Sweet Savage Heart (65 page)

Clarissa knew she could not tell him the lie she had told her father, for then Travis would also believe Rana had a claim on the Caldwell holdings. Travis was right; it was a complicated and tangled mess. Maybe she should get rid of her father now and take what she could. Whatever happened, she was more than ready to get rid of Fargo, Wes, Silas, and Jackson, before one of them started trouble.

“Let me mull this over and I’ll see you in a few days. Since you don’t know anything about your papa’s business, keep a sharp eye and ear on him, and report anything suspicious to me.” With this, Travis mounted his horse and waved his farewell.

As Clarissa watched Travis ride off, she felt her anger mounting. She had said too much, and she knew he had lied to her in those faked telegrams and about his trip. Like her father, he wanted Rana, and he was only using her to get his way! She was growing weary of all these deceits and setbacks, and her passion for him was waning…

It was after everyone else had gone to bed for the night that Travis and Rana set into motion their plan to unblock the river. “First we steal the dynamite, then we blow it to hell,” Travis explained. “Let’s get our weapons ready,
micante;
this is going to be a long and busy night.” He smiled into her glowing eyes and caressed her cheek.

“I am happy you are taking me with you,” she murmured.

“I think you’ve proven you’re as good, if not better, than me,” he teased, then kissed her. “Sorry about last night. I was exhausted.”

Rana cuddled up to his firm body and ran her fingers up his back. “We will have many nights together when this foe is defeated.”

Travis’s passions were stirred by her touch and fragrance. He warned huskily, “If you don’t stop that, they’ll begin now.”

Rana laughed softly and reminded him, “We must take the weapon tonight, before he thinks to hide it. You told me it is the only way to clear the river. We must wait, but we wait together.”

“You’re so smart and clearheaded. I should put you in charge of this assignment.” He stroked her silky tresses and gazed at her.

“It is not so,
mihigna.
My heart beats as swiftly as the war drum, and my head spins at your nearness as if I had taken the peyote button. If you kiss me again, I fear all is lost for our raid,” she cautioned playfully, even though she knew her words were accurate.

“Let’s get moving, wife.” He gathered his bow and quiver and slung them over one shoulder. Then he checked his two knives and stuffed a rawhide strip into his pocket, for this was a night for silent weapons.

Dressed in concealing dark colors and with Rana’s flaming hair covered, they rode stealthily to within a mile of Harrison’s home. They dismounted and left their horses tethered, and continued gingerly on foot. Having heard from Rana about the place where Harrison was hiding the branding irons, Travis decided to look there first.

As silently and secretly as Apache warriors, they made their way to the barn. It was Saturday night and most of the hands were in town. After pointing out the area to Travis, Rana stood guard while he pried loose the boards.
He grinned as his gaze touched on the branding irons and five sticks of dynamite. He removed only the explosives, stuffed them into a cotton sack, then replaced the boards.

“Let’s go,” he murmured against her ear, indicating his success.

They cautiously retraced their steps and headed for the dam. Rana stayed with the horses while Travis checked the blockage and carefully placed the sticks of dynamite. Time seemed to pass so slowly in the darkness and she wondered what was taking him so long. Her nerves were on edge and she continually licked her dry lips and scanned the shadows for him.

Suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth and a strong arm banded her body, locking her arms to her sides; it was not Travis’s manly odor she detected and she froze.

A rough voice whispered in her ear, “Stay real quiet and still or I’ll slice your throat. We finally caught you, you little sneak. Where’s your partner? If you shout when I move my hand, you’re both dead. Understand?” he warned, shaking her roughly.

Rana knew she had to stall for time. She nodded, then remained motionless. The hand slowly moved from her mouth. She knew the danger of shouting a warning to Travis, so she held her silence until he asked again, “Where’s your partner? What’s he doing?”

“Looking at the dam,” she murmured softly, trying to disguise her feminine voice, forgetting her figure would give her away. She knew they could not sneak up on Travis with his keen instincts. What she had to do was entice one to go seek him; then she could battle the other one.

“Go find him and bring him over here,” the voice commanded.

“It’s probably Kincade. You go, Fargo, and let me guard this one,” the other man argued nervously, unintentionally revealing her captor’s identity.

