Conspiracy Game

CHAPTER 19

Briony circled Jack’s neck with her arms and closed her eyes, opening her mouth to his, matching the fire in his kiss with her own. He had calluses on his hands and smelled of guns. She liked the roughness against her skin and knew that, no matter the danger, he would protect her and her children.

“You make me feel safe when you hold me, Jack,” Briony confided. “I’ve always been so afraid, but even now, surrounded by our enemies, you make me feel safe.” She murmured the words against the warmth of his mouth, kissed his chin and the small crow’s feet around his eyes-not laugh lines, but from squinting in the sun. Grateful that Ken was on guard duty and had left them alone to sleep while waiting for nightfall, she was determined to take advantage of her opportunity alone with Jack.

Jack kissed the tip of her nose, the corners of her mouth, the small indentation in her chin. It seemed an impossibility to be lying there in the Montana grass, in the place he loved, and hold this one woman. And she kept looking at him with love in her eyes. Genuine love.

“You’re a fucking miracle, Briony.” He kissed her again, and slid his hands down to her stomach, pushing up the material of her blouse so he could cover bare skin with his palm. “I want to feel them move inside of you. A part of you and a part of me. I never imagined having kids or even having a woman of my own. Now that you’re here with me, I can’t imagine life without you.”

She closed her eyes to savor the feel of his hands caressing her stomach. For one moment she thought she felt the flutter of a baby moving inside her, but the movement was so small and brief, she might have imagined it. “Don’t say fucking, Jack.” The truth was that, in spite of herself, she was becoming fond of that term when he said the things he said about her. “You have to clean up your language for the babies. But just in case you don’t know it, I think you’re a miracle too. I love you.”

He went still-utterly and completely still. Even his breath ceased in his lungs. He waited until she opened her eyes and looked at him. “Don’t say that unless you mean it, Briony. I don’t want there to be any mistakes.”

“There’s no mistake. I love you more than anything. I’m happy I’m carrying your children. I love being with you.”

“It’s remote up here and the road is impassable some of the time. We get snow. You could get lonely.”

“I love where you live and the house and all of it.”

“Sometimes I’m as mean as a snake. I like my way, baby-maybe too much.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of it? I know it snows. I don’t get lonely and certainly won’t with you, Ken, and two children running around, and if you’re mean, I’ll see what I can do to soothe you.” Her hand slid over his chest, feather-light-suggestive. “And as for getting your way, you probably will most of the time, so when I really want something, of course you’ll be more than happy to accommodate me.”

“I will?” A slow grin curved his mouth, took a few moments to light his eyes. “I doubt you’ll ever have much of a problem getting anything you want from me, but you already know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, and you know what I want right this minute?” She leaned up to brush her lips against his ear. “I want you inside me so bad I can’t think straight.” Because there was a part of her that feared she might lose him-that this might be the last opportunity they had to be together. “Do you think Ken will stay away long enough to give us time?” She whispered the invitation like a temptress.

Ken, I need a little time alone with Briony.

You think? I’m sitting up here twiddling my thumbs, lover boy. You’d better win her over with your skills cuz you sorely lack in the romance department. You don’t want to lose that woman.

No, Jack definitely didn’t want to lose her. He closed himself off to Ken, and kissed her gently. “I’ve got a hell of a great brother. He’s watching our back trail for us.”

“Go slow, Jack. I need you to go slow.” She wanted to feel loved, wanted to be with him again just in case this was the last time-the only time she had left. It was wrong with poor Ken so close by and accommodating them-she should have felt embarrassed-but she only felt grateful. It wouldn’t be long before they’d be fighting for their lives again, and she needed Jack now. “I’m sorry I look such a mess.”

“Do you think that matters, Briony? No one could be more beautiful to me. Swollen eye, bruises-it would never matter. You’re a fighter, babe, and you make me proud of you.”

He pushed her shirt further up her body, until the underside of her breasts were exposed, fingers stroking soft skin. “When I touch you, I swear, Briony, each time is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I feel like a fool trying to tell you what you mean to me, but I don’t want you to ever think you weren’t worth the effort for me to try to put the way I feel about you into words.”

