“You are the first good sign for our people in a long time. We have been plagued with so much death, sickness, and hunger. It will give our people hope and the elders something else to create stories to speak of,” the one brother Black Wolf said.
Coyote moaned and glanced behind them. “It would seem your people are not the only ones that will be joining us.” Coyote stepped away from his woman’s family, meeting his.
His father and brothers in front of the mother and sisters. “You have found your woman but have need for us?” his father asked.
He smiled, knowing his father and brothers loved to hunt together. “I would be honored to have my brothers and father along for the hunt tonight, and maybe Mother could share some of her healing gifts?”
“Of course, now move out of the way so I can join the other ladies while you men do your strutting stuff,” his mother said, carrying a large pan of food with her.
“Woman, I do not strut,” his father grumbled, watching as his mother laughed, moving behind the house with the children.
Coyote turned. “Come, I will introduce you to my Dibe’s father and brothers.”
For the next ten minutes, he and his father learned what had been going on with the people of the Navajo. It was when Dibe joined them, telling them that food was ready, he realized that he would be making his home here, among her people. Helping them as she and her family had been doing over the years.
His father placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “You have chosen wisely. I even believe the winds agree,” Createan, his father, said as the winds seemed to circle around them.
“Little lamb, this is my father and my brothers. I believe you have met my mother and sisters?” he asked.
“Yes, and your mom is amazing. She helped Grams with her arthritis. Gram is smiling from ear to ear. I have to say, your family is amazing,” Dibe said, taking his hand.
His father leaned over and placed a kiss on Dibe’s cheek. “Welcome to the family, daughter.”
Dibe went to step back, but he held onto her hand. “I’m not family yet,” she said.
“Oh, but you are. Once a man meets and touches his mate, the imprinting and bonding of the souls start. Where one is, the other is close behind. I should go check on your mother. If I leave her too long, she has a habit of tiring herself out.”
Dibe frowned, guiding them toward the back of the house “So, you really are something different?”
“Yes, but not to worry, my little lamb, we have plenty of time for me to show you. Come, I want some of the food you made for me,” he said, again kissing her hand, needing to hold on to her.
He looked to the east and snarled. Knowing these men had targeted his woman, watching her. Coyote would take great pleasure in the hunt tonight.
***
Dibe sat back and watched the last of the elders thanking Coyote for coming to help them. So many of them looking up at his man like he was some kind of god.
Sure, Dibe knew he was special, but could he really do so much to help their people who were in bad shape, just barely hanging on? Drugs, racism, the fact that half of their people had no running water, starvation, medical issues, the government always trying to steal from them, and not to mention the fact that many Native American children and women had gone missing.
She got up and started to clean up, throwing trash away. One thing was for sure, her family would never give up trying to help their people, but it would be nice to have someone that would be standing beside her, helping.
“Hey, you go rescue your man. Go for a walk. The stars are bright tonight,” her momma said, taking the bag from her hand. Her mother placed her hand on her arm and squeezed it. “You do believe he is yours?”
Peeking over her shoulder, Dibe’s gaze met his. It was if he had heard her mother’s question and was waiting for her response. “Yes, Momma,” she closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. “But you have to admit, even for our family, this is a bit out there.”
Her mother laughed and pulled her into a hug. “You know I said the same thing to my momma when your father showed up at our door.” She released her and stepped back as her father came up and joined them. “But I never regretted it for a minute. He’s my rock, and now, you will have the same thing. You balance your man out as I do for your father. A complete circle of life.”
Large arms wrapped around her from behind. “Are you ready for that walk?” Coyote asked.
“Is it safe to go walking around at night?” she asked, leaning back against him and knowing she’d always be safe in his arms.
“My family is around. They didn’t leave just yet.” He guided her away from the house, down the long drive toward the west. “Your family is amazing, and so are your people for what they have gone through.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head before pulling her in front of him and cupping her cheeks.
“My family will do everything they can to help bring some kind of peace to your people. They have faced many challenges, but together, we will get through this,” he whispered against her lips right before covering them and sliding his tongue inside her mouth.
It was as if lightning lit up the sky as he kissed her. She slid her arms around him, grabbing onto the shirt he wore. He tasted of something wild and a hint of something sweet.
He slowly lifted his head, staring down at her. “There was no hope in this heart of mine, no vision as most men have. But now, here, standing with you in my arms, there are so many things I see clearly, what I didn’t before. Your mother was right, we are becoming our own force of life. I will be your rock, love you as if you were the sun, and protect you, our family in this life and the next.”
She smiled, standing on her tippy toes, placing a kiss on his chin. “Are you saying some kind of vows, my man,” she teased.
He smiled, and Dibe knew she was lost. His eyes lit up the night around them, and she swore he had to be one of the most handsome men she had seen. “Damn, are you powerful,” she muttered, and he laughed, turning her around to continue their walk.
