by Lenore Wolfe
She leaned into his palm. “I’m fine.” When they’d got up this morning, he had said no more about sending her home. She’d waited all morning, expecting him to send her packing at any moment. And she was tense from it.
“Why do you insist on coming out here?” he growled. “It’s hard work.”
“I can handle hard work, Hawk,” Mandy glared at him, pulling away.
He leaned over and kissed her anger away. “I know you can. So you can put away your claws. You work harder than most men. But you shouldn’t.”
“Will you two knock it off,” Jake growled, dismounting at the chuck wagon.
Charlie chuckled at Jake. “You need a woman.”
“Damn it, old timer. The last thing I need is a woman.”
Charlie was undaunted. “Sure ya do. It keeps a man from acting like a grizzly bear.”
Jake scowled at Charlie. “Where’s the grub?” he snarled at the cook.
Kid started singing, and Kat took out her skinning knife.
Charlie grinned.
“That’s it,” Matt said, “set him off and send him to me to eat, so he can shoot my damn, fool head off if he doesn’t like the food.”
Hawk grinned. “You’ll just have to make sure it’s good.”
It was Matthew’s turn to growl.
Kat roped the steer’s horns, Pete his hind legs. Ned moved in with the branding iron.
Jake pulled another by its back feet in front of the fire, and he, too, got his brand.
Kid dropped his reins and, with knee pressure, guided his cutting pony through the cows. He indicated the calf he wanted, and his pony deftly pursued it, hardly disturbing the other cows. The calf, finding herself outside the herd, turned sharply to get back into the herd, his pony wheeling with her and cutting her off. The calf wheeled, the pony right with her, until she gave up and ran out into the cut.
Kid dropped the noose nimbly around her feet, dragging her to the fire.
A gunshot told them company had finally arrived. The hands immediately went into action. Bawling calves, cows and steers stampeded. Hawk swore under his breath. Despite the best-laid plans, they went in every direction.
He pulled his Winchester and returned fire. He counted about a dozen men. They rode straight in through the camp. He muttered an expletive. They must have got the guard. He dropped two from their horses, diving from his horse for cover.
They roped the crude corral and pulled it over. Two of them pulled parts of it through the fire.
Ned dropped one before getting hit in the arm.
Jake rode straight through the cattle. Using knee pressure, he guided his cow pony while taking careful aim. His nerve undermined McCandle’s men, and they scattered. He calmly picked off three of them before they could turn around in the melee.
Kat cut them off and managed to drop two more before the rest slipped by her.
Mandy wrapped a bandanna around Ned’s arm and tied it off while Hawk rode out to take a look at the guard. He only shook his head when he returned.
“Okay men,” he bit out, “we’ve got our work cut out for us. So let’s get to it.”
“What about Jed?” Mandy said, her voice rising with each word as realization dawned on her. This couldn’t be happening. They couldn’t have killed Jed.
Hawk looked long and hard at her. “Jake, I want you and Ned to take her home.”
She struggled to swallow her tears. “Heartless bastard.”
“Pete, you and Tommy take Jed’s body to town.” Hawk turned away. “Jake, don’t let her out of your sight,” he flung back over his shoulder.
Angrily, Mandy marched over and grabbed her mare’s reins. Turning, she stepped up into the saddle, tears streaming down her face. Without another word, she rode out.
“Mandy!” Hawk growled after her.
Jake looked at Hawk, shrugged, then rode out after her, with Ned right behind him.
Jake let her ride ahead of them to allow her privacy. When they camped, he cooked and handed her some food, but she never looked at them and she never spoke. When they reached the ranch at midmorning the next day, she went into the ranch house and flew up the stairs. Once there, she finally poured her heart out into a pillow.
How could this happen, Grandmothers? I’m completely blocked from sensing all danger! I sensed nothing!
But she could not hear them, and she knew they must tread carefully. The Grandmothers had been right, the danger was very real. Their power was just too great.
