Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance (35 page)

"If it were not for
Coyopa
' and the
Sungmanitu
, man would

destroy the Earth Mother," he explained in a soft voice. "We

are her protector," he tried to explain, his voice now held a

deep sadness that reached out to her for understanding.

"Dark Claw is on his way," Laura told him without turning

around.

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"How do you know that?" Justin demanded, his tone

changing instantly.

"Two-Bears."

"Do you expect me to believe that?" he asked.

Laura shrugged her shoulders. "Believe what you will. He

has come to me more than once. I am not just of the Jaguar

people, I also have the blood of the Skinwalker. I can talk to

the dead," she told him. "He said that Dark Claw was coming

for me and that many would die."

Justin's disbelief seemed to be slowly dissipating. "Is that

all you were told?"

Laura slowly nodded, wondering if she should tell Justin

about Tasha, but quickly decided against it. He would just

think it was jealousy.

Justin took a deep breath. At that moment he appeared

more tired than Laura ever remembered. She found that she

was consumed with the need to reach out and comfort him,

but the feeling quickly faded at his next words.

"Go to your room and lock the doors. Do not open them

again until I come for you."

Laura left the room with no intention of following his

orders. She had to locate Kenny and her grandfather and

insist that they come with her when she left.

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Busby and Kenny followed Laura to her room and she

quickly shut and locked the door behind them.

"What's this about?" Kenny was impatient with her for

dragging him away from Yvette.

"The
Baalam
will be attacking
Coyopa
' soon. If we are to

have any hope of escape, we will have to go now."

"Don't be foolish, Laura. Without the protection of the

Sungmanitu
, we are as good as dead," Kenny told her.

"I will be the cause of so much death and suffering if I stay

here, I could not live with that."

"Think of the child," Grandpa told her.

"I am," Laura told them simply.

Kenny shook his head. "I cannot leave these people to

fight the
Baalam
alone, and I will not let you and Grandpa go

without me."

"Oh don't be ridiculous, Kenny!" Laura exclaimed. "There is

nothing you could possibly do to add to their defense."

"Nevertheless, it is a matter of honor."

"This is true, Laura." Grandpa's voice was raspy and his

eyes weary. Laura knew that the events of the last few

months were just too much for him. How could she expect

him to go on the run with her?

Laura sighed. There was no other way, she would have to

appear to be resigned to her situation and make an escape on

her own. In her heart she knew that her grandfather was

safer here—in the outside world they would have no defense.

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It had been no easy feat to convince Kenny and her

grandfather that she had accepted her position for the time

being, but finally they had left.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Laura sat down to

write them a note. No matter what, she could not disappear

and not leave some kind of word for them. She did this, even

though she knew it would give her less time to put distance

between herself and
Coyopa
'.

Leaving the note on her bed, Laura slipped out of the room

and silently made her way to the stables. She readied

Starlight to ride. Somewhere in the night, she caught the

sound of a scream. Soon the city was full of screams of

terror.

It had started. Laura closed her eyes and said a silent

prayer for the loved ones that she would leave behind. Guilt

scratched at her heart—it was only her desperation to keep

her child from Dark Claw that kept her going.

Laura searched her memory for the path that would take

her to the springs and the doorway to her own world. She

rode for what seemed like hours—the stars and a crescent

moon were all there were for guidance. She dared not

breathe easy until
Coyopa
' was far behind her.

Suddenly Laura had an alarming thought. She knew there

was more than one entrance into
Coyopa
', but just what if the

Baalam
had used the springs? The chance that they had was

pretty slim. Justin had told her that it was a main entrance

and she doubted the Jaguars would have wanted to risk

detection.

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She fought her way through the thick brush until finally

reaching the mouth of the springs. Hidden behind the falling

water was a cave opening. She could see nothing beyond the

expanse of darkness beyond the water.

Laura let Starlight's ropes go, knowing she would find her

way back to the stables. Swallowing hard, she peered into the

stretch of darkness within. Touching the crystal that hung on

her neck, she stepped through the water. Almost

instantaneously the black interior encircled her.

Placing her hand on the cold-stone surface of the cave's

wall, Laura felt her way through the darkness. The cave

should come out somewhere near Beaver Creek, unless ... by

some chance, the doorway wouldn't open for her.

Beaver Creek ... the name almost seemed like something

out of a storybook, and not a place that had ever been a real

part of her life. How she longed to be back in that simple log

cabin and in Justin's arms. Not Justin, the ruler of
Coyopa
',

but the man that sent her heart fluttering and her blood

boiling with just his smile.

Laura fought back her tears and the memories of that

simple and sweet love they had shared.

Cautiously, she navigated the cave's slippery floor with

slow—deliberate movements

What was that noise? Her feet came to a sudden stop as

she strained to listen. The inaudible whisper came again,

spurring Laura to action. Moving with greater haste, she

nearly slipped several times, but no matter how fast she

moved the whispers seemed to be getting closer.

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Stopping to catch her breath, Laura listened. She could

barely make out the words now.

