once. I can't go through that again."
"They will kill you," he whispered. "They will kill us both."
"Not if we move right now. We can still get away. You know we can, you and I, together. These woods. It'll be just like old times. Let me take care of you, sweeting. You are confused. I know you don't want to be here."
He shook his head, turning away from her in agitation. "Why don't you ever listen? I can't believe you're here. I told you I have to do this!"
"But you don't. Whatever you think you're trying to do here, you're only going to get yourself killed. I can't allow that, Drake. You've bitten off more than you can chew this time, and you need to come home. Whatever James might have told you, this is not where you belong."
"You're the one who doesn't belong here!" he shot back in a fierce whisper, taking a large step closer. "How could you put yourself at risk this way?--and you say I'm the one that's mad!"
"Drake, denying what you've been through is not going to help you get better. You're not well! You need time to heal. Just be patient. You will get back to your full strength in time, then maybe--"
"I am back to my full strength," he growled.
"Physically, perhaps. But we both know you're not ready inside for any sort of mission. Come home with me. You've got to let me help you. You know you can trust me. Please, Drake. Let's escape now before they come back."
"No."
She paused, taking a new strategy. "So, you want to send me back six hundred miles all by myself?" she asked, for she could be as ruthless as he when the occasion called. "You know how dangerous it is in these forests. Wolves. Bears. Men."
He narrowed his eyes at her, well aware of what she was attempting.
He had killed the last man who had threatened her.
"You'd have me travel back through three war-torn countries alone? I'm out of money. I don't speak the language."
"It's a wonder you made it this far alive," he muttered. "You've never even been outside the shire."
"I followed you," she said simply, shrugging. "You and James. I thought you almost spotted me a few times."
He lowered his gaze. "I thought I was imagining it." Then he shook his head at her. "Why did you do this to me?"
"Not to you. For you. Because you need me." She took his hand in hers and pulled. "Come on, we'll talk later. We need to go right now."
He remained planted though his fingers lightly encircled hers. "I'm sorry, Emily. No."
"Drake, you're not an agent anymore!" she whispered in exasperation. "The Order fears you have betrayed them!"
"Maybe I have. Did you ever think of that?"
"Don't be absurd. If you turn yourself in, I know it'll be all right. I'll vouch for you. We'll go to them together and explain that you just made a mistake, you erred in judgment, thinking you could come here and take them down alone--"
"I did not make a mistake," he answered darkly.
Just then, the sound of male voices nearing through the woods made Emily suck in her breath.
"Come on, Drake! Please!"
"No! I am not going with you. Now get back in that bloody cave and hide right now--"
"Enough," she cut him off, resorting to her pistol.
He arched a brow as she drew her gun and aimed it at him.
"Let's go, now."
"What, you're taking me captive?"
"Come on, you idiot!" she pleaded.
He let out a low, cynical laugh. "Pull the trigger, please." He parted the neck of his shirt, presenting the top of his chest. "You might as well. I'd rather you do it than anyone else."
She glowered at him for calling her bluff, but grabbed him by his shirt with her other hand, prepared to drag him physically back to England if she had to. "I've had it with you. Come on, now!" she ordered, taking him captive at gunpoint. "Don't give me any trouble. Walk!"
He was laughing at her.
"You're coming with me. Blast it, Drake, I am trying to save you here!"
"What makes you think I have any desire to be saved?" He grasped her wrist where her hand clutched his shirt. "Let go of me, Emily." He looked deep into
"They will kill you," he whispered. "They will kill us both."
"Not if we move right now. We can still get away. You know we can, you and I, together. These woods. It'll be just like old times. Let me take care of you, sweeting. You are confused. I know you don't want to be here."
He shook his head, turning away from her in agitation. "Why don't you ever listen? I can't believe you're here. I told you I have to do this!"
"But you don't. Whatever you think you're trying to do here, you're only going to get yourself killed. I can't allow that, Drake. You've bitten off more than you can chew this time, and you need to come home. Whatever James might have told you, this is not where you belong."
"You're the one who doesn't belong here!" he shot back in a fierce whisper, taking a large step closer. "How could you put yourself at risk this way?--and you say I'm the one that's mad!"
"Drake, denying what you've been through is not going to help you get better. You're not well! You need time to heal. Just be patient. You will get back to your full strength in time, then maybe--"
"I am back to my full strength," he growled.
"Physically, perhaps. But we both know you're not ready inside for any sort of mission. Come home with me. You've got to let me help you. You know you can trust me. Please, Drake. Let's escape now before they come back."
"No."
She paused, taking a new strategy. "So, you want to send me back six hundred miles all by myself?" she asked, for she could be as ruthless as he when the occasion called. "You know how dangerous it is in these forests. Wolves. Bears. Men."
He narrowed his eyes at her, well aware of what she was attempting.
He had killed the last man who had threatened her.
"You'd have me travel back through three war-torn countries alone? I'm out of money. I don't speak the language."
"It's a wonder you made it this far alive," he muttered. "You've never even been outside the shire."
"I followed you," she said simply, shrugging. "You and James. I thought you almost spotted me a few times."
He lowered his gaze. "I thought I was imagining it." Then he shook his head at her. "Why did you do this to me?"
"Not to you. For you. Because you need me." She took his hand in hers and pulled. "Come on, we'll talk later. We need to go right now."
He remained planted though his fingers lightly encircled hers. "I'm sorry, Emily. No."
"Drake, you're not an agent anymore!" she whispered in exasperation. "The Order fears you have betrayed them!"
"Maybe I have. Did you ever think of that?"
"Don't be absurd. If you turn yourself in, I know it'll be all right. I'll vouch for you. We'll go to them together and explain that you just made a mistake, you erred in judgment, thinking you could come here and take them down alone--"
"I did not make a mistake," he answered darkly.
Just then, the sound of male voices nearing through the woods made Emily suck in her breath.
"Come on, Drake! Please!"
"No! I am not going with you. Now get back in that bloody cave and hide right now--"
"Enough," she cut him off, resorting to her pistol.
He arched a brow as she drew her gun and aimed it at him.
"Let's go, now."
"What, you're taking me captive?"
"Come on, you idiot!" she pleaded.
He let out a low, cynical laugh. "Pull the trigger, please." He parted the neck of his shirt, presenting the top of his chest. "You might as well. I'd rather you do it than anyone else."
She glowered at him for calling her bluff, but grabbed him by his shirt with her other hand, prepared to drag him physically back to England if she had to. "I've had it with you. Come on, now!" she ordered, taking him captive at gunpoint. "Don't give me any trouble. Walk!"
He was laughing at her.
"You're coming with me. Blast it, Drake, I am trying to save you here!"
"What makes you think I have any desire to be saved?" He grasped her wrist where her hand clutched his shirt. "Let go of me, Emily." He looked deep into
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