Drake grinned, but there was no humor, touching his eyes. “I’d be the last man to tell you how it’s done, but I wish you the best of luck.” He started down the tree branch, then turned back. “Don’t throw it away, Rio. Not when it’s handed to you like this. Most of us will never have the opportunity.”
140
Christine Feehan
WILD RAIN
141
Rio nodded and watched the three men disappear into the shadows of the forest. He stood for a long while breathing in the crisp, clean air, the fragrance of flowers and rain. From habit he raised his head and sniffed the air, scenting the wind. He relied on his own resources to give him advanced warnings of impending danger, but the animals in his territory always aided him.
He coughed, a series of grunts, sending out the word to be carried near and far, from the smallest creature on the forest floor to the honeybees building their giant combs high in the canopy. Wings fluttered overhead, an orangutan moved slowly through the branches looking for better-flavored leaves and butterflies swarmed over the masses of flowers on the tree trunks. Everyone went about their business, unafraid when there were no intruders in their realm.
Rio opened the door. At once the wind rushed into his house, swirling around, sending the mosquito netting dancing. Rachael lay asleep, her black hair spilling across the pillow. The wind tugged and teased at the silky strands so that her hair moved, beckoning to him. He pulled the door closed and resisted the temptation of lying down beside her. If he were going into action again so soon, he would have to clean all his weapons and make certain he had emergency kits stashed along every escape route.
RACHAEL ate very little and stayed quiet, stroking Fritz’s fur while she watched Rio work. He had more guns and more knives than anyone she’d ever met, and she was familiar with weapons. He used the same care cleaning as he did fixing up wounds, meticulous and steady, not missing a single detail. She watched as he took several sets of clothes and small medical kits along with some of the guns and put them in weatherproof packs.
“What are you doing with those?” Curiosity finally got the better of her. Rachael was comfortable with silences
and with being alone, but not like Rio. He seemed perfectly fine going hours without saying a single word.
Rio glanced up and blinked, as if he’d just noticed her. In truth he’d been aware of her every move. He was nearly hypnotized by the sight of her fingers stroking the cat’s fur. “I stash the packs along my escape routes in case I’m out of ammo, weapons or need medical supplies. It can be very useful.”
“And the clothes?”
“Comes in handy if I need a change,” he answered glibly.
“I see. Are you going to tell me why your friend Drake acted so strangely around the cats and why it didn’t bother you? I expected, just for a moment there, for him to suddenly erupt into violence. I think you expected it too.”
“Drake has lived in the forest for most of his entire life. We’re very primitive here. We react to things in nature; It sounds a little strange, but if you’re here a long time, you’ll understand.” His hands stilled on the knife he was sharpening. “I want you to stay a long time, Rachael.”
His gaze was direct as always. Rachael couldn’t have looked away if her life depended on it. His voice was so low she almost didn’t hear him. For a moment she couldn’t breathe, her chest so tight from a mixture of hope and fear. She almost blurted out her first thought. She wanted to stay—needed to stay. Had never wanted a man the way she wanted him. But death was poised over her head and it didn’t care who happened to be in the same vicinity.
“With me, Rachael. I want you to stay here with me.”
“You know I can’t, Rio. You know why.” Her fingers curled so tightly in the clouded leopard’s fur, Fritz lifted his head and looked at her with his lip curled.