“Oh, I like a woman who can handle a knife,” he teased. Then, he sobered, “Look at that thing. Where did you get such a weapon?”
She laughed, but not because she was happy with him. She wasn’t. Still, she had to admire his nerve. He wasn’t blood for nothing.
“You wanted me to believe Liam had sent those men to kill me,” she said, walking around him as she spoke. She stopped, then came around him slowly. “Now, I have to wonder—just why would you want me to believe such things about my grandfather’s right-hand man?” She stopped in front of him, settling the tip of her sharp blade against his heart.
Still, he smiled at her. “Ah, come now, cousin,” he said, raising his hands in a purely imploring gesture. “You surely don’t believe I’d deceive you about that man, do you? He’s been after grandfather’s land, for years now.”
“And why wouldn’t grandfather leave it to you, I wonder?” she said. “Perhaps he sees things in you that we don’t know about quite yet. Still, didn’t it ever occur to you that I would soon catch on?”
He sobered. Then shrugged. “I haven’t thought about it much at all,” he said. “I have all the estates I could possibly handle, already. I’ve never thought grandfather had anything against me.” He turned and set one foot on the bottom rail of the gate that barred the colt. “But I never needed his money—or his land—so why would he.” He turned and stared at her. “I have more than enough of my own, so it hardly matters.”
She’d heard that before, but his nonchalance still took her back.
“And Liam will lose it all,” he said, “so who really has enough of a stake in this fight—that he might want to kill you for it.”
Kat bit her lip. Whatever she’d thought—his argument made her think twice about it. Her cousin just didn’t seem to have a reason to want to kill her.
She put the knife away, her face flushing. She had to set her teeth to keep from mumbling her apologies.
“It’s alright, cousin,” he said in good humor. “Liam’s always been good at pulling the wool over the eyes of others. He has certainly managed to fool grandfather, all these years.”
“But why would he bother to send for me—if I’m a threat to all that he stood to inherit from grandfather?” she asked. “All he had to do was leave me lost.”
Her cousin shrugged. “I imagine, he’s afraid you’d show up one day—and ruin everything for him,” he said—echoing her own thoughts. “Besides, there’s much I still do—to watch over these estates for grandfather.” He glanced at her. “His place, here, is hardly solid.”
She’d said that much to, Kid? Drat, the man. When would men learn to listen to her? Her cousin apparently noticed he’d swayed her—because he smiled. Her gaze narrowed on him, once more, remembering the night before. “Why doesn’t grandfather come out of his room?”
He sobered. “He hasn’t wanted to alarm you,” he told her, “but he’s taken a turn for the worse.”
Kat frowned. “Then, I should see him.” She turned away.
“No, Kat,” he said, causing her to spin around.
“Why?” she said, glaring at him “And why guard his door?”
Ethan’s shoulders dropped, causing her to take pause.
“He almost fell down the stairs awhile back, sleepwalking,” he said.
Her gaze narrowed on him. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“No harm done,” her cousin said. “The important thing is that you keep on your guard—because you’re in danger,” he said, his tone serious, and for some explained reason, she felt sad.
“Okay, cousin. I’ll stay alert. But we’ve got to find the answer to this dilemma soon—because I can hardly go around pulling out my skinnin’ knife every time one of you comes near me.”
He grinned at that. “No, that wouldn’t do at all.”
Kat couldn’t help but grin back at him. She turned, stroking the colt’s nose. “You are precious,” she said to him.
“Thank you,” her cousin answered—and smiled at her alarm.
She laughed again, but then, she sobered. “Please get him to let me come and visit him,” she said. “I’ve hardly seen him. What if he dies?” she said, choking on the words.
Ethan placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll talk to him—today—okay?”
She nodded, turning her face away. Ethan’s hand slipped from her shoulder—then she heard him walk away. But she stood still, looking away—fighting sudden tears, which had seemed to become an everyday occurrence in her life, lately.