Jack feathered kisses over her gently rounded belly. Strands of his hair brushed against her breasts, sending shivers of awareness down her spine. Briony didn’t know why she found it so erotic to be outside with him, danger surrounding them, and watching his eyes darken with desire and his body grow hard in anticipation. “You’ll have to be on top so we don’t take any chances hurting you or the babies.” He lifted his head to look at her, his gray eyes nearly charcoal. “I’ll be so gentle you won’t even know it’s me.”

She couldn’t believe how wet and hot she already was just looking at him. His hands cupped her breasts, kneading with exquisite care, rolling her nipple until she gasped, her vision hazing over. Briony’s clothes felt too tight, the material scraping against her sensitive skin and impeding his roaming hands. She hastily opened her jeans and sat up to remove her clothes, glancing around to make certain they were concealed by the shrubbery and thick canopy. The angle of the canyon walls helped, and she could see why Jack had picked such a spot to hide while they waited for dark.

Jack had divested himself of clothing as well and reached up and tugged at her wrist until she was sitting on his lap, straddling him. He fisted his hands in her hair to drag her head back, wanting to devour her, his tongue sweeping into her mouth, teeth tugging at her lips, and all the while he deliberately pressed his hard cock against her wet channel. For a moment he sat still, absorbing the feel of her, the scent of her, the miracle of her being with him. He buried his face against her neck to hide the sudden overwhelming emotion he knew was naked on his face.

“Jack?”

He pulled her arms around his neck until her fingers dug into his muscle as he positioned her legs around his waist. She locked her ankles behind his back, opening her body even more to him, and he rocked her back, rubbing his cock deeper into her feminine heat. He could hear his name on her lips forever, that breathy little hesitation, the way love poured through her voice. He deliberately moved again to draw a little moan from her.

Briony gripped his shoulders hard and made a small keening sound, a soft wail of pleasure adding hot flames of excitement licking through his surging blood. Jack kissed her over and over, drowning in her taste, loving the way she responded, giving up her mouth the way she did her body-wholly-unconditionally. He kissed his way down her throat and shoulders, until he found the hot little points of her breasts, already stiff for him. She was so hot and wet already, rocking against him, letting him know how much she wanted him. That alone was an aphrodisiac.

Jack took her breast in his mouth, felt the unbelievable softness, tugged her nipple with his teeth, rolled it with his mouth, and when she cried out, went back to suckling. With each strong pull, he felt her grow hotter and wetter for him. He loved her body’s reaction, and his hands began to stroke and caress her shoulders, down her back, to her buttocks, his mouth all the while lavishing attention on her breasts.

Briony flung back her head, arching into the heat of his mouth, nails digging into his shoulders. His slow hands and ravaging mouth sent her body pulsing with such aching need she tried to squirm onto him.

“Stop that,” he said sharply and brought his hand down on her bottom, sending an unexpected flare of heat spiraling through her body. “We’re taking this slow and easy, remember? Let it build.” Because he wanted to stay inside her forever. Jack wanted to hold her to him any way that he could. He had no idea how she’d managed to invade his heart and soul-but she had-and he needed her as surely as he needed the sun to come up in the morning. He wanted forever-and he had only a short time-but every moment was going to count.

The terrible aching need was already built-already raging out of control. Briony felt the tension in her rising, the pressure tightening deep inside, until her body clenched and wept in need. “Jack. We don’t have time.”

“For this-for us-we have time.” He kissed her neck, bit gently at her chin, found her breast again, and sent another shaft of desire curling through her with a strong pull of his hot mouth. Her body rubbing over him-pleading, demanding-hardened his cock into a thick instrument of flesh-and-blood steel.

Briony’s hands gripped him harder as he lifted her up and positioned her over his lap. He lowered her until the broad head of his shaft began to force entry, invading her body inch by slow inch. She was soft-so soft it felt like a silken glove gripping him-and hot-so hot he groaned and let gravity help seat her, needing him to be as deep as possible. Her body wrapped him up in silk and velvet, squeezing and clenching so that he gasped with the sheer pleasure of it. He caught her hips and began to move her in a slow, sultry rhythm. “That’s it, baby. Just take a nice easy ride.”

