Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

"How's it going?" Belson asked when Harlan's call reached him at the Moroccan factory a few minutes later. "Kalim has a rough reputation with the executives here. It appears he's a very important man in this area, and he doesn't hesitate to make his wishes known. Is he giving you a hard time?"

"About what I expected from the reports I've had on him," Harlan said. "But Kira is managing to keep us both under control."

"Is she?" Belson laughed. "It doesn't surprise me. She even handles Fiona fairly well, and you're the only other person who can do that with any degree of efficiency."

"I didn't call you to give you a report on my dealings with Kalim. What have you heard about Joseph Taylor?"

"He's not been apprehended by either the police or the governor's special forces." He hesitated. "But I asked the local gendarmes' informants here in Morocco and they said there had been a number of questions being asked here in the past few days by some of Taylor's local scumbags."

"Specify."

"Your name was prominent. Any news about treasure hunters. Activities of your nearby factories." He paused. "Activities of Kira Drake."

"Shit!"

"You knew it was coming."

Yes, he had, but it didn't make the confirmation any more palatable. "Taylor is moving fast as usual."

"Bribery is his middle name," Belson said. "You should hear the offers I've had. He knows I work for you. They've probably tried to bribe the other employees at the factory, too."

"Not Hannah Bryson."

"No, but she runs an entire engineering crew. Most of them are loyal to her, yet it only takes one Judas to blow top-secret material. Good news, though. She said to tell you that her work is done and ready for testing. Just let her know when and where you'd like your demonstration."

"I'll do that. In the meantime, keep Bryson and Yang, her chief engineer, safe. I don't want Taylor to get hold of either of them. Have you had any info about Taylor's having a possible location in this area?"

"No, but I've had a few solid leads about inquiries he's made lately."

"Follow up on them."

"I'm already doing it." Belson sighed. "When are you going to trust me?"

"But then you wouldn't be able to show off how clever you are and suitably impress me. Now put Yang on the line. I want details from my factory. If it turns out as well as I think it will, this could be extremely exciting…"

Harlan was still on the phone when Kira came out into the garden thirty minutes later, but he hung up immediately. A custom-made Bentley truck was pulling up in the driveway, piloted by a young man of nineteen whom Kira knew very well. He smiled broadly as he stopped in front of Kira and stuck his head out the window. "It's good you're back, Kira," he called out. "Kalim has been in a terrible mood. He hasn't let me go down to the shore once since you've been gone. I can't convince him that being a herdsman is really sissy work. I like the horses, but I'm a man who needs the ocean to complete me."

"So you've told me many times," Kira said. "Well, I'm sorry, but you're back with the herds for a while now. So get used to it."

"I already know." He sighed. "Kalim sent me down to the jet to pick up both sets of luggage to take up the hills to the summer camp. I'll deposit both in your tents the minute I drop you off. But it won't compare to going down to the sea. Can't you do something about it? Kalim listens to you."

The boy looked so disappointed, she found herself saying soothingly, "Maybe we'll be able to do a little scuba later so you can exercise that manliness you're so proud of." She gestured to Harlan. "Aban, this is Jack Harlan. Aban is one of the best scuba divers on the island, Harlan. Kalim used to assign him to go with me when he thought I needed an escort."

Aban grinned. "She already had a good deal of experience. And after two weeks, she knew our waters well enough to lose me and go off by herself. She was so good that I didn't worry about her getting into trouble, even though we're not supposed to dive alone."

"And he never said a word to Kalim," Kira told Harlan. "Though I think Kalim must have found out on his own. He usually does."

Aban nodded. "He never said anything to me. But you know he has spies all over the island. And you were valuable to him."

Harlan was gazing at him thoughtfully. "I can see how Kalim might have been irritated with you if you lost Kira deliberately or otherwise."

"You might have trouble losing Harlan," Kira said to Aban. "He was a decorated SEAL. Be kind to him, Harlan."

"There are always ways to get where you want to go," Harlan said. "It depends if he wants it badly enough. Evidently Aban wanted you to have as much freedom as he did down under the sea or he would have been more careful." He opened the passenger door for her. "Aban is going to show me some of the horses I've been hearing so much about. And he was willing to risk his boss's wrath to give it to you. I approve enormously." He glanced at Aban and smiled as he got into the car to sit beside Kira. "But not when it might be applied to me and my situations. Do we understand each other?"

