Page 135 of Legacy of Danger
The flashlight beam skimmed three inches above her hiding spot.
She crouched into the tiniest ball possible.
More rock sounds came from farther into the cave, and the light slid back to the depths.
Another few feet, and they'd be past her position.
She held her breath.
Wyatt and Linc snickered as they stalked their presumed prize at the back of the cave.
Three feet away from her.
Two feet.
One.
They drew even with her position, within a foot of where she crouched. She shook with effort to tuck her head and curl into a small, rocklike shape. If they so much as turned their heads in her direction...
With three more steps, they were past her position.
Keeping her hand on the rock, she eased out of her hiding place. The beams of light shone forward, but Wyatt and Linc were only a few feet away. She struggled to make her ragged breathing soft and even.
Now fully exposed to view, she remained low, thighs burning as she duck-walked toward the entrance of the cave.
Her pulse pounded, too fast. She wasn't getting enough air. Her legs quivered and burned.
Ten, maybe fifteen more feet. Had to keep going.
She lost her balance, and stumbled. Harsh, bright light spiraled around, pinning her like a moth on a spider web.
"What the—? She's right there!"
Damn it. With a sob lodged in her throat, Mariah pushed to her feet and sprinted for the entrance. Just as she hit the opening where moonlight cast the world in an eerie, gray glow, a massive figure loomed in front of her.
A scream bubbled out of her throat as iron bands of muscle clamped around her. She swung out over the cliff edge.
The scent of familiar shaving cream anchored her as surely as the warm arms that pulled her back to reality. Vaughn. Here. She sagged as he tucked her next to him.
And then he faced Wyatt and Linc as they emerged from the cave.
The ledge they were all standing on was narrow. Four feet wide. Would only allow two people to stand side by side. And beyond the ledge was empty space for who knew how many feet down.
She peeked back over her shoulder and, in the moonlight, made out Garrison's grim expression and Odie's oddly reassuring smile.
Kerr was still somewhere inside that cave.
"Taggart." The sound of a gun safety being released... she crushed Vaughn's jacket in her gloved hands.
"Garrison, please move her away from here," Vaughn's voice rumbled through her forehead she had pressed to his back.
No, she couldn't let go of him.
A hand tugged on her upper arm. "Come on. Please," Garrison muttered, urging her away from Vaughn. "Odie, you got her? I'm going to help my brother. Here. Hold my hat."
"Absolutely." A warm, almost fatherly, arm went around her. "Don't worry,ami. The boys will take care of things."
Mariah's knees locked as the two brutes faced Vaughn and Garrison.
