Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance (7 page)

books he had been going over.

"Hmm ... well, I'll inform Wildlife Management. They might

have a bear that's been stirring up trouble."

After hanging up, Laura sat quietly thinking about what the

sheriff had told her. Jessup cut into her thoughts. "Said it was

probably a bear, huh?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"You're not the only one. Several of the men have reported

seeing things in the woods after dark."

"Really? Do you think it is a bear?" Laura's uneasiness was

turning to real fright. "I don't know, but that's what Wildlife

has been telling us. I think you just better

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be taking extra care," he warned.

"You can bet on it, that thing about scared the life out of

me last night." She rubbed her still sore arm, smiling as she

remembered her foolish reaction the night before.

The day passed too swiftly for Laura. She dreaded going

back to the empty cabin. Just before leaving the office for the

weekend, she decided to make a quick call to the Glass

Mountain Trading Post in New Mexico. The Trading Post had

the closest phone to where her grandfather lived. Grandpa

Busby wouldn't even try using a mobile phone, which

exasperated Laura to no end.

"Glass Mountain." The gentle male voice traveled over

hundreds of miles of phone line, and again a wave of

homesickness overtook her.

"Kenny, it's me, Laura."

"Laura, it's been a long while." The pleasure in his voice

was obvious. "How have you been?"

"I'm doing okay, how have you been?"

She gave Kenny the phone number, and he promised to

have her grandfather call her first thing Monday. After

hanging up, Laura felt a little better and by the time she left

the office, her spirits were higher than they had been in days.

Hearing Kenny's voice had been like reaching out and

grabbing a lifeline. They had been childhood sweethearts, but

after high school they'd drifted apart, taking separate paths.

Kenny had chosen to stay on the reservation and she had

chosen to leave its poverty behind.

For the first time since she was eighteen years old, Laura

wondered if she'd made a mistake. The native ways of her

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people were seeded much deeper in her soul than what she

had realized. She felt a yearning to return to her homeland,

where they knew who Laura Ellison really was.

After a quick dinner, Laura went over all the notes she'd

taken in the past few days. Everything seemed to dead end

with Mitchell's disappearance. In deep thought, she

unconsciously tapped the end of her pencil on the small table.

If the local police didn't do something soon, she might have

to go to the FBI.

Laura had a bad feeling that the
Sungmanitu
played a

significant role in the problems Duccini was coming up

against. Somewhere deep inside of her was the hope—no not

just hope, but an almost a need for Justin not to be

responsible for any wrongdoing.

Time had passed without Laura realizing it, and soon the

room was deep in shadows. After putting her supper dishes in

the sink, she opened the kitchen window to let in the cool

evening breeze.

Laura tossed around the idea of returning to the pond

where she'd discovered the briefcase. Of course there was

always the problem of the bear, but this wasn't too much of a

deterrent. After all, she'd grown up with bears running around

in the hills near her home, why should Wyoming be any

different? It wasn't as if she didn't know how to handle herself

if she did happen to sight a bear.

Making up her mind, she searched the cabin until finding a

flashlight, probably put there in case of a power outage.

There was no doubt that she would need it—before long the

sun would be completely down.

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Laura pulled to the side of the road and parked. As she

peered into the darkening woods, doubt tugged at her.

Steeling herself to ignore the voice of hesitation, she took the

flashlight and started into the trees.

It was quiet ... too quiet. Her own breathing sounded as if

it were amplified. Once in the trees, the darkness deepened,

making it necessary to switch on the flashlight. As she

walked, dried leaves crunched beneath her feet. The noise

only served to make her even more aware of the unusual

stillness.

Once reaching the clearing by the pond, the flashlight was

no longer needed and she switched it off. The ghost of a

nearly full moon hung in the darkening horizon. Not even sure

of what she was looking for, Laura began to examine the

banks of the pond. Circling the water, she looked for anything

out of the ordinary.

After several moments she still had found no evidence of

even an old campfire. If this place had been used for camping

or parties, there should have been some kind of evidence to

corroborate this.

Giving up for the time being, Laura sat at the edge of the

pond. The evening had descended into darkness now, but the

moon cast its bright light on the small clearing. The stifling

heat of the day made her feel sticky with perspiration and the

rippling, cool water beckoned to her.

Stripping down to her white cotton bra and panties, Laura

stood motionless, staring into the shimmering moonlit water.

Bracing herself for the shock of the cold on her heated skin,

she waded in until the water was waist deep. The numbing

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water was still frigid from spring runoff, but she dove in

regardless.

Laura found that the pond was much deeper toward the

middle. She lay on her back, floating, letting the water bring

new energy to her soul. She couldn't remember the last time

she had gone for a swim. Water had been scarce when she

was a child, and if one found enough to swim in you enjoyed

it immensely.

Sometime later, Laura emerged from the pond, her wet

skin glistening in the moonlight, her undergarments clinging

to her like a second skin. She removed them and found a

grassy place that she could dry herself, and her clothes.

