"Rachael, I'm going to carry you. I don't expect you to walk."
"That's silly. I'm weak more than anything else. It isn't that painful. Well, it's painful because the swelling hasn't gone down yet."
He gathered her into his arms. "I spent all these years alone. No one ever argued with me."
"And now you have me," she said with evident satisfaction, settling into his body. "Do you have any idea where we're going? I thought you said he could track us."
"I did say that, didn't I?" He was already moving through the network of branches, far faster than Rachael considered safe.
Despite the heavy pack and her additional weight, Rio wasn't even breathing hard as he landed on the ground and began to jog, weaving through the trees back toward the river. She buried her face against his neck, trying not to cry out with each jarring step.
The roar started softly, a muffled, distant sound that quickly began to gain in strength. Rachael lifted her head in alarm, suddenly afraid of where he meant to take her.
11
THE forest appeared stately, the majestic trees rising like great cathedral pillars all around them. Smaller trees were scattered everywhere, creating a patchwork effect of silvery leaves, explosions of color and dark patches of bark. Staghorn ferns hung from trees, the vivid green prongs rustling in the slight wind as they hurried by. Moonlight filtered through the chinks in the canopy, casting flecks of light here and there on the wet forest floor. Rachael caught glimpses of leaves in every shade of red, iridescent greens and blues, anything to increase the refraction and absorption of light into the leaf pigment.
Rachael clung to Rio as he jogged through the forest. The dark never seemed to bother him. He moved at a sure, steady pace. She heard deer bark the alert signal of predators in the area as they passed, causing Rio to swear under his breath. Two very tiny deer burst out of the bushes ahead of them and raced into the undergrowth.
The roar of the river grew. The continuous croaking of frogs added to the din. Rachael's stomach lurched crazily. "Rio, we have to stop, just for a minute. I'm going to be sick if we keep going."
"We can't, sestrilla, we have to reach the river. He can't track our scent in water." Rio continued moving over the thick, wet vegetation on the forest floor. It was dark and damp with small pools of water here and there. These and forest wallows didn't slow him down. He avoided the unnatural pile of leaves and twigs signaling the nest of the resident bearded pig. Ticks carrying anything from tick fever to scrub typhus were often abundant in the nests and Rio took care to stay away from them.
Rachael concentrated on the forest rather than her discomfort. Twice she caught glimpses of large deer with thick horns, the samba deer, largest in the forest. It was dizzying to be rushed through the forest at night. There was an eerie feel to the way the canopy swayed above them, continually changing the patterns of light through the trees. Plants and fungi covered tree trunks so that plants appeared to piggyback on top of one another, creating a lush environment. Every now and then Rio gave a soft, grunting cough, alerting the animals to his presence in the hopes the nightjars wouldn't raise an alarm as they darted overhead catching insects on the wing.
The roar became louder. Rachael realized they'd been traveling at an angle upriver to meet the flooded banks. She put her mouth to Rio's ear. "You're not taking me to your elders, are you?"
He heard the little catch in her voice. "I want the sniper to think I am."
Rachael didn't answer, comforted that he wasn't abandoning her. They were slogging through the swamps, climbing carefully over the myriad of tree roots extending out from the base of the trunk creating little mini cages. Water lapped at Rio's knees. The look of the forest changed as they neared the river's edge. More light was able to penetrate the canopy, and many of the trees were smaller with crooked trunks and branches that draped low to hang over the water.
"Aren't there alligators and other reptilian things here?" Rachael asked. The roar of the river was deafening. The moist heat curled her hair even more, creating a mass of springy whorls and spirals. She had avoided the mangroves and swamps as much as possible along with all the other members of the group bringing medical aid. The edges of the river could be as dangerous as they were beautiful.
Rio waded out in the fast-moving water. "We're going to swim, Rachael. Hopefully Tama's potion will protect your leg from any further infection. I'm going to tie you to me, in case you get swept away by the current."