Aban met his gaze for a long moment. Then he quickly nodded as he started the car. "Yes, we do. Very clearly. I'm totally at your disposal."

"You didn't have to be so stern with him," Kira murmured to Harlan. "He's just a kid."

"And I want him to live a long and enjoyable life. If he pays attention to the rules, he has every chance of getting there. How long do you think he'd last in Taylor's world? I'm surprised Kalim put up with it."

"He likes Aban. He wouldn't want to punish him. Aban was one of the boys he went scuba diving with in the past."

"Then Kalim's softer than I thought."

"Don't we all have our soft spots? You have Fiona."

"And you have Sarah Logan." He was leaning forward staring out the windshield at the scenery on the road ahead of them. "Is this another tent city like the one on Summer Island?"

"Not exactly," she said. "Though it is a tent city. You've seen all the beautiful flowers and waterfalls and landscapes at Summer Island. It's always been a place of serenity and healing. Sarah built Summer Island almost from scratch to be an animal hospital and sanctuary. She used to live and work in Arizona and commute to California, where John had his main offices. But one day, she visited Summer Island, and she fell in love. And since John was already in love with her and wanted to give her everything in the world, I guess he thought he'd start with Summer Island. Animals who'd been given up on by their vets were brought there from all over the world and were saved in surprising numbers, thanks to Sarah and her crew. The island became a mecca for researchers in the field."

"Like you?"

"Why not? It was beautiful, and it gave me everything I needed as far as research was concerned. Hathor, Kalim's property, looks wilder and more like a vagabond camp than anything else. Half beachy island and twisted trees and those stormy-looking mountains. The wild horses and Greco-Roman-influenced architecture add to the atmosphere, and so do the villagers, who are less dependent on technology than any of the workers at the modern clinics on Summer Island."

Harlan nodded. "It's also quite beautiful in an entirely different way." He was gazing at nothing but shining gold-white sand on the road ahead, which almost resembled a mirage. Yet the sand turned suddenly to shadowy darkness as they entered the foothills of the mountains and huge boulders and tall trees surrounded them.

And then he saw the horses fading in and out of the shadows as they ran through those trees! They reminded him of streaks of lightning. "Beautiful horses. All that power… magnificent."

Kira was watching his expression. "Yes. Now you know what you missed when Kalim wouldn't sell you those horses. They're totally fantastic. Wonderful. But you're not seeing everything. You're not seeing my work. I think I was kind of wonderful myself, don't you?"

Then he saw them. Dogs. Several dogs of all different colors and breeds running after those wonderful horses, weaving in and out, watching for all hazards. Guiding. Herding? He couldn't tell from this distance, but it must be what they were doing.

He turned to Kira. "That was what you were doing when you were working for Kalim?"

"I was working with the horses, too. But I'd just started with them. Because of the climate and ground differences, we needed super-intelligent dogs like Mack to guide the horses to safety if necessary. And I had to know if size or breed made a difference, so there were a number of experiments I had to conduct. We were getting along so well that Kalim was giving me hell about leaving here when I found it necessary to go after other jobs."

"So he offered you the treasure as a bribe to have you stay?"

She shrugged. "It was hard to resist when the animals were my first love anyway. I had no desire to hunt down the Taylors of the world. I only agreed to the assignment to please Sarah."

"And then you almost got yourself killed to do it."

"I'm here now. I can go back to work today if I wish."

"As long as Taylor doesn't show up to get in your way. I'd lay odds that he's making his plans now to do just that. I tried to tell you that was the way it would probably go down."

"Yes, you did." She wrinkled her nose. "But I didn't want to think about it. I still don't."

"Then leave it to me."

She shook her head. "His men almost killed those dogs in the boarding facility on Summer Island, but I managed to save them. Yet he's already mentioned that treasure the media has been yammering about to me. What if he tries to track me down? What if he comes here?"

"I don't have the slightest doubt that he will. We'll take care of it."

