The Survivor (Eve Duncan #30)

“Not if he’s considering using her as some kind of pawn,” Maya said jerkily. “I won’t have it.”

“Does he have that reputation?”

Maya grimaced. “No, everybody loves the asshole. He saves whole towns from earthquakes, and he’s the first to go after a climber if he tumbles into a glacier. But that doesn’t mean that everybody can’t be wrong.”

Riley stopped a short distance from where Kagan was now stroking Riva while he talked to Bailey. “I don’t think Bailey thinks they’re wrong. Look at her face.”

“I’m looking.” Maya crossed her arms tightly across her chest. “It’s the rock-star syndrome again. Completely charming. Only he’s able to adapt it to appeal to a sensitive kid like Bailey.”

“Bullshit.” Riley studied Kagan’s expression: gentleness, warmth, a reaching-out, humor. “You know better. He’s genuine and she realizes it and is responding.”

Maya nodded, her gaze on Kagan’s face, interpreting every nuance. “No threat to her from him. He… likes her. She amuses him. But I still don’t know why he was so determined to meet her.”

“Because he was telling the truth,” Cade said as he strolled toward them. “Not only is she personally in danger from Nadim, but since she won’t leave the herd, anything that happens to them, happens to her. Kagan has to know her and be able to judge every instinct. He has to be closer than a father to keep her safe.”

“A father?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Don’t be ridiculous. She has me. I’ll take care of her.”

“I don’t think you’ll object to having Kagan keeping an eye on Bailey once you get used to the idea,” Cade said. “It was what I was going to do before we escalated the plans. But when it seemed best to split up the moving of the unicorns and the retrieval of the sarcophagus, we had a problem. I knew I might need Riley to help with the transfer and preservation of Silvana since she had extensive experience with Helen. That’s one of the principal reasons why Kagan is here. I had to have someone both to protect the unicorns and to make certain you and Bailey would be all right.”

“While we went after the sarcophagus and the coffers,” Riley said slowly. “But this is the first I’ve heard about this escalation or my part in it. Why is that?”

“Isn’t it what you’d want?” Cade asked.

“Of course, it is,” Maya said quickly. “It’s what she’s wanted since I tried to tempt her with all those legends about Silvana five years ago.” She met his eyes. “And you’ve taken care to make certain everything here is safe. You’ve even brought in the rock star to play his magic guitar. How can I object? You’re giving me everything I could possibly want.”

“That was my intention.” He smiled. “But if you do have an objection, tell me and I’ll try to solve it. I want everyone secure and happy.”

Maya glanced at Riley. “That’s what I want, too.” Her tone turned suddenly fierce. “You take care of her on that mountaintop, Cade.” She turned away. “I have to get the herd back out to the valley as soon as the snow melts. But tonight I’ll have time to go over Silvana’s burial plans and site with both of you. They were as unusual as you’d expect from her.” She glanced back over her shoulder at Cade. “And if you don’t want problems from me, you’ll make certain Kagan realizes I don’t like interference in either my personal or my professional life. There’s only one caretaker.”

“That goes without saying,” he said quietly. “He’ll understand. You’ll find he’s not hard to come to terms with.”

She cast a final glance at Bailey, who was laughing, her face luminous as she looked up at Kagan. “We’ll see. Bailey doesn’t appear to be having any trouble…”

CHAPTER 9

It was late that afternoon when Kagan caught up with Maya on the slopes leading to the valley as they were moving the herd. “What a busy, hardworking lady you are. I had trouble keeping up with you,” he said as he strode down the hill to where she’d been talking to one of the shepherds. “Everything going the way you want it?”

She shook her head. “Too many rockslides for the light snow we had. I’m going to have to have the shepherds go over the area and make sure that’s not going to cause slippage.”

“Can I help?”

She shook her head. “I’m certain you have enough to do.”

“And you don’t want me to get in your way? If you change your mind, let me know. I have to go back to the base camp—I’m expecting several friends to arrive in a few hours, and I want to smooth the way with your sentries and Cade’s men that Kirby brought in. We need the entire unit to be one sleek machine. But I thought I’d have a few words with you before I left.” He smiled. “We didn’t have much time to come to an understanding before you were off helping your crew with the deer.”

“I believe we understand each other,” Maya said. “And you don’t have to do anything to smooth me into your sleek machine. I operate pretty well on my own.”

“I can see you do and from what I’ve heard, you’re a remarkable woman whom everyone respects, and you manage to run things around here with amazing efficiency.” His smile vanished. “And I wouldn’t think of getting in your way. I’m the one who needs to adjust to the situation. But to do that you have to know what to expect of me. Cade brought me here for a reason, and I came because I respect him and want to help.” He made a face. “And because he amuses me, and I think I’ll enjoy myself. It’s not often that I get a chance to break new ground, and saving a herd of unicorns is certainly that. And then he threw in the possibility of finding that female fighter’s sarcophagus somewhere in these mountains and that intrigued me. You might have heard I do very well in the mountains.”

“I’ve heard you’re some kind of genetic miracle as far as your ability to handle altitude,” Maya said. “It interested me, but I don’t see how it would help you to handle my problems.”

“You can never tell.” He was smiling again. “I have a lot of experience in all kinds of situations. I tend to get bored easily, so I either let a situation come to me or go looking for it.”

She studied his face. “Like Everest or K2?”

“Perhaps.” His smile didn’t waver. “But I’m here because Cade asked me, not because I was looking for another K2.” He chuckled. “Unless it erupts in front of me. My job is to protect this herd from poachers until Cade can transfer them to a place they’ll be safe and happy.” He shook his head ruefully. “It’s going to be difficult to find a place better than this. It’s also to protect your employees… and Bailey. Most of all Bailey.” His voice softened. “I don’t believe you’ll object to me doing that.”

She was silent a moment. “Not if you can prove you can do it better than me. I’d stand aside for the devil himself if he could keep her safe.”