On The Prowl (2 page)

“Is it dry?” She took a step off the path, grabbing the trunk of a tree. “Is there room enough for a fire?”

“Yes, and yes. Almost.”

She sensed Daniel behind her, the solid bulk of his body a reassuring presence as she moved up the steep slope, pulling herself from tree to tree, her feet sliding in the mud. At one point she lost her grip, slipping, hitting the ground hard. But Daniel had her, hands around her waist.

“Thanks.” She looked over her shoulder as he pulled her upright. He was braced against a tree, and he held her for a moment.

“My pleasure.” He gave her that smart ass grin she knew all too well. “Although, as independent as you are these days, I should have let you slide down the hill.”

Addison pushed away from Daniel. “I’m overwhelmed.” But she had no choice to smile at him. “And you’re incorrigible.”

They climbed the rest of the way to the ledge without incident. Daniel was right; it was less cave than a deep ledge, but if she crouched down, she could get out of the weather, put her back against a wall. And maybe sleep.

Because suddenly she was exhausted, her body and mind giving out. She dropped her pack and crawled back to the front of the ledge. Daniel had disappeared again, but she could hear crashing below.

He was back a few minutes later with wood. “It’s damp, but we might be able to get a fire going. It’s not going to be cold, but it’s always nice to have a fire.”

She nodded, turning to her pack, searching for matches. “You want something to eat?” Her words came out slow and thick, and she felt as if she were moving at half speed. Before she realized it, Daniel’s hands were taking hers from her pack.

“You sit. I’ll make the fire.”

She let him take her pack, let him play the gentleman and take care of her. For a moment she bristled, wanting to take over, to prove she could take care of herself. But she slumped back, watching, energy leaving her.

“So tell me about the jaguar.”

She started. Daniel was coming to sit beside her, holding out a cup of tea. A small but robust fire burned at the opening of the ledge. Addison straightened, rubbing her eyes.

“Sorry. I think I fell asleep.”

“You’ve had a long day.”

He handed her the tea, inhaling the familiar scent of chai, spicy and warm. She took a drink, breathing out, trying to let the tension in her body disperse like the steam rising from the metal camp cup. They sat in silence for a long time. It was Daniel who finally spoke.

“Addison, I know you’ve said you don’t want to go back to the way we were, and that we agreed not to talk about it…”

“I don’t. You know that. It’s…we’re just better the way we are, rather than the way we were.”

He shifted next to her, his leg brushing against hers. Before, when they’d been a couple, the merest touch would have sent tremors through her. But now, there was nothing. At least there wasn’t what used to be.

“Daniel, you know how I feel. You know why we broke up. Please don’t bring up old history, especially now.”

“Now is why I want to bring this up. I just wanted you to know I’m here for you, whatever you need.”

“Daniel, I don’t want that…it will just complicate things.”

He slipped an arm around her shoulder. “It would…but the offer still stands. I’m always here for you, no matter what. No matter what you need.”

She wanted to resist the urge to lean into him, but she was tired, very tired, and he was familiar, her best friend. It would be so easy to just slip back into the old routine.

“Thank you, Daniel. It does mean a great deal, to know you’re here for me.” With more nonchalance than she possessed, she stretched, leaning away from Daniel, setting her cup near the fire. She turned back to him.

“I’m exhausted. Which side of the fire do you want to sleep on?”

She caught his gaze, saw the flicker of disappointment that crossed his face. For a moment, her heart clenched, but she squared her shoulders. His expression changed, settled into his normal, relaxed smiling appearance.

“I’ll take the side closest to the edge. You take toward the back. It’s warmer there. I always sleep hot anyway. I’ll be cooler there.” Daniel pulled his pack over, unsnapping the sleeping bag. Addison sighed, reached for her pack and did the same.

Addison crawled inside her sleeping bag. The floor of the ledge was rocky but she barely registered the hard lumps poking her in the spine. She watched for a moment as Daniel set another branch on the fire before he arranged his own bag.

