by Ciana Stone
* * * * *
Wyatt parked the Jeep in front of the house and got out. Iris didn’t move as he started toward the house. After he had taken a few steps he stopped and looked back at her. She made no move to get out. Finally he walked over to open her door for her.
She got out and looked around. “Well, you certainly are isolated here.”
“I like it that way,” he said as he shut the door and turned toward the house.
She smiled and walked with him, studying him and paying no attention to anything else. He was even more handsome in person than in his picture. And she found herself very attracted to him.
He opened the door and stepped aside for her to enter. She looked around the small cozy den and smiled at him. “Very nice. It’s like a lover’s hideaway.”
Wyatt made no comment. He put a couple of logs on the fire and stood up. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Actually, I’d like to see your work,” she said, walking over to stand close in front of him.
He turned and led her to his small studio. Turning on the light, he moved to one side as she walked in and looked around. “Very impressive,” she commented. “But some of these are rather disturbing.”
She turned to look at him. “There’s a dark side to you, isn’t there, Wyatt? Some part you keep hidden that you allow to emerge in your work. Why? Are you afraid of that part of yourself?”
He crossed his arms and stared at her. “There’s a dark side to everyone. How it surfaces depends on the individual. I guess allowing it out in my pictures is as good as anything. It doesn’t hurt anyone that way.”
She walked over and put her hand on his arm. “You’re very mysterious, Wyatt. I like that. I’m attracted to mysteries.”
He moved his arm slightly and her hand fell away. “I can recommend a couple of books.”
She laughed and moved closer. “That’s not what I was referring to. Wyatt, we’re both adults. Let’s not play these games. I’m attracted to you and you feel the same. Why try to pretend it doesn’t exist? It’s not like it will interfere with my job here.”
He moved back again. “You’re very beautiful, Iris. But we don’t even know each other. And surface attractions are usually just that—only surface. I don’t have any place in my life for such things.”
She studied his face for a moment, trying to figure him out. He should not be resisting her. No man ever did. What’s with him? she wondered. There’s nothing about anything him being married or involved with anyone in his file. Is he just trying to play hard to get? Is that his game?
She moved closer once more. “And just what makes you think that’s all it is, Wyatt? Don’t you believe in things like fate?”
“Absolutely.”
“So do I,” she crooned, running one hand down his arm. “And I think our meeting is fate.”
“I think we better get over to my father’s,” he said. “You ready?”
“Could I use your bathroom first?” she asked, deciding to back down for the time being.
“Sure.” He walked out into the hall. “Right over there, under the loft.” He pointed as they emerged from the studio.
She picked up her bag from the couch where she had dropped it and went into the bathroom. Closing the door, she pulled her cell phone from her bag.
Her call was answered on the second ring. “Are things set on your end?”
“She fell for it hook, line and sinker,” Greg replied. “Now she wants to do a story on how rotten those red bastards are. And just like you said, she wants to get proof that Wolfe’s behind it. I told her I’ll see what I could find out and I’m supposed to see her again tomorrow. So how’re things on your end?”
“Perfect,” she said giving her reflection in the mirror a smile. “But I can’t talk. Listen, I want you to go ahead with that little scenario I gave you. It has to go down tonight.”
“Everything’s ready to roll,” he said. “I was just waiting on your call.”
“Then do it,” she instructed. “I’ll be in touch.”
She put the phone in her bag, flushed the toilet and walked out of the bathroom. Wyatt was standing on the front porch with his hands jammed in his pockets.
“I’m ready,” she said as she walked outside. “Do we have time to do any more sightseeing?”
Wyatt shook his head. “It’s too dark now.”
She said nothing as she followed him to the Jeep. He started it and turned around. Iris wondered how long it would be before they got word about Greg’s latest little adventure and she wondered just how Wyatt would react.
* * * * *
Chance washed the dishes while John dried and put them away. “You don’t have to do that, you know,” he commented as she handed him the last pan.
“I don’t mind. In fact, it’s kind of nice. I appreciate dinner, by the way. The fish was wonderful.”