Straddling his thighs, Jack buried himself deep in her body. Briony wiggled, a small movement, but it pushed him even deeper, pressing him tightly against her clit, so each stroke sent an electrical current racing through her body, straight up to her nipples. A hot streak of excitement filled her as she felt her building climax. She arched back further, lifting her hips to his slow, easy rhythm, but adding a circular motion, watching his eyes, his face, reveling in the mixture of lust and love she saw there.

Her breasts swayed erotically with every thrust of his hips; her nipples brushed Jack’s chest to send hot sparks raining over her skin. She began to assert herself as her body wound tighter and tighter, lifting higher, grinding harder, riding him with a faster rhythm. His breath caught in his chest and she took him deeper, increasing the friction, deliberately contracting her muscles around him, drawing a harsh groan from him.

“Son of a bitch, Briony, you’re going to kill me before we’re through.”

She wanted to drive him to swearing. With anyone else it wouldn’t have seemed right-or sexy-but with Jack she knew she was pushing his limits and he was letting her. He didn’t like giving up control-not even sexually-but he let her set the pace, do what she wanted-maybe needed-to do.

She looked him straight in the eye and smiled, a sultry, sexy smile of sheer bliss. “You know what, Jack? This is me-loving you.”

His heart jumped in his chest. His cock thickened and jerked in answer.

Her fingertips slid over his face, traced every beloved line. When had he become so necessary to her? She felt love mingling with the terrible cravings of her body, and if it was possible, love for him increased her pleasure even more. She rocked forward and took his mouth, tongue sliding over his lips, teeth teasing and nibbling. His mouth opened, hot and hard and tasting so good. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, all the while rocking and writhing and keeping a steady rhythm designed to drive him as crazy as she could manage.

And then his mouth moved against hers, and he was all at once dominant, hands tightening on her hips, forcing her body into a different, much harder and faster rhythm. She felt the instant flare of excitement-the heat rushing like a fireball through her body to tighten every muscle and heighten her pleasure even more. She tipped her head back in invitation as his mouth wandered down her throat to her breasts, teasing and nipping and driving her insane. She could feel her climax building and building, his mouth and hands and body pushing her closer and closer to the edge. He filled and stretched her, their combined bodies hotter than she’d imagined possible, as he picked up the pace and deliberately pressed into the bundle of sensitive nerves.

Briony bit back a scream and let herself go, muscles clamping down tightly, taking him with her, milking him dry, while her body rippled and quaked with a shocking orgasm. Jack gave a husky groan, as he emptied himself into her and dragged her against his chest to hold her in his arms, while they rocked together, clinging, his face buried in her hair, hers in his shoulder. They stayed that way a long time, just holding each other, while their hearts stopped racing, bodies still one-both feeling at peace.

“We have to get some rest,” Jack prompted finally, reluctantly letting his arms slip away. “We have a long night in front of us.” He poured water onto a small towel. “Lie back and I’ll clean us up. You’ll have to get dressed and sleep in your clothes. We’ll need to be ready to move.”

Briony should have felt embarrassed to have him gently wipe her thighs, but she felt loved and cared for. His eyes remained dark with emotion as they dressed and she lay down beside him, his arm tucking her close to his body, the cover pulled up over them. “Thank you, Jack. I needed to be with you.”

His kiss was gentle. “We’re going to get out of this. All of us will.”

She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep-reassured by the confidence in his voice and the warmth of his arms.

Jack. Ken resisted touching his brother’s shoulder, knowing Jack would wake up brandishing a weapon and probably slit his throat. He stayed out of range, crouching low, as his twin sat up, already tracking with a gun. Ken waved the muzzle away from his body. We’re in trouble, bro. I climbed up the pass…

“You did what?” Jack hissed. “Damn it, Ken. That was dangerous.”

Immediately Briony stirred and sat up as well, looking from one brother to the other. “What’s wrong?”

Ken sank down beside them, rifle cradled in his arms. “Sorry we woke you, Bri, but we’re going to have company soon.”

“What’s going on, Ken?” Jack demanded.

“I got suspicious when the damned helicopter never made any sweeps. Why would they do that? I didn’t put it out of commission. They may have wanted me to think I did, but I knew better. So while I was sitting up in the rocks, cooling my heels, I got this idea about Dr. Whitney and his files. Just suppose he managed to find a map of our property and he studied it and knew if we went for this canyon that we had a way up through the pass.”

