Read Online Uncharted (Treasure Hunter Security Book 2) by Anna Hackett - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Anna Hackett
Ads: Link
daughter of a naga king.”
Cal pushed back more vines. “There’s another statue behind it.”
Dani’s camera clicked as she took a shot. Cal frowned. He couldn’t tell what the hell the other statue was. Some sort of monster.
Behind them, the other archeologists moved closer.
“Oh, my God,” Gemma breathed. “It looks like a makara.”
Sakada nodded. “Yes, definitely a makara.”
Cal decided it looked like an elephant with the tail of a fish. “Which is what?”
Sakada looked at him. “A sea monster. Usually half terrestrial animal, like an elephant or crocodile, with the tail of a fish or seal.”
Dr. Oakley stepped forward, an excited light in his eyes. “The makara was considered a guardian of the gateway or threshold.” He smiled. “We’re getting close to the temple.”
Chapter Five
Dani stopped and slipped a new memory card into her camera. She was getting so many great shots. She loved the jungle. She loved the feeling of teeming life all around her. It almost made up for the sticky humidity and the mosquitos.
But she could tell the light was slowly disappearing. They’d have to stop soon.
She slapped a branch away from her face. Having to hike put you up close and personal with the jungle and its wildlife. Although, she had to admit she liked being on the bike as well. Okay, maybe she just liked being pressed up against Cal. Feeling the warmth of his back against her, feeling the hard ridges of his stomach under her hand.
She shook her head. She was supposed to be focused on her work, not talking herself into a wild case of lust.
But as she watched him swinging the machete, sweat dripping down his temples and soaking the neckline of his shirt, she had to admit that she was starting to like him.
With a deep breath, Dani turned her attention to the rest of the group. Dr. Oakley was looking tired but determined. Sakada looked like he was having the time of his life. Jean-Luc and Gemma were a bit wilted but still going strong. Sam looked like he’d prefer to be somewhere else.
Then Gemma cried out with excitement, and the other archeologists pushed forward.
Dani swiveled, and saw the tower rising up into the trees.
It reminded her strongly of the towers at Angkor, but this one had a tree growing over it. She took a few shots of it, cursing the dying light.
Jean-Luc crouched at the base of it to scratch away some of the dead plant life. Dr. Oakley circled it, talking with Gemma and Sakada. Dani took pictures of them as a group, then individually. Their feelings were clearly written all over their faces. She liked seeing such very different people, joined together by a common passion.
Cal stood watching, the tip of his machete pressed to the ground. “Get what you need because we can’t stay long. We’re losing the light.”
Dr. Oakley nodded. “Thanks, Cal. We just need to take some photos and document this.” He smiled and the weariness disappeared. “There are references to the linga temple here.”
Cal nodded. “I’ll take a look around. No one wander off too far.”
Dani lost herself in her work—the quiet whirr of her camera, the muted light of the jungle. She blocked out the voices of the archeologists, not really paying any attention to them. She framed the ruined tower and thought of the long-ago people who’d built it, worshiped at it.
She moved away from the others, circling around the back of the ruin, stepping over tangled tree roots. Then she heard a noise and frowned. At first, the noise didn’t register, and she rounded the worn stones.
Dani’s eyebrows snapped up to her hairline. Gemma and Sam were pressed up against the stone wall of the tower. The tech guy had his hands clamped on the archeologist’s ass, and Gemma had her hands down Sam’s loosened pants.
“Ah…sorry.” Dani took a backward step.
Sam jerked back like he’d been electrocuted. His eyes were just a little wide, and he swiped his hand across his mouth. “Um… I’d better
Cal pushed back more vines. “There’s another statue behind it.”
Dani’s camera clicked as she took a shot. Cal frowned. He couldn’t tell what the hell the other statue was. Some sort of monster.
Behind them, the other archeologists moved closer.
“Oh, my God,” Gemma breathed. “It looks like a makara.”
Sakada nodded. “Yes, definitely a makara.”
Cal decided it looked like an elephant with the tail of a fish. “Which is what?”
Sakada looked at him. “A sea monster. Usually half terrestrial animal, like an elephant or crocodile, with the tail of a fish or seal.”
Dr. Oakley stepped forward, an excited light in his eyes. “The makara was considered a guardian of the gateway or threshold.” He smiled. “We’re getting close to the temple.”
Chapter Five
Dani stopped and slipped a new memory card into her camera. She was getting so many great shots. She loved the jungle. She loved the feeling of teeming life all around her. It almost made up for the sticky humidity and the mosquitos.
But she could tell the light was slowly disappearing. They’d have to stop soon.
She slapped a branch away from her face. Having to hike put you up close and personal with the jungle and its wildlife. Although, she had to admit she liked being on the bike as well. Okay, maybe she just liked being pressed up against Cal. Feeling the warmth of his back against her, feeling the hard ridges of his stomach under her hand.
She shook her head. She was supposed to be focused on her work, not talking herself into a wild case of lust.
But as she watched him swinging the machete, sweat dripping down his temples and soaking the neckline of his shirt, she had to admit that she was starting to like him.
With a deep breath, Dani turned her attention to the rest of the group. Dr. Oakley was looking tired but determined. Sakada looked like he was having the time of his life. Jean-Luc and Gemma were a bit wilted but still going strong. Sam looked like he’d prefer to be somewhere else.
Then Gemma cried out with excitement, and the other archeologists pushed forward.
Dani swiveled, and saw the tower rising up into the trees.
It reminded her strongly of the towers at Angkor, but this one had a tree growing over it. She took a few shots of it, cursing the dying light.
Jean-Luc crouched at the base of it to scratch away some of the dead plant life. Dr. Oakley circled it, talking with Gemma and Sakada. Dani took pictures of them as a group, then individually. Their feelings were clearly written all over their faces. She liked seeing such very different people, joined together by a common passion.
Cal stood watching, the tip of his machete pressed to the ground. “Get what you need because we can’t stay long. We’re losing the light.”
Dr. Oakley nodded. “Thanks, Cal. We just need to take some photos and document this.” He smiled and the weariness disappeared. “There are references to the linga temple here.”
Cal nodded. “I’ll take a look around. No one wander off too far.”
Dani lost herself in her work—the quiet whirr of her camera, the muted light of the jungle. She blocked out the voices of the archeologists, not really paying any attention to them. She framed the ruined tower and thought of the long-ago people who’d built it, worshiped at it.
She moved away from the others, circling around the back of the ruin, stepping over tangled tree roots. Then she heard a noise and frowned. At first, the noise didn’t register, and she rounded the worn stones.
Dani’s eyebrows snapped up to her hairline. Gemma and Sam were pressed up against the stone wall of the tower. The tech guy had his hands clamped on the archeologist’s ass, and Gemma had her hands down Sam’s loosened pants.
“Ah…sorry.” Dani took a backward step.
Sam jerked back like he’d been electrocuted. His eyes were just a little wide, and he swiped his hand across his mouth. “Um… I’d better
Similar Books
