Wolf Dance

by Wolfdance(Lit)

  Laura was at a loss for words.

  "I really should not have let you in on that, but ... let’s just say I have never been too trusting of the local authorities around here. You just be watching yourself, Miss Ellison."

  Once he had left, Laura tried to figure out what to do. The one thing she was sure of was that she had to find Justin and warn him to lay low. At least until the police had time to figure out who was really behind the entire catastrophe. There was no question in her mind of his innocence. It was just something that she knew in her heart.

  Laura was sure he wouldn't stand a chance. They would railroad him, just because of what he was. She had seen it too many times back home. That was the way of the Belagana.

  And the Sheriff’s Department, why on earth would they suspect her of murder? Laura could almost feel a noose tightening around her neck. She had to find out who was responsible for the killings--it was the only way to save her and Justin.

  * * * *

  Instead of going home, Laura went in search of Justin once again. Even before stopping in front of that lonely cabin, she knew her trip had been fruitless. The wooden structure stood silent against a wide expanse of blue sky.

  She pounded on the door with urgency, but again her answer was silence. Laura peered into the windows. Feeling very much like an intruder, she had to force herself to look into each one.

  Everything appeared much the same as it had on her first visit, except for the thick layer of dust that had accumulated inside. It looked as if no one had even entered the place in days. Laura wondered if he might have already gotten wind of the police looking for him and decided to leave.

  The thought of him leaving without saying goodbye, hurt more than she cared to admit. Just the fact that she hadn't seen him at all since the night he had taken her into the woods and done such unbelievably magical things to her, was painful enough.

  Feeling flushed, Laura quickly pushed images of his lovemaking from her mind. Thoughts of him always left her feeling as if she had lost control. It was not enough that he occupied her mind, it seemed that he had also laid claim to her body as well.

  Laura felt the tears coming on, and at that moment the reality of Justin’s disappearance hit her full force.

  What if he was dead too? After all, hadn't one of the Sungmanitu disappeared as well?

  Wanting more than anything to be someplace where she could sense his closeness, she started walking through the tall grasses of the meadow toward the pond where Justin had taken her once before. Laura knew it was one of his special places, and its forlorn banks called out to her.

  Stopping, she picked a single blue wildflower and marveled at the breathtaking beauty of the meadows. Laura entered the aspen grove on the far side of the meadow. Relishing the cool shade, she looked for a place to sit next to the water.

  Laura wondered if her life would ever be the same again. He had touched her as gently as a summer breeze and had somehow become one of the most important parts of her world. It had happened before she had even realized it was creeping up on her. She was in love with Justin Gray Eagle. The longing she felt for him was not just of the flesh, but something that reached deep into her soul.

  A single tear crept from her eye to flow down her cheek. She promptly wiped it away.

  How could she have let him get to her like this?

  He had probably wanted no more than a good time, and now that he had gotten what he wanted, it was time to move on.

  In a flare of temper, Laura rose to her feet. If he didn't have the decency to say goodbye to her after what they had shared, she would just put him out of her mind. After all, he seemed to have done just that.

  Laura made up her mind to leave this place and its dark secrets as soon as possible. With new resolve, she turned to leave but was stopped in her tracks.

  He leaned against a tree, his arms folded in front of his muscular chest. Soft sunshine streamed through the leaves to shroud him in light. Laura could see her own relieved face reflected in his mirrored glasses.

  Her respite swiftly turned to anger and an overwhelming urge came over her to smack his smug smile right off his face.

  "You were looking sad--like you were missing someone." His smile widened.

  "You egotistical, conceited...." Laura’s voice trailed off as she found herself unable to adequately put words to her fury. "Where have you been? I’ve been searching for you for days."

  He nodded his head. "I know."

  "What! You knew?" Laura could not believe what she was hearing. "You knew I was looking for you, and you made no effort to contact me?"

  "Don’t be so upset with me." He had closed the distance between them and was attempting to take her into his arms. Laura resisted.

  "How dare you touch me after treating me with so much disrespect?" Laura pushed him away.

  "Relax, tehila," he tried to dampen her anger. "I had to wait until you were in a place where I would not risk being seen," he tried to explain.

  "What?" Laura’s anger evaporated. "So you must already know. And by the way, what is it you keep calling me?"

  "Lover." His voice was soft. She yielded when he pulled her closer to bury his face in her hair.

  Laura took in his musky male scent, savoring the sensation of his strong arms around her waist.

  Justin’s lips touched her skin and left her feeling as if she would erupt in flames. His mouth took hers, his kiss telling her of a savage hunger as his hands removed the barrier of her shirt.

  Fingers softly stroked the sensitive skin of her supple mounds. She moaned, pulling him closer. Laura let her fingers wander from his broad back to the front of his pants. She worked fast to free his burning desire. His moans deepened, filling with urgency.

  Justin pushed her to the ground. "I need you now, Laura."

  His patience was gone. Pulling up her skirt, he ripped at her panties until her body was free of them. His need for her was unbearable--causing him physical pain.

