Renegades (4 page)

Almost there!
She reached the tree line just as two massive arms seized her from behind. “Trip! Help—” A strong hand clamped over her mouth. He began dragging her backward. She heard Trip running after them. Beneath the cover of the thick pines, moonlight did no good. She knew Trip would have some trouble finding his way in unfamiliar territory so she deliberately dragged her boots on the ground hoping to leave a trail.

“You’re a fighter, aren’t ya?” Pike muttered, then scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of wheat.

With her mouth uncovered, she screamed out Trip’s name repeatedly until the bear of a man dropped her on the ground, stood over her and whipped out a pistol. “Shut the hell up or your boyfriend is a dead man as soon as he rounds the next bend.”

Panic squeezed her throat, making it nearly impossible to swallow. Her heart pounded in her ears. She fought back the tears of rage and fear.

“Got it?” He towered over her in a menacing stance.

She gave a quick nod.

“Now get up and move that way.” He motioned to her front with the gun. “And don’t drag your feet or I’ll just sit here and wait for him to find us.”

Knowing he meant it as the man had killed Trip’s brother, she didn’t try anything else. If her future lay in Carter’s hands then so be it. She’d allow this hired thug to take her in and she’d take the rap to protect her loved ones. At least she had put the hurt on the evil bastard before he finally found someone smart enough to catch her. They trotted at a brisk pace for a while before Pike grabbed her arm and broke into a run. She stumbled over twigs as they rambled down a hill toward a waiting pickup truck.

“Get in and behave.” He opened the door and gave her a hard nudge.

She finally found her voice. “Where are you taking me?”

“Don’t worry about it. As long as you behave, your lover boy stays alive. One tricky move…and I am aware of how sly you can be…one try and it’s lights out for him.”

He started the engine and tore off down the road. Tears threatened to push through but she willed them back. No way would she give this man the pleasure of thinking he had the upper hand. She was his captive for now but she silently vowed to make her escape. She would not waste the gift given to her by backing down to some low down bastard like this.

By the time Trip makes it back to his bike, we’ll be out of sight.
She had no doubt he’d keep looking even if only to avenge his brother’s death. But she wondered if he’d still consider her worth all the extra trouble or if he’d ride off for good once he nailed his bounty.

Chapter Three

After losing her trail at the highway, Trip ran full speed back to his parked Harley. Fury raged in his soul over Pike stealing his woman. At the moment rescuing Shye from the heartless prick was his top priority even if it meant losing the bounty on a criminal he’d been tracking for years.

I knew I should’ve gone in with her tonight.
She’s as stubborn as she is brave.

He sat on his bike searching his thoughts, trying to figure out which way they had gone. He figured Pike had set up camp somewhere convenient to town in order to oversee the drug business.
He has to
be hiding somewhere around here…but where?
Squeezing the handgrips of his bike, his arms tensed and muscles flexed as his fingers tightened around the throttle until they cramped with pain.
Talk to me, Shadow.
He closed his eyes and drew her lovely face into his mind and focused hard.

A slight breeze picked up, carrying the scent of rain. He’d never noticed the smell of rain until his first night with Shye. She had said it was going to rain minutes before the heavens released a torrential downpour. That idyllic night would forever be etched in his mind—the first night they made love after a playful romp in the rain. Her sweetness lingered in his soul and on his lips, never to be erased by the touch of another. She left an imprint on his heart that no woman ever had and none ever would.

They had danced around the
L
word with grace but neither had come straight out and said those three words that sealed the bond. He wished more than anything right now, that he’d not been afraid to tell her how he truly felt.

“I love you, Shye…Shadow, my sweet ghost dancer…I love you.” He spoke softly with his head bowed, missing her more than anything and cursing the ache in his heart.

Peals of thunder rumbled in the distance, drawing his gaze upward. He prayed she had adequate shelter and had not been harmed. Guilt threatened to consume him for allowing himself to become seriously involved with a woman before taking care of his past. Pike would use her in any way possible to draw him into the open. He silently vowed to find her and do whatever it took, even if it meant sacrificing himself to save her.

