by KB Anne
Hit it home Starr. Hit it home.
“Can you be a part of an Organization that you don’t fully support 100 percent?”
A car door slammed.
A child cried for ice cream.
The world of Gatlinburg moved on as I awaited his answer.
“I don’t think I can. I don’t think I want to, but…,” I leaned toward him as if he was luring me in and I was ready to bite. “I need more time. Why don’t I stay a while longer and see if I can find out anything useful. Is there any way to contact you?”
I pulled out the card and handed it to him. Thank god Coda created that new email account for me under a fictitious name. Our fingers touched as he grabbed it. Not one zap of electricity, not one spark. “Will he be working with you?” he asked reading the card.
I was well aware that my answer would impact his decision, and I needed him on our side—he was far too valuable and too dangerous to lose. “If he survives, yes.”
“What are you planning to do?” He glanced at his watch, then ran a check of the area. The crowd had grown, but I didn’t notice anyone suspicious. My eyes passed right over Coda, who was pretending to talk on a phone.
“Right now, keeping off the radar seems like a pretty good idea.”
“You know,” he said, resting his hand on top of mine. “What happened to that guy won’t happen to you. The General,” he paused, “well, he wanted information and got a bit carried away, but he’d never do anything like that to you—you’re far too important to the Organization.”
I glanced down at his hand on top of mine. I pulled in a breath and slowly exhaled as I tried to build up the courage to flirt my way into persuading him. “It’s not a life I want to live,” I said, forcing a smile, but it felt tight, and lopsided, and all wrong, but I hoped it was enough. “I’d like you to join us. Will you contact me soon?”
He squeezed my hand and released it as he stood up. “I will—we can use the computer lab whenever we want. I have to get back before they realize I’m gone.”
I stood up with him and reached for his hand. “I’ll see you soon.”
He watched me as he grabbed hold of mine. His green eyes were hopeful, hypnotic too. In another time, in another place, Jude and I might have had a future or at least a date or two for pizza and a movie, but I was not the person I was, and with Christian, I didn’t need anyone else. I didn’t want anyone else.
“I’ll see you soon,” he promised and marched away. He passed by Coda, without a second glance, stepped out into the street, and opened the driver’s door of a black Audi. He winked at me. I smiled shyly back and waved. He smiled, got into the Audi, and drove past Ben’s orange getaway car and Christian.
When he was out of sight, I scanned the area again. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Not one tourist looked like someone I should be concerned about. I glanced around once more before hopping into Ben’s rear passenger door. A loud sigh of relief escaped from Christian, who was lying across the back seat. As soon as I slammed the door, Ben pulled out into traffic weaving in and out of cars. When he took the turn, Christian yanked me down with him. A few minutes later, the car stopped, Coda jumped in, and Ben hit the gas.
Chapter Forty-Three
Christian wrapped his arms around my waist. His sweet lips smothered me with kisses. “I was so worried about you.”
“You didn’t need to be. I was totally fine.” I sunk into his mouth. He explored each ridge, each tooth, each part of my tongue, as if maybe something changed since his last expedition.
“Did you find out anything?” Ben asked.
Between kisses, I managed to reply. “Not really, but I think I convinced him to join us.”
Christian’s body turned rigid. “Convinced him. Are you crazy?”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“Humpf,” he grunted. “He seemed pretty ‘desperate’ for you.”
“That’s what you’re worried about?”
“I’m just saying…”
“Listen, I can take care of myself, and I know who I’m interested in, and he’s not some brown-haired muscle head. My guy’s all dark and twisted.”
The tension left his body, as he pulled me tighter, our lips a hair’s width apart. “He sounded intriguing. Can I meet him?”
“Alright you two, break it up,” Ben ordered. “We’re all clear now. You can sit up.”
“Just making sure boss, just making sure,” Christian joked pulling me up with him, his worries vanishing for the moment. “Coda, you did a top notch job watching Starr. Thank you.”
