Spellbound Trilogy: The Wind Casts No Shadow, Heart of the Jaguar, Shadows in the Mirror

by Jeanne Rose

  "Another apology." Taking her sorrel's reins from her, Chaco led both horses as they walked. "Maybe I shouldn't have been so hard on you, going at the pace I did."

  "And perhaps I should have returned to Santa Fe like you wanted me to."

  "If you had, things might of turned out different. Lots of people might be dead."

  She gave him a look of amazement. "I didn't do anything."

  "I wouldn't have pow-wowed with the war leader if you hadn't of shamed me into it."

  "You would have done something." She truly believed that.

  "With a gun, maybe. Words are your weapon of choice, remember?"

  He grinned at her, but the light demeanor was all surface, mocking. Once more, Frances sensed something very, very wrong. She tried to mind her own business, but the reflection of Chaco's inner turmoil didn't fade, and finally, she had to know.

  She stopped short, demanding, "What is it that's bothering you?" When Chaco stopped and gave her a curious look, she insisted, "Tell me. I felt something was terribly wrong the moment I saw you."

  "Another premonition?" he asked in a too-tight voice.

  "Perhaps." Or perhaps a bond was growing between them as fast as her feelings. "Tell me."

  The grin gone, he said, "Let's eat."

  He led the horses over to a lone buckthorn tree where he secured the reins on a branch, removed his saddle roll and spread the blanket on the dusty red earth in its shade. He dropped the food pouch and water canteen at its center.

  She waited until they were seated and he was foraging through the bag before again asking, "Tell me what's bothering you. Please."

  Mumbling what sounded like an Apache curse, Chaco finally said, "I had to agree to seek out the witch and bring her to justice."

  "Personally?"

  He nodded. "The war leader's a wiley one. I couldn't exactly refuse."

  She was appalled. "But isn't that the job of the lawmen in Santa Fe?"

  "How many white men do you know who believe in skinwalkers?"

  "Skinwalkers?" Frances frowned at the odd sounding word. "Another name for a witch?"

  He laid the food on the blanket between them. "A special kind of evil. A human who can take the form of an animal. The reason those men had their throats torn out. No dog did that."

  "You're right – about not many believing it." She wasn't sure she could, either.

  "The skinwalker exists."

  "How do you know for certain?"

  "Saw it with my own eyes. A wolf. Came after me twice now. It'll come again."

  A wolf? The skin along her spine crawled and Frances had trouble catching her breath. Hadn't she decided she could trust anything Chaco told her? If so, then she had to believe. Or at least trust that he did. She'd seen that wolf near Belle's place, and then the Apache had been found...

  "How will you find her and...and deal with her?"

  "That's the problem. I don't have a clue. There's an old Apache saying that the wind casts no shadow."

  Puzzled, she frowned. "I don't understand."

  "The diablera is like the wind -- she comes and goes at will, breathes down our necks, leaves destruction behind, but never a trail. And it's not like I can call her up out of hiding, make her show her true face."

  Another reference to multiple faces. Frances remembered Ynez's duplicity.

  Chaco unfolded a cloth holding four stuffed and rolled tortillas. They each took one. Ravenous, Frances bit into hers without caution. Added to cheese and meat were peppers hot enough to sear her stomach and make her sweat. Gasping and wild-eyed, she grabbed for the canteen, uncorked it and took several long swallows until Chaco anchored a hand on the bottom and stopped her.

  "Whoa! That's got to last until we get back to Santa Fe."

  "I'm breathing fire!"

  And she wondered if Ynez hadn't meant for the food to be so hot out of spite.

  Chaco didn't seem concerned. He took the food from her, unwrapped the thin skin and picked out the peppers, tossing them into the brush.

  "Now try it," he said, rerolling and handing the tortilla back to her. "It'll still be spicy, but I bet you can handle it."

  "I don't know..."

  "I do. So far you've handled all the cards dealt you pretty well, especially the bad ones."

  Avoiding the appreciative expression in his eyes, she took the food from him and tried again. He was correct. While spicier than she was used to, the filled tortilla was edible. Swallowing, she glanced at Chaco, who was grinning at her, looking like he was enjoying himself. Then he took a big bite of his own ration, whooped aloud and smacked his lips.

