by Austina Love
His thoughts drifted back to the peculiar incident with Shye. The stunning vixen had seemed as shocked as he was when they’d come face-to-face. Her huge dark doe-eyes clung to his memory. She’d stared up at him without flinching and stood her ground. There had been no weakness in her. Perhaps a little fear but she never yielded to it. Pulling her deeper into mind, he fantasized about her long tan legs around him as he took her hard. He could picture her lying on the ground with that shiny mane of long black hair fanned around her beautiful face, gazing up at him with hot desire in those entrancing eyes.
I bet her lips are soft and sweet. He drew heavily on his cigarette, then exhaled, releasing thin ribbons of smoke which curled upward. He visualized her luscious curves pressed against him as he kissed her wildly and she moaned her pleasure. The fantasy went on until he envisioned them laying in the throes of passion bathed in sweat.
If he handed her over to Carter, she’d be gone. However, taking her away from Viper appealed to him more. And he wasn’t about to tip the banker off as to whom she used as her getaway driver. The weasel would only muck things up by running his mouth to Gage. Then the dimwitted secretary would get word. Once she got hold of something it spread like wildfire and Trip would vanish.
No, Trip Viper is mine and his woman will be too. First I’ll take her then get rid of the last Viper.
Pike sensed Shye was on a mission. Carter had unknowingly placed him in the right place at the right time. It would take little effort to shift gears and fool the pig into believing he’d hand over the raven haired beauty when in reality he’d be catching her for reasons of his own.
After all, her new boyfriend will soon be history and a fiery woman such as her needs a strong man. And our crew could use a gutsy woman like her. She just might be persuaded if I can give her back the farm. Then we won’t need Carter either. Me and the sexy Indian maiden running the place…sweet.
He stomped out his spent smoke and a slow grin tugged at his lips. Though this was more than he had in mind when taking on the assignment, the perks were definitely looking better. Money, revenge on an old nemesis and a hot woman—an opportunity too good to pass up.
* * * *
“I can’t shift at night,” she told Trip after they parked just inside the reservation border. “I must always be in human form before sunset. Night shadows are those of darkness. I am forbidden to use them or I will be forever lost.”
He touched his lips to hers. “I should go with you.”
“I know my way around better than anyone. I can move faster if you stay here with the bike and keep watch.”
“I don’t like it. After what happened today they’ll be watching.”
“That fat ass banker couldn’t find his way around here if his life depended on it.” She laughed softly.
A warring look crossed Trip’s face. “He’s not the one that worries me. It’s our new Indian friend who poses the greatest threat.”
“I thought he looked Native American but I’ve never seen him around here.”
“He’s a half-breed. An orphan. He doesn’t embrace the rich culture as you do. But he’s cunning and dangerous.”
“Yeah…I gathered that from what you said. But I have to ditch this money before sunup. If Carter sends the Sherriff out in the morning, they can bust me. I’ll take my chances here in the dark.” She let one hand float through his hair, filtering the silky length through her fingers. “I’ll be fine. I can move much faster and quieter alone.”
Framing her face between tender hands, he pulled her closer for a kiss. She sighed as his tongue caressed the inside of her mouth. Drawing a deep breath, she breathed in his alluring scent of sensual cologne and leather. He smelled nothing less than intoxicating and she couldn’t wait to complete her task so they could return to his camp for more lovemaking.
“Mm,” she murmured when he eased from the delicious kiss. “I’ll hurry. If I’m not back in fifteen minutes, come looking for me.”
“I will.” His hand slid over her hair, then down her arm before reluctantly letting her go.
With a canvas bag full of money slung over one shoulder, she crept into the woods and made haste up to the village. Each haul she took from the bank blessed a new family. Campfires had been extinguished for the night and houses were dark indicating the residents of Bluff Ridge had gone to bed. Her twenty-year stint in the Air Force left her in top physical condition, enabling her to move from cabin to cabin with ease.
After placing the last bundle of bills under a doormat of a very needy family, she ran back into the woods making barely a sound. She stopped in a mossy grove, clawed the ground to uncover cool moist soil then lit the canvas bag with a lighter from her pocket. Squatting in front of the tiny fire, she waited anxiously as the flames consumed the canvas bag. No way would she leave a trace of evidence behind to lead law officials toward her people.
Once the sack was nothing but ash, she ground them into the dirt and kicked more dirt over the area with her boot. Then she covered it with moss again and stood up to leave.
“You are good,” he said in a low growl. Pike’s voice sent an unwelcome shiver her skin.
She spun around and smacked straight into the burly chest of her new follower. He stared down at her with a smirk. Taken by surprise yet again by this man, she didn’t hesitate to make her next move this time. A quick knee to the groin forced him to double over before she took flight. She raced downhill ducking and dodging limbs and thicket at what she felt was sufficient speed. Trip’s bike came into view. Moonlight glinting off the chrome became her focal point then she saw him waiting—watching.
Almost there! She reached the tree line just as two massive arms seized her from behind. “Trip! Help—” A strong hand clamped over her mouth. He began dragging her backward. She heard Trip running after them. Beneath the cover of the thick pines, moonlight did no good. She knew Trip would have some trouble finding his way in unfamiliar territory so she deliberately dragged her boots on the ground hoping to leave a trail.