The woman was merely fighting to take back what had rightfully been hers—a priceless estate that Carter duped her parents into selling before she returned. She didn’t deserve to be tangled up in Pike’s madness or this war between them. Pike would pay with his life if he caused Shye one bit of harm.

Though they’d never verbalized their commitment in exact words, he had boldly professed that he’d make her his and she’d eagerly accepted. It was after that long night of lovemaking when he’d first seen Shadow—or
Nagi
as she was called in Lakota.

He recalled Shye’s soft whisper.
Only those touched by Nagi can see her
, she’d told him.

Everything about her mystified, intrigued and thrilled him in a new way. He glanced up the dark highway. Clouds had moved in overhead blocking all traces of moonlight. He decided to drive back to where her trail dropped off to see if he could discern which direction they’d gone. He didn’t even know what means of travel Pike used these days. Upon finding the place where he’d come out of the woods, he parked his bike, dismounted and walked around staring at the ground in search of anything he may have missed.

In this vast area of badlands he didn’t want to waste time by riding in the wrong direction. While he circled the area rain began to fall.
Great,
he thought.
Now I’ll never find a clue.
Amidst the dark and the rain, even a single tire track couldn’t be seen. Shielding his eyes from the weather, he gazed up and down the road in deep concentration. The breeze merged into steady winds and lightning streaked the sky as veins of light.

Frustrated, he returned to his bike and fired the engine. He needed to get out of the strengthening storm. North would take him back to his camp. South led to town. Her reservation was just about midpoint between the two places, about an hour’s drive either way. He considered that Pike would most likely hide away from the locales so he decided to head north assuming the man had to be somewhere between here and his camp. Perhaps he’d find a clue—a tire track, something Shye might have dropped, crushed weeds or a mere hint of where they’d gone. Anything was better than just sitting here in sheeting rain.

Suddenly the sound of hoof beats drew his attention toward the south. Amazed that he could hear something like that above the storm, he turned his bike around. There on the road stood the black stallion he’d seen in town with
Nagi
straddling its bare back. Long shapely naked legs clung to the horse’s side and moccasins covered her small feet.

She looked stunning—like Shye—their resemblance was uncanny. He froze for a moment, staring in awe at the Indian maiden adorned in a white doeskin dress beaded and heavily fringed. In one hand she carried a dreamcatcher while holding the horse’s mane with her other. No bridle on its head or any form of restraint whatsoever. The woman and her horse resembled something he’d seen in paintings during his visits among the Native American people.

A chill bristled the hairs on his neck as her black eyes made contact with his. Though she was several feet away, astride a spirited black horse in pouring rain, the distance between them mystically disappeared. He felt her reach into his spirit. What would’ve made most men skeptical brought him a rush of relief. With a wave of her arm, she swung the steed around and galloped south toward town. Her long black hair trailed behind her in the wind making her look free and untamed. He became utterly captivated.

Uncertainty plagued his logic. Riding south didn’t make sense to him unless Pike had plans to take Shye straight to Carter. Even so, he couldn’t fathom them creating a possible scene near town. With no physical evidence against her, townspeople would question an unlawful interrogation of a respected citizen and no way would Pike come out in public to testify against her. Regardless of his doubt, Trip forced his own thoughts aside and followed
Nagi
.

She hadn’t made an appearance in vain and he wasn’t fool enough to ignore the apparition or vision, whatever it may be. He felt compelled to follow. Kicking his bike into gear, he raced after the ghost, praying he wasn’t just imagining her presence out of grief. This was the first time he’d seen
Nagi
without Shye nearby and the first time his faith had been put to the test.

The hazy figure became extremely vague at times, possibly due to the rain and fog, he assumed and continued to follow. Time faded as they rode down that desolate highway leading south. Anxiety threatened to settle over him as they drew closer to town. He began to feel disoriented and that he was having a hallucination.

