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  “Yes. I need to collect the other two cameras.”

  He moved closer, tucking her head beneath his chin and stroking her hair.

  Chloe shut her eyes and sighed. Within the hour, she’d gone from fearing for her life to being utterly satisfied and content.

  And it was all because of Aaron.

  She soon fell into a deep sleep. Dreams stole up on her. The leopard was on her mind, its graceful body moving through the snow. She imagined she could smell it. At one point, she even thought of its black-dotted fur pressed against her cheek—soft, warm, and dense.

  Aaron was in her dream too, with the snow leopard. His eyes so knowing and seductive, staring at her in a way that made her think he wanted to fuck her again.

  She squirmed within the bag and stretched her legs out. She was cooler and she realized it was morning. The orange glow from the tent penetrated her eyelids. She opened them, knowing as she did so Aaron wasn’t there.

  Disappointed, she sat. The zipper was open and the startling white of the snow told her it was a blue-skied day.

  Next to her, on the base of the tent, was a dent where Aaron had lain.

  She brushed her hand over it and collected several coarse hairs sitting there. They were golden mainly, and long and thick. But they weren’t where his head had been when they’d gone to sleep. They covered the whole length of where he’d stretched out.

  Puzzled, she reached for her thermals and dragged them on. Then her sweater and jacket. After retrieving and donning her knickers, trousers, and boots, she moved to the edge of the tent.

  A fresh layer of snow had covered the hideous chicken blood. Thank goodness. And there was no sign of the poor creature’s body.

  She licked her lips and her stomach rumbled. She needed a hot drink and food. She’d expended a lot of energy the evening before.

  With a smile at the memory of Aaron’s enthusiastic lovemaking, she flicked the tent open with the intention of finding a flat rock to set her small gas stove on.

  She paused and glanced around, wondering if Aaron had beaten her to it and set up for breakfast already.

  Nothing.

  She couldn’t see him.

  Stepping out, she placed her booted foot next to a print in the snow.

  A paw print—a huge paw print.

  She gasped and drew her hand to her mouth. The snow leopard had returned. It had been right there. At the entrance to her tent. It had likely taken the chicken.

  Fear swarmed within her. Where the hell was Aaron? The creature could still be nearby. Oh, God, what if he’d gone for a pee and it had followed him? Eaten him for its breakfast.

  She took a few more steps away from the tent, searching desperately for Aaron’s footprints. She needed to follow them, to see if he was okay.

  But there was nothing—only the paw prints sinking deep and heading away from the tent.

  She frowned, confusion swamping her brain. Surely Aaron hadn’t left her side so long ago the snow had covered his prints. It didn’t feel, though she’d been sleeping, as if he’d been gone for any length of time.

  She had a moment of warring with herself, wondering what to do. Should she follow the leopard prints, see where they took her? Should she lock herself back in her tent and hope the creature didn’t find her?

  Her concern for Aaron won out, and she moved cautiously toward the gap in the rocks the Shaman had darted through. The paw prints were clear to see, right down the middle of it.

  Emerging on the other side, with the view of the mountains stretching before her, she stopped, her palm pressed against the cool cliff face.

  Standing, with his back to her, was Aaron.

  He was about ten meters away, staring at the stunning vista.

  Her heart rate picked up. He appeared unharmed. Though how he was tolerating standing in the snow totally naked, she had no idea.

  “Aaron!”

  He turned.

  For a moment, she drank in the sight of him. He was a truly gorgeous specimen of a man. Tall, lean, strong. His body hair making him appear a little wild. His cock hung heavily and his legs bulged with muscle.

  “Come and put some clothes on, before you get frostbite,” she called.

  He said nothing, but started to walk toward her.

  “And the leopard is about,” she said, checking her surroundings again. “I’ve seen its prints, near the tent.”

  “Shame you didn’t have a camera set up,” he said, reaching her and cupping her cheeks. His hands were perfectly warm.

  Thoughts of the leopard vanished as she looked up into his eyes. Instead she allowed memories of him kissing her, stripping her naked, sinking deep, to flood her brain.

  “Good morning,” he said quietly and then kissed her.

  She held onto his forearms and melted toward him.

  After a minute of exploring her mouth and making her giddy with longing, he pulled back. “We should get some warm food and drink inside you.”

  “I can think of something else I’d like inside me.”

  A smile tugged at his mouth. “I like how your mind works.” He reached between them and took hold of his cock. It was semi-erect now, and he gave it a few languid strokes. “But I am worried about you getting cold. And the light won’t last long today. We have four kilometers to cover, right? To get the cameras and get back to the village.”

  How does he know?

  Only she and Jim had been privy to the information.

  He must have seen her frown. “I’m guessing,” he said. “It’s where I’d put them if I were you.”

  “Oh, well, yes, you’ve guessed about right.”

  He released his cock and took her hand. “Come on.”

  She followed behind him, enjoying the view of his naked ass. It was high and pert, but like his chest and arm, had a set of parallel scars on the left buttock.

  “How’d you get those scars?” she asked.

  “Which ones?” He kept on walking and tugged her through the gap in the rocks.

