Leopard 02 - Wild Rain

how beautiful it could be. There was the powerful scent of flowers, orchid blossoms bursting out all over. All over the trees, in the hair of the women. And there were people. There seemed to be people standing everywhere he looked. He’d never been around so many people, not in years.
    “You’re a bit pale there, brother.” Elijah stole up behind him in his silent way, still favoring his right side. It had taken Tama and Kim’s father to save his life. He was still recovering from the severe wounds inflicted by Armando. “You aren’t going to faint or anything, are you?”

    Rio glared at him. “Who the hell are all these people? Where’d they come from? Don’t they have homes or something?”
    “Rachael said you were going to be a big baby over this,” Elijah said. He pulled a twig from a tree and put the end in his mouth, his strong teeth chewing on the green stem.
    “Your seven stab wounds aren’t going to keep me from kicking your butt if you call me that again.”
    “Twelve,” Elijah corrected. “It’s true five weren’t that deep, but still . . .”
    Rio scowled at him. “A little bit of overkill, don’t you think? Letting that son of a bitch stab you twelve times? You could have gotten the same amount of sympathy with just three or four times.”
    Elijah nodded, straight-faced. “True, but the story isn’t as good in the retelling.”
    “Well, the number’s probably going to grow with the retelling anyway so you could have saved yourself a bit of trouble and a hell of a lot of stitches,” Rio pointed out.
    “I didn’t think of that.”
    “How are your teeth?”
    “Still in my head, but they hurt like hell. Don’t talk about my teeth.” Elijah groaned, “I think they’re still loose.”
    “You wouldn’t be such a pretty boy without all those teeth,” Rio observed. “It might not be such a loss.” He slapped his palm against his leg. “Where the hell is she? I should have had Conner or Joshua stand guard and keep her from running away. Are you sure she’s here?” His chest was tight and his lungs screamed for air. He ran his finger around his collar to loosen it.
    “She’s here. She looks beautiful.”
    The burning in his lungs lessened, and Rio could breathe again. “Don’t look at me like that. I want to do this, it’s just that all these people are a little too close.”
    Elijah grinned at him. “I hate to admit it, but I feel the same way and I’m always surrounded by people, by my crew.” He waved his hand toward the surrounding trees, wincing as his body protested.
    “It’s different here. I feel different here.”
    “This forest has a way of doing that, Elijah, although maybe with Armando finally dead, you’re beginning to feel the relief.”
    “It hasn’t begun to sink in yet. At this point I’m telling myself every few minutes I don’t have to look over my shoulder. It doesn’t seem real. I don’t know if it ever will. I’ve watched every word I’ve ever said and made certain I was absolutely alone so he couldn’t do to anyone else what he did to Rachael.
    Frankly, I don’t know how to act.”
    Rio touched the man’s shoulder briefly. Elijah wasn’t a man to encourage physical contact or sympathy or compassion. “It will come with time.”
    “I’m sure you’re right.”
    Rio suddenly stiffened, looking past Elijah. Rachael’s brother turned to see an elderly man and a young boy of about twelve walking toward them. He recognized the older man. “What’s wrong, Rio?”
    Elijah shifted slightly to put his body between Rio and the newcomers.
    “You don’t have to do that, Elijah,” Rio stepped in front of him. “I appreciate that your protection would extend to me, but I’m perfectly capable of defending myself. Relax, you’re at a wedding. All you have to do is give me the bride.”
    Elijah’s shrug was casual, but there was nothing casual about his eyes. Alert. Suspicious. A mixture of cold ice and hot flame. He looked every bit as ruthless and merciless as he was reputed to be. There was a sudden silence in the trees where monkeys had been chattering to one another. Several birds took flight.
    Rio nudged him. “Give it a rest, Elijah, you’re going to scare the guests.”
    “I thought you wanted less people around,” Elijah murmured, but managed a small nod when the elderly man and young boy reached them.
    “Elder Delgrotto, this is a surprise,” Rio greeted. “You’ve met Elijah.”
    “Not formally.” Peter