Dark Warrior: To Tame a Wild Hawk (Dark Cloth) by Lenore Wolfe Read Free Book Online Page A

they even realize they had wound up switching sides in their argument? She raised both eyebrows at Meg in an I told you so manner.
    Meg went for the innocent, I-didn’t-see-that look. Leaning back in her chair, she stared at the floor, feigning deep thought before looking at Mandy. “But I want to know what plan you’ve got rolling around in your head this time.”
    Mandy shook her head. Oh, no, you don’t, her eyes told Meg, nice try . And Meg blushed. She stood to give her friend a moment, though she knew Cord would not do the same. Walking to the door of Hawk’s room, she watched him for a moment. “I don’t know how this will all work out. The only thing I know for sure is, it’s meant to be.”
    “Meant to be what?”
    Mandy, with her back still to her friends, smiled—knowing the reaction that question would get him. She waited for the next round, but only heard him mutter, “never mind” under his breath. And she detected the word women, which went unsaid.
    Mandy turned back. “One day, it will all be clear. But for now, you will have to trust—I know what I’m doing.”
     
    Chapter Five
    M andy stood at the door of Doc’s office. She needed to get started in helping Hawk to heal. More than that, she needed a moment alone. She needed to think. Visions pressed behind her eyes. Visions she did not want to see. Visions she did not want to think about. Visions of Hawk. Visions of children beside him. His children—her children.
    Grandmothers, how can this be? What kind of future could we have? Hawk, having been raised by the Lakota and Cheyenne—I, having spent years with them. What will happen to us? Raising our children in a white man’s world—in the way of the Lakota.
    “Mandy?”
    “Yes, Meg.” She blinked hard to clear away the visions. Scrambling to pull her thoughts together, she hugged her childhood friend, wondering how to best answer, yet keep her from realizing how troubled she felt. “I’ve told Doc I’ll help him.” She stepped out on the boarded walk into the sunshine, her face away from Meg and Cord. “And you, Meg, already have to care for your grandmother, and you, Cord, your store.”
    “Mandy . . .” Meg tried again. Then let her off the hook. “You’ll let me know if you need any help?”
    Mandy smiled her relief. “I’ll be fine,” she reassured Meg. “Right now, I’m going to see to our patient. I’ll be over to see you when I can.”
    Meg hugged her, and Mandy was grateful, knowing she had her friend’s full support. Cord also hugged her and left for his store, and Mandy went back into the office, firmly closing the door behind her. She stood a moment, her gaze fixed on the door, fighting the visions. Finally, with a shake of her head, she began straightening the office, then set about to make Hawk more comfortable. She cleaned up all traces of the operation and set about tucking him in. Finally she stood back, taking in his sleeping form.
    The room shifted, and she stepped sideways to regain her balance. Blinking hard, she took in the walls around her. She stood in a room where the outside walls were made of large logs. Panic invaded her senses. Danger lay all around her. Running to the door, she tried to pull it open, but it was locked. She banged on the door, yelling for someone to help. She turned with her back to the door, wildly looking for a way out. A boarded-up window lay across the north wall. She ran up to it and tore at the boards to no avail. She stared at her fingers, her nails broken and her fingers bleeding. She swallowed hard—trying desperately to still the vortex of the tornado of fear that whipped her about—fighting to center herself.
    But she didn’t know where the danger lay. She didn’t know which way to turn, which way to run.
    And the Grandmothers’ voices seemed to be all around her, warning her to beware.
    “Where are you, Mandy? Tell me what you see,” a voice commanded her.
    Mandy’s gaze flew to Hawk’s, widening in