“Son of a bitch,” Jack grated.

“So I took a little trip up, and sure enough, we’ve got company waiting.” Ken flipped open his canteen and drank, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Can we take them?”

“They have the better position and a helicopter, Jack.” Ken glanced at Briony, went to speak, and closed his mouth. They’d kill us for certain.

“Don’t do that,” Briony said sharply. “I’m not a child and I don’t wilt because it gets rough. I want to know what’s wrong.” She captured Jack’s hard gaze with her own. “Am I a part of this family or not?”

“You know damn well what you are to me,” Jack snapped. “The only real way out of the canyon is the pass. We didn’t think anyone knew there was a way up. The canyon is a box, and essentially we’re trapped here. There wasn’t a pass at all until we made one.”

“So how did they know?” Ken asked. “No one’s been here.”

“He guessed. The bastard guessed,” Jack said. “He’s a fucking genius, and he looked at the map and figured out exactly how we think. The canyon’s a natural trap. He knew we’d lead them here, and he put his men up above to sit and wait. We make the climb-it’s steep and dangerous and will sap our strength, and they’ll shoot us like ducks in a pond.”

Briony took a deep breath, inhaling to try to catch the scent of danger. She smelled pine and fir and night air, but not soldiers. The temperature was falling rapidly, as it often did up high in the mountains. She shivered and reached for Jack’s pack, pulling out a jacket to wrap around her.

“We’ll be fine,” Jack assured her.

“I know. I’m just cold.” She wasn’t certain how true what Jack said was, but she wanted it to be true. Fear was a constant companion, familiar to her and therefore easy to rise above. She shrugged it off and tangled her fingers with Jack’s.

“We don’t have a lot of choices,” Jack said. “If we try the pass, it’s tantamount to suicide. Maybe with both Ken and me giving you a lead, protecting you, you might make it, especially if they don’t want to kill you.”

She shook her head. “I’m staying with you.”

“I could protect the two of you,” Ken offered. “It makes sense, Jack. You know we have to get her out. It comes down to who’s more important. Briony is carrying the babies. I’ll lie up on the pass with the rifle… ”

“The hell with that. We go together or not at all,” Jack snapped. “If you think I’d run when they were gunning for you, Ken, you don’t know me very well.”

Briony shook her head violently. “I’m with Jack. Absolutely not.”

“It was an idea.”

“A stupid one.”

“What about going back?” Briony interrupted, her fingers digging into Jack’s palm. “We could go down the mountain-get some help.”

Ken shook his head. “No way. They have us boxed in with heavy artillery.”

“We stand a chance if we try to hold out right here and wait for reinforcements to arrive,” Jack said. “We can radio the team and they’ll move as quickly as possible.”

“Twenty-four hours at the most. Twelve probably. If we’re lucky they could be here by morning. We have the ammunition. We might do it,” Ken agreed. “We’ve got enough C4 and you’ve already rigged some wires. It might be our best shot, Jack.”

“What’s wrong with the idea?” Briony asked. “Neither of you like it much.”

“They can just as easily bring in reinforcements too,” Jack replied. “Whitney has access to much more sophisticated equipment if we stay too long. We can’t give him that kind of time-not unless we have no other choice.”

There was a small silence. Ken sighed. “I’ll climb up as high as possible and see if I can get a clear enough signal to call for help.”

“Wait.” Briony held up her hand. “You have to climb the cliff anyway to get a signal? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“We have no choice,” Jack explained. “We’re in a canyon, baby. We can’t call a dog, let alone our team.”

“If there’s a way for Ken to climb the cliff and get high enough to call out, why can’t we scale the cliffs and get out of here? We’re all strong,” Briony ventured.

Again there was a small silence, the men exchanging a long look.

“Maybe,” Jack said thoughtfully. “With you pregnant, that’s probably the last thing he’d expect.”

Ken rubbed a scar on his left cheek as he frowned. “We tried the northern face that time, Jack. It has fingers and toeholds, some crevices we could maybe use, but most are a good fifteen feet apart. It would be tricky, especially in the dark.”

Jack glanced up at the sky. “How much of a moon do we have?”

“Fairly decent. More than half. The night’s clear.” Ken turned his head to study the sheer, rising cliff. She’ll never make it, Jack. She’s strong, but she’s pregnant.

