Guadalupe's Tears by Angelique Videaul Read Free Book Online Page A

wine sack across her shoulder as well. Lijah and Michael stood up and assisted her as they positioned the statue in front of Lee.
    “So this is it?” Lee asked.
    “Yes, this is it. She be crying now, do you see?”
    “I see abnormally well for a room this dark,” Lee commented. He leaned forward and gazed into the placid face of the Virgin. The face was wet. Doubtful, Lee touched the statue’s face, then drew back, gasping as his finger tips glowed cherry red. He hissed and scooted away from the statue, his fingers burning, his face contorted in searing pain. Livvy removed her headscarf and wrapped it around his hand.
    “There, you see? Imagine what that could do to them mens up in the hills. What it will surely do to that red ho that commands them.”
    “I’ll need your help, then.” Lee admitted as the pain in his hand eased. He unwrapped his hand and looked at it. The index and middle fingers glowed dull yellow, then faded, leaving the fingertips charred black.
    “I thought you might,” Livvy agreed. “This ain’t gonna heal up anytime soon, you know. You might not be able to draw a gun from your left hand.”
    “I still have my right.”
    “And you ain’t gonna be able to touch no bullets either, after the Lady’s tears are smeared on ‘em.”
    “I figured that out too.”
    “Hand me your guns.”
    Lee stood and unbuckled his gun belt. The weapons slid easily off his hips. Livvy took the belt with the guns tucked inside their holsters. She pulled one of the guns and said, “Try it out,”
    “That hand is dead,” Lee said.
    Livvy made a rude sound. “All of you be dead,” she stated. “But I needs to see if you can pull the trigger on your left hand.”
    “I can’t, it’s burned.”
    “Only the fingertips and that ain’t what you use to pull a trigger with. Give it a try, go on, now.”
    Lee picked up the pistol, held it in his left hand. The balance was there as well as the heaviness. He slipped his wounded finger into the trigger and saw what Livvy meant.
    “I think I can use it after all,” Lee agreed, sliding the gun off his finger and handing it holster first to Livvy. “You know how to load this?”
    Before Livvy could speak, ‘Lijah answered. “I know how,” he said. “Handling guns ain’t no place for a lady.”
    Lee nodded. Livvy grumbled. ‘Lijah sat cross-legged from the statue. He emptied the chambers of both pistols. Michael whistled. ‘Lijah looked up at Lee and said, “No paper cartridges?” He smiled down at the pistol and added, “This is a fine piece, Mr. Lee. A very fine piece indeed. I don’t think I ever saw one quite like this before.”
    “Shows why massa Bruce was so set on having ‘em, ” Michael replied, scooting closer to admire the pieces.
    “You won’t find many in the territories,” Lee said.
    “I should expect not,” ‘Lijah replied.
    “Can you load it?” Lee asked.
    “Yessuh, I sho can,” ‘Lijah replied with the excitement of a youth on his first date. Livvy grumbled in disgust as she rummaged around a drawer underneath the altar. She found a chalice and poured a small amount of the tears from the wineskin into it. ‘Lijah dipped the bullets into it, muttering the 23 rd Psalm as he worked. Lee watched as the man worked. “You know how to handle a gun pretty good,” he noted.
    “Massa taught me. He didn’t like to load the rifles himself when he went hunting.”
    “Didn’t know there was much out here to hunt.”
    “Oh, you’d be surprised, Mister Lee,” ‘Lijah said cheerfully as he dipped each bullet into Guadalupe’s tears and slid them into the chamber. Livvy hunkered down near him, her expression scandalized.
    “I’m more surprised that Bruce let you anywhere near a gun,” Lee said. “You could have shot his sorry ass and ran off.”
    “And end up getting caught by Comanches and scalped? Oh no suh.”
    “Or fed to one of Phaedra’s pets?” Lee ventured.
    “Considering the two, I’d rather take on the