Shadow Walker

by Connie Mason

  By the time she pulled him all the way inside the hut, she was panting from the exertion. Cole still hadn’t budged or opened his eyes. But he was shivering uncontrollably. And so was she. She looked longingly at the hearth, wishing there was a way to strike a fire in the hearth before they both froze to death or died of pneumonia. She was wearing her only set of dry clothes and now they were as wet as those she had removed earlier.

  Her mind worked frantically. She was desperate enough to try rubbing two sticks together, but fortunately she recalled something that made the attempt unnecessary. Cole always carried matches in a tin in his saddlebags. Cole’s pale face provided the impetus she needed to venture out in the raging storm again to get them. She paused but a moment before plunging through the door and into the solid wall of water. The horses snorted a greeting as Dawn approached, but she was too intent upon her mission to spare an answering pat for them.

  Dashing the rain from her eyes, she searched through Cole’s saddlebags, exclaiming in joy and relief when her hand closed on the tin of matches. Clutching them to her breast like something precious, she ran back to the hut, pushing the warped door shut behind her. Cole lay where she’d left him, pale and unmoving.

  Her hands were shaking so badly it took three precious matches before the kindling caught. Minutes later a fragile flame ignited the wood, giving forth a promise of warmth. When Dawn was certain the fire would not die, she returned to Cole. His stillness frightened her. Using a piece of her wet petticoat, she washed the blood from his head and inspected his wound. It did not appear serious. The skin was broken but already scabbing over. Far more worrisome was the blow he’d received to his head.

  The small room was heating rapidly. Dawn spread all her wet clothing except for what she wore across the two rickety chairs and on the floor before concentrating on getting Cole out of his clothes. He cooperated not at all, lying like dead weight as she removed his guns and pulled and pushed to strip him of his wet buckskins. When he was nude, she wrapped him in the blanket. After she had made Cole as comfortable as possible under the circumstances, Dawn saw to her own needs. She stripped down to her shift and lay down beside Cole to share his body heat and the blanket. She tried to remain awake, but the events of the day had exhausted her and she nodded off.

  Cole was hot. The fires of hell licked at him. He moaned and tried to escape the suffocating heat, but something even hotter than his own burning flesh pressed against him. His head hurt and he moved it cautiously. When he felt strong enough, he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw were walls made of logs. With difficulty he turned his head toward the source of the heat torturing his flesh.

  Even with her hair matted against her head and her face smudged with dirt, Dawn was the loveliest sight he’d ever seen. He racked his brain, still foggy and disoriented, but failed to find answers to his questions. Where was he? How had he arrived here, and why did his head hurt like the very devil? Why was he lying naked with Dawn in his arms?

  It came to Cole suddenly that the source of scorching heat was Dawn. Her heated flesh had chased the dampness and cold from his bones just as surely as the fire burning cheerily in the hearth. He spied his clothing laid out before the hearth and realized that he had Dawn to thank for that. He could remember nothing beyond chasing through the woods in search of Dawn. Through some quirk of fate, the rescuer had become the rescued. What in the hell had happened?

  Dawn sensed movement beside her and struggled to awaken. She was so cozy and warm she resisted as long as she could, but finally she opened her eyes.

  “Cole, thank God you’re awake. How do you feel?”

  “Like I’ve been struck by lightning.” He had no idea how close to the truth he had come.

  “You were struck, but not by lightning. A bolt of lightning severed a tree limb and sent it crashing to the ground … right on your head.”

  He touched the lump on his head, and it all came back to him in a flash. “How did I get inside the hut? I’m not a lightweight.”

  “I dragged you.”

  He shook his head. “Foolish girl. You could have hurt yourself.” He gave her a crooked smile. “It appears I’m nude beneath the blanket.”

  Dawn flushed. “I stripped you. You were soaked to the skin. Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “I have one hell of a headache, but I’ll survive. More importantly, how are you? Or should I say, how is our babe?”

  Dawn released her breath in a surprised hiss. “You know? How?”

  “A mutual friend told me.”

  “Sandy! He promised.”

  “Why didn’t you want me to know? I told you I wanted children with you. Is it so difficult to trust me?”

  “You’ve given me no reason to believe you’d stick around long enough to welcome our child into the world.”

  He placed his hand on her stomach, finding scant sign of a child growing inside her. She was too slim, and far too fragile, to be carrying a child. “I’ll never abandon you again, love. I know I’ve hurt you in the past, but you’ve got to believe me when I say I’m ready now to devote the rest of my life to you and the family we’ll have together.”

  His words sounded pretty, but … “Why should I believe you?”

  He touched her face with a tenderness that made the breath catch in her throat. “Because I love you. Without you I have no heart or soul. If you hadn’t come into my life I would have fed upon my grief forever, living with cold memories. I realize now how close I came to destroying myself out of grief for a past love I could never bring back from the grave. Grieving had become a way of life for me. Morning Mist would want me to move on with my life. Finding love again has given my life purpose.”

  He was so intent, so utterly sincere, Dawn felt all her doubts melting away. “You’re happy about the baby?”

  “Incredibly happy.” He spread his fingers across her belly, massaging gently. “You’re so slim. Are you certain all is well with you and the babe? Have you consulted a doctor?”

  She nodded. “I should deliver a healthy baby in six months, if all goes well.”

  Her last words sent fear racing through his blood. “I could wring your beautiful neck for running away. How could you endanger yourself and our child like that? You’ve already suffered one miscarriage, you can’t afford another. Oh, God, Dawn, if anything happens this time I’ll hold myself responsible.” He kissed her brow, even though lifting his head caused him excruciating pain.

