Fire Eyes Read online

  Fire Eyes

  Cheryl Pierson

  Smashwords Edition

  Fire Eyes

  Presented by Western Trail Blazer

  Copyright © 2012 Cheryl Pierson

  Cover Art Copyright © 2012 Karen Michelle Nutt

  Design Consultation by Laura Shinn

  Smashwords Licensing Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with other people, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you are reading this ebook without purchasing it and it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  Fire Eyes is a work of fiction.

  Though actual locations may be mentioned, they are used in a fictitious manner and the events and occurrences were invented in the mind and imagination of the author except for the inclusion of actual historical facts. Similarities of characters or names used within to any person – past, present, or future – are coincidental except where actual historical characters are purposely interwoven.

  Fire Eyes

  Wounded by sadistic renegades who rule the borderlands, U.S. Marshal Kaed Turner understands he faces certain death. Then Fate and a war party of Choctaw Indians intervene, delivering him instead to an angel with the skill to heal him.

  Jessica Monroe has already lost a husband and a brother to the outlaws who tortured Marshal Turner. As the rugged lawman lies bleeding on her bed, she faces a difficult decision. Can she afford to gamble with her heart one last time? For when Kaed recovers, he is sworn to join in the battle to wipe out the renegade gang—once, and for all.

  When vengeance is done, will Kaed keep riding? Or will he return to claim his future with the beautiful woman the Choctaw call Fire Eyes?

  Chapter One

  "Don't kill me! Please!"

  God, Beckley, don't beg.

  The other marshal's tortured screams ripped through Kaed Turner like a war lance. And he couldn't do one damn thing to save Mitch Beckley. Right now, he had no choice but to sit where he was and listen to the young marshal's pleas, knowing that Beckley was going to die, no matter how he begged. Even though Kaed was tempted to do something, walking into Andrew Fallon's camp would be suicide for him. He had to wait. Hunker down here in this damn undergrowth, hide, and wait.

  Another scream rent through the still September evening.

  Kaed's lips tightened, his gaze arrowing to the two young Choctaw girls who sat, stone-faced, beside the fire. They, not Mitch, had to be his primary concern now. Much as he'd like to do something to help the younger marshal out of the fix he'd gotten himself into, Kaed knew it was impossible. Crazy kid, trying to single-handedly take on Andrew Fallon and his rag-tag leftover holdouts from the war. Beckley should never have gone off half-cocked like he had. Now, he was paying for his impetuous decision. With his life.

  Although the War Between the States had been over for two years now, Fallon's band of cutthroats continued to commit atrocities around the Arkansas border, running west into Indian Territory to escape justice.

  But this time, justice had located them through the dogged determination of a young U.S. Deputy Marshal, Mitch Beckley. When Kaed had learned of Mitch's plan, he'd come after him, hoping to stop him and buy some time until the other marshals arrived. Fallon's men outnumbered them heavily—too many for one marshal, or even two, to bring in. By the time Kaed had reached him, Mitch had gotten himself captured trying to save those little girls.

  It had taken two days of non-stop hard riding to catch up with Beckley. Bone weary, Kaed stood on the verge of numbing exhaustion. He couldn't allow the dull, creeping lethargy that preceded sleep. He shook the sensation away, and settled down to listen, as Beckley's pleas drowned out all rational thought.

  Now, the hours dragged by in sullen procession as he waited. Beckley finally stopped screaming around midnight, and the camp fell ominously silent.

  Two of Fallon's soldiers worked at digging the large grave for the bodies of the three men Fallon had killed earlier. Kaed watched as Fallon sauntered over to the two young captives and squatted beside them. A half-smile touched the corners of his hard mouth. "Well, girls, I don't rightly know if you speak English, but I guess I oughtta tell you just what's goin' to happen.

  "Y' see, we didn't know y'all was Standing Bear's granddaughters when we took you. Nawssir, we sure didn't. When we got back to camp, ol' Bodie Johns recognized you. Said he used to trade some with your people." He hesitated a moment, then added, "I sure am sorry." His cold blue eyes rested on White Deer, the older of the two, but she showed no sign of having understood what he'd said.

