Hunger of the Heart (White Buffalo MCs Book 1)

by Trinity Blacio

  He captured her wrists, stopping her movements. “No, Little Gypsy, you’ll have to wait until tonight. We have to get ready because I would like to be on the road today even if it’s a half-day’s ride.” He kissed her check and jumped off the bed. “Go clean up, sweetie. I’ll gather our stuff.”

  “Running Wolf, aren’t you scared? I mean, every time we turn around something seems to be happening. Can we really keep that little girl safe?” Kizzy pulled her knees up, hugging them, appearing so unsure and lost it was breaking his heart.

  He sat on the side of the bed and lifted her into his lap. “Miranda will be fine, and so will we. Is it going to be rough? Yes. But if we stick together, not just us three, but your family, mine, and the others joining us, we’ll do this. Believe, Little Gypsy,” he kissed her lips softly and hugged her tight. “And as to your question, yes, I’m scared. Who wouldn’t be? Our world is changing, and we have to go with the signs, but I will be by your side always.”

  She kissed his chest. “And why do I get the feeling you’ll be bossing me around most of the time?” Kizzy nipped his chest and jumped off his lap, running to the bathroom. But he caught her before she could set foot into it, lifting her up against the wall and biting her boob.

  “Ouch.” She glared at him, rubbing the spot.

  “I bite back, Little Gypsy, and as for bossing, you know I’m a dominant man. With the way things are now, I need you to listen to me, Kizzy. I don’t want to have to repeat something when it could be your life or someone else’s.”

  “I won’t. This is all new to me. I would never question your judgment, but you’ll allow me to help?”

  “Always, Little Gypsy,” he said as someone pounded on the door. “Now, we’re late.” He kissed her and lowered her to the ground, slapping her ass. “I laid out some clothes for you. Hurry up.”

  “You laid clothes out for me?”

  “Move it.” He shut her in the bathroom and opened the outside door to Dark Horse. “Come in. We’re running a little late. Did you get the route planned out?”

  “Yes, the cop showed us a way around. When do you want to pull out? Your bike has been loaded in the trailer. You sure you don’t want us to drive the Hummer? That thing is big.” Dark Horse said as Kizzy came out carrying her toothbrush and hairbrush, her hair pulled back into a braid, and the outfit he’d laid out showed off her curves yet was practical for travel.

  “I like your hair down,” he said as she moved to his side.

  “But it’s a pain. I’ll take it down when we stop for the night,” Kizzy said, but he stood there staring at her, and she sighed and undid her hair. “We have to pick up Miranda, first at ten, and the judge wants to meet us at his safe place. We’ll leave around eleven. I want us all to eat first so we don’t have to stop till suppertime.”

  “Do you think the judge’s wife will be there? I copied a few things down for her, some herbs she might consider growing to help with healing and such. Plus, I want to thank her again. The lists she has given me will help us a lot.” Kizzy ran her fingers through her loose hair.

  “Thank you and, yes, she’ll be there.” He kissed the top of her head. “Grab your coat and purse. We have our little girl to pick up. Later, you can tell me when you had time to read all those lists.” He patted her butt.

  “That’s easy. I woke up about two. Guess I was a little nervous, and reading calms me. So I grabbed my little light and sat on the other bed so I didn’t wake you.”

  They followed Dark Horse outside, the sun just coming up, and the warm air hit him.“I don’t like the idea of you out of our bed when I’m sleeping, Little Gypsy.”

  “I like to read at night, and you need your sleep just as much as I do. Maybe in time I’ll stop waking up, but then again, maybe it’s a good thing, depending on when our little girl wakes for her feedings. Are we going to make it in time for her morning bottle?” She reached for her phone.

  “Of course. That is one of the reasons I’ve made sure we were up. Sun Bull, did you put the mini cooler in the car? We’ll have to make up bottles before we leave,” he said.

  “I did that last night, too. Julie gave me a diaper bag filled with washed glass bottles for us to start out with, so I made them. Crap. I left them in the fridge.” She’d whirled around to go back to the room when he snaked his arm around her, throwing Dark Horse the key to the room.

