Amber Eyes (Amber Eyes #1)(48)

“Let me call Aliyah inside,”Duncan said evenly. “I’m not about to put my wife in danger any more than you’re going to place Kaya in danger. Aliyah wants to see her. It’s important, or believe me, I would’ve never allowed Aliyah up here.”

Without waiting for an answer, he went to the door. Kaya watched around Jericho’s arm, frightened and intrigued at the same time. He’d said his wife was like her. How could that be?

Duncan leaned out the door and motioned with his hand. A few seconds later, a beautiful young woman walked in, and like Jericho and Hunter had done with Kaya, Duncan tucked her behind him, his gaze wary as he looked over at Hunter and Jericho.

“Where is she?”Aliyah demanded.

Duncan pointed to where the two men stood, and before he could hold her back, Aliyah hurried forward. She stopped in front of Hunter, her expression pleading.

“I won’t hurt her. I have to see her, though. She’s my sister.”

Kaya gasped, and Hunter merely closed the distance between him and Jericho, forming an impenetrable wall between the two women.

“If you’re her sister, you’ve already hurt her enough,”Hunter said darkly.

“What are you talking about?”Aliyah asked, hurt in her voice.

Kaya’s heart thundered against Jericho’s back. Was she telling the truth? She closed her eyes, reaching for the memory of the cheetah. A girl with long golden hair and golden eyes and a beautiful smile.

“Her family abandoned her,”Jericho growled. “We’re her family now. She doesn’t need you.”

“That’s not true!”Aliyah gasped. “Kaya, please, talk to me.”

Racing side by side and then the cheetah spurring ahead, leaving her as she raced across the Alaskan terrain. The two girls laughingly playing tag. The memories tumbled through Kaya’s mind. Was this her? The cheetah?

Tears formed, and Kaya swallowed them back. Slowly she pushed at Hunter and Jericho until she was visible in the space between them.

“I remember you,”Kaya said in a low voice.

Aliyah made a small sound of joy as the two sisters stared at each other. Duncan was right behind Aliyah, his hand protectively at her shoulder as he watched Hunter and Jericho warily.

And then Aliyah’s gaze fell to her belly. She rounded on Duncan, her eyes accusing. “You didn’t tell me she was pregnant! Duncan, how could you? She must have been so terrified. You know how our kind feels about cages.”

Duncan sighed patiently. “I didn’t know who she was, Aliyah. And I put her in a cell so she’d have a warm place to sleep and food to eat. She looked as if she was badly in need of both.”

Aliyah turned her accusing stare on Hunter and Jericho. “Why was that? Why haven’t you taken care of her?”

Kaya ignored everything but the woman standing in front of her. Tentatively she stepped forward, reaching out to touch a strand of golden hair. She inhaled deeply, allowing herself to be surrounded by this woman’s scent.

As she fingered the strand of hair, her sad gaze found Aliyah’s. “Why did you leave me?”she whispered.

“Oh, Kaya, we didn’t leave you.”

Impulsively, she hugged Kaya, wrapping her slim arms around her as she squeezed. Kaya closed her eyes as more buried memories roared to the surface. The two girls sitting cross-legged on the floor of a house. Trading dolls as they combed each other’s hair.

When Aliyah pulled away, her eyes glittered with tears.

“You still have the most beautiful eyes,”Kaya said solemnly.

Aliyah reached for Kaya’s hands and squeezed. “Can we sit on the couch? There’s so much I need to tell you and questions I want to ask.”She looked to Jericho and Hunter as if seeking their permission.

Kaya also looked at her two mates. “I will be fine.”

Reluctantly, Hunter nodded, but they both stayed close as Aliyah led Kaya over to the sofa.

“Why do you think we left you?”Aliyah asked when both women had found comfortable positions.

“I went back,”Kaya said. “When I was able, I made my way back home. The house was empty. I waited and waited, but no one ever came.”

Aliyah’s eyes filled with tears. “This will destroy Mama and Papa.”

Kaya cocked her head to the side. “I don’t remember them. Are they like us? I always thought my family was human except for you.”

Aliyah shook her head. “No, they are like us. Mama is a great eagle and Papa is a Kodiak bear. When we lost you, they were devastated. They were afraid the same would happen to me, so we moved to Africa until I grew older and more restrained. You must have returned to Alaska while we were there.”

“They wanted me?”Kaya asked in a small voice.

“Oh, Kaya, they’ve mourned you since the day you went missing. Not a day has gone by that we haven’t thought of you. They’re going to be so thrilled when I tell them that I’ve found you. You can’t imagine what this is going to mean to them.”

Again her gaze fell to Kaya’s stomach. “Is your child going to be like us?”she asked softly.

Kaya smiled and started to reply, but Hunter stepped forward, his expression fierce. Kaya’s mouth snapped shut. Hunter didn’t want her to trust Duncan and Aliyah, especially when it came to their daughter’s safety. He was right. She should exercise the same care she always had when it came to other people.