It was the next morning before she’d let Lydia come in to talk to her.
“Poor child.” She stroked Mandy’s hair. “I’m so sorry to hear about Jed. He’ll be sorely missed.
Mandy looked at the older woman’s red-rimmed eyes. “First papa. Now Jed. Where will it all end?”
“I don’t know, child.”
“That bastard...”
“Mandy, don’t speak like that. It isn’t proper for a lady to talk in such a manner.” She tucked Mandy’s hair behind her ear. “Now, Ned told me how angry you were with Hawk. But he also told me Hawk was having a time of it himself.”
“Hawk? Upset?” Mandy shook her head. “He started giving orders as though it never happened.”
“My dear, men show their hurting different from women. Hawk probably felt as though he’d let Jed down.”
“But that’s ridiculous. We were all right there. It just happened.”
“But Hawk probably feels as though it’s his fault—his being the boss and all. When you plan something and things go wrong, it leaves you feeling as though you failed somehow. And when someone’s killed—then, it can be really hard to live with.”
Mandy swallowed a sob. “Oh, no. And I made him think I blamed him.” She got up. “I have to go back.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I must. Don’t you see? I can’t leave it like this. What if Ashley’s men come again? What if something happened to Hawk? I’d never forgive myself.”
She dressed and went out the door in a flash—and ran right into Jake.
He took one look at her split riding-skirt and shook his head. “I’m supposed to make sure you stay right here.”
“Then you’ll have to bind and gag me to do it,” she snapped, “because I’m going back, like it or not.”
She marched to the barn and grabbed a brush. Giving her horse a quick once over, she saddled and bridled her. Mounting up, she rode out.
Jake was right behind her. “Damn women,” he muttered, “nothing but a pest.”
Early the next afternoon, Mandy and Jake rode back into camp. Mandy didn’t feel so brave now that the moment to face Hawk lay before her. In fact, she felt all queasy just thinking about it.
When Hawk spotted her, he walked dead up to her horse, grabbing her reins. “What the hell is she doing here?” Hawk spoke to Jake, but his eyes pierced her to the spot.
Jake shrugged. “You try to stop her when she’s made up her mind.”
Disgusted, Hawk walked away.
“Just like that,” Mandy muttered under her breath “He walks away.” She slid off her mare and ran after him. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him to a stop. “I have to talk to you.”
Hawk turned, his eyes narrowing. “You came all the way back here to talk to me?”
“I had to,” her eyes pleaded. “I had to apologize. I didn’t mean what I said when I left,” she hesitated, her voice soft, “please forgive me.”
But Hawk’s eyes were already soft. “He was killed under my command.”
“Hawk. When a warrior is killed in battle, are the others to blame?”
Hawk’s jaw pumped furiously. He’d been hurt when he’d thought she blamed him. He relaxed under her hand, and she smiled. He gathered her into his arms and kissed her long and hard—until Jake’s growl drove them apart.
“Get back to work,” he told the two of them.
Hawk grinned and gave the men, and Kat, their positions. “Mandy, ride with me.”
“Hawk,” Mandy
said when everyone was out of earshot, “I missed you.”
He looked over at her, his eyes full of sensual warmth. “I missed you too.”
She sobered when she remembered what else she’d come to tell him. “And Hawk...?” She shivered, thinking about it.
He frowned at her. “What?”
“McCandle’s man... he’s successfully blocked the Grandmothers—completely.”
Hawk turned his back at this news, every line in his body rigid. He knew... what Mandy knew... Blocking the Grandmothers could only mean one thing. They’d had an idea, but this was beyond anything they’d imagined.
Power like that could only come... from across the veil.
Charlie, riding in hard, brought them all up short. “It’s Pete!” he yelled. “McCandles men threw a rope around him and drug him.”
“How bad is he?” Hawk asked, leaping into the saddle.
“He’s bad.” Charlie shook his head.