She lay in the soft darkness, trying to make sense of everything that had happened, why she was here in this jungle. Here with Daniel. Then sleep took her, suddenly and completely.

Chapter Three

He wanted to see her again. Her scent hung heavy in the humid air and he followed behind her and the man, through the jungle behind them. He knew where they were going, probably before they did. Humans needed cover, craved fire. The ledge was the logical place.

But he’d circled around, coming down over the top of the ridge, prowling through the undergrowth until he was just above the top of the ledge. He breathed deeply, inhaling her scent. Then he wrinkled his nose, catching the scent of the man with her. A snarl raised his lips.

He slipped down to the ledge, eyes adjusting to the light from the guttering fire, scanning the space. The rain had stopped and moonlight filtered through the canopy, turning the jungle a mystical silver.

She was near the back, sleeping on her side, her head resting on one arm. Her hair was a dark spill across the stony ground. She looked peaceful, but he saw dark circles beneath her eyes. He hadn’t noticed them earlier, as she’d held his gaze on the path. He’d seen fear then, but also a frank curiosity. And a power, a determination. She hadn’t backed away, she’d held her ground.

A deep, unfulfilled hunger came alive. He wanted her, suddenly, completely. The desire was almost irresistible. Despite being exposed, with a dangerous male only feet away, he rose up, his body shifting easily from jaguar to human. He wanted to experience this as a man, not as a cat.

It hit him immediately, taking his breath away. He stood, head back, eyes closed, letting the sheer power of his desire flood through him. It was intoxicating, addicting.

Reluctantly he opened his eyes, and then froze. She was raised up on one elbow, looking at him with wide eyes. Again, there was fear, but as before, there was frank curiosity.

“What the hell?”

He wrenched his eyes away from her, to the man. He was sitting up, reaching for a large knife. Instinct raged through him, and he wanted to kill them on the spot. They’d crossed the line into his territory and they should not be allowed to live.

Killing them would take only a moment. The man, even with the knife, was no threat. But at the thought of killing her, his mind whirled in confusion. He could not even consider harming her. There was no choice but to disappear.

In an instant, he dropped to his knees, his body shifting in a fluid movement into the form of a jaguar. With a snarl, he bared his fangs, then leapt down from the ledge, disappearing into the jungle.

* * *

“Did you see him?” Addison sat up, fighting with her suddenly constrictive sleeping bag, struggling to her knees. “Who was it?”

Daniel was on his feet, a knife in his hand. He moved toward the opening of the ledge, looking back over his shoulder, down into the darkness.

“Probably a villager, someone local.” He turned back, brandishing the knife. It was more like a machete, and she wondered where he’d gotten it. “Whoever he was, I’m pretty sure this scared him off.”

“But…there aren’t any villages around here.” Her body wanted to move, to run, but her intellect took over. It was just adrenaline, and now, there was no reason to run, nowhere to run to.

“I don’t know, Addison.” He knelt down, stirring the fire, bringing the dying coals back to life. “But I do know I’m not going back to sleep.”

He looked at her across the flames. “You go back to sleep. It’s still a few hours before first light anyway. I’ll keep watch.”

“I can’t ask that, Daniel. You’re as tired as I am.”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering.”

She caught his sudden smile across the fire. “I’ll wake you with a cup of coffee, hot off the fire, if you go back to sleep.”

Addison settled back onto the hard ground, certain that sleep would elude her. She closed her eyes, trying to understand what she’d seen. It was clear Daniel had only seen the man standing in the moonlight, staring at her.

But Addison had seen the jaguar, no doubt the same one she’d seen earlier, perched on the ledge. He’d been watching her, fierce green eyes taking in every detail of her as she lay frozen with fear. Then she’d watched in amazement as he rose up, changing before her eyes into a man. The shift had been beautiful, seamless, clearly the most amazing thing she’d ever seen.