  "Mm, good!" he said, stuffing his mouth with more.

  Frances laughed at his enthusiastic appreciation and continued eating herself. But though the atmosphere had lightened, the situation hadn't changed.

  Chaco – or someone – had to find this supposed diablera. Then what? If this woman really had evil powers, whoever faced her down could be in more danger than if looking into the barrel of a loaded gun.

  "YOU LOVE TO court danger, don't you?"

  Louisa whipped around in her saddle, Defiant doing a nervous dance beneath her. "Oh, it's you." The pretty toy soldier who hadn't been able to best this magnificent beast. Quiet hands and legs finally settled the gelding down. Noting Lieutenant Samuel Strong's handsome features were once more pulled into a disapproving expression because of her, she asked, "What's your problem today?"

  His signal so subtle she didn't catch it, he moved his mount up to ride beside her. She didn't object. With no one to entertain her, she was still bored, the reason she'd sneaked off to meet Eusebio for that carriage ride. Not that she would see him again. To her fury, the weasel had propositioned her. And when she'd set him straight, he'd called her a teasing bitch of a breed, who ought to be honored by his interest. And who needed to be taught a lesson. Louisa had taught him one – she wondered if he was walking normally yet – and had sent him on his way.

  "You shouldn't be riding alone," Strong told her.

  Before he could inquire about her parents again, Louisa said, "I'm not alone anymore." For good measure, she smiled and batted her eyelashes at him.

  He narrowed his gaze at her. "How old are you?"

  "Nineteen," she promptly lied. "On my next birthday," she added to sound more convincing. "How old are you? Twenty-one?"

  "Twenty-three!"

  She'd touched a nerve. No doubt many of the men under him were far older. "So where do you want to ride?"

  She'd been out in the hills and was on her way home, but she wasn't especially anxious to get there.

  He looked down his aquiline nose at her. "I can't escort you. I was on the way back to the fort -- "

  "On duty?"

  "Not officially. But I have some paperwork to catch up on."

  "Relax. This is the west. We take things as they come here."

  "So I've noticed."

  Louisa noticed he didn't sound thrilled. "Don't you get tired of being so serious all the time?"

  "I have a serious job. Responsibilities."

  "What do you do for fun?"

  He looked at her as if the word were foreign to him. Then he said, "Ride, mostly."

  She believed it. He sat his horse like a professional – which as a lieutenant in the United States Cavalry, he was. Even so, she couldn't help baiting him. "Think you're good?"

  "I know I am...despite what you may have heard about my compatibility with Defiant."

  "Good. Then how about a race?"

  He looked as if he were appalled. "No!"

  "Why not? Afraid you'll lose?"

  "My racing a young lady would be inappropriate."

  "Pooh!" Louisa scanned the horizon and pointed to a small knoll. "See that rocky place up the road a piece." Which was practically on the edge of the Janks property. She leaned in close to him. "First one there's the better rider."

  "I'm not racing a -- "

  But she'd already reached out to whomp his chestnut gelding o
n the rump. With a surge of muscle and an indignant squeal, the horse took off. Laughing, she lightly dug her heels into Defiant's sides. The larger bay took off immediately. She shifted her weight. so that she was practically standing in the stirrups and leaning forward.

  "Little fool, you're going to break your neck!" Strong yelled as he glanced back at her.

  "Or break yours."

  Strong gave her a filthy look. And then something amazing happened. His expression changed. He clenched his jaw and looked straight ahead, and Louisa knew he was into the race against his better judgment.

  Her amused laughter sang over the high desert as Defiant drew alongside him.

  Neck and neck, the horses flew down the dirt road, enveloping themselves and their riders with red dust. Louisa held her breath and squinched her eyes against the dry particles. Gently, she squeezed her legs and was gratified when Defiant gave her an answering burst of speed. The chestnut was right there on the trigger to challenge her. And from what Louisa could see, Strong wasn't doing anything obvious to make his mount work so hard. Hands and legs steady, leaning forward in the saddle, he and his horse were a single unit. Her competitive spirit forgotten for a moment, Louisa couldn't help admiring Lieutenant Samuel Strong.

