Struck by Thunder

by Taylor Lee

  She saw Wyatt looking at her and realized he had asked her a question.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, flustered. “Were you talking to me?”

  He gave her a quizzical smile. “I asked if your mare is any better this morning.”

  Frank jumped in to answer.

  “Hell, no, looks worse, if anything. Course, we can’t get close enough to see what’s right or wrong with her. I don’t think even you are going to be able to get close to that mare, Wyatt. I think for once that asshole Martin might be right about something. I already told Jesse she better be prepared to put her down. I warned her that if you think she needs to go you are likely to shoot her on the spot.”

  Wyatt shook his head. “Now, now, Frank, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

  When he stood, Jesse noticed again how tall and lean he was. And how strong. Unlike Martin, who had gone soft, pudgy, these last five years, Wyatt didn’t seem to have any fat on him anywhere. He moved easily, powerfully. God, she thought, what’s wrong with me? I never notice how men walk. What is it about Wyatt?

  She realized he asked her another question. When she blushed and asked him to repeat his question, he got that funny half smile he had yesterday when he was looking her up and down. She had the feeling he knew what she was thinking and felt her face flame hotter.

  Wyatt moved closer to her as if that was the only way to keep her attention. “Let me tell you and Frank what I’m going to do. First, I’m going to take a look from a distance to see what I think might be wrong with the mare. If I spot something I think I can fix, I will try to get close enough to confirm I’m right. From what you describe, she most likely got in some kind of poisonous weed and its wracked her system. Frank’s correct, Jesse. If I can’t get close, it will mean she can’t be fixed. You’ll need to put her down.”

  He took a pouch off the back of his stallion, unhooking a mean looking bull whip from the saddle.

  “I presume we’re talking about that sorrel over there, right? I’m going to walk over there now and see what I can see. If I think I can go in, the rest of you can come closer even to the fence if I say you can. But for now, I’m the only one who is going to move off the porch.”

  His men nodded as Wyatt headed over to the fenced area where the sorrel stood.

  The tall Indian man they called Chief walked up and held out his hand to Jesse.

  “Hi, Jesse. Twenty five years ago, Wyatt started calling me Chief and the name stuck. I’m pleased to meet you.”

  Jesse nodded in response, struck by his kind eyes and quiet dignity.

  Chief said, “Wyatt is too modest. Even though every one of us is good with horses, Wyatt has been diagnosing and whispering horses since he was nine years old. There isn’t anyone in the West more skilled. He’s known across five territories and six states as the best there is. If he can’t get to her, no one can.”

  Chief shook his head, then continued, “Hell, I remember the first time I saw Wyatt whisper a horse. He was nine years old. It was a year after I agreed to take him in. Don’t seem possible when you look at him now, but he was an orphan kid. Everyone called him the blue-eyed wolf boy. Damn, I was as surprised as that wild horse was when Wyatt approached him. He walked right up to that bucking stallion. Started talking to him, touching him. I didn’t understand a word he said, but the stallion did. Within a week, that horse was one of our best riding horses.”

  Chief smiled at Jesse’s obvious interest.

  “Hell, that was just the first of many surprises I’ve had in the in the last twenty five years as that kid grew to be the man he is today.”

  Jesse hesitated. “Did you adopt him?”

  Chief grinned. “Not officially. But, yeah, he is my son.”

  Wyatt walked around the enclosure, moving closer to the mare. To Jesse’s surprise, he unwound the bull whip and cracked it against the fence. The horse heaved, charging the fence. For the next several minutes Wyatt snapped the whip unmercifully. At first, the horse reacted in panic, charging against the fence over and over. To Jesse’s surprise, within minutes it seemed to get accustomed to the sound.

  Wyatt walked back to the group.

  “So far, so good. I think we have a shot at this. You can come closer if you want. Jesse. If this is what I think it is, we are going to need to take her back to Blue Canyon for a week or so until she gets better. Somehow, I don’t think Martin would appreciate me coming over here every day to work with your mare.”

