Chapter 24
Tempest could hardly contain her anger. She wanted to rush across the stream and pummel Haig with her fists. At the sound of his voice, all the old pain had crashed in on her. She wanted to hurt him as much as he'd hurt her. Now she wasn't sure how she'd withstood the pain to her heart or the embarrassment in the community, not just for herself but for Elmira and Lamira. They'd been duped by a fast-talking stranger, and everybody knew it. They'd held up their heads in town, but it hadn't been easy.
With Haig so close, she could hardly keep from taking out her fury on him. She wanted to punish him, and then force him to give back their money. Yet she knew she couldn't do it alone. She clenched Lucky's hand in frustration. Without him to back her up, she didn't stand a chance. Haig would simply draw his Colt and shoot her before she got close.
All her lady skills worked to her benefit in Jefferson, but out here they were more hindrance than help. She needed to get smarter, stronger, and quicker. She could hardly believe how naive she'd been when she'd left home. Now she had a glimpse of just how much she needed to learn, but even more, how dependent she was on Lucky.
She felt uneasy about that fact. He'd given her so much so fast, but she'd returned so little. If she could do something for him so that the scales were more balanced, she'd feel better about it. Yet he didn't seem to need her despite hiring her as a Spirit Rattler. If he gave and gave while she took and took, he'd eventually get enough and leave her. She couldn't stand that thought, not after he'd touched her so intimately, both physically and emotionally.
Yet they were together because of a business arrangement. She had to keep that in mind. When it was completed, he'd move on with his life and she'd go back to Jefferson. Tears burned her eyes at the thought of losing him. She bit her lower lip. She had to get tougher. Haig had taught her that she couldn't trust her heart to a man. She couldn't trust her body, either. What she could allow herself to do was take a little pleasure along the way. Yet it should only be physical, never emotional.
She must keep her goals foremost in mind, not pleasure, not revenge. She'd left home to save Elmira and Lamira, so that must remain her primary goal. If she found a way to help Lucky, she'd be carrying her own weight and would feel better about being with him. He'd appeared to enjoy initiating her into the sensual side of life. Maybe he needed physical comfort, too. She'd be happy to provide that for him, and take pleasure in it. Eventually, she would talk to his ghosts. And that would be the end of their life together.
At the thought, she felt a wrench in her heart. She rubbed the tender place on her skin, attributing her pain to it.
When she felt Lucky squeeze her hand, she glanced at his face. He tilted his head toward the horses, and then leaned in close.
“Let's go back,” he whispered.
“But what about Haig?”
“We'll get him later.”
She shook her head. What if later never came?
“I promise.” He stood up and held out his hand.
She glanced toward Haig, then put her hand in Lucky's and allowed him to help her stand. She was putting all her trust in one man.
Again.
Somehow, she didn't think Lucky would let her down.
She followed him quietly back to the oak tree. He quickly rolled up one blanket while she took care of the other. When he picked up their saddlebags and canteens, she realized they were riding out. She glanced around, setting the scene in her mind. This place would always hold deep meaning for her. Not the rattlesnake or the ghost, but Lucky and their intimacy. How she wished they hadn't been interrupted, but Haig had once more intruded into her life and left her the poorer for it.
“Let's go,” Lucky whispered.
She nodded, and then walked with him to the horses, taking care to make as little noise as possible. While he readied their mounts, she pulled her revolver out of her saddlebag, turning it over in her hands. She looked back toward the creek. Haig slept while not realizing that the woman he had wronged stood nearby with the instrument of his destruction in her hands.
She'd never thought to feel so much power or so much protection from one small object, but she did now. No wonder a man wore a six-gun on his hip out here. She never wanted to be without a gun again.
When Lucky walked up to her, she saw that he held her box of ammunition. She smiled in surprise.
“I'll load it for you, but I still need to show you how to shoot once we're away from here. You can keep it in your saddlebags, so it's ready if you need it.”
“Thank you.”
“If need be, point and squeeze the trigger.” He took the .32 from her and quickly loaded it.
When he handed it back, she could feel the extra weight.
“Make sure you always point it down or away from others unless you intend to fire.”
“Okay.” She tucked her revolver in its holster, and then positioned it in her saddlebag so she could reach it.
“Let's get out of here.”
When Lucky helped her up into the saddle, she felt the pull of sore muscles. She had wanted to stay on the ground for as long as possible, but she was already back in the saddle again. Somehow, she'd endure until she grew stronger and tougher.
She followed Lucky out of the clearing as he headed north. He set a slow, cautious pace under the dark canopy of trees. An owl hooted as insects stilled their songs. She hoped Haig and his friend slept too deeply to notice the change in the sounds around them.
After a while, she rode up beside Lucky, relishing being with him in the cocoon of darkness. A little later, they crossed over Buffalo Creek. In the moonlight, she felt as if they were the only two people in the world. If things were different, she wouldn't mind riding with him into one sunrise after another.
