Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) (58 page)

“
You gonna cry?” His
concern was so pure and innocent, Sonja had to suck in air and hold
it before she broke down and sobbed right there on the seat. Such a
thing would never do, she mused and stiffened to sit straight as a
rod on the wooden buckboard, swaying gently with the team’s
progress.

“
No, Sony’s not gonna cry.
Don’t you worry, son. I got some dust in my eyes, that’s
all.”

Her fib fooled the child and he
settled back against the plank backrest, nodding in understanding.
“Good. Maw says we shouldn’t make you cry ‘cause that would hurt
you and we don’t want you to hurt, Aunt Sony.”

Listening to the small boy’s words,
Sonja realized she’d been insensitive to the feelings of those
around her. Her sister and the boys could be in danger at any
moment because of her. The bloodsuckers would do whatever it took
to get to her. She wasn’t a fool. Like Sonja, Briann was also
uprooted by the discovery of vampires among the Union army’s rank
and file. The fact Briann warned the children to be considerate of
her feelings sent a pang of guilt straight through her heart. How
stupid, she’d been feeling sorry for herself when others depending
on her for their safety. Neither did she have time for wallowing in
self-pity over the lieutenant. He was a grown man and capable of
controlling himself, wasn’t he? He’d better be! Her cheeks flamed
at the idea of another woman working her wiles on him and Ty
succumbing to her charms in a moment of weakness. The sun must be
getting warmer. She perspired in the noonday heat.

The smallest hand tugged at her
shirtwaist sleeve continued to apply pressure to the material. When
had Ethan become so strong?

“
Aunt Sony, are you
listening?”

“
Sorry, Ethan. What did you
say?” Sonja wasn’t sure if she was overcome with the heat or a
surge of wolf blood made her woozy but she slowed her team, hoping
the sensation would pass.

Ethan’s insistent voice droned on in
her ears.

“
I said General Stewart
came by last night to check on us.”

It was hard to hear him over the
roaring in her head. The wagon hit a hole, causing Sonja to lurch
sideways almost unseating her. Managing to return to the present,
she whispered an Indian prayer Ty had taught her. Up ahead she
spotted the wagon master ambling along. Stars danced around the
corners of her vision. It wouldn’t do for him to see her having
difficulty. “Briann?” The scrape of leather on wood from the back
of the wagon announced her sister’s arrival. Soon Briann appeared
in the opening of the canvas cover.

“
Woah, girl. Easy…” Sonja
pulled hard on the reins and slapped with the whip to remind Daisy
what her place in the team meant. Pulling harder on the reins,
Sonja was finally able to calm the mule before Daisy caused the
whole team to act up. “Would you take the reins for a bit? I’m
seeing spots and my face feels flush.”

Bryan checked her temple for a fever.
“Of course, sweetie. You do seem clammy. Have you forgotten to
drink enough water? You know what Hortence said about getting
fluids down after a change. It’s only been a week since the full
moon.”

“
Yes, yes, I’m drinking
enough water. You’re worse than a mother hen always clucking around
me. Seems you’d remember who’s the oldest here.” Cocking a brow at
Briann, Sonja turned to slide back to the relatively cool interior
of the wagon. What she wouldn’t give for a little sleep, she mused.
Since leaving Pennsylvania, there’d been one thing after another.
What with watching out for vampires, keeping a low profile and
yearning for the arms of the lieutenant around her in the wee hours
of the night, she was a mess. Being the oldest, the duty to look
after the other members of her family fell to her. Another search
for Ty left her disappointed. In the distance, she spotted a small
cloud of dust. It must be him leaving to do whatever scouts did on
a trail.

“
Here, let me switch places
with you. I’ll drive while you lie down.”

Sonja mumbled her thanks and fell into
the comfort of the cot. Little Ethan stood watching her as he held
tight to the side. The wagon’s sway lulled her into sleep despite
her better effort to stay awake.

