Chills & Thrills Paranormal Boxed Set (68 page)

"But—"

"You'll have to wait." His voice rose with
urgency. "When . . . when we made love, although I was your advocate, I
defied a taboo. You almost died in there, Lily. By all that's sacred, you
stopped breathing!" He stepped close, took her shoulders, and stared into
her eyes. "I won't take that chance again."

His thoughts were no longer shielded. She heard words of
love running beneath his spoken ones, felt his relief, his guilt. But there was
something else, something he refused to bring to the surface and would not
share with her.

But she could ease some of his guilt.

"No," she said. "I wasn't dying. I was simply
visiting heaven."

"It looked like death to me!" His grip on her
shoulder tightened almost painfully. "I've already lost one woman I loved!
I will not lose another!"

She'd caused him so much pain by permitting his wife to die,
and now she felt the full weight of it. She might as well have killed Tajaya
herself.

One last task to redeem herself. If that was the case, she'd
complete it, no matter if it took her life, which Tony's agonized face told her
it might.

"But you have to risk losing me anyway, don't you,
Tony?"

He nodded sadly. "And I refuse to do anything else to
increase that risk.”

* * *

"We must go tonight, Lord," Arlan Ravenheart said
fervently. "The dark moon rises."

"Bah!" Sebastian sat on a wooden spindle chair,
drumming his fingers against its splitting back. "The dark moon is of no
concern to me. But my pack is." He waved his hand at four wolves, who
licked their wounds atop the rotting rug. "We lost two of our number to
that hideous bear, and some enchantment keeps the others from alchemizing. We
must give them time to heal."

"But—"

"No! I will listen to no more of this drivel. Can you
not see the others need time?"

Sebastian's roar made the four wolves cringe. Beryl and
Philippe moved a greater distance away. The show of temper also gave Ravenheart
pause, but he alone knew time was critical. He pressed his case. "We
cannot wait, Lord. After tonight, it will be too late. The people will be gone,
taking Lily with them."

"What?" Sebastian leaped from the chair.
"Gone? Where?"

"To Quakahla."

"Then we shall follow them."

"None can enter Quakahla after the dark moon
passes."

The werewolf king stroked his muzzle and strode around the
cave. He glanced once or twice at his wounded followers, his nose wrinkling in
distaste.

"Something's happened to my pack of wolflings," he
mumbled, almost to himself. "Too seldom do they change into human form
these days. Nay, not even into man-wolf. They become more beastlike with each
passing hour."

He circled the room several times, growing more beastlike
himself with every turn. He growled, he snarled, he whipped his tail in
agitation. Finally he looked at Ravenheart.

"Very well. If the others have not mended before
sunset, you, Beryl, Philippe, and I shall go to the village. I will not suffer
Lily to escape. If I need to travel to the earth's ends to find her, I vow to
do so. She will know my wrath and beg for death before I finish with her!"

One of the wolves on the rug whimpered. Beryl and Philippe
exchanged worried glances.

Ravenheart saw only a failing king and toyed briefly with
the idea of taking his place. But Quakahla beckoned, promising glories far
above that of commanding a pack of sniveling cur, so he simply smiled at
Sebastian and said, "Wise as always, Lord."

"Ah, Arlan, you remind me so of—" He stepped to
Ravenheart's side and put a fatherly arm around his shoulder. "I weary of
toadies." This was accompanied by a quick glance at Beryl and Philippe, lowering
of the voice. "When Lily is recovered, the shaman shall be yours to
slay."

Ravenheart smiled with satisfaction and ignored Beryl's
threatening glare. The dark moon was upon them. The destiny promised by Walking
Wolf would soon be his.

King of Quakahla. He could not wait.

* * *

"Papa! Lily!" Shala cried, throwing herself into
Tony's waiting arms. "Terrible things have happened. Werewolves attacked
last night. The warriors fought them off but now we're almost out of the
smelling salts, and
 
. . .
 
and, oh, poor Frieda."

"Frieda," Lily asked in alarm.

