Dark Warrior: To Tame a Wild Hawk (Dark Cloth) (19 page)

She dressed and went out the door in a flash and ran right into Jake.

He took one look at her split riding-skirt and shook his head. “I’m supposed to make sure you stay right here.”

“Then you’ll have to bind and gag me to do it,” she snapped, “because I’m going back, like it or not.”

She marched to the barn and grabbed a brush. Giving her horse a quick once over, she saddled and bridled her. Mounting up, she rode out.

Jake was right behind her. “Damn woman,” he muttered, “nothing but a pest.”

Early the next afternoon, Mandy and Jake rode back into camp. Mandy didn’t feel so brave now that the moment to face Hawk lay before her. In fact, she felt all queasy just thinking about it.

When Hawk spotted her, he walked dead up to her horse, grabbing her reins. “What the hell is she doing here?” Hawk spoke to Jake, but his eyes pierced her to the spot.

Jake shrugged. “You try to stop her when she’s made up her mind.”

Disgusted, Hawk walked away.

“Just like that,” Mandy muttered under her breath. “He walks away.” She slid off her mare and ran after him. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him to a stop. “I have to talk to you.”

Hawk turned, his eyes narrowing. “You came all the way back here to talk to me?”

“I had to,” her eyes pleaded. “I had to apologize. I didn’t mean what I said when I left,” she hesitated, her voice soft, “please forgive me.”

But Hawk’s eyes were already soft. “He was killed under my command.”

“Hawk. When a warrior is killed in battle, are the others to blame?”

Hawk’s jaw pumped furiously. He’d been hurt when he’d thought she blamed him. He relaxed under her hand, and she smiled. He gathered her into his arms and kissed her long and hard—until Jake’s growl drove them apart.

“Get back to work,” he told the two of them.

Hawk grinned and gave the men, and Kat, their positions. “Mandy, ride with me.”

“Hawk,” Mandy said when everyone was out of earshot, “I missed you.”

He looked over at her, his eyes full of sensual warmth. “I missed you, too.”

She sobered when she remembered what else she’d come to tell him. “And Hawk?” She shivered, thinking about it.

He frowned at her. “What?”

“McCandle’s man, he’s successfully blocked the
Grandmothers—
completely.”

Hawk turned his back at this news, every line in his body rigid. He knew what Mandy knew. Blocking the
Grandmothers
could only mean one thing. They’d had an idea, but this was beyond anything they’d imagined.

Power like that could only come . . .
from across the veil.

Charlie, riding in hard, brought them all up short. “It’s Pete!” he yelled. “McCandle’s men threw a rope around him and drug him.”

“How bad is he?” Hawk asked, leaping into the saddle.

“He’s bad.” Charlie shook his head.

They rode out, hell bent for leather. When they arrived, Mandy took one look at Pete and turned away, hiding her tears before dismounting to help him.

“We’re going to get him for you, Pete, I swear it,” she whispered to him.

“Rig a travois,” Hawk ordered. Jake and Kid whirled their horses around, riding out after the poles.

Mandy and Kat made Pete as comfortable as possible. By the time the poles arrived, they had him set. They grabbed some blankets, deftly rigging the travois within minutes, and the boys carefully picked him up and laid him on it.

“Kid,” Hawk growled. “You and Chuck take him to Doc’s.” His jaw ticked as he watched them ride away. Turning abruptly on his heel, he mounted up.

“I’ll be back,” was all he said by way of explanation.

He rode away.

Mandy turned to Jake. “What’s he going to do?” When he didn’t answer, she grabbed his arm, trying her best to shake him. “
What’s he going to do
?”

His steel-gray eyes narrowed on her, and she let go of his arm. “Don’t worry, ma’am. He’s just taking some time for himself. I believe you call it blowing off steam.”

Mandy worried her lower lip. “You’re sure.” Her brow furrowed. “He wouldn’t take McCandle on himself, would he?”

“No, ma’am, I’m not sure of anything right now.” He tipped his hat and mounted up. “Let’s ride.”

Mandy rode with Charlie and Jake the rest of the day. By nightfall, she’d worried herself into a frenzy. If Hawk went after Ashley alone, he might be dead right now. What if he was hurt and needed help?

When Hawk finally walked into the firelight late that night, her heart leaped up into her throat at the sight of him. It felt amazing just to gaze at him.

He looked down at her, the firelight reflecting the red in her hair—which only came through with the light. His gaze moved over her and came back to her eyes. His own lit in sensual warmth. He held his arms open and without hesitation, she stood and went into them.

The hands hooted, and she laughed.

“I’m going to take her home, Jake,” Hawk said without turning.

Mandy leaned back in his arms. “What? Hawk, no.”

“I’m taking you home. I’ll not have you killed.”

She frowned at him. It felt good to have him pamper her. But it wasn’t necessary. “I’m a good hand, Hawk. Let me work.”

“Someone needs to be watching the ranch, Mandy. And that’s going to be us.”