***

Ty allowed the horse to have his head.
Brooding, he’d been told did a man no good. His older brother, John
brooded. There must be some family gene for brooding in the Loflin
clan. His thoughts turned to the Sonja. Her cool attitude toward
him did a good job of keeping him up. He hadn’t slept well since he
left the wagon train. Dreams about her body wreaked havoc with his
control. He was a realist. Most of the incidents since he’d met
Sonja were grounded in magic and fantasy.

His recent task proved a challenge.
The widow St. John was an heiress from New Orleans. Damn Smoltz to
hell and back for ordering him to ride with her. All he could think
of was Sonja. No good would come of such thoughts. Sure, during the
day, he could scout and keep his distance, but at night, things
could get out of hand.

Shoving his Stetson down further on
his head, Ty jerked his mind back before sliding boneless from
Soldier’s back. He gave the horse’s nose a rub as he eyed Sonja’s
wagon. He should go straight over to Smitty’s cook wagon. Then his
keen eyes found her.

Sonja stepped from the other side of
her wagon with a linen towel slung over her shoulders. Her
shirtwaist opened and revealed the creamy swell of her breasts
above her chemise. Ty could tell she wore no corset. The slender
shape was all hers. Totally ignoring his sensible side, Ty could
only stare as she came around the wagon and sat down next to the
small fire she’d built in the grate. With her arms above her head,
the linen wrap fell away from her hair.

Her long hair fell to her waist. She
worked the towel down the length of the glossy mane to her waist.
Long, agile fingers smoothed out any tangles before she picked up a
large comb and ran it through the silky locks.

Ty’d been standing in the same spot
for some time. He should make himself known, but something
prevented him from doing so.

She hummed quietly to herself. The
firelight played over her skin giving it the glow of warm
cream.

His fingers tingled. Her hands stroked
down the length of her hair in the soft firelight. Imagining what
those fingers would feel like on his skin, made Ty snap back to his
senses. He coughed.

Sonja jumped and turned. Her
expression full of surprise and irritation showed plainly on her
face. “What are you doing?” she asked curtly. Standing, she fisted
her hands on her hips, which caused her bodice to open wider.
Apparently, she’d forgotten about her open shirtwaist. Only the
thin cotton of her chemise covered the crests of her
breasts.

“
I got back from the
trail,” Ty explained. A trickle of sweat began to run down his
backbone. The sensation mixed with the confusion in his brain
prompted his throwing of the question back at her. “What are you
doing?” Ty asked in a sharp tone as he shoved his hands into his
pockets.

Sonja’s first reaction was more or
less, what Ty expected. “It’s none of your business.” Her nose
tilted upward. “But if you must know, I was washing my hair in some
of the rain water.”

Ty glared at her and winced inwardly
as she trailed those long, agile fingers down the sagging sleeve of
her dress, effectively pulling it further down and increasing the
view. He’d died and gone to heaven.

A quick glance and in the direction of
his gaze and Sonja quickly turned away as she worked at the buttons
of her shirtfront.

Ty could see her color deepen in the
glow surrounding the fire. “Got any coffee?” he asked, rather
innately.

Sonja flicked her gaze up at him
before using her chin in pointing at the pot sitting on the grate.
“It’s not too old,” she murmured. “And don’t sneak up on me like
that again.” She punctuated her statement by whirling and flouncing
away.

“
Yes,
ma’am.” Ty tipped his hat to her retreating form before stooping to
pick up the pot. The first sip tasted bitter in his mouth. With a
jerk of his wrist, coffee went sailing into the air and the cup
settled not far behind.
Damn the situation
to hell and back!
He didn’t need these
feelings churning inside him. He’d go see Smitty and maybe he’d
have a bowl of something to put in his belly.

***

Smoltz rested on his saddle and stared
into the fire. “Don’t worry. I’ve already heard what happened.” He
eyed Ty as he walked up. Blowing a stream of cigar smoke high into
the night air, he watched it rise.

“
The
filthy son-of-a-bitch was sniffing’ around her skirts like a
rancher checking a brood mare. I wasn’t gonna let him get his hands
on her. And you can forget telling me, it’s none of my business,
‘cause
you’re
the
one who made it my business.” Ty’s eyes fired with the temper
flowing through him.