They rode out, hell bent for leather. When they arrived, Mandy took one look at Pete and turned away, hiding her tears before dismounting to help him.
“We’re going to get him for you, Pete, I swear it,” she whispered to him.
“Rig a travois,” Hawk ordered. Jake and Kid whirled their horses around, riding out after the poles.
Mandy and Kat made Pete as comfortable as possible. By the time the poles arrived, they had him set. They grabbed some blankets, deftly rigging the travois within minutes, and the boys carefully picked him up and laid him on it.
“Kid,” Hawk growled. “You and Chuck take him to Doc’s.” His jaw ticked as he watched them ride away. Turning abruptly on his heel, he mounted up.
“I’ll be back,” was all he said by way of explanation.
He rode away.
Mandy turned to Jake. “What’s he going to do?” When he didn’t answer, she grabbed his arm, trying her best to shake him. “What’s he going to do?!”
His steel-gray eyes narrowed on her, and she let go of his arm. “Don’t worry, ma’am. He’s just taking some time for himself. I believe you call it blowing off steam.”
Mandy worried her lower lip. “You’re sure.” Her brow furrowed. “He wouldn’t take McCandles on himself, would he?”
“No, ma’am, I’m not sure of anything right now.” He tipped his hat and mounted up. “Let’s ride.”
Mandy rode with Charlie and Jake the rest of the day. By the time Hawk finally rode in that night, she’d worried herself into a frenzy. If Hawk went after Ashley alone, he might be dead right now What if he was hurt and needed help?
When he walked into the firelight late that night, her heart leaped up into her throat at the sight of him. It felt amazing just to let her eyes travel over him.
He looked down at her, the firelight reflecting the red in her hair—which only came through with the light. His gaze moved over her and came back to her eyes. His own lit in sensual warmth. He held his arms open and without hesitation, she stood and went into them.
The hands hooted, and she laughed.
“I’m going to take her home, Jake,” Hawk said without turning.
Mandy leaned back in his arms. “What? Hawk, no.”
“I’m taking you home. I’ll not have you killed.”
She frowned at him. It felt good to have him pamper her. But it wasn’t necessary. “I’m a good hand, Hawk. Let me work.”
“Someone needs to be watching the ranch, Mandy. And that’s going to be us.”
Mandy relaxed and nodded.
“Kat.”
“Yeah.” She strode forward.
“You come too.”
She scowled.
Hawk turned, and his eyes narrowed on her. “You’re coming with us. I need good hands at the ranch. Not everyone can be out here.” He adjusted his Stetson. “He’s hit here. He’ll be after the ranch next.”
Kat nodded. “I reckon that’ll be all right, then.”
“We’ll go at first light.”
Hawk was waiting when McCandle tried to hit the ranch.
Despite Mandy’s protest, he went out alone. And when she heard a hideous scream, she knew that he’d gone to fight as a warrior.
It was then she realized Kat was missing.
She couldn’t stand it. Grabbing her Colts, she slipped out the back.
She saw Kat grapple with a man near the barn, and Mandy saw something Kat didn’t see—the rifle trained on Kat’s back.
The man never knew what hit him.
Kat was locked in a battle for her life. She flung her knife, hitting the man square in the chest. He fell, looking at the knife in surprise. She looked over and saw the man lying on the ground behind her—and grinned at Mandy.
“One up on ya,” Mandy smiled.
Together they went looking for Hawk. When he came walking around the bunk-house, Mandy jumped.
He strode towards them, dressed in nothing but a loin cloth. War paint streaked his face and body. His eyes glittered with menace. Without a word, he went to the well. Rolling up a bucket of water, he dumped its contents over his face and head. Throwing his head back, he sent rivulets of water streaming down his muscular back.
She walked forward and touched his arm. He tensed for a moment, then slowly relaxed.
When he finally turned to her, the killing fury in his eyes was gone.