  But not enough to lose to him; the outcrop of rocks was coming up fast.

  Stretching herself out over Defiant's neck, she whispered words of encouragement to him and moved her hands in a scrubbing motion that matched his rhythm. When she squeezed her legs and scrubbed faster, the big bay responded, altering his rhythm slightly to match hers.

  From the corner of her eye, Louisa could see they were inching ahead.

  She chanced a look in Strong's direction. The brim of his hat flattened practically over his eyes didn't seem to bother him. He was focused, determined, his very energy passing to his mount and seeming to make the chestnut move faster. The two horses were almost even again when Strong met her glance. A mistake on his end. He broke concentration.

  And Louisa took the opportunity to push Defiant past the rocky area nearly a necklength ahead of his former owner's mount.

  She sat back in the saddle and shouted what she imagined to be a Comanche war cry. Her long black hair streamed around her. She'd rarely ever felt so free or light of heart. She was happy. Enthralled. Definitely not bored for the first time since returning home. And all because of him.

  No sooner had she thought it than Strong startled her by grabbing her reins and stopping Defiant. They were all four, horses and riders, breathing hard. The lieutenant appeared angry as he danced his horse around hers and stopped when he was face-to-face with Louisa.

  "Don't worry," she teased. "I won't tell anyone I bested you."

  He scowled harder. "Is that what you think I care about?"

  "You're a man, aren't you?"

  Indeed, he was. One of the best looking men she'd ever seen. More important, one of the best riders. Louisa had to admit she was impressed.

  "And you're a foolish girl."

  "Woman." She couldn't help herself. She tossed her head and threw back her hair, imitating one of Luz's haughty gestures. "Too much of a woman for you, obviously."

  His tanned face grew ruddy as a hand shot out to grab her arm. And Louisa felt her heartbeat speed up. Confused by conflicting emotions, she tried to free herself, but that only made Strong seem more determined to rein her in. He tugged, practically pulling her out of the saddle. Her body pressed into his, the contact leaving her excited.

  And frightened.

  Wide-eyed, she watched his perfect, handsome face draw closer. And then he was kissing her, stealing away her breath. She'd been kissed before a couple of times. By boys. Or by spoiled young men like Eusebio. Never by a man. Never with anger. Never like this.

  Not with such deep-seated passion.

  Louisa was about to throw her arms around the young lieutenant's neck and return that passion when he broke the kiss and pushed her away.

  And he still looked angry.

  "Now see what you made me do!" he accused.

  "What I made you do?" Louisa's temper flared. Why was she always being held responsible for other peoples' actions? "I didn't invite you to kiss me!"

  "You dared me to!"

  "I challenged you to a race, nothing more!" Though she had fully appreciated the reward until he had to go and ruin it. Louisa tore Defiant's reins from Strong's hand. "But don't worry, Senor Lieutenant," she said, mocking him as Eusebio had, "because it won't happen again!"

  With that, she dug her heels into Defiant's sides and held on for dear life as the gelding bolted for home. Only then did she realize they weren't alone.

  And that the heated exchange had not gone unnoticed!

  BREATH COMING in painful spurts, Belle sat frozen to her carriage seat as her daughter rode toward her. Is this what Louisa did when she supposedly went riding on her beloved horses? After all that she'd gone through for the girl, after all that she'd done to protect her, to make a better life for her, how dare Louisa betray her trust?

  Though she wasn't close enough to see the dust-coated man clearly before he rode away in the opposite direction with the setting sun near blinding her, Belle hadn't missed the fact that her daughter had been in his arms. And this after hearing gossip in town about Louisa taking a furtive carriage ride with a young caballero. That Eusebio Velarde had much to answer for.

  Louisa seemed intent on allowing herself to be compromised by one man or another and Belle wouldn't have it.

  Louisa eyed her warily as she rode right up to the carriage. "I didn't expect you home for dinner."

  "I just bet you didn't!"

