The Killing Game (14 page)

They got within a few feet of the animal and he held Axelle back when she went to run forward. He only relaxed his grip when she stopped struggling. “Let’s make sure he didn’t conceal any surprises before we check out this collar.” His skin felt like it was stretched taut over an electrified body, every sense hyperaware. Taz was the designated demolition expert in their squad although they all had training, Dempsey more than most. Axelle jerked out of his arms but stood quietly beside him.

Taz knelt beside the dead animal and inspected the mouth and body cavity for explosives. With meticulous care he moved dirt and stones from beside the animal. After five sweat-drenching minutes, he looked up. “Nothing.”

Dempsey kept scanning the surrounding area feeling like he was about to get hit by the world’s biggest ambush.

“I want to bury it,” said Axelle.

“No.”

“I can do what I damn well want.”

“Normally, you can.” He didn’t take his eyes off the hills. “But I’ve never felt so exposed in my whole bloody life so I am not going to let you. Grab the collar and let’s go back to your camp and figure this thing out.”

“Or?” Her eyes glittered. He’d have smiled if he hadn’t wanted to strangle her.

“Or I knock you unconscious and carry you out.”

Taz watched them with interest.

He could practically hear her jaw breaking, she clenched it so tight. “I never figured you were the sort of thug to hit a woman.”

“I’m an equal-opportunity thug, so don’t push it.”

Baxter and Cullen radioed him from the ridge, but he didn’t drop his weapon. He felt like the devil had skated over his grave. He whirled. Was the Russian here? He sure as hell couldn’t see him. He nodded to Taz who pulled out the infrared scope again and started scanning.

“Even though you’re totally bloody barmy, Dr. Dehn.” He was pushing her buttons but they were both pissed so who cared. “I’d like to make sure you don’t die on my watch. Or is that too fucking macho for you?”

She bent down and detached the fake collar. He spared her a glance. Her expression had become flat, her lips pale, knuckles bone-white. She was barely holding it together.

This collar was fashioned from a long strip of gray cloth with a small transmitter sewn to one end. Axelle stood, then opened her mouth in shock. He caught her arm as she swayed and was about to swing her up into his arms before she fainted when she fought off his grip.

“Look.” She flattened the material. On the inside there was a message printed in black ink.

Now I kill them all.

Oh, shit.

“He knew we set that trap.” Her skin turned ashen. “This is my fault.” Her hands shook.

He nodded to Taz to lead the way out. The boys would cover them. He put his hands on Axelle’s shoulders, felt her tension beneath his fingers and wished for some of that closeness they’d shared earlier. “This guy is manipulating you, making you feel like you’re the one to blame, but you aren’t. He’s the sonofabitch who shot these creatures. If he’s the guy I think he is, he’d put a bullet between your eyes and not feel a moment of regret.”

Huge brown eyes met his. But they weren’t soft. They were angry with a hard gleam. “And what sort of man are you, Sergeant Dempsey? Aren’t you manipulating me? Are you any different to him? You’ve shot people. Killed them. Did you feel regret?”

CHAPTER 7

For fuck’s sake. He spat in the dirt. Great. He’d spent his whole life fighting against scumbag terrorists and what happened? He ended up accused of being exactly the same sort of nutcase by someone he was trying to help. It stung. He wasn’t about to let her know that.

“That’s right, love. That’s why they pay me the big bucks, so let’s move it.” He maneuvered her in front of him. “Step where the trooper steps if you want to keep your legs.” He let her walk a few paces ahead and spoke into his comms. “Baxter and Cullen, keep a low profile as we head back to the RV. See if this bastard’s hiding somewhere and decides to follow us.”

They both acknowledged with radio clicks and he followed Axelle through the bush and along the rocky path. The old guy must be damn good or damn lucky to have spotted them near that other collar. He must have night vision equipment to move so swiftly at night too. Or he had insider information.

Dempsey moved closer to Axelle. “What can you tell me about the locals in this area?”

She shot him a glare from beneath fine black brows but refused to answer him. Great. He’d managed to alienate her when he was supposed to be winning hearts and minds. Though taking a bullet or getting blown up wasn’t conducive to positive relations either, and he swore he felt eyes all over him.