She saw him move close to her. He reached out and squeezed her hand. She couldn't help wondering if he was thinking the same thing, or maybe it was wishful thinking on her part. In any case, the night felt magical and he made her feel special, as if after a long journey, she'd come home.
“We're far enough away that we can talk now.” He spoke in a low tone as he pulled back his hand.
“How far to Burnt Boggy?”
“It's a ways. We'll need to rest the horses later. Even so, we'll get there ahead of a slow wagon.”
“I want a chance to practice with my .32 before I see Haig again.”
“Tempest, trust me on this. If you don't have to, you don't want to kill a man.”
“I don't want to kill him, at least not too much. I want to scare him and get Grandma's money back.”
“I doubt you'll have a bit of trouble doing those two things.”
“Good.”
“I want to talk with you about something.”
“What?”
“Promise me that you'll listen with an open mind to all I have to say.”
“Is this going to be bad?” She didn't like the seriousness of his tone.
“It's not bad, not at all, but it may stretch your credulity.”
“My what?”
“Your ability to believe me.”
“Maybe not. Remember, I see ghosts. That's a far sight farther than most people can go.”
“And I want you to promise me that you won't breathe a word of this to another soul unless I give you permission.”
“That's asking a lot.”
“I know. If I could, I'd wait to tell you.”
“All right. It's your secret. I promise.”
“I want you to understand that there will be severe consequences out of my control if you break your word.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It will in time.”
“You're making me feel uneasy.” A shiver ran up her spine. “Why don't you just not tell me?”
“Too late for that.”
She heard a chorus of coyotes howling in the distance, moving closer. She shivered again. There was a wild current running through Indian Territory that she'd never felt anywhere else, except when ghosts appeared to her. Now that she thought about it, Lucky carried that feeling with him. He was wild and wanton, calm and tender, smart and sensual. He was everything she could want in a man. Yet he wasn't a man to hold forever.
And she knew in the depths of her being that he was about to tell her something that was going to change her world and maybe end her admiration. Yet they'd come to this point and nothing could stop him now.
She gripped the saddle horn, ready for the worst, or so she hoped with all her being.
Chapter 25
Once Lucky got back on the main road heading east, he hesitated to talk with Tempest. He'd like to wait till the Sun came up, so he could watch her expressions. Yet he doubted he could put it off any longer. Events were moving fast and people were coming into play. If possible, he wanted to avoid mistakes, confusion, or excessive danger.
“You wanted to tell me something?” she asked.
“Maybe I'll wait till sunup.” He knew he was delaying the discussion because he was concerned about her reaction.
“That bad?”
“No.”
“I won't judge you. I've had too much of that myself.”
He rode close to her. Pale moonlight painted her face in shades of silver, giving her an otherworldly appearance. He needed to give her more credit. Maybe she would understand and accept all he had to tell her.
When she gently squeezed his hand, he felt their deep connection. It gave him courage. “I told you I was President of the Society for the Preservation of Antiquities, didn't I?”
“Yes.”
“In fact, that is the cover name for the real organization.” He held her gaze. “I'm actually Chief of the Secret Order of Sun Rattlers.”
“Does it come out of your Indian heritage?”
“Yes. I'm mixed-blood. French. Choctaw. Atlahtaw.”
“You can be most anything you want then, can't you?”
“Depends. In Indian Territory, folks have some breathing room to live as Indians in the old ways or the new ways. But I don't know how long it will last. Americans are clamoring for the land. More are slipping over the borders every day. Some ranchers and farmers pay rent, but squatters are putting down roots, too. Outlaws take advantage. Yet the tribes can handle all that. It's the laws coming out of the U.S. Congress that worry me.”
“I can understand your concern.”
“Some mixed-bloods lose their heritage or deny it to survive, but others don't.”
“That's you.”
“Yes.” He hesitated, continuing to watch her face. “I guess my main question is this. How do you feel about Indians?”
“About one in particular, or in general?”
“Both.”
“You're the first person who ever understood or valued my affliction.”
“Your gift.”
“My birthright was never called into question. Like yours. I imagine I've had it easy compared to most Indians.” She squeezed his hand again. “If you're a good example, I like Indians just fine.”
“And me?”
“I like you even better.”
He leaned over and placed a warm kiss on her lips as she reached up and cradled his face with the palm of her hand. Soon the horses separated them by moving apart.
“Is that all you wanted to ask me?”
“There's more.” He was relieved to know that she felt as he'd thought she would when so many still feared and resented the tribes. “When the Atlahtaw Nation was defeated, not many survived to continue the ancient heritage, but not all was lost. Priests and priestesses or Medicine People, who we call Rattlers, moved the People's power from the physical plane to the spirit plane.”
“How could they do that?”
“It was within their ability.”
“But what was the point?”
“Power can be wielded for good or evil. They protected it from being used to hurt Turtle Island and Indians.”
“I don't understand.”
“You don't really need to. What you do need to know is that the power has waned. Rattlers aren't as strong as they once were. Indians are losing ground everywhere in what has become the United States.”
“You called me Rattler, but I'm no priestess.”
