Wolfen Secrets (The Western Werewolf Legend #3) (4 page)

Not so tonight. Tonight, the Guardian would
speak to them. With his explanation of why he had to leave, she
hoped the others would rally around.

Standing next to Hortence as she cut potatoes
for the stew, her mind wandered to the days to come.

“You’ve something on your mind, my child.”
Hortence flicked a glance between her prep work on meat for the
stew.

Sonja shrugged, continuing to slice potatoes.
“Just thinking of St. Louis.” Ty had told her it was several
hundred miles more to the southern Oklahoma Territory boundary and
his land. As she worked, she tried to fathom the distance. Still so
far, to go, she mused.

Something in her peripheral vision made her
grip the knife for attack.

Ty’s strong hand came around her wrist,
bringing his strong arms around her waist, easing in to kiss her
nape. The move calmed her nerves but she still needed to chastise
him.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that. I could hurt
you.” Her hand shook once before she smoothed her skirt front
before returning to her task.

“Now, sweet thing, you couldn’t hurt me. You
know why?”

Narrowing her eyes, she took the bait anyway.
“No, why?”

“Because you’re my mate and you love me so
much.” His wolfish grin made her heart tighten in her chest. He
flashed a wicked smile at her before giving her nose a kiss.

Old habits die hard. Still she chided herself
for glancing around to see who might be watching their personal
exchange. Who cared? Take her sister, Briann, for example. Her
attitude was there was no harm in a relationship with a former
Confederate General turned vampire. Nor did she go around worrying
over who witnessed their affectionate moments. So why should she?
After all, except for the part about vampires, her courtship could
be the same as any other wartime tale of romance.

Pulling the lieutenant by his shirtfront, she
drew him into a kiss on his firm, marvelous mouth. Oh, the things
he could do with his mouth, she mused and blushed despite her best
effort to the contrary.

Hortence coughed. Their spell broken, Ty
glanced over his shoulder at the witch. “Hags need to mind their
business, right witch?”

Ignoring both now, Hortence moved to the
wooden bowl Sonja used for the potatoes. “I’ll take these.” Before
Sonja could object, she gathered the bowl up and turned to leave.
“Lieutenants should know better than to show off,” she murmured
under her breath. With a snort and another throat-clearing cough
Sonja hoped didn’t end up in the stew, the old witch hobbled back
to her concoction over the fire’s grate.

A slight tug on her skirt had Sonja glancing
down to find Ethan, her nephew. The boy’s head of hair needed a
comb. His eyes, were wide with questions. He asked, “Why you always
kissing the lie…lieu…Mr. Ty, Aunt Sony?”

She squatted to his level, gathering him in
and grinned. Pure innocence poured from the child’s face and Sonja
couldn’t help reaching out to run her finger over his button nose.
“Well, Ethan, I love the lieutenant and take pleasure in showing
him how I feel. Understand? It’s what people in love do.”

Ethan’s forehead gathered. He glanced up at
Ty, before garnering her attention again. “So if Mama and General
Stewart kiss, they must be in love too?”

Ty cleared his throat, glancing at Sonja.

Sonja smiled. So serious for a six-year-old,
she mused. “Yes, Ethan, I suppose it does. Why?”

He lifted his small shoulders in a shrug, “No
reason. I wondered is all.” As he continued to consider, his brows
drew together. “He’s not alive, Aunt Sony.”

His conspirator’s whisper surprised her.
“Yes, but he’s more alive than most men your mother’s had over for
supper, son.” Giving his hair a smoothing, she forced herself not
to look at Ty, who wore a grin from ear to ear. “Give him time and
you’ll see what I mean.” With a quick frown for Ty, she quickly
changed the subject. “We best be getting the table set. Want to
help, Ethan?”

The young boy’s eyes brightened. All concern
over his mom’s suitor disappeared as quickly as it had
appeared.

Youth, Sonja mused, was God’s lesson in
perspective.

“When we’re done, I want you to go and get
cleaned up. Take your brother with you, all right?” Her instruction
came naturally. Ethan and Nathanial were like sons to her. Unable
to begrudge Briann’s time alone with General Stewart, Sonja focused
instead on helping with the children if she could. After all,
everyone deserved a little happiness in their lives. If the General
filled the void for male companionship, then so be it. Judging
General Stewart because of what he’d become wasn’t going to help
any of them. Better to consider the man within, Sonja mused.

