"You have until the count of five to put down your weapons!" he bellowed. "One."
She strained against him. His grip tightened, and she stilled. Two more of his men moved cautiously from the forest, looking for Elise or Dan to appear.
"Two!"
"I'm here," Brady's growl came from the fog. Lana made out his form as he emerged from the bushes.
"Where are the others?" the man holding her demanded.
"Just me."
"Weapons down!"
Brady raised his gun instead, aiming it at the man holding her.
"You get one warning," he said in a tone far more lethal than he'd ever used with her.
"You're outnumbered, idiot," one of the others snapped.
One shot rang out, followed by two more. The man at her back dropped, followed immediately by the other two. Dan and Elise rose from the bushes and lowered their weapons. Lana shoved away from the dead man, horrified. Brady gripped her arm, pulling her quickly through the forest. Dan ran ahead of them, Elise behind, and they flew down a deer path to a creek, then darted across rocks to the other bank.
Cold water soaked Lana's boots as Dan kept them on the creek's edge for a few hundred meters before veering into the surrounding forest. They stopped at a rock wall. Dan hopped onto a boulder and placed his hand on the wall. The keypad lit up, and light spilled from a door that opened slowly.
"Dan, go," Brady ordered, releasing her. Dan and Elise ducked into the dark entrance. Brady turned away and started towards the forest. Lana caught his arm, alarmed.
"Brady!"
He faced her, and she realized how stupid it was to expect he'd do anything else but return to the fight.
"Thank you," she managed. "Be careful."
Brady gazed at her intently. Heart hammering, Lana rose to her tiptoes and gave him a light kiss on the lips. He snatched her, though instead of pushing her away, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, deep and hard. She returned the kiss, thrilled by his passion and her own mounting hunger.
"Lana!" Elise called from the hallway.
Brady released her suddenly, and Lana wobbled. She watched him disappear into the dark forest, her body thrumming with desire.
"Come on," Elise said.
Breathless, Lana obeyed and joined them in the tunnel. Dan led them into a narrow hall and to another locked door. He opened it. Lana turned as the door behind them closed. Brady remained outside. Elise nudged her, and she trailed Dan as he strode down another hall. He led them through the maze until they emerged into a yawning cave lit by lanterns then continued into another set of halls. He stopped at one and pressed his thumb to the keypad.