Feeling more relaxed than she had since coming to

Wyoming, Laura lay back in the cool grass to enjoy the

summer night. Stars hung like jewels against black velvet.

She never grew tired of staring at the night sky.

Laura let her thoughts drift back in time, and visions of

playing hide and seek with Kenny brought a smile to her lips.

Though she heard nothing, Laura's senses picked up a

change and her eyes flew open, but it was not until she sat up

that she saw what had caused her alarm. Only five feet from

where she had been lying, Justin reclined in the grass and

had clearly been observing her.

Gasping, she grabbed for her clothes and at the same time

attempted to cover herself.

A slight smile played on his lips.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to dress." She spoke through

clenched teeth, angry that he found her position amusing.

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"Not at all." He smiled wickedly. Laura became sure that

the arrogant swine would give her no privacy at all, but he

rose and turned away from her.

She dressed with as much haste as was humanly possible,

but she was still wet and was having trouble getting her shirt

on.

"What are you doing out here alone?" Justin asked when

he was again facing her.

Still not done putting her shirt on, she used it to cover her

breasts.

"Swimming, but I think the more appropriate question

would be what are you doing out here spying on me?" Laura

spat out her angry words.

Laura was more than just a little irked by the laughter in

his eyes.

"Saw your car on the road, but you were nowhere around.

I thought I'd better look for you." By now he stood very close,

looking down into her furious eyes.

"How very considerate of you, but it would have been nice

if you would have let me know you were around, instead of

sneaking so that you could gawk at me."

Her words came out in tiny gasps, his nearness sending

her thoughts into confusion.

His eyes reflected the light of the moon, telling her more

than he possibly could have with words. He brought his hand

up to gently caress her cheek. "I could not resist the view."

His lips took possession of hers, and his tongue began an

eager exploration of her mouth. All thought ceased and with a

will of its own, her body responded to his primitive hunger.

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Justin's hand sought her breasts and with liquid smooth

movement, he freed her from the wet bra, gently pulling the

shirt from her grasp. His gaze lingering on her full mounds,

he took her nipples between his fingers, squeezing and pulling

until they stood taut, inviting his tongue to taste the flesh

that she offered, but instead his tongue sought her mouth

again, and he thrust his tongue inside.

Leaving her mouth, his lips traveled to her neck, kissing

her gently at first, but soon his teeth were digging into her

flesh. Laura trembled with need, oblivious of pain. While his

mouth and teeth were busy with her neck, his hands caressed

her skin, leaving a trail of sizzling sensation wherever he

touched her.

As suddenly as he had started, he stopped, backing away

from her. "I can't, Laura," he whispered in a hoarse voice.

Laura's eyes once again filled with pain and confusion. She

turned away from him and finished dressing. Searching the

ground until she found the flashlight, she switched it on and

began walking toward the road.

She could hear him following her, but she said nothing to

acknowledge his presence. It seemed an eternity before they

reached the road.

His voice stopped her before she could get into her car.

"Laura ... I'm sorry. I should never have touched you, not this

time, nor ever," he continued in a soft, pleading voice.

"I find it impossible to resist you, but there are reasons

why we can never be together that way." He grasped her arm

and turned her to face him.

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"I'm sure you have your reasons and I'm just as sure I'll

survive." Her words were cold in an attempt to hide the hurt

that threatened to tear out her heart.

"Try and understand, it's not that I don't want you," he

pleaded.

She just nodded.

Justin continued to hold her arm, his grip tightening. He

stared at her until she thought for sure she would once again

lose herself in the depths of desire that stirred within his

eyes.

"You should never be in the woods at night. It's very

dangerous," he warned.

Laura waited to see if he would provide further

explanation, but none was forthcoming.

"Would you like me to follow you home?" he asked.

It was not until then that she took notice of his bike behind

her car. "No, that won't be necessary, but I'd like to know

your last name." Laura intended to discover what his mystery

was.

He smiled, taking her small hand in his. "Gray Eagle."

"Well, goodbye, Justin Gray Eagle." She pulled her hand

from his grasp.

"Goodbye,
tehila
." He brought a hand up and gently

brushed the hair from her face.

She wanted so badly to ask him to hold her in his arms,

but her pride would never let her plead with him. But there

was another reason why she held back. Laura was confused

about her feelings, she was drawn to him there was no doubt

about that, but why was her need for him so overpowering?

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"Goodbye," she whispered before getting into her car.

Laura left as quickly as she could, hoping he had not

known the full extent of his affect on her. Her eyes filled with

angry tears and her heart with bitter pain. Never had

rejection cut quite so deeply.

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A sharp pounding pierced through Laura's unconscious

mind, waking her from the hazy dream. But the mist was too

inviting ... pulling her under, seducing her with its numbing

peace. Again the insistent pounding broke through, yanking

her back to consciousness.

Leaving the warmth of her bed was nothing short of

torture. The lack of sufficient heat magnified the morning

chill. Still half-asleep, Laura wrapped up in her robe and

stumbled to the front door.