Dark Warrior: Kid (Dark Cloth Series Book 2) (12 page)

The thought filled her with relief—and renewed joy. Kat sighed, realizing what had kept her so morose lately. She’d only needed Kid.

She lay her head down and snuggled up to his side, her blond curls falling across his chest. And they both drifted off to sleep.

Wise Woman

The old woman indicated a seat for Kat.
Kat obliged her, though she wanted to remain standing. She glanced around. Shock coiled through her that she was actually here. More to the point—she could hardly comprehend that this woman actually lived here.

Her name was Kate Anderson—and her name belied her looks. For Kate was full-blooded Cherokee Indian. Kat had found out about her from her cousin. He’d been only too happy to tell her that she lived outside of town. At Kat’s request, he’d set up this meeting. Kat wasn’t sure why it had seemed so important to see her—but the feeling had only intensified from the first moment she’d laid eyes on her.

The inside of her home had much the same wild natured look as the outside—not something you would expect from these parts. Kat clearly had been raised by someone who had known a lot about Native American lore. Sage hung over the doorway, and large, hoop Native American drums on the wall.

Kat felt warm here—comfortable here—in a way she hadn’t, since being led in this direction.

She turned and smiled at the woman—Kate. “I was told you had something to tell me,” she said.

The old woman smiled at her. “Yes, child.” She sat down opposite of Kat and stared at her a long moment, considering. She pressed her lips together, and finally, she said, “It’s about the Dark Cloth.”

Something skittered up Kat’s spine, but she simply watched her, waiting for her to go on. And the old woman nodded, as if she’d heard her speak out loud.

“You saw a man who appeared to be wearing a mask, while fighting in a battle out West, didn’t you.” It wasn’t a question. She’d stated it as fact.

Kat stared at her now. She sat there for a long moment. “Are you like Mandy?” she finally asked.

“Who, child?”

Kat frowned. “Never mind.” She ran a hand over the fur on the arm of the chair. “Yes,” she said finally. “We did see him.”

The old woman nodded. “I’m known as Kate Anderson, around here.” She looked up at Kat. “You understand, he’s not a man.”

Kat didn’t like having that confirmed, but she nodded. She did understand that, even if she didn’t want to. She glanced up at the old woman and waited for her to go on.

“They’ve been biding their time, waiting for the right moment—to tip the scales of good and evil—so to speak,” she said. “They’ve been watching for opportunities—to put the right men into official positions to further their agenda.”

Kat nodded. “McCandle said as much, after he took Mandy captive,” she said.

The old woman nodded. Now, she seemed to know exactly who Kat spoke of. How odd, she thought again.

“They didn’t want the Red man to gain strength. The White God could be used to control a nation, who adopted fear as a means regulate the masses.”

Kat couldn’t speak. Again, she could only nod—too amazed at what she was hearing. She felt as if she were having an out-of-body experience. She had the same feeling she’d had when Mandy had shared everything Ashley McCandle had told them, before he died.

“You do know,” Kat said, trying to up-right her world, “if you had this conversation with half that city out there—they’d lock you up and throw away the key.”

The old woman sat back and smiled sadly, then she suddenly sat forward. “There’s so much more to this world than what untrained human eyes can see.” She pointed at her eyes than Kat’s. “Don’t be fooled by these eyes. They’ll only tell you what you
think
is real. You must use this one,” she said, touching the space between Kat’s eyes. “You must remember your other senses.”

Kat understood what she said—but that only made her more frustrated. “What can we do about them?”

“Nothing,” the old woman surprised her by saying. “It is only important you know. The time will come for the doing. But that will be a war for your great-grandchildren or their great-grandchildren. For, now, it is only important that you
know
.”

Kat sat forward then, her interest peaked. Yet the old woman only waved at her—and said no more. She waited, but nothing more was forth-coming. Finally, Kat stood and thanked her. At the last moment, on instinct, she leaned forward and kissed the old woman’s brow.

“I’ll make sure we remember,” she said softly. She turned to leave the room, and the woman caught her hand. Kat turned back to face her.

“I’ve kept Rose well-hidden,” she said. “He’ll never find her.”

