“Disloyalty will not be tolerated,” Noah guessed.
“Exactly.”
“Then we can only assume there is a very large, very hungry anaconda somewhere in this room with us?”
“Yes.”
Shoulder to shoulder they backed up, searching in both directions for the snake that belonged to the skin they’d found. Attie’s heart pounded so loud she was sure Noah could hear it, but he made no comment if he did. She’d had a great dislike for snakes ever since South America. “I think it brushed my leg over there,” she said, pointing.
“Then we won’t go over there.”
“Yeah.”
“Is your knife in your boot?”
Attie glanced sideways at him. “If you recall, I came to dinner wearing an evening gown and heels. Where would I have concealed a weapon? Besides that, I never made it back to my room, thanks to you.”
Noah’s eyes dropped to her chest. “I can think of a couple hiding places.”
Attie sent him a look that clearly conveyed her thoughts. “Very funny,” she muttered.
Something rustled in ferns to their right.
“It’s coming,” Attie whispered.
“Move toward the pool.”
“Anacondas are amphibious,” she said in a fierce whisper.
“Only open spot in the room to see it coming.”
Looking down, Attie noticed a knife in Noah’s hand that hadn’t been there before. Not much of a weapon against a ten-foot snake with a hide as thick as leather, but better than nothing. An M16 would have made her happier, but that was neither here nor there.
They were close to the pool now. Waiting. One of the tall plants swayed nearby. Attie stiffened.
“Just how are we supposed to battle a snake?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, more out of habit than concern. She had always looked to Noah for answers in the academy and in the field and he always provided them.
Some habits die hard, she thought, wishing she could take the words back. She didn’t want Noah to think she had forgotten her skills. It had been a while since she’d been in the field and she might be a little rusty, but she remembered everything she had been taught.
When he didn’t answer, she wondered if he had heard her. Moments later he spoke, his words sending a chill down her spine.
“I don’t know, Attie.”
A giant snake slithered out of the underbrush and barreled toward them. No chance to form a plan.
Attie didn’t have time to contemplate the fact that Noah Kincaid didn’t have the answer to her question.
The snake came at her in a blur of motion. Noah gave her a push that sent her stumbling sideways. She landed on her knees, recovering quickly, and turned to see the anaconda knock Noah into the pool with a splash.
“No,” she shouted, leaping to her feet. Wishing she had a weapon, she ran to the edge of the pool and looked into the churning water to see the snake roll over Noah.
Water sloshed over the edge of the pool with each turn, soaking her boots even more. Very meticulously the snake wrapped itself around its prey, coiling tighter with each roll. It would eventually squeeze the life out of him and then ingest him slowly over time. She didn’t wish that kind of death on her worst enemy. Well, Carlos maybe.
Noah’s dark head came up out of the water and disappeared back under again. His arm holding the knife was pinned at his side, rendering it useless. Without thinking, Attie dove in the pool. She got caught in the waves, dragged under and tossed about like a buoy before she was able to regain control of her movements and break free of the surface.
Bobbing in the water, she waited for Noah to roll her way. If she was quick enough she could grab the knife and drive it into the snake’s eye, enough to get its attention and release its grip briefly. It was the only chance they had.
The snake spun a gasping Noah out of the water and Attie lunged. She fought the waves and churning water, thankful she had strong legs, because it took every ounce of her strength to do it. She missed the knife. Instead she latched onto Noah’s arm and was dragged under with them.
Water filled her lungs and mouth as she was pulled with amazing strength beneath the water. Her lungs rejected the onslaught and she took in more water as she felt a tug on her arm. Just as she was sure she was going to drown, she broke free of the surface and somehow managed to let go of Noah’s arm.
Gasping for air and coughing up water, Attie tried to stay afloat as waves crashed her against the edge of the pool. It took her a minute to realize that she held the knife in her hand. Somehow Noah had passed it to her. Her back slammed against the edge, sending her into a coughing fit. She took on water as the waves grew more frequent and heavier. She had to act now or Noah wasn’t going to make it. The snake was wrapped around him to his chest.