  “You get in the car. Dark Horse will get them.” He kissed her cheek. “I have a feeling you will be taking a nap this afternoon.” He tapped her nose.

  “I think you’re right, but you’ll let me drive if you need to rest, right?” She climbed into the car.

  He reached over her and grabbed the seat belt, snapping it in place. He couldn’t stop staring at her, or believing she was his. “You are my sun, Little Gypsy, and we’ll see.” Running Wolf kissed her nose.

  Dark Horse arrived with a bag and Running Wolf waved him toward the back. “Put those in the little cooler.”

  Shutting her door, Running Wolf faced his men. “I want to hit Kentucky tonight. We might be late, but I want our full team together. As we get closer to Texas, I have a feeling we are going to have more stumbling blocks in our way.” He lifted his head toward the south. “Even though we got the two guys, I have a feeling there was another. I want everyone on alert. Sun Bull, you will take the lead. Dark Horse, ride in front of us. Meet us at the safe zone.” He moved around to the driver’s side and opened the door.

  “I have three men going with you to the hospital,” Dark Horse said. “Plus me.”

  “Thanks.” Running Wolf got in and started the car. “Are we ready, Kizzy?”

  “I’m scared half out of my mind but ready.” She rubbed her hands on her red skirt.

  Running Wolf kissed the back of her hand. “We’re together, no matter what. You are never alone now.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Even with the treat of death and destruction all around them, the warmth of a baby’s body against yours will replace the fear with the need to protect what is so innocent.” Kizzy, Running Wolf’s Wife, White Buffalo MC

  Kizzy checked out every inch of her daughter’s face as Miranda drank her bottle. It amazed her this little miracle was theirs. Running Wolf stood across the room, talking to Dark Horse, but every once in a while he’d glance back at her and Miranda. The man never missed a thing, well, when he was awake.

  “What was that smile about?” he asked, coming over and placing a kiss on top of Miranda’s head before kneeling in front of her.

  “I was just thinking you are always aware of everything around you, especially when it comes to me.” She patted her tiny fingers. “And her, now.”

  “And? I know there is more.”

  “Okay, well, when you’re awake.” She giggled.

  “I don’t find that funny, Little Gypsy. What if something happens to you while I’m sleeping?”

  Kizzy stood and lifted Miranda to her shoulder. She patted her back, burping her. “Running Wolf, you can’t be in control 100 percent of the time.” She moved toward the door where the nurse waited for them.

  “Go ahead and pull your car around. I’ll bring her down,” the nurse said, handing a large diaper bag to Running Wolf. “We threw in some extra diapers and bottles for you since you are traveling. They are all biodegradable. The judge and his wife keep us stocked up here.”

  Kizzy squeezed the nurse’s arm. “Be safe and thank you.”

  The nurse shifted from foot to foot. “Would you mind if I meet you up north. I heard Detective Neil is going?”

  “We would love to have you join us. The judge and his wife know how to contact us. I’ve left my phone number with him,” Running Wolf said, and Kizzy handed her a business card.

  “That is my cell number. If you need it. This is my business phone, but I carry it with me all the time. It also has my email, too.” Kizzy moved toward the exit.

  “I didn’t know you had business cards, or a separate phone for business,” he said “D
on’t tell me you worked last night, too?”

  “I did text apologies to my customers, telling them I wouldn’t be able to send them anything anytime soon, if ever again,” she whispered as they exited the hospital. Running Wolf pulled her into his arms.

  “Your skills will help us more than you know, but I am sorry. Seems we are all learning to cope.” He hugged her tight and led her to the car. “Would you mind if we hand out your business cards to those interested in joining us?” he asked, after getting Miranda settled in her car seat and saying good-bye to the nurse.