“Yes, they are my vows to you, my little lamb, and I take them to heart. Nothing, no matter what anyone says or does, will ever push me away from you. Where many men on this Earth choose to have other women, I choose you, only you. You are my center.”
***
Coyote glanced up at the sky. “In six days, there will be a full moon,” he said, again bringing her hand up and placing a kiss on it.
“The Coyote Moon? One that only happens every hundred years. When I started having my dreams, I kind of started doing some research into the Coyote Moon story. Did you know there are over a hundred different versions of the story?” she asked, smiling up at him.
He laughed. “Most likely more, but in a way that also keeps my people safe. For years, we were hunted, the humans thinking we were demons that showed up on the full moon. When, in reality, we are at our weakest this week because our body and soul are searching for the one that is meant to be ours. We are distracted by this for this week. I guess it’s another reason why my family is close. They follow me when it is that time, watching and waiting.”
Dibe stopped smiling. “Should you be here, out in the open? Is it safe?” she asked, looking around her, but he knew she couldn’t see much.
“Relax, my little lamb,” he whispered, pulling her into a hug. “I have found you. I am fine, plus even in the middle of our Bonding Seal, I would be able to defend and protect you.”
She pulled back, looking up at him. “What is this Bonding Seal thing? There is no going back, is there? We’re... attached, joined together?”
“No, there is no going back. Would you want to go back?” he asked, reaching up and brushing a part of her hair out of her eyes. “Could you see your life now without me in it?” he asked, giving her a few minutes to think about it.
Inside, he smiled, seeing the frown appear as she shook her head. “The thought of you not here...” She touched her c
hest. “The thought of you not here, it hurt, and that is a scary thing. How can this be so fast? During the past few weeks, I would look forward to going to sleep because you were there. Does this make sense?”
He lifted her up and moved her to a large rock formation, placing her on top, stepping between her legs. “Yes, it makes sense. The sometimes-wise ones were already getting you ready for me. Allowing your mind to adjust to our meeting, knowing the pace of our bonding would be fast and strong.”
Dibe tilted her head to the side, smiling. “You keep digging at the ancient ones, and you are going to be hit by lightning or something.”
He snorted. “Lightning twice, snake bite three times, thrown off a horse six times, believe me, they always know when to strike.”
For a few seconds, Dibe stared at him before she busted out laughing. “I think I need to walk six feet away from you, dear sir,” she teased.
“There will be no distance between us, my little lamb,” he snarled, leaning over her and nipping the side of her neck. “Plus, they wouldn’t dare harm you after bringing you to me.”
Dibe leaned back, looking up at the sky, the moon was bright but not yet full. “No, I don’t think I could take being away from you. I keep having the urge to touch you, and when you touch me, it’s like a peace settles over me, not to mention my body seems to come alive.”
“Really,” he said, slowly unbuttoning her blouse, kissing her soft skin as he went. “And how are you feeling now,” he mumbled against her breast, kissing her undergarment. “Stunning.”
“I would swear it was in the middle of the day, with the sun beating down upon my body. Your touch is blazing a path across my skinnnn,” she said, grabbing onto his head as he pushed her bra up and sucked her nipple into his mouth.
“Coming in on your left!” His father shouted in his head.
In seconds, he had his woman covered and on the ground behind him, turning to face their enemy. It would seem this group of peons wanted his woman bad enough to take him on. “Don’t say a word and stay down,” he whispered, reaching back and squeezing her shoulder.
Behind the three that were advancing on them, Coyote could see his father and brothers taking up positions behind, ready to move in on his command.
He had hated the idea of being bait for these men, but her father had been right. Too many of their women had gone missing, and if he wanted a peaceful bonding week, this problem needed to go away, at least this group. Because there was no way just these three were involved in this. There was a whole network out there, and he’d do what he could to help bring some of them to justice
“So, you finally decided to make your move? I was wondering when you stinky things would get up the balls to come forward and attack,” he said as the three in question came into view.
“Look at this one, standing there with no weapons, talking all big, out here all alone,” the man that really smelled of BO said, waving the rifle he had in the air.
“Shut up, Terk, and he is right. You stink, any fool could smell you a mile away.” The suit said, holding up his hand when this Terk was about to say something. “But Terk is right, you were foolish to bring our prize out here alone.”
“Yes, my little lamb is special,” he said, once more reaching back, needing to touch his woman, who hadn’t moved. “But am I really alone? Or are you so blind you don’t see what his around you?”
The silent one jerked his head up, slowly bringing his weapon up. “Fuck,” he snarled. “We’ve been set up.”
“What? You’re the best tracker around,” the suit snapped as all three of them raised their weapons.
“Your weapons are no good, you might as well as throw them down and tell us where the other women are?” he asked as his woman’s father and brothers stepped out of the darkness, followed by his family.
The one unclean man dropped his gun, raising his hands up in the air. “I’m done. If you want to know where the others are, I want a deal, because I’m not going to jail. Screw that.”