Fury built inside her, bubbling over until she forgot all about her burning lungs and battered body. She put the knife between her teeth and rode a wave out of the pool.
With steady determination, her training kicked in and she perched on the edge of the pool, knife in hand, poised to strike. She was fed up with water in general and she hated snakes.
The snake’s head surfaced and with a primal shout Attie leapt at it and drove the knife into its eye with all the force she could muster. She imagined she looked ridiculous as she flew through the air and landed with a huge splash in the water but she didn’t care. Dammit, this snake wasn’t going to take Noah from her. She wasn’t sure if she was referring to Carlos or the anaconda, probably both, as she drove the knife to the hilt.
A wounded scream filled the room.
From her or the snake?
Suddenly it stopped rolling and started thrashing wildly. It swung its head around and threw her out of the pool. She flew through the air.
She landed hard on her back beside the pool with a sickening thud that knocked the breath out of her in a painful rush and sent shock waves through her entire body. Light exploded behind her eyes as she slid to a stop beside a group of red orchids. Too stunned to move, she lay, trying to get her lungs to work properly.
The anaconda thrashed in the water, each angry movement dousing her with water. When she opened her eyes the splashing had stopped and all she could hear was the gentle lap of the water against the edges of the pool. Had she passed out?
Noah.
She moved to sit up, but a shadow fell over her before she could. She went immediately on the defensive and prepared to fight. Noah dropped to a knee beside her. His head bent forward and one arm rested along his waist. He was breathing heavily, eyes closed.
She came to her knees beside him. “Kincaid?”
He swayed.
She slid an arm around his waist and took most of his weight on her shoulders. No easy task, since he was a solid wall of muscle.
“Come on, Kincaid, on your feet,” she said, trying to stand.
“Need a…minute.”
“We need to get away from the water. I can’t stand for both of us.”
He stood, bringing her with him. Considering he had just had the life squeezed out of him and he wasn’t breathing normally yet, he had amazing strength. She wouldn’t be surprised to find a couple broken ribs. Or worse.
She kept her arm around him as they made their way slowly away from the pool, aware he was carrying his own weight, but unwilling to let go in case he passed out. She didn’t know the extent of his injuries and she wasn’t taking any chances. Something jabbed into her waist and she glanced down to see the knife she’d used on the snake in Noah’s hand. She glanced over her shoulder to see if the anaconda was still there or if it had slithered off to lick its wounds, but Noah blocked her view with his shoulder.
“It’s dead,” he said, his tone flat and final.
Attie ducked around his arm and got a look at the pool, filled with blood and a dead snake before he nudged her head back around. Nausea rose in her throat.
They dropped to the ground together, Noah favoring his right side.
“Ribs?” she asked, studying his face. The only sign of discomfort he showed was in the thin line of his mouth.
When he didn’t respond, she reached out and lifted his shirt. She wrung it out before pushing it up toward his chest. She knew he was in pain. He’d just been death-rolled by a giant snake—he wasn’t going to walk away unscathed.
“Hold this,” she ordered, indicating his shirt.
“Damn it, Attie, back off,” he muttered when her fingers prodded his ribcage.
“I have to make sure your ribs aren’t broken. If they are, then we have to wrap them. Be quiet and sit still.”
Leaning forward, she peered at the rapidly darkening bruise covering his bottom two ribs. The bluish mark stood out against his smooth, bronzed skin. She let her hands glide over his ribcage, a smooth mix of taut flesh and lean muscle.
“Does this hurt?” she asked, prodding his side. At his sharp intake of breath, she froze. She glanced up to see a white ring had formed around his mouth and his eyes were closed. “Almost done with this side.”
“I don’t think they’re broken. Let’s see the other side.”