“You have the vision of a priestess.” He glanced up and saw that pale light was brightening the eastern horizon. “Legend has it that the powerful Soleil Wheel of the Atlahtaw Nation is buried in an ancient Indian city near Fort Coffee.”
“What does it look like?”
“According to legend, the Soleil Wheel is shaped like the symbol on my chest. It's made of copper embossed with the zigzag pattern of a rattlesnake. At the end of each spoke is a different color. For example, a pearl to represent white might be attached at the top of the Wheel.”
“It sounds beautiful.”
“Yes, I imagine it is. Yet the Soleil Wheel's importance is its innate power. It's similar to a Medicine Wheel in that it is symbolic of the Earth's elements and seasons. The right quadrant represents the East or Air with yellow, the bottom represents the South or Fire with red, the left represents the West or Water with black, the top represents the North or Earth with white. And the Spirit with no color, or all colors, is represented in the center where the bars cross.”
“That is amazing.” She looked at him in wonder. “And you think I can find it?”
“Yes.”
“You're putting a lot of faith in me.”
“You must find it.” He glanced behind them, thinking about Haig's heading out soon. He focused on her again. “We aren't the only ones looking for the Soleil Wheel.”
“How many people know about it?”
“Not all Rattlers are good. Some seek power and glory for themselves.”
“Sounds like everybody else.”
“You heard Haig talk about Crawdaddy, didn't you?”
“Yes.”
“Crawdaddy is a Rattler. And he's ruthless. He deals in antiquities, looting ceremonial and burial mounds. He sells the artifacts to the highest bidder in Europe. We've argued over his actions, but he insists that Indian antiquities are his heritage to do with as he pleases.”
“And he's the one who is taking over illegal whiskey distribution in Indian Territory.”
“Right.”
“Is he after the Soleil Wheel?”
“Yes, he is.” Lucky felt sunlight warm his face and raised his left hand in an ancient greeting to the Sun. “If Crawdaddy takes control of the Soleil Wheel, he'll use it to enhance his own power. If he sells it overseas, removing it from Turtle Island, the People's power will be broken. We can't let him get it.”
“I thought you just wanted me to talk with ghosts. This sounds extremely serious and dangerous.”
“It's all that and more. But for now, something else is most important. Do you believe me?”
“I don't have the experience or the heritage to believe or disbelieve. What I know is that I can see and speak with ghosts. If I can do that, how much more is there in the world that I don't know about but that is real to others?”
He smiled, feeling a sense of relief. He hadn't lost her, at least not yet. “Now you understand my rush to get to Fort Coffee.”
“Yes. But what about Haig?”
“He works for Crawdaddy, so I suspect he's connected to the Soleil Wheel in some way.”
“Maybe he's just interested in the whiskey business.”
“He sounded more like a lieutenant. If so, Crawdaddy will depend on him to manage more than one part of his domain.”
“Will Crawdaddy go himself after the Wheel?”
Lucky shook his head. “Usually he keeps his hands clean and his trail cold. But the Soleil Wheel could bring him up from his river bottom.”
“I hope not.”
“I'd like to stop him for good.”
“Is he a chief like you?”
“No. If he could get rid of me, he'd take over the Rattlers.”
“I don't want to meet him. He sounds ruthless.”
“You're my main concern. If he knew about you, he'd try to get you.”
“Get me?”
“He'd hold you, own you, use you.”
“No. That's not possible.”
He rode closer to her. “Tempest, listen to me. Nobody is playing a game here. We're all playing for keeps. Crawdaddy recognizes no law except his own. He considers me an annoying fly in his ointment that he'll eventually squash flat. We meet socially to keep an eye on each other, but neither doubts that we're enemies. He would consider it a personal coup if he could take you from me and use you to find the Soleil Wheel.”
“I wouldn't help him.”
“You wouldn't have a choice.”
“I'm stronger than you think.”
“It has nothing to do with strength.” He reached out and patted her hand, wanting to comfort her for what was to come next.
“Then what?”
“We got interrupted at the creek.”
“I know, only too well.”
“There's more I want to share with you.”
“When?”
“As soon as we get another opportunity to be alone.”
She smiled, giving him an enticing look.
He opened his mouth to tell her about the final initiation that would bind her to him, but what if she objected? What if she wouldn't take that last step into his world? The Moon Rattler had made Tempest open and vulnerable. If Crawdaddy got his hands on her, he'd make short work of binding her to him. She'd never be free to live her own life again. He'd use her sight and power to build his domain even bigger.
Yet Lucky closed his mouth. When she was bound to him, she would still have free will. She could stay with him, or she could go back to her old life. He would be weakened without her, as the Earth would be without the Sun or Moon. She was everything he could want in a woman, a mate, a life partner, but he wouldn't influence her decision to stay with him.
He would do his best to woo her and win her. She was his ladylove. Yet no matter what, he must complete the initiation. He couldn't take a chance on her safety or happiness. The Moon Rattler had put her in his care, so it was up to him to protect her.
If he could get enough distance ahead of their enemies, he'd reveal to her even more of her passionate nature.