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. Of course, I would ve skewered both you and your buddy had Igotten the opportunity. The tip of his blade sliced open the Other s cheek.Blood flowed in dark contrast to his pale skin,but the wound was more painful than serious. Did I mention that was my woman you kidnapped? D.J.danced forward and marked the male sother cheek the same way. Tell me who has her and why, and I promise to ease your passing. The Other rejoined the battle, doing his own fair share of taunting in heavily accented English. You will die screaming in my world, Paladin.I will celebrate your death by taking your woman tomy pallet.I have already tasted her kiss and held her body against mine. D.J.fought to control his burning fury, knowing cold hate served him better in a battle to the death.He studied his opponent s technique.The Other was good, but not great.No way this guy had theskills of a Sword Guardian.He might get lucky, but he d never defeat D.J.on skill alone.One thing was clear.The Other wouldn t offer any useful information, not unless D.J.subdued himlong enough to use some creative interrogation techniques.There wasn t time for that, and it wasdoubtful the information would be reliable anyway.But from the increasing panic in the guy s fighting style, the dance was about to turn lethal.So farD.J.had managed to stay out of striking distance, but it was going to come down to stamina or badluck.With a bellow loud enough to wake the dead, the Other charged one last time, nicking D.J. s swordarm and then shoving him backward.D.J.ignored the stinging pain and pushed back, causing the Otherto lose his footing right at the edge of the drop-off.For a handful of slow-motion seconds the Other hovered there, his arms pinwheeling until he finallylost his balance and went flying backward over the edge.His scream echoed through the valley, only to be cut off in midnote when his body crashed onto the rocks below.D.J.peered over the edge in a futile attempt to determine if the Other was still breathing.All hecould tell was that the Kalith wasn t moving.Rather than wasting his time climbing down to makesure, D.J.opted for retrieving his pack and taking off down the trail after Reggie.If the Other s dying scream had carried as far as the campfire, his partner might panic.At the veryleast, he d be waiting for D.J.now, most likely armed and ready to use Reggie as a hostage.This time, D.J.wouldn t hesitate to use the Glock.He ran full out, grateful for the boots that Barakhad loaned him.They made little noise as he tore through the darkness.As he ran, he ignored the painin his arm, his near exhaustion, and his lungs struggle to filter enough oxygen from the thin air.All that mattered was getting to Reggie. Her captor was practically twitching with nerves.So far, Jeban had been the calm one, but withKolar gone so long, he paced restlessly, stopping every so often to listen to the night.She knew the instant he sensed something because he turned in her direction, his pale eyesreflecting the flames of the campfire.His hand hovered over the pommel of his sword, as if unsureabout drawing his weapon.What had he heard that had him so freaked out? Rather than sit there on theground, she rose to her feet, not sure what she intended to do.But whatever was about to happen,she d face it head-on. What s wrong, Jeban? she asked, even though she doubted he d actually answer. Are yourfriends coming? He shook his head. They aren t due until late tomorrow afternoon.Kolar went hunting.It appearshe found something. No, not something.Someone.The two of them stood staring off into the darkness.She didn t know about Jeban, but she couldn tsee much of anything beyond the circle of flickering light cast by the campfire.She tried closing hereyes, hoping that she d be able to hear better that way.After a few seconds of continued silence, a horrifying scream ripped through the night, only to becut off abruptly, unfinished.The night grew quiet again, but this time with a feeling of buildingtension.Jeban didn t hesitate.He drew his sword and then yanked Reggie close to his side, the bladeat her throat. I would guess the hunt has ended, he whispered near her ear. The question is, which hunter wassuccessful? With chill of cold steel against her skin, Reggie could neither talk nor even swallow for fear thesword would draw blood.Her instincts told her that someone had died up there on the trail.Therewas nothing to do now but wait and pray that the footsteps running through the night belonged to D.J.and not Kolar.Time came to a screeching halt.For an eternity, it was just her, Jeban, and the pounding of herheart.Her captor had turned to stone, his body stiff with anticipation.His gaze remained trained onsome invisible point in the impenetrable darkness beyond.What was he sensing that she wasn t?Wave after wave of chills washed through her, fear quickly eroding her self-control.Please, God, she didn t want to die alone in this alien world, but neither would she go downwithout fighting.Calling upon all her years of training, she yanked her focus away from the anxietychurning in her chest and on to the externals.She could hear her sensei s gravelly voice in her head.Breathe in and breathe out, slow andsteady.Control yourself even if you cannot control the situation.Good advice.As she gradually calmed down, she realized there was now a hair s breadth moreroom between her neck and Jeban s blade.If he so much as flinched, she d go on the attack, using herbare hands if necessary.Suddenly, she could make out the vague shape of someone coming toward them.One minute thetrail was empty, and the next, as if forming from the darkest of the shadows themselves, a man steppedinto the farthest reaches of the firelight.He wore all black and a Kalith cloak, the hood pulled downclose to his face.Her heart sank as he calmly strode toward them, everything about him screaming that he didn tdoubt his welcome.At first glance, she assumed it was Kolar.But then she looked again.After hoursof trailing after the Kalith, she knew how Kolar moved.And this wasn t him.She was sure of it. The weight of the silence pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe and even harder to hope.If something had happened to Kolar, it didn t necessarily translate to this guy being on her side.Jeban shifted his weight, the first movement he d made since he d grabbed her.She leaned in theopposite direction, but he only tightened his hold.Then he rattled off something in his native language.Whatever he said, it clearly wasn t meant to befriendly.The newcomer showed no reaction at all, instead continuing his approach without a break inhis step.If he was at all worried, it sure didn t show.Jeban spoke again, this time clearly in warning.He was growing more agitated by the newcomer srefusal to answer because he once again pressed the blade of his sword against Reggie s neck. I will kill her. This time he spoke in English.The hooded figure paused a short distance away and tossed the edge of his cloak back over hisshoulders as he drew his weapon.A Kalith sword.Then she saw the gun in his other hand.For the first time the new arrival spoke. If she dies, so will you, and it will be a death withouthonor.You will die screaming for mercy, just as your buddy did. Who are you? Jeban demanded as he dragged Reggie back a few steps.The stranger followed them, step for step.Then he tipped his head back and let the hood drop ontohis shoulders.He was no stranger after all, at least not to her. Reggie, has this bastard or his dead partner hurt you? D.J. s dark eyes met hers, promisingretribution if they had. I ll be all right now, she whispered around the pressure of the blade on her throat. I knew you dcome. Her captor didn t like that remark one bit
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