  “All of them. They’re all the same.”

  He shrugged. “Fighting.”

  Fighting?

  “Who with?” she asked, horrified at the sort of weapon that must have been used on him.

  “Males.” His tone was curt.

  “Men. Why?”

  He kept on going, pulling her toward the tent.

  “It’s a territory thing.”

  She frowned. What did he mean? Was it a jealous fight? Was territory a word he used for his lovers? “Do you mean you fought over a woman?”

  “Kind of.”

  They reached the tent and he pulled on his clothes and boots.

  “I couldn’t see your footprints,” she said, indicating the paw prints leading from the tent and now interrupted by theirs.

  “No?”

  “No.” She hesitated. “It’s strange.”

  “Lots of strange things happen on the mountain, Chloe. You must know that. You’ve spent enough time here.”

  “I guess.”

  “So where is your gas canister?”

  “It’s here.” Reaching into her rucksack, she decided to let the matter drop, for now. Aaron really was the most unusual guy she’d ever come across. As much as he was totally heart-stoppingly, drop-dead gorgeous, he was also an enigma with a tendency to speak in riddles.

  ****

  Within the hour, they’d left the small valley and were nearing the first camera point.

  As they approached, a familiar sense of anticipation welled within her. She hoped she’d been successful in retrieving footage of the shy leopards. Though the one she’d encountered didn’t exactly appear timid.

  “It’s here,” she said, checking her map. “Behind this rock.”

  The wind had picked up, but the sky was still a stunning, rich blue. Chloe edged around the rock and was relieved to see her camera intact.

  “You’ve been lucky.” Aaron pointed to the ground. “A mother and cubs.”

  “Really?” She
studied where he was pointing. “That’s incredible. Oh, I hope the footage is good.”

  “Should be.” He shrugged. “Three cubs, all milling about.”

  She took the camera and carefully put it in her rucksack. The thought of getting back to her room and checking out what had been captured was very exciting.

  She wondered if Aaron would like to join her.

  “And the next one. To the east, right?”

  “Er, yes.” She glanced east, the way he was indicating, and the vertigo-inducing track they’d have to negotiate.

  “About an hours’ trek?”

  “I believe that’s how long it took us last time.” She paused. “But how…?”

  “Like I said, they’re the areas I would search for snow leopards. Good hang out places.”

  “You know a lot about snow leopards.”

  “More than you do.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss over her lips. “Come on.”

  He set off at a brisk pace, seeming every bit at home on the perilous path as a mountain goat would.

  Chloe was more hesitant. One slip and she’d plunge to her death.

  He must have noticed because he turned and reached for her hand. “It’s okay. Stick close. I won’t let you fall.”

  “Thanks.”

  He smiled and carried on. She was more confident with his firm grip and glad she wasn’t doing this part of the trip alone.

  In fact, she was glad she wasn’t doing any of it alone. The mountain might be visually beautiful, but it was as fierce as the weather and the creatures it was home to.

  Chapter Five

  There’d been more prints around the final camera which meant Chloe had spent the journey back to the village in a jubilant mood. Surely she had enough to make the documentary. Jim would be ecstatic.

  “How about I buy you a beer to celebrate?” she said as they trudged into the village at nightfall.

  “Kind of you, but I don’t drink beer.”

  “Oh, yes, of course. Well, an iced water then?”

  He chuckled. “That would be good.”

  “Do you think…” She hesitated. “You know with the Shaman about, the chicken and …” She looked up at his face, now doused in shadows. “Will it be okay for me to go in there?”

  “Yes. With me, no one, or anything, will hurt you.”

  “Okay. If you’re sure.”

  “More than sure. It’s a promise.”

  The vehement tone of his voice made her feel as though she’d been wrapped in a warm security blanket. She couldn’t remember anyone being so determined about keeping her safe. It was a nice feeling, especially being so far from home and in such an alien environment.

  When they reached the bar, Aaron pushed the rickety door open.

  The smell of warm smoke, from tobacco and a fire in an empty oil drum, filled her nose.

  The sound of men in conversation didn’t alter as they walked in, but still, Chloe couldn’t help a glance about, wondering if the Shaman was there. Would she recognize him without his strange face paint and his hood down? Perhaps he wasn’t from the local area at all.

  Most of the men were familiar. The village had a tiny population, and although she didn’t know them all by name, she did know their faces. But in the corner, farthest from the fire, sat two men she definitely hadn’t seen before.

  Aaron indicated for her to take a seat while he got drinks.

  “Here, take this.” She handed him some money.

  “Thanks.” He took it.

  She was a little surprised, but shrugged it off. Instead, as she sat, her attention returned to the two strangers. They had a map spread out in front of them and one wore a furry hat which was cream-colored with black spots.

  When Aaron sat next to her and placed their drinks down, she was still studying them.

  He followed her line of sight. His body tensed and he sucked in a breath. “Damn it.”

  “What’s the matter?” she asked, taking in the hard line of his jaw and the flash of displeasure in his eyes.

  “Poachers.”

  “What?” How the hell did he know?

  “See his hat. It’s leopard.”

