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  And even when she managed to find a level spot of ground between the rocks, the loose soil made it hard to stay upright. She slipped again, sending a stone crashing down the mountain and setting off a small slide.

  Her heart pumped hard in her chest. Oh, God. No wonder Cade had warned her not to cross. But no matter what, she couldn’t stop. Dusty depended on her to free him.

  Her head low, she pushed aside her doubts and concentrated on inching closer, rock by grueling rock. Climbing up, then down. Sliding, skidding, struggling to stay on her feet, then scaling another boulder. And with every tortured step, the dog’s frantic yips grew louder.

  And she was getting hot. The sun beat down on her head and sweat trickled into her eyes. She blinked against the sting, then used the hem of her T-shirt to wipe her forehead. Blood stained the shirt where she’d touched it, and she wiped her raw palms on her jeans.

  Breathing hard, she paused and glanced at the dog again. She was closer now and could see him straining to get free. “Hang on,” she called out. “I’m almost there.”

  But she still had yards to go. With a sigh, she climbed up another rock. She refused to even think about the long trek back.

  “Jordan, stop!” Cade suddenly called.

  The urgency in his voice caught her attention and she glanced back. Cade stood yards above her, partway across the slope. “What are you doing?” she demanded. “I said I can get him. Go back.”

  “No! Don’t move!”

  “Me? You’re the one who shouldn’t be out here.” Not with his injuries. Scowling, she found a foothold on the next rock and pulled herself up.

  “Jordan, stop!” he shouted again.

  Annoyed now, she paused and glared back. “For God’s sake, Cade, I’m fine. Would you stop being so stubborn and-”

  “Don’t turn around! Jordan, please!” The panic in his voice made her freeze. She’d never heard that tone before.

  “Good,” he said, his voice tight. “Now straighten up real slow and raise your arms to look big. Don’t let him sense that you’re scared.”

  Scared? Of what? What did Cade see? Her nerves tightening, she turned herself slowly forward and scanned the rock slide. The sunlight glinted off the barren landscape. A puff of dust whirled into the air. The dog’s desperate whines grew louder.

  Then a movement slightly uphill caught her attention and she turned to look.

  And gasped.

  A big, tawny cat leaped silently toward her, his powerful muscles bunched under his fur. His ears pricked forward into stalking position, and his silver eyes locked on hers. A few yards above her, he paused, then lowered himself to a crouch.

  Fear lodged deep in her throat, tightening the hairs along her nape and damming the breath in her lungs. A mountain lion. One of the fiercest predators in the forest.

  And unless she stopped him, he was about to attack.

  Chapter 8

  His blood thundering, Cade scooped up a rock with his left hand and inched across the slope. Gravel slid under his boots, sending a stone bouncing downhill, and he froze. Hell. Unless he was careful, he’d spook the cat into attacking before he could get to Jordan.

  He gauged the distance between them, and a sick feeling slid through his gut. He was still too far away to protect her. He had to get within throwing range so he could scare the animal off.

  But he had to move quickly. A mountain lion could leap from twenty feet.

  His heart ramming hard against his rib cage, he stuffed the stone in his pocket, then scooted silently over a boulder. He wished to hell she had listened to him. Why hadn’t she stayed where she was safe?

  And why hadn’t he kept his eye on her? He’d suspected she’d go after that dog. Hadn’t she plunged into the river for the knife? So why had he ignored his instincts and turned his back?

  Regret speared his gut, along with a tight lump of dread. He’d screwed up, all right. He’d put her in danger, and now it was up to him to save her.

  His gaze locked on the lethal cat, he inched closer. A vision of Jordan being mauled flashed through his mind, and a cold sweat beaded his brow. Damn his injured shoulder! Of all the times for his body to fail him. He wanted to leap over these rocks and rescue her now.

  Schooling himself to patience, he scaled another boulder. But then Jordan bent to pick up a rock, and panic rocked his chest. “Don’t bend down!” he urged her. “Stand up tall and look big.”

  She looked up at him, her dark eyes flashing with fear. “All right.” Her voice trembled; her terror palpitated in the air.

  And if he could sense it, so could the mountain lion.

  Which meant that he had to move quickly. His pulse rocketing, he grabbed another stone and climbed closer. “Don’t move,” he urged her. “I’m almost there.”

  But then the dog whined again, the mountain lion crept forward, and Jordan threw her rock. It landed wide, and the big cat crouched again, ready to spring.

  His heart stopped, and he hurled his rock at the cat. It hit near its paws and the cat looked up.

  “Get out of here,” he yelled. “Go on!” He whipped out the second stone and fired it, hitting the animal’s side. The cat turned and leaped away, then stopped and circled back.

  Breathing hard, he scooped up another rock and slung it. “Get out!” he shouted again.

  Wishing to hell he could use his right arm, he hurled another stone. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jordan do the same. Her aim was off and the rock landed wide, but it kept the cat off balance. He thanked God she hadn’t panicked and fled-because nothing triggered the instinct to pounce like running prey.

  The mountain lion paced uncertainly for several seconds, then retreated a few yards and turned back. Cade flung another rock, hitting near its paw again. The cat hesitated a moment longer, then turned tail and loped through the trees.

  Cade held up. Still breathing hard, he scooped up another rock and scanned the woods, poised in case it came back. Below him, Jordan rushed over the remaining boulders to the dog, pulled his leash loose, and gathered him into her arms.

  “Hurry up,” he called down, his blood pounding through his ears. Even though the mountain lion had left, he didn’t plan to take chances.

  “I’m coming.” She set the dog down, wrapped the leash around her hand and started uphill.

  His breathing rough, the adrenaline still rushing through his veins, Cade stood guard while she climbed toward him. Nothing moved along the edge of the woods, and a sparrow resumed chirping. When minutes had passed with no sign of the cat, he exhaled and dropped the stone.

  He knew they’d been lucky. If that cat had decided to fight…He blanched at the gruesome vision that thought conjured up. Jordan never would have survived it.

  And he needed to get her off this mountain before that cat reconsidered and came back.

  His emotions still churning, he worked his way across the slope, angling his path to intercept her. The midday sun simmered off the rocks, sending sweat trickling over his cheeks. The hot breeze swirled up choking dust and made it hard to breathe.

  He kept a watchful eye on Jordan as she labored below him. The dog bounded easily up the slope, but she lagged behind, exhausted. And that ticked him off even more. What the hell was she thinking? She’d forded a river, hiked up a mountain and climbed through a rock slide, all on an hour of sleep. She’d had no business going after that dog.

  He glanced down at her again, but just at that moment, she slipped. His nerves jerked and he lunged forward to help her, but he was too far away. She clutched desperately at a rock, missed and let out a cry. Then she started sliding downhill.

  Oh, hell. “Jordan!” He lurched forward again, but the motion sent a stone crashing toward her, forcing him to stop. Any movement he made would only destabilize the hill.

  He watched helplessly, a sick terror grinding through his gut, as the rocks surrounding her loosened and fell. The noise of stones colliding split the air, and she disappeared in a thick haze of dust.

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