“You open your mouth, and you are a dead man,” the suit said as he swung his gun around, pointing it at Coyote’s head.
Coyote smiled, right before shifting part of his head, showing these men what real monsters looked like. All three of them shouted, the rest of their guns dropping to the ground as they jumped back away from him.
“Now, I’ll ask one more time. Where are the women?” he snarled, showing his fangs.
The man in the suit actually peed right where he was standing. “Stay away. I’ll tell you what you want.”
He turned around, leaving the rest to little lamb’s family and his, wanting to spend the rest of the night with his woman.
Staring down at her, seeing the fear in her gaze, had him snarling and glancing back over his shoulder at those that had scared her. Once more, all three men screamed.
“Take care of your woman and calm down, son,” his father said, stepping in front of him, blocking his view. “Why don’t you take her to your home? Show her a little bit of our world. It might help erase that fear you see in her eyes.”
Coyote glanced toward her father and met his gaze. “Go, take her away from here for the night. We’ll take care of this.”
He didn’t need any further words, turning and scooping his woman up in his arms, he walked out into the night.
“I’m okay, you know. I was just a little shocked, that is all,” she said, resting her head on his chest. “Don’t we need a car or something?” she asked, and he smiled.
“No. Watch,” he whispered against her head as the door to his world opened up, closing in around them, taking them to another place and time.
***
Dibe stared around her, taking in the beauty she saw. It was like he walked into a jungle, trees, the calls of birds all around them, and the smell of the forest was like a balm to her. She had always loved being outside, walking in the trails when she could. But this was stunning.
“Where are we? What jungle are we in?” she asked.
Coyote smiled and placed a kiss on her head. “Not a jungle like you are thinking. We are in a different realm. Here, there are no places, really. No cars, our homes are made out of what is available.” He lowered her feet to the ground as a wolf broke through the growth, standing there in front of them.
“He’s gorgeous and big,” she giggled, and he snarled.
“And he’s about to get his ass kicked if he does not quit staring at my woman. Little lamb, meet my best friend and asshole, Gereold. He and his people protect this place, making sure others do not stumble onto our resting place.”
Before she could say anything, the wolf shifted, and she stepped back. As an animal, he had been large, but as a man, he was massive.
“I am honored to meet you, and please accept my apologies. It is not every day a beautiful woman such as yourself visits our haven. You are one lucky man, my friend.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said, going to offer her hand when Coyote grabbed onto it, bringing her hand up to his mouth, kissing it.
“Sorry, little lamb, no other man will touch you right now. Not while we are joining our souls.” He nipped her finger before releasing her hand. “If you will excuse us, I would take my woman home.” Coyote guided her to the left, wrapping his arm around her, but stopped, glancing over her should at his friend. “No breaks?” he asked.
“No, not today,” Gereold snarled. “When I find out who is opening our world to others...”
“Of course, you will call us to help? You know my father is ready also,” Coyote said.
The man actually shook and smiled. “I would even hate to come up against your old man. Hell, half of the people here are afraid of him and you.”
Coyote smiled. “As they should be. See you soon.”
“Why should people be afraid of you?” Dibe asked after they left his friend, walking what had to be some kind of animal path there in the jungle.
“We are the
same but not. We are not fully shifters as you call them. I have been alive for over six hundred years, actually young for my species. My father... Well, you know the story about the coyote who helped the great one form man?”
Dibe stopped and stared at the man next to her. “You got to be kidding me?” She shook her head and held up her hand. “There is no way. Your father helped create us?”
Coyote’s gaze traveled down her body. “I do believe your father and mother had a helping hand in this, and an amazing job they did also.” He pulled her into his arms. “We are no different than you, wanting someone to love, to have a family with. We have a few gifts and can do things that others can’t, but we are quiet people, ones that love the land and animals more than interacting with others. Well, of course, family and friends are different.”
“How long have your parents been together? This bonding of the souls, this is forever, isn’t it?” she asked, wrapping her arms around him, barely being able to get her arms around the frame of his body, he was built so big, not to mention tall. “I think you will have a permanent kink in your neck, my man.”
He smiled. “And why is that?”
“Because you are so tall and I love your kisses,” she said, forgetting the other questions as he bent down, covering her mouth with his, but it lasted but a second when his head snapped up.
“Back up, brother,” he snapped.
“Just wanted to welcome you home,” a deep voice said behind them as she glanced over her shoulder to see a bald black man standing their naked as can be.
“Um, wow...” she said, stepping back a step, holding onto Coyote. Even Coyote’s friend had put on pants.
“You purposely miss the dinner but show up here showing off,” Coyote snapped, stepping into his brother’s space. “I don’t care what Father says. You can’t respect my woman or her family, I will destroy you, Nester. Stay the hell away.”
“Enough,” his father shouted, appearing between them, pushing Nester back. “You go back to your dig, and Nester, the next time you dishonor your family and me...”
The Glittering World Anthology: Native American Romance Paranormal Fantasy Page 2