They tramped silently over the ridge. They were only about three miles from her camp but it was three miles up and down, and she was done and too stubborn to let him help. He knew all about stubborn. The sun was sliding down the western slopes when they finally approached the yurts.

A headache began to pound his temples, and he knew Axelle was holding on to her temper and composure by the thinnest of strands.

As the three of them crested the last ridge, he saw the tall redheaded man from the camp, riding toward them. The guy—Josef, he remembered—carried the AK-47 and the look in his eyes was both fierce and determined.

“Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot!” Axelle yelled. At whom he wasn’t sure but they all tensed.

The man pulled the horse to a halt in a cloud of dust and leveled the gun in their direction. Dempsey and Taz shouldered their weapons.

“Step away from the woman.”

“Josef, it’s okay—” Axelle went to take a step forward but Dempsey gripped her arm. He didn’t want her in the firing line if things went south.

“Let her go. Get behind me, Axelle. Now.” Josef yelled.

Shit
. This guy was in a state.

Every sense sharpened. Dempsey stood ready to defend his unit and Axelle. He’d started to include her in his list of responsibilities, which was a mistake because he might be gone by morning. And she wasn’t exactly the sort of woman you looked after.

She moved in front of him again and raised her hands to try to calm down her student. Dempsey put his rifle down. He needed more hands to deal with Axelle Dehn.

“You don’t understand, Josef. These men helped me catch and release G-man yesterday. They’re going to help us find the poacher.”

Assuming the poacher was the same guy they were after. Dempsey winced and the student spotted it. No choice, he wrapped his arm around Axelle’s waist and brought her firmly against his body. Her muscles stiffened in shock. This could rapidly turn into a shoot-first-ask-questions-later interlude, and he wanted to get control of the situation before it deteriorated further. He drew his SIG which had an extended 20-round magazine, and Taz kept his carbine trained on the big guy.

“Relax,” he breathed in her ear. “Trust me.” He shifted her until he had her sideways to Josef—who could be in league with the Russian for all he knew—and tried to shield her with his body. “Drop the weapon, Josef.” He could feel the pounding of Axelle’s pulse against his wrist. “And we’ll tell you what’s going on.”

Josef’s eyes narrowed into thin slits. “If I do that you’ll kill us both.”

“No, I won’t. I’m not about to kill anyone but I need you to drop the rifle so I can explain who I am without worrying you’re going to nail us.”

Axelle pushed hard against his arm.

His pistol did not waver from the other man’s chest, and at this distance he would not miss. “Put the rifle down and get off the horse or you’re a dead man.”

“Axelle?” Her student asked with a nervous swallow.

He could feel her body heat through the layers of clothes. She took a deep breath. He could almost hear her thinking. Surely she’d figured out that if he’d wanted to hurt her, he’d have done it in the mountains where no one would have found her body.

This was the moment of truth. Did she trust him? He’d helped her beloved leopards. They’d walked hand-in-hand down a mountainside. They’d slept side by side in a shallow cave. She’d confessed her fear of enclosed spaces. But he hadn’t given her anything in return except name, rank and number.

Silence stretched taut through the air. He watched a bead of sweat drip down the side of Josef’s face. Maybe Axelle did believe he was nothing but a cold-blooded killer…

“Put the rifle down, Josef,” she said finally.

“Aye, laddie.” A voice came out of the ether. “We’re not here for you or the woman. You need to put the rifle down, and at least give us the chance to say our piece.”

Axelle turned her head to whisper in Dempsey’s ear. “He’s one of yours, right?”

He nodded. His aim never wavered.

“Let me go. Josef isn’t going to shoot anyone.” Her fingers were no longer pushing against his arm. They gripped him tight as if in reassurance. God, he liked that feeling.

“Are you sure?” He glanced hesitantly at the big man atop the horse. He looked as fierce as a mamma bear protecting her cubs. Perhaps his feelings were deeper than that of a student for his supervisor.

She nodded and he let her go. Trust went both ways. He even lowered his SIG but he wasn’t about to holster it until the AK was slung across the guy’s back.

Slowly the big guy dropped the rifle’s muzzle toward the ground. His shoulders heaved as he seemed to realize they weren’t about to murder him on the spot.

