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was alive. “I heard shots,” she repeated, demanding an explanation.
“I winged him. He’s one of my people, but I don’t recognize his scent at all. I’ve never met him. We aren’t the only ones. Some of us live in Africa, others South America. Someone could have imported a…” he trailed off. “A hit man?” She supplied.
“I was going to say sniper, but that works. It’s possible. We hire out to take back kidnap victims. We make it a policy not to mix in politics if it’s at all possible, but sometimes it’s inevitable. Our laws are fairly strict; they have to be. Our. temperaments are not suited to everything and we have to keep that in mind always. Control is everything to our species. We have intellect and cunning, but not always the control needed to govern those things.” “He was after me, wasn’t he?” Rachael asked. Rio nodded. “Kim left the medicine for your leg and I’m going to reapply it. We have to leave here. I’m going to take you to the elders. They’ll protect you there better than I can here.”
“No.” Rachael said it decisively. “I won’t go there, Rio. I mean it. I won’t go—ever. Not for any reason.”
“Rachael, don’t go stubborn on me. This man is a professional and he knows where you are. He probably knows you’ve been injured. He came far too close to killing you for my peace of mind.”
“I’ll leave if you want me to, but I’m not going to your elders.” For the first time he heard a bite in her voice. It wasn’t edgy or moody, it was sheer temper. Her dark eyes flashed fire, nearly throwing sparks.
“Rachael.” He sat on the edge of the bed and pushed back the mop of curls falling in all directions. “I’m not abandoning you. It’s safer for you. He’s going to come back.”
“Yes, I know he will. And you’ll be here, won’t you. Alone. By yourself. Because your idiot elders are happy enough to take the money you earn risking your life to do
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whatever it is you do with your little unit. You give it to them, don’t you?” She glared at him. “I’ve seen how you live, and I can’t see you having a huge bank account stashed somewhere. You give it to the others, don’t you?”
Rio shrugged. She was furious. Anger was radiating from her. Her body shook with it. His fingers tunneled in her thick mass of hair. He didn’t know why, maybe to hold her in place when she looked capable of flying at the elders. “Some of it. I don’t need it. The money is used to help protect our environment. Our people need it, I don’t. I live simply, Rachael, and I like my life. What I keep I use for weapons or food or medicine. I just don’t have that many needs.”
“I don’t care, Rio. They’re hypocrites. They banished you. You aren’t good enough to live near them, but they’ll take your money and they’ll let you risk your life to protect their other men while they do their jobs. It stinks and I want no part of them. And if you need another reason, I’ll just be followed there and bring more trouble to them. I’m not going. I’ll leave and the hit man will follow me, and you’ll be safe.”
Laughter welled up out of nowhere. He simply leaned forward and took possession of her mouth. Her beautiful, perfect, sinfully delicious mouth. She sank into him, melted, her body pressing against his, robbing his mind of actual thought. Rio wrapped her up in his arms, hungrily devouring her, kissing her over and over because she was alive and she looked at him with that look. Because it angered her that the elders had banished him and she was so ready to defend him even when he didn’t need defending. Because she made his blood sing and his body as hard as a rock.
Bolts of lightning ripped through his bloodstream. Flames danced over his skin. There was a roaring.in his head and he knew he was wholly alive again. It didn’t matter that he didn’t know her past. He knew what she was made of, the strength of her, the fierce protective nature. Her couraee and fire mattered to him. She had given him