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Outlaws Of Phantom Canyon (Savage Series)

Page 13

by Lisa Rae


  Julianna was angry now, and the fire showed in her emerald green eyes. “How dare you! You stand there with that woman’s arm around your waist, and accuse me of not caring.” She suddenly realized it was Gabriel she saw yesterday when that Indian woman ran up, and hugged and kissed him. With tears stinging her eyes, Julianna ran off to the stream.

  When Gabriel turned to go after her, Spotted Elk stopped him. “No my brother. If Crying Moon does not wish to speak anymore with you, then you will leave her alone. She is under my protection now.” And with that Spotted Elk went after Julianna.

  Crying Moon? Gabriel’s people had named her Crying Moon.

  Snow Storm had stood there quietly listening to the whole interaction. So this white woman was who her brother, Black Thunder, had been talking to in his feverish dreams. But now Crying Moon was with Spotted Elk, the man Snow Storm was in love with …

  *

  Spotted Elk followed Julianna to the small stream, and found her standing by a bushy heather tree crying. As he took her into his arms he said, “Crying Moon, if you wish, I will order him to leave our village.”

  “No, please don’t do that,” Julianna said as she shook her head no, and continued crying in his arms.

  Spotted Elk had hoped she would say to send Black Thunder away. He loved his warrior brother as much as a real brother, but he did not want to lose Crying Moon. He wanted her to choose to stay with him.

  Spotted Elk knew he could force her to stay with him, but he did not want her that way. It had to be her choice …

  “Crying Moon I must tell you, that woman with Dark Thunder, that you are jealous of, is only his sister Snow Storm. We have tried to get Dark Thunder to marry many of our women, but he has refused.”

  “If she is only his sister, then why does she not like me?” Julianna asked, still in tears.

  “I do not know. Maybe you ask her,” Spotted Elk suggested.

  “Jules,” Gabriel called out from behind Julianna and Spotted Elk, as he was walking towards them.

  “I will leave you both alone. You two need to talk this out,” Spotted Elk told both of them, before turning to leave.

  “Gabe, why didn’t you tell me she was your sister?” Julianna asked, as she wiped tears from her green eyes.

  “You ran off before I had the chance, and I was hurt to see you with my warrior brother Spotted Elk,” Gabriel replied.

  “I’m only taking care of Spotted Elk’s son. When I first met him, I was sitting and crying under that big tree you and I first kissed at. He asked why I was crying, and I told him it was because you was dead, and that an awful outlaw wanted to make me his woman.

  “He said he understood my loss of you, as he had recently lost his own wife. When I told him I didn’t want to go back to the outlaw camp, he said to come with him and I could care for his son,” Julianna explained.

  “It never occurred to you, that Spotted Elk would want to eventually marry you, after he was done mourning his own wife?”

  “Marry me? No he never said anything like that. You must be wrong about him.”

  “It is also not our custom to have an unwed woman live with an unwed man, unless they are related. Besides, there are plenty of women here than can care for his son. He just used that as an excuse to coax you to leave with him, instead of having to kidnap you.”

  “Gabe! How could you say that about your warrior brother? He is a good man,” Julianna protested.

  “Yes Spotted Elk is a good man, but if you don’t believe me, ask him yourself. He will not lie to you.”

  “Why does your sister Snow Storm not like me?” Julianna asked, as she changed the subject.

  “I think maybe Stormy is in love with Spotted Elk. It is too soon after his wife’s death for her to say anything yet.”

  “And when he brought me to his home it made her jealous?” Julianna commented more than asked, as she realized that Gabriel was probably right about Snow Storm.

  “That would be my guess,” Gabriel told her as he smiled and pulled her into his arms. “I don’t want to lose you.”

  “You will never lose me. I love you!”

  “I love you too, but …”

  “But what Gabe?”

  “You and my horse belong to Spotted Elk now,” Gabriel said sadly. “It is up to him, on if we can be together.”

  “He doesn’t own me! He can’t tell me who I can be with!” Julianna was again angry. “What is it with all of you men thinking you can own a woman! It’s just like that Roark back at the Phantom hideout, you had not been dead twenty-four hours, and he was already claiming me as his woman!”