He drank her in, her softness and her beauty. And suddenly, he knew what he was fighting for. Everything--past, present and, now, future--came down to this. This was the moment that defined his existence.
He wasn’t fighting for himself anymore. He wasn’t fighting for the past. He was fighting for them and any future they could have together. Their future, and the future of their children, was the only thing that mattered.
“You could have been killed,” he growled.
“You could have too,” Mandy countered.
“She saved my life,” Kat threw in.
Hawk glowered at her. Finally he relented. “Then I guess it’s a good thing.”
“Hell, yes, it’s a good thing. I happen to like liv’n.”
Hawk grinned, his even, white teeth flashing in the darkening night.
Kat playfully punched him in the arm.
Hawk rubbed his shoulder, laughing, and held up his hand before she could do him further damage. He sobered, then. “We’ve put a good dent in McCandle’s men. I think he’ll ease up some now.”
Mandy sighed, kicking at a clod of dirt. “I hope so. He’s been relentless.”
“I need some coffee,” Hawk growled. He put an arm around Mandy. Together, the three of them walked back to the house.
“We’ll keep a few men on the calves,” he told them when he had a cup of the hot, steaming brew in hand. “But I’m not keeping every man out there from here on out.”
Mandy nodded. “What do you think he’ll do now?”
“He’s furious.” Hawk took a deep swallow of the hot brew. “I think he’ll hire a gun.”
That night, Hawk took a watch, intending to be out there for most of the night. Mandy quickly realized that she wasn’t going to get too many more opportunities like this one to find the combination to Ashley’s safe—what with Hawk always watching over her so carefully and all. She also needed to see her childhood friend. So it was now—or never. She might only get one or two more chances—and she had a feeling that everything hung on her success in getting into McCandle’s safe.
She slipped out of the house and down the backstairs. She entered Ashley’s house forty-five minutes later and searched for nearly an hour for the combination.
Finding nothing, she left the house disappointed again, and rode to meet her cohort.
She whistled softly when she reached his cabin, and he joined her minutes later.
“Anything new?” she questioned.
He grunted. “Just the usual. We’ve been taking the cattle down to the Platte now.”
She hugged him. “Be careful.”
She thought about telling him about Hawk but knew he
would be angry about the latest events. And Mandy knew Hawk could handle things just fine without involving a half-blooded Cheyenne warrior, who thought and acted as his mother’s people. Her friend would wage a bloody war for what Ashley had done. And get himself hung in the process.
Hawk was waiting for her, leaning against a decorative table with his arms folded, when she returned. Mandy jumped when she saw him just waiting there in the dark. “Hawk?!” She placed her hand over her chest. “You scared me.”
“I’m going to do a hell of a lot more than that if you don’t give me a good explanation for where you’ve been tonight.”
Mandy slid sideways towards her room, feeling the furniture beneath her fingers as she moved.
He cut her off.
“I was walking?” she tried.
“You’d better do better than that.”
Mandy looked into his glittering eyes and sighed. “I missed my father,” she told him, hating herself for lying. “So I walked to his favorite spot on the hill.”
Hawk scowled, and Mandy slipped by him and up the stairs. He growled under his breath and let out a sigh of exasperation, watching her go. She was up to something, but he’d be damned if he knew what it was. He went out to the barn and placed his hand on her mare’s neck and swore viciously under his breath. She was too warm for supposedly having spent half the night in her stall. He picked up her saddle blanket and let out another expletive. It was damp—and warm. Mandy had been out riding. But where had she gone?
And whom had she gone out to see?
The next time she rode out, he intended to be right behind her. Then he’d have some answers.
Mandy paced her room. He was on to her. What was she to do now? How did she warn White Wolf? She kicked at the blankets draped over her bed, then yelped and jumped up and down, holding her foot. Sitting down, she examined her hurt foot.
“Mandy, I’m coming in,” was all the warning she got before the door swung open.