Unexpected (17 page)

Ray stared him in the eyes and took a menacing step forward. “You calling me a liar, Miguel?”

His grin slipped. “No!”

“Then give up now, before you or any of your amigos get seriously hurt.”

“No.”

Ray laughed. “Oh, Miguel, I did make the offer.” She took another step forward—and Miguel attacked.

Ray hadn't been expecting that because Miguel knew what she could do. Despite that, he grabbed her in a tight bear hug that cut off her supply of oxygen and pinned her arms to her sides. Stars danced before her eyes and her lungs burned, prompting her to quick action.

As if she'd passed out, Ray collapsed against him. Miguel staggered, cursing while trying to keep them both on their feet. The position threw him off balance. Ray twisted to fall to her back, used her knees to catch him in the middle, and sent him up and over her head. The big goon landed flat on his back behind her, winded and gasping for air.

Ray surged back up, exhilarated, bouncing on the balls of her feet, ready to go at it. Oh, if only she hadn't promised Sarita, she could have gotten in some good practice today. She was far more skilled than Miguel, but he was easily twice her size, which would help even the score. Palms up, she bent her fingertips, urging him to her, grinning with glee. “C'mon, Miguel. You wanna play? I'll play.”

“No.” He shook his head and again looked around, probably hoping for assistance. At that moment, another guard approached. He looked sick, but determined. Ray hated having the advantage again. No challenge in that.

She kicked out, catching Miguel in the ribs, forcing him back a pace or two. Just as quickly, she twisted and caught the other man in the thigh. His leg collapsed, landing him on his knees in the dirt. Ray brought her knee up into his chin. His head snapped back and he fell unconscious to the ground. Ray spared him a glance and saw he was breathing just fine. If anything, he was better off. Maybe he'd sleep until the sickness wore off.

She faced Miguel just as he charged toward her again. Grinning with a surge of exhilaration, Ray said, “You're up.”

He gave a battle cry of outrage. Ray ducked around him, chopped fast, and hit him twice in the back. Miguel staggered forward, almost losing his balance. He spun around to face her, aware that she only toyed with him and not liking it a bit.

“Puta,”
he snapped and lunged at her. Ray dodged his meaty fist while delivering a chopping blow to his ribs again, then his stomach, making him huff.

He slowly straightened up, saw her stepping toward him yet again, and covered his crotch with both hands.

Laughing, Ray clipped him in the side of the neck just behind his ear. He went down face first—thankfully well away from the nauseous remains of his men. The whole thing had lasted less than thirty seconds.

Ray knelt to check him, saw he was okay, and started to raise her hand to signal Eli.

He was already sprinting across the compound toward her.

And wow, he looked pissed. His eyes were lit with an angry fire discernible even from a distance. Ray slowly came to her feet, then propped her hands on her hips, trying to quiet herself from the rush of adrenaline. “Everything go okay?”

Eli charged right up to her and shouted, the words practically spit at her, “What the hell kind of plan was that?”

J
eremy forced himself upright, bewildered by what had just happened. There was Eli, as big and strong and imposing as ever. But he hadn't tackled the ape. No, the woman had done that. She'd taken on two men—three, if you counted the one bellowing from the shed, though he'd barely noticed her then, assuming she was with the whores who came to visit on occasion.

But this one hadn't had sex on her mind. No, she'd played with them, grinning with evilness, and then, with a hit or a kick, she'd laid each of them out. It defied reason and didn't make a bit of sense. Only in movies had he ever seen anyone fight like that. And all the actors were male.

His stomach cramped and he curled in on himself, fighting the nausea, but not for long. The woman ignored Eli and his awesome anger, and eyed him with pity.

That burned Jeremy's pride.

“Save your gripes for later, Eli. Let's move.”

“Jeremy.” Eli put his arm around Jeremy's shoulders, offering support while moving him away from the compound. “You okay?”

God, to be found this way, dirty and sick and weak. And to have
her
witness it, especially after she'd done things he couldn't. Things he wouldn't have dared try. Even now, she strode beside them, her gaze watchful, her manner arrogant. “If you don't count the stomach cramps.” Jeremy glared at her. “Was she right? The food was poisoned on purpose?”

“Not poisoned. You'll be okay in a few hours. But yeah, it was deliberate.”

Jeremy stopped, fighting off a wave of churning sickness. “I should have known better than to eat that slop they serve.”

“That
slop
is what they live on,” the woman pointed out.

“You should try eating it,” Jeremy shot back.

“I have. Plenty of times.” A movement drew her attention to his feet, and she said, “Watch yourself.”

Jeremy glanced down and saw he'd almost stepped on that damned furry, creeping tarantula.

He couldn't help it. He stumbled back so fast he fell on his ass. But it didn't seem far enough away, so he continued to scurry back.
“Son of a bitch.”

The woman actually laughed. “For a sick kid, your speed's pretty good.” Then she stepped forward. “I'll get it.”

“No!” Dear God, if she touched it, he'd die. Eyes wide, he said, “Let's just go around it.”