  The girl's smile faded and her dust-covered face took on a serious expression. "Ma, it isn't what it looked like."

  "You weren't in a man's arms? You weren't being mauled?"

  "Well, he did kiss me, but that wasn't supposed to – "

  "I'll say it wasn't!" Belle's anger was winding up. "I've given you too much freedom, young lady, and you've taken advantage of me. Hell, you've been running wild!"

  "I haven't, I swear!"

  "Don't you sass me! You've been the topic of gossip around here since you came home. There's only one thing for it. No more leaving the house unescorted."

  "Ma, you can't mean that!"

  "If I gotta, I'll sell your damned horses!"

  "You wouldn't."

  "Try me!" Belle yelled, ignoring Louisa's stricken expression.

  She would lock the girl up if she had to. Her daughter would never end up like she had. She'd put Louisa in a nunnery first.

  And, as for the men...

  Belle stared at her beautiful, innocent daughter through a haze of anger as red as the dust covering her and vowed she would cut out the heart of any man who tried to ruin Louisa.

  She was familiar with the taste of death; she wouldn't hesitate to kill again.

  FRANCES COULDN'T RID herself of thoughts of death as she and Chaco finally rode into Santa Fe at dusk. First the Navajo. Then the Apache. Was Chaco next?

  He'd seen the skinwalker twice and expected to see her again. Surely he would do so if he went after the diablera as the Jicarilla war leader had demanded of him. And if this fantastic tale of a skinwalker were true, then what? Which of them would be the one to die? Frances saw no other outcome. She wasn't certain how she felt about Chaco's killing this woman, guilty or not. Her feelings about killing hadn't changed, even if her feelings for the man had.

  "Home at last," he said, stopping in front of the stable.

  Looking as exhausted as she felt, he dismounted, then helped her before she had a chance to touch ground. His hands on her weren't unwelcome. But they scared her.

  Or rather her easy acceptance of his touch did.

  "Hey, Willy, come get these nags and put them up for the night!" Chaco called to the owner, who lurked in the shadows of the stable. "They need some gentle hands and pretty words to settle them down."

  "Cost you extra," the grizzled man grumbled, stuffing
a bottle into his vest pocket as he came through the opening. "Bad enough I gotta shovel the stinking horse hockeys." Noticing Frances, hee tipped his filthy gray felt hat. "Beg pardon, ma'am."

  Holding her breath against the strong fumes of the alcohol, Frances gave him a tired smile. After being around Belle awhile, it was near impossible to be shocked by rough language from a man.

  "Hey, Jones, you know an hombre by the name of Martinez?" Willy asked, taking the reins from Chaco.

  "Yeah. He and I worked together...a while back." Chaco gave Frances a worried look. "Why?"

  "Stabled his horse here. Looking for you. Told him you worked at the Blue Sky."

  Chaco didn't say anything. He tipped Willy for the extra care of the horses, then, waiting for a wagon to pass, took Frances's arm. She was too tired to protest that she didn't need help crossing the alleyway. But once on the other side, Chaco didn't seem inclined to let go and Frances was not inclined to ask it of him. For a moment, he made her feel safe and protected.

  And more confused than ever.

  "Who's this Martinez?" she finally asked.

  "Worked for Ralston's Double Bar."

  "A cowhand?"

  "Not exactly."

  She didn't prompt further explanation. Martinez had to be another gunman, a subject she was happier avoiding, especially if he were in town to lure Chaco back to his old life.

  The very thought of Chaco's possibly leaving, of her never seeing him again, made her go all hollow inside.

  Entering the Blue Sky Palace a few minutes later, Frances took her leave of Chaco, put the threat of Martinez out of mind and looked for Belle. The madam was nowhere to be found. None of the girls had seen her for hours. About to give up and head for her own room, Frances finally caught sight of Belle entering a back way. She looked drawn and tight-lipped, making Frances wonder if she was sick.

  Hating to make her feel worse, or to get her upset as she had been with Avandera, Frances nevertheless quickly caught Belle up on the events of the day, ending casually with, "Luz and Adolpho will be in some time tomorrow."

  Her expression unchanging, Belle merely nodded.