Holdin' On for a Hero

by Ciana Stone

  “Thank you,” she sighed as he settled her on the log. She raised her ankle up and propped it on her other knee. The movement caused her short shirt to rise even higher on her spread legs. Wyatt averted his eyes from the sight she offered and moved to one side.

  “It should be okay in a few minutes,” he said as he took a seat on the ground.

  “Why do you dislike me?” she asked as she rubbed her ankle.

  “I don’t know you well enough to like or dislike you.”

  “I’d like the chance to get to know you better,” she said, letting her foot move back to the ground but keeping her legs apart.

  “I’m already involved.” He would not look in her direction. He did not want to see what she was displaying. One glance had told him that beneath the skirt she was naked.

  “Oh yes, I forgot—Miss Porter.”

  “Yes.”

  “But she’s not worthy of a man like you.” Iris came off the log and knelt down in front of him. “You need someone strong and passionate and as bold as yourself.”

  “What makes you think she isn’t all those things?” He tried not to look at the sight of her breasts beneath the sheer material as she shrugged her jacket aside.

  “I’m a woman, I know these things.”

  “Well, maybe your feminine intuition isn’t working properly,” he said as he glanced at her briefly.

  She laughed and reached out to run her hand through his hair. “Oh, I think it’s working just fine. Let’s be honest with each other. You may not like me, but you do want me. I can see it in your eyes.”

  “Maybe you’re just seeing what you want to see.” He denied it, even though he admitted to himself that she was tempting.

  “Or maybe what I see is the strong side of you that isn’t afraid to want me,” she said in a taunting voice. “The part that isn’t afraid of what Miss Porter will think. Maybe it’s the other you that I see.”

  Wyatt did not want to discuss that with her. Even the mention of the other made his heart race anxiously. “Maybe you’re dreaming.” He pushed her away and stood.

  “Or maybe you’re lying.” She grabbed the leg of his jeans and pulled herself up, making sure that as she slid up his body his leg remained between hers.

  Wyatt felt the now familiar warning signs of Walker trying to exert control and pushed her again. This time, however, she hung on to him. “It’s true,” she whispered huskily. “Part of you wants me, so much it’s eating you up inside. Let that part out, Wyatt. Give in to yourself. I can do things for you she could never do.”

  Wyatt was struggling to push Walker back. He could barely focus on her words. “No!” He grabbed her by the arms and pushed her back, gripping her arms tightly so that she could not move against him.

  “I can tell you how to win,” she whispered. “I know the secret.”

  Wyatt felt Walker surge forward and himself slipping into darkness at her words. He released her and backed away, breathing hard and trying to concentrate on keeping the darkness at bay. But Iris did not let up.

  “I know what you want,” she breathed as she advanced on him. “And I know how to make sure you get it. If you were mine, I would show you the way to make sure that you get what you want.”

  Wyatt felt himself sliding further into the darkness as Walker clawed his way to the foreground. Desperately, Wyatt tried to hang on to control. But Iris’ words were like fuel to a fire, giving Walker the strength he needed to break free. For a moment that seemed an eternity, the two battled for control.

  “I can give you what you want,” Iris continued to encourage Walker. “I can show you how.”

  What felt like a spiraling vortex of darkness clutched at Wyatt, dragging him steadily deeper into blackness. For the first time he experienced true terror. This darkness was not like before. It was like falling into nothingness. If he did not escape he would be lost. He felt Walker’s spirit beside him, ascending even as he descended, and tried to take hold of him. But Walker just laughed and pushed him away. With a feeling of defeat, Wyatt felt reality slip away.

  Iris watched as Wyatt changed. It was not as if he physically transformed into something else. His size and shape remained the same. But his expressions, the look in his eyes, the way he stood—everything was different. The man who emerged looked confident, arrogant, angry and indestructible.

  “Who are you?” she asked.

  “I am the Warrior,” he barked, watching as she unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands inside it.

