Her Hero

by Aimée Thurlo

  Lost in thought, he stared at the cabin from hiding, watching the light that still glowed from within. So, Nydia couldn’t sleep, either. There was danger in the darkness surrounding them, and he had a hunch she sensed that, too.

  As she turned down the lights, he glimpsed her outline near the window. He could tell from her movements that she was undressing, and longed to be able to see her more clearly. She was beauty, light and passion, but as out of his reach as the moon. A savage pain tore at his heart. It seemed that ever since he’d met her, he’d regretted the path he’d chosen, because it was one that would keep him from sharing his life with the woman he had grown to love.

  His thoughts churned like clouds filled with the fury of an impending storm. Then, from the edges of his consciousness, he heard a sound that brought his thoughts crashing back to the duty at hand.

  Immediately, his senses sharpened, attuned to the woods. Becoming one with the night, he slipped into the shadows and peered into the veil of darkness surrounding him. Just ahead, he could make out three figures darting toward Nydia’s truck.

  He let out an undulating, soft whistle, like the cry of a night bird, the arranged signal in case of danger. It rose high in the night, a burst of sound that spiraled upward with tension and purpose.

  There wasn’t much time, but she would know what to do. They wouldn’t catch her unawares inside the cabin, but now he had work to do.

  Reaching into his medicine bundle and throwing some powders into the fire, he began to chant. A faint echo within the notes of the chant spoke of fear, but as his song rose, power and the essence of deliverance filled the night air.

  Smoke rose from the campfire, thick and choking, but he never skipped a note. Soon everything was engulfed in a foggy grayness that swallowed even the tiniest slivers of moonlight.

  NYDIA HEARD THE SONG through the dense cloud of smoke that obscured everything near the cabin as she crawled out the side window. She wasn’t sure why she wasn’t coughing and choking in the thick air, but she was having no problems. She could hear men’s voices close by. The fear and confusion in their shouts comforted her. They would not win, not this round at least.

  As she listened to Joshua’s song, she felt the intensity of it surrounding her, going through her, touching her more intimately than even his touch ever could. The richness of it imparted a sense of peace that brushed her fears away.

  Nydia moved uphill noiselessly, with a confidence she hadn’t believed possible. She knew from the shouts of the men behind her that their inability to see clearly, and the deep timbre of the song that came from everywhere and yet nowhere, was frightening them, heightening their confusion. It was the sound of something implacable that could not be stopped. To her, that meant safety-to them, danger.

  Reaching the forest, Nydia crouched behind a pine, listening. The voices of the intruders carried easily.

  “It’s that Navajo woman,” one said. “She’s to blame. She confuses the sheriff with her way of twisting things around. He wants to believe that his brother is innocent, and she’s playing to that.

  “Joshua Blackhorse is a murderer, but this woman is as much an enemy of Four Winds as he is. As far as I’m concerned, they should share a common fate.”

  “First we have to catch that slippery snake.”

  “Well, we left a clear message for her tonight. Turning her back on Joshua Blackhorse is her only hope.”

  As they moved off, their voices faded into whispers, then nothing.

  Nydia heard vehicles in the distance, and then silence covered everything. Not even the rich cadence of Joshua’s chant penetrated the quiet that fell around her.

  For a moment, the total silence jarred her, filling her with a renewed sense of fear. Finally, the smoke began to dissipate. Hearing a sound behind her, she turned her head quickly and saw Joshua. He appeared through the pines, moonlight glittering just over his shoulders. His shirt hung open, revealing his powerful chest and muscles that rippled as her gaze caressed him. His eyes darkened as if in response, and she felt the all too familiar sizzle in her blood.

  “We’re safe now.” He offered her his hand and helped her to her feet.

  “So they’ve failed, thanks to you.”

  “Failed?” He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t say that. They’ve found the way to our sanctuary at last. Let’s go see what other harm they’ve done.”