  He lay back with a groan.

  “Don’t move. You may have a concussion.”

  “We have to get back to town. Is it still raining?”

  She glanced out the window. “No, the storm has moved on. But we’re not going anywhere until you’re well enough to move.” She started to rise, but he held her tightly against him.

  “If I’m not moving, neither are you. You’ve been through a harrowing experience. I should be very angry with you but I’m just damn glad to see you safe and sound. I was supposed to rescue you, not the other way around.”

  “I’m fine, Cole, really. I’m stronger than I look.”

  “Maybe so, but I’m not taking any chances with you this time. This babe is going to grow inside you to term. We’ll be married as soon as possible. I sent Sandy to tell Ashley that she’s to plan a wedding for next week. I’ve accepted a piece of land from Tanner and hope to build you a grand house before our child is born.”

  A real home. Someone to love who would love her in return. A child of her own. Dawn was too overcome with happiness to reply. Leaning on her elbow, she kissed his mouth, loving the unique taste and scent of him. How could she have been so foolish as to run away from the only happiness she’d ever known?

  “I love you, Cole,” she said. Her voice shook with emotion.

  “Thank God,” Cole said, sighing raggedly. “Those are the sweetest words I’ve ever heard. You already know I love you.”

  Dawn grinned happily as she cuddled close to Cole. Fading light cast eerie shadows into the ca
bin as the day drew to an end. When her stomach emitted a loud growl, Dawn was reminded that she hadn’t eaten since the previous night.

  “You’re hungry,” Cole said. A hint of laughter crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Is there anything to eat in the hut?”

  “No, I’ve already looked. It’s been abandoned a very long time.”

  “There is some jerky and hardtack in my saddlebags. Lie still, I’ll get them.”

  “No! You can’t get up. You’re not well enough. I’ll get them.”

  “Not unless you knock me out first,” Cole insisted. “I’m not going to let a little headache stop me. Maybe I can find something more palatable than hardtack and jerky in my cache of food.”

  He tottered to his feet, fighting off a wave of dizziness as he pulled on his dry pants and shirt. When he opened the door a blast of cold air caused Dawn to shiver and snuggle deeper into the blanket. Cole wasn’t gone long. He returned with a cloth sack. It held several pieces of jerky, some hardtack and a hunk of cheese. Cole sliced the cheese with his knife and divided the contents of the bag between them.

  Dawn ate with gusto. When she finished, she sighed and regarded Cole for a long, measuring moment. “Are you really sure you want to marry me? It’s not because of the babe, is it? Because if it is, I couldn’t—”

  Cole stopped her with a kiss. “Hush, love. I’m here because you are in my thoughts night and day. Because my whole life revolves around you. I know I’ve hurt you but I intend to make it up to you. God, Dawn, I must have been mad to question my feelings for you. I’d want you even if you weren’t carrying my child.” He kissed her again, hard.

  Dawn’s bones turned liquid. When he stopped kissing her, she tugged his head back down and leaned up, inviting him to continue. They were sitting on the floor atop the rumpled blanket that had covered them while they slept, and as Cole’s mouth devoured hers, she slowly pulled him down with her, until she lay flat, with Cole bending over her, their mouths meshed, her arms clinging to his neck. She wanted to draw his taste inside her, to be savored forever.

  Cole felt his control slipping. He wanted to make love to Dawn, to lose himself in her sweet body, but he didn’t want to hurt her or their babe. Her face was pinched and wan. Battling the storm had drained her. The life growing inside her was too fragile and precious to endanger. Dawn made a little moaning sound inside her throat when he drew away, and she tried to pull him back.

  “No, sweet, I can wait. I won’t let my lust harm our babe.”

  “Cole …”

  “Yes.”

  “I love you so very much. Are you sure you won’t mind being married to a half-breed?”

  “How can you ask such a thing? You’ve had a rough life, love, and have risen above it. Your beauty is not just skin deep, it goes clear through to your heart. When I look at you I don’t see a half-breed. I see a warm, passionate woman with so much love to give it makes me feel unworthy.”

  “Are you sure Morning Mist’s ghost won’t haunt our marriage?” She had to know the answer before she gave herself into Cole’s keeping.

  “Morning Mist is dead, love. She’s been dead a very long time. I’ve agonized over this a great deal. I loved her dearly but I no longer need to exist on memories. I have you. Morning Mist and I were both so very young when we met and fell in love. I clung to her memory simply because I hadn’t met another woman who could replace her in my heart. I’ve finally found that woman, love. I love you, Dawn, only you.” He sealed his vow with a kiss.

  “First thing in the morning we’ll ride back to Oregon City. Ashley and Tanner are probably worried sick about us. They weren’t even aware that I had returned. I stopped first at the Watering Hole when I arrived in town. I guess Fate had a hand in bringing me to you when you needed me.”

  Dawn gave him a mischievous grin. “Before we marry, you have to promise me one thing.”

  “Anything, love. Anything within my power.”

  “Promise you will let Shadow Walker come to me sometimes. He’s such a magnificent savage.”

  Startled, Cole regarded her for one long moment. Then he threw back his head and gave a shout of laughter.

  About the Author

  Connie is the bestselling author of 60 books and novellas and counting. Her tales of passion and adventure are set in exotic as well as in American locales. Connie has won awards from Romantic Times and has been listed in Who’s Who of American Women for several years. Connie makes her home in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

  Connie is a world traveler. She has visited every country in Western and Eastern Europe, Greece, Asia and Northern Africa. Also, countless islands in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. Connie enjoys spending time with her three children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Visit her Website and www.conniemason.com.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty