High Passion

CHAPTER 3

There was an unwritten law that most emergency calls arrived an hour after you went to bed or an hour before you were ready to wake up.

The alarm blaring across the room jerked Alisha from a dream that shredded away like a cloud in high wind, leaving behind only the uncomfortable sensation of watching eyes and hungry wolves.

She snatched up her phone and acknowledged receipt of the call, gazing out the window into the darkness of the backyard as she checked the sky for weather conditions. Something flashed near the fence, catching her attention for a split second before she stifled her curiosity and hurried into routine. There was no time to be distracted. She jerked on her clothing and was out the door in less than five minutes.

Her rapid response still wasn’t quick enough to make her the first to arrive at headquarters. Both Erin’s and Devon’s vehicles were already in the parking lot, with Marcus pulling in behind her.

“What’s the location?” she called to Marcus as she reached into her backseat and pulled out her bag with the rest of her gear.

“High alpine in the Monashees Range. Rock slide surprised a research team, and they’re still missing a couple of members.” Marcus got ahead of her and held the door open. “I’ll know more in a minute.”

Inside the building, the bright overhead lights made her blink as she hurried into the sorting locker to join Devon. He was already stacking ropes and bags in preparation for loading into the chopper.

He smiled, his blue eyes looking far clearer and brighter than hers felt at the moment. One section of his hair stood straight on end again, taunting her to try to make it behave.

“You slept in,” he teased.

“You know who’s leading the rescue today?” Ignoring him was her only defense when he was borderline more adorable than she could stand.

Devon shook his head as he brought down a set of climbing cams and passed them to her. “Tripp is up on rotation, but depending on the exact location, Anders might call the shots—there are glaciers in the area.”

“I knew that.” She used two hands to accept gear, keeping everything untangled while stowing it away. With a bag slung over each shoulder and another in each hand, Alisha twisted to escape.

She raced out the door and across the tarmac without looking back. She kicked herself for being rude to Devon when he’d simply been sharing news like a teammate was supposed to—she had to pull herself together before she made any more mistakes.

They were in the air in less than twenty minutes. Erin lifted the chopper while the sky remained dark, the pale glow of sunrise only a thin line against the eastern horizon.

“Everyone gets thirty minutes to wake up before I brief you on details. Marcus is back at base, finding out more. Once he knows what we’re into he’ll update me, so I’ll go over expectations and set up then.” Tripp spoke over the headset speakers, his voice rushing past her ears like a soft zephyr.

He held out a thermos, and Anders, seated to his right, grabbed it eagerly. He opened the lid and took a deep sniff. “Whoa, now that’s a nice surprise. Who had time to make coffee before heading to HQ?”

“New gadget Lana installed.” Tripp beamed. “Timer or computer controlled—when we got the bug-out call, I triggered the on button using my phone. It was ready to go when we were.”

“If it’s always prepped, we’ll never do a rescue without caffeine again.” Xavier held up a hand and high-fived Tripp. “Nice. Now hurry the hell up and pour, Anders.”

Banter continued as Anders filled everyone’s travel mug. There was no way to stop a smile from lifting her lips as Alisha observed her team.

They had all developed coping strategies to deal with the nervous anticipation that slipped in en route to a rescue, let alone the flat-out shock of being dragged from their warm beds. Some of them sat quietly, slowly letting themselves come alive. Others like Xavier seemed to have nothing but an on/off button. He chattered nonstop to anyone who would listen as he flipped songs on his MP3 player, occasionally singing along.

Alisha found it harder to wake up this morning than usual. Her restless wandering the previous afternoon had tired her out, all right, but she still hadn’t fallen asleep at a decent hour.

She straightened her coat, preparing for the hour-plus flight. She adjusted her gloves and cupped her hands around her travel mug, but even with the heater blasting overhead there was no way to completely ignore the cool temperatures clinging to the interior of the chopper.

Transports were overheated in summer and cold the rest of the year. She had to be slightly crazy to want to be a part of it all. Part of the discomfort of being woken willy-nilly, and all the other inconveniences that went with being search and rescue.

She probably was slightly crazy. So be it.

Beside her, Devon laughed at something, and she pulled her coat hood up to hide her face. Watching him made something inside flutter and ache, if it were possible to have those two conflicting emotions. He had so much life in him—so much enthusiasm. Sometimes she felt he’d pulled her through the roughest moments of training school with his sheer exuberance alone.

Striving to beat him at challenges had made her stronger. She’d admit that to herself now.

He didn’t need to know she was attracted to him, though. The player didn’t need more ammunition. Besides, it wasn’t as if he needed more playmates. He was already making a move on the new receptionist. As she’d headed out to the trailhead yesterday she’d seen Lana in his truck, the two of them laughing as they waited at the lights close to Devon’s house. She wouldn’t comment on how quickly the two of them had gotten cozy.

The wall needed to stay up. Solid. Attraction firmly ignored.

The daydreams about his strong hands and his rope-handling skills—those were simply a nice way to pass the time during a long rescue approach.

Devon glanced her way. Heat spread though her fast enough that if she weren’t careful, she’d be too toasty for her coat and the rest of her gear, and stripping prior to a rescue wasn’t a good idea. Wasn’t a good idea ever, not as far as Devon was concerned. It was unfair that he turned her on, since she certainly didn’t want her name added to his harem list.

Thirty minutes passed far quicker than she expected, and she’d relaxed, drifting off to better fantasize. A soft touch to her thigh jerked her to full alert to find herself staring into a pair of bright blue eyes. His hand on her leg was hot through the fabric, and instant tingling shot through her core.

Devon’s voice carried over the headset. “Are you ready?”

Sexual fantasies evaporated in a rush of indignation, and she stiffened. “Of course. What makes you think I’m not ready to do a rescue—?”

Rapid motion to one side caught her attention. Tripp’s soundless clapping ended as he held up two fingers. Alisha flushed and switched her headset to channel two.

“Sorry, Tripp, don’t know how I got flipped to a different setting.” She gave Devon a sheepish smile. “Thanks for getting my attention.”

Devon shrugged, then focused on Tripp.

“Everyone ready?” the older man asked. “We still have flight time, but I thought we’d go over a couple plans now so we can get into position quicker.”

“There’s already a rescue team in the area?” Anders asked.

Tripp nodded. “They’ve marked the perimeter, and they’ve contacted the RCMP K-9 division to get a dog brought out. Right now they suspect a couple of new cracks that opened might be the trouble. And none of them are climbers, so we’ll be the ones going, only down, not up. Questions?”

Everyone had trained and worked together on far too many rescues to need to be babysat through procedure. Only one subject still remained as far as Alisha was concerned. “Partners?”

As lead hand, she would be the first to head into any climb, or the first to drop from the chopper into position. Up until the start of summer her partner at the other end of the line had always been Anders. During boot camp week, though, she and Devon had been partnered up, and since then it seemed they were always paired together.

“You and Devon, Anders with Xavier. I’m sticking close to Erin with the chopper in case you find the victims and we can winch them out. Deal?”

“Deal.” Everyone acknowledged their positions and chatter resumed over the headsets.

Alisha went back to mentally prepping for the rescue. Getting into the right frame of mind to crawl down a rock wall into the darkness. To have only a rope and a headlamp as the connection between her and the outside world.

A rope, and the man on the other end of it.

She caught herself staring at Devon’s hands again. Strange. She trusted him completely when it came to belaying her. He held her life in his hands, and she didn’t feel the need to worry one bit.

When it came to her heart? He was simply another man she refused to allow to hurt her.

The chopper banked and she snuggled deeper into her coat. Much more awake, but no further ahead in solving her major dilemma.

Thank God for the distraction of a rescue.

Nothing was wrong, but something wasn’t right.

The equipment was fine, as were the steps they’d taken so far since reaching the rescue site. A sense of foreboding hovered over Devon, though, and he could find nothing to explain why.

It wasn’t some mystical foreknowledge, only he knew not to ignore the sensation, either. It had been the topic of many a late-night drinking session during training school when more experienced recruits would stop to share stories from the field. They’d all had times when they’d felt a warning ahead of time, for whatever reason. It would make sense later, but for now? He kept his guard set higher than usual.

Efficiency built from years of training and working together had Alisha slipping out of sight as the morning sun peeked above the low mountain ridge to their east. Shadows reached crooked fingers toward the rock slide, creating patterns of light and dark emphasized by variations in rock. Pale grey slabs and darker black chunks mixed with clumps of freshly exposed soil and ragged splashes of green pine needles. Devon ignored the strange beauty found even in the middle of the devastation and focused on the changing weight on the rope in his hands.

“Take,” Alisha called from below. “Devon, tie off and descend to meet me. I’ve found something. There’s a tunnel opening to one side. I want you to anchor me from here before I try it.”

“On my way.” Devon signaled Anders to his side. “Alisha’s got a lead. I’m going down.”

Anders nodded. “Xavier’s dealing with the two victims we spotted from the air at the edge of the slide. I’ll take over up here.”

A few quick adjustments switched his ropes from belaying to rappelling. Devon twisted his headlamp to high before leaning back on the ropes and allowing them to support his weight. A ray of sunshine hit him like a spotlight a second before he stepped over the edge.