  Frank guffawed. “You’re sure as hell right about that, Wyatt.”

  Wyatt motioned to Alono. “Please talk to some of the hands here. See if they have a trailer we can use. Get them to help us load her up to get her back to the ranch.”

  He turned to Jesse. “If I can get next to her, I’m going to quiet her with a kung fu hold we use with riled up horses. It’s the only way the other men will be able to get close to her, the only way we can get her in a trailer. Okay?”

  Jesse nodded.

  Wyatt took a lunge whip off the back of Master’s saddle, picked up the pouch, walked over to the enclosure, and climbed up on the railing. She couldn’t believe Wyatt could get close enough to the mare to use any moves, kung fu or otherwise. Even if he did, how could he touch her without the mare going crazy?

  Wyatt sat on top of the railing for several minutes, whistling softly, then slipped into the enclosure. The rest of his men moved as one to surround the fence. Jesse realized, with a start, that these men were Wyatt’s enforcers and protectors. Martin said he never went anywhere without armed guards. Now that she was paying attention, she saw that all of them including Wyatt, were wearing guns.

  Alono came back, followed by ranch hands pulling a trailer. They all moved closer to the fence when Wyatt signaled they could. Soon the enclosure was surrounded by twenty hands from the Shadow Falls Ranch, none of whom could believe that Wyatt was inside the enclosure with a horse that no one thought would last the day.

  They watched in amazement as Wyatt walked slowly around the horse in wide circles, then wound in tighter and tighter. Making clicking sounds, every two to three feet he snapped the lunge whip. The horse jumped at first, but by the time Wyatt was within five feet, the horse was no longer reacting to the snap. Jesse heard Wyatt murmuring to the horse. She couldn’t tell what he said, but it was a comforting sound.

  Then the impossible happened. Wyatt stood next to the mare, running his hands over her flanks, legs, and chest. Jesse couldn’t believe the horse permitted the touch.

  Wyatt called out. “It’s what I thought it was, Chief. I’m ready to immobilize her.”

  Chief pulled out his gun as did the rest of their men.

  Chief whispered to Jesse, “This is a precaution. We’ve never had to shoot, but, trust me, if any of us thought he was in danger, we would.”

  At that point, Wyatt circled the mare, then stepped up to her head and rubbed the side of her neck, all the while murmuring to the horse. Finding the place he was looking for, he pressed his fingers firmly in a muscle on her neck. The horse wobbled and tossed her head then slowly sunk to the ground. Wyatt moved down with her his fingers firmly pressed against her neck. Jesse watched in disbelief as the mare sat quietly, barely flinching.

  Once again, Chief whispered to her. “No one could’ve found that spot except Wyatt. It’s that goddamned kung fu of his. There isn’t a whisperer alive who uses it on horses.

  Thirty minutes later, the docile horse was in the trailer ready for the trip to Wyatt’s ranch.

  Wyatt came over to Frank and Jesse. “We were lucky. It was what I was hoping. She got into a patch of Japanese yew, which is poisonous as hell. It’s all over the grasslands, Jesse. You gotta watch for it. If that stuff doesn’t kill the horse, it drives them crazy with nerve pain. We’ll keep her tranquilized for a day or two and try and flush it out of her. I’ll work with her for a couple of days after that. Then she should be good as new.”

  Frank shook his head in open admiration.

  “Christ, Wya
tt, you really are a fuckin’ miracle worker. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, including me, thought that horse would last the day.”

  Jesse’s eyes were wide with wonder.

  “I don’t now how to thank you, Wyatt. Frank is right. I feel like I watched a miracle performed before my eyes.”

  Wyatt smiled. “Glad it turned out the way it did. I’m sorry to have to rush off, but there are twelve people waiting for me in Cheyenne. Since I’m putting up the money, they can’t start the meeting without me.”