“
Easy, Ty. Settle down. I’m
not gonna come down on you because you took care of some horny
farmer who figured he’d come across easy pickens’.”

Not saying anything, Ty simply
stared.

“
Nelson’s already been by.”
Smoltz sank his teeth into the cigar butt and blew out a stream of
fragrant air. “What I am gonna say to you is watch your back. Now
that Nelson has it in for you, he won’t let it go.”

“
He was messin’ where he
had no business and I explained that to him in a language he could
understand. That’s all.”

“
Then what?” Smoltz eyes
squinted into the smoke that wreathed Ty’s face.

“
Then…then we…then I stayed
for supper. Mrs. Brooks invited me.” Feeling like he’d stepped in
it, Ty shoved his hands in his pockets.

“
Are you sure you know what
you’re doing?” Smoltz glanced up from the fire.

“
And what is it I’m doing,
huh? What am I’m doing? You ordered me to do this. You ordered me
to watch her and widow St. John. Here it is. You created this mess,
Earl.”

Smoltz nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I
guess you’re right about that. The good preacher was by here and
said the same thing.” He shifted his bulk and stood. “He says I’m
breeding iniquity— whatever the hell that is. Sonja Brooks is your
woman, I know that and I know too that neither of them, Mrs. Brooks
or the Widow St John, are able to stand off an Indian attack alone.
From what you’ve brought back these past few days, we’re headed for
an attack.” He lowered his head. “Seems to me, we’ve got about a
two day trek through the Cherokee nation before we can get to the
Mississippi. I’m doing what I think’s right here, that’s
all.”

Ty considered the wagon master’s
words. He waited a beat before asking, “Why me?”

Smoltz sent him a quizzical
look.

“
I’ve got several able
bodied men with me from my unit. Any of them could watch the St.
John wagon. Why me?” Smoltz chuckled. “She asked for you in
particular.” Waving a hand he continued, “I know what you’re gonna
say, but if she was after somebody, you’re the only one I could
count on not to let her have her way with you. You’re
taken.”

When Ty’s brow furrowed, Smoltz went
on to explain. “Besides, keeps the preacher off my back about my
men dallying with the widows was worth your mad.”

Ty flung out an arm and shook his head
in disgust.

Smoltz
chuckled dryly before hocking and spitting into the flames. “Son,
here’s another thing, you’re the best damn scout I’ve ever had
and
that’s
why I
got you watchin’ them. Now, get some damn shut-eye and be ready to
find out what’s ahead of us tomorrow. All right?”

***

Listening to Smitty snore, Ty
considered the things Smoltz had said. He’d had no idea.

Lying there with his Stetson over his
face, Ty let his mind relax.

The braying of a mule brought him
fully awake. Blinking and knuckling his eyes, Ty searched the wagon
for the sound. When no mule appeared, Ty scrambled up and tugged on
his pants. With his rifle in hand, Ty slid from the back of the
wagon and landed with a barefooted thud on the cold
ground.

It was late and the moon was
nonexistent. The mule continued to bray while somebody hissed and
groaned aloud.

Squinting into the dimly lit ground
around the wagons, Ty attempted to course the sounds. A scream
settled the dilemma as Sonja’s call for help came to him over the
mule’s balking.

Growls, yelps, then a gunshot, and
Ty’s heart stopped for an instant. Racing toward the sound, Ty
could see Sonja struggling with a hairy beast standing on its
hind-legs. The beast fought with Sonja over a gun - no the mule’s
line. Hell, Ty couldn’t make out what.

Nearing the struggle, Ty got a whiff
of the hairy beast. The wolf sprang to the defense. Ty’s bones
started to shift. He had to regain control – focus!

The attacker stood on two legs –
human? His back was covered in fur – Werewolf? The stench coming
from him was strong, like rotting flesh – vampire? A closure look
revealed a man, though hairy and filthy, still a man struggling
with Sonja. Her eyes bore their werewolf gold. Ty had to get to her
and stop the change before both of them became Likens and took care
of this trapper without delay.