Eli scowled, used the side of his boot to shove the spider out of their way, and then helped Jeremy back to his feet. “Did you hurt yourself?”

Now seemed like a good time to disappear into the jungle. Jeremy gave it serious thought before remembering the jaguars and boas and other deadly creatures that prowled around. “No, but that damn bug has followed me everywhere.”

The woman chuckled again. “It doesn't have a personal vendetta against you. It's probably not even the same one. Tarantulas are common around here.”

Jeremy hated her.

Not only did she take care of his captors with no effort, she would have touched that damned spider that was almost as hairy as the head guerilla, Miguel. He shuddered.

Eli hauled him forward. “We need to get moving.”

The woman started to put her arm around him, too, but Jeremy rudely shrugged her off, giving her a look filled with contempt. “I don't need your help.”

“Coulda fooled me.”

“I'm fine,” he gritted out.

Laughing, she said, “Well, that's the sickliest shade of fine I've ever seen. And whew, you do smell ripe. They wouldn't let you bathe?”

Her continued good humor in the face of his misery raked along his nerves. Where were they going, anyway? It seemed Eli led them into the jungle. “Only in the dirty river.”

“The river's not so bad.”

He shuddered and explained, “It's loaded with leeches.”

Her mouth twitched, as if she wanted to laugh at him. “Gotcha.” And then with a glance at Eli, she teased, “There're piranha in there, too.”

Piranha? God, he'd rather be dirty.

All around them, men were starting to collect themselves. Their severe cramps were abating enough to make them aware of intruders, but not enough that they wanted to do anything about it.

Suddenly the woman said, “Unless you want me to do a little more hand-to-hand, you'd better carry him, Eli.”

Strangely enough, Eli didn't take her to task for her commanding tone. No, he just obeyed. Ignoring Jeremy's protests, he hauled him into his arms, carrying him like a damned baby. It was a humiliation he'd never forget.

Jeremy thought he even heard one of the men say “Good riddance” in faint, tainted English.

The woman led the way toward one of the guerilla's jeeps. His eyes widened when Eli plopped him into the backseat. There in the front floor was an odd-looking gun, far more modern than those the guerillas carried. “What the hell is that?”

The woman glanced into the jeep and shrugged. “An Uzi SMG. Your brother stored it for me.” She slid behind the wheel, then had to keep sliding when Eli pressed into the jeep, moving her over into the passenger side.

“Hey. You're forgetting who's in charge here, Eli.”

“Sorry, babe, no time to argue now.” He gunned the jeep just as the man locked inside the ammo shed broke through the rotting wooden door. He had his gun drawn and was racing toward them.

“Hold on.” Eli slammed the jeep into gear and hit the gas pedal, spraying mud everywhere, throwing Jeremy onto the floor and causing his stomach to pitch.

The woman watched out the back, that awesome, shiny silver weapon in her hand. She looked entirely comfortable with it, too. Seconds before Jeremy crawled back into his seat, she said, “You might want to duck,” and then she took aim.

The gun made an awful noise, scaring the bejesus out of him and forcing him to cover his head while cowering flat in the seat. His brother, however, was calm personified.

“Shoot anyone?”

She snorted. “ 'Course not. I hit the ground just to make him run for cover.”

Jeremy stared between them. He knew his brother could be ruthless on occasion, but shooting at people? “Just who the hell are you, lady? One of their whores?”

Now
that
got a reaction out of Eli. “She's Ray Vereker and she just saved your sorry ass. You might try thanking her instead of insulting her.”

Thank
her? For poisoning him? Eli had to be kidding.

Ray smirked. “Forget it, Eli. He can think whatever he wants. I already got my pay. That's thanks enough.”

Jeremy raised his head in incredulous disbelief. “You
paid
her to come here?”

Eli steered sharply to the left, causing Jeremy to topple in his seat again. “The only reason I managed to get to you was because of Ray's experience.”

Jeremy struggled to crawl back into the seat. The woman helped by grabbing the back of his shirt and hauling him up. She damn near strangled him in the bargain. “I'll just bet she's real experienced.”

Ray laughed, looked at his face, and laughed some more. “Way to lighten the mood, kid.” She reached back and punched him in the shoulder. He knew she meant it as a joke, but she hit hard for a girl. After that, she twisted back in her seat, facing forward. Jeremy took that to mean the immediate threat was over and he sat back up.

Eli drove the jeep like a pro, but at each fast turn, Jeremy tightened his mouth. At the moment, he just wanted someplace to curl up with his misery.

“I'm sorry, Jeremy.” Eli's tone was calm and comforting. “I know it's rough.”

“Where are we going?”

“To a private plane, then home.” Eli cursed as he maneuvered around a fallen log. “The road isn't much better than the footpath.”

“But it's faster,” Ray said, leaving Jeremy to wonder how they had gotten to him. At the moment, he felt too lousy to ask more questions. The woman, Ray, chattered on, giving Eli directions while keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings. The gun stayed in her hand, and after her performance at the compound, he'd bet she hit anything she shot at. Jeremy couldn't figure her out. Just who the hell was she?