Noah made no sound as she moved over him to his other side, ignoring the ache in her shoulders and neck as she did. This time when she bent low over his lap, she couldn’t help but notice the ripples of his abs or the heavy muscle in his chest. He was solid and blatantly male. Except for a few battle scars, his skin was flawless. She couldn’t help remembering how masculine he’d felt on top of her. No denying the man was all male and she’d felt every potent inch of him against her in her dream.
“I’m not hurt there,” Noah drawled above her.
Attie stiffened and glared at him, slapping her hands on his ribcage.
He drew in a sharp breath and muttered a curse under his breath.
Instantly sorry, she started over and this time she didn’t let herself get distracted by his flawless skin or incredible fit body. It would do her good to remember just who Noah Kincaid was and what he had cost her.
* * * *
Any discomfort Noah felt evaporated when Attie put her hands on him. He already knew his ribs weren’t broken; he’d suffered a couple in his lifetime and they hurt like hell. This pain didn’t compare to that.
He had flustered her with his comment and received a good bit of pain for his efforts, but he couldn’t resist goading her. The way she’d been staring at him had sent all his blood rushing south.
In this position he could see the fine lines of her face and the moon shaped scar behind her ear. One of many she had received in Santiago’s prison. He longed to dip his head and trace it with his tongue.
He didn’t want to erase the scars; he wanted to heal them. They were a part of Attie now, a reminder that she was a survivor. He remembered what she’d looked like when he’d carried her out of that cell and he wanted to see her now. The truth lay in the scars she tried so hard to hide and so did her peace of mind, though she denied it.
“This side has only minimal bruising.” She straightened with a barely concealed grimace.
Noah’s eyes narrowed. “Your turn.”
“What?”
“Where are you hurt?”
“I’m not.”
He slanted a skeptical look and watched her bristle.
“I’m fine.”
“You were thrown from the pool,” he countered.
“I said I’m fine.”
Their eyes met and locked. Finally, after a short battle of wills, she let out an annoyed huff and sent him a look showing her irritation.
“My shoulders and neck are sore,” she admitted grudgingly.
Noah spread his legs and grabbed her hand before she could get up and run away. He tugged her gently down until she sat between his thighs, her back to his chest. She tried to get up, but he held her in place with a hand on each shoulder.
He could feel the knots at the base of her neck and focused on those, applying gentle pressure with his thumbs and rubbing in tight circles until she let out a low moan and relaxed beneath his touch. He smiled to himself and moved lower to her shoulders. A dark bruise had formed between her shoulder blades, just visible above the neckline of her tank top. He wanted to brush her hair aside and press a kiss to that tender spot.
Her head tipped forward, giving him full access to her slender neck. He had to taste her. He hadn’t been able to get her off his mind since he’d had her under him earlier.
Noah lowered his head and pressed his lips to her wet skin. She tasted like salt and an exotic spice he couldn’t name. One taste wasn’t enough, so he nibbled his way down her nape to the curve of her tank top. His tongue traced the edge of it, licking droplets of water off her skin.
She shuddered. “Noah…” she murmured as her hands slid down his legs to grip his knees.
For a woman who claimed to not like him, she responded to his touch as if they were long-time lovers. A contradiction that made him want to push the boundaries of how far she would let this go.
Something rustled in the bushes nearby and caused them both to lift their heads and freeze. Attie slapped his leg and leapt to her feet.
Rising to his feet beside her, Noah asked, “Besides snakes, what else did Santiago have as pets?”
“Piranhas. Lizards. Dogs. I don’t know.”
“There’s something else in here with us.”
Attie jumped when a leaf rustled near her feet. Knife in hand, Noah prepared to attack whatever was coming out of the fauna. He reached out an arm and pushed Attie out of the way as whatever it was came closer. She immediately stepped beside him.
They waited, not knowing what to expect as the sound of something moving through the underbrush grew closer. Thinking it was another anaconda, Noah raised the knife just as something streaked toward them. Attie let out a startled cry and he lunged.
