The Adversary

by Lindsay McKenna

  Sitting down on a large gray boulder near the shore, Shelly pulled out her water bottle and drank. At this high, dry altitude a person could get dehydrated and not even know it. Colt came and sat down on a boulder next to her. They’d been hunting relentlessly for nearly forty minutes. It was time to take a break.

  Colt eased the pack off his back, opened it up and pulled out a health bar. “Want some?” he offered, peeling back the wrapper.

  She nodded, capped her bottle and pushed it back into the net pocket on her pack. “Yes, it’s time for a break.” Slipping out of the knapsack, she set it down between them and sighed. “It feels good to sit down for a minute. My feet are killing me. Trying to stay upright on those slippery rounded stones is hard work.”

  “We need a little mountain goat in us,” Colt said, a sour grin shadowing his mouth. He broke off half the protein bar and handed it to her. When their fingertips touched, he felt the doors to his pounding heart fly open. A moment didn’t go by that he didn’t think about Shelly in his arms—and in his bed. Nothing more than a fantasy, Colt realized. Frowning, he chewed on the grain bar and absorbed the beauty of the long oval lake.

  “I’ve been thinking about your dream about a sorcerer,” he told her.

  “Oh?” Shelly bit into the bar.

  Colt grimaced. “If this emerald sphere is so valuable and important, why didn’t Yellow Teeth know about it before now?”

  Stunned by the question, Shelly sat silent. Rubbing her brow, she said, “You’re right. If he knew about it, why doesn’t he know where it’s located?”

  Nodding, Colt absorbed her nearness. He enjoyed simply spending time and space with Shelly. “It doesn’t make sense to me that Yellow Teeth is the sorcerer in your dream. Besides, if this emerald is important, that Skin Walker would have it already, and he’d have run off with it long before this. He’s still around. I can feel him lurking at the edges of my energy protection.”

  A cold chill worked up Shelly’s spine. “Every time you talk about him, I get a shiver.” She rubbed her arms briskly. “If it isn’t him, then who is it?”

  “That is the question,” Colt murmured, looking out across the lake and appreciating the dappled sunlight dancing across its turquoise surface. “Who else? I only know one kind of sorcery and that’s the Skin Walker.” He twisted his head and looked over at her. Shelly’s brow was drawn down in thought and he could see the worry in her hazel eyes.

  “Could we be being stalked by two types of sorcerers?” Shelly asked. It was so tough not to stare at Colt’s mouth and vividly recall the strength of it upon her lips. “One known, one unknown?”

  Shrugging, Colt muttered, “That’s the conclusion I’ve come to.”

  “Would Yellow Teeth invite one of his witch friends to come here and be the second sorcerer?”

  “No. They work alone. They fight among themselves, which is why they are loners.” His mouth flexed as he placed his arms around his knees. If he didn’t, he was going to reach out and place one around Shelly’s shoulders. “Remember Trip Nelson?”

  “Yes.”

  “The strange energy around him? The stains in his aura?”

  “You didn’t like him very much at all.”

  “It was more than that, Shelly. I felt threatened by him. It was the same alarm that goes off deep inside me if Yellow Teeth gets too close to me.”

  “Yet, you said he wasn’t a Skin Walker.” Shelly sighed. “Nelson was different, but I didn’t feel threatened.”

  “That’s because you have no training about the dark or evil side.”

  She met his hooded eyes, felt the heat of her body responding to that look. They might be talking about evil, but Shelly felt nothing bad from Colt. There was desire combined with raw need radiating off him. He was hungry for her. Never had she been as in touch with a man’s energy as she was his. Shaken, Shelly tried to set her feelings aside and think about the threat. “I know I’m an idealist and all I know is the soft and positive side of energy. I know bad people are out there, Colt. I just don’t know how to pick up on them like you do.” She gave him a sad look. “I wish I could. I know you’re doing double duty with me around.”

  “I don’t mind,” Colt said. He saw Shelly’s face grow red and he could feel her wanting to lean over and kiss him. Barely able to resist, he brutally reminded himself that Yellow Teeth would be waiting for just such an opening. He’d pounce like the coyote he was if Colt’s focus was not on keeping the wall of energy strong.

