Dream Warrior: His Savage Kiss

by Bobbi Smith

"Oh, my God! Mark's after me again?" Jenny blanched at the news. "Where is he?"

  "He rode out with the sheriff's posse to track down Daniel Marshall, but he'll be back. Marshall broke out of jail tonight, and . . ."

  "Daniel got away?" she said quickly.

  Sarah Jane nodded and hurried to explain how Marshall had somehow gotten a knife and made his escape, taking Cari McCord hostage. "But none of that is important. What's important is that Larson's after you."

  "I have to leave," she said in a panic. If Mark found out that she'd been the one to help Daniel escape, her life would be worthless. "I have to find someplace to hide. Someplace safe, where he'll never find me."

  "Jenny, Mark's been with you many times. Why are you suddenly afraid of him?"

  "I discovered the hard way that he can be a very violent man when he wants something."

  "But what does he want from you?"

  "I don't have time to answer your questions now. I've got to hide."

  "Don't worry. I've been thinking about it all the way home, and I figured out the perfect place for you to go."

  "Where?"

  "To Mrs. Perkins's house," she answered, knowing what a safe haven the devout, little white-haired lady's home would provide.

  Years before, when she'd first started working for Ed, Mrs. Perkins would often stop and talk to her on the streets. No other "good" woman in town would even acknowledge her, but Mrs. Perkins always did, and with a smile, too. Sarah Jane could still remember the last time the woman had tried to convince her to give up her work and begin another way of life. She'd been so endearing that Sarah Jane had almost agreed, almost believed it could happen, but then reality had returned. Not everyone was like Mrs. Perkins—loving and forgiving, and a girl did have to make a living when she didn't have a man to take care of her. Disappointed though Mrs. Perkins had been, the sweet lady had never given up on her. She continued to offer to take her to church services or help her in any way she could. Sarah Jane knew she herself was beyond "saving," but Jenny was another story.

  "You mean that little lady we see who's always on her way to church?" Jenny stared at her in surprise.

  "She's a kind old lady. She's always trying to help. I'll write you a note to give to her, but be careful getting to her house. Wear the dark cloak with the hood on it and stay out of sight. She'll take care of you once you're there."

  Jenny stood and hugged her friend. "Thank you, Sarah Jane," she told her with heartfelt sincerity.

  "Thank me later when this is all over and you can tell me the truth. Right now, get going. Ed's waiting for me, I gotta get back."

  "Cari?" Elizabeth knocked softly at her daughter's bedroom door as she called her name.

  She'd already been up for over an hour and had fixed breakfast, and still Cari had not come downstairs. Concerned, she'd decided to check on her. When no answer came to her knock, Elizabeth tried the door and found it unlocked.

  "Cari? Are you feeling all right?"

  She let herself into the room and was taken by surprise to find it empty. Frowning, she wondered where her daughter could have gone so early in the day. She moved to the bedside, and it was then that she noticed the piece of paper on the pillow.

  Mother—

  I've gone into town to get some answers.

  I'll be back as soon as I can.

  Love—

  Cari

  "How could she?" Elizabeth demanded aloud as she crushed the note in her hand. She felt betrayed and hurt as she stormed out of the room. In her blind fury she didn't see Elliot in the hallway and almost ran into him.

  "Cari's gone," she told him, distraught.

  "Gone?" Elliot repeated, confused. "Where?"

  "According to her note, to town. She must have left late last night or very early this morning. Here, read this . . ." She handed him the note, and he quickly scanned it.

  "Do you want me to go after her?"

  "Oh, Elliot, thank you. I don't know what to think and I'm so worried about her . . ."

  "I'll be ready to leave in a few minutes. Will you be all right alone?"

  "The hands are here. I'll be fine."

  Within minutes, he was ready to ride. Elizabeth accompanied him to where his horse was saddled and waiting.

  "Bring Cari back to me."

  "I will," he promised.

  He gave her a warm hug and then mounted and prepared to leave. "I'll be back with her just as soon as I can."

  Elliot reined his horse around and started from the ranch. He hadn't gone more than a mile when he saw a rider coming toward him, traveling fast.