Coda grinned back at us. His eyes danced with mischief. “To be honest, I wanted some more excitement myself. Maybe a little hand-to-hand.” He punched the air.
Christian drew me closer to him. I rested my head against his chest and let his heady scent of cedar and mint take me to my happy place. “I, for one, am glad that there was no excitement. I don’t know if my heart can take another secret rendezvous involving Starr.”
His comments pulled me back to the present. I swatted his arm. “Oh please. Coda and I had it under control, and Ben, you did an outstanding job as the getaway driver.”
“Thank you, thank you. Glad I can be of assistance.”
“We do make a good team,” Coda said.
Christian’s body tensed. “No.”
“You need people you can trust and who better than family?” Ben asked.
“No.”
“We’ll talk about it later,” added Coda.
“No, we won’t.”
Between the tension building and the testosterone blustering, the car might combust any minute. Immediate action on my part was not only necessary but vital for the safety of this mission. “Isn’t there storytelling tonight?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, Rebecca has a few stories to share,” Coda teased.
“Oh that’ll be just great,” Christian moaned.
“No really. Rebecca’s training to take over storytelling. You have to admit she has a great memory,” Coda added.
“Does she ever,” I agreed.
Christian tousled my hair. “How would you know? You fell asleep part way through.”
“I didn’t sleep the whole time.”
“Most of it.”
“Well, enough to know that she can talk. She does have a very rhythmic voice though. I love the way she rolls her r’s and draws out some words like ‘Reev-ver.’ Where’s the storytelling taking place anyway?”
“Outside the meeting house. Christian, I told Chief Michell you wanted to talk to him afterward,” Ben said.
“A few of the other council members will be there too, per your rrrrreequest,” Coda added.
“Rrreeally?” I asked Christian.
He wove his fingers in and out of mine. The steady push and pull reminded me of two hearts beating as one. “It’s no big deal. I wanted to talk to the chief and the council about some things.”
“About what?”
“Nothing.”
I pulled away from him, annoyed that I had to work so hard to get information out of him. “Christian, why do you want to talk to the chief?”
He looked at me. Indecision spun an intricate web of fear and desire in his deep blue eyes.
“Would you just tell her? She’s bound to find out sooner or later. She’s seems like she gets to the bottom of things,” Coda said.
“Thank you, Coda. I will take that as a compliment,” I replied, feeling smug. Then I turned to Christian. “Now, why do you want to talk to the chief?” I could sense his resolve beginning to waver. I went in for the jugular. “We have to be honest with each other, if anything is going to last between us.”
“Oh man,” Ben and Coda moaned from the front seat. I knew I hit below the belt but necessity warranted it.
“I wanted to talk to the chief about staying for a while. See if I could rent a place, because we can’t stay with Ben forever. His parents will be home in a few weeks.”
Ben’s br
own eyes glanced back at us from the rearview mirror. “Bro, you know you’re always welcome to stay. My parents would love it.”
“I know man, but it’s bound to get a little tight once your parents get home. They also may not appreciate Starr attached to my hip all the time,” he teased. I gave him a “yeah right” look as I slid closer to him. He chuckled as he put his arm around my shoulder.
“Whatever works man,” Ben replied.
“How hard is it to get a place?” I wondered aloud. I didn’t add that I was sooo not ready to play house, aside from the fact that the Organization was after us, thank you very much.
“Depends on who it is,” Coda replied. “When I came back with my mom, who’s Mexican and Navajo, we had to prove my dad was from the 1924 Baker’s Roll Cherokee and that I was at least 1/16 Cherokee.” He turned around and grinned at us. “With my classic good looks, few doubted my heritage.”
“Oh brother,” Ben groaned.
“Anyway,” Coda said, “there are a lot of benefits to becoming part of the Tribal Nation, so the rules are really strict.”