  With no further words, he proceeded to take her to a place where no one else could ever take her. Laura’s strength drained as she felt her passion explode, his desire pulsated within her drawing her up to new heights.

  Without moving from her, Justin rested his head on her breasts.

  "Laura ... I have never loved like this before," he whispered.

  His tenderness caused her heart to swell painfully and she wished for the words to tell him of her love.

  He kissed her lips softly before rolling over to lie in the grass. He seemed to be avoiding her eyes.

  "What’s wrong?" she asked in alarm.

  He didn't answer, and he wouldn't even look at her.

  "Do you regret making love to me?" she whispered.

  He turned sharply in her direction. "Never! I could never regret the sweetness that you have brought to my life."

  "What then?"

  "It’s nothing." He smiled as he was getting to his feet. Justin straightened his clothing and held out his hand to help her up.

  "I have to go now."

  "No, Justin, not yet," she pleaded.

  He gave her a sad, haunting smile. "I have to go now, but I will see you again."

  "Justin, I cannot let you walk out on me like this again." Tears glistened in her eyes.

  He took her hands in his. "Laura, go home to your people in New Mexico. You are not safe here any longer." He kissed her once again before leaving.

  Laura watched him disappear into the trees and emptiness consumed her. She could not keep herself from calling out to him.

  "Justin, wait!" She started down the path that he had taken.

  "Take me with you!"

  There was no response and no sign of him anywhere.

  Her heart felt like heavy stone in her chest. Justin had done something that no one else had ever accomplished--he had taken control of her emotions. Laura was not so sure that she liked the feeling.

  Being without him left a void deep within her. Even worse than that was the deeper her f
eelings became, the less she saw of him. Maybe that was the deal? Maybe he wanted to keep it strictly physical?

  * * * *

  Justin watched Laura from a clump of trees--watched her as she called out his name. Every fiber of his being wanted to reach out to her, but he knew that he could never let himself do it.

  He had known from the beginning that he could never take an outsider as a mate. Even if he defied custom, it would never work. If she knew ... if she knew what he really was, the love he had seen in her eyes would turn to revulsion, and that was something he could never bear to see.

  He should never have touched her, but his longing for her had been too great to deny. Visions of Laura had haunted him for years in his dreams, but to find her, love her, and then let her go--how could he ever do what he knew must be done?

  * * * *

  The note had been taped to her front door--an urgent message from Jessup to return to the office as soon as possible. For the life of her, Laura could not think of what could be so urgent. Considering the past couple of weeks, it could be anything.

  There was another car parked next to Jessup’s black truck. It seemed vaguely familiar but she just could not place it. Swinging the door open wide, Laura rushed in, frantic of what might have happened. Any words she had been about to say evaporated before leaving her lips.

  Kenny and her grandfather stood there looking at her as if she were a ghost.

  Her eyes rested on her grandfather. "Grandpa ... what’s this all about?"

  "I think it would be better if someone else explained." He pointed toward the shadows--to a man whom Laura hadn't noticed before now.

  The man who stepped forward wore his graying hair in two thick black braids. His dark eyes were sharp, seeming to miss nothing.

  He held out a dark, leathery hand to Laura. "My name is Albert Two-Bears of the Oglala Sioux. Your grandfather asked me to come here with him and help convince you to return to New Mexico."

  Laura’s mouth dropped open. "What?" It was the only word she could utter.

  "Let’s sit ... Laura." Kenny gently took her arm and led her to a chair.

  "I knew that you would have thought I was only a senile old man ... if I had tried to tell you myself," Busby tried to explain to his confused granddaughter.

  "Tell me what?"

  "Laura, what do you think of the clear-cutting that Duccini is doing?" Two-Bears asked.

  Laura lifted her hands in a gesture of helplessness. "If the decision were mine, I would not do it, but it’s not."

  "If you were a traditionalist, do you think the destruction of your home would make you angry, very angry?"

  "Yes," Laura answered with a whisper.

  "Sungmanitu is from the Lakota dialect. Do you have any idea what it means?"

  "Yes, I have been told it means wolves."

  Two-Bears took a deep breath. "Well, there is a reason why they are called that."

  Laura eyed him curiously, waiting for further explanation.

  "Many years ago, it was discovered that these people practiced what we know as shape-shifting. That alone isn't such a bad thing, but they were different. They were cold-blooded killers and dangerous to anyone but their own kind."

  Laura was shaking her head in denial. "This is just some old story with no relevance to the here and now."

  Two-Bears smiled cynically. "Is it just some old story or is there always some truth to legend?"

  Laura’s eyes showered him with angry sparks. "That’s completely ridiculous. I do not believe in werewolves and spooks. This is something that my grandfather and I have always butted heads on. I happen to know that shape-shifting is a matter of the mind’s state, rather than a physical change."

  Laughter flickered in Two-Bears’ eyes. "Is that so? Have you ever done it?"

  Laura shook her head.

  He continued. "How do you explain the mass of murders around here all of the sudden?"

  "I think someone in Beaver Creek is using scare tactics to keep our crews on the run--and that’s all there is to it."