Mandy relaxed and nodded.

“Kat.”

“Yeah.” She strode forward.

“You come, too.”

She scowled.

Hawk turned, and his eyes narrowed on her. “You’re coming with us. I need good hands at the ranch. Not everyone can be out here.” He adjusted his Stetson. “He’s hit here. He’ll be after the ranch next.”

Kat nodded. “I reckon that’ll be all right, then.”

“We’ll go at first light.”

Hawk was waiting when McCandle tried to hit the ranch.

Despite Mandy’s protest, he went out alone. And when she heard a hideous scream, she knew that he’d gone to fight as a warrior.

It was then she realized Kat was missing.

She couldn’t stand it. Grabbing her Colts, she slipped out the back.

She saw Kat grapple with a man near the barn, and Mandy saw something Kat didn’t see—the rifle trained on Kat’s back.

The man never knew what hit him.

Kat was locked in a battle for her life. She flung her knife, hitting the man square in the chest. He fell, looking at the knife in surprise. She looked over and saw the man lying on the ground behind her—and grinned at Mandy.

“One up on ya,” Mandy smiled.

Together they went looking for Hawk. When he came walking around the bunk-house, Mandy jumped.

He strode towards them, dressed in nothing but a loin cloth. War paint streaked his face and body. His eyes glittered with menace. Without a word, he went to the well. Rolling up a bucket of water, he dumped its contents over his face and head. Throwing his head back, he sent rivulets of water streaming down his muscular back.

She walked forward and touched his arm. He tensed for a moment, then slowly relaxed.

When he finally turned to her, the killing fury in his eyes was gone.

He drank her in, her softness and her beauty. And suddenly, he knew what he was fighting for. Everything—past, present, and now, future—came down to this. This was the moment that defined his existence.

He wasn’t fighting for himself anymore. He wasn’t fighting for the past. He was fighting for them and any future they could have together. Their future, and the future of their children, was the only thing that mattered.

“You could have been killed,” he growled.

“You could have, too,” Mandy countered.

“She saved my life,” Kat threw in.

Hawk glowered at her. Finally he relented. “Then I guess it’s a good thing.”

“Hell, yes, it’s a good thing. I happen to like liv’n.”

Hawk grinned, his even, white teeth flashing in the darkening night.

Kat playfully punched him in the arm.

Hawk rubbed his shoulder, laughing, and held up his hand before she could do him further damage. He sobered, then. “We’ve put a good dent in McCandle’s men. I think he’ll ease up some now.”

Mandy sighed, kicking at a clod of dirt. “I hope so. He’s been relentless.”

“I need some coffee,” Hawk growled. He put an arm around Mandy. Together, the three of them walked back to the house.

“We’ll keep a few men on the calves,” he told them when he had a cup of the hot, steaming brew in hand. “But I’m not keeping every man out there from here on out.”

Mandy nodded. “What do you think he’ll do now?”

“He’s furious.” Hawk took a deep swallow of the hot brew. “I think he’ll hire a gun.”

That night, Hawk took a watch, intending to be out there for most of the night. Mandy quickly realized that she wasn’t going to get too many more opportunities like this one to find the combination to Ashley’s safe—what with Hawk always watching over her so carefully and all. She also needed to see her childhood friend. So it was now or never. She might only get one or two more chances and she had a feeling that everything hung on her success in getting into McCandle’s safe.

She slipped out of the house and down the backstairs. She entered Ashley’s house forty-five minutes later and searched for nearly an hour for the combination.

Finding nothing, she left the house disappointed again, and rode to meet her cohort.

She whistled softly when she reached his cabin, and he joined her minutes later.

“Anything new?” she questioned.

He grunted. “Just the usual. We’ve been taking the cattle down to the Platte now.”

She hugged him. “Be careful.”

She thought about telling him about Hawk, but knew he would be angry about the latest events. And Mandy knew Hawk could handle things just fine without involving a half-blooded Cheyenne warrior, who thought and acted as his mother’s people. Her friend would wage a bloody war for what Ashley had done. And get himself hung in the process.

Hawk was waiting for her, leaning against a decorative table with his arms folded, when she returned. Mandy jumped when she saw him waiting there in the dark. “Hawk?” She placed her hand over her chest. “You scared me.”

“I’m going to do a hell of a lot more than that if you don’t give me a good explanation for where you’ve been tonight.”

Mandy slid sideways towards her room, feeling the furniture beneath her fingers as she moved.

He cut her off.

“I was walking?” she tried.

“I would suggest," he said in a tone that held a quiet, deadly inflection, "that you do better than
that.”

Mandy looked into his glittering eyes and sighed. “I missed my father,” she told him, hating herself for lying. “So I walked to his favorite spot on the hill.”