  “Hmmm, Warrior,” she purred. “A bit arrogant, but I like that. So, Warrior, tell me about yourself.”

  “You said you would help me.” He grabbed her hands in his, making her gasp in pain.

  “And I will! But you’re going to have to ease up, lover. You be good to me and I’ll be good to you. Get it? One hand washes the other.”

  “What do you want?” he asked suspiciously.

  “Why the same thing you do.” She pulled her hands free and returned them to his chest. “Power, control, freedom, and…” she looked up at him, “most of all, revenge.”

  Walker smiled and reached out to cup her breasts in his hands, the sheer material providing little barrier.. “And you know how to ensure we achieve these things?” he asked as he rolled her hard nipples roughly between his fingers, .

  “Oh, yes,” she moaned, working to pull his shirt free from his pants.

  “I must destroy Wyatt.” His hands moved to her skirt and jerked, splitting the zipper and the seam.

  “And you will,” she promised, unfastening his jeans and pushing them down over his hips. “Trust me.”

  Walker lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his powerful body. A cry of pain and pleasure came from her as he thrust into her. He smiled at the sound and shoved her down harder on his erection.

  Iris did not resist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face to hers. “Fuck me,” she moaned into his mouth.

  Walker peeled her off him, turned her around and pressed her head down toward the ground. Iris eagerly complied, bending and spreading her legs to give him easier entrance.

  It took only a couple of strokes before Iris was screaming. “Yes…God, yes…fuck me…fuck me harder…”

  Walker fulfilled her demand with a vengeance, reaching around her to roughly stroke her.

  “Yes,” she moaned. “Oh, Walker, we’re perfect for one another. Together no one can stop us.”

  * * * * *

  Chance ran after Wa’ya, heedless of the branches that tore at her clothes and the roots that snaked up from the ground to make her trip and stumble. All she could think about was finding Wyatt. She had been worried enough before she and John made it to Tsa’li’s. After hearing Tsa’li say that there was not much time and that Wyatt was in terrible peril she was absolutely terrified.

  Wa’ya paused ahead of her and turned, barking one time sharply. She caught up with him. “Okay, where to?” She started past him but stopped when he did not move. “What?” She stopped and looked down at him. “Wa’ya, we have to hurry. Where is he?”

  Wa’ya looked off to his left and Chance’s eyes turned in the same direction. “Over there?” In reply he growled softly in his throat. Chance needed no more confirmation. Without hesitation she took off, running up a short but steep incline. At the top she skidded to a stop.

  “Wyatt?” Her voice was choked with emotion and shock as she saw him. He was lying on his back on the ground and Iris Waters was sitting astride him, her skirt bunched up around her waist and her shirt hanging open. It was not difficult to see what they were doing.

  Chance felt hurt well up inside her. She could not believe that Wyatt would betray her like that. Her feet started carrying her forward toward them before she consciously made the decision to move. They did not hear or see her until she was upon them. She grabbed Iris’ hair in both hands and yanked as hard as she could. Iris fell away from Walker, reaching up and screaming as she tried to pry Chance’s hands from her hair.
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  Chance slung Iris as hard as she could. “You bitch!” she screamed.

  Iris rolled over and stared up at Chance hatefully. “Don’t blame me if you can’t satisfy your man, princess. It’s obvious that you don’t know how to control a man like Walker, but I do.” She started to stand but Wa’ya moved close to her and growled menacingly and she immediately sat down, looking at him in fear.

  Chance turned and it was then she realized it was not Wyatt she was seeing. Walker was glaring at her. She reacted with the first thing that came to mind. “Did you hear that?” she asked, waving her hand at Iris. “She thinks she can control you. You realize what that means, don’t you? Iris doesn’t care about you. She only wants to use you, to control you for her own purposes.”

  “No one controls me!”

  “Iris thinks she can. What did she promise you, Walker?”

  He looked at Iris for a moment then returned his gaze to Chance. “She is going to help me defeat Wyatt.”