Briony knew they were talking about her in private. She pulled her hand away from Jack. “I’m a flyer, a high-wire performer and a darned good one at that. There isn’t much I can’t do.”

“You don’t like heights,” Jack reminded her. “It’s all right, Bri, we can hold out here.”

“I don’t like a lot of things, Jack, but it’s never stopped me before. If I wasn’t with you, what would you do?” she challenged.

“You are with us, so it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me. I don’t want to sit here and wait for them if we have a chance to get out. I can handle heights as well or better than either one of you. Don’t sell me short because I’m pregnant-or worse, because I’m a woman.”

“We can’t climb in the conventional manner, Briony,” Jack explained. “We have to become a human ladder, one anchors while the other swings him like a pendulum and throws him up to the next hold. It’s difficult and dangerous.”

“So is staying here. Would you do it if I wasn’t here? Tell the truth.”

“We’d already be gone,” Jack said.

“That’s it then.” Briony kicked aside the blanket and stood up. “Let’s go.”

Ken shook his head. “This is how it all starts, bro. She’s getting bossy. I’ve heard women do that. They start out all soft and kittenish, leading a man on, and then the claws come out and they dig in and take over.” He stood up, the rifle looking a natural part of him. “You’re in for trouble, Jack.”

“Probably,” Jack agreed, pride and respect for her in his voice. “Let’s get moving.” He flashed her a small, approving grin.

Jack reached down to roll the sleeping bag, and an explosion rocked the night, shaking the ground, a huge red and orange ball churning with black smoke blasting upward and outward like a violent mushroom cloud. Birds screeched, taking to the skies, and the world seemed to be in chaos.

“They’re coming for us,” Jack said.

Both men calmly shouldered their gear and indicated to Briony to walk between them in single file, Ken leading the way. As the smoke and flash faded, the night once again turned eerily silent.

Jack handed Briony a gun and a knife, which she slipped into her belt as she walked behind Ken. The men made little noise, and she tried to do the same. There was enough moonlight to see their surroundings. There was no trail, not even a deer trail, but Ken seemed to know exactly where he was going.

Briony walked with them, trying to analyze why, when she was in the middle of an extremely dangerous situation, she wasn’t nearly as afraid as normal. Oh, the adrenaline was running and her pulse was racing, but it wasn’t debilitating like fear almost always was on the onset. She didn’t have to force herself under control; she just walked between the brothers, trying to emulate their heightened awareness. It wasn’t even the fact that the two men kept her from feeling the effects of the violence surrounding them, or from the battles they’d already fought.

Confidence. They exuded complete confidence. It was in the set of their shoulders, the way they moved with fluid, easy strides, the easy camaraderie between them, and the fact that they simply worked so well together. She glanced at Jack over her shoulder as she walked. He wasn’t watching the ground, but all around them, up in the trees, the rising walls of the canyon, and their back trail. She tried to follow his actions, tried to see with her enhanced vision and hear what the night had to tell.

“Remember, baby,” Jack whispered softly against her ear as they stopped just under an outcropping that grew a good twenty feet above their heads out of the steeply rising wall. “Sound carries in the night. We’ll communicate with telepathy, and when we climb, try to make as little noise as possible. If this is going to work, we have to be ghosts just fading away.”

She nodded to let him know she understood. How do we do this?

We jump up to the outcropping and go from there. I’ll take the lead and we’ll have to use a swinging motion to get the person below up to the next hold. You’ll see. It’s much like you do on the trapeze. Jeb catches you-here, it will be either Ken or me. He bent down to look in her eyes. Are you okay with this? There can’t be any hesitation once we start up.

She took a breath. You’ve climbed this before? Successfully?

Jack pulled her into his arms. Yes. I wouldn’t risk this if we weren’t in such a bind, baby, but I wouldn’t try it if I didn’t think you could handle it.

That gave her more assurance than anything else he could have said. He had faith in her ability and respected her enough to try a hazardous gamble. She was more than a good flyer-she was a gifted one. She wouldn’t let Jack down. Briony stroked her hand over her stomach in a small caress, her knuckles rubbing against Jack. He instantly placed his palm over hers and held her for a moment, his breath warm against her neck.