* * * *
Gabe MacKenzie tossed his gear in the Huey, thinking it should be Brendan in the cockpit instead of the rookie, Don Newberry. He was a Navy pilot with a spotless record, but he didn’t belong in the pilot’s seat of Brendan’s chopper.
Rogan poked his head out, a grim expression on his face. “Nothing yet.”
Gabe nodded, an uneasy feeling in his gut. Something wasn’t right with this mission, but he couldn’t put his finger on what. It wasn’t because they were going in to rescue Attie once again; it was something else. And they were all feeling it. Even Kyle, who always looked somber, was bleak, his face set in granite lines.
This same team had rescued Attie the first time and each of them remembered the condition she’d been in that day. It haunted all of them. Not only because she was a woman, but because she was one hell of a good agent.
The blades started spinning over his head and Gabe ducked instinctively. As he climbed into the chopper, he couldn’t help but wonder if history was repeating itself. And just how the hell they were going to handle it if it was.
Motioning to Newberry, who nodded and lifted them off the ground, Gabe dropped down beside Kyle. Across from him, Colin shook his head, his long hair brushing his shoulders. He felt it too.
“Doesn’t feel right,” he said, voicing what they all feared.
Rogan glanced up from his laptop, his fingers stilling on the keys.
From the cockpit, Newberry said, “Hey, no bad juju in my chopper. It’s a simple snatch and grab.”
Brandt ignored him, Rogan went back to typing and Colin scowled, but nobody spoke. Gabe leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Maybe the new guy was right. Maybe things would go smoother this time and they’d all be home by this time tomorrow.
Alive and in one piece.
Chapter 12
Noah stopped dead in his tracks as a six-foot-long iguana zipped past them and disappeared in the underbrush behind them.
Lowering his hand and letting out a slow breath, he turned to Attie who was bent over, hands on knees, breathing heavily. Frowning, he tucked his knife into his boot and put a hand on her shoulder.
/> “Hey, it was only an iguana,” he said.
“I know.”
“Attie—”
She shrugged his hand off, clearly shaken by what had just happened. He gripped her shoulders and forced her to straighten, then pulled her gently into his arms, holding her tight when she tried to pull away. She struggled against him for a couple moments before sagging in his arms and pressing her fists against his shoulders.
“I hate this,” she said into his shirt, her voice low and angry.
Noah simply held her. He’d wondered how long it would be before she let off some steam. The snake was only the beginning of whatever game Santiago was playing and in truth, it had thrown Noah for a loop too. He hadn’t expected anything like this. Santiago had gone to a lot of trouble to set this up and wouldn’t be cheated out of his revenge. He wanted to see Attie suffer. She was—he could feel her trembling, saw it in her eyes every time she looked at him.
They knew Santiago had a plan but had never expected it to be this. Certainly not a carefully orchestrated game of survival. Santiago wanted to see Attie in her element and he’d set the stage for that purpose. Question was, would he go so far as to let her fail? Would her life be the price for her betrayal?
Noah didn’t know the man as intimately as she did, so he couldn’t afford to take any chances. He would go through the rest of this assuming Santiago would let her fail, and protect her from it. He just hoped she had enough strength to get through it.
“This is only the beginning of what Carlos is going to do to me.”
“To us.”
She shook her head. “No. You’re only along for the ride, to throw me off balance. He wants me to pay and he won’t be satisfied until I do. On his terms.” Her voice grew quieter.
Noah cupped her chin and lifted her head until she looked at him. “We’re in this together. His terms apply to both of us and I don’t plan to let him win. We’ll get through this, find Brendan and get the hell out of here. You have my word.”
The pool behind them made a loud, sucking sound, startling them both. Noah moved in front of Attie, poised for battle. Attie stepped around his arm as the pool drained. It swirled out an opening in the bottom and disappeared.
The Maze (ATCOM) Page 12