  “Roark was only doing it to protect you from the rest of the outlaws. He was not going to really make you his woman.”

  “And how do you know that?” Julianna asked still angry.

  Gabriel couldn’t help but smile as he said, “Because he is my brother.”

  “Your . . your brother… Roark is your brother, Angel is your sister, and Snow Storm is your sister. Is there anymore brothers and sisters I should know about?”

  Laughing, Gabriel replied, “No, that is all of them. And before you ask, Angel and Roark had a different mother, who died twelve years ago. Our father passed six years ago.”

  “After all the talks we’ve had, I thought I knew a lot about you. But I guess I was wrong,” Julianna commented.

  “There is more.”

  “More? What more can there be?” Julianna asked curiously.

  “It’s a little complicated. As you already know, ten years ago Dora’s stagecoach was held up by Clayton, Ted, and Victor. She was then killed by Victor. Once I found out what they looked like, I started searching for them pretending to be an outlaw.”

  “Yes, you’ve told me all of this,” Julianna commented.

  “Yes, but what I didn’t tell you, was that nine years ago I joined my brother Roark. We are both U.S. Marshals that have been working undercover for the past year to bust up the Phantom gang’s hideout; and Angel has been an undercover agent for the Secret Service for five years now.”

  Julianna was speechless as she just stared at Gabriel. “What about the revenge for Dora’s death, was that part true?”

  “Yes. Being a U.S. Marshal to begin with was just a paid way to search for the killers. Revenge had consumed me, and it drove me to keep going … until I met you! Falling in love with you has changed me. Life matters to me again!”

  “Wait, if you’re a U.S. Marshal, then you can make Spotted Elk let me go?” Julianna asked eagerly.

  “Legally by white man’s laws I could, but this is my family and I respect their ways. Jules, I was raised by my Indian mother with her people for the first twenty years of my life. I fought the whites and other Indian tribes with my warrior brothers. I can not turn my back on their ways, just because I have chose to live in the white man’s world.”

  “Oh Gabe! What are we going to do?”

  *

  Spotted Elk had watched Crying Moon and Dark Thunder from his Indian village. He could tell they were in love and wanted to be together. It would pain him to let her go. Crying Moon was a good tough woman that could bear him many more children. But he wanted her in his life willingly, not because he forced her to be.

  It was obvious she deeply loved his warrior brother Dark Thunder. Spotted Elk decided he would let her go, but he would not make it too easy. He had to save face in front of the rest of his warrior brothers.

  Julianna and Gabriel walked back to the Indian village holding hands as they walked up to Spotted Elk, who was standing talking to some of his warriors.

  “Spotted Elk, I want to trade you my strong warrior stallion for Crying Moon,” Gabriel said bravely.

  Spotted Elk laughed. “My warrior brother, I already own your big strong stallion.”

  “Please Spotted Elk,” Julianna implored.

  “Tell me Crying Moon, why should I let Dark Thunder have you?” Spotted Elk asked, as he looked sadly at Julianna already knowing the answer.

&
nbsp; “Because Dark Thunder is who I truly love. And you are a great warrior leader who would want his warrior brother to be happy.”

  “That is true, but what about my happiness?” Spotted Elk asked Julianna.

  “Spotted Elk, I could not make you as happy as a great warrior leader deserves, but I think I know of someone who could …,” Julianna replied.

  “Oh … and who would that be Crying Moon?”

  “Snow Storm. I believe she is in love with you,” Julianna answered anxiously.

  Just then Snow Storm walked up to stand beside her brother, Dark Thunder, and said, “What Crying Moon says is true Spotted Elk. I wish to be your wife.”

  Spotted Elk stood silently thinking for a moment before he said, “I have made my decision. When I am done mourning my wife, I will marry Snow Storm. Dark Thunder, you will marry Crying Moon today at sunset, and I will keep your bay stallion.”

  “Why must we get married today?” Gabriel asked curiously.

