The Alex/Camryn chemistry gets really deep.

"How far is it?" Camryn asked.

"About a minute or two away."

"We don't have enough time to get to the resort. The Geiger counter led us too far away."

Alex peered over Camryn's shoulder. He saw the base of the mountain. His relief was short-lived though. There was a stone wall, probably about thirty to forty feet high. It was probably used to protect the town from avalanches.

"We're gonna die," Camryn muttered.

Alex looked around for someway to escape. To his horror, there was nothing but snow and a stone wall. The roaring of the avalanche became louder and louder. Alex's heartbeat became progressively louder and faster. He swore he could feel the ground vibrate beneath the snowmobile. He looked back. The avalanche was almost on them. Alex tightened his grip around Camryn's waist.

"Cam, I love you," Alex said in her ear.

"I love you, too. Get ready to jump."

Alex waited for the cue.

"Now!"

Camryn and Alex jumped off the snowmobile, and the wave of snow swallowed the vehicle and the two desperate teens. Alex kicked as if he were swimming so that he wouldn't sink below the snow. The avalanche was carrying him toward the stone wall, and at this kind of speed, the impact would kill him. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a pair of strong hands hauled him out of the raging river of deadly snow. Yassen pulled Alex up into his helicopter.

"Are you okay, Alex?"

"I'm fine. Get Camryn!"

Yassen jumped out of the helicopter, hanging upside-down from his ankles. Soon, he came back up, pulling Camryn with him. Camryn was panting and shaking like mad. Alex put his arms around her and pulled her close.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. Just a little freaked out."

"What were you doing out here?" Yassen asked.

Alex shrugged. "Just riding around," he lied.

Yassen narrowed his pale blue eyes. "I will ask you again. What were you doing out here?"

"Like I said, just riding around."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"Why? Is so hard to believe that I want to spend time with my girlfriend?"

"In a place like this? Chechnya is a very dangerous place for people like you. Who brought you here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Someone had to bring you here. Did you plan for someone to pick you up at the apartment buildings?"

"No."

Yassen pulled out a gun and pressed it to Camryn's temple. "Tell me the truth, Alex."

"What if I don't?"

"I'll do to her what I did to your uncle."

Alex took in a deep breath. "I don't know who brought me here. Someone knew I was going to be in the apartment. He knocked me out. I woke up here."

"You lie." Yassen's finger tightened on the trigger.

"I'm telling the truth! I really don't know what happened to me or what's going on!"

"Shut up."

Alex pushed Camryn down onto her back and shielded her with his body. Alex screamed in agony when the bullet fired from close range burrowed into the flak jacket.

"Alex!" Camryn cried.

Alex grabbed the gun strapped to Camryn's waist. He whipped his arm around and fired. The bullet just barely missed Yassen's head. It ricocheted off the metal interior of the helicopter and struck the pilot's jugular vein. The helicopter dropped out of the sky like a dead duck. It only took less than a minute for the helicopter to crash into a forest. The engine exploded to a hellish inferno. Fortunately, Alex and Camryn were far enough back in the helicopter to be fairly safe from the explosion. Alex scrambled out of the helicopter and pulled Camryn out. The two ran out of the woods until they reached a deserted road. Alex heard a car engine approach them. He grabbed Camryn and pulled her away from the road. A big blue van pulled up. Tubs stuck his head out the window.

"Hey! Get in!"

Alex and Camryn obeyed. The two quickly piled into the van. The second the doors slammed shut, Tubs hit the gas, and the van tore down the slick road. Within an hour, they arrived back at the base, which was disguised as a house. Alex immediately went to his room and pulled off the flak jacket. He threw it on the floor and flopped onto the bed. A few minutes later, Camryn walked in with a First Aid kit. She sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Alex's tousled blonde hair.

"Sit up, I'm going to fix your cheek," she said gently.

Alex sat up and let Camryn tend to his wound. Camryn's warm, gentle touch relaxed him.

"Let me see your back," Camryn said when she finished bandaging the wound on Alex's cheek.

Alex slipped off his shirt and turned his back to Camryn so she could examine him. He felt Camryn run her warm fingers over the innumerable scars on his back. Her hands slid over his bare shoulders and across his chest. Alex closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, taking in the bliss of Camryn's touch. Her body felt warm against his naked back. Camryn traced a long, jagged scar across Alex's chest.

"What happened to you, Alex?" she whispered into his ear.

"Too much," Alex murmured in reply, leaning back against Camryn. He reached over his shoulder and stroked her cheek. He wanted to stay like this forever. He didn't want to watch the only girl he loved walk out of his life. Just the thought of losing Camryn for good was unfathomable. Alex didn't see how it was possible. They were so good together. Alex loved Camryn with all of his being and never took her for granted.