And he was just as beautiful a man as he was a jaguar. Tall, muscular but lean, he was perfect. Fear gave way to something else, something dark and primal, as he’d tipped his head back, drawing a deep breath. She’d had the distinct impression he was breathing in her scent.

The images blurred, merged, shifted, and she felt herself letting go of them, one by one, as sleep came back to her.

“Addison. Wake up.”

Daniel’s voice was close to her, and she caught a whiff off the promised coffee. She opened her eyes. He was crouched nearby, holding a steaming cup. She sat up, her stiff muscles protesting, and took the cup.

“This is wonderful. Thank you.” The coffee was hot and black. “I’d forgotten you had a reputation as a gourmet on expeditions. Makes me wish I’d have planned ahead a little better.”

“We’ll be fine. I’ll cook you a full-course French meal when we get home.” He winked, then moved back to the other side of the fire. “A no-strings-attached dinner, just to be clear.”

She sipped her coffee for a moment, her eyes smiling. “We should be able to reach the ruins by mid-day, if we get started soon.”

Daniel made a non-committal noise, spreading the remains of the dying fire, pouring on water. The few live coals hissed and spit, sending up white acrid smoke.

“Daniel? What’s the matter?” She set the cup aside. “Say it.”

“I don’t think we should go on.” He looked up at her. His eyes were serious, his expression concerned. “I don’t have a good feeling about what happened before.”

“It was just a villager; like you said. There’s probably a village in the mountains, and if so, we’re bound to run across someone.” As she said the words, the image of the sleek, black jaguar rose up in her mind. She wanted to tell Daniel, but decided it would only give him more ammunition to call off the whole trip.

“That’s what I’m worried about, who we might run into. A guy wandering in the jungle is one thing. But he might have been a raider, like the ones who killed everyone on that expedition.”

“But there’s no reason for raiders to be here. The ruins were abandoned by the Museum. The raiders probably took everything of value. Why would they still be hanging around, years later?”

Daniel shrugged. “I don’t know. But my gut is telling me we’re walking into something dangerous.”

Addison crawled out of her sleeping bag, crouching until she could stand. She looked up at Daniel, saw the expression on his face, and knew she’d have to either tread lightly and humor him, or stand up to him and get things moving. There was only one path she could take.

“Daniel. I appreciate how worried you are, really. But I’m going on. You can stay here. Or you can come along.” She took a step forward, ready to play the card she knew would get him to change his mind.

“I need someone to watch my back. You know, I can’t really go alone into the jungle.” She would if she needed to, but Daniel was here. And arguing with him was wasting time.

He shook his head. “As you’d say, low blow. Preying on my innate desire to protect you.” He poked at the ashes and then stood up, too quickly as it turned out, bumping his head on the overhanging rocks. Rubbing his head, he frowned at her.

“And now I’m injured. So I guess we should get out of here and get on with where we’re going.”

She chanced a smile, got a grudging one in return. But she knew they’d be fine. They always were.

The hike to the ruins took them through dense jungle. Daniel’s machete came in handy, as he cut his way through some of the thickest areas. Addison tried to walk ahead on some of the less dense sections, but Daniel insisted on leading the way. She sighed, resigning herself to walking in his shadow. He’d even taken her hand-written map, using his compass to forge a path.

It was well after lunch when she heard the first footfall behind her. She stopped, looking back, but all she saw was jungle. The air was still, and nothing moved. Ahead she heard Daniel hacking at the greenery. If there was anything making noise behind her, his grunts and swearing obscured it. She turned and followed.

Not long afterward, Daniel stopped, holding up one hand. She strained to hear what he was hearing. But he turned, giving her a brilliant smile.

“We’ve reached the ruins. They’re here. Or, rather, there.” He stepped aside and she saw a clearing in the density of their surroundings. She stepped around Daniel, walking toward the opening.

The ruin appeared rather suddenly. One moment she was walking toward what looked like just a clearing, and the next she was looking down on a vine-covered city, cupped in the valley of two hills. Buildings, clearly Incan, rose up, their walls crumbling, doorways opening into darkness.