He smiled and put the pan in the cabinet. “You want coffee or a beer or something?”
“I’m too stuffed.” She checked her watch. “Wonder what’s keeping Wyatt?”
“Don’t know. He said the lawyer wanted to take a look around. They should be here soon.”
She nodded and started to sit down at the table. Just then the back door opened and Tsa’li walked in. “Hey, Tsa’li, what brings you here?” John asked. “Want something to eat or a cup of coffee?”
Tsa’li shook his head and looked at Chance. “Come. We must speak.”
She looked at John and he nodded. “Go on. I’ll tell Wyatt when he gets here.”
She gave John a quick kiss on the cheek and grabbed her jacket from the chair. Tsa’li walked out and she followed. He didn’t speak at all but continued walking. She followed, staying close behind so as not to lose sight of him in the dark. Several times she checked the lighted readout on her watch. After twenty minutes of hiking he stopped beside a small stream.
A fire was ready to be lit on the bank. Tsa’li did so and sat down. Chance sat down beside him. For a few moments neither of them spoke.
“Why are we here?” she asked, unable to bear the silence or suspense any longer.
“Wyatt is in a time of testing,” Tsa’li said. “Much depends on his success or failure.”
Chance didn’t know what to say so she remained silent. After a few moments he looked at her. “When a man is one with a spirit, his strength must be great or he will be absorbed.”
“I know, John told me everything, and I remember what you showed me in that vision or whatever you call it. He doesn’t know what happens to him. It’s like this spirit takes over and Wyatt disappears.” She felt a sudden grip of fear around her heart. “Tsa’li, what happens to Wyatt if he isn’t strong enough? Will he disappear forever? Will I lose him?”
Tsa’li looked into her eyes. “Is your love strong enough to prevent the other from assuming permanent control?”
Her eyes widened in surprise and anxiety. “Are you saying that it’s up to me?” she croaked. “Tsa’li, I don’t know how! I love him, I do! More than life. But I don’t know how to stop this thing.”
Tsa’li took her hand in both of his. “White woman, you have the eyes of the wa’ya and the spirit of the Tsa’lagi, the Cherokee. You must look deep within yourself and find the strength to do what you must.”
Chance looked at him for a long time. “How do I start?”
Tsa’li nodded and moved his hand in a sweeping gesture around them. “This is Wa`ya’hi—place of the Wolf clan. Here you will become one with the spirit of the wa’ya.”
Chance gasped as her eyes followed the sweep of his hand. From the darkness sets of glowing eyes began to appear. Icy fingers of fear crawled down her back as the wolves started to moved from the darkness, circling the fire.
“Tsa’li!” she exclaimed, grabbing his arm. “God, what do we do?”
Tsa’li patted her hand and spoke to the wolves in a low singsong chant she didn’t understand. One by one they lay down, their legs stretched out in front of them like
lupine sphinxes around the fire.
Chance could not believe her eyes. She looked at the creatures and then at Tsa’li. He finished his song and turned to her. “Close your eyes, Woman with the Eyes of a Wolf. Close your eyes and see the man you love in your mind. Set your spirit free to search for his. Let your strength be his.”
Chance looked at him for a moment then at the enormous wolf that lay just feet away from her. The animal turned its head to look into her eyes and she felt a jolt run through her as a silent command to obey Tsa’li’s words came from its mind. Giving in, she closed her eyes.
* * * * *
Jimmy Martin and Billy Hawkes parked across the street from the bar. Billy threw his arm over Jimmy’s shoulders as they started across the street. “You sure you’re up for a night out?”
Jimmy nodded. “Man, I’ve had enough of hospitals to last me a lifetime. Besides, this is Jenny’s first night at her new job and I promised her I’d come.”
Billy smiled and let his arm drop as they walked up to the door. Jimmy stopped him as he started in. “Remember, don’t say nothing about her face. She’s real sensitive about it.”
“Don’t worry,” Billy assured him. “Say, the doctor did say it wouldn’t leave a scar, didn’t he?”