“Blast it!” she hissed under her breath.
Kat had no idea how much Kid wished he could have brought his bow and arrows with him, as he sat in the darkening shadows near the trees beneath the grey skies, from where he’d been watching the whole scene.
He’d seen her laughter, and then her tears, and his chest had tightened until he thought his heart would explode. And now, he wanted to bury something sharp in the man who’d caused the offending pain. His own pain lancing through him.
But Jake knew—judging by his quick words.
“Kid,” he said, his tone harsh and commanding. “Hawk left me with you to make sure nothing happen to you—and I have every intention of keeping my word.”
Kid had pulled his gaze away from Kat and her cousin, with more than a little effort—and stared hard at Jake.
Jake grinned at him. Not a half smile—but a full grin. “That includes keeping you out of one of these city jails,” he gestured toward Richmond, “cause I’m pretty sure I’d have no chance at all of busting you out, and I have no intention of finding out if I’m right.”
After a long moment in the darkening shadows—Kid nodded.
“For what it’s worth,” Jake said, sobering, “I’m certain, what you are witnessing there is quite innocent. And I know you trust that girl to handle herself, when it comes to life or death. So trust her now, to handle that no-account, jackass.”
Kid turned back to watch Kat stroke the colt’s dark muzzle. The colt nuzzled her, wanting more of the same. Kid didn’t blame him. Anyone she touched—would want more of the same.
“Still,” Jake said in even lower tones, “if the man happened to follow us back to Cheyenne....” He let the rest of that go unsaid, and following the direction of his thinking, this time Kid grinned. He nodded, his dark gaze settling on Kat’s cousin. Now, that’s something he could look forward to, maybe it could even keep him from doing violence—at least for now. Among his own people—he would simply challenge him. But he’d have to play by different rules—here.
Kid grunted, not taking his eyes of her cousin. “Then, let’s just make sure he has a good reason to follow us back.”
Jake nodded. “Now you’re thinking”.
Kid climbed the tree to Kat’s room in the darkening shadows. When he silently entered her room, he found her waiting for him. She smiled at him, the white of her teeth flashing against the dimness surrounding them.
Kid found her lips easily, kissing her until she groaned. He broke away. “You know, your grandfather probably wouldn’t have much to say about your leaving if you were to—say—get with child.”
Kat sat up in a panic. “That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard,” she said.
Kid grinned at her. “Yeah,” he agreed. “It’s a bit difficult to see you with your belly all large—the way Mandy’s had been—just before Colton was born.”
Kat pulled back again. She wasn’t sure if she’d just been insulted or not. Then, she had to grin. She had a difficult time trying to picture such an event herself. She could just see it. Her six-inch blade—and her big belly.
She dissolved into giggles, trying to stifle the sound with her hand. In the end, Kid had to kiss her into silence. Well, not exactly—silence. But he could absorb her moans into his mouth, more easily than he could her in a fit of hysterics.
A couple hours later, they lay side-by-side, and Kat reached up and ran her finger down his muscular chest. “Do you think we made too much noise?” s
he said, flushing.
Kid grinned, but then shook his head. “This place is too big to be overheard. Besides,” he said, still grinning. “No one is ever going to catch me climbing that tree.”
Kat laughed. “You’re awfully sure of yourself,” she teased.
He nodded, taking her hand and kissing her fingertips. “I’m not taking any chances on losing the one way I’ve found to be with you.”
Kat nodded, miserably. “I just want to go home,” she said.
Kid nodded. “We’ll figure it out.” He kissed her gently. “I promise. There’s a way. We just have to be ready to see it.”
Kat nodded. She had to believe that. The alternative would mean a sad, and endlessly depressing, life. She’d die an early death—from heartbreak. She knew she was being morose, but she couldn’t help it. She just couldn’t imagine her whole future—locked away here.