By the time they reached the plane, he was slumped in his seat, his face clammy, ready to die and get it over with. Never in his life would he eat beans or rice again.

To make matters worse, that damn Ray was full of energy and orders, and Eli just let her do it. It pissed Jeremy off and made him doubly cranky.

Eli parked, and then suddenly she was beside him, leaning in close, her velvet eyes black with concern. “You okay, kid? You look like hell.” She stuck the back of her hand to his forehead—as if she had any motherly instincts! “You're not feverish, thank God.”

“I'm sick because you messed with the food.”

“Yeah. I sympathize with you. Personally, I'd rather be flogged than puke.” She straightened away. “I've been nauseous twice in my life, and that was enough for me.”

Jeremy stared at her. “Go away.”

She shook her head at him and wandered off.

Another man, big and blond with a surly expression, appeared from the side of the road. He took one look at Ray's disheveled appearance and exposed chest and raised his brows. “This ought to be interesting.”

“It's not.”

Eli's tone shut down any further questions on Ray's appearance, though Jeremy suddenly realized that she might not always look that way.

Did she always kick ass?

Eli helped him out of the jeep. “We'll have you more comfortable in a few minutes.” Supporting him with one arm, Eli steered him toward a Skylane resting in the river.

Before they could board the plane, Jeremy fell to his knees to be sick again.

Over his head, Ray said, “It was probably the bumpy ride that set him off again. I can give him a shot of Phenergan to settle his stomach once we're on the plane.”

Eli laid a heavy hand on Jeremy's shoulder. “I'd appreciate that.”

“Well, I wouldn't,” Jeremy choked out while struggling to his feet. “She's not a doctor and she's already poisoned me once—”

“No one asked you.” Eli shoved a canteen at him, then took his elbow and hauled him aboard the plane.

The pilot stayed up front preparing to take off, and Eli stored the gear so it wouldn't roll around on the flight. Jeremy curled on a blanket on the floor, and seconds later Ray carried him a plastic basin.

Just watching her walk got on his nerves. She had a cocky gait, and even dressed in the ridiculous ruined clothing, she somehow looked commanding and completely in charge.

“Here you go, in case you puke again.” She squatted next to him. “We won't be in the air long. Before you know it, you'll be in the States in a comfortable bed after a nice long bath. But for now, you need to scoot your pants down so I can give you a shot in your hip.”

His bloodshot eyes widened. Drop his pants for her? “Hell, no.”

“The Phenergan will kill the nausea and make you a little sleepy. You'll be able to rest.”

No way would he rest with her around. “Get lost. I don't need your help.”

Ray made a sound of impatience and those mysterious dark eyes narrowed. In a thousand different ways, she seemed far more imposing and dangerous than the guerillas had. “What's your problem, anyway?”

She managed to put so much silky menace in her tone, Jeremy hesitated before grumbling, “You.”

“So you'd rather I left you in the camp?”

He forced himself up on an elbow, scowling ferociously. “Eli would have gotten me out, with or without you.”

“But he didn't,” she reminded him, all smug and mean. “He hired
me
to do it.”

Jeremy stared at her torn shirt and curled his lip. She didn't have enough to flaunt, in his opinion. “Is that all he hired you to do?”

Eli suddenly appeared. “Jeremy, I swear, if you weren't so puny at the moment, I'd turn Ray loose on you.” He put his arm around her and half smiled as he made that absurd threat.

Ray didn't think it was funny. “I wouldn't waste my time.”

Jeremy watched her as she prepared the shot. With Eli looming over him, he had no choice but to take it. “I saw you throw those guys around like beanbags.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I've never seen a lady fight like that.”

Even to Jeremy's own ears, it sounded like an accusation. She jerked the top of his loose trousers down a good five inches. “Yeah, well, I'm not exactly a lady, so that explains it, doesn't it?” She stuck in the needle with a little more force than Jeremy thought necessary.

He sucked in a painful breath and cursed.

“Quit being a baby,” she said. “You should feel more human in just a few minutes.”

To hide his discomfort, Jeremy asked, “Where did you learn to fight like that, anyway?”

Ray smirked. “I was raised with two long-haired, vain cousins. They constantly primped in front of the mirror. I grew up having to fight my way into the bathroom every single day.”

Jeremy stared at her incredulously, but Eli laughed. “Lighten up, Jeremy. And show some respect.”

“Respect?” The woman looked to be a cross between a whore and a soldier. “You have to be kidding me.”

“That's enough.” No longer laughing, Eli pinned him with that penetrating gaze of his, then took Ray's hand, holding tight when she would have pulled away. He looked stern, but Jeremy could see the smile in his eyes. “I'll admit Ray may be just a bit unique. But you'll get used to her.”

Both Ray and Jeremy blinked at his statement. “Get used to her?” Jeremy asked, appalled. Just what the hell did that mean?

At the same time, Ray shook her head. “That's not going to happen, Eli. We're parting company tomorrow.”

Eli tugged her closer. “You're not going anywhere, Ray.”

No one really noticed the lurch of the plane as Buddy took them airborne.