  For a moment, Shelly was entranced by the gleam in Colt’s blue eyes. His pupils grew large. Her breath hitched. Oh, just to kiss him! Without thinking, she leaned forward just enough so that if he wanted to kiss her, he could. And if he didn’t, he would pull away.

  Groaning inwardly, Colt twisted around. The invitation was too much to resist! Sliding his hand around the curve of her neck, he brought Shelly fully into his arms. The warmth of the sun beat down upon them as his mouth sought her soft lips. This was a terrible risk, but in this moment of weakness, Colt became unabashedly human.

  Breath catching, Shelly closed her eyes and sank into the strength and protection of Colt’s arms. She felt his power, his mouth commanding hers, and she lost herself within the wild explosions that began deep in her lower body. Her breasts ached to be touched by him as he slid his mouth across hers. Nipples hardening against the wall of his chest, she slid her arms around his thick neck. His heartbeat raced in time with hers. His mouth plundered hers with a hunger she’d never encountered before. And yet, Shelly was equally starved for Colt’s touch. His tongue moved tantalizing across her lower lip. She moaned, wanting more. Much more. His fingers threaded through her hair, massaging her scalp until she twisted against him, pleading for more. Shelly dissolved in pleasure she had not known until this moment, with this man.

  When her mouth opened to allow him entrance, Colt felt as if he were falling into a cauldron of scalding heat that matched his own. Her tongue played languidly with his. Her breath was short and moist, matching his. As he moved his hand against her spine and pressed her breasts more firmly against his chest, he felt the puckered nipples. He moved his other hand down the slope of her shoulder, and his fingers grazed the curve of her breast. Shelly’s moan was lost within him. Her softness felt so good as he explored the crescent beneath the fabric. His thumb and index finger settled around the nipple, and he heard her cry out in pleasure.

  At that moment, Colt sensed what felt like a jet breaking the sound barrier right over him. Pleasure swirled with a warning. Every alarm in his body went off. Yellow Teeth!

  Tearing his mouth from Shelly’s, Colt pushed her away. Psychically, he saw the Skin Walker in coyote form coming out of the sky and charging directly at him. Still wrapped in the euphoria of pleasure and sexual need, Colt struggled to stand up. He had to stop the attack! As he twisted around, unsteady on the boulders, Colt heard Shelly give a cry of surprise. The splash of water followed. He couldn’t turn to help her. He had to focus on the attack.

  Yellow Teeth’s coyote amber eyes narrowed upon him. The Skin Walker opened his mouth, his canines bared and dripping with saliva. He had only seconds to respond. To erect a barrier that would stop the Skin Walker from plowing into the top of his head and then taking over his body.

  With a grunt, Colt threw up his hands. As he did, he visualized white light, like an unending wall that could not be penetrated. Would it be soon enough? Colt’s fear overwhelmed his sensual needs. Yellow Teeth leaped at him, the coyote’s legs with the claws extended and his teeth bared. Another blast of energy threw Colt off his feet. He landed with a groan as he slammed into the boulders and shallow water. Yellow Teeth hit the wall of energy and howled.

  Colt opened his eyes as he struggled to sit up. The witch had attacked the wall with a fury he’d never seen before. But it was too late! Colt watched as the coyote was flung back into another dimension. In seconds, the attack was over. Gasping for breath, Colt sat in the boulders and cold glacier-fed water realizing
that he’d nearly been possessed.

  Shelly gave a cry and lurched toward Colt. She dropped to her knees, not caring if she got wet as she gripped his shoulders.

  “Colt! Are you all right?”

  Hearing the terror in Shelly’s voice snapped him back to the present. The wall had held, and they were both safe. Slowly getting up, he stood and gripped her arm. Her face was white with terror. “I’m okay. Are you?”

  Shelly looked around. “What was that? What happened?”

  “Yellow Teeth attacked,” Colt told her grimly. He brought her into his arms and held her. She trembled like a little bird that had been tossed about during a violent storm. There had been a storm, all right, and the Skin Walker had damn near had him. If Colt hadn’t torn his focus from Shelly, from their heated, exploring kiss, and answered the alarm, he’d be dead right now. Worse, Colt didn’t want to think what would have happened to Shelly. Once a Skin Walker took over a body, he could live in it as long as he wanted. Shelly wouldn’t realize what had happened. And this all occurred because he’d been a slave to his body, to his need of her. It had nearly gotten them killed.

