Betrayal (SSU Trilogy Book 2) (The Surgical Strike Unit)

by Kier, Vanessa

  He walked around the small circumference of their camp, but he couldn’t focus on security. All his thoughts were on Susana. He had to do this right. She deserved another gentle seduction. This could be their last time together until…

  Hell. Maybe ever. Things would happen fast once they reached Boa Vista. He’d find a phone, put in another call to Ryker, and they’d be on the first plane to Moscow. Once the vial was removed, he’d never see her again.

  He paced around the jungle, his flashlight bobbing like his thoughts, until he felt a measure of calm.

  When he returned to camp he expected to find Susana in her hammock. Instead, she sat on a fallen tree trunk with the survival blanket wrapped around her.

  “Susana, what’s wrong? Are you sick?” He hurried toward her. Dammit, she’d seemed fine all day. Was the wound in her shoulder festering, lighting her up with fever?

  He was a yard away when she stood up and released the survival blanket. It drifted to the ground.

  Dear God in heaven. She was naked. Looking at him with such heat, his wire-thin control snapped.

  He took two steps toward her and then she was in his arms, meeting his starving lips with her own, surging against his body as if she intended to become part of it. Light from his flashlight arched through the darkness as it fell out of his hands.

  He was too busy trying to touch every part of her bare skin to care. His palms came to rest on her butt. She made a purr of satisfaction and he lifted her against him.

  “Want…your…clothes off…now!” Susana tugged at his shirt.

  He lay her down on the fallen survival blanket, stripped, then covered her body with his own. He groaned. Her softness felt like coming home.

  His tongue plundered her mouth. She nipped at his lip, drawing blood and startling a growl out of his throat.

  His hands skimmed desperately across her body, trying to touch as much of her as possible. She urged him on with low moans and gasped suggestions until she was writhing underneath him.

  But he wasn’t satisfied. He wanted full possession of her.

  Unwilling to release her mouth, Kai levered his lower body into position. One violent thrust was all it took to sheath himself in her heat. Her legs locked around his hips and her arms encircled his lower back, trapping him right where he wanted to be. Where he needed to be.

  But Jesus, this was moving too fast. He had to slow this down.

  He pulled out, ignoring Susana protests. But he should have known she wouldn’t roll over and let him take charge. She leaned up and bit the side of his neck. The sharp pain snapped the chains holding down his primitive instincts. He cried out and his vision dimmed as her teeth pierced his skin. God, he’d never before considered pain a turn-on, but he didn’t want her teeth to ever let go.

  His hips surged forward. “More,” he growled.

  A cry tore out of her throat, yanking her teeth away. Her body nearly threw him off as a powerful orgasm ripped through her, arching her back off the ground.

  His heart pounded like a stake driver as he pumped into her. One stroke. Two.

  “Susana!” Kai came with such violence his sight dimmed. Then peace filled him and he collapsed on top of her.

  When he could breathe again, he shifted position and pulled Susana against him. He put his lips to her throat and nuzzled. Licked. The taste of her was the final comfort he needed.

  Just before he dozed off he had the thought that if their enemies didn’t already know where they were, he’d just given them a really loud beacon.

  Monday, Night

  Over the Branco River

  “Satellite pictures show five heat signals,” the captain of Jamieson’s cleanup crew told his team. The men sat in the back of a transport helicopter, heading down the Branco River. Last night, they’d located the crew of Kaufmann’s men that had firebombed the archeological dig. The men had been too drunk to put up much of a fight and had been captured quickly. Their extraordinary strength and speed had been dulled by alcohol, which acted as a sedative when combined with the drugs already in their systems. The scientists in charge knew the dangers of drinking yet had failed to stop the men. Instead, the scientists had been holed up in their rooms, making them even easier to kill.

  This afternoon, one of his men had flown a small plane loaded with barrels of gasoline back to the dig. The cargo hold had contained the bodies of the five crew members and three scientists. Once over the dig, the pilot had parachuted out, leaving the plane to crash.

