much longer he could hold his pose without his body beginning to resist, but he didn’t dare move until he had control over the snake’s deadly mouth.
The rattlesnake appeared to consider the dark opening of his jeans by one of his ankles, no doubt sensing the warmth of his skin. Christ, he hoped it would see the opening was too short and narrow to be of use.
He was not so lucky. The viper inched closer to his leg, then stopped, testing the air with its tongue. Ty wondered how much it relied on its sight versus its other senses as it eased over his ankle to lie against the warmth of his skin. He had to resist all instinct to hop up and dance away from the cold feel of the snake against his skin.
The beast moved slowly up his shin, almost to his knee, where the pant leg was too tight to go farther. It drew as much of itself inside as it could, leaving a good two feet of its body outside, its rattle up but not sounding. Ty watched the fabric move as the snake settled inside his pant leg. It grew still, resting where it was, comfortably absorbing the heat of his leg.
His back cramped painfully as he watched the shadows shift across the pit, marking the day’s progression. When the sun was directly overhead, the air began to warm up, and the snake slowly reversed its position.
Ty leaned forward, hoping the snake’s movement would camouflage his slight change in position. When the spear-shaped head popped out of his pants, he grabbed the snake. Its mouth opened with fangs drawn. It looked big enough to swallow an adult prairie dog.
Ty had been in this pit for a night and a day without food or water. The viper in his hand looked like his salvation, right about now. He pulled his knife from its sheath and cut the snake’s head off. His stomach growled in anticipation of the coming meal.
Chapter 22
Mandy was sitting on the sofa, having a quiet conversation with Fee later that night. Rocco had spoiled her the whole afternoon, first with a hot bath and tea, then getting Fee and Zavi into the kitchen to help him make dinner. Mandy joined them, but was only allowed to sit at the table and call out instructions. The house was quiet now. Zavi was asleep in Ty’s room. Owen and Max were downstairs. Greer was at the hospital. Kit and Kelan were staking-out Ty’s house, while Val and Angel were still searching for their lost teammate.
Mandy reached up to hold Rocco’s hand as he stood beside her. “What an awful, wonderful day this has been.”
“That about sums it up,” he said with smile.
“Has there been any word on Ty?”
“Nothing so far.” He picked up the quilt that lay across the back of the sofa. “Let’s go outside, Em,” he said as he drew her to her feet. On the porch, he led her to the swing that hung from one end of the rafters. He wrapped the quilt about them both, keeping her close as they sat down. She leaned her head against his shoulder and folded her legs against his thighs, melting into him.
So much had happened today, he didn’t know where to begin with what he wanted to say. “How are you holding up?”
“I’ll be fine. It’s wonderful having Zavi here. I’ve been thinking that, like it or not, you’ll need to raise him in a way that prepares him to be your son. He has the same rare ability with languages that you have.”
“I know. And that scares the hell out of me. I don’t want him to be a warrior. I want him to be a thinker, a scientist, a writer. Something that adds to the world rather than taking from it.”
She leaned back to look up at him. “That’s not a fair assessment of yourself and what you do. You are a kind, honorable, and brilliant man. Warriors like you and Kit and Blade, and all others like you, keep me and Fee and those of us who aren’t warriors safe. When I told you I wanted you to stop fighting, it wasn’t because I think what you do is bad. It’s because I’m selfish. I don’t want to risk losing you, and I want to keep you to myself. If your son wants to be a warrior like his dad, the world would be a better place for it.”
Rocco savored her words, humbled by her opinion. “I realized this afternoon why I had been so certain that he was alive.” Mandy looked at him, waiting for what he would say. “Kadisha had second thoughts about blowing up the compound.”
“Your wife blew it up?”
He nodded. “With help from Ehsan. She was clearing everyone out. She brought Zavi out and handed him to me, then went running back in for her other relatives. Ehsan had filled the village with enough bombs to make it look like an American airstrike had hit the town.” He looked at Mandy. “He also strapped a suicide bomb around Kadisha, exactly like the one he made you wear. I handed Zavi off to a local shepherd, then went after her.”
Mandy straightened. “But the blood and the burned flesh?”
“After the explosion, I didn’t remember I’d handed Zavi over for safekeeping. There was a child’s burned body next to me when I woke. I assumed it was Zavi. But it was someone else’s child. I said prayers for him, and the villagers buried him. He was mourned. It was his phantom flesh I kept seeing on me.”
“Oh, Rocco.” She touched his cheek. “I’m so sorry that you and Zavi and the village had to go through that hell. How could Kadisha do something like that?”
He sighed. “She was a product of her culture, her people, her time. She wasn’t allowed to think for herself. And perhaps, she was a woman scorned. I think she knew I wasn’t in love with her.” Rocco rubbed his thumb across the back of Mandy’s hand. He thought about telling Mandy that Kadisha had been pregnant with their second child when she died, but that was a wound he didn’t need to share. Mandy’s world was dark enough now. Kadisha was gone. His time in Afghanistan was done. They both needed to look to the future.
“Em, do you want Zavi and me to find other quarters?” She started to object, but he interrupted her. “You and I have happened so suddenly. What we have is special. I don’t want to rush it, rush you. I don’t want my burdens to fall on you. Having Zavi here changes things.”
“Zavi is not a burden. He’s a gift.” She threaded her fingers with his. “If you need room and space to reconnect with your son, then go and do what you must. I’d prefer we stay together. I’m afraid without you, and I’d like to work through this with you. But I understand if you need time to get situated. After what you’ve both been through, you deserve to do what you must to feel settled and safe.”
Rocco blinked, relieved. “I’d prefer to be here with you as well. I can hire a nanny to watch him when I have to go out. She could help with chores.”
Mandy smiled. “How about this? When I need help, I’ll ask for it. Right now, with this house being the nerve center of your operation, I think it would best not to have someone from town come in-I don’t want to expose another person to the danger we’re all in. Zavi and I will get along just fine if you need to pop out. I’m sure Fee will help, and the other guys, too. There’s plenty here on the ranch to keep him occupied.”
She leaned against his shoulder again. “He does need some toys. And I need to do some studying about early childhood development. I suspect that boy will be three steps ahead of us all the time.”
“He will. I’ll have to teach him Spanish.” He looked at her and grinned. “Then Pig Spanish, just to challenge him. He already knows Pashto, English and Pig English. Probably a little Latin as well.”
Mandy smiled at him as she squeezed his hand. “Are you happy, Rocco?”
“Immeasurably.” He rubbed his cheek against her hair. “Everything I dreamed about, and everything I didn’t dare hope for, has come true in you and Zavi. You are my world, Mandy. I would do anything for you. I will spend my life making your life what you wish it to be.”
Mandy sighed. “I like that.” She touched his cheek and looked into his eyes. “I’ll do the same for you. How about we start by going to bed? You need to get some rest before you join the hunt for Ty tomorrow.”
He lifted her and started across the porch. “I was thinking about getting you to bed, too-but not to rest.”
About the Author
Elaine Levine lives on the plains of Colorado with her husband, a middle-aged parrot, and a