He climbed off the horse and came toward the woman. Dempsey had to force himself not to react.

“Where the hell have you been?” Josef asked. “I’ve been worried sick since the horse came back without you, but one of the traps was sprung and I knew you’d want me to deal with that first…” His eyes pleaded for understanding.

Axelle nodded and Dempsey realized these cats meant everything to this woman. More than her own survival. “Did you release a leopard?” Hope lifted her voice.

Josef shook his head. “The trap was empty when I got there.”

There was a stretch of silence and she finally remembered he was there.

“Sergeant Dempsey here”—she held his gaze for a brief moment—“helped me release G-man, who had a wounded back leg.” She fisted her fingers around the fabric of the fake collar, “Then we tried staking out G-man’s collar in case the poacher came for him.” Her voice broke and Dempsey had to force himself not to take her in his arms to try to comfort her. Especially when the Dane glared at him with more than a professional light in his eyes.
Oh yeah
, the guy had feelings for Axelle all right, but she was oblivious.

A spark lit his bloodstream. She hadn’t been oblivious to him. No, there had been definite hints of attraction even though she’d tried to conceal it. Of course, that was before she’d called him a manipulative cold-blooded killer.

“The poacher didn’t fall for it,” Dempsey told the Dane. “Instead we found a skinned goat staked out with this fake collar attached.” He watched Axelle struggle to regain control.

Her eyes hardened. “I don’t know if this sonofabitch found out about the soldiers being here or about us uncollaring the leopards, but either way he wants to punish us.” Her jaw firmed. “So we better find our last five cats and release them before this bastard finds them.”

“Er…there’s a problem with that.” Josef spoke hesitantly.

“What do you mean?”

“The Trust emailed us back.”

Dempsey exchanged a look with Taz.

“And?” There was a quiver in Axelle’s tone.

Josef cleared his throat. Whatever he was going to say he knew his boss was going to be furious. “Under no circumstances are we to remove the collars or try and track this hunter ourselves.”

“You have got to be kidding me? Do they know what’s at stake?” Axelle closed her eyes as she raised her face to the sky. Her skin was like marble—pale and flawless.

“They said the head of the Trust is going to visit Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry ASAP to try deal with this, but it could take a week.”

“By which time the leopards will be dead.” Axelle planted her fists on her hips.

Dempsey took a step forward as he holstered his handgun “It looks to me like you need us as much as we need you.” He watched her face. Thoughts rapid-fired inside that brain of hers, and her lips thinned when she reached her conclusion.

The frost in her gaze turned to flint. “You want to use the leopards as bait.”

“My plan is to capture a man responsible for taking hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent lives.”

“And you intend to use one of the world’s most endangered species to bait the trap.” She got in his face. “Don’t you, Sergeant?”

“He’s already after them. You should be grateful for our presence rather than bitching at me about it.” Dempsey bit the inside of his cheek to stop from losing his temper even more. They’d had a rough night. She was upset. He got it. “Your snow leopards are getting some of the best soldiers in the world as bodyguards. You should be thanking me, Axelle.”

He deliberately used her first name, reminding her they’d moved beyond this pissing-contest stage to what he’d thought was approaching friendship.

“I should, should I?” She tried to stare him down, but he didn’t look away. She took a step closer and they were almost nose to nose. “I
am
uncollaring those leopards as soon as I catch them. They will not be used as bait by anyone, especially not
the
best soldiers in the world
.” A whirlwind of emotions cascaded through her dark eyes. But it wasn’t the anger or determination that clamped down on his tongue. It was the pain.

He looked over at Taz, breaking eye contact. Letting her win. Because winning didn’t matter when it came to staring contests. It only mattered in life and death, and football. “Even though your bosses have ordered you not to?”

“The survival of a species is more important than bureaucratic red tape.”

“You could lose your job.” He looked back at her then. Gauged her reaction.

“I don’t need the Conservation Trust to dictate terms to me when it comes to international law.” Her eyes glittered. “I’m still the person in charge of this project on the ground. Don’t you forget that.” She stabbed him in the chest with her finger even though he wore body armor. It probably hurt but she didn’t seem to notice.