  “My warrior brother, how many times have I tried to get you to marry? I will not allow you time to change your mind,” Spotted Elk said smiling.

  *

  Snow Storm led Julianna off to Laughing Eyes’s tepee to prepare her for her wedding, while Gabriel went with his warrior brothers. They were purposely kept apart the whole day, while the rest of the village prepared for a celebration.

  Laughing Eyes and Snow Storm dressed Julianna in a beautiful long white fringed deerskin dress that was covered in beads and shells, and put matching moccasins on her small feet. They braided her hair into two braids and wrapped them in fur.

  When the warrior’s drums started, Spotted Elk appeared at Laughing Eyes’s tepee to escort Julianna to the ceremony, while Laughing Eyes and Snow Storm followed behind them.

  Spotted Elk led Julianna up to Gabriel, who was standing by Chief Nighthawk and Walking Bear. Gabriel was dressed in a deerskin breechcloth, leather leggins and beaded moccasins. His black hair was lose of its feathered band and flowed freely down his back.

  Julianna couldn’t help smiling wide at the sight of Gabriel in only a breechcloth and leggins. His bare chest shined bronze in the setting sun.

  When Gabriel saw Julianna walking towards him, he had no doubts that this was the woman he had waited for all these years. She was beautiful beyond belief.

  Chief Nighthawk and Walking Bear both spoke to the couple, and to the whole tribe, in their own Ute language. Julianna didn’t care though, it was still beautiful. At the end, Chief Nighthawk announced in English, “You are now married. Let us celebrate.”

  Gabriel kissed Julianna long and hard as the warriors played their drums again, and the Indians danced. Then Gabriel led Julianna away to a tepee that was fixed up just for them. They spent hours making passionate love on the buffalo robes piled inside for them.

  At some point, Yellow Flower brought them some food from the celebration, and set it outside of their tepee door. But it never got touched, as Gabriel and Julianna could not get enough of each other. The week apart had seemed like an eternity to them.

  Long after the moon rose high, and the celebration ended, Julianna and Gabriel finally fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  The next day when Gabriel and Julianna awoke, they went to the cold stream to bathe. Once dressed back into their white man’s clothes, they returned the borrowed clothing to its owners, before going to eat breakfast with Chief Nighthawk. The Chief had invited them for breakfast the evening before at their wedding ceremony.

  Seated around the fire with Chief Nighthawk, Gabriel and Julianna were enjoying their breakfast with the Chief when he asked, “Dark Thunder when will you leave to attack the Phantom gang?”

  “I will be leaving today after we are done eating,” Gabriel replied.

  “We are leaving today?” Julianna asked surprised.

  “No I will be leaving today. You will be staying here with my family where I know you will be safe,” Gabriel answered.

  “No Gabe! You are not leaving me behind.”

  “This is not open for discussion,” Gabriel said sternly. But Julianna wasn’t listening as she was already planning on how she would follow him. What if he needed her help she thought …

  *

  “Spotted Elk, my warrior brother. I need to ask you a favor,” Gabriel said, as he was getting ready to leave the Ute village.

  “How can I help Dark Thunder?”

  “My attack on the Phantom gang will be a fierce battle. I need a good strong horse under me. Can I borrow the big bay stallion, since I now do not own a horse?”

  “Yes my warrior brother you can borrow him. Just remember who he now belongs to,” Spotted Elk said with a big grin.

  “How could I forget,” Gabriel said smiling and laughing with his warrior brother.

  “Will you be heading straight to the Phantom’s hideout?” Spotted Elk asked Gabriel the question Julianna was curious to know herself.

  “No, I must go into Colorado City first to make contact with Angel and the Calvary. They are waiting on orders from me to attack. Unless Roark and Angel have already proceeded without me, since they believe me to be dead,” Gabriel explained.

  Nodding his head, Spotted Elk said, “Your warrior brothers will be ready.”

  “Thank you my warrior brother,” Gabriel said as he and Julianna turned to walk to the pony herd. They went to collect the big bay horse, that used to be his.

  Julianna pleaded with Gabriel one more time, “Gabe please let me come with you. I can help.”

