by TM Simmons
"You need to go sit down and get warm," Channing told him. When he continued to stand there as though he hadn't heard her, she pushed one of his hands into the strap on the shield. That seemed to break through to him, and Gagewin stared down at her, recognition slowly dawning.
"You … you helped save us. Thank you."
"I'm just glad I was able to get to the shield in time. That I realized what it was for."
Gagewin's dazed look still lingered. "Alan?" he asked.
At first Channing didn't understand whom he meant. However, she realized he was staring past her toward the man who had died.
"I'm sorry." There was no way to ease the news of death. "He's gone."
At the sound of footsteps behind her, she turned to see two more men approaching.
"Take Gagewin to one of the pickups," she said. "Get him warm and watch him to see if he's going into shock. If he starts appearing sweaty and confused, let me know."
As the men led Gagewin away, she knelt beside Keoman.
"One of your migraines?" she asked as she pushed his hood back and studied his eyes.
"This fucking headache nearly got us all killed," he answered. "And if it hadn't happened, I could have protected Alan."
"Maybe," Nodinens said. "Maybe not, if it was his time."
Keoman glared at her before he appeared to realize who he was glowering at. He pushed Channing's hand away and swiped his palms down his face before he said, "I'll add my thanks to Gagewin's. We wouldn't be alive if you hadn't acted."
"Are you hurt anywhere besides suffering from the migraine?"
He shook his head in denial. "Let me up. Both of you … please."
Channing nodded at Nodinens and the two of them allowed Keoman the dignity of getting to his feet on his own.
~~~~
The clinic was nearly too small to hold everyone, but Channing had insisted they take Walt, Keoman and Gagewin there so she could examine them further. Since they also had to transport Alan's body to the funeral home and call Hjak, gathering at the clinic made sense.
Channing met no resistance when she settled Gagewin on one of the examining tables, covered him with some heated blankets, and placed an oxygen cannula in his nose. The man was still dazed and starting to shake. Walt sat on a chair beside his father, holding Gagewin's hand while Channing scrutinized her patient more thoroughly. Walt appeared to have weathered the confrontation as well as anyone could expect, but his face mirrored his anxiety over his small daughter, and now his father.
Keoman was in the waiting room, talking to Nodinens and the other men when Channing went looking for him.
"I need you to come into one of the rooms, so I can take a look at you," she interrupted.
"This isn't the first one of these I've had," he said in a non-confrontational tone. "It's over now, so there's nothing to look at."
"Did you take any medicine?" she asked.
"Yes," he said abruptly, then turned back to Nodinens. "As to the answer to your question, Nenegean told me the children were not safe in a place with akosiwin. That we need a nenan dawiiwed to rid the monster from our midst."
For Channing's benefit, Nodinens explained, "She said there is a sickness in our midst, a monster. That we need a … you whites would call him a medicine man, I guess. A medicine man to get rid of the person who is causing the sickness."
"That thing is calling someone else a monster?" Channing asked in astonishment.
"I warned you, Channing," Nodinens cautioned. "In her eyes, and mind, things are different."
"Sorry," Channing apologized. "I won't interrupt again."
Nodinens turned her attention back to Keoman. "An owl flew across the clearing soon after we arrived."
"Did it —?"
"Yes," Nodinens said in answer to the unasked question. "It caught its prey."
Someone burst in the door, and Channing recognized Radin, the man who had been at Walt and Sandy's home.
"Gagewin?" he demanded.
"He is resting," Nodinens said. "We are going over what happened. You need to be part of this, since Gagewin is too close to it."
"I think we're all too close to be rational about this," Radin said. "That's why I didn't go to the sweat lodge. I would have been a distraction."
"Have you seen Hjak?" Keoman asked.
"He's at the funeral home," Radin replied. "He said he'd be here as soon as he finished up over there, with —" Radin stumbled over to a chair. "With Alan. God, what that thing did to him!"
"At least Alan's not suffering any longer at that monster's hands," Keoman said, and a couple of the men gasped at his statement. He glared around the room as he went on, "Lark is out there somewhere, probably freezing to death."
"Do you think she could possibly still be alive?" Channing asked in a quiet voice.
Nodinens answered her. "We do not know. But we have to try to find the creature's lair. I need to get to a computer. Or go back to my resort or house and use one of mine."
As Nodinens talked, three more men came into the clinic, crowding the small room even further. Two of the Native Americans who had been at the sweat lodge silently stood just inside the door, but Hjak strode straight to Keoman and Nodinens.
He glanced at Channing, but spoke to Keoman. "What have you figured out? Anything?"
Ignoring Hjak, Nodinens placed her hand on Keoman's arm. "There is one thing we have to face. You have to face."
Keoman shook off her hand and ran his fingers through his hair. "I know. But damn it, I am not going to stay out of this hunt for that thing. We need everything we can possibly use against her, even if what I have now is puny compared to what it used to be. I still have my knowledge."
"If we have to protect you again —"
Keoman stared down at Nodinens. A silent communication appeared to flow between the two of them.
"If it happens again," he told the elderly woman, "I'll leave and not burden the ones who are continuing to fight Nenegean."