The walkie-talkie link on his chest allowed him to hear Alisha without her shouting. “You’ve got a thirty-foot path—nice and clear. If you move slightly to the right when I warn you, you’ll find a set of footholds to get you to my ridge.”

“Let me know. What did you find?”

“Jacket shreds and a shoe. Some blood.” Report was clear and precise, but there was a touch of disgust in her voice any time she had to discuss bleeds. “I’m guessing someone got carried along with the rubble for a bit of a ride before they hit the crack. This is a fresh opening—I haven’t found any old growth.”

Devon agreed. He worked his way down the slope rapidly, even as he flipped on his speaker. “You’re not going to believe this. The research team was testing for seismic activity. They have clear records that show when the slide happened, and yeah, there was a bit of underground quiver.”

“Head right. And really? Tell me they’re not expecting any further activity.”

Devon followed her guidance, rock dust hanging in the air between him and the wall, blurring his vision. “Agreed. In a fresh hole while things are still shifting? Not a great idea, but there’s nothing on the equipment. Like zero activity. We’re safer down here than up top where the fall is still shifting and finding its balance.”

He landed beside her, the glow of his headlamp highlighting her cheekbones and making the bits of her hair that were visible under her helmet shine like an angel’s.

Alisha checked him over quickly, then pointed to the left. “This way. I set anchors already, but I’ll need to swing around a gap, then get some lights in place.”

Devon tied off to the wall anchors she’d set. “Nice and bombproof. Well done.”

“Thank you.” Alisha pulled a rope from her shoulder and passed him the loop he needed. “I’ll check the needed length. Hold me tight so I can lean out.”

He motioned for her to wait as he hooked the safety line in place. Once they brought back their target, or if they needed it themselves, the way out would be a matter of grabbing the rope and signaling Anders to haul them to safety.

Devon adjusted his footing and slipped in directly behind Alisha, tightening the ropes to hold himself in place, fine-tuning the ones attaching them together. Then he threaded his fingers into her climbing harness. “Lean away.”

Alisha had grabbed a high-power flashlight, the backup strap leashed around her wrist. She pushed forward, upper body hanging over the inky blackness at their feet. Light reflected from closer protrusions, skipped out into eternity in other spots as the holes ended too far back for the light to reveal the depth.

Dust particles hovered in the air around them. The taste of dirt skidded over his tongue. Peering through the haze caused by the wide dilation of his headlamp didn’t help him see much better. “Anything? Worthwhile going forward?”

Alisha stretched a hand to him, holding out the flashlight. “There’s a part of the wall to the left that’s got . . . skid marks? I need to slide around the corner to be sure.”

That would put this rescue one step further up the danger scale. Devon took the lamp and placed it aside, pulling her to vertical, their bodies tight together as they rearranged gear.

At some point soon he needed them in this position when they weren’t covered from head to toe. Naked. Naked would be marvelous.

He slapped himself mentally, pulling back on track and thinking about the four rules his team had been built on. The first two were opposites, seemingly. Have patience, or move decisively. Was this a time to wait or move? “Do we have what we need to proceed?”

“We do for me to go around the corner. I’ll know more at that point.” Alisha took a deep breath. “On belay.”

He adjusted his hands. “Belay on. Careful, Alisha.”

She glanced over her shoulder, teeth flashing white as she smiled. A second later she was gone, the rope twisting in his hands as she used him as a fulcrum to find footing and scamper deeper into the darkness.

“Give me slack, Devon.”

He let out a foot of rope. Then another. Tension remained on the line, and everything was going well, when his earlier uneasiness returned in a flash.

“Alisha, what’s happening?”

“I found a trail. Correction. I found him.” Excitement rocked her voice, not only over the microphone now but shouted into the darkness. “Hello. Are you okay? I’m coming to help you.”

A muttered reply, nothing comprehensible, but thrilling to hear nonetheless. Devon hit his mic to the surface. “Alisha’s found the mark. Anders, get in position. We’re not far from the surface.”

“Stretcher?”

“I’ll let you know.”

Alisha had continued to talk to the lost, now found, researcher. Devon fed out line and worked to get extra ropes in place for Alisha to secure the victim.

The speaker connection between them crackled. “Conscious and alert. He’s been bumped around but he’s good to move without a stretcher. Bring him up, Devon.”

For the next fifteen minutes Devon pulled and worked his muscles to the maximum as he lifted the man to the midlevel platform. He was dirty from head to toe, his jacket and pants cut in places from the rocks he’d slid over. One foot in a boot, the other in a dirt-streaked sock. Blood marred one side of his face, the wound on his temple already covered with a quick bandage Alisha must have slapped in place.

Devon checked him over quickly, shining his light into the man’s eyes to watch his pupils react. “What’s your name and how are you feeling?”

