Moon - New Moon Part 15

Exclamations from below told her they were almost out of time. "Hurry," she urged. But as she looked around, she saw that there wasn't much chance of a quick escape. They'd have to keep climbing. And when they did, they would stand out against the rock walls.

On the other side of the open s.p.a.ce, two rock outcroppings created a crevice.

One wall had a ridge that jutted out like a roof, darkening the s.p.a.ce inside and giving a good deal of shelter.

But it would also be one of the first places the soldiers looked.

Still, it might be their only chance.

"We'll be trapped," Logan whispered when she started toward the crevice.

"Maybe not. Maybe I can do something." She pressed a hand against his shoulder. "You go first." She could leave him now. Maybe she could even get away, if she was by herself. But she wouldn't abandon him to the mercy of the warriors.

Logan gave her a doubtful look. But as they heard the sound of men scrambling up the rock, he backed quickly into the s.p.a.ce until he was hidden by darkness.

She followed, then turned to face the doorway, focusing her thoughts on the opening. By herself, she couldn't create a force field like the one that had protected the cave. But perhaps she could make a mental curtain.

Moving closer, Logan cradled her in his arms, his naked front pressed to her back. It would be easy for him to take advantage of her here. He could let his hand drift downward, onto her breast, and she took her lip between her teeth as she realized how vulnerable she was. She couldn't run. And she couldn't fight him-if she wanted to keep the two of them hidden from the soldiers.

To her vast relief, he kept his fingers cupped over her shoulders.

Lowering his mouth to her ear, he spoke in the barest whisper, and she knew he was thinking about their situation-not about overpowering her. "If they find us, we can change and fight them."

Depending on how many, she thought.

She pressed her lips together when she heard a voice below; one of the pursuers was calling to the other.

They both went still as they listened to the shouted conversation.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah. But I thought I was going to drown."

"Where's Terrell?"

"I didn't see him."

Terrell. Was that the guy they'd killed in the water? She'd prefer not to know his name. He had nothing personal against her. He was just trying to survive in the service of a ruthless man.

"Maybe he didn't make it," another voice said.

"I thought he was a good swimmer."

"Maybe Rinna and the guy drowned."

At the sound of her own name, her heart started to pound even harder. Logan stroked her neck, her hair, but he said nothing.

"We could go back and say that's what must have happened."

The first speaker made a harsh sound. "You want to tell Falcone that we lost them?"

"G.o.ds, no."

"They're both shape-shifters. They could be long gone."

"Still, we'd better search. Falcone was sure they'd be in the cave."

Rinna felt her throat close.

Logan pulled her farther into the shadows of the rocks, as far back as they could go.

It was dark inside the crevice. She couldn't see Logan, but she could feel him. They had been close together before. Now her body was wedged against his. His skin had warmed, maybe because the two of them were generating heat in the enclosed s.p.a.ce.

He lowered his head again, stroking his lips lightly against her neck. As footsteps approached their hiding place, she pressed the back of her head into the dark hair on his chest.

When she heard a soldier climbing toward them, she went absolutely still as she formed an image in her mind. An image of the cave entrance and the cavity beyond. It was dark and scary inside. And it was impossible to see more than a few inches into the darkness. Probably there were cougars inside. Or bears. Or maybe even a fire-breathing dragon.

She felt Logan shiver, then lower his lips to her ear. "Are you doing that?"

"Yes," she murmured.

One of the warriors came close to the cave, and they both stopped breathing. Rinna could see the man staring into the darkness of the crevice.

Did he have a flashlight? They were very rare because it took some psychic ability to operate them. But this man might have been trained to do it.

She tensed, waiting for a beam to strike a shoulder or a leg. But apparently the man lacked that skill, and with the terrifying images she had called up, it seemed that he didn't want to take a chance on creeping into a tight s.p.a.ce where danger might lurk.

After several moments, he moved off, and Rinna let the air trickle out of her lungs.

She would have pulled away from Logan, but he held her fast.

"I think they're gone," she whispered, reaching backward to press her hand against his shoulder. "We should get out of here."

"Not yet."

She couldn't see him, but alarm sizzled through her as she felt him turn her in his arms.

"I dreamed of kissing you," he said, "Was it real?"

"How could it be real if it was a dream?"

"But do you remember it?" he pressed.

She gulped. Lying was never easy for her. But there was no way she could tell him the truth.

"No," she whispered. She remembered sharing a kiss with him. Not just a kiss. He had touched her, stroked her body and she remembered waking-out of breath and wanting him. Then she'd gone right to him and tended his wounds.

They had been in an opulent bedroom. Now they were outside, wedged together in a crevice in the rock.