"Are you crazy? We can't swim in this." She was horrified. In the dark, the river appeared swifter and more frightening than it had during the day. Or maybe without bandits rushing out of the forest it seemed more dangerous.
"We have no choice if we're going to get you to safety, Rachael. As long as he knows where you are, we're handicapped. He's mobile and we aren't. I swear, I won't let anything happen to you."
She stared into his face. Into his eyes. Studied his firm jaw, the tiny lines etched into his rough features. Rachael lifted her hand and traced one small scar down low near his chin. "Lucky for you, I'm a heck of a swimmer." She smiled at him, trusting him when she hadn't trusted anyone for as long as she could remember. "My name is Rachael Lospostos, Rio. It isn't really Smith."
"Somehow I knew that already." He kissed her upturned mouth gently. "Thank you. I know that wasn't easy for you."
"It's the least I could do when I got you into this mess." Her dark eyes glinted with amusement. "You can kiss me again though. If I drown, I want to take the taste of your perfectly lovely mouth with me."
"You know you're distracting me. If we get eaten by an alligator, it's your fault."
"I heard they don't like fast-moving water," she said and fastened her mouth to his. They merged instantly the way they always did, sinking into one another and spinning away from the world.
Rio struggled to remember where they were and the danger they were in. She had a way of sweeping away sane thoughts and replacing them instantly with urgent hunger and need. Very carefully he lowered her feet into the rushing water, reluctantly lifting his head as he did so. It was the only way to breathe and keep his sanity and wits.
"I've got you, Rachael." His arm around her waist steadied her as he looped a rope around her and secured it around his own waist. "I'm not about to lose you. We're going to wade out where the water is moving faster, lift our feet and travel downstream with the current. We don't want anything to let him know what direction we're going. A leaf, the bottom of the river near the banks disturbed, anything at all can be a clue. We'll travel downriver for some time."
"Let's do it then." She didn't want to lose her nerve. She grinned at him. "At least I know you're not attracted to me because I look great." She swept a hand through her hair and took the first step. Her injured leg, even with the support of the water, didn't want to take her weight so she stretched out full length and began to swim.
Rio went after her, pride welling up at her courage. The moonlight fell across her face as she swam, and he watched the beads of water pour off of her. She used sure, strong strokes, cut cleanly through the water, almost as silent as he was. There it was again, that strange disorienting feeling of familiarity. He had been swimming with her before. He had seen an exact image, he knew the moment she would turn her head and take a breath of air.
The current was stronger in the center of the river and took them both with little effort, carrying them downstream. Rio caught her hand and held tight as they both bent knees and lifted feet to avoid rocks and snags as they were swept along. It was a dizzying experience, looking up at the night sky after so many days seeing nothing but canopy overhead. Stars, scattered across the dark backdrop, glittered like gems in spite of the clouds. The rain fell lightly, a fine mist, more than an actual shower so that Rachael turned up her face to feel the spray.
The river wasn't nearly as ferocious as when it was raging in the storm. There were no dragging undercurrents trying to pull her down. Rachael found she rather enjoyed the experience after lying in
bed for so long. Rio stayed very close to her, hovering protectively, which made her feel cherished, something she'd never experienced. It was like a dream. Neither spoke as sound traveled great distances at night on the river.
They were swept around a bend and down a mini waterfall. Abruptly, Rio caught her around the waist and put his feet down. He struggled against the current, walking in the waist-deep water, dragging her with him. Rachael couldn't help him, other than to try to stroke strongly in the direction he wanted to go. Even with Rio's incredible strength, it was a battle to reach the small waterfall. He put his mouth against her ear. "Wait just a moment, I'm going under."
She held her breath as he disappeared. She felt the tug of the rope around her waist, but she was able to hold against the pull of the water. It seemed minutes before he rose up out of the water. She sighed with relief and flung her arms around him.
Again he put his mouth against her ear. "You'll have to hold your breath and duck underwater, we're going to swim through a tube."