  As they drew closer to the cabin, Nydia remembered the words she’d overheard and recounted them. “So now I’m public enemy number one to them, along with you.”

  “If I could have spared you that, I would have.”

  As they stepped through the bramble that surrounded the east side of the cabin, she caught a glimpse of her truck. Her breath caught in her throat. The tires and seats were slashed, and the windshield shattered, but it was the spray-painted message on the hood that made her blood turn to ice. It read Go Home Or Die.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Nydia reached into her truck quickly, pulled down the sun shade on the driver’s side and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that her son’s photo was still there, undamaged. The less her enemies knew about her, the better.

  She pulled the photo loose and placed it carefully into her shirt pocket. At least John was too far away to be affected by any of this.

  She then reached behind the driver’s seat and pulled out the rug. It also had survived undamaged. She held it against her as she stared aghast at her truck.

  Standing behind her, Joshua wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. “They want you to fear them. Don’t give in. Nothing will happen that will leave your son without his mother,” he whispered, his breath warm against her cheek. “I would lay my life down for yours before I saw any harm come to you.”

  Nydia shuddered and moved away. “I don’t want anything to happen to you, either. You’re needed by so many people!”

  “And you? Do you need me?” he asked, his voice a throaty whisper.

  She shook free of the warmth his voice evoked. “What I want…what I need, makes little difference. I’ve got too many responsibilities.” Too restless to remain still, Nydia began pacing.

  “There’s a place I love near here, a place of peace. Leave the rug inside my truck for now and let me take you there. I’ve used it often when I need to gather my thoughts.”

  He led her some distance down the canyon, then through a narrow pass, concealing their tracks as they went. At last, they emerged in a meadow filled with bright yellow sunflowers that swayed and danced in the moonlight.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said. “It’s like a hidden garden.”

  “Yes. Here, worries seem to drift away as easily as the breeze that stirs the flowers.”

  Nydia shook her head, then smiled sadly. “Not my worries. Those never go away. You don’t understand what it’s like to be a single parent. I’m always wondering if I’m doing things right, if I’m good enough at the most important job a person can ever have. There are times when I’m really afraid that, ultimately, I’m going to fail John just as much as his father failed me. What I want most for my son is for him to grow up knowing love and security, but I’m afraid I’m just not doing enough.”

  Joshua gathered her against his wide chest. “It’s your fears that trap you. Release them and you’ll see that your love encircles your son and protects him even now. No matter where you are, he is a part of you.” He brushed a stray tear away from her cheek with his lips. “As I want to be,” he added in a raw voice.

  His warm breath bathed her face, touching her senses as his mouth covered hers. He was like liquid fire melting through her skin, surging along her nerves, laying siege to her heart.

  She felt reckless and wanton, and one thing she knew was she would not stop this time. She would seize the moment and take the happiness life was offering her.

  A groan was torn from his lips as she slid her tongue back and forth over his, inciting him, urging him to step past the threshold of control that kept h
im in check. “We’ll let it happen between us,” she whispered in his ear. “No promises, no more fear, only love and the comfort we can give each other.”

  “I’ve waited to hear you say that for so long!” He pulled her body into the cradle of his thighs.

  The air hummed and shivered, and light danced in her head as each piece of their clothing was discarded, falling to the ground by their feet. He whispered sweet words to her that spoke of tempting fires yet to be savored and left her breathless and trembling in his arms. With a husky murmur of satisfaction, he lifted her easily and guided her legs around him, letting her feel him against her center, but careful not to enter her yet.

  “We’ll go slow, my sawe. Let it be all that you ever dreamed.”

  “And what of your dreams?”

  “Mine will all become real when I’m inside you, feeling your heat surround me.”

  She tasted his skin, letting her lips slide down his neck, nipping at his flesh. The shudder that tore through him left her feeling giddy with the knowledge that she could give him such pleasure.