  "Anyhow, what that means is a true unfortunate set of circumstances." He smiled. "I like the way that sounds, don't you? A true unfortunate set of circumstances." He shook his head. "Really, what it means, girls, is now we gotta kill you."

  Two Stars, White Deer's younger sister, stared straight ahead. Kaed could see that her mind had retreated to a place so far away that it didn't matter what language Fallon spoke. She did not hear it.

  From his vantage point in the dense undergrowth, Kaed watched twelve-year-old White Deer. Though he knew she spoke English well, she competently hid that fact behind a wall of stoic impassivity.

  Fallon reached out and touched White Deer's smooth cheek, pushing her raven hair out of her coal-black eyes. "Now that those three ruint you, I'm thinkin' I might want some of what they had." He smiled and licked his lips. "You wouldn't mind if ol' Drew just—"

  The echoing sound of the sharp slap rang through the camp, and Fallon sat back on his heels, his hand touching his cheek where White Deer's palm print was outlined in bright red.

  His eyes were like daggers. "You're gonna die, you little red whore, but it won't be quick! I'll cut you to ribbons, girl!" He grabbed her wrist and rocketed to his feet. She spat at him, and he twisted her around to stand in front of him. He brought his knife blade up under her chin.

  "Any lawmen out there?" Fallon called.

  Kaed had come halfway to his feet when Fallon pulled White Deer to him. He stopped himself, listening to what Fallon was saying, hoping for a proposition. Not that he'd be able to trust Fallon, even if the bastard did put something on the table.

  Fallon's wolfish leer returned. "I know you're listenin'," he said in a sing-song voice. White Deer struggled, and Fallon gave her a quick cut across her cheek, yanking on her ebony hair. "Come on into camp, you bastards! Join Marshal Beckley. He's lonely." He snickered, then turned serious once more. "Better come on in so's we can parley for these little girls!"

  Kaed swore. Fallon had no such intention. The girls were going to die.

  But what if…

  Standing Bear would be searching everywhere for his granddaughters by now. A Choctaw war party could show up any minute.

  But Kaed couldn't count on that. He couldn't wait.

  "I'm gonna count, Marshals. I know you're out there, somewhere. Waiting." Fallon hesitated. "Beckley's dead, but we can talk over what we're gonna do with these girls." He licked his lips again, like a hungry predator. The camp was deadly quiet, no man speaking or moving.

  Kaed cursed his situation. If he went in, he was sure to wind up just as dead as Beckley. But if he didn't, the girls didn't stand a chance. He knew them well. He'd held them when they were babies, played with them, seen the pride in their grandfather's eyes when he looked at them. He owed it to Standing Bear to do whatever he could.

  "One." Fallon said.

  Kaed waited another moment. Maybe there was a way…

  But even as he thought it, he knew it wasn't so. Fallon had ki
lled three of his own men for raping the girls. It made the odds somewhat better, but his outfit was five stronger than what Kaed and the rest of the marshals had assumed. Three men dead, and Fallon was down to twenty-two, rather than seventeen.

  "Two."

  Kaed couldn't outgun Fallon before the bastard had the opportunity to kill the girls. Something else became abundantly clear, as well. Kaed was on his own. There was no one else, no other back up. Either none of the other marshals had been available, or Frank Hayes, the new hire, hadn't told them where Kaed was going. Either way, he was alone, and there was no other choice but to try to bargain.

  "Dammit!" He stood up slowly. "Hold your fire, Fallon! I'm coming in."

  Fallon chuckled, his eyes narrowing. "You alone, Turner?"

  Kaed stepped into the clearing. No point in trying to bluff. "Yeah. There's no one else."

  Fallon gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Well, you won't be alone for very long, Marshal. You'll soon be joining your compadre over there." He nodded to where Beckley's body dangled, suspended head first from a tree. Kaed kept his eyes trained on Fallon and White Deer.

  "Let the girls go, Fallon."