She nodded to show she understood and went with him, allowing the swirling water to close over the top of her head. It was impossible to see anything and she didn't even try, hanging on to Rio with all her strength. He pulled her through a small channel, a tube beneath the water. She felt the walls brushing against her shoulders and when she reached above her she could feel the roof inches from her head. She fought back claustrophobia, concentrating on the unexpected feelings she had for Rio to get her through. She detested small enclosed places, and swimming in the dark waters through a tunnel she'd never seen was a true test of her trust in Rio.
How had she come to feel such faith in him in such a short time? It didn't feel like a short time. She felt the tug on her body indicating she could stand. Rio wrapped his arm around her waist to help her out of the water. Her head broke the surface and she opened her eyes. It was pitch-black. The waterfall was a loud echo matching the continual sound of running water.
"Where are we?"
"It's a cave. You have to wade through water and keep your head low for a short distance and then we'll get you settled. I made the tube and hollowed out most of the entrance to the chamber. The chamber was a great find. It seemed a good place to escape to if I was seriously wounded."
She caught the small bit of pride in his tone and smiled. "It sounds lovely. I've always thought being a troll's lover was incredibly romantic."
There was a small silence and then he laughed softly. "I've been called many things in my life, but troll is a new one." He swung her into his arms. "I'm going to carry you across the threshold."
"Lovers don't get carried," Rachael reminded. His ear was close to her face so she leaned forward and nibbled. "Only brides do."
"Well then, consider yourself married. And stop doing that thing with your teeth because I'm having one hell of a reaction to it."
"That sounds like it has possibilities. But I've been thinking. Why wouldn't some horrible reptile have discovered your handiwork and made a little nest inside your cave? If I were an alligator I'd be happy to use your hideaway. And if you came to visit, all to the good. Meals are hard to come by sometimes."
He laughed. "You have no faith, woman. I put in a plug to keep the creatures out. I unfastened the locks and opened the door, that's why we were in the tube so long."
"You didn't close the door."
"I'm taking you to high ground first. That's the gentleman in me."
She nuzzled his neck. "I do appreciate it, Rio, I really do, but in this one instance, I'll be happy to sort of stand here while you go back and secure the tube. I'm not ready for visitors yet, especially reptilian ones."
Rio caught the little tremor in her voice. "I'll do that immediately, Rachael. We're already in the cavern. Fortunately we're back far enough and the cave opens up into a wide chamber here so we can light a lamp. I brought several with me over a period of time." He set her down on a flat surface.
Rachael waited anxiously while he lit one of the lamps and hooked it above their heads for maximum coverage. She looked around her. The chamber was fairly large. Roots protruded and water dripped continually from several walls. There was no sign of alligators. Rio had quite a supply of items in the cave.
There was a large plastic container she assumed was waterproof inside a cage of roots. She could see there were several blankets and one of his many medical kits inside. She was sitting on a flat slab of stone. It was the only rock she could see in the entire cave. The floor around the walls was damp, but most of the water ran back toward the river. Rio had hollowed out a ditch to keep the water from dampening the floor of the cave.
"So what do you think?" Rio returned, soaking wet, sweeping his hair back with careless fingers. "Not too bad."
"I think it's wonderful," Rachael said. She was soaked and uncomfortable. She looked down at the shirt and realized it didn't do her much good. As wet as her shirt was, it was nearly transparent. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get out of these clothes. You should too, Rio."
"I've got a few things packed in waterproof bags for us," he said. He opened the container and rummaged through the supplies until he found a towel.
Rio knelt beside her and unbuttoned the shirt, dragging it off her wet skin and tossing it aside. "Come on, sestrilla, stand up so I can get rid of these jeans."
His voice was gentle, tender even. Rachael allowed him to help her up, leaning into his body as he peeled the material from her hips. He wrapped the towel around her and began rubbing the drops of water from her skin. She swayed with weariness and it embarrassed her. He was the one who had jogged through miles of forest with her in his arms. He had been the one to use his strength to keep them from being swept apart in the river. And he was as soaked as she was.