  "What's wrong?" he called out as he recognized him as one of the sheriff's men. "What happened?"

  The deputy reined beside Elliot. "I'm Deputy Morgan, and I need to see Mrs. McCord right away!"

  "Why? What is it?"

  "The half-breed, Marshall, has escaped from jail, and he kidnapped Cari and took her with him! I gotta tell Mrs. McCord what happened!"

  "Let's go!"

  Elliot swore under his breath as they raced toward the ranch house. It infuriated him that Cari had gone into town alone, but for her to have been caught up in Silver Wolf's jailbreak outraged him even more. The man had claimed to care about her, yet he'd taken her hostage, and in doing so had put her in a situation where she could be hurt or even killed. He dreaded telling Elizabeth, but as much as he would have liked to have kept news of Cari's capture from her, there was no way he could avoid it.

  "Elizabeth?" Elliot called as they reached the house.

  She came out, a curious look on her face. "What is it? Why did you come back so soon, Elliot?"

  "This is Deputy Morgan. Sheriff Dixon sent him."

  "What's happened?" Elizabeth demanded, immediately sensing something was wrong.

  "It's your daughter, ma'am," he began.

  "Cari?" There was a note of hysteria in her voice.

  "Yes, ma'am. Marshall broke out of jail last night, and he took her hostage."

  "Dear God . . ." Elizabeth turned pale, grabbing the porch railing to support herself. "How could this have happened?"

  "He had a knife. When your daughter went in to talk to him, he grabbed her. He was going to kill her unless the sheriff went along with him. So Sheriff Dixon did everything he said. The sheriff told him not to take Cari with him, but Marshall said he needed her for insurance." He quickly related everything he knew about the breakout.

  "You have to find them! You have to get my daughter back!"

  "Yes, ma'am. The posse's already out looking for them. I'll be joining up with them just as soon as I leave here."

  "I'm going with you," Elliot insisted, stalking into the house to get what he needed.

  When he returned, he not only had his bedroll, but he was wearing a sidearm and carrying a rifle. He laid them aside while he embraced Elizabeth.

  "We'll find her. Don't worry. I'll bring her back to you," he promised solemnly.

  She could only nod, for her throat was too tight with tears. Terror filled her. She had lost James, would she lose Cari, too?

  "We'll be back as soon as we can, ma'am," Morgan assured her.

  Elliot gathered his things and mounted up. His mood was grim as he rode off with the deputy.

  "How long will it take us to catch up with the sheriff?"

  "Not more than half a day if we're lucky."

  Elliot nodded. He wanted to be there when they found Cari, for he could well imagine how devastated she was. Her note had said that she'd gone into town seeking answers. Elliot's expression turned harsh. Cari had gotten her answers all right, but he knew they weren't the ones she'd wanted. He hoped and prayed with all his heart that she was safe.

  Elizabeth watched them ride away, and only when they'd gone did she allow herself to break down. Sobs choked her as she turned back into the house. She cried out mournfully for her daughter, aching to have her by her side. She'd known Cari had been upset about Silver Wolf, and she regretted that she hadn't taken the time to talk to her abou
t it. But her own pain over losing James had been too great right then. Now, as she considered that she might have lost her daughter as well as her husband, she grew afraid.

  For a moment, she wondered if Cari had anything to do with the half-breed's escape, but she quickly discarded the idea. Silver Wolf had killed James, and there was no way her daughter would have willingly helped her father's murderer escape.

  Elizabeth searched desperately for a fragment of hope to cling to; the only hope she could find was that maybe, just maybe, Silver Wolf truly did care for Cari. As she prayed for her safe return, she agonized over her daughter's headstrong ways. Had Cari not gone into town to see him in the first place, she would have been safe. Elizabeth returned to her prayers, desperate to have her child back safe and unharmed.

  Eighteen

  For the posse, night had turned to day, and then the day had aged with no sign of the escaped prisoner and his hostage. They'd known it would be difficult to find them, but they were determined to catch him and see justice done.