Kid reached down and tipped her chin, till her lips met his. I won’t let you be locked away here, for the rest of your life,” he teased, gently. She looked up at him surprised that he’d so completely read her mind, tears filling her eyes.
He leaned up onto his elbow. “Hey,” he said. “Seriously, kitten. I’ll never let that happen.
Kat tried for a smile. She knew her grandfather couldn’t force her to stay here. Then, why did it feel like her free will had been stolen from her? Why did it feel like she no longer had a choice in the matter? She’d never let that happen. She knew it would break her heart, to break her grandfather’s heart, again. She knew he didn’t deserve that—especially after losing his son—daughter—and then, his granddaughter. But she also knew she couldn’t stay here—just to make him happy. Stay here long enough to find out what the hell was going on here—yes. Live here—no way.
Then why did it feel like she’d lost—before she’d even begun to fight?
Kid leaned over her. “I’ll never let that happen,” he said, again. He kissed her gently, then more urgently—and he took away the sadness, for more than another hour.
Chapter Seventeen
Illusive as the Shadows
A man moved out of the shadows of an alley between two buildings, slowly making his way to the end of the street. The man, dressed in dark clothes, blended easily with the shadows. Every inch of him layered, covered in darkness, except for a crescent scar that peeked out occasionally from one wrist, where his gloves came together to meet his shirt.
The scar might have come from a burn—or from some kind of knife. That was the life this man had chosen—a long time ago. But if you’d asked him, he’d have told you it had been chosen for him.
Anyone else would think he’d had an easy, even blessed life, so why would he chose debauchery and allow hate to consume him. Yet the man only saw what had been denied him—not what had been given. Always, he wanted more, as though this were a hunger—that couldn’t be fed.
The man had spent a lifetime perfecting what it took—in getting what he wanted. Right now, he wanted to find someone he sought—to carry out his next well-laid plan.
When he finally spotted him, he made his way down to where he stood, glancing around once again, as he’d done more than a dozen times already, for anyone who might have followed him there.
That wouldn’t do at all.
Seeing no one, he crossed over to where the other man waited.
“Took you long enough,” the man snarled, as soon as he saw him break from the shadows.
Just as quick, a blade shot out and nicked the man’s throat, where it came to rest near his collar. “Shut-up,” he hissed.
The man swallowed. “No call to go and get so uptight,” he whined, now.
For a long moment, he seemed to debate whether to use the knife. Finally, he pulled it away. He took a small, dark bag of coins out of his pocket, tossing it at him instead. “Do you know where to find her?”
The man nodded.
“Watch out for her blade,” he told him.
He saw him swallow, but he nodded.
Fool, he thought. The man no more stood a chance against her blade than a child against a cougar. But he’d serve his purpose.
When he got back to his room, he paced in the dark. Coming to stand in front of the window, he swiped everything off the table to the floor.
“Damn, her,” he hissed.
She should have been dead by now. Every time he had to go out to meet someone, the way he had to tonight—he took a risk that he’d be found out. The sneaky little wench had even managed to keep from being killed as a child.
Oh, yeah, she’d done that. She’d been a small child, but she’d somehow escaped the wrath of the man who’d determined her fate. He still didn’t know who had betrayed them—but someone had known she’d be next. And that someone had stolen her right out from under their people.
Chapter Eighteen
A City Kind of Range War
Early the next morning before breakfast, Kid found Kat at the corral visiting the colt, where she’d been coming to see him ever since the night she’d located her cousin doing the same. He didn’t like it, but neither did he blame her. Kat had a great love for horses. And he was a beautiful colt.
She wasn’t the only one he could count on to visit the colt. Whenever he needed to find Jake, he found him here too.
“Where do you suppose your cousin got off to?” he asked without preamble.
Kat’s brow shot up in surprise. “Why? Is he missing?”
Kid nodded. “One minute he was here—and the next, gone.”
“Not an easy feat, with you watching,” Kat said. She buried her face in the colt’s neck, then turned back to Kid. “And you suspect he’s up to no good?”