Hawk scowled, and Mandy slipped by him and up the stairs. He growled under his breath and let out a sigh of exasperation, watching her go. She was up to something, but he’d be damned if he knew what it was. He went out to the barn and placed his hand on her mare’s neck and swore viciously under his breath. She was too warm for supposedly having spent half the night in her stall. He picked up her saddle blanket and let out another expletive. It was damp—and warm. Mandy had been out riding. But where had she gone?

And whom had she gone out to see?

The next time she rode out, he intended to be right behind her. Then he’d have some answers.

Mandy paced her room. He was on to her. What was she to do now? How did she warn White Wolf? She kicked at the blankets draped over her bed, then yelped and jumped up and down, holding her foot. Sitting down, she examined her hurt foot.

“Mandy, I’m coming in,” was all the warning she got before the door swung open.

“Do you knock?” Her voice was sarcastic.

“No,” was his only answer. He crossed the room and sat down beside her. Reaching for her foot, he set it in his lap, massaging her bruised toes. “What did you do?”

She scowled. “I kicked the bed post.”

Hawk grinned at her. “Giving in to that temper of yours again?”

Mandy’s eyes snapped, and she tried to yank her foot back. But Hawk easily stopped her, his fingers traveling up her ankle. Her eyes flew wide, and she watched with a helpless little “O” on her beautiful mouth as his hand moved up her calf. Her eyes slid up, colliding with his golden, smoldering ones, and she thought she’d go up in smoke. She gave a breathless little pant, and it was Hawk’s turn to lose it.

With a growl, he climbed slowly up her body until his lips were a breath from her own. “Lady, you set my blood on fire.”

His kissed her deeply.

“What makes you think we’re going to do
that
anymore?” Mandy teased, between soul-shattering kisses. “We can’t get it annulled now . . . .”

Hawk cut her off with a deep plundering of her sweet mouth, his hand brushing the underside of her breast, before coming up to cup it.

“Mandy?” Aunt Lydia yelled from the doorway.

“You,” she shook her finger at Hawk, “have a problem at the barn. And, for heaven’s sake, you should close the door.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Hawk stood up, holding his hands up in mock innocence and, with a definite swagger, made his way to the door. He turned just before he went out and gave Mandy a look of clear intent. Then he was gone.

Mandy giggled breathlessly. “You enjoyed that, didn’t you?” she accused.

Aunt Lydia smiled, then gave a girlish giggle of her own. “I will admit. It was kind of fun.” She harrumphed. “Serves him right.”

“Aunt Lydia!” Mandy laughed, blushing.

“Well.” The older woman gave a look of innocence. “It does. Besides, I wasn’t sure you didn’t need help, since I overheard your conversation down in the foyer and knew he’d caught you in one of your nightly outings.” She raised a brow at Mandy, as dawning broke in the younger woman’s eyes. “Did you think I didn’t notice that you were missing from your bed every week?”

Mandy’s mouth dropped open. “How long have you known?”

“Several weeks.” Her Aunt Lydia shook a finger at her. “How much did he figure out?”

Mandy’s shoulders dropped. “I don’t know. And if you’ve noticed, he’s sure to figure me out.”

“Then you better stop, child.”

Mandy frowned and shook her head. “I can’t, Aunt Lydia. Not quite yet.”

In the parlor, Hawk poured himself a drink. “Damnation!” he muttered.

“Women trouble?”

Hawk rounded, pistol in hand.

Jake’s grin was full of glee, coming from his comfortable seat on the chair in the corner. “One up on you, old man.”

“Damnation,” Hawk growled again, “she’s making me soft.”

“She’s not making you soft,” Jake scowled. “You’re doing that all on your own because you can’t get her off your mind. Do us all a favor, will ya? Put yourself out of your misery. Hurry up and admit the truth to her before you get us all killed.”

Hawk’s cold, green eyes raked his friend. “This, from a man who gets his nose bent out of joint every time he sees me kiss the lady. When she learns the truth, I’m done for. She’ll hate me.” He ground his glass down on the counter. “What the hell are you doing here, anyway?” He raked Jake with a cold stare.

Jake shrugged, placed his drink on the small table beside him, and stood up. “Just figured you were right about McCandle hitting here next. Looks as though I missed the show.” Picking up his Stetson, he placed it on his head. “She’s good for you, old man.”

“Yeah, well,” Hawk tossed back his drink, his teeth pulled back when he swallowed, “you just wait.”

Jake grunted, and they left the house.

Chapter Twenty-One

M
andy slipped out of the house three nights later. She saddled her horse with practiced efficiency and walked her down the lane. When it was safe, she put a dark hood over her hair and tied a dark bandana around her neck for when she got to McCandle’s place. She was about to mount up when she heard a lone horse behind her. Her heart took off, thundering in her ribcage. She’d been caught! What to do now? She almost sagged with relief when she recognized Kat. “You scared ten years off my life,” she said in low tones.

Kat’s feline eyes shone, even in the moonlight. “I don’t know what you’re up to,” she tossed her curly, golden mane behind her shoulders, “but I want in on it.”