  They pulled out of the hospital parking lot with Dark Horse in front of them and two men behind them. “I have no problem with it, but I think we should do this with each safe place we know of. For example, we can set Dark Horse up with an email account right now and put it on the back of one of my cards when we get closer to Texas. But he should also get a phone just for this, to have the calls go to voice mail or something. We can pick up some more cell phones when we stop, setting them up for each safe zone, just like we are doing the CB thing,” she told him as he pulled up to a log cabin. “This isn’t their safe zone, is it?”

  “No, the entrance is under the house. You can get in two different ways, and, from what Soaring Eagle told me, each is protected.” Running Wolf parked the truck and came around to open her door.

  “What a gentleman you are,” she teased.

  “Watch it, Little Gypsy, I won’t hesitate to take you out in those woods and show you I’m not a gentleman.” Running Wolf pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard, punishing her. He touched the scarf she wore around her neck. “You are stunning.”

  “I used to have many scarves that were my mom’s, but they were lost to me when I lost my bag. Scarves are easy to carry. When it’s hot, I wrap it around my hair or twine it in a braid. I use them to dance, all sorts of things.” She pulled him down, so she could speak in his ear. “You should see my midnight dance I made up. I haven’t shown it to anyone. Well, it’s kind of hot.” She teased and moved away from him, but not before running her hand over his cock.

  “Running Wolf, I’m so glad you came. Julie has been waiting for your wife,” the judge said, coming up to her husband as Kizzy unhooked the carrier from the car seat.

  “Move out of the way, I’ll carry her, and you are so getting spanked later.” He bit her neck as he lifted her out of the way then grabbed the carrier.

  “Oh, my notes!” Kizzy moved to the back of the car and opened the hatch, digging in her bag. “Where…? Here we go.” She grabbed the notes and swung around to Julie. “I made these out for you. I make homemade soap, shampoo, perfume, spices, and stuff like that. I’ve always kept a written copy of how I do it, so I figured this might help you guys. Also, there are some of those herbs on the list that help with common ailments.” She closed the hatch and moved with Julie toward the house. “Do you have a camera set up to keep up with what is going on above when you’re underground?”

  “How would they run it when the electricity goes out?” Running Wolf and the judge joined them.

  “Solar. You’d have to hide the panels, but I’d start getting as many as you can. I did research on them for my tiny house. They work great. Run your wires through the ground, keep your generator below, and extra panels also in case something happens,” Kizzy told them as they stepped into the log cabin home. Running Wolf he was staring at her and so was the judge. “What?”

  “You actually know about this stuff?” the judge asked.

  “Excuse my husband. He sometimes forgets we have brains, too.” Julie rolled her eyes. “Come on, I want to show you where I’ve started to set up our nursery, and I’ll make sure to order those panels, we can spread them around the cabin if we have to.” Julie opened up a room, and Kizzy stood there staring at the open floor. “We go down on a ladder here, but the rest of the way we’ll walk.” Julie went down first followed by Kizzy.

  “Here, hand me the baby?” Kizzy said, but already Running Wolf was coming down the ladder with the baby. “You know I could have taken her.”

  “Yes, you could have, but I like carrying our daughter.” Running Wolf reached the bottom and once more slid his arm around her as the judge and Julie led the way.

  “Wait, this is a mine tunnel isn’t it?” Kizzy asked.

  The judge turned his gaze on her. “Yes, but all operations had stopped when they were about to go down farther, which is a blessing. We have a natural pond down here, and a few animals have found their way here also. I’ve also had all the history to this place destroyed as far as I know. The less people remember that there was a mine, the better when the time comes.”

  Kizzy touched the wall on her left. “You’ve firmed it up with a little cement, sort of like they did in the old days when making bricks. Impressive.”

  Running Wolf squeezed her hand. “You impress me each time you say something, Little Witch.” He kissed her knuckles as they moved around a corner and stopped, staring down at an open cavern from a rough-hewn balcony.

  “Wow.” Kizzy said.

  Even Running Wolf was impressed at what they had seen. Little hut-like structures, at least ten of them, were built around a massive pond. Other tunnels led off into the darkness.

  “Where is that light coming from?” Kizzy asked.