"No, I'll take care of it." She drew a deep breath. "But right now I don't want to think about that asshole. I want to show you those horses and my wonderful dogs I've worked so hard to train. The hill country where we've built corrals to summer the horses is right around the next bend. Don't you want to see it all?"

He was gazing at her glowing face and eyes. "You bet I do," he said gently. "I can't wait." He reached down and stroked Mack. "Neither can he. He's practically trembling, he wants to join them so badly. Did you use him to train the dogs?"

"Of course. Otherwise the pups would have thought it was a game. They had to know it was serious business. Mack's a great example." The truck was coming to a stop, and she threw open the door. "Go say hello, Mack!"

Mack didn't wait for a second order. He was out of the truck and being surrounded by the other dogs in the clearing.

Kira jumped out and climbed the fence next to the huge corral. "Come and see, Harlan!"

Then he was sitting next to her on the top fence railing and Aban was leaning against the truck, laughing as he watched the dogs. "This isn't so bad," he called out to Kira. "You've taught them well. I think they have much better manners than that shark who chased me the last time we went down to the bay before you deserted us."

"I didn't desert you."

"Kalim thought you did. He was sulking and then he started worrying, which was even worse." Aban strolled toward the herders who were gathered on the other side of the corral preparing the horses' oats for bags. He started helping them. "But I forgive you because I have a good soul." He glanced at Harlan, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Can't you tell by the way I allowed you to intimidate me before? I wanted you to feel safe with me." Then he ducked through the bars of the corral and was instantly surrounded by the other herders.

Kira struggled not to smile. "Yes, couldn't you tell? He's a scamp of the first order."

"It's obvious that he's shown his true colors." Harlan shook his head. "Now you have to show me all the glories of your wonderful dogs and tell me about each one of these horses that Kalim will probably never let me buy. Then we'll have supper and sit by the fire and look up at the stars, and maybe have a glass of wine while you let me get to know all those herders you work with. We'll discuss how we're going to manage to keep everyone safe and still hold on to enough of the treasure you discovered to fund all your medical charities and save the animals that we've almost destroyed on the planet. How does that sound?"

She gazed at him uncertainly. "It sounds like you're going to be cheated out of your share of our partnership."

"Does it? But I almost always come out on top. It just may not be in the usual fashion. And as I told Aban, you have to want it bad enough." His voice lowered to velvet softness. "Because if you'll let me, I'm going to also ask you to take me to your tent and let me touch you in all the ways I've wanted to do since that night on Summer Island. Do you think you could let me do that?" He jumped down off the corral fence and stood in front of her, every muscle tense. "Because I'm beginning to think I've never wanted anything more. Show me your world up here, Kira." He held out his hand and took her own. "I promise you won't be sorry."

His hand felt strong, as strong as it had been that night on the cliffs when he had saved her from Taylor, and all the other nights when he had held her hand as he kept her from slipping away after he had brought her into his home and cared for her. "I don't think I will," she whispered. She shook her head. "But it could be a mistake for both of us."

"Take a chance. I've never seen you afraid to do that, Kira."

What was she thinking? she wondered with sudden impatience. He was right, she'd always reached out for every experience, and this was no different. Her hand tightened on his and she pulled him toward the dogs in the center of the corral. "Then by all means come on and I'll show you how terrific Mack can be at setting a prime example, and then as a teacher, with the pups. I don't believe I told you that he can also swim like a dolphin when I take him into the water with me."

"Obviously a dog of many talents. And then?"

"I believe it's a great idea that you let all the herders get to know you. I want them all to like you and realize why I brought you here. You seem to have quite a few good ideas."

"You haven't even addressed the best one yet." He was staring intently into her eyes. "What comes next, Kira?"

She couldn't look away from him. He was smiling quizzically at her and was everything that she desired at this moment. She could see how much he wanted her, and dear heavens she could feel the pulse pounding in her wrists and the way her breasts were taut and swelling with how much she wanted him. For tonight at least, she knew that she was going to do everything, take as much as she could from what he was offering her. She smiled brilliantly. "Then we'll see where we go from there, Harlan."

MAIN CAMPFIRE

FOUR HOURS LATER

"Have you noticed how good I've been?"

Kira looked up as Harlan smiled and knelt across the campfire from her. "Good?"