"I've never met anyone like you," Rachael said. "Sometimes I'm not certain you're real."
Rio wrapped her in a dry shirt. "I have my good side," he teased. "Unfortunately, it just doesn't come out that often." He laid a mat on the slab of rock and covered it with a thick sleeping bag before helping her to sit down. Rubbing the thick mass of curls, he studied her leg. "The green gunk held up. We want to get that off the puncture wounds in case they still need to drain."
"It does feel better," Rachael said. "I'll have to remember to tell Tama he's a miracle worker."
Rio made certain she was comfortable before he peeled off his own clothes and rubbed the towel over his body.
"How long do you think we'll have to stay here?" Rachael asked.
"I'm going to use the rest of the night to hunt the shooter. He's leaving his own trail and he was injured. It will be easier for me to find him. I'll know you're safe and won't worry about him circling back and finding you alone in the house. Franz is already scouting for me. He'll pick up the trail, and he knows how to stay out of sight."
Rachael's eyes widened in shock. "You can't do that, Rio. Not after what you told me."
"He's hunting us. The only way to stop him is to go after him. Did you think we were going to live in a cave for the rest of our lives?"
"No." Rachael wanted to pull the covers over her head. There was no way to shield Rio from her past. "But before you go out and risk your life maybe you'd better find out who you're risking your life for."
"I know who you are."
"No you don't. You have no idea who my family is."
"I don't need to know about your family, Rachael. We'll talk about it when I get back. Wait here for at least forty-eight hours. If something goes wrong, head upriver toward Kim and Tama's village. Ask them to take you to the elders. The Han Vol Dan is your first changing. You can't allow it to happen until your leg is strong enough to stand up to the change. You'll have problems with sexual feelings. Emotions will continue to heighten, the heat, the need, the edgy, moody feelings you can barely control. You have to stay in control, especially if you haven't gone through the Han Vol Dan. The combination of the two passages can be explosive."
"Do you know how completely ridiculous that soun
ds? If I was watching a movie, I'd burst out laughing."
"Except you know what I'm saying is true. You've felt the animal roaring to get out. I've seen you come close to the change."
"Why wouldn't my mother tell me? In all the stories she told me, she never once mentioned I could assume another form."
"I don't know, Rachael, but I'm certain you're one of us."
"And if I'm not?" Her dark eyes moved over his face. "If you're wrong, would that mean that we can't be together? Are you allowed to be with someone that isn't a part of your people?"
His palm cupped her face, his thumb sliding over her skin. "I've been banished, sestrilla, no one can tell me what I can or cannot do." He leaned down to kiss her. "I'm coming back for you."
"You'd better come back for me. I don't want to wrestle alligators by myself." She tried not to cling to him, although she wanted to hold him to her. There was nothing she could say or do to stop him. Rachael knew how stubborn he could be. It was impossible to argue with him when he made up his mind to do something. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Whatever past they may have had seemed to intrude at the worst times. She knew him. She knew what he was like. "Just go, now, while it's dark. Remember, if you're right and he followed us, he could already be searching the riverbanks to see where we came out."
"You're upset."
"Of course I'm upset. I'm stuck here with this stupid leg and you're going to risk your life to stop this hit man." She shoved her hand through her hair, angry and near tears. "Don't you realize he'll send another? And one after that? And another and another? He'll never stop."
Rio nodded. "I figured as much. It doesn't matter, Rachael. We'll take them one at time and if necessary, I'll have a little talk with him."
Her face drained of all color. "No. No, promise me, Rio. You can't ever try to get near him. Not for any reason. You can't hurt him. And you can't try to see him."
The anxiety on Rachael's face twisted at his insides. "Rachael, I'm coming back."
"I know you will." He had to. She couldn't stay in a cave beneath the riverbank forever--unless he was with her. She might be able to live anywhere with him. The thought was frightening. She'd never considered that she might want to spend her life with someone. A lifetime seemed a long time to want to be with someone, yet, if she could have him, she would want more than one lifetime with Rio.