  He climbed up on his horse, tipped his hat to Frank and Jesse, and rode off, followed by his men.

  ~~~

  Several hours later after Frank left and Jesse was alone, she allowed herself to think about Wyatt. She remembered his lean, muscular body, expert hands, and teasing grin. Clenching her thighs tight together, she admitted to herself what she was thinking.

  Even though she and Martin had three children, from the beginning of their marriage, their sex life was utilitarian at best. She knew Martin’s only carnal interest in her was to produce heirs. He used another kind of woman for pleasure. When Jesse gave him a son after two daughters and four miscarriages, their intimate life slowed from a trickle to a dead stop. Several years ago Jesse made a striking discovery. She realized she could count the times she and Martin had sex. To her amazement, it was a total of seventeen times after nine years of marriage. In the last three years they had sex once, meaning that in her entire married life she had intercourse eighteen times, less than twice a year.

  She hadn’t given sex much thought -- until she met Wyatt. With a tremor, she realized she hadn’t thought about anything else since he asked her if she always got what she wanted. She sure hoped so. For the first time in a long while, she knew what that was.

  ~~~

  Chapter 5

  Lei sat quietly in the back of the dojo watching the award ceremonies. The students who had completed Joey’s training waited eagerly to see who would receive the various colored belts. After the belts had been awarded, the celebration turned to the sparring tournament. The tournament to determine the dojo champion was the highlight of the festivities.

  Any student could participate in the tournament. Over the course of the day, a dojo champion would be chosen. Lei decided she wouldn’t participate. Ri cautioned her that feelings against her among the other students were strong. She decided there was no sense waving a red flag in their faces. She knew they hated her because she was Wan Chang’s daughter, but also because she was a girl. Most of them thought she shouldn’t be allowed in the dojo. It didn’t help that she was good.

  As the matches were drawing to a close, Lei was surprised to see Wyatt and his children come in the dojo. It was well known that Wyatt protected his children to a fault. When he practiced with them, no other students were allowed in the dojo. Ri whispered to her that he heard the children begging Wyatt to let them watch the matches. He must have given in to their pleas. There was a wave of excited chatter among the students when he entered. The matches quickly took on a fiercer edge as the students pushed themselves to shine in his presence.

  The timed matches were fought until one fighter conceded or until Joey stepped in and called a draw. Zhi and Ri fought several matches. They moved up the ladder either by winning outright or fighting to a draw. Eventually, Ri was eliminated and the competition came down to Win Li and Zhi. After a spirited fight, Win Li won the match with a stunning kick to Zhi’s thigh that left him writhing on the ground, unable to stand. Win Li glowed with pride and walked up to Joey to accept the championship award.

  When Wyatt entered, Lei began rethinking her decision not to participate. She had not seen him since that fateful night in the dojo. She was still hot with shame that the only time he saw her fight was when he humiliated her in front of the class.

  Before Joey could congratulate Win Li, Lei swallowed hard, stood up, and walked to the front of the room. To everyone’s surprise, she stepped up to Win Li. Her voice was quiet, controlled. “I challenge you.”

  The rules of the event required Win Li to accept the challenge or withdraw. Win Li looked to Joey for help, but Joey shook his head. “The rules are the rules. Accept or concede.”

  With an angry growl and a fierce glare at Lei, Win Li bowed, accepting the challenge.

  Lei joined him in the center of the dojo and began to stretch. She knew the disparity in their physical size was striking. Win Li was at least four inches taller and outweighed her by forty pounds. But that was the way it had always been. She refused to be intimidated. When the gong sounded, Win Li rushed toward her, aiming for her face, both hands up like mallets. At the last second, she flipped out of his way and came up from the ground with a smashing kick to his shoulder. It was the move she tried unsuccessfully against Wyatt, but landed with a crack against Win Li’ shoulder joint. He paled and groaned in pain. Lei pressed her advantage. For the remaining minutes of the match she threw a succession of aerial moves, most of them connecting with the hapless Win Li. Lei kept up the pressure, determined that Win Li never gain the advantage.