"They found"—Shala's voice choked—"they found
her walking stick inside the maze! Warriors are out searching for her
re-re-remains! I was afraid they got you too!"

While Tony comforted Shala, Lily stared at the chaos
surrounding them. Although the sky was still thick with clouds, it provided a
glimpse of the sun that told her night was rapidly approaching. The rain had
stopped for the time being, giving the people respite as they herded pigs,
goat, and sheep into a hastily constructed pen beside the canyon that led to
the cave. Gerard passed, shooing along several goats. When he saw Tony, he said
that Star Dancer wanted to see him.

"Can you stay with Lily?" he asked his daughter.

"Yes," Shala replied weepily. "But don't be
long, okay?"

"Okay." Then Tony took off for the longhouse.

Kessa sobbed by her fire, surrounded by other women, some of
whom were also crying. Holding Shala's hand, Lily went to Kessa's side.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Kessa stared up, tears streaking down her face. "What
if no one ever finds her body? All Grandmother ever wanted was to f-finish her
years in Quakahla and have her ashes scattered there. N-Now she n-never
will."

Lily sat down beside her, only half aware the other women
had deferentially stepped aside for her. She embraced Kessa until her tears
subsided.

Then Gerard approached, an urgent expression on his face.
"Star Dancer needs to see you, Lily. It's very important."

Again telling Kessa she was sorry, and leaving Shala with
her, Lily followed Gerard. He was hurrying toward the longhouse at a pace that
belied his age, and she didn't catch up until he'd reached the longhouse door.
He opened it for her, but after she went through the door, it started to close.
She stopped, peering out. "Aren't you coming in?"

Gerard shook his head. "This is between you, Tony, and
Riva."

Both the urgency and the secrecy alarmed Lily. She let the
door fall shut and turned apprehensively to the center of the room. Tony and
Star Dancer were sitting on the dais, obviously waiting for her. Lily's alarm
turned to annoyance.

"Frieda is probably dead," she scolded as she
approached. "Half the village is looking for her and the other half
 
is in mourning. Why are you two just sitting
here?"

Star Dancer laughed.

"It's not funny. These are perilous times. Obviously
the werewolves found their way through the maze despite your efforts. Something
must be done."

The High Shaman patted a spot on the sheepskin that faced
both her and Tony. "Sit," she said. Still smiling, she turned to
Tony. "Already she feels the urgency of her new role."

"What are you talking about?" Lily lowered herself
gracefully to the floor, landing in a cross-legged position.

Star Dancer's amusement faded. "More serious matters,
Lily. Tony was guided to keep this from you, but we have talked long about it
and have come to an agreement. You should be told."

Told what? Lily wondered, but kept her peace.

"For a thousand years," Star Dancer began,
"the Dawn People have passed down the legends of Quakahla. After many
generations some no longer believed they were actually prophesies." At
Tony's sharp glance, she looked over. "No, you weren't the only one. Many
of the council privately shared your views."

Star Dancer paused to light some incense, then returned her
gaze to Lily. "Skepticism vanished on the last full moon when the gates
opened inside the cave. You have seen the cave, haven't you?"

Lily nodded.

"The gate is a doorway into a different reality,
another dimension if you will, where buffalo still roam and corn grows high and
wild in the meadows. No Europeans have ever seen that land. The confirmation of
this legend tells us that the other legends are also true. You've been told of
White Wolf Woman?"

Lily knew Star Dancer was aware she had, but nodded anyway.

"And these changes in your body? The ones that made you
fear you were again a werewolf. What of them?"

Now Lily was on uncertain ground. Clearly Tony had told his
teacher what he'd seen on the rim above the Clearing of the Black Hands. But
what did it have to do with their legends?

"I, uh, I know I'm not a werewolf. After . . . well, I
poured holy water on my hands and felt no pain, so I'm sure– What am I?"

Star Dancer and Tony simultaneously said, "White Wolf
Woman."

"What? No." Lily shook her head vehemently.
"I'm not. I can't be."

Two pair of golden eyes regarded her calmly. The silence
grew, and in it Lily scanned the stories she'd been told, the most recent one
from Tony beside the river. Her confusion and denial changed to dismay.