  Dismayed, Busby shook his head. "Girl, you are being foolish to look the other way. Why you are being so stubborn, I do not know, but you are walking the dark path."

  Throughout the conversation, Clyde Jessup had been quietly absorbing the information, but now he cleared his throat to get their attention.

  "I’m afraid I’ll have to agree with Laura. I’m an open-minded person about a lot of things, but people turning into bloodthirsty animals, well that’s a little much for me to swallow."

  Kenny came to Two-Bears’ defense. "In our society this isn't uncommon and Laura knows full well that is so. I don’t understand why she's denying the possibility?"

  Kenny looked over at Laura but she turned away to avoid having to look into his eyes.

  Kenny continued. "We have witches whom we call Skin-Walkers. They have been known to change into animals when their purpose requires it."

  Jessup could no longer hide his amusement. "I’m sorry, people, but I think these Indians are taking advantage of this old story to scare the heck out of people in the hopes that Duccini will pull out."

  Two-Bears looked at Busby and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry, old friend, but if they insist on being foolish we can do no more."

  "Can you tell me more about the Sungmanitu?" Laura asked him. She seemed to be opening up--if just a little.

  Two-Bears smiled at this small victory. "No one knows how long ago the Sungmanitu appeared among the people. No one knew where they came from and they never said. They were Lakota in every way ... except one. They had the ability to become one with the animals. They could walk amongst a pack of wolves, play with a grizzly and talk to the birds."

  Two-Bears paused to catch his breath. Everyone in the room waited in silence for him to continue.

  "Well, as the story goes, one night, about midsummer, a small raiding party led by a warrior called Dark Moon decided to take shelter for the night with the Sungmanitu, but what they saw that night chilled their blood."

  "The warriors approached the camp unnoticed. A huge bonfire blazed in the middle of the encampment."

  "They saw these creatures--half man and half beast. The creatures were dancing around the fire and making all sorts of unearthly sounds."

  "Then, right before their eyes it happened. The creatures completed their transformation. There was no evidence left to indicate that these animals had once been human. The warriors left as quickly as they could, never being seen."

  "That was the story they told when they returned and from that time on the Sungmanitu were never welcomed amongst the other Lakota bands. It had become clear why their enemies were always mutilated, looking as if they had been half eaten."

  "Soon the Sungmanitu disappeared and it was never known what had become of them until three-hundred years later. That is when it was discovered that they were here in the Wind River Mountains." Two-Bears’ voice was grim as he finished his story.

  Laura’s smile was patient but strained. "That is a very interesting story, but I just can’t believe it. I have spent time with some of these people and they just don’t seem like killers to me, let alone werewolves."

  "You mean to tell me that you find nothing at all strange about them?" Two-Bears was disbelieving.

  Words failed her, for how could she deny that she had found them strange in many ways?

  Two-Bears read this and much more. He could somehow tell that her interest in the Sungmanitu had become personal, very personal.

  His eyes sent her a message--a message her heart must ignore.

  Beware of the beast.

  Chapter Twelve

  Laura sat next to Kenny in his beat-up Nova. It sputtered and bogged down as it labored to make it up the steep incline on the road to Acton.

  "Get the feeling that we should have taken your vehicle?" He gave her a lopsided grin.

  "I can’t believe you took this thing all the way to South Dakota and then here!"

  "Oh wel
l. It was something that had to be done." He shrugged.

  "Come on, Kenny. You haven’t fallen for any of that superstitious nonsense have you?" Her voice held some amusement.

  "I wouldn’t be too quick to pass judgment, Laura. There have been a lot of disappearances and murders--haven’t there?" Kenny took his eyes off the road long enough to look over at her.

  "I’ll bet if you look into the history of this area, you will find that these are really not uncommon occurrences," he added.

  Laura knew he was right, since she had already checked the facts, but for some reason she kept the knowledge to herself. "I can’t leave anyway. The police want me to stay around for a while." She was unable to keep the irritation out of her voice.

  "Laura ... no one is going to make you do anything." She had wounded him. The pain was clearly painted in his boyish features.

  "I’m sorry, Kenny. I just have a lot on my mind."

  He reached over and squeezed her hand. "I know, and if need be we’ll just stay here with you until you’re done."

  After a moment he added, "Just to be sure."

  * * * *

  Dinner that night was a treat, especially for Laura who had practically lived off sandwiches and fast food since coming to Wyoming. Jessup had grilled steaks and corn. Laura had thrown together a tossed salad.

  Content after the delicious meal, they all lounged around on the porch enjoying the evening.

  Busby irritably swatted at mosquitoes. "I don’t know what you like so much about this place, girl," he muttered.

  "Oh, you think the mosquitoes are bad here? You should see what they are like back home. In Louisiana they’re three times this size and as thick as pea soup." Jessup dwelled for a moment on memories of home.

  He’d been trying all evening to lighten the mood, but without much success. These Indians were just plain superstitious.

  Laura in particular seemed remote tonight. Even Kenny had commented on it during dinner. She had pleaded a headache.

  There was no mistaking the undercurrent of tension tonight.