  The resulting crater and fire would obliterate any evidence of the firebombing. Once the site cooled down, he and his men would return and gather any skulls and bones that weren’t destroyed in the fire, making certain nothing could tie the explosion back to the United States.

  But for now, they had a different mission.

  He held up a color photo of the jungle taken from thousands of miles above the earth. “Kai Paterson and Susana Dias are believed to be the dots farthest to the north. Rafe Andros is the lone signal slightly southeast of them. Intelligence suggests that Niko and Jenna Andros are the two dots following Rafe Andros.”

  He pulled out a photograph of Susana Dias. “It doesn’t matter how we kill Paterson and the others. But this woman has to be intact.” He flashed a smile that would freeze the balls of less ruthless men. “Well, mostly intact. All we really need is her torso. But it will be a lot less messy to transport her if we keep her in one piece.”

  The men laughed.

  “Why not keep her alive, then?” a man to his left asked. “We can have some fun with her on the trip back.”

  The captain felt a thrill of sexual anticipation. “Right. Take her alive and you’ll each get a turn with her.” An orange light went on over the side door, warning them that the door would soon open.

  “Prepare to move out.”

  With grunts of approval, his men checked the straps of their packs and positioned themselves along the rope that would soon lower them into the jungle.

  Monday, Night

  Amazon Jungle

  Thanks to their night-vision goggles, Niko and Jenna were able to continue moving for several hours after dark, although at somewhat reduced speed. By the time Niko called a halt, he estimated they were only a couple hours behind Rafe, and maybe another hour or two behind Kai and Susana Dias.

  “Niko?” Jenna called. “The trees are too close together here. We can’t string the hammocks up.”

  He pointed into the trees. “We’re not sleeping at ground level. Jump up and catch that branch. Then continue climbing until I tell you to stop.”

  One of the things he loved best about Jenna was her willingness to follow his directions, no matter how crazy she thought his ideas. Such trust continually humbled him.

  As she grabbed the branch and wriggled her way onto it he admired her strong, dancer’s body. And wondered how she’d feel about making love in a hammock, dozens of feet above the jungle floor.

  Deus.

  Susana’s head lay on Kai’s chest, just above his heart. His heartbeat was deep and solid now, not the frantic call-to-arms of a few minutes ago. His even breathing let her know he slept.

  She checked his forehead for fever, but he felt normal.

  What had just happened between them had been beyond normal. Beyond wonderful.

  Wild. Overpowering.

  Perfect.

  If you’d asked her this morning if she held anything back during sex with her previous lovers, she’d have said no. She loved sex and had always thrown herself fully into her relationships. She’d never been afraid to push the envelope.

  But the biggest surprise tonight hadn’t been Kai’s ferocity, it had been her response.

  She’d never bitten a man before.

  Used her nails, sure. Used her teeth to nip without breaking the skin, yep. She’d never felt the urge to draw blood once, let alone twice. But tonight she’d sunk her teeth into his neck until the salty, metallic taste of blood hit her tongue, sending her into a back-bowing orga
sm.

  Who knew she had aspirations of being a vampire?

  She smiled. It wasn’t the blood that had turned her on. What had done it for her was Kai’s trust. He’d allowed her access to his throat, leaving himself vulnerable to her, then begging her for more.

  Just thinking about it, her nipples hardened. God, she wanted that again. Only this time she wanted to be on top. Wanted to use her teeth on different places.

  Wanted to mark him as hers. To possess him.

  Because their time was running out. Even if she made it to Moscow in time and this Dr. Ivanov removed the chip safely, her association with Kai would be over.

  He lived in the shadows. She lived in the spotlight. And no compromise would get around one glaring fact.

  She hadn’t told Kai everything in her father’s letter.

  When he found out, he wouldn’t want to see her again.