Then suddenly the horse stopped and the maiden waved him closer. Peering through the dark, he strained to make out the location. A long winding gravel drive led to a large farmhouse up on a hill. He pulled close to the mailbox and saw the name
Halayi
printed on the side.
Shye’s farm!

Looking back toward the road, he didn’t see the horse or the maiden anywhere about. He searched the darkness intently for several long minutes before turning his attention back to the driveway.
Nagi
and her steed had vanished without a trace—not even a hoof print in the muddy shoulder of the road had been left behind.
Why would she lead me here?
The realization that this was no longer Shye’s farm but Carter’s hit him.
Could it be? Is it possible that they’ve moved their base of operation here? This must be why he swindled the place out from under her parents.

He contemplated the best way to check out the grounds undetected just in case his hunch was right. Blazing onto the scene riding a growling Harley didn’t seem like a good idea. He’d never been here so didn’t know the property at all.
But…the stormy weather could provide enough cover.
Not only would it diminish visibility and muffle the sound of footsteps, the driving rain would most likely keep any watchmen indoors.

After pushing his bike into a patch of thicket and pulling branches around to conceal it, he pulled a trench coat from his saddlebag along with both guns. Tucking Shye’s shotgun inside the long coat, he stuffed his in the back waist of his jeans. Quietly he crept along the wood line instead of following the driveway. He doubted Carter had time to build a new warehouse yet. If anyone was manning operations here, they’d have set up shop in one of the huge barns used for storing grain and hay. All farms that made their living off the land had storehouses for the harvested crops. He’d spent enough time in this area to know how things worked.

He climbed the hills with ease, thankful that he hadn’t allowed himself to slip out of shape since his tour as a Marine. Flickering lights came into view about twenty minutes into his careful hike. Using more caution, he moved forward while keeping to the shadows. Upon drawing closer, he pulled the nine-millimeter pistol from the back waist of his jeans.

As he presumed, nobody was standing outside when the one building burning a light became easier to see. He slid along the darkest side with his back to the wall until coming to a small window. Without making a sound, he tucked the gun back into his pants then pulled himself up to peek inside. At least a dozen men were huddled around a rectangular table counting cash and sorting bags of what appeared to be either heroin or cocaine.

Several men stood off to the side watching, all packing heat. His gaze swept the dimly lit interior but didn’t see Gage or Carter—only Pike and his crew.
Yeah…I didn’t think Carter or his wuss attorney had the balls to do the dirty work.

Then Trip spotted Shye sitting on a bale of hay with her hands bound on her lap. Obviously they’d had used some means of intimidation to ensure her quiet cooperation. He didn’t want to think about what they’d threatened her with or what they intended to do with her. He couldn’t let his emotions cloud his thoughts.

Outnumbered at over twelve-to-one, he needed a clever plan and a miracle to rescue her. She’d stolen his heart with her wild love and had become his top priority. Getting her out safely took precedence over taking Pike down. His revenge on that one would have to wait a little longer.

He surveyed the situation as rain pelted his skin. His fingers gripped the ledge tighter to avoid slipping. Shye appeared unharmed. A stoic expression graced her beautiful face as she sat courageous and strong watching the men cut their deals.

Wait,
he thought.
Most of these men will be out of here by daybreak.
He studied the scene again and noticed the raw setup. They hadn’t built a lab yet or anything of the like. This was nothing more than an exchange. Unless Carter started producing his own chemicals, the barn would be used as the meeting place for dealers and buyers.
Pike is only holding her here. He hasn’t had time to hand her over yet.

I’ve got to get her away from him before he can turn her in to Carter.
Had Pike not caught Shye with the money in her hands, they’d have nothing on her but speculation. However, this time the dirt bag had secured a witness by bringing in the ruthless half-breed. The muscles in his jaw clenched just staring at the man.

Now he had two damn good reasons to bring Pike down—murder and kidnapping. No judge would fault him for hauling the bastard in dead. Sliding quietly to the ground, he gripped his pistol and waited to make his move.