Kat’s mouth fell open. “What?”

She watched as the Kate picked up a picture from the table beside her. She handed it to Kat. Kat stared down at a girl, who appeared to be full-blooded Cherokee. Kat glanced up at Kate. She must be mistaken, she thought. Maybe she’d grown too old and had become confused by some things. But she hadn’t seemed at all confused today.

Never-the-less, Kat smiled at Kate to appease her, then she turned and left the room.

When she had returned to her grandfather’s home, she went searching for Kid. She didn’t care how much it would upset her grandfather at this point. She felt too agitated by her visit with Kate.

When she didn’t immediately find him, she went to the most remote area on her grandfather’s land, to sit and think. Kid and Jake found
her
there, instead.

She quickly shared what the old woman had to say. And they all sat there for a long time, reflecting on Kate Anderson’s words, and their own understanding of them. This couldn’t be explained. Each knew they’d either have some sense of the message being given to them—or they wouldn’t.

Kat guessed that something in the heart had to be open to receive such a message. Or alternately—one would remain blinded to it.

At length, Kid put his arm around Kat, and then filled Jake in on her cousin’s words about her father’s right-hand man, Liam. To Kat’s great frustration, Jake responded much the same as Kid had to the news.

“Why is it so hard to understand that the man has so much to lose, by my being here?” she said, miffed.

“I do understand,” Jake said. “But it doesn’t reason.”

Kat’s brows shot up. “And you say women are hard to get,” she muttered.

Jake gave her a rare smile. Taken back, she forgot the conversation for a long moment. Finally, she recalled herself. “Why do you find that funny?” she shot at him.

He shrugged. “I just think it’s about damn time a woman is the one who’s confused.”

Kat glared at him. Kid laughed and pulled her in tighter to him, to which Jake stood and muttered that it was time he got back to what he’d been doing, when he’d been so rudely interrupted.

Kid laughed and let him go without comment. He turned his attention on Kat instead. But it wasn’t words with which he spoke. His lips swiftly covered hers, before she could say anything to distract them. He kissed her long—and hard.

By the time he pulled away, Kat shook—but not from her irritation with Jake. Not anymore.

An Enemy

Kid went still as a windless night.
Kat knew she’d stepped in it, when she’d decided to tell him she didn’t think everything seemed quite right, but there didn’t seem any help for it.

Kat stared at Kid. They’d been arguing the last two times they’d seen each other. And she wanted to turn that fight on her true enemy—not the man she loved.

Yes, she thought. Now, that felt more like it. She loved having an enemy she could actually engage. This sort of enemy, she could fight. Not, like someone who’d suddenly gained so much control over her life, when she hadn’t even given anyone the right to control it.

Kat itched for a fight. “I don’t know why you won’t listen to me about Liam,” she said. “I don’t understand why you are siding with him—when he might have plotted to have me killed.”

“I’m not siding with him,” Kid said, quietly. I think you might be spoiling for a fight—where there is none—because you need a reason to escape. I don’t know what I think about the situation yet.” He kissed her gently. “But do not worry, I’m not going to let your grandfather’s man, or your cousin, or even your uncle, make any decisions for me—no matter how well intended—or manipulative—they might be.”

Kat turned away from him, glancing out across the beautiful lawns. It seemed that the longer she stayed here—the further Kid slipped from her fingers. She was tired of these growing misunderstandings—and equally tired of not getting to see Kid anytime she wanted. She wanted to go and have a talk with her grandfather—no matter how frail he might appear.

She set off across the grounds, to do just that. She never seemed to actually get to see her grandfather. She thought about this, for a long moment. Perhaps, if she wrote it to him….

She turned and said as much to Kid. She sensed that what she intended to say to her grandfather alarmed Kid, because he actually followed her. That shouldn’t have surprised her, since she had an idea she might have looked a lot like she had the day she’d gone after McCandle, with her skinning knife.

When she got to the manor, she asked the butler for a sheet of paper, ink and a quill, and she stood there and waited, while he brought them to her. She sat down, closing her eyes as she thought. When she knew what she wanted to say, she opened her eyes, staring at the paper—then at Kid, who had followed her through the door.