  Chance laughed and shook her head. “Well, you’re a bigger fool than I thought if you believe that. She isn’t going to help anyone but herself. She has some hidden agenda all her own and she doesn’t care about you or anyone else. She’s not going to help you because it’s Wyatt she wants, not you.”

  Surprise and anger registered on Walker’s face. He snarled and advanced on Iris. “You betrayed me. No one deceives me. You will be punished.”

  Iris scrambled away on her rear as fast as she could. “No!” she exclaimed. “Don’t listen to her. She’s lying. She’s just trying to trick you. I don’t want Wyatt. It’s you I want. Together we can’t be defeated. Together we can succeed against those—”

  “Enough!” he roared.

  Wa’ya moved to stand beside Chance as Walker continued toward Iris. “No, please listen to me!” she begged, pushing herself up and backing away.

  “You will pay,” he growled.

  Iris gave a strangled scream and turned, running as fast as her bare feet would carry her over the rough terrain. Walker started after her and Chance called out to him. “Looks like she pulled a good one on you, Walker.”

  He whirled around and faced her and she could see the rage on his face. There was no way she could stand against him. She heard Wa’ya’s growl and realized that unless she did something, one of them would end up hurt. She could not let that happen so she did the only thing she could think of.

  “Wa’ya, go to Tsa’li,” she said calmly. “Take care of him and John.”

  Wa’ya growled once more, clearly hesitant to leave her side, and she reached down to stroke his head. “It’s okay. Go on. I’ll be fine.”

  He looked up at her then at Walker. For a moment he didn’t move, then he turned and disappeared into the trees. Chance watched him leave then looked at Walker. “Okay, it’s just you and me,” she said as evenly as possible. “So do whatever it is you’re going to do.”

  He laughed and drew near her. “Whatever? Have you any idea what it is I want to do, white woman?”

  “Yes.” She met his eyes.

  “You will scream when I take you.”

  “Yes, but that won’t stop you, so go on. Do it and get it over with.”

  “Then he is defeated.” Walker smiled victoriously.

  “No,” she argued without raising her voice. “You can rape me, you can hurt me, you can even kill me. But it won’t change anything. You’ll still lose and I’ll still love Wyatt and I’ll never stop trying to get him back. See, the simple truth is that you can’t understand that kind of love because you don’t remember what love feels like. And that’s why you’ll lose.”

  “I will not lose! I am stronger and smarter and it is I who deserves to live. He is weak and afraid. He is not worthy! And you, white woman—if you were smart you would see that it would be wiser to choose me. Wyatt is not half the man I am.”

  “You’re absolutely right. He’s twice the man you are.”

  Walker roared in anger and grabbed her by the throat. “Twice the man?” he sneered in her face. “Why don’t we put that to the test?”

  Chance tried to scream but she could barely breathe. She beat at Walker with her fists and kicked like a caged animal but she could not break free. All her struggles served to do was excite him. He pushed her down and they rolled around on the ground as she fought to get away. In the end her strength ran out.

  When he was done with her she lay on the ground, staring up into the darkness. Her mind was in shock at what had happened and she didn’t know what to do. All she wanted was to get Wyatt back, but she didn’t know how. Tsa’li said that everything hinged on love, but love didn’t seem to be enough. How then could she hope to win?

  An idea occurred to her, one that made her break out in a cold sweat. She was afraid to try, but it was the only thing she could think of. Hesitantly she reached out and put her hand on Walker’s arm. “I’m sorry,” she said softly.

  He turned and looked at her in surprise. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated, looking into his eyes. “Wyatt, I tried, I really tried, but I’m not strong enough alone. I can’t do it without you. If you can’t help me then Walker wins. I can’t fight him anymore. He’s too strong for me.”

  She saw something flicker momentarily in his dark eyes and hope swelled within her. Then it died and Walker was once more in control. “Very good,” he said, sitting up and pulling her close to him. “At last you admit it. I am the strongest.”