  Stunned by the growl in Colt’s tone, Shelly saw an icy coldness in his blue eyes. She felt murder around them. She felt Yellow Teeth’s energy for the first time. “My God,” she whispered, suddenly more afraid than ever before. “I didn’t realize… I didn’t…”

  Colt held her and caressed her hair. “It’s all right,” he rasped. “He’s gone. He can’t hurt us now. We’re safe.”

  Closing her eyes, Shelly simply held on to Colt. He was a bulwark of strength in a storm that frightened her. Just the gentle stroke of his hand across her hair calmed some of her anxiety. Pulling away, she searched his eyes. “Why did he attack now? I don’t understand.”

  “Because I lost my focus on my shield that surrounds us,” Colt explained. “I can’t divide my awareness between you and him,” he added. “It’s one or the other, Shelly. I can’t do both. And Yellow Teeth knew that. He took advantage of my lowered guard, that’s all.”

  Shaking in earnest, Shelly whispered, “I put us in danger. I’m so sorry, Colt. I didn’t know…” And she hadn’t. But now she did. Seeing the turmoil in his eyes, she whispered, “Now I see why you’re walled up. Why you can’t be vulnerable. I understand.” And it was heart-wrenching to realize the truth. Under no circumstances would Shelly ever put Colt into such a situation again. It would mean sitting on her feelings for him, not looking at him with that hunger. How was she going to do it? Shelly didn’t have a ready answer, but after this attack, she had to try. She loved him too much to hurt him. Her love would be silent, never to be shared with him. Gathering her strength, Shelly pulled out of his arms. She was unsteady on her feet for a moment. After putting some distance between them, she held his frustrating gaze.

  “I do understand,” she said, her voice off-key.

  Colt felt as if his heart were being ripped out of his chest. He saw the look on Shelly’s face, the dawning awareness of what he lived with every day of his life. Her love for him shone in her hazel eyes, never to be expressed toward him. Bitterness, grief and loss assailed him as he stood there breathing hard, his arms empty, his chest with a hole in it. “Now you do,” was all he could manage.

  Gazing around at the placid scene, Shelly suddenly felt old and tired. Even though Yellow Teeth’s attack had been thwarted at the last moment, the residual evil energy was sucking life out of her. Closing her eyes, she stopped the loss of energy by visualizing an oblong globe of white and gold light surrounding her, head to toe. The tiredness stopped, and balance restored. She could taste the evil of Yellow Teeth in her mouth. She could smell the carrion odor that had come with him. Once she opened her eyes, she saw that Colt was in complete control once more. His face was expressionless, his shield impenetrable. He was the warrior he’d always been. Yet Shelly sensed deep grief over what had happened. He’d never said, I love you. Colt didn’t have to. Shelly had felt the man’s unbridled love with that kiss that had rocked her out of this world.

  She forced herself to move to the shore. Once there, she turned and saw Colt coming across the boulders toward her. When he leaped the last few feet to the pebbly shore and stood next to her, Shelly wanted to cry.

  “I’m sorry,” Colt murmured, turning to her and seeing the tears glistening in her eyes. He felt her heart and her love and the grief all rolled into one. Colt placed his hand on her shoulder for a moment. He absorbed her closeness, her unspoken love for him. The spicy scent of her hair, the touch of her cheek against his, soothed his chaotic emotions. “I have dreams,” he told her in a low tone. Dreams of you. But he didn’t dare mouth those words. Colt saw how many obstacles were in his way. “I believe dreams can come true someday. I want you to hold on to that, Shelly.”

  His raspy words tore at her. “Then I’ll dream the same dream you do.” His energy felt as if he were on some invisible precipice. His eyes clearly showed his anguish, and yet hope burned deep within them. Hope for a life of freedom where he could be rid of the evil that stalked him and could walk a new path—with her at his side.

  Without a word, Shelly stepped forward and threw her arms around his shoulders. His arms swept strongly around her and he crushed her to him. Colt buried his face next to hers and she felt the pounding of his heart against her own. Closing her eyes, she whispered, “We’ll get through this together. I promise…”

  Chapter 10

  “What the hell were you thinking?” Victor roared at Yellow Teeth. He’d felt the attack by the Skin Walker on the male Taqe and could barely contain his rage. He’d hauled the shape-shifter back to the Tupay fortress.