“You’re a fighter, aren’t ya?” Pike muttered, then scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of wheat.
With her mouth uncovered, she screamed out Trip’s name repeatedly until the bear of a man dropped her on the ground, stood over her and whipped out a pistol. “Shut the hell up or your boyfriend is a dead man as soon as he rounds the next bend.”
Panic squeezed her throat, making it nearly impossible to swallow. Her heart pounded in her ears. She fought back the tears of rage and fear.
“Got it?” He towered over her in a menacing stance.
She gave a quick nod.
“Now get up and move that way.” He motioned to her front with the gun. “And don’t drag your feet or I’ll just sit here and wait for him to find us.”
Knowing he meant it as the man had killed Trip’s brother, she didn’t try anything else. If her future lay in Carter’s hands then so be it. She’d allow this hired thug to take her in and she’d take the rap to protect her loved ones. At least she had put the hurt on the evil bastard before he finally found someone smart enough to catch her. They trotted at a brisk pace for a while before Pike grabbed her arm and broke into a run. She stumbled over twigs as they rambled down a hill toward a waiting pickup truck.
“Get in and behave.” He opened the door and gave her a hard nudge.
She finally found her voice. “Where are you taking me?”
“Don’t worry about it. As long as you behave, your lover boy stays alive. One tricky move…and I am aware of how sly you can be…one try and it’s lights out for him.”
He started the engine and tore off down the road. Tears threatened to push through but she willed them back. No way would she give this man the pleasure of thinking he had the upper hand. She was his captive for now but she silently vowed to make her escape. She would not waste the gift given to her by backing down to some low down bastard like this.
By the time Trip makes it back to his bike, we’ll be out
of sight. She had no doubt he’d keep looking even if only to avenge his brother’s death. But she wondered if he’d still consider her worth all the extra trouble or if he’d ride off for good once he nailed his bounty.
Chapter Three
After losing her trail at the highway, Trip ran full speed back to his parked Harley. Fury raged in his soul over Pike stealing his woman. At the moment rescuing Shye from the heartless prick was his top priority even if it meant losing the bounty on a criminal he’d been tracking for years.
I knew I should’ve gone in with her tonight. She’s as stubborn as she is brave.
He sat on his bike searching his thoughts, trying to figure out which way they had gone. He figured Pike had set up camp somewhere convenient to town in order to oversee the drug business. He has to be hiding somewhere around here…but where? Squeezing the handgrips of his bike, his arms tensed and muscles flexed as his fingers tightened around the throttle until they cramped with pain. Talk to me, Shadow. He closed his eyes and drew her lovely face into his mind and focused hard.
A slight breeze picked up, carrying the scent of rain. He’d never noticed the smell of rain until his first night with Shye. She had said it was going to rain minutes before the heavens released a torrential downpour. That idyllic night would forever be etched in his mind—the first night they made love after a playful romp in the rain. Her sweetness lingered in his soul and on his lips, never to be erased by the touch of another. She left an imprint on his heart that no woman ever had and none ever would.
They had danced around the L word with grace but neither had come straight out and said those three words that sealed the bond. He wished more than anything right now, that he’d not been afraid to tell her how he truly felt.
“I love you, Shye…Shadow, my sweet ghost dancer…I love you.” He spoke softly with his head bowed, missing her more than anything and cursing the ache in his heart.
Peals of thunder rumbled in the distance, drawing his gaze upward. He prayed she had adequate shelter and had not been harmed. Guilt threatened to consume him for allowing himself to become seriously involved with a woman before taking care of his past. Pike would use her in any way possible to draw him into the open. He silently vowed to find her and do whatever it took, even if it meant sacrificing himself to save her.
The woman was merely fighting to take back what had rightfully been hers—a priceless estate that Carter duped her parents into selling before she returned. She didn’t deserve to be tangled up in Pike’s madness or this war between them. Pike would pay with his life if he caused Shye one bit of harm.
Though they’d never verbalized their commitment in exact words, he had boldly professed that he’d make her his and she’d eagerly accepted. It was after that long night of lovemaking when he’d first seen Shadow—or Nagi as she was called in Lakota.
He recalled Shye’s soft whisper. Only those touched by Nagi can see her, she’d told him.
Everything about her mystified, intrigued and thrilled him in a new way. He glanced up the dark highway. Clouds had moved in overhead blocking all traces of moonlight. He decided to drive back to where her trail dropped off to see if he could discern which direction they’d gone. He didn’t even know what means of travel Pike used these days. Upon finding the place where he’d come out of the woods, he parked his bike, dismounted and walked around staring at the ground in search of anything he may have missed.
In this vast area of badlands he didn’t want to waste time by riding in the wrong direction. While he circled the area rain began to fall. Great, he thought. Now I’ll never find a clue. Amidst the dark and the rain, even a single tire track couldn’t be seen. Shielding his eyes from the weather, he gazed up and down the road in deep concentration. The breeze merged into steady winds and lightning streaked the sky as veins of light.