Grandfather,
she wrote.
I respect that you spent your life without me—without my mother. And that I spent my life not knowing who I really am.
She stopped, surprised as her throat closed up with tears. She turned and gazed at Kid, and then finished her note.
But I love Kid. I love the man you brought here, which is why you were able to get me to follow him here in the first place. And I need you to respect that I will not be kept from him. It might take a year. It might take a lot longer—but I will return home.

Getting up, she gave the butler the note, went to stand by Kid’s side, and took Kid’s hand into hers. Turning, she looked up at him. “I don’t know what the answer is,” she said. “All I know is the West. I don’t know how to live here,” she got out as tears slipped down her face. Then, she raised her eyes and stared in Kid’s eyes. “But I will not lose you in this. I may as well die and be buried, as to lose you in this.”

She stopped there, just watching Kid—not really waiting for him to reply, not really waiting for anything.

She saw him swallow. “Okay,” he said, holding her close.

She stood there, gazing up at him, just standing there in Kid’s arms. “If I have my way—you will move your things into the house,” she said to him.

He grinned at her. “We’ll wait—and see,” he said, and she nodded.

When they turned to leave the room, they found Liam standing there. She tried to gauge how much he’d heard, but as usual, his face seemed inscrutable. The man should try his hand at poker, she thought. He’d rake it in.

They moved past him, hand-in-hand. If he didn’t approve, he didn’t show it. But if they thought that ended it, they were wrong.

Ten minutes later, Liam came down to the great hall. “You two plan to marry?” he said.

“Yes,” Kat answered him, bristling.

“Easy.” He waived her anger away. “It’s only right you do so. You didn’t ask for any of this. I think it commendable that you’ve tried to show your grandfather the love and respect he deserves—but not at expense of giving up your happiness.”

Kid gave a slight smile and nodded. Kat just felt baffled. This didn’t seem like the same man her cousin had led her to believe had it out for her. Just what was he trying to prove?

“Did you send an assassin to kill me?” she blurted out.

If her question surprised him, he didn’t show it. “Of course not,” he said. “I sent for them to find you—for your grandfather’s sake. Your grandfather’s dying wish was that we find you.” He turned for the door, but turned back. “I have to say, though. Finding you has been the best thing that’s happened to him.” And he left out the front door.

Kat turned to stare at Kid. “I don’t know what to think,” she said.

Kid came up and put his arms around her. “I told you, I don’t think it was him.”

Kat gazed up at him. “I think I was right the first time,” she announced. “I think that the attempts on my life, in Cheyenne, had nothing at all to do with
anything
here.”

Kid kissed her lightly. “I think believing that could get you killed,” he said, letting her go. Then he, too, turned away and left the room.

Kat loved that about Kid. He’d no need to try to control her—or order her around. It wouldn’t have worked between them if he had. Hawk let Mandy do just about anything she wanted—but he still would get on her if he thought she’d put herself in any kind of danger. Kat couldn’t have stood for that.

She knew that men tended to want to protect their women—but Kid respected that she didn’t need a man to protect her. He treated her as if she were his equal. He knew she could handle herself, as well as any man could handle anything for her.

But Kid had just warned her that he didn’t think she was out of the woods yet. And Kat was no fool. She intended to heed that warning.

With that thought in mind—she went searching for her cousin.

Kid watched Kat head across the grounds to the livery stable. And he knew who she hunted. He hunkered down in the bushes to watch. Soon, Jake joined him.

“Good thing no one else around here can do that,” Kid told him. “You’re beginning to make me feel like an amateur.”

Jake actually smiled. “Well, don’t take it too hard, Kid. I’ve had a lot of years at tracking.”

Kid had a feeling Jake hadn’t said that to call him by name, but for the other reason. But Jake always ribbed him, and he knew he gave as good as he got. He turned to stare at the livery stable, instead.

“Now, she thinks her uncle’s the one who sent the men who tried to kill her,” he said.

Jake grunted. “And who are we watching?”

“That damn fool cousin of hers.”

“Which one?” Jake pinned him with a steely-gaze.

