Molding Clay (11 page)

from inside his head.

Clay literally bounded to his feet in surprise. Was he losing his mind?

Not that I can tell,
the voice replied to his mental question.

Clay whirled around and saw Koda standing at the end of the porch, regarding

him.

“That can’t be you,” Clay said.

Because?
Koda’s face actually split into the canine equivalent of a grin.

Clay’s butt hit the chair bottom with a thump. “You’re talking to me? Actually

talking? Why?”

Because I cannot help her alone. Should she sink any deeper into her despair and guilt, she

could be lost forever. That I cannot allow. I need your help.

Clay stared in amazement as Koda walked over and sat down in front of him. “She

won’t even talk to me,” Clay said. “So what can I do?”

Remind her that she loves you.

Clay’s heart did a funny little lurch in his chest. “Loves me?” he asked, despite the

spark of hope that ignited inside him. “Hell, she won’t let me near her.”

Because she blames herself for what happened. She was with you when the horse was killed

and she feels responsible. She let her feelings for you take precedence and so she was not here to

prevent what happened. She thinks she is as responsible as the one who committed the murder.

She neglected her duty and the cost was a life.

“That’s ridiculous!” Clay exclaimed.

Not to her.

“Well, why haven’t you tried to set her straight on that?” Clay asked.

Because she blames me as well. Why did I not sense trouble and warn her?

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Clay nodded thoughtfully. “Were you aware of what was happening?”

No, my mind was elsewhere. I did not sense it until it was too late.

Clay fell into silence, thinking. He’d never imagined that she felt responsible. That

she carried around such guilt. Or that she blamed Koda.

Her accusations at me are nothing more than frustration, human. It is her guilt that needs

eliminating. It eats at her soul and carries her steadily toward a madness that will prove

disastrous unless averted.

“What do you mean?”

She will use her power for ill rather than good.

“And?” Clay asked. “What will happen if she does?”

Her power will turn against her and destroy her.

Clay felt a sick sweat break out on his body. “So how does reminding her that she

loves me cure anything? If she even does. Doesn’t look much like love from my view.”

Pain and guilt cloud the heart and mind, human. You should know that. Her heart is filled

with love for you. Despite not wanting to. She runs from that love because it is what will free her

and she is afraid to let go of the guilt.

“That doesn’t make sense,” Clay replied.

Humans rarely do.

With that, Koda turned and leapt off the porch, trotted to the barn and disappeared

through the open door. Clay blew out his breath and leaned back, staring blankly at the

wooden ceiling above his head.

If what Koda said was true, then what did he do? That thought alone had him

rolling his eyes and questioning his sanity. He’d just had a conversation with a wolf?

Shit on a stick, wouldn’t Chase like to hear that? Thoughts of Chase had him suddenly

sitting up straight.

Ana! If anyone would be able to advise him it was Ana. He snatched his cell phone

from the holder at his belt and punched in her number.

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* * * * *

Rusty tossed the last shovel of dirty bedding into the wheelbarrow and swiped the

back of one dirty glove across her forehead at the sweat that tracked down toward her

eyes.

You can’t get rid of it as long as you cling so tightly to it.

She turned and glared at Koda. “I don’t need your shit right now, thanks.”

Now is exactly when you need it. You can work yourself until you drop, hide in the forest

every night of your life and run from the truth until the day you die, but the truth will still stand

when you are gone.

“And just what the hell is this mighty fucking truth?” she snapped.

That you cannot control the actions or intent of others. You could not have stopped what

happened. Not any of it. If not that day, then it would have happened another. When a man is

intent upon evil, he will find a way to commit that evil despite all efforts of another.

“But I wasn’t here!” Rusty screamed and sat down hard on the ground, covering

her face with her filthy gloves. “Brummel died a horrible death and there was no one

here to protect him.

“Or to hold him and let him know he was loved at the end.” She looked up at Koda

as she sobbed.

He knew. Rusty, we all know. Your love is like the sky above us, as vast and pure and

constant. And that love is returned tenfold from every being here. Even the human, Clay.

Rusty wiped at the tears that ran down her face. “He doesn’t love me, Koda. How

could he? I don’t even love myself.”

And therein lies the problem, my friend. Hatred stains your soul and robs you of that which

is most precious. Unless you release the hatred and embrace the love, then you are as doomed as

those guilty for all the evil that is perpetrated against you. You give them all the power. You let

them win.

“No!” Rusty jumped up and ran to the tack room. Within minutes she had Beau

saddled and was mounted.

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Clay saw Rusty tear out of the barn on Beau and race toward the western pasture.

He ran to the barn and quickly saddled Fleetfoot, the largest and fastest of the stock.