  "Are we riding into the village?" Sam Larson asked the sheriff at midmorning.

  "We'll scout around the area, but there's no reason to confront Tall Shadow," Dixon said. He didn't want to start an Indian war, he just wanted to catch Daniel Marshall and free the McCord girl.

  "I say we go in!" Sam argued, trying to rile up the posse to a fever pitch. "He's probably hiding there with the girl!"

  Until that time Ben had said very little, but the thought of the posse riding into Tall Shadow's village, armed and angry, worried him. He thought of Star Blossom and all the other innocents there, and how fighting might erupt with the smallest provocation. Not wanting trouble, he knew he had to find a way to keep the posse from doing it.

  "Daniel wouldn't have gone to the village. He'd never do anything that would put his people at risk."

  "Ben's right, and, besides, there's no reason to stir up the Cheyenne. We're only after Marshall and the girl," Dixon told him firmly.

  "But what if the other Indians were involved with the rustling?" Sam demanded, frustrated by the sheriff's caution and eager to stir up trouble. "I say we go after them all!"

  Ben glanced at the rancher. He remembered Daniel telling him that the Larsons might be the ones responsible for all the trouble, and he wondered at Sam's great desire to fight the Cheyenne. As small as the posse was, he wasn't sure that they would win any confrontation with Tall Shadow's warriors, and he wondered at the other man's bloodlust.

  "Sam, we've got no proof they had a hand in it. We're tracking the half-breed."

  Sam wanted to argue, but held his tongue for now. He hoped his time would come once they found Marshall and the girl.

  The hours passed and the posse rode on, weary but vigilant. They were determined to find Marshall. At midafternoon, Morgan and Elliot met up with them and joined in the hunt. The hours dragged on as they searched futilely for some clue to the fugitive's whereabouts.

  Late in the day, they came upon a stream and were about to take a moment to rest and water their horses when they heard the distant sound of a woman's voice. Anticipation filled the exhausted group, and they drew their guns as they rode in closer. Morgan was anxious to get his hands on the escaped prisoner again, and he barged ahead of the others, his horse crashing through the foliage in his rush to trap whoever was there. A feminine shriek of terror came to them from the direction he'd ridden.

  "Well, well, well, what have we got here?" Morgan asked. "Sheriff Dixon! Look what I found!"

  Ben had been riding toward the back of the posse, but when he heard the woman's cry, he pressed his mount forward and worked his way to the head of the group. As he did, Morgan came riding back, looking almost a drover on a cattle drive as he herded two frightened Cheyenne women before him.

  "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ben demanded, seeing the women and their horrified expressions. He charged forward to defend them against the deputy's harshness.

  "I'm going to find out where the damned hall-breed is hiding!" the deputy declared, bearing down on the two helpless females. "And they're going to tell me!"

  As Ben neared the women, he glanced down at them and immediately recognized Star Blossom.

  He said her name without thinking and wheeled his horse in her direction.

  Star Blossom had gone down to the creek with her friend, Calling Dove. The day had been so perfect that they'd decided to take a walk and just enjoy the sunshine and warm breezes for a while. They'd been shocked when a white man had appeared out of nowhere, startling them and chasing them in the direction away from their village and help. Unable to escape, they'd found themselves driven toward the menacing gang of white men. Memories of the tortured deaths of her mother and sister returned full force, and Star Blossom was quaking with terror as she and Calling Dove clung together.

  They stood before the white men now, fearing the worst and knowing they had nowhere to run or hide. There would be no escaping them. Just as she was about to give in to her panic, Star Blossom recognized Ben's voice and heard him call her name. She looked up to see him charging toward her like an avenging warrior, his expression fiercely savage. Her breath caught in her throat as a tremendous sense of joy flooded through her. It was Ben! Ben was there! Ben would help them!

  Ben saw the terror on her face, and, swearing violently under his breath, he commanded his mount between Morgan and the women. Reaching down, he snared the deputy's bridle and forced his horse away.

  "Leave them alone, Morgan!" Ben ordered as he used his steed to shield the two women from his assault.

