He clicked his tongue as if he was reprimanding a naughty child. “I thought you knew better than to agree to something like that, especially since most of the parties you guide seem to mysteriously disappear.”
She tightened her grip around the dagger. This game of blackmail was quickly growing old. “One party, and that was due to circumstances beyond my control. You’ll get your money, Bradley, don’t worry.”
“You know the rules, Oni.” His wand whipped through the air like a rattlesnake striking and pressed into the soft spot under her chin. “If you show your face in town, you need to pay me for my silence. All the sheriff needs is one word from me, and you’ll swing. If you don’t have the money, perhaps we can develop an arrangement where you work it off with me.” There was no mistaking the lustful gleam in his eyes.
“And what would your wife say about that, considering she’s the one who controls your wallet?” She kept the smiled plastered on her face to hide her fear, even as he increased the pressure of the wand against her windpipe. “It would be a pity if she left you without a penny.”
“I could make sure you kept your mouth shut. Tell me, how much do you like your impertinent little tongue?”
Her grin widened. “If you cut it out, then you’ve just deprived yourself of some of the other things I could do with it. I’ve heard about the stuff you like.”
He closed the distance between them, the ridge in his pants pressing against her thigh. “Why are you making this so difficult? I’m giving you an easy opportunity to pay off your debt and avoid the hangman’s noose at the same time.”
She wasn’t a blushing virgin by any means, but she refused to stoop to prostitution. The mere idea of sleeping with Bradley made her stomach lurch. “Easy?”
“Yes, very easy. You must know how much I want to break that willful spirit of yours. Why do you think I’ve let you go as long as I have without paying me?”
His wand moved to the back of her skull. He left it there as a warning while his mouth clamped over hers.
Oni pressed her hands against his chest and shoved him away. “I never agreed to that.” She wiped the taste of stale tobacco and whiskey off her lips with the back of her sleeve.
“There’s no need to fight me, Oni. You can agree to my terms, or you can scream. Either way, I’m going to enjoy myself.” He raised his wand and leveled it with her nose.
“Not if I can help it.”
Oni snatched her dagger from its sheath and focused her powers into the orichalcum core. A blinding spear of light erupted from the point.
Bradley dropped his wand and covered his eyes. “You bitch!”
She backed away from him, but he stumbled after her, tripping on a tree root and falling forward onto her. They tumbled to the ground. His breath caught, and spasms racked his body. Oni saw the hilt of her dagger resting against the gray linen vest of his suit. She pushed him off and yanked the blade from his chest. Blood coated her hand like war paint. She trembled and listened to the gurgling sounds coming from Bradley’s mouth.
Then he grew silent.
Oni almost dropped her dagger, but the sticky blood glued it to her palm as it dried. What have I done? She’d seen death before, but never at her own hand. She nudged him with her foot. His blank eyes stared back at her.
The howl of coyotes in the distance snapped her out of her state of shock. It was an accident. He fell on my dagger. I didn’t mean to kill him. But deep in her heart, she felt no remorse over his death.
She ran down to the river and scrubbed her hands raw before she washed the blade clean. Then she returned to the body. Nothing had changed since she left. He was still dead, and the fear of being caught wore away at her spirit more than any guilt for her crime. She grabbed the shoulders of his jacket and dragged him through the brush. I hope his wife will be a happy widow, she thought as the brambles scratched her arms.
At the water’s edge she used a sturdy tree branch to push him into the river. The current caught hold of him, and the body floated downstream.
She didn’t know if Bradley had told anyone about coming to see her tonight, but she didn’t want to take any chances. No one would care why she did it. They’d only see her as a bloodthirsty savage. Tomorrow morning, she’d leave with the Reynolds brothers. She had no choice in the matter now. It was either lead them into Dakota Territory or risk getting strung up at the edge of town.
The moon pulled at her soul, and the chorus of coyotes called to her. For now, perhaps it would be best to lie low. She gave in to the need to shift and ran away from the crime scene on four legs.
Chapter Three
Diah paced the dock in front of the Big Sky Belle and checked his watch one more time. The riverboat was scheduled to leave in less than five minutes, and their guide was nowhere in sight. The low moan of the steam whistle pierced the air, announcing to the passengers it was time to board, and red smoke belched from the twin smokestacks. The converted paddle wheel, complete with the latest murcarbonite boiler, promised to get them up the Missouri three times faster than a normal coal-burning boat, but the outrageous cost made his stomach churn almost as much as their lack of a guide.
“I can’t believe she turned us down.”
Cager stood a few feet away, springing his wand from its holster like a gunslinger over and over again. Of course, it helped that it was fashioned to resemble a revolver. Only when Diah peered closer could he see the veins of orichalcum, which all wands were made of, lacing the pommel and cylinder. The Machinists had wanted to make sure the Wielders never regained the power they had before the war, and a Wielder was nothing without his wand. Many resorted to disguising them as everyday objects to still be able to cast magic and avoid running into trouble with the law. “If she doesn’t show up, it’s her loss. She sounded pretty desperate for money last night. Let’s give her another minute, shall we?”
