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remember who he was, someone very familiar to her. Her beautiful naked man. She remembered the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips. “Hurry, get away from them before they attack you.” She inspected his body, saw the bloody streaks on his belly, his hip.
    The gash on his temple. “You’re hurt.”
    “I’m fine, Rachael.” He kept his voice calm, soothing. “Give me the gun.”
    “It’s hot in here.” All at once she sounded like a forlorn child. “Isn’t it hot?” She wiped the sweat from her face with the back of her hand to clear her vision.
    Rio watched her through narrowed eyes, silently cursed as the gun swept close to her face. The blood on her leg was too bright, suggesting the need for immediate action. The muzzle of the gun wavered, far too close to her temple. She swayed slightly. He moved, casually maneuvering into a better striking position. “It’s all right, Rachael.” Deliberately he used her name, his voice soothing, persuasive. He gained another step. “They’re just pets. Clouded leopards. Small cats, really.”
    Her eyes were overbright. She frowned at him. She kept wiping her eyes in an attempt to get rid of the blurring. “Look what they did to my leg. Come away from there and don’t turn your back on them.”
    He moved with unexpected speed, slapping the gun away when it swung in his direction, his body slamming into hers, shielding her protectively as a deafening explosion reverberated in the small cabin.
    His body pressed hard against hers, her soft breasts pushing into his chest, her face against his shoulder.
    Her legs went out from under her and she began to slide to the floor.
    Rio swung her up into his arms, cradling her close to his chest. She was burning up with fever.
    “Everything’s okay,” he soothed, trying to ignore the ominous thud of the bullet striking metal and what it meant to them. “Don’t struggle Rachael, you’re safe.”
    She moved against his wet skin restlessly, the pain making her feel ill. His skin was so cool in comparison to hers she wanted to press herself closer. “Do I know you? How do I know you?” She frowned up at him, squinted through her spiky lashes to peer at his face. She made an effort to lift her hand, to trace the strong line of his jaw, his cheekbones, his mouth.
    With great care, Rio laid her on the bed, trying not to jar her. He framed her face with his hands, forcing her to stay focused on him. “Can you understand me? Do you know what I’m saying to you?”
    “Well of course I can.” For a moment her eyes cleared and she smiled at him. It wasn’t sexy, it was more angelic, and he felt it all the way to his toes. “In case you haven’t noticed, you’re not wearing clothes.” Rachael sank back against the pillow. “Turn off the light please, Elijah, I’m really tired.”
    There was a small silence. Something deep inside him began to burn. Something dark and dangerous.
    Rio reached for her left hand, his thumb sliding over her ring finger to find it bare. He brought her fingers up to insure there wasn’t a tan line proclaiming she’d recently removed a ring. He had no idea why relief swept through him, but it did. “Rachael, try to follow what I’m telling you. It’s important.”
    He carried her hand to his chest, without realizing he did it, holding it there over his pounding heart. “I need to lance the wound, cauterize it. I’m sorry, but it’s the only way to save your leg. I think the bullet hit the radio, but even if it didn’t, I can’t raise anyone in this weather. The second wave of the storm is hitting now and there were three strong weather fronts coming back to back.”
    Rachael continued to smile at him. “I don’t know why you’re looking so worried. They haven’t found us and I don’t think they can.”
    Rio closed his eyes briefly, fighting for air. He wished her smile were for him, not some unknown man named Elijah. This was going to be hell, and she was so doped up he couldn’t