  “Yes, stronger than I. I can’t fight you, Walker. Only Wyatt has the strength. Without him I can’t stand against you.”

  “Then you renounce your love for him?”

  “No, never. I just can’t fight you anymore. Unless he saves me, then I guess I’m lost.”

  Walker smiled and his hands tightened on her. She looked into his eyes and pleaded with what was trapped within him. “Wyatt, please. Save me.”

  Walker’s smile faded and a series of expressions moved across his face as if he were experiencing some sort of muscle spasm. Suddenly he released her and moved back, clutching his head in both hands. Sweat beaded on his face and chest as his breath grew rapid and forced. Chance moved forward tentatively, reaching out to him. “Wyatt, please,” she whispered. “I need you. I’m afraid.”

  Walker screamed and bolted to his feet, backing away from her as if he were the one who was afraid. Chance tried to stand. It took several attempts, but at last she got to her feet. “Wyatt,” she called, reaching out to him.

  She stumbled and fell, crying out as she hit the ground. She heard Walker scream as if in terrible pain and looked up. The transformation was beginning. “Wyatt!” she screamed.

  Suddenly it was finished. Wyatt staggered toward her, falling to his knees beside her. She pushed herself up to sit and reached for him. He came into her arms, shaking as if he were freezing. She held him tightly for a long time until the trembling stopped. Then he pulled back and looked at her. “Please tell me it was just a bad dream. That I…that he didn’t—”

  She looked down for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry?” he asked as he tilted his head back and took a deep breath. He swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that welled in his eyes. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. But me—I have plenty to beg your forgiveness for.”

  “Yes, you do,” she said in a tight voice.

  He looked at her, surprised by her tone, and as soon as he did she slapped him as hard as she could. “How could you be so dumb as to go off with Iris? God, what were you thinking?”

  “I don’t know!” he yelled, then immediately lowered his voice. “I’m sorry. I guess I deserved that. I didn’t want to go with her but she kept at me, saying that Holling was cashing in some chips with some big shots at the capital and that I was going to be arrested for murdering those men at the Gap and that the only way she could defend me was to know exactly what happened and…and I finally just agreed to get her to shut up.”

  Chance stared at him crossly for a moment then put her han
ds over her face. Wyatt didn’t speak or move and finally she lowered her hands. “I’m sorry I slapped you,” she apologized. “But you’ve got to stay away from her. There’s something very wrong here. She’s got some agenda that we don’t know about and I, for one, don’t want to have anything to do with her. I’m firing her as soon as I can. We’ll find another lawyer but I don’t want Iris Waters within twenty feet of you.”

  “A hundred feet. Chance, I swear I didn’t think anything would happen. And I swear to you that if I had been able to stop Walker I would have. I don’t want Iris. I love you and I’d never betray you.”

  She nodded and put her hand over the red imprint her slap had left. “I love you, too, Wyatt. I always will.”

  “We have to get you home,” he said, stripping off his coat. “Here, put this on.”

  She let him help her on with his coat. “Can you…” He hesitated. “Are you able to walk?”

  Chance nodded and he pulled her up. “Are you sure?” he asked when she winced in pain.

  “I’ll make it,” she assured him even though at that moment she would have preferred to just lie down and pass out.

  He wrapped one arm around her, draping her arm across his shoulder for support. “Maybe it’d be best if I carried you.”

  “I’ll be okay.” She smiled at him, thinking how lucky they both were that he had been able to overpower Walker and return. “Thank you for saving me. I was really afraid.”

  “It wasn’t much of a rescue. And I guess I’m not much of a hero, but I do love you, and I swear that I’m going to find a way to either get rid of Walker or at least learn how to control him.”

  “I know.”

  They started walking. After a while she realized they were headed in the direction of John’s house. She stopped and looked up at him. “I think we better head over to Tsa’li’s.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I think that’s where your father will be staying for a while.”

  A concerned look took hold on Wyatt’s face. “Has something else happened?”