The supper bell clanged. A rag-tag group of
men formally of the Confederate Army of America filed by the long
board set up on saw horses in lieu of a proper table. Each carried
his army-issued tin plate or a wooden bowl he’d brought with him
from home.

The scene hit Sonja squarely. Each man passed
by taking the small portion of stew, wild game, and unleavened
bread offered. Gratitude and pride warred on their faces. Each man
had come into this war with great expectations. They’d whip the
Yankees, sending them packing within a month. At first, things
did
go in their favor. Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania where
they’d lost Stonewall Jackson and Yellow School House where General
Stewart had fallen to the vampires shifted the power. Sonja still
considered from time to time, how many folks said it was the work
of something evil – not quit human. Whatever a body believed, the
loss of those good soldiers brought sorrow to the Confederate
cause. Many began to have doubts about the South’s ability to win
the war. Time dragged after the Battle of the Wilderness.
Confederate men simply drifted from one skirmish to another.

Alas, the news from Gettysburg was grim. Ty
told her after supper one night not long after they’d escaped from
Pennsylvania. Sonja could see the land in her mind’s eye. The
ground would never be the same again, she mused. Concerned the
vampires were involved, she experienced more and more nightmares.
When the men got wind of the news, some turned back, wanting a
piece of the Yankees hides. To look into their faces was a
heartbreaking thing. Those days were tough.

Forcing herself back, she commented, “We’ll
be in St. Louis soon.”

Ty nodded. “It’s been a long trip. We’ve
still got to cross the river.” He glanced at the men filing by.
“We’ve been on the road so many days. I think it would be a good
idea to rest in St. Louis – restock supplies - take our time
planning a crossing. What do you think?” With no answer, he tried
again. “A penny for your thoughts, Nymph.”

When she glanced up at him in bemused
concern, he grinned again. “Did you hear anything I said?” He
draped a bronze arm across her shoulder and offered her a warm
smile.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I said, do you think a rest before we cross
the river is a good idea?”

“Yes, that’s a wonderful idea.” Sonja
couldn’t maintain the scowl she’d adopted. Instead, she packed away
her concerns, focusing on serving the men instead.

He remained close until everyone got a plate.
“Come on, let’s go eat.”

Flicking him a glance, she caught the rakish
wink he sent her. They had a spot they liked to use for meals.
Supply boxes next to the wagon served as a private dining hall of
sorts. Grateful for a place of relative privacy, she cut Ty another
quick glance.

“You’ve gone away. Come back.” He gently
nudged her neck with his nose, inhaling her scent. “I hate to tell
you - your concern is showing.” He winked at her frown, scooping up
another mouthful of stew. “Um, this is good. Hortence outdid
herself tonight.”

Sonja sniffed the air before giving him a
haughty glare. “Typical male - always thinking of your
stomach.”

“Not always.” Ty countered with another
wink.

Her brows bunched as she considered his
astute observation of her mood. “How is it you can tell when I’m
upset or worried or …whatever else you always have a way of
knowing?”

“Your moods are like reading a book. When you
know what the story’s about, you can pick out the point where the
plot shifts.” He ducked when she sent him a backhanded swat.

“I am not like a book.” The reference made
her wish for an easier topic. His analogy was certainly close to
the truth of late. “How long before we reach St. Louis?”

He glanced in her direction before squinting
into the night sky. “A couple of days, maybe three. Trying to
change the subject isn’t going to keep me from wanting to know
what’s bothering you. Are you still thinking about what the
Guardian told you?”

She nodded before stabbing up another piece
of meat with more gusto than was necessary.

Ty set his plate aside before reaching for
hers. Effectively removing all the distractions, Ty wrapped an arm
around her, pulling her into his warmth. The man was nothing if not
persistent.

“Stop it, Ty. Can’t you wait at least until
we’re alone?”

His chuckle was husky. “We’re alone and I’m
not letting you go until you tell me what’s bothering you.” He
brushed a blond curl from her forehead. The look of love he sent
her had her going all soft inside. The man had skills. “All right,
all right.” With a show of exasperation, Sonja attempted to wiggle
free. Ty’s hold grew tighter. Finally, with her head resting on
his, she released a long breath. “I’m scared.”