  “No, I want you where I know you are safe!”

  While Gabriel was catching up his old horse and saddling him, Julianna paid close attention to the horses and where the few saddles were kept. She figured if she watched which way Gabriel rode off in, then she could follow a little while later.

  *

  Gabriel spent most of the ride to Colorado City deep in thought of what he needed to do, and did not notice Julianna trailing him from a far distance. She had no idea what he would do when he found out, so she decided to stay out of sight as long as possible.

  When Gabriel reached town it was already dark, but he stayed on the back streets and alleyways, as he made his way to the back of the O’Connor’s Hotel. Sneaking in the back door, he made his way quietly to the room Angel kept for when she was in town.

  He knocked softly and was happy to see she was here. “Gabriel you’re alive!”

  Hushing her, he pushed her inside and quickly shut the door behind them. “No one knows I’m alive.” Gabriel then proceeded to catch Angel up on everything that had happened to him and to Julianna.

  Smiling Angel said, “My brother is finally married! I am so happy for you both.”

  “Thank you. But right now I need to know if you and Roark have done anything?” Gabriel asked.

  “No, we were about to. Roark is still in the Phantom outlaw’s camp, and I came into town this evening, and was going to send a messenger to Governor Whitaker in the morning,” Angel explained.

  “Good! Here is what we will do …”

  *

  While Gabriel was in Angel’s room talking to her, Julianna had been hiding out in the shadows of the alley. She had been watching for him to come back out, when a couple of men walked down the alley towards her talking.

  Julianna noticed that the voices sounded familiar, and she tried to keep her face turned away for fear of being recognized, but it did not work.

  Levi and Tate both spotted Julianna at the same time. They walked up to her sitting on the Indian pony she had borrowed from Spotted Elk’s heard. “Look-ee who must of escaped from those injuns,” Tate commented with a drunken slur in his voice.

  “I see her,” Levi replied smiling as he pulled Julianna down from the top of the Indian pony. “Roark will be happy to see her. Let’s hurry up and get her back to camp before Chet sees her, or we’ll have a fight on our hands.”

  Julianna was about to protest, till she realized she had no other way to get to the Phantom hideout without
following Gabriel. If she kept following him, he may spot her and take her back to town. So she kept quiet, and let Levi lead her down to the livery stable, where the men saddled and mounted their horses.

  Before climbing onto his own horse, Levi asked Julianna, “Will you ride along without giving us any problems?” When she nodded her head yes, he handed her the reins to her horse and helped her on its back.

  Levi was worried about Julianna. She knew them well and had yet to speak a word to them. He wondered what had happened to her while she was with the Ute Indians?

  *

  When Levi, Tate, and Julianna reached the Phantom outlaw’s hideout, the sun was just beginning to rise.

  “Julianna, you can take your blindfold off now,” Levi told her.

  After she took off the blindfold, and let her eyes adjust to the dim light, she followed the outlaws to her and Gabriel’s old shack.

  “Roark should be in there,” Levi said to Julianna.

  Nodding her head, Julianna climbed down from her horse and tied it to the hitching rail in front of the old shack. As she walked to the shack door and knocked, Levi and Tate rode off to their own shacks.

  Roark soon answered the door. His mouth gaped open, and a look of disbelief appeared on his face when he saw it was Julianna. She walked in past him and coolly said, ” Shut the door and your mouth. They both are attracting flies.”

  “How did you get back here? I saw Spotted Elk and his warriors kidnap you.”

  “The question you should be asking me is, why am I here?” Julianna’s take charge personality was surfacing again, as she was determined to help Gabriel.

  “Okay, why are you here?” Roark asked, still in shock at seeing her here.

  Smiling, she replied, “Gabe is alive, and on his way here after he sends a messenger to the Calvary.” Julianna then spent the next hour telling Roark everything that happened to her and Gabriel while they were gone.

  Chapter 12

  “You know, Gabriel is liable to tan your hide when he gets here, and finds out you are here and not at Spotted Elk’s village,” Roark said seriously.

 

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