sighed. “You are not looking at me. Are you angry because I did not intervene with the animal sooner?”
    He was right; she was having a real hard time meeting his eye.
    “R’har, what I am is embarrassed. What you saw—that was a pretty low point in my life, on my hands and knees in the dirt and crying like a baby. It’s really not something I would have wanted anyone to see. Honestly, I wish if you were going to kidnap me you would have done it before you saw me fall apart like that.”
    “I delayed, seeking the right moment to capture you.” He looked uncomfortable.