  “It’s my right to go after him!” Yellow Teeth snarled. “His walls were finally down! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for that to happen?”

  Balling his fist, Victor glared across the desk at the arrogant Skin Walker. “You’ve a lot to learn, Yellow Teeth. You’re under my direction and orders.” He rose and bared his teeth as he leaned forward. “You never disobey an order I give you. There’s a reason why I gave it, you stupid idiot!”

  Smugly, Yellow Teeth shook his head. “This is a vendetta. My revenge.”

  “I don’t care!” Victor shouted, his voice rolling like thunder around the office. The very walls trembled in the wake of his anger. Yellow Teeth’s thick eyebrows suddenly rose. Victor had unveiled five percent of the power that he owned and blasted the Skin Walker. It had hurled the shape-shifter into the door. When the spirit fell to his knees, shock registered in his expression.

  “It appears that your kind needs a lot more discipline,” Victor rasped as he came around the desk and put his face into the Skin Walker’s. “From this day forward, all Skin Walkers are going to be coming back to basic-training school here at the Tupay fortress every week!”

  “But…”

  “Shut up!” Victor shouted at him, spittle flying out of his mouth and upon the man’s tense face. “You’re under my command! You’d better get it, Yellow Teeth. If you don’t, I have the capacity to once and for all destroy your soul.”

  Eyes widening, Yellow Teeth leaned back as the rage of the Dark Lord finally penetrated his arrogance and confidence. Staring up into the fathomless black eyes of Victor Carancho Guerra, he got it. “Y-yes, my lord. I—I won’t do that again.”

  Straightening, Victor walked back to his desk and sat down. “Damn you. You’ve compromised our ability to track this couple. All because you want revenge, you defied my orders.”

  Scrambling to his feet, Yellow Teeth opened his hands and walked to the desk. “Please, my lord, don’t send me away! I promise, I’ll wait until you tell me it’s time to kill Colt Black. I killed his sister. Surely, you’ll let me kill him? His father killed my body. I want this revenge.”

  Victor glowered at him. “Not over the importance of this mission, you dolt! My knights are trained not to give in to human emotions. They are the best of the best here in the world of the Tupay. In comparison to th
em, you are a child spirit. You have no discipline. No greater understanding of anything outside yourself!” Shaking his index finger at Yellow Teeth, he said, “Do you realize how important this mission is? Do you even understand the emerald sphere and what it can mean to all of us? No, you don’t. And you don’t care because all you want is your stupid revenge.” Snorting, Victor glared at the stricken Skin Walker. “Your kind has had it too easy. You need to train up to the understanding you’re not out there operating alone and free to do what you want on a whim. My spirits and humans need discipline. It’s the only way we hold the fabric of what we control in spirit and on Earth with human beings. Our whole focus is destroying the Warriors for the Light. Anyone with a Vesica Pisces birthmark is marked for death—by us.” He jabbed his thumb into his own chest.

  Wiping his mouth, Yellow Teeth tried a simpering smile. His canines showed and saliva dribbled from the corners of his mouth. “My lord,” he pleaded, opening his hands in supplication, “please, please allow me to remain with your team. I promise,” he said, pressing his hand against his heart, “to remain far away. I promise to come only when you tell me to come to attack the Taqe. I swear upon my soul, I will never disobey another order from you.” Giving the Dark Lord a pleading look, Yellow Teeth got down on his knees before him. “I beg of you, my lord, allow me this.”

  Victor stood glaring down at the whining shape-shifter. “I ought to kill you myself.” The words hung like ice in the tension of the room. Yellow Teeth’s eyes widened tremendously. Chastened, he allowed his hands to fall to his sides and remained in a kneeling position before the Dark Lord. “I am yours to do with as you please, my lord.” He hung his head.

  Not for an instant did Victor think that Yellow Teeth possessed this instant humility. No, he saw the Skin Walker’s aura and knew it was all a game with him. He was familiar with coyote energy. They were the tricksters of the North American continent. Studying the bowed head of the Skin Walker, Victor’s mind whirled with options.