She glanced at him. He was looking at the forest floor, toward their back trail. No one could have followed them through the arboreal highway other than another trained GhostWalker. That was one of the many reasons she chose to go high.
“I think we’re safe enough to talk out loud,” she decided. A part of her wanted to continue to use telepathy and keep him in her mind, but it felt too intimate. “The reason my camp is a good distance away is because I wasn’t looking for the terrorists. I was looking for the three virologists who designed the virus as a weapon. I thought they would have set up shop in the city, but they didn’t.” She began the climb down to the forest floor. “They felt safer out here and thought their experiments wouldn’t draw any notice.”
Draden followed her lead, staying just behind, climbing instead of jumping across the expanse—and she had the feeling he was very capable of jumping long distances without getting hurt. She liked that he didn’t try to take over because they were away from the danger of those hunting them.
“You found them out here? In the middle of nowhere? You aren’t even close to the river.”
Shylah made the jump to the ground. It was a good twenty feet, but her legs acted like springs absorbing the shock. Draden landed right beside her. She glanced up at him. The wound on his head was still leaking.
“I hid right out in the open. There’s a forest ranger cabin just up ahead. I’ve been using it. If a ranger should come along, I’d come up with an excuse. It’s really got all the amenities, including a shower. I lucked out.”
He flashed her a heart-stopping grin. “It was a bold move.”
She couldn’t help but smile as she put on her boots. He was really beautiful. If she was going to die, it wasn’t a bad deal to die looking at him. She didn’t bother to hide her tracks. She wanted anyone nosing around to think the forest ranger was in residence. Anyone in that area was most likely up to no good.
Poachers were in abundance, going after the rarest species protected in the rain forest: sun bears, clouded leopards, Sumatran tigers, rhinoceroses, orangutans and even elephants. Nothing seemed to be sacred, not even the birds, especially the rarest species. The forest rangers dismantled the traps poachers set and tracked them through the remaining viable rain forest. They also looked for signs of illegal logging.
“I’ve dismantled a few traps myself.”
He shot her another look, but this said she was taking chances and he didn’t like it. She knew she was, but she pretended she was just solidifying her cover, pretending to be a ranger.
“Do you think that was wise? Poachers can be very dangerous. They kill these animals for money.”
She shrugged and led him along a narrow path to the small structure set in the middle of a grove of tall trees. He touched her shoulder, signaling for her to halt before she stepped into the open.
Wait here. Give me just a minute to check it out.
No one’s been here. I can tell.
Indulge me. I’d just feel better if I scouted around. It’s a habit. Call it OCD.
Shylah knew better, but she nodded. She was suddenly very exhausted and if she’d been alone she would have allowed herself a very big breakdown. Instead, she forced her mind away from the fact that she had been exposed to the virus. He seemed to have great faith in his friend. She wished she could as well.
She kept her eyes on him as he moved out into the open area between the brush, trees and the forest ranger’s cabin. What in the world was a man with his looks doing in the GhostWalker program? He could make his living as a movie star. Or maybe just charge money for women to look at him. He’d probably make even more money if he …
Before you go any further, I’m still connected to you telepathically. There was humor in his voice and amusement poured into her mind, inviting her to share his laughter.
She found herself doing just that instead of being embarrassed. It was the way he laughed at himself. You are very good-looking.
So I’ve been told. I used to model men’s clothes. Just in case you saw some of the ads and were about to ask.
Of course he’d modeled men’s clothes. Who better? Any woman seeing him in jeans and a shirt, or a particular suit, would rush out to buy those items for her man. Now that she saw him up close, she recognized him from the magazines.
Hunting terrorists is a far cry from modeling.
And much more fun. He paused dramatically. Fulfilling. I should have said fulfilling. I’m sure that’s what I meant.
She laughed out loud even though she knew she was supposed to be silent in case there was someone waiting to kill them. Cameras don’t try to kill you. Terrorists do.
Everyone tries to kill me. Doesn’t much matter which world I’m in. I seem to bring that out in people. Did you see those boats filled with men trying to do me in?
She knew he was going for humor, but she turned his words over and over in her mind. What did he mean by it doesn’t much matter which world I’m in? He moved with the stealth of a jungle cat. She had quite a bit of cat in her and could easily see as well as him. His body was fluid, every muscle working in a perfect show of strength.
I like you the way you are right now, although I’d understand if you wish you were still modeling and very, very far from here.
He had gained the porch of the cabin after circling around it, studying it from every angle. I think you’re safe to come on in. Actually, my beautiful little peony, I wouldn’t rather be modeling. I understand this world a hell of a lot better than I did that one.
She wanted to ask him what that meant and why, but she didn’t want to force him to be personal. She wouldn’t have liked him doing that to her. Are you going to actually call me Peony? She liked the my and the beautiful.
His soft laughter brushed intimately at the walls of her mind. Take the shower first.
Not a chance. The hot water takes time.
She went up the two stairs leading to the porch. He waited there for her, his hand on the door. She was tall, but he was much taller. “It’s going to be strange talking out loud to you.”
“You just don’t want me in your head.” He pushed open the door and indicated for her to go inside.
Shylah did so, automatically scenting the air much like a cat would. No one had been there in her absence. “I don’t mind you in my head. I refuse to be embarrassed for thinking the truth. You have to know how good-looking you are. Fortunately for you, you seem to have brains and humor to go along with your looks.”
“Which is the most important to you?” He followed her in and closed the door. The moment the door was closed, he pulled off his shirt. “Brains, humor or looks?”
For a moment she lost her train of thought and could only stare at all his muscles with her mouth open. When he burst out laughing, she did too.
“Ordinarily, I would say your intellect. Right now, we need brains to figure out how to get out of the mess we’re in. I don’t much care for turning to mush as a way to die. On the other hand, since we’re probably going to suffer endlessly while we’re dying, I’d say a sense of humor, because who wants a whiny partner when you’re suffering? Then you take your shirt off like that, so the choices are ridiculously tough.”
His white teeth flashed at her again with his perfect smile.
“Do women just walk up to you and say they want to have your baby?”
“Why? Are you considering it?”
She nodded. “Absolutely I am. I think you have a duty to the human race to procreate.”
“Take your clothes off.”
4
Shylah burst out laughing just as Draden hoped she would. He liked her. He didn’t pay attention to many people and the ones he had, hadn’t been worth his time.