As a scientist, she felt the familiar trill of excitement that she always did when she saw any ruin for the first time. But then the excitement leaked out, replaced with the knowledge that this was where her colleagues—her friends—had lost their lives.

“Well, we’re on the right track. And we’re not lost.” She turned to Daniel, nodded at the map in his hands. “That is my map you’re holding.”

He gave that familiar snort of a laugh and shouldered past her. “As much as I dislike the idea, we should think about camping here. You said the orchid is a long way past the ruins.” Pointing at the map, he looked up at the sky.

“It looks like rain again, and I’d rather be under cover for the night.”

She wanted to press on, but the sky was darkening dramatically. Reluctantly, she nodded. “We can use one of the smaller rooms, the ones used for storage, for the night. It’ll be easier to heat…”

“And easier to defend.” He shot her a look that stopped any retort she might have made.

“Fine. Let’s go then.” She started down the hillside, grabbing vines as she slipped, finally coming to rest near what she thought was the front entrance to the ruins.

“This wasn’t a major city, just something like a way station, a place to stop between point A and point B.” The ruin had been spotted by a local scientist, who had contacted the Museum. The aerial photos Addison had seen had made it clear it wasn’t a typical city. The fact that it sat at something of a crossroads meant that many different kinds of people had passed through, and with any luck, they’d have left behind evidence of who they were.

“It’s an odd little collection of buildings.” Daniel walked through a broken arch, peering down a corridor, doors opening off one side. He looked up, following the line of the outer wall. “These are the small storage rooms?” Pointing ahead, he turned back to Addison.

“They should be. At any rate, they’re only the width of the outer wall, two meters at most.”

“Then that’s where we spend the night.” Daniel started down the narrow alley, poking into the first doorway.

As he spoke, a fat raindrop fell on her face. “We should go then, before this opens up.”

Daniel stepped through the first doorway, motioning her inside. She’d barely gotten through when the sky opened up. The force of the water took her breath away and she turned, looking back out. The world was a solid wall of water.

“Not a minute too soon.” Daniel dropped his pack. “Typical jungle weather.”

They settled in as best as they could. The room was empty, a dusty square of stone fitted together seamlessly. Daniel had brought a few pieces of wood from the ledge and managed to start a small fire, which burned just long enough for a hot cup of tea. Then it fizzled out and they were left in a bleary gray darkness.

“If this doesn’t end tonight, we’re going to have to hike through it.” Daniel was sitting cross-legged near the door, watching the rain, nursing his tea.

“Such an optimist. You brought your waterproofs, right?” She joined him, sitting on the dusty stone floor. It was much more comfortable than the ledge, but it still made her fidget, knowing they were wasting what was left of the day.

“I did. But that doesn’t mean I enjoy slogging through the rain.”

She sat for a minute, watching the rain. They were in a narrow alley and she had only a tiny view of the sky above to watch. She looked up, trying to will the rain to stop, the clouds to part, and the sun to emerge. Then they could press on. Daniel had gotten up, and she was aware of him moving around behind her.

“Addison. Come here.”

She turned, setting down her cup. “What is it?”

“There’s another door here, looks like it leads to the next room. As long as we’re here, do you want to do a bit of exploring? Take your mind off not being able to go any further.”

“Am I that obvious?” She laughed, shaking her head.

“You are. Look at your nails. You pull at your cuticles when you’re anxious.”

She looked down, self-consciously shoving her hands into her pockets. “Yes, I’m guilty. What’s beyond the door?”

“A hallway. And more doors.” He stepped through the door and disappeared. A moment later she saw the flash of his light. She grabbed her light and followed.

The passage was narrow and Daniel’s shoulders brushed against the dusty walls. The first door he came to refused to open, and they moved on. The next opened onto a room that was identical to theirs, and just as empty. Daniel flashed his light over the walls and floor.