Nodinens gave a slight nod.
Chapter 17
Nenegean stumbled to a halt a mile or so after she escaped. She had never felt her body tiring like this since her re-birth, never felt such exhaustion. The arrows had done this. Whatever the man had used on them was deadly to her. She had to get them out.
Since she couldn't touch them, she searched until she found a tree where two low branches notched in a spot she could reach. She managed to jam one arrowhead between the branches. Gritting her teeth, she surged forward. The arrow pulled on through her body, and she regained her balance before she landed in the snow.
The second arrow, though, hadn't gone completely through. This had to be the one causing the most damage. She turned and ran toward the tree. The feathered end of the arrow hit the tree trunk, and she could feel the arrowhead pierce her back as it emerged. But she still had to get the rest of it out.
She turned her back to the tree. A few seconds later, that arrow, also, lay in the snow. When she stared down at them, she expected to find blood stains. But then she realized this body would not bleed. Yet it did react to whatever potion coated the arrows.
Or, she realized, it could have been a chant done in a ceremony, one like the men were attempting in that sweat lodge. One that endeavored to destroy beings like she now had become.
But she was back for a purpose. She knew that without doubt. Her children had died. Those who allowed a monster who hurt little children to live in their midst did not deserve to have such tiny, precious beings.
She healed quickly now that the arrows were out. She hadn't gone more than halfway back to the cave before she felt her full strength return.
A flash of movement drew her eyes. With the wind in her favor, she caught the rabbit easily. The poor thing didn't even realize she was there. It died quickly, and she lifted it high to give thanks before she skinned it and left the hide for another animal to eat. She didn't need food in her existence, but humans did. The young rabbit would make a good broth and tender meat.
>
~~~~
The no-vacancy sign shone at Bear Bay Resort. Lights flared in cabin windows and vehicles were parked in front of each one. However, as many people as Nodinens' office building could hold had gathered there, including Hjak.
Most of the men watched Nodinens as she skillfully operated the laptop computer. A few women had joined them after Nodinens made a call. The odor of coffee filtered through the room, and Channing could smell bacon frying somewhere. Her stomach rumbled in response, and Keoman glanced at her from where he and she stood near the door.
Keoman motioned Channing to join him as he stepped outside. Channing grabbed her jacket from the peg inside the door and followed.
"Can I ask you something before you tell me why you wanted to talk to me?" she asked. Keoman nodded. "What was on the arrows that man shot Nenegean with? Is it something we can use to destroy her?"
"I guess you have the right to use the word we," he said as he stared out into the area full of tire tracks around the cabins. "You're a part of this now. But it's going to bring back memories I hope you're ready for."
Channing clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the gasp of agony. She'd already thought of that, and on the drive back with Nodinens, she had texted Grant. She wanted him to know, also, that there were small children involved in what was happening up here.
TY for the warning, Grant had texted back. I'll still come, but yeah, it'll be hard. See you soon.
"How did you know about what happened to my family?" she asked.
For a moment, he didn't answer, and she thought he was going to ignore the question. Finally, he said, "I liked you that day I first saw you. Well, when I thought about you after I left the clinic and got my reaction to finding Shay — I mean, Nodinens' niece under control. When you said you were going to stay around and help out until Dr. Silver was able to take back over, I thought I might ask you out. But you've made your preference for Hjak clear, so I won't step into that."
"Pete Hjak? I had dinner with Pete because it was convenient and I didn't particularly want to be alone that evening. But there's nothing going on between us."
Keoman chuckled under his breath. "Then someone better tell Hjak."
"Don't try to sidetrack me," Channing said. "I gather you checked on me, the same as Pete did. There are several stories about what happened to Rose in internet newspaper archives."
"I did," Keoman admitted. "And I'm very, very sorry for your loss. I've never had a child of my own. I can't imagine how devastating it must be." He lifted a hand and touched her cheek. "If this gets to be too much for you, no one will fault you for stepping aside."
She turned from his touch to hide the threatening tears. "Thanks, but I'm going to try to help as long as I can. We have to find Lark. And what if the entity takes another child?"
When Keoman started to speak again, she instinctively knew he was going to change the subject and stepped in front of him to get his attention. "Nenegean said something else to you, didn't she? She's going to take another child." She barely caught the brief flick of his head in the dim light.
"Why?" she demanded.
"She didn't say why, only that for some reason, we didn't deserve our children."
"Do you have any idea who?"
"There's no way to tell. She's already proven she isn't afraid to take a child straight from under a parent's eye."
Channing's thoughts raced. "Maybe she knows, or thinks she knows, who did that to Shaylanda. Maybe she thought he might target Lark next. Or even if she has no idea who it is, she could be angry because there's someone living amongst us who's a pedophile. Did she give you any clue at all?"
"She attacked me right after she said what she did. There wasn't time to try to get any more information. And I'm going to ask you to keep this to yourself. I've already informed Gagewin and Hjak about my confrontation with her, but we don't want the rumor mill spreading misinformation or half-truths.."
"I understand," Channing said. "If the person who's molest … harming children has an inkling Nenegean might be after him, he could leave the area and lay low. Or do his evil somewhere else." She bit her lip. "Do you think Lark might still be alive?"