He nodded. "I've gotten to know most of your herder friends, and I believe they like me. I've let you ignore me most of the evening while they told me about their favorite horses and how much they admire your work. I've taken Mack for a walk around the camp to become very familiar with it." He held up a bottle of red wine. "And I bribed Aban to find someone in camp who would sell me a bottle of fine wine. I've gotten pretty close to the end of the list. Don't you think I should get a reward?"

She shook her head and smiled faintly. "Heavens, no. You would have done all that anyway. That's what it means to be Jack Harlan. Almost from the moment I met you, I could tell you had to be the best, know more than anyone else, take the most chances. Ask anyone."

He gave a mock sigh. "No reward?"

"I didn't say that." She got to her feet. "I've been watching you all evening and admiring the way you made yourself a star in Kalim's desert firmament. I was just wondering who should receive the reward. After all, I brought you here."

She turned on her heel and strode away from the fire. "And I was also thinking that I hoped when you took Mack for that walk, you found out where my tent is located."

He was laughing. "Oh, yes. That was definitely one of the first things I noticed."

But Kira was gone, streaking away from the main camp and toward her tent beside the lake.

She ducked into the tent a moment later and sat down near the door to wait for him. She was breathing hard. Her heart was pounding. He'd be here soon. In another few minutes. She lit her lamp, her gaze fixed on the tent opening. And then he was inside the door. She jumped to her feet and was in his arms.

She kissed him once. Twice.

"Well, hello," he muttered, "I'm glad to see you, too." He tried to pull her closer.

But she shook her head and pushed him away. "Not yet. I have something to say to you."

"Not now." He was pulling her down on the camp bed. "Unless it's no, but I don't think it is." He cupped her face in his two hands as he whispered, "Because I don't know if I can take it otherwise. I've discovered you're like a fever…"

"You're not listening to me, Harlan. I have to say this." She turned her head away from him. "It's not no," she said jerkily. "I don't know if it will ever be no when I'm with you. But you should realize you're not under any obligation to me. You don't owe me anything because I talked you into this partnership thinking I might need help."

"What a relief." He buried his lips in her throat. "I can't tell you how I was worrying about the way you tricked me by offering me a fortune in gold and jewels. It was keeping me awake nights."

"Shut up. I'm being serious. Ever since we came together, you've been helping me, saving me, stepping in when I most needed you. I'm the one who owes you. I just want you to know that I'm doing this because it's what I want. If all you want is a one-night stand, then I'll understand. I'm prepared for it."

He lifted his head and gazed down at her. "Truly?"

She stiffened but then nodded. "I'm trying to be honest with you." Then she stared into his eyes and said fiercely, "But to be honest, I have to tell you that I don't like the idea, and I might try to change your mind. Because you make me feel… Oh, hell, I don't know what you make me feel. But I had to warn you, because I don't remember feeling like this ever before." She pulled his head down and kissed him again. "Okay?"

"I'm duly warned." His hands were on the top buttons of her shirt. "Now is it all right if I take your clothes off and get inside you? I want you so badly, you're driving me crazy."

"Oh, I'm so glad." She was tearing off the rest of her clothes and pulling him down on her bed. "That's exactly what I wanted." She gasped as his hands caressed her stomach and slid lower. "Though I… did mean what I said… but I can't think when you do… that." She arched upward and then spasmed helplessly and gave a low moan at what his fingers were doing to her.

"Do you like it?" Harlan asked hoarsely. "Tell me. Let me hear the words."

"You know I do, dammit…"

"Can you take more?" In an instant, he was on top of her and throbbing inside. He went deeper. "Oh, yes, you can take much more." And then the rhythm started as he twisted back and forth inside her. She was burning, flexing, the rhythm going faster, building. Then she gasped again as he plunged deep. He pulled her on top of him and she began to ride him. She screamed as he went beyond deep inside her, his hands clenching her buttocks to hold her still. "That's it! More…" he gasped with set teeth. "So damn good… Let me give you more." He was moving deeper, fuller, with every word… "I want every bit of you…"

She was giving him every bit and beyond, she thought dazedly. It was too much. No, it could never be too much. Not when she was so close… Not when she was also taking this almost unbearable pleasure with every passing instant…

"No fairy tale," Harlan muttered. "But definitely… magic. Don't… you dare… leave me…"

How could he think she would ever do that? This was where she had to stay. Magic… and he was causing her to arch once more as she gave another low, guttural cry and he took her down again and again into fiery darkness…

"I think I've had too much wine." Kira looked up at the stars and leaned back against Harlan near the entrance to her tent. "It was a good evening, wasn't it? Everything about it? You liked my dogs?"