“Scared? What exactly are you scared of,
Nymph?” His hold increased as he gathered her up bodily to rest in
his lap.

She pulled her feet up along his thigh,
letting him hold her for a moment. His attention never wavered. He
simply waited for her to respond. He was so patient, never tried to
extract the answers from her. Instead, he listened, allowing her
time to organize her thoughts. Gratitude welled up from somewhere
in the jumble of emotions churning inside as she kissed his cheek.
His beard scraped against her face. A physical trait passed down to
him by his white father, she mused, one he found aggravating at
times. She loved the feel of a new beard’s growth as she ran her
hand along the line of his jaw. Her hands moved against the planes
of his face, a face as familiar as her own. Leaning in, she rested
her forehead against his. Her trust in him ran deep. “Ty, I’m
scared I won’t be able to help these people get to Texas
without…without the Guardian.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” His voice
went low with tempered patience. Those blue orbs never left hers as
he rubbed her arms lightly, letting his fingers slide slowly over
her skin.

Frustrated, she continued, “I’m the one who
has to answer if these people don’t make it across. I’m the one
whose problems forced these folks into this predicament, Ty. Are
you forgetting it’s me the vampires want?”

His eyes closed briefly. When they opened, he
fixed her with a soulful gaze. “Aren’t you forgetting about
me?”

“About you?” She blinked. What did he
mean?

“Yes, I guess you are.” Ty peered out into
the darkness past the circle of wagons. Sighing heavily, he turned
back to her. “You’re taking all this on yourself as if I can’t
help. Sonja, no matter what, I’m right by your side.” He gathered
her hands in his.

The contact made her breathe a bit
easier.

“I’m right here with you, don’t you know
that? We’re in this together.”

She winced inwardly at the raking tone of his
question. “Of course I know you’ll be with me. It’s just…” Having
trouble saying the words, Sonja scrambled up with Ty not far
behind. He wouldn’t let the issue die. Now facing the darkness on
the other side of the light from the campfires, she released a
slow, laborious breath. “Call it an intuition, call it a vision,
call it what you will, I have a deep bedded apprehension about
crossing the river. The opportunity for any of Robert’s cronies to
attack would be ripe. Though he’s gone, I still feel his presence,
his spirit.” She wheeled, gripping Ty by the forearms. “Don’t you
see? Can’t you understand? We’re going to need all the strength we
can muster.” Irritated her words had grown more agitated, she
paused, dropping her head. “The dreams still come. The monsters are
still out there ready to kill all who venture with me. I see them
every time I close my eyes.” She shook her head. “You’d all be
better off crossing alone, without me.” She leaned into his chest,
wrapping her arms around his waist. His warmth enveloped her. She
closed her eyes tight. The heat of his body next to hers made the
sudden chill more bearable. “Oh, Ty, sometimes I think it would be
better if I disappeared.” Hearing her statement, he tensed. She
held him fast. “Then, at least, you’d have a fighting chance to
make it to your family in Texas. You wouldn’t have the burden of my
presence to worry about.” Tilting her head back, she gazed into his
face. His jaw had gone rigid with her words. She was treading on
thin ground, she mused.

"Sonja, do you trust me?”

She could tell she hit a nerve. “Yes, of
course I do. I love you! But…”

“But nothing!” Ty eased her back, gripping
her chin to look into her face. His fingers held her firmly, daring
her to look away. “Don’t worry about our crossing the river. Let me
handle it.” With a moment’s pause, he gave her dubious stare a
one-sided grin. “I didn’t grow up on a two thousand acre cattle
ranch and not learn how to get a herd and the men in my charge
across a river.” He nodded when she opened her mouth to protest. “I
know, I know, there’s more danger involved in this than a simple
river crossing. I got that.” He cocked his head of gleaming black
hair to the side. A broad smile creased his face. “I didn’t make it
to lieutenant in Jeb Stewart’s cavalry without understanding
something about the enemy’s tactics.” The fingers he’d anchored
under her chin grew steady, drawing her ever closer. His lips
parted as they met hers. His tongue darted in to trace the interior
of her mouth, her teeth and tongue.