Diah opened his mouth to reply, but something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Oni was walking down the street toward them with a brown-and-white pinto in tow. The early morning sunlight cast a violet halo around her hair. As she came closer, he noticed dark circles under her eyes.
“Told you she would come.” Cager approached her and tipped his hat, turning every ounce of his Southern charm on her. “Good morning, Miss Matthews. You’re looking mighty lovely this morning.”
“Drop the act, Mr. Reynolds. I’m here. But before I get on board, I want to negotiate my fee.”
The whistle drowned out Diah’s snickers. Yes, she was definitely immune to his brother’s wiles.
The smile slipped off Cager’s face. “I knew you’d realize that eight hundred was an exorbitant amount. Besides, what makes you think we still need your services?”
“Because I’m the only person in town crazy enough to lead you two wasichu into the plains this late in the year. I require a deposit of at least a hundred dollars now, another two hundred when I get you to where what you’re looking for should be, and then an extra five hundred if you get it.”
“And what about getting us safely back here?” Diah didn’t like the idea of being left stranded in the middle of Dakota Territory with winter coming on.
“My brother raises a good point. We’ll pay you a deposit now, but you won’t get a penny more until we’re on our way safely back home.”
She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder and fumbled with her horse’s reins. Her jaw tightened. She didn’t like the position she was in—that much was obvious—but she was the one who started it by trying to back them into a corner. “Fine, I’ll agree to those terms.”
Cager nodded, radiating smugness. “So glad we could reach an understanding. Let’s get on board before the boat leaves without us.”
The three of them crossed the gangplank just before it was pulled in. Oni gently rubbed the pinto’s neck and whispered a few words to it before she handed it over to one of the dark-skinned deckhands. The gentleness of her voice vanished when she turned her sharp eyes on them. “If e
ither of you try to default on your payment, I’ll find another way to extract it.”
Diah didn’t doubt she would. A feral light filled her amber eyes, making him wonder if they’d just invited trouble along for the journey.
Cager held up a tarnished brass key. “I was going to make you share a room with Diah, but I supposed you can have mine. Of course, I’m going to have to deduct the cost of your passage from your deposit.”
She snatched it out of his hand and Diah noticed dark stains along the cuff of her sleeve. She caught him staring at them and quickly hid her wrist in the folds of her skirt. “If I don’t have the money by the time we get to the next stop, I’m getting off.” Without saying another word, she turned the corner and disappeared down a hallway.
“Somebody woke up cranky this morning,” Cager said as they stared after her.
“I don’t blame her for acting that way after that comment about sharing a room with me.”
“It was all in good fun, Diah. I saw how you were watching her, and I thought if I planted the seed in her mind—”
“Thanks, but I don’t need your help. Besides, I was more interested in her appearance this morning. She looks like she’s been up all night, and her shirt is stained with blood. Whose do you suppose it is?”
Cager’s brows bunched together. “You’re seeing things. It was probably just some mud. I’m off to get some breakfast. Care to join me?”
Diah cast another glance at the hallway. Perhaps Cager was right. Perhaps he was letting his imagination run wild. But as he followed his brother to the dining room, he decided he needed to find out as much as he could about Oni Matthews before they got off this boat.
Diah checked his pocket watch and glanced at the simmering solutions. Exactly an hour had passed, so he turned down the flame. Now was as good a time as any to get dinner, while they cooled.
In the dining room Cager was sitting at table, surrounded by three adoring women who appeared to hang on every word he said. To the casual observer, he appeared to be teaching them how to play a card game, but Diah had seen this ruse countless times before.
He grimaced. Three women—not bad for a day’s work. He just hoped he wouldn’t have to listen to any bedroom antics tonight. Instead of interrupting them, he sat at a table on the opposite side of the room and ordered a steak. The waiter had just set the plate-sized piece of sizzling meat down in front of him when Oni appeared in the doorway a few feet away.
Her amber eyes scanned the room. The dark circles from earlier had faded, and she appeared more rested than this morning. She had changed into a faded yellow calico dress, depriving him of the chance to identify the dark stains on her burgundy shirt.
He wasn’t going to let her escape without learning something about her. His pulse quickened as he stood and moved toward her. “Miss Matthews, I’d be honored if you’d join me for dinner.”
Her head snapped to him and her mouth hung open. “Are you sure you want to be seen in public with someone like me?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I tend to make most people nervous, being what I am.” Her gaze focused on Cager before she sat in the chair Diah held out for her. “Or they seem to think I’m less than human for being half Lakota.”
He inwardly cringed. Did she already suspect his motives? “Don’t mind Cager. His bark is worse than his bite. We wouldn’t have hired you if we didn’t think you were capable of guiding us to what we need to find.”
The waiter reappeared and asked what she wanted to eat. The corners of her mouth twitched as she glanced down at his plate. “As long as the gentleman is paying, I’ll have what he’s having.”
Diah nodded and the waiter rushed to the kitchen. “Are you sure you can eat all this?”
She stared at the well-done hunk of meat and licked her lips. “Mr. Reynolds, I haven’t had a decent meal in a week. I think I can finish a steak of that size without any difficulty.”