Rana shuddered, for she knew that name. Hatred began to burn within her, and she silently vowed she would free herself and slay this man. Suddenly she was turned and shoved into the moonlight and her dark covering was yanked away. With surprise, she noted the effect of her appearance on the ugly brute.

“It can’t be you. You’re dead,” he scoffed as he trembled.

Rana realized he thought she was Marissa, and she used that fear and hesitation to her advantage. “I have returned to punish all who harm those I love. Go from this place or I will strike you dead.”

Fargo was pale and shaky. He stammered, “Don’t go… go blaming me f-for what I did. It was… MiMister Caldwell’s orders.”

“I will slay him, and I will slay you if you do not leave swiftly,” she threatened, raising her voice slightly in the hope that he wouldn’t notice but that Travis would be warned of their peril.

“Be quiet, girl,” the other man hissed. “I’ll go find her partner. Let’s git this done, and git off Crandall’s property. You know he’s been posting guards ever’ where, and that Kincade’s back.”

Fargo did not respond as he stared at Marissa’s image in the flickering moonlight. Unaware of Fargo’s involvement with Marissa, the other man frowned and slipped into the shadows to head for the dam, having been told by Harrison to check it every hour to make sure no one tried to tamper with it.

“Release me, dead man,” she ordered harshly, glaring at him.

Unwittingly, Fargo obeyed. Without warning or delay, Rana yanked her knife from her sheath and buried it deep within his chest. Stunned, Fargo gaped at the knife butt protruding from his chest, then stared at the woman before him. Rana stared back, her eyes cold as ice.

“It weren’t my fault,” he wailed, then collapsed at her feet.

“He is dead, Mother,” she whispered into the sultry night.

The other man leapt from the trees and grabbed her, striking her in the abdomen to disable her. Because of her years of Indian training, she took the blow without crying out in pain or surprise. Had she done otherwise, she might have drawn more attackers to the location, and a true warrior would never endanger his companions; he would suffer, or die, in protective silence.

The man was torn roughly from her by a leather thong around his throat. “You filthy bastard! Don’t you ever touch her!” Travis warned, snarling like a wild dog. As the terrified man struggled, Travis tightened the rawhide rope until the man was dead.

He dropped the man’s body to the ground, then reached for his beloved. “Are you hurt, Rana?” he asked worriedly.

She smiled and shook her head. “I knew we could conquer them,” she stated confidently.

Travis glanced at Fargo’s body and said quietly, “I see you got him.” He was very much aware that even if one killed a man out of necessity, it was never easy, and he wondered what Rana was feeling.

She looked into his eyes and said mysteriously, “He is an old enemy. It was my right and duty to slay him. I will speak of it later.”

Travis dragged the bodies into the dry river bed. “That storm has the river begging this dam for release. When she goes, she should take those bodies a long way off. You go back to the house like we planned. I’ll send their horses running and cover our tracks. I’ll give you twenty minutes, then I’ll light the charges and get there as quickly as I can. We need to be seen there after the explosion.”

“Be careful, my love,” she told him as they embraced.

“You be careful, too. There might be other varmints around.”

Rana quickly made her way home and slipped into the stable to return the horses to their stalls. They had ridden bareback to save time and to avoid the noise of squeaking leather saddles. Nathan had made it easy for them to move about the ranch by posting guards in places that allowed them to go and return unseen.

When she entered the house, Nathan seized her and hugged her to him. “How did it go? Are you all right?” he asked breathlessly.

“All is good… Grandfather. We must be ready to act.” She hurriedly changed her clothes and awaited the blast, which would be heard and felt this distance away as well as on the adjoining ranch.

When it occurred, Harrison Caldwell was on his way home from town, from working off his frustrations in the Silver Shadow Saloon. He knew that if he raced to Nathan’s house, he could see the guilty party returning to report. He clicked his reins roughly across his animal’s shoulders and prodded him forcefully with the stirrups.

He sped to Nathan’s stable, where hands were saddling horses and preparing to investigate the new blast. Nathan and Rana ran from the house toward the corral, and Travis was right behind them, buckling on his gun belt, his hair mussed from what seemed a recent arousal from sleep. They were all scurrying around like they were as surprised and puzzled as he was! If it hadn’t been Travis, then who…?

“What in tarnation are you doing here?” Nathan demanded.

“I was coming back from town and heard the explosion. I rode over to see what was happening.” Harrison’s eyes quickly went to Rana, and he smiled tenderly. “You all right, Rana?” he asked in a strange tone.

She looked at him with an inquisitive expression, then nodded. Turning away, she mounted and rode off between Nathan and Travis. As they galloped to the river, she suddenly realized why he had looked at her that way: obviously Clarissa had told him she was his child to keep him from marrying her! Would that woman do and say anything to get her way? she wondered. Stranger still, she mused, he had looked pleased!

At the river, everyone saw what had happened; the dam had been blasted away and the water was flowing rapidly and freely. Nathan twisted in his saddle to sneer at Harrison. “Looks like I have me a secret helper. Unless this is some new trick of yours, Harry. What’s the matter, afraid you’ll ruin the property you’re trying to steal? You might as well give up, because I’m not leaving my land.”

“Relax, Nate. I had nothing to do with this. But if I were you, I would find out who’s responsible and learn why he’s helping you. He might want your ranch more than I do.” Harrison tipped his hat, then rode off. Something odd was going on, and he aimed to discover what it was and who was behind it. First, he would talk with Clarissa!

Nathan looked at Mace and suggested, “See if you can round up enough boys to move the herds near the streams. They should fill up fast. Tell ‘em I’ll pay ‘em extra for working tonight. Things are looking sunny again,” he stated, then laughed cheerfully.

Rana nestled against Travis’s body and sighed peacefully, but as she recalled what she had to tell him, she stiffened slightly. Aware of her change in mood, Travis inquired softly, “What’s wrong,
micante?”

Rana told him about her mother’s letter and what she
had remembered that enabled her to find it. She also told him what she suspected Clarissa had told Harrison about her. “The truth must be kept secret forever or it will hurt Grandfather deeply. I can never call him father. Do you understand and agree?”

Travis tightened his embrace and murmured, “Yes, my love, I understand and agree. But there’s something I need to tell you, something your mother didn’t learn before she died and Nathan still doesn’t know: Marissa did not sleep and mate with her father; Nathan was not her father.” He explained what he knew and how he knew it, allowing the entire mystery to unravel. “Marissa did what she did because she believed she had committed a terrible sin with her father. If she had learned that Nathan wasn’t her father, things might have been different.”

Rana cried softly as she told him why she had slain Fargo. “He believed I was Mother and that it was she who slayed him. It was my revenge. Now, I must slay Harrison for what he did to her.”

“Let me handle him, love. Once he learns he’s been duped, he’ll be more dangerous than ever. We’ll get the evidence on him and he’ll be punished. If we kill him, we’ll lose with him. We have to do this legally, love— under the white man’s law,” he clarified.

Rana’s lips touched his, for she wanted him, not more talk. It was nearing dawn and they had so little time left together, and both were very much aware that it had been weeks since they had joined their bodies and spirits. Their hungers raged, yet neither wanted to rush these precious moments.

Travis eased off her gown and gently kissed each breast tip before drifting up to ravenously devour her parted lips. Between kisses, she murmured, “It is good to have you with me again. I am lost without you.” Feverishly
she sealed her mouth to his.

The palm of his hand moved over her breast in a circular motion, stimulating it delightfully. Then he shifted to sear her quivering flesh with fiery kisses and burning caresses. His mouth explored and tasted her sweet desire and heady surrender. Aware of her unbridled passion, he labored lovingly and eagerly with lips and hands to arouse her to the highest peak before joining their bodies.

Her arms went around him and her hands drifted up and down his back, feeling the hardness and suppleness of his muscles and skin. He had set her entire body tingling and smoldering from his stirring actions. He tantalized and pleasured her from head to foot. Her body was aflame with need and scorching desire. Travis was controlling her, stimulating her to the center of her being. He whispered words into her ear that, coupled with his warm breath, caused her heart to race and her senses to soar like an eagle in flight. Each place he touched with lips or hands was highly susceptible to his skills, and he brought every inch of her to awareness and fiery life.