"What's not to like? You and Mack taught them well." Harlan nibbled at the lobe of her ear. "And the horses are truly magnificent. You trained them, too?"

"Several of them. I did what I could with the time I had. The dogs were paramount because they had to learn how to protect the horses. But the horses were always Kalim's pride and joy. Fiona told me that there were rumors that Domino's forebearers were bred by the pharaohs of Egypt. Is it true?"

"Rumors that can't be proved." He shrugged. "I purchased Domino from a very high-end stable in Cairo, but there was no way to check ownership papers that far back. It's possible that one of Kalim's ancestors might have sold a few horses to neighboring tribes. If anyone could find a way to document that, it might be Kalim. But he wouldn't be willing to do it. At any rate, Domino was extremely expensive, and Fiona was delighted to have him. That was good enough for me."

"I can see that," Kira said. "Domino is fantastic. I enjoyed riding him."

"I enjoyed watching you. Are there any other of Kalim's horses that I could buy you that you'd like more?"

"Absolutely not."

"Just asking." He gently stroked her throat. "I wasn't trying to buy you. A gift can give more pleasure to the giver than the one who receives it."

"I realize that. It's still no. I haven't even paid you yet for your share of our partnership. We need to talk about that." She turned to look at him. "Which reminds me… did you find out anything from Belson when you called him earlier today?"

"A few things." He pressed his lips to the curve of her elbow. "Sorry. I became distracted. I like this particular spot…"

So did she, and she was getting breathless at just that light, caressing touch. But she was also beginning to want more. "I want to know. Tell me."

He sighed. "If you insist. But you're spoiling a wonderful evening. Where should I start?"

"Where nightmares start." She made a face. "I want to get it over with."

"Taylor?"

"Right the first time."

"No good news. He's still alive and kicking, and there's no sign that anyone is close to catching the son of a bitch." He paused. "A few of his scumbags have appeared in Morocco, asking questions."

"I don't have to ask about whom, do I?" she said bitterly.

"No. Actually, I was paramount but you came in a close second. Can we stop talking about him now? He's not going to be a threat for long. It's just always a good idea that I know where he is at any given time." His lips brushed her upper arm. "And that his location is never near you."

"And at a place where you can reach out and grab him if he doesn't get to you first." Her hands closed into fists. "I hate that, Harlan."

"Then it's time to change the subject," he said lightly. "And I'll give you the good news from Belson. My chief engineer has finished the project she was working on, and I thought I'd take you down to the shore tomorrow to watch the tests and let you see if my humble invention might be what we need to help retrieve your treasure."

"Tests? What is it?"

"Something that I hope will interest you."

"But you're not going to tell me exactly what? Maddening, Harlan." She had another thought. "‘She'? Your chief engineer is a woman?"

"Why, yes. I thought you'd approve that I'm not biased where women are concerned. Hannah has worked with me on a number of projects. Her success rate is excellent, and I'm sure you'll like her."

"I don't have to like her. You're the one who needs competent people around you. I'm sure you know how to choose them."

"There's a rumor to that effect going around." He smiled teasingly. "But I could be wrong. It was Belson who chose you to go after Taylor. He had to convince me you'd be wonderful at whatever you did."

"And was he right?" He'd leaned around her, and his teeth were now pulling gently on her nipple. She could scarcely breathe. Her fingernails clenched on his shoulders.

"Without the slightest doubt." Then Harlan was over her, in her, pulling her thighs over his hips. "You haven't failed me yet…"

She lunged upward as the rhythm began again… She could barely speak as sensation after sensation tore through her. "You haven't… failed me either…"

"That's good to know." He was going deeper. "And for your information, I cannot imagine you as a one-night stand as long as you'll let me reach out and come into you like this… It's definitely a long-term commitment…"