  “Oh, God, no.” A sick feeling burned in her stomach. “Really?”

  “Yes. Only poachers would dare to wear their crimes like a badge.”

  “What can we do? Report them?”

  He took a sip of his drink. “Yes, it will need to be made clear they’re here.”

  Chloe swung her gaze around the room. “To the villagers?”

  “No.” He shook his head and set his hands on the gnarled wood of the table, clenched his fists. “The leopards.”

  “But how…?”

  “At first light, I will leave warning scents and give a shout out.”

  She held out her hands. “Aaron, what are you talking about?”

  He bit on his bottom lip and cupped her chin. “It will all become clear. Please stop concerning yourself with details.”

  “But I can’t get my head around the details.”

  “Do you want to be mine?” He narrowed his eyes and a curl of hair fell over his cheek.

  “Well … yes.”

  “So trust me.”

  “I do.”

  He tipped his head and the lock of hair moved. “Trust me when I say what you think is strange, is perfectly normal here.”

  “I’m trying.” She stroked her hand over his forearm. “But it’s a big ask when I’m trained to ask questions, investigate.”

  “I accept this about you.” He released her chin and pressed his hand over his chest. “And I must ask you to accept things about me.”

  “I do. I want to.” She didn’t know what it was she was supposed to be accepting.

  “Come on, drink up.” He nodded at her beer. “I thought you wanted to check your footage.”

  She took a few slugs, the malty liquid coating her tongue. “You’re right. I’m dying to see what set off the motion sensors. I’m hoping it’s something to brighten Jim’s mood when I tell him tomorrow.”

  Aaron stood. He gave the poachers one last glance, hate flashing over his pupils, and then rested his hand at the small of her back.

  She allowed him to steer her from the bar, and once in the open, down the small walkway to her room.

  She opened the door and held it wide, inviting him in without words.

  He took the invitation.

  The place was small and functional. A bed, a chair and desk, and a wardrobe. There was a grate for a much-needed fire and a stack of logs replenished regularly by her landlord. A small room at the back held a toilet with an onerous flushing system and a shower which was little more than a trickle of lukewarm water.

  After closing the door and drawing the thin curtains, Chloe quickly set to lighting the fire.

  Aaron sat on the end of the bed, watching her.

  “Not something I was particularly skilled at before I came here,” she confessed as the kindling caught. “But needs must.”

  “You seem very proficient now.”

  “I’m getting there.” She watched the flames lick upward and then added a small log. It would need tending over the next few hours, but that was okay.

  Aaron slipped off his boots and set them by the desk. “Is this what you look at footage on?” He nodded at her laptop.

  “Yes.” She reached for it, enjoying how he’d settled himself into her room. She hoped he’d stay the night, and be up for a repeat performance of their sexy time on the mountain.

  She copied him and removed her boots, sat in the middle of the bed, the memory sticks from the cameras now in her hand. “Here goes.”

  He moved in close. Again, heat radiated from him, much the same way as the fire’s warmth was hitting her.

  “Let’s check the first one.” She slipped it in and clicked ‘open.’

  The screen filled with the view of the mountains from a small flat space flanked by gray rocks.

  “The sensor has been triggered eighteen times,”
she said, pointing to the data in the corner of the screen. “But it won’t be all leopards.”

  “Mmm…” he said, peering forward and his shoulder brushing hers.

  For a moment, she wondered about forgetting the cameras and getting down and dirty and sweaty and naked with the hot man at her side. But the producer in her won out and she flicked through the images.

  As she reached the last one, her heart sagged in disappointment. All that had been recorded were rabbits and a solitary musk deer. On two occasions, it wasn’t clear what had set off the sensor.

  She switched to the second memory stick. This one had been turned on four times. Each one showed a pallas cat. Great, if they’d been what she was making a program about, but not so much when it was leopards she wanted.

  “Right in the middle of pallas cat territory,” Aaron said.

  “Yes, must be.”

  Frustrated, but hopeful the third stick would offer more, Chloe switched them over.

  “Now that’s much better,” she said, rubbing her hands together and grinning as a mother snow leopard and three cubs walked past the lens.

  Aaron chuckled. “Cute, huh?”

  “Very. But I bet the mother wouldn’t be if she came across us. Thank goodness for these cameras.”

  Aaron stroked his hand down her hair. “Instinct is a powerful thing. Especially a mother’s.”

  She turned to look at him.

  He continued to caress her hair. “Do you desire offspring?”

  “Maybe one day I’ll come off my contraceptive pill.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “The sooner the better.”

  “I take it that means you want a family.”

  His attention left hers and he concentrated on the freeze frame of the cubs. “I have family. They’re beautiful.”

  “You already have children?” She paused. “Don’t tell me you have a wife hidden away somewhere, too.”

  “No, nothing of the sort.” He looked at her again. “There is only you.”

  Was this another one of the things about him she had to let go? It was getting kind of hard to.

  “Check the footage from the last camera.” He nodded at the screen.

  “Okay.”

  This one showed a single male leopard out in a storm. She knew it was male because of its size, and it came right up to the lens, sniffing and peering at it with its pale eyes.