Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“How do you know your blood is compatible with mine?”
He detested that she was shaking. He moved closer so their bodies were touching, his thigh against hers. “My blood type is compatible with just about everything, another fact I don’t want getting out.”
This time there was no denying the dimples. “My mystery man has many secrets.” She said it in a fake-spooky voice that made him want to laugh.
“I’m giving you a painkiller. Try to sleep for a little while. I’m going to rest as well.”
“There were more soldiers than the ones you killed. Five men went up the mountain to contact someone.”
He sighed. “You might have told me sooner.”
“Sorry.” Again, the lashes fluttered, and this time she was able to partially lift them, revealing startling vivid green eyes. “I’m not thinking clearly. You could give me a gun.”
“I will,” he acknowledged, “but—later, when I know your brain is clear and you haven’t gotten it into your head that I’m the most annoying man you’ve ever met and shooting me appeals to you.”
“Don’t make me laugh; it hurts,” she admonished. “Are you annoying?”
“Probably. I like things my way. And I make decisions based on logic, not emotion, which can be annoying to some people.”
“What you’re saying is you think you’re right.”
He pushed back the strands of hair falling across her face. “What I’m saying is I know I’m right.” He did his best to sound pompous, but there was too much humor in his tone. “Go to sleep.”
He reached for the birds. He would need lookouts if they were going to be hunted.
3
It took far too long to build a refuge that couldn’t be seen from the air or any trail. Once he had Leila inside, he would erase all tracks leading to their shelter. He had gone half a mile off trail through heavy brush and trees. There was a particularly tall tree with a huge root system reaching for a thin trickle of running water that came from above. The small stream ran all year round, sometimes doubling in size, but always there was a source of water for the animals and plants. The tree provided shelter for wildlife and was home to birds, squirrels and lizards.
The tree was full, thick branches reaching in all directions, darkening the forest floor. Tall ferns grew around the tree, blocking the view from any direction. Years earlier, Diego had discovered the spot when he followed an owl through the forest. Just to the left of the root system was a steep berm, a drop-off that was covered by years of foliage, needles, leaves, branches and twigs falling to form a massive mound that appeared solid.
He had patiently climbed down the ridge, exploring, and had found the entrance to a cave. It wasn’t really a cave, more of a deep depression in the mountain hidden by the root system, ferns and the hundred-year-old accumulation of debris at the edge of that berm. It would be impossible to find unless you knew where it was.
Diego worked as fast as possible knowing Warrior Woman didn’t have much time. They would need a place with room for both to lie down and easy access to water. He had rations with him—he rarely went anywhere without them—and he knew how to hunt for food in the forest, but he wouldn’t be in very good shape after performing a psychic surgery.
The truth was if he didn’t have to hurry, he would have tried to find a way to back out of using his greatest gift. A psychic surgeon was extremely rare, and the gift required a completely selfless sacrifice. He didn’t think of himself in that light. Rubin was a man who would sacrifice everything for others. He didn’t always base his decisions on logic. The compulsion to heal was extremely strong, and Rubin was very empathetic. There were times when he risked his life when he should have known better.
Diego was far more pragmatic than his brother. He had never allowed emotions to rule him. With a gift such as psychic surgery, he knew to succeed he had to be willing to sacrifice his own life for his patient. He was never one hundred percent certain he would make the exchange once he was deep into surgery and things were going wrong. He’d seen it happen to Rubin dozens of times. He’d been the watcher, ensuring his brother stayed alive during the process, but he had never let on that he had that same gift.
He prepared the small den with everything he could think of that they would need when both would be weak and vulnerable. He was meticulous, paying attention to details. Those could mean the difference between life and death. Throughout his life in the mountains, he’d befriended the great gray owl, and he called on them now, asking them to stay alert for any signs of intruders. Only then did he go back to Warrior Woman.