Ready to dance with the devil himself? Never. Her thought ran through his mind like a frightened gazelle. Her gaze was grim when it met his
"But for Jake I must,” she said softly. “Let's go."
Chapter Fifteen
Nikki leaned against the trunk of a scrawny old pine, her breath ragged gasps that tore at her throat. She'd thought she was reasonably fit, but climbing this mountain had quickly put that notion to rest. She eyed the darkness ahead and wondered how much more they had to climb. And how in hell she was going to make it? The muscles in her legs were on fire. She couldn't possibly walk another step.
"Have a drink.” Michael took a soda from the backpack he carried and handed it to her.
"Thanks,” she replied and popped the top.
He nodded, his gaze sweeping the still night.
"Anything?” she asked, after a long drink of the lukewarm cola.
"Nothing. You?"
Her gaze skimmed the darkness. Ice crawled across her skin. There wasn't anything she could pin down, just instinct, warning her. “He's here, somewhere."
Michael nodded. “He'd hang around to watch the fun."
She looked at him in irritation. “Attempted murder cannot be classed as fun."
"To a man like Jasper, it can be.” His gaze when it met hers was assessing. “Ready?" No. She quickly drank the remains of the cola, and handed him the can. As she followed him up the slope, she couldn't help noticing his free and easy walk. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world. Yet tension and worry washed down the link. She still couldn't fully read his thoughts, but then, she didn't really want to. Not if it meant knowing how small their chances were of pulling this rescue off. She wrapped her fingers around the fob watch in her pocket. Its warmth comforted her, as did the slow but steady beat that told her Jake was still alive.
The entrance soon loomed before them, a cavernous hole framed by timber that looked older than Lyndhurst. Older than Michael.