"If she is, she won't be for long in this weather."
"We need to find that cabin where Nenegean stayed with the trapper who fathered her children," Channing said firmly. "That was her home and where she and her children died."
Keoman frowned in contemplation. "There are some caves around there. She might be in one of those. But the log cabin is long disintegrated."
"Caves are just as cold as the land."
"Not necessarily," Keoman said. "Some of them go deep into the hillsides. We've got enough men to a fairly large area. Plus Nodinens should be able to pull of some of the information about the mining done at one time."
He turned to go back into the resort office, but Channing placed a hand on his arm. "This may not be the proper place to say this, the proper time. But I probably wouldn't say no if you asked me out."
"Probably?" he questioned.
"I haven't dated since my divorce."
"And your ex is on the way. What about any remaining feelings for him?"
"Grant and I are adults. We've both gotten on with our separate lives."
Nodinens opened the door and said, "She's taken another child."
Chapter 18
Keoman opted to ride with Hjak as he headed toward Neris Lake, siren silent but the light bar flashing. New snow fell lazily and reflected the blue and red lights, an eerily beautiful sight in the dark night. Although the forecast only called for a few inches, black ice made the road hazardous. Hjak pushed the limits of safety, but skidded twice within the first mile of leaving the resort. As he drove, he also questioned the office dispatcher. The Bluetooth connection allowed Keoman to monitor the conversation.
"What the hell were Annalise and her sister-in-law doing at the funeral home that time of night?" Hjak demanded.
"Yancy's sister just arrived in town," the dispatcher explained. "She was upset that Annalise was going to have Yancy cremated without her being allowed to see him first. When they couldn't get Harris, the funeral home director, to answer his phone, she made Annalise go with her to see if they could wake him up. Harris lives there at the funeral home."
"She had a child with her that time of night?" Hjak snarled.
"They left him in the car while they went up to ring the doorbell," the dispatcher said. "Kept the car running. But they heard a noise when this … this thing broke a window. It reached in and took the little boy and disappeared before they could run back to the car."
"They're lucky they didn't make it back to where Nenegean could reach them," Keoman muttered. "We'd have more ripped apart bodies."
Hjak grunted an agreement before he asked the dispatcher, "The two women are back at Annalise's house now?"
"Yeah. Annalise said she didn't bring her cell phone, and the one her sister-in-law had was dead, the charger not working. Since they couldn't get anyone up at the funeral home, they came back there to call us."
"Damn!" Hjak pounded the steering wheel. "Have you called Jed yet?"
"I didn't have to call him. He was still here, going over what we have on Yancy's death. He headed out to the funeral home as soon as we got the call. I also called Harris's sister and found out he was gambling at the Eagle's Wing Casino. Someone located him and told him what happened. He was supposed to go meet Jed. Probably there by now."
"Jed can handle that end of it," Hjak said as they entered the first residential street of town. "I'll head to the B&B."
"Ten four," the dispatcher said.
Hjak disconnected the call as the car slid to a stop in front of Annalise's home. Instead of getting out immediately, he stared through the windshield at the falling snow, then at Keoman.
"At first I thought this thing was just targeting Native Americans."
"Annalise is Native American," Keoman told him.
"I wasn't aware of that. Or
if I was, I'd forgotten. I always think of her just as Yancy's wife."
"Annalise distanced herself from the tribe as soon as she could. She even changed a lot of her mannerisms and the way she dressed when she set her sights on Yancy."
Hjak jerked his head at the cell phone on the console. "You probably need to update Gagewin. Bring the phone with you when you come in."
Keoman didn't immediately reach for the phone after Hjak got out of the car and strode up the snow-covered walkway. Instead, he looked at the house at the end of the sidewalk.
Rumor said Yancy had been having some money worries lately. It was a small enough town that people sometimes knew other people's business. But everyone had tightened their belts the past few years; even the casino laid off employees due to the unstable economy and weak tourism. Still, Yancy hadn't seemed despondent. They had all weathered other years of less than adequate income.
What he couldn't figure out was why Annalise hadn't complained about the hardships. Although she was younger than Keoman, he had been aware of her. As a teenager, she refused any tribal member's attempt to date her. She was always seen at off-reservations parties with white male teens.
He had heard she married Yancy due to a pregnancy, but lost the baby soon after the wedding. They had never had any other children.
But … that wasn't any of his business. He needed to update Nodinens and Gagewin.
By the time he was done with those calls and carried the phone with him into the house, voices told him the others were in the library. He found Annalise and Hjak trying to comfort an hysterical woman who, Keoman could tell at a glance, was Yancy's sister. She had a Scandinavian appearance and was beautiful, despite her ravaged face.
"What are you telling me?" she screamed at Hjak. "Some sort of supernatural monster took my little boy? Is going to take Kirby somewhere and … and … oh, god!" She covered her face with her hands and bent over her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
Beside her, Annalise wrapped an arm around the woman's shoulders. "Ilka," she said, "they'll find Kirby. They have to." She shot Hjak a fierce look, then noticed Keoman.