“A week?”
When she nodded, guilt robbed him of his appetite. He offered his plate to her, but she shook her head. “Don’t let your meal get cold before you have a chance to enjoy it.”
He pushed the meat around with his fork and cleared his throat. “And it’s Diah, by the way.”
“Fine, but since you want to be informal, I ask that you call me Oni.”
“As long as you don’t mind.” The first bite of the steak practically melted in his mouth and reminded him he hadn’t eaten since breakfast this morning. He was cutting a second bite when the waiter returned with her steak. “Dig in—it’s good.”
“Judging by your expression, I would think so.” She cut off a morsel, and a look of bliss crossed her face as she put it in her mouth. The next three bites came in such rapid succession, he wondered if she actually had time to chew the meat in between them. She carved up the steak like a woman who was scared it would run away from her before she finished it.
“Is Oni your real name?” Or should I be looking on “Wanted” posters for some other name?
“No, Diah.” She emphasized his name. “It’s short for Onawa.”
“And does that have any special meaning in Sioux?”
She stiffened. “Why all these questions?”
Uh-oh. She’s getting defensive. He scrambled for a response that would satisfy her. “I’ve never met anyone like you and I’m curious to learn more.”
Fascinated would be more accurate. She was far more complex than most women he knew. Stubborn. Strong, as if she had a core of steel inside her. And definitely someone who seemed to despise needing to lean on a man for support.
A small frown tugged at her mouth. “You’re the first white man who’s wanted to know more about me. Most of them just see me as some dumb creature who’s of little use to them other than someone they can force themselves on and not feel guilty about later. It’s much like the slaves were treated before the war. Like cattle and little more.”
Anger flashed inside him. “Men like that deserve to be shot.”
She actually smiled at that, although it never replaced the haunted glow in her eyes. “I’m glad you think that way.”
A touch of sadness lingered in her voice, and he almost hesitated asking, “Has that happened? I mean, to you?”
Her laughter was bitter and her voice hardened. “Do I look like the type of woman who would allow that to happen?”
“Not particularly.” He looked down at his almost empty plate. “I was just concerned that someone had mistreated you, that’s all.”
She was staring at him with frank confusion when he lifted his eyes. “Thank you,” she murmured. “And to answer your question, Onawa means ‘wide awake’ in the Lakota language. It was the name given to me because I rarely slept as a baby. According to my mother, I would quietly stare at everything around me. I’ve since earned other names, but I prefer to go by Oni.”
“What are those other names?”
She finished the last bite of her steak before she answered. “Wakanda and Mayashehchan.”
“And what do they mean?”
Oni grinned. “Maybe I’ll tell you one day if I get to know you better. That is, if you’re willing to tell me a bit more about yourself.”
“Most women would rather know more about Cager than me.”
She turned and studied the table across the room. “Your brother is easy enough to figure out. A boorish, self-absorbed rake who treats women like conquests.”
Part of him wanted to come to his brother’s defense, and the other part of him agreed with her. “He has a few redeeming qualities.”
“Like what?” she asked, now studying him.
“He risked his life to save mine during the war. In fact, we’re kind of in a mess now because of it.” She cocked her head and he continued, “He failed to complete a job then and now we need to find that White Buffalo to make up for it. Otherwise, this slime, Lamont, said he’d go after our mom and sister.”
“Ah, that explains things.” She leaned
back in her chair and played with a piece of hair that had come loose from her braid. “But it sounds like it was his problem, not yours, seeing as how he was the one who got involved with Lamont in the first place. Why are you here?”
“I feel responsible for his situation since he was taking care of me instead of finishing his job. Besides, I keep hoping I’ll talk some sense into him one day.”
Oni laughed. “Good luck with that. I find it hard to believe you’re even brothers.”
Diah ran his hand over his head, thankful he’d taken the time to get a haircut yesterday. “Yeah, I suppose we do look a little different.”
“No, I meant more along the lines of temperament.” She bit her bottom lip and gave him a shy smile. “I prefer your company over his, in all honesty.”
He looked away, unsure what to say. No woman had ever complimented him like that before. He wondered what she saw in him. When Diah stole a quick glance at her, she was still watching him with those strange amber eyes that stood out against her coppery skin. Her full lips angled up toward her high cheekbones in a bemused grin.
His attraction to her grew like the bulge in his pants, and he suddenly felt like a gawky teenager. It was time to change the subject. “Where do you think we should get off the boat?”
Her brow crinkled. “Where it turns west, before we get into Blackfoot territory. We have several days of travel until we get there, though.”
“And then what?”
“We ride and track the buffalo herds on horseback until we find what you’re looking for.”
He nodded and clasped his hands on the table. “So this should go fairly smoothly, then?”
“Maybe.”
“Cager’s pretty good at finding things, and you know the area, so there’s not too much to worry about.”
“There are always things to be worried about. Storms. Snow. Wildfires. Wolves. And things even worse than that. Things unseen.” Her smile vanished and she focused on something in the distance.
The Alchemy of Desire Page 3