“Still the qualifications must not be too difficult if they let you in,” Ben teased Coda. Coda pretended to punch him but didn’t, probably because Ben was driving on a winding road with sheer drop-offs on both sides and no guardrails. At least Coda had some common sense.
“Christian’s grandmother was Cherokee. He seems like a shoo-in to me,” I said. They just shrugged their shoulders. It made perfect sense to me anyway.
Chapter Forty-Four
On our way to the meeting hall, the setting sun painted the sky brilliant shades of red, orange, purple, and a dozen other shades in between. Coda punched Ben’s arm. Ben swatted at him. Christian tickled them both and dashed off. Coda chased after him. Ben raised his fist in the air and shouted a warning. Laughter exploded through the air, and I laughed along with them.
From what little I knew, I could be happy within the Qualla Boundary. I could be very happy there, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to play house while the Organization exacted their brand of justice on innocent people.
Christian guided me over to some seats, but we didn’t get far. Men, women, and children circled around us—hugging, kissing, laughing with him. Without meaning to, they pushed me away. From the edge of the crowd, I watched him interact with people from a life I never knew. There was no doubt in my mind that the Qualla Boundary was where he belonged. I just didn’t know where I belonged. What I was meant to do.
A hush spread through the gathering as two women walked over to the fire. Christian, Ben, and Coda sat down beside me. The females stopped behind the fire. Even in the shadow, I recognized Rebecca’s shape. She radiated a quiet confidence that made her breathtaking. The woman who stood next to her was much older but carried the same confidence. They were both wearing heavy cotton dresses with colorful belts cinched at their waists and soft-soled moccasins. Their long, beautiful, almost black hair hung in two neat braids down the middle of their backs.
The old woman straightened. Her large, brown eyes sparkled in the firelight. “We have many stories about our people,” she said, her voice wise and rich. She spoke in Rebecca’s same rhythmic tone. “I have told stories for many years, and I will continue to do so until the end of my days. Tonight, Rebecca will take her place among a long line of storytellers.” The easy rhythm of her voice along with the firelight lulled me into a trance.
Rebecca stepped into the center. She stood tall, pausing for a moment to create anticipation for what was to follow. I drew in a breath of excitement. Suddenly without warning, she began to speak. “Thank you, Grandmother Mary. I am honored to become part of my people’s storytelling tradition. I too, will share many stories. Stories about our people and the hardships they faced, stories about love, stories about destiny.” I couldn’t be sure, but I thought she was looking in our direction. Well, Christian’s direction.
“My first story is about a boy and a snake. This story is well known and well-loved among our people.”
The crowd leaned in.
“One day a young boy decided he wanted to watch the sunset on the great mountain. As he climbed up the mountain, he noticed a rattlesnake sunning himself on a rock…” Christian squeezed my hand. His eyes widened as if to say, “I told you.” I smirked, as I remembered our hike up to the cabin when he warned me about the snakes. It felt like a lifetime ago. We were strangers then. Now, we were so much more.
“The boy kept his distance. He knew how dangerous rattlesnakes could be. The rattlesnake called out to the boy and told him that he was dying and his last wish was to watch one more sunset. The boy replied, ‘No, you are a snake and cannot be trusted.’ But the rattlesnake was very persuasive and promised the boy that he would not bite him. The boy relented and carried the snake up to the top of the mountain for the sunset. The snake was as good as his word. He did not bite the boy. After one of the most beautiful sunsets the boy had ever seen, he carried the snake back down to the snake’s den. Just as the boy was about to set the snake down, the snake bit him. The boy cried out, ‘Why did you bite me? You promised you wouldn’t bite me.’ The old snake shrugged at the boy as he replied, ‘You knew what I was when you picked me up.’”
As she finished her story, she smiled at Christian, before narrowing her eyes at me. The Organization wanted me as an assassin, yet I was caught in the middle of a love triangle. Nothing like adding some more drama to my life.