  As the match clock ticked to a close and a likely draw, Lei pushed off against the wall. With a running start she flew across the floor toward a startled Win Li. She flipped forward and, as she had with Wyatt, swung both feet up in a driving side kick at his knees. Unlike Wyatt, Win Li wasn’t quick enough to get out of the way. With a scream of pain he fell to the floor, clutching what was likely a broken bone.

  The gong sounded. Flushed with pride and exertion, Lei stepped up to accept the championship medal from Joey. As he put it around her neck, she glanced over at Wyatt and saw him smiling at her. He gave her an appreciative nod, bowing to her. Lei couldn’t hide her pleasure and bowed in return. She looked back at Joey, just in time to see him exchange a surprised look with Wyatt. Joey frowned slightly, then said in a gruff voice, “Congratulations, Lei. You are the dojo champion.”

  ~~~

  The dojo emptied quickly as excited students made their way their way to the celebration dinner. Wyatt sent Elena and Alex home with Chief, ignoring their pleas to be included at the dinner. He motioned to Lei to stay behind.

  When they were alone, he said, “Congratulations, Lei. That was an impressive win.”

  Her eyes were shining with excitement, but she said, simply, “Thank you.”

  “Do you know why you won?” he asked.

  “Because I am a better fighter than Win Li and I deserved to win,” she said without hesitation.

  Wyatt smiled at her brazen self confidence.

  “Yes, you are a better fighter and you did deserve to win. However, the reason you won was because you controlled your anger. You used your anger against Win Li instead of against yourself. Do you understand that?”

  She flushed and nodded, but didn’t look at him.

  Wyatt was studying her, clearly interested. “Who taught you to fight?”

  “My father.”

  “He must be skillful and an excellent teacher. Did he also teach Ri?”

  “No. Ri learned from many masters. My father was concerned about me because I was small. He wanted to teach me himself.”

  “Hmm. If you don’t object, I want to make a couple of suggestions. Show me your double kick, but do it in slow motion. Stop when I tell you to.”

  Lei ran back to the dojo wall. She came full force toward him gaining momentum as she thrust her legs in the air.

  Wyatt nodded. “Do it again. But this time from a front flip. Land next to me so I can catch your legs.”

  She did what he told her to do. When he caught her legs, he said, “Now if you add your thrust here, you will increase your momentum and accuracy dramatically. Try it.”

  She did as he said. Wyatt whistled in appreciation.

  “I’ll work with you on this tomorrow. By combining your aerial skill with that double thrust, I think you can create a killer signature move.”

  She stood up and a shadow crossed her face. Regret tingeing her voice, she said, ‘I won�
��t be here. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  He was surprised.

  “Why? You aren’t in the graduating group.”

  “No, but my father is coming tomorrow to take me home. He…he is angry.”

  Wyatt cocked an eyebrow. “Because of what I did to you?”

  “No,” she said looking down, embarrassed. “Because of what I did. He said I disgraced the family.”

  Wyatt said, “Hmm. I see. Well that’s too bad. We’ll miss you.”

  He gathered Elena and Alex’s clothes and toys they had left behind. He nodded to her. “I’m going back to my house to say good night to my children. You should go in to the dinner. You are the dojo champion, after all. Tell Joey that I will be along later.”

  Lei waited until he left, then leaned back against the wall. She didn’t try to quash the frustrated tears of disappointment that spilled down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe what he said when she told him she was leaving. ‘That’s too bad?’ That’s what he had to say? She sobbed aloud, not caring if anyone heard her.

  Since the night he kissed her in the dojo, he had invaded her thoughts the way he accosted her body. But he hadn’t spoken to her again until today. She knew at the time it meant nothing to him. He was teasing her, taunting her, probably still trying to humiliate her because she had spit at him. But the way he kissed her was a riveting memory. It was as real to her as it was the night in the dojo. If anything, it was more real, she had relived it so often. She remembered the way he pressed his body against her, hard and insistent. She felt hot just thinking about it. It made her feel shaky, excited, as if she was on fire. Then she remembered the way he laughed at her.