  Fallon's lips curved upward in a feral smile. "Now Marshal, I don't believe I want to do that. You see, it would well and truly cause a problem for all of us if I let 'em go." He turned serious. "No, I gotta kill 'em and put 'em in that grave, yonder, with the three of my own soldiers I had to execute. That way, it'll look like we killed those men for takin' the girls in the first place. Set up our own justice, so to speak. 'Course, them Injuns won't know I killed those three for disobeyin' my orders." A smarmy grin crawled across his sharp features.

  "I killed 'em for screwin' these here girls, all right, but only because they ruint the merchandise. Cost us all money. We were supposed to deliver virgins to our customer." He chuckled. "Well, they ain't virgins no more." He winked. "I was just gettin' ready to help myself to some of it, but this little whore, she don't seem too hospitable." He wound his fingers through White Deer's hair tightly and she winced.

  A hot wave of fury washed over Kaed. He looked down at the ground, schooling his features to keep from showing his anger. With a noncommittal shrug, he said, "She's used to being treated better than she has been. I can explain it all to her. Make her understand you had nothing to do with what happened. Then I'll return the two of 'em to Standing Bear, you go on about your way."

  Fallon grinned. "Well, now, Marshal. Seems like you got it all thought out, don't you? Why don't you just go ahead and explain away."

  The click of a six-gun at his back warned Kaed to raise his hands slowly. Fallon's man lifted Kaed's gun from his gunbelt and tossed it to the ground where the girls and Fallon stood.

  "Ease on up there, Marshal." Bodie Johns' voice came from behind him, low and taunting. "Let's hear you explain."

  Kaed took a step forward, letting his breath out in a slow sigh as Fallon released White Deer. He knelt down beside Two Stars. She stared into the darkness beyond the rim of trees.

  Slipping easily into the Choctaw language, he looked into White Deer's troubled face. "Your grandfather will be looking for you, sweetheart."

  "Yes, but are you truly alone, Wolf?"

  Kaed nodded. "For now, little one. That doesn't mean the others aren't close behind."

  White Deer looked at Two Stars, then back at Kaed. Her expression was bleak. "My sister and I are in disgrace. You know what these men have done. What they intend to do again."

  Kaed glanced away, finding it difficult to meet her eyes. He forced his gaze to hers. "I'm sorry, White Deer. I got here too late to stop that. I came as quickly as I could, thinking the others would follow soon."

  The girl nodded. "I know. You are a good man. But sometimes evil is greater than good. It is so in this place."

  "Hurry up, Turner," Fallon said.

  Kaed glanced at Fallon. "Hold on. I'm about done. She's comin' around." He turned back to the girl.

  "What do they want to know? Why do they allow us to speak?"

  Kaed admired the girl's insight. Fallon was trying to get information about Standing Bear's location, hoping Kaed would volunteer it once White Deer disclosed it. If not, they'd try to beat it out of him. His warning glance to White Deer put an end to her questions.

  "White Deer—"

  "Marshal, please do not blame yourself for anything that happens."

  There was a riddle in her words, and Kaed knew she had a plan. "Be careful, sweetheart," he said softly.

  A faint, sad smile touched her lips. "I have nothing to lose, now. They do not intend to let us go with you."

  Kaed shook his head. He had to be honest. "No."

  "And you will remember us, Wolf? That we were brave in battle?"

  Kaed searched the girl's haunted expression. What did she intend? "I'll remember, little Deer."

  She'd inched farther from Fallon's reach, and from Kaed's. Suddenly, she dove to the ground beside Kaed, seizing the gun that Johns had tossed away earlier. She held it to her sister's head, the younger girl turning, at last, to look blankly into White Deer's face.

  "Wait for me, Sister, in the stars. This is all I can do." White Deer's voice was calm, her finger steady as she pulled the trigger. The .45 exploded with a deafening roar, blood spraying in a fine mist. White Deer hugged Two Stars close to her, tears filling her eyes as she held her younger sister's lifeless body, blood trickling from the eight-year-old's temple.

  "What the hell—" Fallon said, his icy eyes wide.

  Kaed's voice lodged in his throat, his fists clenched at the sudden, shocking horror. The girl's black gaze met his and locked for a heartbeat as he swiftly rose. She raised the gun to her head, and Kaed noted the indention the barrel made in her shiny hair, how heavy the pistol looked in her small hand.