Jimmy shrugged. “She might need some plastic surgery. Hey, get this! John Wolfe called and told her that if she needed it, someone had donated the money for her to have it done. Ain’t that some shit? You think it’s John and he just don’t want nobody to know?”
Billy shook his head. “Just between you and me I’d bet my last dime it’s that blonde Wyatt’s with. She’s got bucks, Jim—lots of ‘em. And she ain’t stingy with it either. Fact is, she’s putting up the money to hire that high-fangled lawyer that’s supposed to help us get construction going again and get Holling off our asses.”
“No shit?” Jimmy pulled open the door. “Well, I just hope it works.”
They walked inside and found a seat at the bar. Jenny walked over to them and gave Jimmy a quick kiss. “Hey, sweetie.” He smiled. “You’re looking real fine tonight. Think you might want to do something when you get off work?”
Jenny smiled at him. “Sure thing. You gonna wait around ‘til we close?”
“I’ll be right here. How ‘bout a couple of beers?”
She nodded and walked around the bar, speaking to the bartender. Jimmy pulled some money from his pocket as the bartender sat two beers down in front of him and Billy.
For a little while they sat and talked, watching the people dance and occasionally speaking with Jenny when she had a second. Everything was relaxed and the people were all having fun.
Until Greg Holling and six of his men showed up.
The minute they walked in, everyone in the place fell silent. Greg walked over to the bar and grabbed a bottle from behind it as his men pulled guns.
Billy and Jimmy looked at one another. “What the fuck?” Jimmy whispered.
Billy shook his head and said nothing. Greg took a big drink from the bottle then looked around. “Hey!” he yelled at Jenny who was across the room. “You, bitch! Get your red ass over here!”
Jenny froze in place, her eyes wide with fear. Jimmy jumped up and faced Greg. “Leave her alone, Holling.”
“Who’s gonna make me?” Greg taunted him.
“Me, that’s who.”
“No, Jimmy!” Jenny shouted and started across the room.
“Stay back!” Jimmy yelled at her. “Don’t let him near you.”
Greg slammed the bottle down on the edge of the bar with a roar. “You fuckin’ little red piece of shit!” he yelled at Jimmy. “How fuckin’ dare you! Jack! Matt! Get that fucking bitch and put her in my truck!”
Two of Greg’s men started for Jenny. Jimmy dove at one of them and a gun went off. His body slammed into another of the men as blood spurted from the gunshot wound in his chest. The man fell under his weight and screamed for someone to help him. Two more of Holling’s friends rolled Jimmy off the man.
Billy looked down at Jimmy. His sightless eyes stared up at the ceiling and his face was set in an expression of shock and pain. Jenny screamed and ran toward Jimmy but Greg’s friend, Matt, grabbed her and slung her toward the other men who waited by the door.
“Nobody fucking move!” Greg waved his gun around. “You hear me? The first one that twitches is dead. Matt! You and Brad get her the fuck outta here!”
While two men dragged Jenny kicking and screaming from the bar, Greg walked over to Billy. “You find Wolfe and give him a message for me, Billy Boy. Tell him we’re gonna fuck that red bitch ‘til she bleeds then we’re gonna skin her alive. Tell him I’ll be waiting for him at the Gap. He’ll know where to find me.
Giving Billy a push hard enough overturn the barstool, Greg backed up to the door. “Anyone but Billy Boy tries to leave and they die.”
Everyone started shouting and talking at the same time as soon as Greg left. Billy got up from the floor and looked around. Joe Nash came over to him. “What you gonna do, Billy? You gonna tell Wyatt?”
“What else can I do?” Billy looked from Joe to Jimmy lying dead on the floor. “Call the sheriff and tell him what happened. But don’t let anyone tell him what Greg said until I talk to Wyatt.”
“He won’t go after Holling,” Joe said. “You know how he feels, Billy. He’s had it with fighting.”
“Maybe,” Billy said. “But if he doesn’t go after them, Jenny’s good as dead. I have to try to talk to him.”
Joe nodded. “Go on then.”
Billy ran out of the bar and jumped in his truck. He had to get to Wyatt and fast.
* * * * *
Wyatt looked out the back door for the tenth time. “Where’d he say they were going?”