  But until then, she didn’t want to waste a single second. So she let her hand trail down his body and let her heart ignore the ache heading toward her at sonic speed.

  Two hours later, Kai sat on the low branch of a tree, watching Susana as she slept in her hammock.

  Her dark hair, loosened from her braid by his fingers, flowed across her shoulder, onto her breast. Those hot cocoa eyes that usually sparkled with energy were closed, showcasing long, thick lashes.

  Her hands crossed over the soft mound of her belly. God, he loved the feminine grace of her hands. Sensual despite their grime and numerous cuts.

  Her long, perfect legs were crossed at the ankles. His pulse quickened as he remembered having those legs locked around his hips as he moved inside her.

  Jesus, but she fit him perfectly. And her aggression had been arousing as hell.

  His blood began to burn. Dammit, he’d promised himself he wasn’t going to touch her again. They’d already made love three times.

  Yet he still wanted her.

  Forget it. She needed sleep and he needed distance. Because as soon as the chip was removed, he had to say good-bye.

  The hell I do, his primitive side snarled. She’s mine.

  Kai flinched. For a moment he allowed himself to hope there was a way to keep Susana in his life. But there wasn’t. Not now.

  The fact that he’d killed without remorse upset her. Made her wary. But violence was integral to his job. Kai still struggled with the satisfaction he felt when he permanently rid the world of a bad guy. How could he expect Susana to feel differently?

  He dropped down from his perch to prowl the perimeter.

  But the cold truth was that even if he managed to get his violent tendencies under control, his work was dangerous. Being associated with him put people at risk. The next time his cover got blown, it could be Susana lying dead in a pool of blood.

  He shook his head as a wave of panic flooded him. No. He wouldn’t allow it.

  Which meant he shouldn’t touch her again. The smart move would be to piss her off so badly, she’d never want to talk to him again. But that could wait until the chip had been removed. He wanted these last few precious hours to stockpile her smiles and kisses.

  Thinking about the chip, his fingers curled into his palms. What if he took her to Moscow and this Dr. Ivanov wasn’t where he was supposed to be? What if he was dead?

  Until they reached civilization, he had no way of giving the SSU the man’s name so they could locate him before Susana boarded a plane to Moscow. Why take her all that way if the man had died?

  Yet without knowing what poison the vial contained, Kai didn’t dare try to circumvent the booby-trap. He wouldn’t even know what antidotes to have ready.

  Knowing Nevsky, the poison could be of his own making with no antidote.

  Kai leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree. Face it, you know that’s not the alternative to taking her to Moscow.

  Yeah, he did. But he couldn’t do it. Couldn’t send Susana into the hands of a doctor at the SSU with instructions to cut out as much of the flesh surrounding the vial as possible to keep the vial stable.

  Such an operation could have serious repercussions for Susana, depending on just where the vial was embedded. And on how many layers of booby-traps her father had set.

  He rolled his skull back and forth against the rough bark at the back of his head. The only acceptable outcome of this mission was for Susana to get to Dr. Ivanov and have the chip removed safely.

  So Moscow it was.

  Four days and counting.

  Susana awoke alone. She shivered, partly because of the loss of Kai’s body heat. But more because he’d left her alone. Not a good sign.

  And with him gone, the darkness pressed down on her, reminding her that if they didn’t get out of here soon, she would die.

  “Kai?”

  From across the camp she heard a faint rustling of leaves. “Here.”

  She closed her eyes at his voice. Safety.

  But he didn’t move any closer and she couldn’t bear being alone. “Could you please come over here and sit near me?”

  She sensed his hesitation and her relief dried up. He was distancing himself from her.

  No, dammit. How could he do this to her after what they’d just shared? “Please, Kai. You don’t have to touch me. I just…need to know you’re near.” Her voice broke and she cursed silently. This wasn’t at all how she’d expected the rest of the night to go. They’d made love twice more after that initial frenzy, but she still ached to have him inside her.

