Part 42 (1/2)

Rachael signaled to the elder to take a gun and move into the shadow of the bedroom out of sight. Only when he had merged into the gray did she reach out and lift the bar. ”Only one person better step through that door and you'd better step through with your hands raised.” She moved again, so they wouldn't be able to get a fix on her voice if they came in shooting.

The door swung open slowly. ”I'm not armed, Rachael.”

For a moment she couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Her heart pounded like a runaway drum and her mouth went dry. She stood there, fighting for air, uncertain what she would do. Rachael cleared her throat and forced the words out. ”Come in, shut the door and bar it. I want to see your hands every second.”

”d.a.m.n it, Rachael. You know who I am.” The door was slammed just that bit too hard. Elijah dropped the bar in place and swung his head to glare at her. Tall, muscular, broad-shouldered, his black hair fell in the same riot ofwaves as hers did. ”What the h.e.l.l were you thinking, taking off like that?”

”Why are you here?” She didn't lower the gun an inch.

”Put the d.a.m.n thing down before you shoot yourself. You wouldn't shoot me, not in a million years, so quit pretending you're tough.” He took a step toward her.

”She might not shoot you, but I have a very clear shot and I won't hesitate,”

Delgrotto said in a low, disembodied tone.

Rachael watched her brother stiffen, watched the shock spread over his face.

He'd always been so careful, paid attention to every detail. ”Rachael, tell him who I am.”

”Elijah Lospostos. My brother. You have a lot of explaining to do Elijah.” She was looking at his bare feet, jeans, and unb.u.t.toned s.h.i.+rt. ”You s.h.i.+fted into the form of a leopard, didn't you? How long have you been able to do that?”

He shrugged. ”I've been traveling fast, Rachael. It wasn't easy picking up your scent, not until I found it in the leopard form. I had a h.e.l.l of a time getting away from camp with that guide always watching my every move. I could use something to drink, and I wouldn't mind sitting down. And put the guns down.

What kind of welcome is this? I traveled a thousand miles to save your b.u.t.t.”

”No one asked you to, Elijah,” she said softly. ”I never asked to be saved.” She blinked back tears. ”Do you know a man named Duncan Powell?”

Her brother went ramrod stiff. ”Has he been here? He's a killer, Rachael and he's one of us. He'll be able to track you anywhere. Duncan is one of Armando's hired guns. If he's here...”

”He's dead,” she interrupted. ”He left a cobra in my bedroom and then followed me here.” She lifted her chin and glared at him. ”Why did you come?”

Elijah pulled out a chair from the table and sank into it. ”I told you why. Why do I always come after you? You 308.

309.

can't go running around unprotected, Rachael. If Armando gets his hands on you ...”.

”He'll have me killed? He's been trying to do that since I was nine. You should have let me disappear, Elijah. I didn't go to the police, I didn't say a word to the authorities about Tony and I wouldn't. I just want out. You should have let me go.”

”You think Armando's going to believe you drowned in a river without seeing the body? h.e.l.l, Rachael, you've forgotten everything I taught you. He knows you're here. He's coming after you with everything he's got.”

”And so you dropped all your business and hastily rushed off to the wilds of the rain forest to save me die way you always do.”

”Rachael, what's this about? Why didn't you come to me, talk about this? Of course I followed you. I'm not going to allow him to kill you.”

Rachael placed the gun on the sink and pressed her back into the wall beside it.

She looked small and vulnerable instead of the woman who had been so ready to fight just minutes earlier. Tears glittered in her eyes. ”No? I thought it might be a help to you. Isn't that what you said, Elijah? Didn't you hope he'd find me and take the burden off your hands once and for all? Didn't you tell me yourself your life would be so much better, so much easier if I were dead?”

He stood up so fast the chair went over backwards, taking a step toward her. The elder, deep in the shadows, stirred, reminding him to be cautious, and Elijah stopped. ”Rachael. Do you honestly think I came here to kill you?”

”There's a price on my head.”

”To keep you alive. Armando moved fast. He picked up the girl who wore your clothes and a wig. She was sent to me via messenger and it wasn't a pretty sight.”

Rachael turned her face away, her hand going to her throat in a protective gesture, a sound, much like strangling, emerging.

”This gun is getting heavy Rachael” Delgrotto said. ”I

think you and your brother should be alone. I doubt if he poses much of a threat, but Rio might come back unexpectedly. I'll go onto the verandah.”

”Rio couldn't possibly return before dawn.” ”He travels with those small leopards. It's likely one went to warn him.”

The color drained from Rachael's face. ”You have to go, Elijah. Get out of here right now.”

Elijah waved her words away. ”Look at me, Rachael. Turn your head and look at me. I want to see your face when you tell me you believed I sent those men out to kill you. d.a.m.n it.” His fist hit the tabletop. ”I spent my life fighting to keep us alive.”