Wolf Dance

by Wolfdance(Lit)

  "You mean to tell me ... that he never touched you?" Dark Claw arched his brow skeptically.

  Laura’s smile was bitter. "Oh I wanted him to, but he wouldn’t because I was not one of them."

  This brought a smile to his face. "Could he have been that much of a fool? No matter ... he is no longer an issue, is he?"

  Laura’s eyes narrowed on him. "What do you know about that?"

  "Everything, senorita, I could not have him soiling my bride now could I? And we surely could not allow his child to be the one to claim our related kingdoms."

  "Do not talk in riddles. I want to know what is going on here." Laura’s voice rose as did her frustration.

  "It's quite simple, senorita. Our prophecy tells of a child born of a Sungmanitu and a Baalam; that child will rule both kingdoms and lead our people back to the Kingdom of Light."

  Laura smiled in triumph. "Then tell me, Your Majesty, if I am a descendent of a Baalam and you are a Baalam, our joining cannot very well fulfill any prophecy, can it?"

  Dark Claw’s hand snaked out to twist her hair in his fingers. Pulling her near, he leaned down and she felt teeth sink into her neck. His bite was painful, but drew no blood. Laura cringed in revulsion.

  He laughed. "I happen to know, my little liar ... that you carry his seed, but his son will be mine and together we will rule Coyopa’."

  "Why did you pretend not to know?" Laura choked the words out.

  "I knew he had been your lover, but ... I did not know until this moment that he had indeed impregnated you," Dark Claw leered. "No need to worry, my love, as soon as we have conquered Coyopa’, your Sungmanitu bastard will be eliminated and our own son will take his place. No longer will the leaders be contaminated by the wolves."

  Dark Claw’s voice emanated an evil unmatched by anything Laura had ever imagined. He brought his mouth down to hers, delivering a brutal kiss that left her lips bruised and bleeding.

  Laura brought her hand up to slap his face, but he gripped her wrist so tight it made her gasp in pain.

  "Do not ever attempt to strike me, my love," he breathed his fury into her ear.

  "Now, you may see your grandfather for a brief time, but not again until after the joining ceremony. This will take place in two days’ time." He informed her before turning away to gaze out the window.

  She had been dismissed. The same man who had brought her to the chamber, now reappeared. With one hand on her arm, he led her down the hall in the direction from which they had come. Once inside her room she was taken to an adjoining courtyard where a small table had been set for two.

  Laura was taken aback when she saw her grandfather seated at one of the two chairs. Running to his side, she threw her arms around his frail body.

  "Grandpa, are you okay?"

  "I'm still breathing." He gave her a weak smile.

  Carlotta hovered over them. Laura turned her attention to the beautiful young woman.

  "Dark Claw has ordered that you and your grandfather have the best fare that Coba’ has to offer. Dark Claw hopes that you will see that he has only good intentions for you," she told Laura.

  "Thank you," Laura whispered, hoping it was enough to reassure the girl that her efforts were appreciated.

  "Dark Claw has instructed that you are free to come and go as you please, as long as you do not attempt to leave Coba’," Carlotta explained to Laura as she was laying out silver trays laden with food.

  Despite Laura’s resolve not to enjoy the food, she was famished. She filled her plate with an array of roasted meats and colorful vegetables.

  Satisfied that the senorita was eating, Carlotta withdrew from the courtyard.

  "What happened?" Laura asked in hushed tones.

  "I was packing and these men came out of nowhere. That is all I can recall until I woke up in a cell," Busby explained as he nibbled at the food. Laura could tell that he didn't trust it enough to consume it willingly.

  "The food is okay to eat, Grandpa. They will not hurt you--at least not right now."

  "They want your child," he stated.

  She nodded her acknowledgment. "Until they have what they want, they will not risk harming you. You are their leverage with me at the moment."

  "That is not good," Busby shook his head. "You must not let them have the child."

  "I know," she whispered. "We must eat for strength, and figure out a way out of here. Where are they keeping you?" she asked.