  "I am sorry, Wolf."

  "White Deer! No!" But even as he stepped forward in numbed disbelief and yelled her name again, the second bullet was already out of the chamber, a small red hole blooming at White Deer's temple, a fine spray of blood wetting her hair as she jerked, then crumpled beside her sister.

  "God," Kaed whispered. He dropped to his knees. All he could see were White Deer's lifeless eyes staring from her young face. He wanted to murder Andrew Fallon. With everything in him, he wanted to see the bastard's blood run like a red river, the way the two girls' streamed across the ground, seeping into his jeans with a sticky, sickening warmth, the coppery smell of it filling his nostrils.

  Kaed knew he was going to die. He only regretted not being able to wipe out at least a few of Fallon's Brigade before he met his own fate. Rough hands hauled him up, two of the "soldiers" holding him with a firm grip.

  "What'd she say, Turner?" Fallon nudged White Deer's limp body with the sharp toe of his boot. "You explained real well," he said, sneering. "Tell us what she said. Where's Standing Bear?"

  Fallon's lips parted. He brought his blade up next to Kaed's throat and held it there, tight against the bronze skin. "I'll cut you, lawman, just like I cut her."

  "She said to tell you to go screw your mother."

  Fallon's features contorted, and he flicked the knife up sharply, nicking Kaed's chin. Kaed didn't flinch, though blood dripped freely from the gash. "She also said to tell you to think about what the Choctaws will do to you when they catch you. Castration will be first on the list."

  "Damn you!" Fallon exploded. "You're lyin', Turner!"

  Kaed gave a mirthless chuckle. "You asked."

  Fallon squinted at Kaed. For an instant, he looked uncertain. "Never mind that. You won't be around to see it, Marshal, if they ever do catch up with us. And, they ain't caught us yet, but we caught you, didn't we, Turner?" He smiled. "Yeah. We. Caught. You." He looked down at the bodies of the two girls. "And they won't be around neither, now, will they?"

  Kaed's gaze didn't waver. "You're a bastard, Fallon."

  "Yeah, guess we both are, Turner. Only, I'm a live bastard. And you—" He smiled broadly again. "You are soon to be
a dead one." He reached out, and with lightning-quick speed, the razor-sharp blade streaked across Kaed's chest, leaving a crisp line of arcing red across his skin where the sliced material of his chambray shirt and undershirt hung gaping.

  Kaed cursed and lunged back with a harsh gasp. Throwing himself free of his captors, he wrapped his hand around Fallon's wrist, forcing him to drop the knife. The two "soldiers" recovered and came at him, trying to subdue him once more.

  "Tie him up!" Fallon bent to pick up his weapon, meticulously wiping Kaed's blood from the blade.

  Kaed's instincts took over and he began to fight, though he knew they'd overpower him. The whole damn camp came running to help, and he was ready to take them all on. Like White Deer, he had nothing to lose if they killed him. Nothing except several hours of torture.

  He slugged through the men, ignoring his bruised, bleeding knuckles. The pain was nothing compared to the pleasure that slid through him as his fists connected with the outlaws' faces.

  Finally, they converged on him, pummeling him until he went down, and still they beat at him with fists and boots, kicking and hammering until Bodie Johns dealt him a powerful punch to the side of his head, and he knew no more.

  Chapter Two

  The man's warm blood trickled across Jessica Monroe's bare feet. The band of Choctaws had ridden up into her yard moments ago and slid him off a horse onto her front porch. She forced herself to stand still while Standing Bear spoke. Too much movement would appear rude.

  "Will you care for him, Fire Eyes?" The direct question took her off guard. The Indians had insisted on giving her a name—Fire Eyes. They had brought her, on two occasions now, wounded men to care for. The last one had died.

  Still, they saw her as a healer. Sometimes she felt they were trying to include her in their civilization now that she was virtually alone. But their infrequent visitation was a small price to pay them to leave her in peace. Relatively speaking. She gave an inward sigh, wondering if she would ever feel truly at 'peace' in the world again. Nonetheless, she would care for the injured man. What other choice did she have?