Frustrated, he returned to his bike and fired the engine. He needed to get out of the strengthening storm. North would take him back to his camp. South led to town. Her reservation was just about midpoint between the two places, about an hour’s drive either way. He considered that Pike would most likely hide away from the locales so he decided to head north assuming the man had to be somewhere between here and his camp. Perhaps he’d find a clue—a tire track, something Shye might have dropped, crushed weeds or a mere hint of where they’d gone. Anything was better than just sitting here in sheeting rain.
Suddenly the sound of hoof beats drew his attention toward the south. Amazed that he could hear something like that above the storm, he turned his bike around. There on the road stood the black stallion he’d seen in town with Nagi straddling its bare back. Long shapely naked legs clung to the horse’s side and moccasins covered her small feet.
She looked stunning—like Shye—their resemblance was uncanny. He froze for a moment, staring in awe at the Indian maiden adorned in a white doeskin dress beaded and heavily fringed. In one hand she carried a dreamcatcher while holding the horse’s mane with her other. No bridle on its head or any form of restraint whatsoever. The woman and her horse resembled something he’d seen in paintings during his visits among the Native American people.
A chill bristled the hairs on his neck as her black eyes made contact with his. Though she was several feet away, astride a spirited black horse in pouring rain, the distance between them mystically disappeared. He felt her reach into his spirit. What would’ve made most men skeptical brought him a rush of relief. With a wave of her arm, she swung the steed around and galloped south toward town. Her long black hair trailed behind her in the wind making her look free and untamed. He became utterly captivated.
Uncertainty plagued his logic. Riding south didn’t make sense to him unless Pike had plans to take Shye straight to Carter. Even so, he couldn’t fathom them creating a possible scene near town. With no physical evidence against her, townspeople would question an unlawful interrogation of a respected citizen and no way would Pike come out in public to testify against her. Regardless of his doubt, Trip forced his own thoughts aside and followed Nagi.
She hadn’t made an appearance in vain and he wasn’t fool enough to ignore the apparition or vision, whatever it may be. He felt compelled to follow. Kicking his bike into gear, he raced after the ghost, praying he wasn’t just imagining her presence out of grief. This was the first time he’d seen Nagi without Shye nearby and the first time his faith had been put to the test.
The hazy figure became extremely vague at times, possibly due to the rain and fog, he assumed and continued to follow. Time faded as they rode down that desolate highway leading south. Anxiety threatened to settle over him as they drew closer to town. He began to feel disoriented and that he was having a hallucination.
Then suddenly the horse stopped and the maiden waved him closer. Peering through the dark, he strained to make out the location. A long winding gravel drive led to a large farmhouse up on a hill. He pulled close to the mailbox and saw the name Halayi printed on the side. Shye’s farm!
Looking back toward the road, he didn’t see the horse or the maiden anywhere about. He searched the darkness intently for several long minutes before turning his attention back to the driveway. Nagi and her steed had vanished without a trace—not even a hoof print in the muddy shoulder of the road had been left behind. Why would she lead me here? The realization that this was no longer Shye’s farm but Carter’s hit him. Could it be? Is it possible that they’ve moved their base of operation here? This must be why he swindled the place out from under her parents.
He contemplated the best way to check out the grounds undetected just in case his hunch was right. Blazing onto the scene riding a growling Harley didn’t seem like a good idea. He’d never been here so didn’t know the property at all. But…the stormy weather could provide enough cover. Not only would it diminish visibility and muffle the sound of footsteps, the driving rain would most likely keep any watchmen indoors.
After pushing his bike into a patch of thicket and pulling branches around to conceal it, he pu
lled a trench coat from his saddlebag along with both guns. Tucking Shye’s shotgun inside the long coat, he stuffed his in the back waist of his jeans. Quietly he crept along the wood line instead of following the driveway. He doubted Carter had time to build a new warehouse yet. If anyone was manning operations here, they’d have set up shop in one of the huge barns used for storing grain and hay. All farms that made their living off the land had storehouses for the harvested crops. He’d spent enough time in this area to know how things worked.
He climbed the hills with ease, thankful that he hadn’t allowed himself to slip out of shape since his tour as a Marine. Flickering lights came into view about twenty minutes into his careful hike. Using more caution, he moved forward while keeping to the shadows. Upon drawing closer, he pulled the nine-millimeter pistol from the back waist of his jeans.
As he presumed, nobody was standing outside when the one building burning a light became easier to see. He slid along the darkest side with his back to the wall until coming to a small window. Without making a sound, he tucked the gun back into his pants then pulled himself up to peek inside. At least a dozen men were huddled around a rectangular table counting cash and sorting bags of what appeared to be either heroin or cocaine.
Several men stood off to the side watching, all packing heat. His gaze swept the dimly lit interior but didn’t see Gage or Carter—only Pike and his crew. Yeah…I didn’t think Carter or his wuss attorney had the balls to do the dirty work.
Then Trip spotted Shye sitting on a bale of hay with her hands bound on her lap. Obviously they’d had used some means of intimidation to ensure her quiet cooperation. He didn’t want to think about what they’d threatened her with or what they intended to do with her. He couldn’t let his emotions cloud his thoughts.