  "I was blindfolded, but I know we didn't leave this building. They brought me up from some tunnels. My cell is underground."

  "This is some sort of palace, so I assume they must have their holding cells below." Laura pondered the problem.

  "If I'm free to roam about as I please," Laura continued, "I will find the tunnels that lead below and I will find a way out of here." Laura tried to sound confident, but fear and doubt threatened to seep into her thoughts.

  As it had countless times before, her heart cried out for Justin. If he were alive he would feel her need, her terror, and he would descend upon these enemies to save her and his child.

  Laura shook herself from the wishful thoughts. She was on her own and it would be up to her to save them all.

  Chapter Twenty

  Laura decided to wait until the next morning to begin her discovery of Coba’. She didn't want to appear too anxious. Her night was restless, and her dreams were haunted by the eyes of a wolf. When she awoke the next morning, Laura was determined to find a way out of her prison.

  After a breakfast of fruit and bread, she decided to begin her exploration in the palace. It was no castle, but large nonetheless. Her first impression had been correct; the architecture was of Mayan origin. Had the Baalam integrated with the Mayan, as the Sungmanitu had with the Lakota?

  Where had she heard of Coba’? Was it not an ancient Mayan ruin; to the outside world, was Coba’ as deserted as Beaver Creek?

  The palace contained luxuries that one only dreamed of. The building itself was made of stone--the furnishings carved of jade and marble as well as gold. In the courtyards, marble statues of jaguars spilled water from their mouths into jade lined ponds. No matter where one walked, the heady scent of flowers followed.

  Laura finally made her way to the front of the palace. There she half expected to be detained as she walked through the huge doors leading to a mountain of stone steps.

  From the top of the steps, Laura looked onto the ancient city of Coba’; it held the hustle and bustle of any modern city.

  There were no automobiles. It seemed that carriages pulled by donkeys were the transportation of choice. In the city center, hundreds of people were gathered at a market.

  Laura explored alleys and streets, amazed by the grandeur of the Jaguars’ city. There were dress shops, meat shops, places to rest and buy a drink--even restaurants. Laura’s thoughts turned dark. She wondered if maybe they served humans at these little eateries.

  But looking upon these people, one would never imagine that they were cold-blooded killers. Laura kept walking, knowing that sooner or later the city would have to give way to a jungle. Eventually she came to a place where commerce establishments gave way to rows of small cottages.

  Scanning the horizon, Laura could see nothing past the cottages but the darkened jungle. She pushed on, making her way down palm lined streets. Every once in a while a resident would peer out at her curiously. Finally she reached a path that led into the heart of the Mexican jungle.

  Just as she set her foot onto the path a voice called out to her from the nearest cottage. "It won’t do you any good to take that path."

  Laura swung around to find the source of the voice. Watching her from the neatly kept yard was an old woman--a shawl protected her head from the sun.

  Backtracking, she wondered if all the people of Coba’ had been informed to keep an eye on her. Taking a chance, Laura decided to talk to the woman.

  The woman’s dark face reminded Laura of old leather, but her eyes were kind.

  "Hell
o." Laura smiled.

  The woman accepted Laura’s greeting with a nod.

  "My name is Laura," she offered.

  "I know who you are." Her old face spread into a toothless grin.

  "I am afraid you have the advantage then," Laura told her good-naturedly. Somehow she knew that this woman was no threat.

  "I am Blanca." She lifted her bony hand and motioned for Laura to follow her. She did, hoping to gain some insight from the old woman.

  It was several degrees cooler inside the small cottage. The furnishings were simple, unlike that of the palace. An old wooden table sat in the middle of her small kitchen. Taking a pot from a wood-burning stove, Blanca poured a cup of steaming liquid. Though the day was quite warm, Laura accepted the drink graciously.

  "Thank you."

  "I know you are thinking to humor an old woman by taking a hot drink on such a warm day, but believe me it will do you good. Maybe cleanse some of that poison from your system they were using to drug you."

