Darkness Bound

32

Twilight was spreading green gloom over the floor of the forest. It would be dark soon.

Then he could hunt.

From behind him, she said quietly, “Is it safe?”

He turned to look at her. She was staring intently at the space he was clearing beside the tree.

“On the ground, I mean. Couldn’t we . . .” Her eyes lifted, and she gazed into the high branches of the tree.

“You’d feel safer in the tree than on the ground?”

In a guarded voice, she replied, “In my experience, the ground is always where the predators are.”

This surprised Hawk for several reasons. First, she was correct. The larger predators—including him—hunted the forest floor. Second, how would she know that? Finally, there was a double meaning behind her words, he was sure of it. The way she gazed longingly into the tree was telling, but of what he didn’t know.

Another puzzle piece. Another misshapen clue that didn’t fit.

“All right. I’ll find a spot, and come and get you. But once we’re up, we’re up for the night, understand? Whatever business you have to take care of, take care of it now.”

Her lips twisted. She nodded, understanding his meaning.

“And, uh, bury it.”

Jack stood, looking as if she’d rather be anywhere else on Earth at this moment. “Roger that, Rambo,” she said dryly, and ducked under the low, spreading branches of a giant philodendron.

Hawk watched for a moment, stretching his senses. He smelled loamy earth and wet vegetation, felt the scant vibration of a duo of capybaras nosing through bracken several dozen yards away, heard a thousand different bird and insect noises, but sensed nothing dangerous. There were no predators nearby that might leap on her mid-squat.

Satisfied, he leapt with ease onto one of the taller buttress roots that supported the tree and began to climb the trunk.

Ten minutes later, he descended to find Jack anxiously awaiting him, her neck craned up as she watched him climb down, her arms wrapped around her body as if for protection.

“I should have brought my gun,” she muttered, glancing around the quickly darkening forest. The night creatures were beginning to stir, and the air was alive with strange, new noises. Bearded pigs, leopard cats, flying fox bats, and the deadly caiman were all emerging from their daytime slumber with a hunger that would only be satisfied by fresh meat.

“You don’t need a gun.” Hawk jumped down and landed silently beside her. “You have me.”

She made a face, the meaning of which he didn’t care to decipher.

“You’re going to have to hold on tight as we climb, understand? You don’t want to fall—”

“Oh, for God’s sake, you don’t need to give me a safety lecture,” Jack interrupted, moving so close to him he felt the heat of her skin. She looked up into his eyes and declared, “Let’s do this.”

Hawk suppressed a smile. Bossy, brave, fragile, stubborn . . . if she wasn’t such a prejudiced pain in the butt he might have actually liked her.

He leapt back onto the tall buttress root and held out a hand. She scrambled up beside him with surprising agility, grabbing his hand for balance, but immediately released it when she steadied. Their eyes met, and she quickly glanced away.

“All right,” Hawk said, all business, “arms around my neck. Try not move too much. And keep your ankles crossed, or your feet might get in the way of my—”

“Wait,” Jack interrupted, understanding dawning over her face. “You don’t think you’re going to carry me up this tree, do you?”

His brows arched. He pointed to the branches far above. “How else did you think you’d get up there?”

She looked affronted. “The same as you. Climb.”

Hawk knew her well enough by now to realize an argument was imminent. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at her, but she wasn’t backing down.

“I know. You think you’re better than me because you have a d**k and I don’t. But I’m perfectly capable of climbing this stupid tree, and I’ll prove it to you.” She tried to brush past him, but he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“Can’t let you do that, Red. I’m responsible for your safety. If you fall and break your neck, it’s my head on the chopping block.”

Hawk knew he’d made a big mistake when her eyes narrowed and her gaze, sharp as an eagle’s, honed in on his face.

“Forget it.” Then he reconsidered, and smiled. “Unless you’d like to negotiate.”

She chewed the inside of her lip and scowled at him, wondering, no doubt, how she was going to bash in the side of his head. “A question for a question,” she pronounced, correctly guessing his terms. He nodded, his smile growing wider.

Jack studied his expression. Then, in a stunning display of honesty that left him reeling, she solemnly said, “I have a lot of experience climbing trees. I did it all the time when I was a kid because I had a lot of things I needed to hide from, and those things were afraid of heights.