  "Who are you to tell me what to do?" the deputy returned angrily. He'd been enjoying himself, treating the Indian women like the animals they were, and he had no intention of quitting so quickly. He figured if the sheriff wouldn't let them ride on the village, at least he could have a little fun with some of the women.

  "I'm a friend to the Cheyenne, and they don't take kindly to their women being mistreated," Ben told him, looking the other man straight in the eye.

  "I wasn't mistreating them. I just wanted to ask them a few questions."

  "That's why you were riding them down like animals in a hunt!" he snarled.

  Sheriff Dixon reached them then. "Enough, the both of you! Morgan, get out of here."

  Ben hadn't been sure how the others in the posse would react to his defending the women. He was relieved to discover the sheriff was his ally, for he knew he wasn't strong enough or fast enough with a gun to take them all on should they turn on him.

  The deputy relented grudgingly, and Ben let go of his horse. Ben waited until he'd moved away before dismounting to go to Star Blossom.

  Star Blossom had watched Ben place himself in harm's way to protect her and Calling Dove. It was the second time he'd saved her from danger, and a strange, heart-rending emotion filled her as he came toward them. Her friend was still frightened and held tightly to Star Blossom's arm as she watched Ben approach, but Star Blossom gave her a quiet word of reassurance. "He is a friend."

  The men of the posse watched from a short distance away as Ben talked to them.

  "I'm sorry that happened. No one's going to hurt you." His words were softly spoken to the both of them, but his eyes were only on Star Blossom. "Are you all right?"

  For just an instant, Star Blossom knew a crazy desire to throw herself into his arms and let him protect her forever, but she held herself back. She and Calling Dove nodded in response, and Star Blossom managed to say, "It is good to see you, Ben Douglas."

  She spoke quietly, but he could see the shadow of fear still haunting her eyes and knew she meant what she'd said. He smiled gently at her. "It's good to see you, too."

  "Why are you here? What do they want?"

  "We're trying to find Silver Wolf. Have you seen him?" he asked her in low tones, not wanting the others to hear.

  "No. He has not been to the village."

  "If you see him, will you give him a message for me?"

  "I will," she ag
reed.

  "Inform him that there is much trouble in town and that he should turn himself in."

  "I do not know that I will see him, but if I do, I will tell him your words."

  "Thank you. Go on back now. I'll watch and make sure no one bothers you again."

  Star Blossom cast Ben a lingering look, then drew the frightened and trembling Calling Dove along with her. They quickly disappeared from view, leaving Ben to face the posse.

  "What did ya let them go for?" Morgan asked hotly. "They might have known something about Marshall!"

  "They didn't know anything," Ben answered tersely. "Daniel hasn't been anywhere near the village."

  "You believed what they said?" Sam demanded.

  "I know Star Blossom. She has no reason to lie to me."

  "All Indians are liars!" Morgan argued.

  "I say we ride into the village!" Sam attempted to agitate the group.

  Ben would have responded, but the sheriff cut them off. "Let's get back to our search. We've still got a lot of territory to cover."

  They continued to comb the countryside, looking for some sign of Marshall or the girl, but found no clues to their whereabouts. At dusk, they could do nothing more and made camp. Elliot joined Ben as they ate the meager dinner.

  "Do you think we'll find them soon?" Elliot asked, worried about Cari. He felt frustrated by their lack of success that day.

  Ben cast a sidelong glance at him. He'd been surprised by his endurance so far, and his respect for the man was growing.

  "I don't know," Ben answered. "Daniel was born and raised on this land. He knows every inch of it. If he doesn't want to be found, he won't be."

  "If he's as innocent as you say, why did he break out of jail?"

  "I wish I knew. Maybe he thought he'd be able to find the men responsible for James's death."

  "But what about Cari? Why did he drag her along? Do you think she's all right?"

  Ben's mouth tightened at his accusation. "Daniel would never harm Cari."

  Elliot looked disgusted at his continued defense. "You say he had nothing to do with killing James, yet he took Cari hostage at knife point! If he cared for Cari, why would he put her in such danger?"