  As she slid her tongue across his heated skin, he groaned, then lowered her gently to the ground. He lay beside her, savoring the feel and the taste of her skin, building the fever within her.

  “Please, my love,” she moaned, her fingers digging into his back.

  He swept her knees upward and, parting her thighs, sank into her body with extraordinary slowness. He rocked her gently in tune with the restless pulsings of the night. Together, they overwhelmed the outer world with a passion so strong and powerful nothing could withstand it, and in a moment of exquisite surrender they found that place where dreams are made real.

  For an eternity, guarded under the canopy of stars, neither moved. When at last she stirred, Joshua moved away reluctantly. “I’m sorry. I know I’m heavy.”

  “It’s all right. I liked feeling your body on mine,” she murmured.

  He cradled her against him. “I’ve never truly surrendered. I’ve always wanted to remain in control, to avoid that fall. But tonight, at my greatest moment of weakness, I found my strength with you.”

  She nuzzled against him. “Let’s sleep here tonight. We’re hidden in this beautiful place, protected by the canyon. The stars and the moon will keep watch over us.”

  Feeling his powerful arms around her, she found peace.

  NYDIA CAME AWAKE in his arms as the first rays of sunlight bathed the meadow in a soft golden glow. Moving away carefully, so as to not wake him, she stood, stretched, then looked at the sleeping man on the ground before her. He lay naked, their discarded clothing turned into a makeshift blanket that covered very little. He was magnificent, and as untamed and natural as the desert of the dineh.

  “Didn’t anyone teach you it’s impolite to stare?”

  She gasped. His eyes were still closed, so how could he have known she was staring? “What makes you think I’m looking at you?”

  “I felt it. I don’t need to rely on physical vision to feel your closeness to me,” he answered, then smiled and opened his eyes.

  She felt his gaze searing over her and, with effort, turned away, gathering her clothing. She felt sadness sweep over her with the knowledge that their time had passed. What they’d shared would be a memory to treasure forever, but it was time to let go of what she’d known could only be theirs for a brief moment in time. There were other matters now that demanded their attention, lives that hung in the balance.

  He stood and dressed, and before she’d even finished buttoning her shirt, was ready to go. She glanced at him, surprised. “Are you always this adept in the morning?”

  He smiled slowly. “You’ll have to find out for yourself sometime.”

  She felt the blood rush to her face, and a pleasant warmth enfolded her as gently as an embrace. “We have a lot to do today,” she reminded him quietly. “Where do you propose we start?”

  “My brother needs to be told about this latest incident—”

  “I’m here,” a familiar voice interrupted him. Gabriel stepped around the cluster of boulders that protected the mouth of the pass. “After seeing what happened to the truck, and signs of what you two went through last night, I came directly here. I figured this was where you’d go.”

  Nydia straightened her clothing quickly. “Someone is inciting the townspeople. This was an act of anger and hatred, the kind that doesn’t usually develop without someone’s prodding.”

  “I know,” Gabriel conceded. “One thing’s clear, though. We have to find a new hideaway for you.”

  “Do you have any ideas?” Joshua asked.

  “Not yet, but I’ll think of something,” Gabriel said. “By the way, I spoke to Ralph late last night. He knows that someone’s trying to undermine his influence with the townspeople, and he’s angry at this anonymous caller for phoning his tips not only to the paper, but to other places, as well.”

  “I’m going to go talk to Ralph,” Joshua said. “If he’s angry enough, he may tell me more than he would otherwise. I have a feeling that by now he’s got an idea who the caller is.”

  “If you go into town, you’ll be making yourself a prime target,” Gabriel warned.

  “I’ll be okay. Haven’t you noticed the common denominator? Nobody wants to face me head-on. They sneakattack and hide in the shadows. Being in town during the day may be the safest place for me.”

  “You may have a point,” Gabriel conceded.