This is going to work, Briony.

I hate leaving our home.

We’ll be back someday. We’ll have a cleanup crew out here by tomorrow night if Whitney doesn’t pack his dead off with him, as I suspect he will. They did some damage to the house, but nothing we can’t fix fairly quickly.

Another explosion shook the earth, sending small rocks rolling down the slope of the ravine to bounce over branches and brush. Light flashed, and someone in the distance screamed hoarsely.

Ken cleared his throat softly to get their attention. We have to move now, before they make it through all the trip wires. We’ve only slowed them down, not stopped them.

I’m ready, Briony assured them, and tipped her head back to look at the outcropping.

Jack went first, crouching right below it and leaping. It was an extraordinary distance from a standing jump.

You need help? Ken asked.

Briony shook her head, but backed up a few feet to get a running start. She’d never been good at just standing and jumping like Jack had done. She cleared the distance easily and landed beside Jack, who instantly caught her by the arms and hauled her against the rock face. Ken followed them up.

Get as close to the wall as you can to give me, room, baby. Jack tied his pack firmly and strapped his rifle down. Ken, use the radio as soon as we get high enough to make the call. Every minute will count. Make them aware of that. Call in both teams if you have to, but tell them we need an extraction like yesterday. Full combat conditions, tell them to come in hot.

Will do. I’ll need to be up another thirty or forty feet before trying it.

Briony watched with her heart in her throat as Jack looked up the sheer cliff face. Before he could react, she caught his hand and tugged, lifting her face to his. This was a life-and-death gamble-a struggle they might not survive-and she wanted him to know how important he was to her.

Jack framed her face and kissed her gently. We’ll get through this.

I know. She poured her trust into her mind. If anyone could keep her safe-it was Jack. She felt his concern for her and smiled. I can do this, Jack. I know I can.

He nodded, kissed her a second time, and looked up at the sheer face rising above him, frowning a little. The crevice was to his right, and he had to leap up and jam his arm into the narrow opening. He’d done it once before successfully, but it had been full daylight. He crouched low and sprang, arm outstretched, fist closed tightly.

Beneath him, Ken waited to spot him. If Jack missed and came crashing down, he would only have a sliver of hope to keep him from hitting the ground below the outcropping.

The edges of the jagged rock face ripped and peeled back his skin as Jack slammed his fist hard into the tapered crack. Blood seeped down his arm, and his shoulder nearly snapped as it took the brunt of his full weight. He took a breath to still his rapidly beating heart, and slowly let it out, easing the pain away from his mind while he searched with the toes of his boots for the two-inch ledge he knew was there. It was a relief to find the tiny jutting rock to help take the weight of his body. Insuring his fist would hold tight in the crevice, he glanced down below him, free arm outstretched back toward his family.

Ready Ken? Briony?

Briony swallowed. Ready for what? They hadn’t told her what they expected yet, but Ken tugged at her arm, drawing her away from the safety of the steep wall. She moistened her suddenly dry lips. Tell me what to do.

Climb up onto Ken’s shoulders and crouch to get extra spring. He’ll help launch you. You have to hit my wrist, baby, just like your work. I’ll catch you.

One-handed. In the dark. Briony blew out her breath, rubbed one hand soothingly over her rounded tummy, and stepped onto Ken’s bent thigh to get to his shoulders. Once in place, it was easy enough to keep her equilibrium. He was strong, his shoulders broad, and she was used to working with balance. She remained in a crouch, judging the distance, waiting for Jack’s signal.

Go.

Briony burst into the sky, launched by her own powerful leg muscles as well as the extra push from Ken. She flew straight up, arm outstretched, gaze locked on her target. Her palm slapped Jack’s wrist, fingers curling tight as he caught her in a viselike grip. Feel for the ledge with your toes. It’s only a couple of inches wide. Reach with your free hand and feel for the crack above your head. With his enhanced strength, he pulled her up beside him.

Briony stretched her toes and ran her foot along the wall as far down as she could, feeling along the rock face until she felt the tiny outcropping. She had to maintain her balance as she slid the fingers of her free hand up toward the crevice to find the edge. I’ve got it, Jack. You can let go.