"You're sending me out to fight the werewolves."
It wasn't a question.

"Not exactly, Lily." Star Dancer leaned and
touched Lily's clenched hands. "That's what Tony and I have been
discussing. He rather heatedly argued that we aren't Four Leggeds and should be
expected to show more compassion than they. Regardless of the counsel he
received from the Stone People, he believes you should be given a choice."

"About what?"

"The legends say that on the night of the dark moon
rising, the beasts will try to stop us from passing through the gate. White
Wolf Woman shall rise up, filled with glorious light, and hold them back. Thus
the Dawn People will return to their true home." Star Dancer paused.
"But it is not already done, Lily. The beasts have arrived, but the outcome
of our passing remains a mystery."

Lily looked down at her hands, which were still covered by
Star Dancer's. "Unless I play my role?"

"Even then. There are no guarantees you'll be
successful. That's why we've decided to inform you of what is to come. You
don't have to participate."

"It's your choice," Tony added. She sensed his
mixed emotions. Fear for her, fear for his people, uncertainty about her
response and his knowledge that he'd stay behind and fight even if she chose
not to.

"You can leave by the escape route you so cleverly
found," Star Dancer added. "We'll give you food, water, warm
clothing. You'll be gone before the beasts arrive."

Gone? Where would she go? She had no other home. And the
very idea of leaving Tony and Shala was abhorrent. As she was about to say she
really didn't have a choice, Star Dancer asked, "You want to come to
Quakahla with us?"

"Everyone I love will be there," Lily replied,
nodding her head. "There's nothing for me in this world."

"Then you must know this." A sheen formed on Star Dancer's
eyes, alarming Lily, and she leaned closer, wanting to know, but terribly
afraid.

"The legends say that The People honored White Wolf
Woman for a thousand years. But nothing tells us whether she lived in Quakahla
or even if she survived the battle with the wolves."

Lily left the longhouse with Tony, armed with advice to mull
over their discussion before making a decision. They circled the village
several times, with Tony continuously urging her to leave. Eventually Lily
threw up her hands and demanded that he stop.

Saying she needed time to think and would meet him in an
hour, she went back to her quarters to wash off the grime, change into dry
clothes, and get rid of the chafing boots. Although her feet were cold, at least
the leather of her sandals didn't bind.

She hung the deerskin dress on a rail attached to the
washing table, smoothing it out lovingly and wondering if she'd ever see it
again. Then she faced the fear that troubled her most. She'd been unable to
shapeshift when Sebastian captured her. Had she lost the power?

Trembling slightly, she willed herself to change. It came
instantly. Heaving a relieved sigh, she again stared in awe at the
filament-like hair that covered her body. A human body, though, with its rounded
fingernails and teeth. What possible threat could such a mortal form pose to
Sebastian?

At the sound of
 
Tony's voice, she willed herself back to normal, put on her rain cape
and walked toward the closed curtain.

"Your hour's up." Tony looked impatient. He'd
washed also, she noticed, but his face looked gray and grim. "Let's walk
by the river," he suggested, taking hold of her arm in a way that made her
think he wouldn't let her refuse. He wanted to talk privately, she supposed.
But what was there to talk about? Everything she valued was going to a new
dimension that night—Tony, Shala, Star Dancer, and all the other people who had
finally come to accept her. When they vanished, nothing remained for her except
the prospect of running from Sebastian the rest of her life.

After descending the ladder, Lily let Tony guide her toward
the river, deep in thought again. What was she to do with this new role? Was
she supposed to kill Sebastian and his pack? How? A skunk had its scent, a
porcupine its quills, deer and elk their antlers and hooves, but her alchemized
form had no claws or fangs. And her failure to shapeshift when Sebastian swept
her into the forest had shaken her faith in her abilities. What if—

Almost as if she'd asked the question aloud, Tony began
talking. "In case you decide to stay . . . Well, you'll find you have
abilities you never suspected."

Lily looked up at him sharply.

"You will, honest," he said.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"