  Laura sipped at the hot liquid, surprised at its sweet taste. "Is this some kind of tea?"

  Blanca nodded. "Yes, it grows wild in the jungle. It tends to soothe ones nerves."

  Laura was astonished at the woman’s command of English with only a hint of an accent. "You speak English very well," she commented.

  "I spent many years among the people of your country."

  Laura’s eyes widened in surprise.

  "Yes ... it's true," she told her with a cackle.

  "I raised my family in San Francisco, but as I got on in years, I knew it was time to come home."

  "You mean there are those of your kind elsewhere in the world?" Laura asked.

  "Of course, as I am sure there are Sungmanitu, but I have never met one." She smiled. "We venture out at times, but we always come back here."

  "How do you know so much about me?" Laura wanted to know.

  "Who here in Coba’ ... does not?" She laughed, but then her humor was swiftly wiped away when a shadow crossed her face.

  "Bringing my grandson back with me is my deepest regret. He was still young when his parents passed to the other world, and I thought that the Baalam needed new blood to bring them into the next era." She shook her head, "I guess I was wrong."

  Laura remained quiet, hoping Blanca would reveal more. She was not disappointed.

  "He was such a sweet little boy, but you would never guess that seeing him now. How was I to know that he would rise to take leadership of Coba’?"

  "You are Dark Claw’s grandmother!" Laura was astonished.

  The old woman just nodded, a deep sadness settling over her. "When he was a little boy we called him Andy. He was a good boy, everything one could hope for in a grandson, but...." Her words trailed off as she watched the memories replay themselves in her mind’s eye.

  "I don’t know what happened." Tears clouded the old woman’s eyes. "He became obsessed with the legend of Coyopa’ and the prophecy. When he became king, he vowed to return his people to their rightful places and to destroy the Wolf People."

  Blanca’s voice cracked as she struggled with her sorrows. "Andy became something evil. I believe the spirit of the first Dark Claw of long ago touched Andy’s soul with his foulness."

  "I know nothing of this mystical kingdom of the Wolf People, but I know your son will destroy my baby once he has gained control of Coyopa’ ... if it really exists," Laura admonished.

  Blanca looked to her in shock. "You carry Gray Eagle’s child, but you doubt the existence of Coyopa’?"

  "The place of the Sungmanitu is called Beaver Creek, and it's hardly comparable to your own city. It’s nothing more than a few old log buildings. Justin spoke of a legendary place that he said was comparable to an Eden, but he never said there was any foundation for it."

  "How peculiar that he wouldn't tell you of this place, but it's said that they protect it fiercely."

  "So it does exist?" Laura asked, still unable to believe it. She had been all over the area and never seen any signs of it.

  "Legend says that is where we originate from, but our ancestors were banished when there was a war. I believe it had something to do with the King taking a young Indian maiden as his wife."

  Laura nodded. "Yes! Justin mentioned a war, but he said that he had no idea if it was true, or what became of the people."

  Blanca lifted her hands. "This is what became of us. They probably didn't know of us until recently. We chose to remain hidden from them--the reason for this has been lost over the years. It was my grandson that broke the silence of the Jaguars."

  "Has it always been the plan to go back and defeat the Wolf People?" Laura asked.

  "Yes, but few of our leaders have had the temperament for such violence."

  "It would appear that you have a beautiful city here, why do they want Coyopa’?"

  Blanca smiled at the younger girl’s ignorance. "What we have pales in comparison to the Kingdom of Light. Legend tells us that Coyopa’ belongs to the beings of light. They have dwelt there for millions of years before the origins of man. For they are the keepers of the earth and the Sungmanitu are their servants, as the Baalam once were. But we were sent away in disgrace," Blanca explained.

  "How can Dark Claw hope to win against these spirits of light?" Laura asked.

  Again the old woman shook her head. "The Wolves are not invincible, but what my grandson does with the power he gains will only bring the wrath of the spirits down on us once again. He will undoubtedly destroy the Jaguars if he goes forward with his plan."