  He made no sound crossing the clearing, but when he spoke again, his voice was right next to her. The hammock tilted as his hand reached for hers. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

  Her fingers latched onto him. Nothing had ever felt so good as his calloused, dry skin.

  The words that tumbled out of her weren’t the teasing, seductive words she’d planned. “I’m scared.”

  Kai squeezed her hand.

  “I don’t want to die,” she whispered.

  With a gentle tug, Kai tipped her out of the hammock and into his arms. “I’m not going to let you die.” His words were fierce, but his hands as they lay her back on the survival blanket under the hammock were gentle. He stripped away her clothing with near reverence and moved over her.

  She welcomed him into her body with a long sigh of completion.

  “No one is going to hurt you.” The words were low, almost indistinguishable, as if his throat was full of rocks and the words had snaked their way through the blockage.

  She found his face in the darkness, traced his features from memory. “Thank you,” she told him. Even though she knew it was a promise he wouldn’t be able to keep, she loved the fact that he wanted to protect her.

  She brought his mouth to hers for a kiss that held both promise and loss. Joy and sorrow.

  Kai kissed her back, building her pleasure slowly. Breaking her heart. Because she suspected this was the last time they’d be together like this.

  After their sighs of completion faded, she asked, “Please don’t leave me alone tonight. Just hold me.”

  Kai’s answer was to tuck her close against his side and wrap his arms around her.

  Surrounded by his strength, she slept.

  Chapter 22

  Tuesday, Mid-morning

  Amazon Jungle

  Pain split Rafe’s head in two. He put his hands to his forehead, surprised to find his skull intact. But at least, for the moment and for the first time in hours, his mind was fully his own.

  Christ, he couldn’t take much more of this. He had to leave Niko another sign. And pray that his brother found him quickly.

  He inhaled deeply. Cursed when breathing only increased the pain. His vision wavered. The moment of clarity, of being in control, faded.

  The animal came back. The part that was controlled by the men in the white coats. Men who had programmed him to hunt and kill.

  He glanced around him.

  There. Leaves trampled.

  He stepped out, anticipation of the kill driving a
way the remnants of his sanity.

  “Stop,” Kai ordered. “Quiet.”

  Susana froze, her left foot hovering inches above the jungle floor. Dear God, that look was back on Kai’s face. Cold. Concentrated.

  Lethal.

  His head was cocked to the side, listening.

  She didn’t hear anything unusual, but he obviously did. In one fluid movement he straightened, grabbed her arm and shoved her in the direction of a large tree. “Up there. Hurry!”

  His urgency sent a shiver of alarm down her spine and she didn’t question him. She leapt toward the lowest branch several feet above her head. But sweat made her hands slick so her palms merely slipped down the bark. Damn it. She wiped her palms on her pants, then bent her knees and jumped again.

  This time, her grip held. But the weight of her backpack almost pulled her down. She tightened her fingers and pulled with every muscle in her arms and shoulder. For a terrifying second she sank, but then she rose the few precious inches closer to the branch, so that when she swung her legs up, they wrapped around the branch.

  She quickly shimmied around so she was sitting on the thick branch.

  “Take this!”

  Kai held up his backpack. It was so much heavier than hers, it almost dragged her off the branch. But she gritted her teeth, braced her body, and heaved it to a spot next to her.

  “Lift both packs into that notch to your right.”

  As she pushed and heaved to get the backpacks hidden, she cursed softly, so that whatever threat Kai had heard wouldn’t overhear her.

  “That’s good enough,” Kai said. She could still see the top of one of the packs, but snatched her hand back from trying to push it farther into the leaves when Kai said, “Forget that. Climb! Get as high as you can. Now.”

  “What about—?”

  “Just do it, Susana!” His voice cracked, sharp as lightning splitting a tree. “No matter what happens, stay out of sight and stay silent. If I go down, you have to get to Boa Vista on your own. Use the compass on this.” He tossed her his watch. “Move!”