"Noooooooo ... Laura."

The voice was closer, and familiar. Rosa was again warning

her, but she had to go. No matter which side won, her child

would be in jeopardy.

A sudden thought occurred to her. She was doing the

same thing that Justin's mother had done. She was running

from
Coyopa
' and the
Sungmanitu
.

Guilt for what she was doing to Justin tugged at her

conscience, but would he really care? He had Tasha, after all.

With a will born of desperation, she blocked out Rosa's

voice and her own guilt.

The same bizarre illumination that she remembered from

Coba
' was suddenly there to light her way. She was close now

and would soon be free of the
Sungmanitu
and the
Baalam
.

The thought didn't bring her the relief she had hoped,

instead her heart felt as if it had been weighted down with

lead.

The Bronco sat exactly where they had left it on their

arrival. Laura quickly found the spare key inside the rear

bumper that was held in place with a magnet. Inside, she

checked for the wallet she had discreetly stashed beneath the

passenger seat. Having anticipated her eventual need for

escape, Laura had had the foresight to make sure she would

have what she might need.

The engine turned over after having to crank it twice.

Laura wasted no time in leaving Beaver Creek. Once she was

on the main highway, she turned toward Rock Spring instead

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of Acton, which is where Justin would no doubt expect her to

go.

Where would she go?

It would be suicide to go back to New Mexico. Dark Claw's

people would surely look for her there once they realized she

was not in
Coyopa
'.

Jessup! Why hadn't she thought of him before? She would

go to Louisiana and ask him for help.

But the last time she had talked to Jessup's sister, she had

claimed no knowledge of her or Wyoming. Jessup hadn't even

been there. What if she drove all the way to Louisiana and he

wasn't even there?

There was only one solution. She would stop in Rock

Springs and get some sleep, and in the morning she would

phone Jessup's sister again. She desperately needed a shower

and a good night's rest. Laura didn't think they would look for

her in Rock

Springs, at least not right away. By morning, she would be

more alert and able to plan with a clear head.

Laura sat in a booth at Joe's Cafe, drinking her orange

juice and eyeing the payphone near the entrance. The

morning crowd was filtering out and the emptiness in the cafe

lent a hollow feeling to the atmosphere.

What if he really didn't remember her? Was it possible that

once he was away from Beaver Creek, a cloud of amnesia had

settled on him?

Already she could feel the details of the
Sungmanitu
and

the
Baalam
getting a little cloudy. It was like the last occasion

when she had left to return to New Mexico. The details

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slipped and before long it became more like a dream than

reality. It was not so much that she had forgotten, it just had

seemed like a dream ... except for her memory of Justin.

Laura shook her head. There was no way she could ever

forget Justin, the evidence of his existence grew within her

every day.

Finally she was able to muster up enough nerve to go to

the payphone. Dropping in several quarters, she dialed the

number. Laura's heart beat with desperate anxiety. The

phone rang on and on and just as Laura was ready to hang

up, someone came on the other end.

"Hello," A tired female voice spoke into the receiver.

"Hi," Laura paused, suddenly unsure of what to say.

"Yes," The woman prodded.

"I'm looking for Clyde Jessup. Would he happen to be in?"

"He is living in Lafayette now. Can I tell him who called?"

she asked with suspicion in her voice.

"I'm an old business acquaintance. I was on my way to

Louisiana and thought I'd drop in on him," Laura told her,

hoping she didn't remember her from the last time she'd

called. Jessup's sister had probably come to the conclusion

that Laura had been a nutcase on the previous occasion they

had spoken. If she thought Laura to be the same person, she

could count on not getting any information.

"Well he is listed in the phone book. Give him a call when

you get into town," the woman told her before hanging up the

phone.

At least Jessup was there. Laura's world seemed just

slightly brighter than it had moments before. All that was left

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to do was pick up a few clothes since she had left with

nothing, and fill up the Bronco. Laura reminded herself to find

a map as well. She had never been to Louisiana in her life.

Just as the setting sun was casting its flaming red light on

the swamps, Laura pulled into Lafayette, Louisiana. Three

days after beginning her journey, she was finally far enough

away to feel like she might be safe.

Laura was able to obtain Jessup's phone number and

address from directory assistance, but had decided that she

would go straight to his house, instead of calling. The

shadows of the bayou were eating away the light. She hoped

it wouldn't be long before she came to his residence. The

thought of being lost in the dark swamps brought on an

involuntary shiver.

Several miles down the road Laura found a mailbox with

the house number she had been given, but there was no

house in sight, only a lonely dirt road.

Rolling down her window, she hoped the evening breeze

would cool her perspiring body. Living her entire life in the

desert, Laura had been unprepared for the smothering

humidity of Louisiana.

With a weary sigh, she pulled onto the dirt drive. On either

side of her, cypress trees threatened to overtake the narrow

road. Laura's imagination was rampant with visions of

alligators and snakes.

Up ahead, Laura could make out the warm yellow glow of

lit windows. She sped up as fast as she dared. There was

Jessup's truck.