Page 41 of Duty Bound

He grunted and turned to survey the hillside.

Lily fastened the chest strap. It suddenly became clear what had happened when she’d first met Blade ten years ago. She’d felt it then, the power of his attraction. And it had frightened her.

That first meeting at the base. Off duty, he’d been wearing jeans and a T-shirt. He’d grinned at her, his blue eyes sparkling with vitality and mirth, and shaken her hand, holding it that little bit longer than was necessary.

Then a blonde woman in a tank-top and skinny jeans had sauntered up behind him and put an arm possessively around his waist. He’d kissed her, full on the lips, right in front of them, causing her to blush and look away. She’d been very naive back then, only eighteen and barely out of secondary school. His blatant sexuality had disturbed her, and she’d made up her mind to disapprove of him, right then and there.

Not only that, but she’d also feared his influence over her boyfriend. Joe admired Blade, looked up to him. What if Blade’s cavalier attitude and arrogance rubbed off on her Joe, leading him astray?

She’d lose the only definite thing in her life, the only man she could depend on.

Consequently, she’d done all she could to keep Joe away from him. It was impossible, given they were in the same unit, but when Joe was on leave, she’d kept him to herself, integrating him into her group of friends and refusing to socialize with his teammates.

It wasn’t right, but she’d been scared.

Lily exhaled.

The revelation that Blade had this strange power over her, even back then, made her decidedly uneasy. Especially since it hadn’t been reciprocated.

Not then.

That day at the barracks, he’d said how good it was to meet her then disappeared with his blonde without so much as a backward glance. She’d stared after him, filled with a sense of foreboding.

Now, she watched Blade sweep the ground with his foot, eradicating any sign that they’d been there. He swung his much heavier pack onto his back then fastened the straps, his weapon sandwiched between his legs. That rifle was never far from his body, never out of reach. Always connected to him like an extension of himself.

The only time he'd put it down had been when he'd been holding her.

Lily followed Blade as best she could while he navigated the tree line in the darkness. The ground was rugged and uneven, with lots of clumps of vegetation and long grass growing between the trunks, which made walking difficult. On top of that, they were constantly hiking at an angle, which made her feel lopsided.

Blade moved like a leopard, sure footed and silent, while she stomped along behind him, trying not to fall on her face. They were averaging about two and a half miles an hour thanks to the terrain.

Every now and then he’d guide them deeper into the vegetation to avoid a dwelling or group of dwellings. The simple, rectangular houses clung precariously to the steep hillside, like a stack of matchboxes positioned on top of one another. If something happened to the bottom one, she was convinced they’d all fall down.

Blade glanced at the sky. “It’ll be light soon.”

That meant they weren’t covering enough ground. If only her glasses hadn’t been broken, she might be able to see the clumps of vegetation better. “How long have we got?”

“Another hour. At most.”

Shit. After that, it would be too dangerous to continue. She picked up her speed, ignoring the ache in her shoulders and the rumble in her stomach. It had been a long time since they’d eaten, but getting out of the danger zone took priority. The hillside and indeed the lush valley plains were filled with shepherds, farmers, fishermen, and any number of people during the day. They had to hide until it was dark again.

Grimacing, she trudged on. Traveling only at night made their progress very slow.

“As soon as daylight breaks, we’ll hole up and eat something.”

Lily gave a weary nod.

Her clothes were still damp but drying from the warmth of her body. The vigorous marching had warmed her up, despite the coolness of the early morning. She’d actually worked up a sweat. Still, it beat freezing. Seemed in this place there was no in-between.

Finally, Blade called a halt.

Thank God. She leaned against a tree, weak with exhaustion and hunger.

“This looks like a good place. It’s out of sight from anyone who might happen to walk by.”

Lily raised her head. He’d found a clump of trees growing so close together that they provided all-round coverage like a green, circular hedge. Their roots intertwined in the middle, creating natural armchairs for them to sink into.

“Looks perfect,” she murmured, shrugging off her pack. It slid down her arms to the ground. “How do we get in?”

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