  As they headed back toward town in his truck, silence descended between Nydia and Joshua. Without the need for words, Nydia understood his mood. They had discovered the kind of love most people never experienced in their entire lives, but despite the yearnings of their hearts, it wasn’t theirs to keep. Their lives would tear them in opposite directions. Her heart had been made vulnerable by love, and now sorrow wounded her deeply.

  She glanced at the blanket that lay in the rear bench. It gave her no warnings now. Only silence echoed within the walls of her hollow heart.

  As they entered Four Winds, Nydia saw the townspeople starting to open up their businesses. Storekeepers hurried about, getting started on the day, and a school bus stopped to pick up students waiting by the curb.

  Joshua drove to the rear of the newspaper office, parked, then walked inside with Nydia. “You look like you’re ready to do battle,” he cautioned. “Ease up. Ralph’s not our enemy.”

  As a cool breeze blew against them, she reined in her temper. “You’re right, but I’m through accepting evasions. If he knows something, I’m going to make sure we get it out of him.”

  JOSHUA WATCHED NYDIA as she spoke to Ralph. Her anger was in check, but it was clear that Ralph resented her tone of authority. She looked young and soft, and so very beautiful, but her dark eyes were direct, cutting through vague thoughts and rumors, throwing the inconsequential out of the way and systematically taking note of the valuable pieces of information she garnered. This was what she excelled at, and she knew it.

  “Whoever is working against us is working against you, as well. You must have some idea who is behind the calls,” she insisted.

  “I don’t have enough information to point a finger yet.” Ralph shrugged.

  “We’re not asking as law-enforcement people,” she pressed. “We simply need a place to start looking. Work with us, please.”

  Ralph started to answer when Alex, his assistant, came into the office. Seeing Joshua and Nydia there, he stopped in midstride, his gaze filled with suspicion. “What’s going on?” he asked, looking over at Ralph.

  “Apparently, some of our townspeople paid them a visit last night. Care to make any guesses who?” Ralph suggested.

  Alex met Joshua’s gaze with a level one of his own. “The possibilities are endless. Almost everyone in this town is willing to take action against you.”

  “Including you?” Nydia challenged.

  Joshua noted the way she watched Alex, as if trying to make a decision about him. She was studying him openly, and wanted him to know it.


  “I’m not a violent person. I have other tools I prefer to use against people who think they can get away with murder.”

  “Like inciting a crowd through rhetoric?” she pressed.

  “I’m a writer, lady, not an orator,” he snapped back, then glanced at Ralph. “I could do a lot with that skill for this town if I were given the chance.”

  Ralph shrugged. “You’re not ready for that responsibility, not at this newspaper. You haven’t quite learned that it’s our job to report the news, not make it.”

  Alex glared at Ralph, then without as much as a glance toward Nydia and Joshua, walked back out.

  Ralph shook his head. “No, despite what you may be thinking, he’s not the one behind the local uproar. He’s not very charismatic. He couldn’t sway people to do the kind of things that have taken place lately.”

  “Unless they wanted to believe him,” Nydia countered.

  “You may have a point.” Ralph stood, indicating that he wanted their meeting to be over. “I’m going to keep looking into this, believe me. When I know something more, I’ll let you in on it. But until then, you’ll just have to trust me.”

  As they walked out into the street, Nydia glanced down toward the sheriffs office. “Before we talk to anyone else, would you mind if we made a stop? I’d like to call my son and find out how things are back home.”

  “No problem. We’ll go see Fuzz, and you can use the phone there in private.” As they got into the truck, he added, “By the way, I noticed the strange expression you had on your face when you were talking to Alex. What’s going on?”

  She took a deep breath, then let it out again. “I don’t know. Something’s bugging me about that guy, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. I need time to mull it over.”

  As they drove to the sheriffs office, Joshua was aware of the curious glances the townspeople gave him. He wasn’t hated by all, not yet, but curiosity and suspicion, not affection, were in most of the faces. Sorrow filled him as he longed for the days when they would have just smiled and waved.