A momentary flash of panic faded as the man pulled himself together. “Paul, and dark places aren’t my favourite. Otherwise, I’m okay.”

Devon nodded. “We’ll get you out of here as quickly as possible. Hold tight.”

He wasn’t going to leave Alisha waiting in the dark any longer than he had to, either. It was a bit of a teeter-totter, making sure the researcher was roped to the wall, then adjusting lines to get back to Alisha to hoist her up. Devon worked as rapidly as possible, the occasional comment over the microphone the only thing assuring him Alisha was safe.

It seemed like forever before Devon finally was in position. “You ready?”

“No worries. I was doing my nails.”

The researcher chuckled, and Devon smiled. Yeah, everything would be—

Static shot out from his handset followed hard by Xavier’s overly loud response.

“Crap. Lock into position guys, incoming.” His breathing increased in tempo as if he were running. “We lost another chunk of the mountain and it’s rolling in.”

Devon held a hand to Paul, keeping his voice calm and controlled in spite of the unknown factors barreling toward them. “Don’t panic. We’re good here. Let me get my partner, and we’ll all bunker down.”

Paul nodded, his fingers white around the ropes holding him to the wall.

“Haul ass, Alisha,” Devon ordered.

“Already halfway there, sugar.” Alisha peeked around the corner, her bright purple helmet shining at him. “I’m ready to fly.”

Fly she would. Devon gave her the word, then put all his strength into not just supporting her as she headed into the wide arc between them. He lifted her, making her cover the distance in half the time it had taken for her to leave him.

The rock underfoot shook slightly; sounds of the secondary rock fall carrying to them from the surface. Deep underground in the darkness where they were—that was all he concentrated on. On getting Alisha to safety. Like he’d promised . . . like being a partner always promised.

His biceps were screaming, but he brought her all the way up until he could catch her chest harness and lock her against him.

She blinked, half in surprise, half delighted, it seemed. “Well now, that was a lot of fun.”

God. Devon would have laughed at her enthusiasm if they hadn’t had a wide-eyed witness. They hurriedly shuffled toward Paul. “Anders, what’s happening up top?”

“We had to retreat for a minute. Cover your heads, and I’ll be back as soon as the leading edge settles.”

“We’re all fine.” Alisha answered this time, totally calm, as if she’d been suntanning on the beach all afternoon with a relaxing cocktail in hand. “Anders, Devon and I are going to take a break for a minute, then you can lift Paul, okay?”

“No prob.”

Devon stepped around Paul, putting the man into the middle of the huddle. Even as he worked like crazy to secure them all, Alisha carried on talking to Paul. She caught Devon’s eye for a second and winked before teasing Paul about his girlfriend and the added value this adventure would give him.

Alisha was incredible. Once again proving she deserved every single accolade she’d gotten.

Above them the sunlight faded, and a torrent of dust and debris slipped into the crack. Devon turned his back on the surface and covered Paul. Alisha did the same on the other side, their arms cocooning the man as small rocks found their way into the opening and bounced off the walls.

“Slide mainly to the left of you,” Anders informed them. “It’s pretty dusty up here, but give it a minute and we’ll be in position to get your new buddy up.”

“There, see? Not bad at all.” Alisha smiled up at both Paul and Devon.

Devon was distracted by a new sound, one not coming from the surface, but from the wall behind them. “Alisha, take over tying Paul in. I need to check something.”

She frowned, but nodded.

He didn’t do anything stupid like unrope and go explore, but he did loosen off enough to step away from the others.

Devon placed his ear to the rock. The rumbling increased.

At the same moment his headlamp caught a glitter in the distance. Devon’s mouth went dry, but he forced himself to speak normally, no matter that everything inside was screaming for him to rush. “Alisha, is he ready?”

She gave a thumbs-up, patting Paul on the arm as she spoke into the mic. “Anders, take it away.”

Usually Devon would be intently watching the victim until the man had reached safety, the way Alisha was doing.

Only not this time.

This time something else demanded his attention.

Devon swooped in on Alisha, looping his rope around her twice. Her verbal protests cut off when he pointed at Paul to warn her not to scare the victim, but she didn’t simply give in.

“What are you doing?” she bit out in a whisper.

“The slide opened a stream. Brace yourself.” That glitter in the distance was approaching faster than they could escape. “Once the first rush is past us I’m betting there will be enough room that we can climb out.”

Her eyes widened, mouth gaping open until she snapped it shut. “A stream?”

She turned her head back toward the tunnel, headlamp shining out, and Devon swore. The glitter was no longer in the distance.

“Hold your breath, Alisha.” He caught the back of her neck and held her face to his chest. His other hand wrapped tight around the anchors while he hoped like hell the rock lip they were crouching beside would deflect the worst of the first impact.