Free TAKEN: Journey to a New Home by Taylor Dillion

smiled and his face lit with a glow. He laughed softly.
      “Is this a good thing?”
      “Of course,” Rose felt herself blush. 
      “I was starting to worry. You’ve been out for a long time. How do you feel?”
      Rose considered the question and realized she no longer hurt and nothing was throbbing. “Much better,” she answered slowly. “What did you do?”
      “I just used a little warmth for healing, so you can breathe without pain and use your hand. Let’s take the wrap off your arm.”
      He helped her sit up and she realized the rib wraps were gone.
      “I hope you don’t mind. I cut the fabric out of my way,” he told her with a smile as he guessed her thoughts.
      “No it started out as someone’s jacket before they shredded it to wrap me in it.”
    She couldn’t stop staring at him. Everywhere his hands touched felt like little electric shocks to her skin. He looked up and met her eyes. He smiled again and Rose had the urge to giggle. God, how she hated giggly girls she thought and grimaced.
      “My name is Vax. Yours?”
      “Rose. Can all of your people heal with your hands?” she heard herself ask. She shook her head, “Sorry probably a rude question. Sometimes my brain to mouth filter stops working and I blurt out stuff.”
      He laughed again. “It’s okay, I don’t mind. I’m guilty of it myself sometimes. I was just about to ask if the flower you’re named after is as pretty as you. Or I may just blurt out you have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.”
      Rose felt her face flame. It was impossible this beautiful man thought the same of her as she did him but his words felt true.
      “I’m guessing it’s very rare to have two different colors in your eyes,” he told her as he took in the doubt in her eyes.
      “Yes, it’s very rare and only occurs in about six out of every thousand births,” Rose told him.
      “You don’t like them?” he guessed with a tilt of the head.
      “They’ve never made my life easy. Let’s put it that way. Combined with the red hair, freckles and being very short, it makes for a tough life for a little girl on the playground.”
      “Well, I happen to think they’re stunning. I also like the freckles,” he told with smile. “Let’s see if you can stand.” He helped her to her feet. “Wow! You are tiny.” He towered over her by about a foot. At a measly 5’3” that wasn’t hard for most people.
      Whatever he was about to say next was lost as a tone sounded. “Come in,” he called out but his eyes never left hers.
      “Her guardian is about to start gnawing on the walls if you don’t return her soon,” one of the other men from the market joked as he stuck his head in the room. He too now resembled Ashaa. He backed out of the room and whistled as he went down the passage way.
      “Let’s go see the others and I’ll get you something to eat.” He took her hand and led her from the room.
      “What’s with the gold skin and blue eyes?”
      “Camouflage.”
    “Why?”
    “That’s a long sad story we’ll save for later when you can’t sleep,” he joked with her. The thought of him sitting next to her bed at night made Rose blush again.  Some days she hated being a redhead. Every emotion she had showed in her face.  The door at the end of the passage opened and they entered a room where something smelled delicious and Rose’s empty stomach growled.
      Sienna was suddenly wrapping her in a bear hug. “Are you okay?”
    “Yes, except your squeezing me to death,” Rose explained.
      “Oh, sorry. I’ve just been so worried.” Sienna looked close to tears.
      “Hey, no black eye,” Rose noticed.
      “Dezek cleared up mine and Jasmine’s. Yours is missing too,” Sienna noted.
    “Sorry, I forgot my manners. Sienna, this is Vax. Vax, Sienna.”
      “Thank you for helping her,” Sienna thanked the young man.
      “I was happy to help. Rose, it appears Dezek has seen to the meal.