“If I did, I’d have to suspect your uncle too,” he said, disgusted, “because he is missing as well.”
“Wow,” Kat said, teasing. “You and Jake must be losing your touch.”
Kid didn’t like her pointing that out, and Kat had to fight not to smile.
“Well, someone did keep me busy for a couple hours last night,” he reminded her, and she flushed, remembering. He grinned, then looked away. “But perhaps they both bear a lot more attention than we first thought,” he said, getting a little jab in of his own. “Perhaps we’ve underestimated them. Perhaps,” he reiterated, “you’ve underestimated them. It would seem they have much more up their sleeves than would meet the eye—since they both seemed to be involved in something enough to wait for the right moment to take advantage of our momentary lapse—and give us the slip.”
Kat took a deep breath—and let it out. “So it would seem,” she had to agree. After all, they had managed to not only give Kid the slip—but Jake as well. Either they were both that good—or they had all dropped their guard that much.
As if reading her mind, Kid agreed. “I think we didn’t see them as capable of pulling such a stunt,” he said.
Kat nodded. “I think we all might have thought that.” She turned away from the colt. “Not surprising, I guess. They’re in this city, and they’ve been acting so polite.” She turned back to Kid. “I think we’ve all let this city lull us to sleep, don’t you?”
Kid didn’t flush. It was the truth, and they knew it. He could only hope Hawk would never hear about this. And he would most certainly take precautions to make sure this never happened again. In the meantime, they needed to locate both men.
Kat glanced up at the huge palace-like building she couldn’t begin to see as a house. “I’ve been reading of these places,” she said.
That got his attention. She felt his eager gaze on her.
“Apparently, a bunch of these places have secret tunnels under them,” she said, gazing over at Kid.
His brow shot up, and he looked up at the huge mansion with renewed interest.
“Apparently,” she said, “it had something to do with the Civil War.”
“So are you ready to go out and do some sneaking around,” Kid said, smiling at her.
She wanted to kiss him.
Later t
hat evening, Kid did some smiling of his own at her, as soon as he’d seen she’d done as he asked—and dressed up in her leathers. He couldn’t seem to help but smile when he told Kat to put on her leathers.
She knew her face had lit up when he’d asked. She’d been only too happy to oblige. She knew there was only one reason he’d ask.
They were getting out of this place for a while. Kat grinned. Perhaps, they all were more than a little ready for some action.
He took her hand, as the sun went fully to bed and brought on the gathering shadows. Kat couldn’t help but feel a little excited. After all, how much action could a man, or woman, get here in the East? This had been the first time she’d get to do some sneaking around in the dark.
This wasn’t the Wild West. And even if they caught up with the men, they could hardly handle them in the manner they were accustomed.
He led her to a place where he’d stashed a couple of horses. Not an easy thing to do, here. It seemed as though this place crawled with people at all hours of the day or night.
Kat knew that Kid felt as if he were walking on egg shells here. An apt description. Nothing could be dealt with here, in the manner either of them were accustomed. And she knew he didn’t know how much longer he could go on, without losing his quickly disappearing sense of humor—and heading back to Cheyenne—with, or without, his precious kitten.
Once they were in the saddle, they headed toward the city and took the back streets down to the wharf. Kat could smell the water, and she wished it were light enough for her to see it. She made a resolution to come back here in the light of day.
They moved around the city for much of the night, but, in the end, it was much like the old expression, searching for a needle in a haystack. So they headed back to find the place where the two men had managed to give them the slip instead.
Next time, they’d be waiting for them.
Very early the next morning, Kat got up at the crack of dawn, in spite of her lack of sleep the night before. She’d decided that if anyone knew of any tunnels, in or out of this place, grandfather would. So she was more determined than ever to see her grandfather.
Dark Warrior: Kid (Dark Cloth Series Book 2) Page 12