Chapter Forty-Five
Rebecca told stories about rabbits and possum tails, wolves, wild strawberries, and Spearfinger. Oh, I loved the Spearfinger tale. The way she ate the liver? Disgusting. I couldn’t wait to hear that one again.
At the end, Rebecca pulled her hands into her chest. She said something in a language I didn’t recognize, and the audience, including Christian, answered her. She bowed her head, then said something more, before sitting down next to the other storyteller.
Christian stood up, reached for my hand, and said, “Come on.” He led me over to a small group of men and women.
A tall, middle-aged man with buzzed hair nods at him. “Brother Christian, it is good to see you. It’s been a long time.”
Christian squared his shoulders and held his chin high. “It has. It’s good to see you Chief Michell.” He bowed to him, then offered greetings to the remaining group. They each nodded back. “I’m here tonight to ask if my friend and I could get our own house within the Qualla Boundary.” He gestured toward me. I wasn’t sure whether to smile and wave like I normally did in situations like that or just nod. I decided to nod.
“Brother Christian, you are always welcome. You need no invitation. To provide housing? That is another matter.”
One of the men asked, “Is there a reason why you need to stay here? What is wrong with your own home?”
“As you know, my parents passed away over a year ago,” Christian paused to swallow. It took everything in my power not to comfort him. He cleared his throat and continued. “I moved in with my aunt last fall. At the moment, I can’t go back to her house.”
Chief Michell lifted his head. “Did you get into some kind of trouble?”
“No, trouble found me.”
“What about your friend? Did trouble find her too?” a woman asked.
I straightened up. Christian looked in my direction and smiled. I released a long exhale, unaware that I was holding my breath. He turned back to them. “Yes, she did not ask for trouble either. The Qualla Boundary is the only place that can provide us a safe haven.”
“Let us discuss this matter for a few minutes,” Chief Michell said. Christian and I stepped away, while the group formed a tight circle.
When they broke apart, a man, much older than the rest of them but with the same quiet confidence of Chief Michell spoke. His words slow and deliberate. “The two of you may stay as long as you desire and you will be safe, but the girl’s eyes are too busy to be content to stay here long.”
Christian’s shoulders drooped, but he
said nothing. He nodded and stepped back to allow them to pass.
Heat from a hundred bodies made the fire hot and stuffy. I stormed past it and out to the open lawn to escape the rage building inside me. The cool night air fueled my anger. I could feel my glamour quivering, but there was nothing I could do to quell it. My fingernails bit into the palms of my hands. I was overcome by the overwhelming desire to break something. I kicked a rock into the darkness. The loud ting of metal provided only mild satisfaction.
I stormed back and forth in front of the entrance, searching for something to destroy. I sensed Christian’s presence before I saw him. He stood off to the side of the main entrance with Ben and Coda. “What’s the old guy mean my eyes are too busy? My eyes aren’t busy. He doesn’t even know me.”
Christian nodded to them. Without a word, they disappeared into the crowd. I crossed my arms.
“He’s right,” he whispered.
I got in his face. “Excuse me?”
“He’s right,” he said with resignation in his voice.
“No, he’s not. I could be happy here. I am happy here.”
“Forever?” His deep blue eyes penetrated into my soul. My resolve wavered. The urge to fight left me. All I could do was cry.
He pulled me to his chest. “Starr, what’s wrong?”
I peered up into his beautiful face. I was overcome with helplessness. “I want to be happy here. This is where you’re meant to be, and I want to be here with you.”
He smiled at me. “Wherever you go, I go.”
“I want to be happy here.” I rested my head against his chest and listened to the steady thumps of his beating heart.
“I know.”
I lifted my head up to looked at him. “I want to find out what the Organization is.”
“I know.”
I rested my head back against his chest. Part of me wanted to stay at the Qualla Boundary forever. Another part, the stronger, louder, more stubborn part, knew I couldn’t. Not when the Organization existed.