Kid glared at him. “Which one do you think?”

“Don’t trust him none, do ya?” Jake said.

Kid’s grunted this time.

Jake settled in for the wait. “Sure you don’t trust him, cause he has more of Kat’s attention right now than you do?”

Kid shifted, the only sign that Jake’s comment had hit the bulls-eye.

Jake sat there quietly for a long moment. “Why her uncle?” he finally asked. “He’s the only one that never crossed my mind,” he said.

Kid shrugged. “Cause he’s the only one old enough to carry a grudge this long.”

Jake eyed Kid through those steely-slits of his. “She thinks this goes back that far?”

Kid nodded. “Apparently, so does Liam.’

“Well, now,” Jake took out his blade and picked up a stone, “maybe she’s on to something,” he said.

Kid frowned. “What makes you think so?”

Jake shrugged. “Cause I don’t see her cousin having enough sense to put all this together.” He sat there quietly for a long moment more. “And I don’t think Liam had a damn thing to do with anything, but protecting her grandfather.”

Kid eyed him for a time. So long, Jake finally glanced up and gave him a hard look.

Kid shrugged. “You just might be on to something. But I don’t think it’s her uncle either.”

Jake frowned now. “Well, who does that leave, then?”

Kid shrugged. “Damned if I know. I’d think it was Ethan—but he doesn’t seem the type to plan something this elaborate—and like I said—I haven’t lived long enough to carry a grudge this long. Wish they’d just call one of us—out and get it out in the open. Hate all this sneaking around.”

Jake grinned. “Already miss the range wars?” he teased.

Kid couldn’t help but grin. “Well, at least a man knew who his enemies were,” he said.

Jake ran the blade over the stone again. “Can’t say I can argue with you there,” he said.

George caught up with Kat outside the dining room. For once, he didn’t have a gentle, or even a teasing, smile for her when she saw him. Kat frowned, watching him. The look on his face had her worried. When he looked at her, he actually scowled.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to alarm you. Especially now—when you have so much to watch out for. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

Kat reached out, touching his forearm, concerned. “Can I help?”

He started to shake his head, then seemed to think better of it. “I just haven’t seen grandfather, now, for three weeks. He’s been getting weak. I get that. I just don’t know why he’s not coming out of his room at all, now, though.”

Kat frowned at him. So she wasn’t the only one who thought that odd. What concerned her more, though, was that George also found that odd. That meant he found it out of the ordinary. Perhaps she needed to do some sneaking around, after all.

Kat turned toward the dining room.

“Wait…,” George said. “I tell you that I’m worried about him—and you just turn away?”

Kat turned to stare at him. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to come off so callous.” She hesitated. “I was just thinking—perhaps it’s time to find out
why
he never comes out of his room, that’s all.”

George seemed pleased by her answer. She didn’t blame him. He seemed completely non-violent. He wouldn’t like such confrontations, she guessed. He appeared to prefer to leave the goings-on of the manor to his older brother.

He probably wanted her to take a look around, she thought. She figured he might be relieved, to hear she would figure out why their grandfather stayed in his room all the time—of late.

When they were seated at the dining room table, George dug into the dinner with some gusto, and as Kat watched him, she resolved to put his mind at ease—tonight—if possible.

Perhaps she should break into her grandfather’s room, she thought. Maybe there was a tree near his room too. But as she contemplated this, she realized she had no basis for taking such a drastic action. Just the same, she took a walk after dinner—but found no luck, there, either. There were no trees that would take her anywhere near her grandfather’s window. She would just have to try to get in through the door.

As she stood there, gazing up, shielding her eyes, Kid walked up.

He looked at her—then gazed up. “Why don’t you just go through the door?” he asked, grinning.

She swatted him, laughing. “I don’t know,” she said, sobering. “But I’ll try tonight.”

He looked at her now. “Do you want me to come with you?”

She eyed him, thinking. Finally, she shook her head. “Not yet, but I’ll let you know if I can’t get in for some odd reason.”

He nodded, then pulled her into his arms—and then blended into the gathering shadows with her. A little while later, Kat entered the manor through the front door—and Kid waited for her, when she got to her room.