“I told you he didn’t say. Now will you sit down? Tsa’li will take care of her.”
“Well, I must say that I’m certainly curious,” Iris said somewhat insolently, looking up at Wyatt from where she sat at the kitchen table. “Any woman who inspires this kind of worry must be very special.”
Wyatt turned and looked at her with an irritated expression. But before he could speak the back door flew open, almost knocking him down. “Wyatt!” Billy bounded in shouting.
Wyatt caught his balance and turned to Billy. “Holling shot Jimmy. He killed him, Wyatt!” Billy’s voice was filled with panic. “And he took Jenny. Told me to tell you that—” Billy stopped as his eyes fell on Iris.
Wyatt took him by the shoulders and turned him around, pushing him back outside. “Dad?” he called over his shoulder.
John stood up and followed Wyatt. “Excuse us,” he said to Iris as he walked outside.
“Okay, slow down and tell me what happened,” Wyatt said to Billy.
“I told you!” Billy exclaimed. “Holling and his men showed up at the Drinking Hole. He said he was going to take Jenny and Jimmy tried to stop him and he shot him! Dead! Then his men took Jenny and Holling said for me to bring you a message so I jumped in my truck—”
“What message?” Wyatt interrupted him.
“He said to tell you that they were going to fuck that red bitch ‘til she bled then they were going to skin her alive and that if you wanted him he’d be at the Gap. Said you’d know where.”
Wyatt looked from Billy to his father. Neither man spoke and Billy looked from one to the other. “Wyatt, you’ve got to do something. You can’t let them do that to her.”
Wyatt turned and walked away, standing at the back of the yard and staring up at the sky. John nodded toward the house. “Come on, Billy. Let’s go in. He needs to be alone.”
Billy started to protest but John shook his head and he closed his mouth. They went inside. Iris was standing by the door. “Don’t you think you should call the police?” she asked as they walked in.
Billy turned to her and shouted. “Don’t you think we have? We call and call and call! And every time they walk. The law can’t help us.”
Iris looked at John for a second th
en opened the door and went outside. Wyatt didn’t look at her as she walked up beside him.
“What are you going to do?”
He didn’t answer and she moved in front of him. “When I was in college I took a course on Native American mythology. I remember talking about it with a girl in my class. She was from the Oklahoma Cherokees. She told me this story about these spirits or immortals or something that were supposed to live in the mountains around here and how they would appear and fight to save the Cherokees when they were in danger. Another story she told me was about two twins, something about one being Light and the other Dark and how one was good and the other evil. But she said these twins loved the Cherokee and would help them when they were called on.” Wyatt looked down at her without speaking. “Looks like you people could use some of that help now,” she said softly.
“That’s just a story,” Wyatt said in a constricted voice.
Iris put her hand on his arm. “True. If we were back in time a hundred years or so, we wouldn’t be standing here like this. You’d be on your way to wherever those men are and you’d kill them. You’d avenge the death of your friend and keep them from killing the girl. Imagine it, Wyatt, tracking them through the dark forest, the adrenaline pumping through your body as you anticipated the oncoming fight, feeling your muscles quiver with excitement and almost smelling the warm scent of their blood.”
“Stop!” Wyatt barked. “Shut up!”
Iris eyed him for a moment. “But it’s true. That’s what you’d do. You’d find them and kill them, make them pay for the death of your friend. That’s the way justice was dealt at one time. There was no criminal justice system, no courts, no—”
“Stop it!” he whispered. “Don’t—”
“Don’t what? I’m only saying that in the past—”
He howled at her and backed away, feeling as if a storm was brewing in his mind. His head felt like it was about to explode. An agonizing pain tore through him and he felt as if he was being consumed from within.
Suddenly the pain vanished. In its place was a cold, silent rage. He looked around and saw Iris staring up at him with wide eyes. She looked so small. He could break her in half with his bare hands. But it was not her he wanted to hurt. It was someone else. But who? He couldn’t remember. Then a voice whispered in his mind. Holling, Greg Holling. That’s the enemy. That’s who we kill tonight.