Jack didn’t want to let her go. They were thirty-five feet in the air, clinging to the side of a sheer cliff with rocks below. He wanted to shield her body with his, wrap her up in his strength, but it was impossible and Ken was waiting.

A blast sounded closer, and this time the crown of a tree exploded in the distance, shattering the night, the trunk cracking with loud groans before splitting with a grinding sound and falling to the ground.

Jack ignored the orange and red flames and leaned down toward his brother. Go.

Ken didn’t hesitate, leaping with a smooth, practiced motion and gripping Jack’s wrist hard. Instead of finding the ledge and planting his feet for safety, Jack began to swing him back and forth like a giant pendulum.

Briony watched in horror as Jack threw Ken up and over at least ten feet from where she clung to the cliff face. She couldn’t tear her gaze away as Ken reached out with both hands, clawing at what appeared to be a smooth surface. His fingertips dug in and held. He hung there for a moment catching his breath, brow pressed against rock as he began to move his feet cautiously, looking for the widening crack where he could place his feet.

Your turn, Briony.

Jack’s voice was a caress, but a shiver of protest skittered down her spine. I think I’m going to be sick.

Wrong time, baby. He held out his hand to her. I’ll let you know when you need to release. Ken will be waiting. You’ve done this kind of thing a million times.

She glanced back at the tree burning in the distance far below them and squared her shoulders. Jack reached back for her and she told herself she had no choice. They had to get up the cliff if they wanted to survive. She leapt and caught his wrist, kicking out with her legs to help Jack swing her, just as Ken had done. Once in the air, instincts took over and she helped create the arc needed for the flight.

Go. The command came and she released, flying toward Ken and the huge expanse of rock. She did a graceful dive, arms outstretched, waiting for the familiar smack of flesh on flesh, the satisfying sting as they came together. Ken caught her wrist in a solid grip and held her for a moment while she caught her breath.

That was great, Briony. The toehold is just to the left of your foot. Keep feeling for it. You’re almost there. Ken guided her to the safety of the small crevices.

The moment she was secure, she looked back down at Jack, her heart beating too fast. How are you going to make it without help? It’s too far on your own.

Ease over to the side to make room between you. I’m coming up.

She reminded herself he’d done it before, but her mouth was dry and she felt close to panic as he slowly removed his fist from the crack and turned completely outward to face them. Even with the tiny ledge, he maintained his balance, but she could barely breathe with fear for him. She felt concentration in his mind, and in Ken’s mind, and then Jack launched himself into the air, crouching precariously and using enhanced calf and thigh muscles to propel him into the air and over toward his brother.

Instinctively, Briony reached for him, using one arm to anchor her body while she stretched the other toward him. Ken was closer and bent back, the fingers of one hand digging into the ledge as the fingers of the other closed like a vise around Jack’s wrist. Briony caught Jack’s shirt, and they drew him up beside them so that all three pressed tightly against the cliff breathing heavily.

You ready to do it again? Jack asked.

Briony tilted her head to look up at the cliff face. It seemed miles away, an impossible task. They were enhanced, but their arms and legs ached with strain, and one tiny misstep would kill them all. Jack nuzzled her neck, leaned in close, and smiled at her, but the darkness hid any light that might have reached his eyes. Makes you feel alive, doesn’t it?

Jack. I love you. I do. But you’re just a little bit crazy. And that was the thing. He actually was enjoying himself. You have ice water in your veins.

We have to make the top before dawn. We’ll need a lead time before they come after us. I’ll call in reinforcements at the next leg up, Ken said. But they won’t be here for a few hours, and we’re going to need a place to hole up and wait.

Jack nodded and studied the wall rising above him. The crevice runs through the rock about fifteen feet above our heads. It’s too wide farther to the left to use for anything but a finger-or toehold, but it makes a good boost to the next level.

Briony could barely concentrate on what he said-the need to wrap her arms around him and keep him safe was nearly overwhelming. She watched him spring up and over again, this time about a ten-foot jump, one easier than the last. She let herself breathe again when Jack hung above them waiting for her to join him.

The climb took hours, with a repeat over and over of their strange flying act. By the time they reached the top, all of them were exhausted, but exhilarated that they’d made it. They lay for a long time on the edge of the cliff, straining to breathe while they listened-and scented the wind for the enemy they knew would be waiting in the dark for them.