"Stay with me, Cam," Alex pleaded softly.

"I wish I could," Camryn whispered with her lips against Alex's ear.

"Please, don't make me beg."

"Alex, I can't stay. I have to leave eventually."

"No!" Alex reached behind him, grabbed Camryn's throat, and pushed her down onto her back. He pinned her down to the bed by her shoulders and sat on her legs. Camryn stared up at him, wide-eyed in shock. Fear filled her silver eyes. Alex glared down at the girl. Camryn tried to push him off, but Alex pinned her shoulders harder.

"Alex-"

"You're not leaving me," Alex said in a peremptory tone.

"I'm sorry."

"You're not leaving!" Alex shouted. "I'm not letting you go!"

"Get off, please."

"No," Alex growled. "I'm not letting you go."

"Alex, you're scaring me," Camryn whimpered, tears springing to her mystical eyes. She grabbed Alex's shoulders and tried to shove him off again. Alex grabbed her wrists and pinned her down with all the strength he had. Camryn burst into tears. Alex knew he was hurting her and scaring the life out of her. But still, he couldn't let her go. Alex fell apart.

"I don't want you to go," he sobbed. He bent down toward Camryn until he was close enough to feel her warm breath on his lips. He could taste the fear in her breathing. He kissed her lips as gently as he could so he wouldn't frighten her more than he already had. As Camryn began to relax a little, Alex lowered himself on top of her. He continued to kiss her softly and slowly. He caressed her shoulders and arms. He felt dirty lying on the bed with Camryn beneath him, but at the same time, it felt right. Her lips were smooth and plush. Her skin was soft and warm. Alex tried desperately, but failed to control himself. Camryn was his drug. He was so hopelessly addicted to her. He wanted her. He needed her. He couldn't live without her. He would go crazy. He would kill himself. No kind of medicine or therapy could rid him of this dependence. Nothing could rid Alex of his addiction.

Alex intensified his kisses, tilting his head and sneaking his tongue into Camryn's mouth. His breathing became jagged and shallow. His heart rate was going off the charts. Adrenaline and endorphins coursed through his veins. Camryn finally let her arms circle around Alex's neck. Alex's heart slammed inside his chest. God, this girl made Alex crazy. Alex kissed her harder, deeper. Passion, love, and lust poured out of him. Kissing her was so exhilarating. Touching her was beyond anything words could tell.

"Are you still going to leave me?" Alex murmured.

"You know I can't stay," Camryn said softly.

Alex kissed her again. He slipped his hand around her slender neck. Then he pulled both his hands down her sides. Camryn slid her hands over Alex's back. Alex sighed and moaned with pleasure. He fingered the hem of her shirt. He wanted to slip his hands beneath her clothes. It was so tempting.

"Will you miss me, Alex?" Camryn whispered between kisses.

"You're not leaving." Alex buried his face in her throat. Her skin was hot against his lips.

"Alex, I love you. I love you more than I can say."

"That means you won't leave, right?"

"But I-"

Alex interrupted Camryn with a long, deep, passionate kiss.

"We should stop," Camryn said. "If my dad catches us, we'll be in so much trouble."

"No, I won't stop," Alex murmured, kissing her again. "I won't stop until you tell me that you'll stay with me forever."

"You know that I can't."

"Fine, then. If I don't get off of you, you can't go anywhere."

"Don't do this."

Alex pressed his lips to Camryn's ear. "I'll do anything and everything I have to do to keep you with me. I've lost you too many times. I can't lose you again."

"I'm doing this to protect you."

"I don't need to be protected, Cam. You do. You're the one in danger."

"These people are going to target you to get at me."

"So you're leaving me so you won't have to deal with that?"

"No. I don't want anyone to hurt you."

"You're hurting me, Camryn."

"Alex-"

"I'll never let you go." Alex's heart was tearing itself apart inside him. His emotional hurt became a physical hurt. He slipped his hands beneath Camryn's shirt. He needed an overdose to get rid of his heartache. To Alex's surprise, Camryn didn't resist his touch. Alex lost himself in Camryn's body. Her skin was so smooth beneath his fingertips. The next thing he knew, he was lying on his back, and Camryn had him pinned by his shoulders to the bed. Alex was panting wildly. The sexy smirk that pulled at Camryn's plush lips made him sweat. Alex felt like the luckiest guy on the planet. But then Camryn got off the bed and left the room without saying a word. Alex closed his eyes and sighed. His cheeks glowed with a hot, red flush. He was dazed from the rush of adrenaline and endorphins. He smiled to himself. Camryn really was his drug. She made him high.