  "There seems to be no stopping him." Laura frowned. "Unless I can escape to the jungle with my grandfather."

  "You will find nothing in that jungle," Blanca informed her.

  Laura’s brows drew together in confusion.

  "Why do you think that Dark Claw has no worry of your escaping?"

  Laura had the sudden understanding that her situation was much more complicated than what she could possibly have known.

  Blanca lowered her voice. "If it were known I told you of this, I could be executed, but it's only right that you should know. When we were banished, we were not stripped of our ability to transform, or our ability to hide. For our city to coexist in your world would be disastrous, so we were given the ability to warp time and space into a different dimension."

  Blanca’s conspiratorial tone became even lower. "In your world, Coba’ exists, but only as an ancient ruin. You can only get from there to here with this." The old woman reached to her neck and pointed out a large quartz crystal that hung from a golden chain. "The same is true to return. Only in our world can these crystals be mined. Any that you could obtain from the other side would be useless in crossing the barriers."

  Laura felt desolation wash over her like hot lava. "There has to be a way!" she cried.

  Blanca held a finger up to her lips. "Just maybe there is. Tomorrow night there is to be a celebration in honor of your joining with my grandson. The joining will take place the following night, so we must act fast."

  "But my grandfather?"

  "I will think about this and pray about it." Blanca smiled. "You will come here tomorrow at this time, but make sure you are not followed."

  Laura left Blanca’s cottage feeling more optimistic than she had since opening her eyes to this living nightmare.

  If only Justin were alive! Laura’s heart constricted painfully. Still the wounds from her loss were as fresh as the day she had watched him gunned down.

  Where were these spirits of the light when Justin was dying, she thought bitterly.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Laura awoke with a start. She had felt his presence, as compelling as if he had been sitting next to her. Had it been a dream within this nightmare--the slightest touch on the fringes of her consciousness? In her dream, she could almost smell his musky scent ... feel the softness of his touch.

  The floodgates opened and Laura let the tears spring from her soul, falling to soak into her silk pillows. His presence had
been so real, but had she actually thought that when she opened her eyes he would be there, looking down on her sleeping form?

  Leaving her bed, Laura stepped to an arched window and stared out onto the sleeping city of Coba’. The silver moonlight painted the city in a surreal image. She wondered for the hundredth time if all this were not some kind of tormenting dream.

  So many times she had come out of a dream of Justin with tears still flooding her eyes, but this was the first time she had actually felt his presence in the waking world. Was it possible that there could exist a love so deep that it could reach across time and space to touch you?

  Laura’s thoughts returned to the problems at hand. They had killed Justin, but she would die before she let them have her child. She reached down and touched her stomach--the seeds of love already blossoming for her unborn baby, as well as a primal instinct to protect the child.

  Something in Blanca’s eyes had told her there was still hope. She had no choice but to trust the Jaguar woman. The coming day would be the longest of her life, if not the last day of her life.

  * * * *

  Carlotta, "the smiling woman" as Laura had come to think of the girl, had told her there would be a day-long celebration, but Laura wouldn't be needed until that evening. That is when the elite of the Baalam would gather in the palace to be presented to their future Queen.

  Laura bit at her bottom lip, wondering how she would ever pull it off. How would she look onto the Jaguar and manage to put on a mask of defeat, while the fire of revenge burned bright within her eyes? She was only grateful that she had yet to face Dark Claw again. Laura was sure he would have read her intentions at once.

  The hours ticked by agonizingly slow, but finally the time came for Laura to leave the palace. Instead of going straight to that little cottage, she wandered the city, just in case someone was following her. But like Blanca pointed out, Dark Claw was confident of her obedience. Laura was fairly sure that she was not under surveillance.

  The city was abuzz in festivity. The aroma of assorted foods and flowers drifted to her from all directions. The citizens of Coba’ were dressed in a rainbow of fine silks. Laura would have been thrilled with the adventure of it all, if she hadn't been so terrified.