  “We got lucky,” Julie said as they moved down the sloped path. “The judge here believes the sun is being reflected from some of the gemstones in the ceiling. I don’t care what it is as long as I have some natural light down here.”

  Running Wolf had to agree with the judge as to gemstones being the cause of the light. As they moved farther down, he noticed a few people moving around carrying boxes, building things.

  “I hope to have twenty huts up for people who arrive. I have the main cabin through that tunnel there.” He pointed. “I’ve also had eight composting toilets down that smaller tunnel away from the living quarters. Julie has started stocking up on dry shampoo, and, if she follows your directions, we can now have our own soap, too. But we do have a few people here who make soap, candles, and such, too.”

  “How far down are we?” Kizzy moved toward rows of potted fruit trees and plants. The nursery.

  “We’re about a mile down,” the judge said as Miranda started to fuss.

  “I bet she’s wet after…” Kizzy wrinkled her nose. “Stinky little girl, that is what you are my little Miranda. Running Wolf, we didn’t bring the diaper bag?”

  “Not to worry.” Julie ran to one of huts and came out with a little bag. “I’ve been putting together kits for people who might show up with children. You should find everything you need in there.” Julie handed her the bag as Kizzy took off her scarf and laid it on the ground, but he took off his shirt and handed it to her.

  “Use this. It’s thicker.” Running Wolf unhooked their beautiful little girl. “Yep, you are a little stinky,” he said, laying her on his shirt and starting to unsnap her onesie.”

  Kizzy gaped. “You’re going to change her?”

  “Yes. What if you are busy and there is no one around? I will be helping with all our children,” he said, almost regretting it when he opened up the diaper, activating his gag reflex.

  Kizzy whistled. “She has to take after you because I could never be that stinky.” She teased him as he took one of the wipes from her proceeding to clean his daughter off. But just as he grabbed the next diaper, his beautiful daughter decided she needed to pee, getting him and his shirt.

  Kizzy fell on her butt next to him, laughing. The judge and his wife joined her.

  Dark Horse happened to pick that time to meet them below. “Seems like your daughter just christened you.”

  “Keep it up,” he grumbled and rolled his shirt up, keeping Miranda’s little butt in the air as he quickly wiped her down again and put the fresh diaper on.. “There we go.” He placed his daughter in the car seat and hooked her back up.

  Kizzy wrapped the dirty diaper and wipes up together and stuffed them in the zip
-up baggie in the bag. “We’ll have to get you another shirt, but we’ll wrap this one, and I’ll wash it with the load I have already next time we stop,” his wife said, stuffing his shirt in the bag.

  For the next hour, Julie and Kizzy talked about what she could do with her nursery and what to plant, and all the while their daughter slept now that she had been cleaned up. As they said their good-byes to Julie and the judge, Kizzy stared up at the hill and shivered.

  “Are you cold?” he asked, coming up behind her and rubbing his hands up her arms.

  “No, but I have a feeling….” She stopped, facing the judge and Julie as they got into their vehicle, heading toward town. “We need to get going.”

  “Kizzy, is there something we should know?”

  “That’s just it. I don’t know what it is,” she growled and got into the car. “Let’s get going.”

  Running Wolf buckled Kizzy up. He cupped her face and kissed her lips softly. “I’m sure whatever it is, you’ll figure it out.”

  That was when she noticed the CB radio Dark Horse must have installed in the car while they were touring. He was an amazing man, and she would make sure he and his woman would be safe before they left.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “A family can consist of anyone, blood or not. The thought of anyone in harm’s way always leaves a dark spot on one’s soul, but a single light can break through the darkness and give one hope.” Dark Horse, Enforcer, White Buffalo MC

  The stars were bright, and her stomach rumbled. Running Wolf snorted next to her. In the back, their daughter was sound asleep after another feeding and a change of her diaper. They were now in Kentucky, heading to the city of Louisville.

  Already, five new men had joined their procession of bikes and cars. “We’ll be there in about ten minutes.” Her husband took her hand, squeezing it. It seemed Running Wolf couldn’t stop touching her, kissing her, and Kizzy wasn’t going to complain.