Koda stood waiting at the entrance of the barn. The moment Clay emerged, Koda

took off at a run. Knowing without being told that Koda would lead him to Rusty, Clay

followed.

Rusty raced across the pasture, urging Beau to go faster. They flew like they were

racing a storm, Beau’s powerful legs pounded like pistons, his hooves kicking up clods

of dirt and grass in his wake, with Rusty crouched low over his neck, her small frame

moving as one with his as if they were one being.

She didn’t know what she was running from exactly. Only that she had to run. That

unless she escaped the pain and anger she would explode into a thousand pieces. She

kicked Beau into a jump as they neared the fence bordering the pasture. Once clear, she

steered him sharply to the left, headed for the trail that led into the hills. Toward

salvation.

* * * * *

Davy reached his secret observation spot just as Rusty rode out of the barn at

breakneck speed. It was only a couple of minutes before the Russell fellow was in hot

pursuit.

Davy grinned and grabbed his cell phone. If they were lucky, they had time to pull

off another attack before Rusty and Russell returned.

He quickly called his brothers and set them into motion, then settled back to wait.

His plan was working like a charm. Even though he and his brothers had started the

gossip about Rusty, rumors were flying, people speculating that she’d gone off the deep

end and was unstable.

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Not that the law wasn’t looking in his family’s direction. They’d all been called in

for questioning after every event. Fortunately for Davy, his alibis had been secured and

were holding up just fine. Stella could be quite convincing, even if she was a whore.

When she claimed that she and Davy were engaged, and even produced a diamond to

back it up, everyone believed her.

The only problem was that now she was starting to believe the lie herself, and Davy

found himself spending far more time with her than he wanted. Fucking her kept her

happy even if it was distasteful. But with enough liquor and drugs, he could pretend it

was Rusty he was fucking. That fantasy was enough to have him giving Stella some

rough nights of hard sex and kinky thrills. But she didn’t mind. Hell, she welcomed it.

And fool that she was, she took it as proof of his love for her.

He’d let her believe it until Rusty was his, then he’d get rid of her. No one would

question her taking an overdose and killing herself over their breakup. Everyone in the

county knew that she’d been trolling for a husband for years and was getting desperate.

To be so close and then get dumped would be enough to have her ending her sorry life.

* * * * *

Clay was grateful for Fleetfoot’s strength and stamina, and marveled that Koda was

able to stay ahead of them, his feet flying effortlessly over the ground in pursuit of

Rusty.

Ten minutes passed before he heard Koda’s voice in his mind.
There they are.

Clay searched the land before him. Sure enough, disappearing into a stand of trees

at the top of the ridge was Rusty, laid out along Beau’s body as if she were part of the

animal.

Her skills in handling a horse were evident as she urged the horse in a winding

course through the trees. Clay was pushed to keep on her tail and entered the heavily

wooded area behind her.

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When he emerged two horse lengths behind her, they were on top of the ridge, with

a long slope headed down on one side to a barren landscape. He recognized the place

but was certain that the first time he’d been there he’d come from another direction.

Rusty raced Beau down the hill and leapt out of the saddle almost before she reined

the animal to a halt. She ran to the middle of the barren clearing, her arms thrown out

wide, turning in a circle and shouting to the heavens.

“Gods and angels, spirits on high, I seek your guidance, please hear my cry. My

soul walks in darkness, thick and black. Please help me find the strength I lack. Show

me the way, guide me this night. Erase the darkness. Show me the light.”

Tears streamed down her face as she turned ’round and ’round, repeating the

words time and again.

Clay reined Fleetfoot to a stop and dismounted. He didn’t know what to do, so he

did nothing but stand and watch, tears gathering in his own eyes as he watched and felt

her despair.

She requires our strength
, Koda spoke in his mind.

Clay looked down at the wolf by his side. “What do we do?”

This.

Koda started toward Rusty. A breath later Clay followed. He watched Koda stop

beside her as she turned, ’round and ’round, calling out to the heavens. Koda’s voice

joined Rusty’s in the chant. Clay took a position beside Koda and raised his own voice

in time with theirs.

Rusty heard their voices and her constant twirl slowed then stopped, her chant

stuttering to a halt.

Clay and Koda finished the chant then fell silent.

“It’s not working,” she said in a voice so void of hope that Clay’s heart nearly

broke.

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“But it will,” he assured her, not realizing until he uttered the words that he

believed.

He reached out for her hand and placed his free hand on the back of Koda’s neck.

“We’ll make it work. Let us help, Rusty. We love you.”

Rusty studied his face for a long time before she took his outstretched hand. She let

him pull her closer and placed her free hand close to his on Koda’s neck. With a weak

voice she began the chant again, closing her eyes and tilting her head back so that her

face pointed skyward.

Clay and Koda joined in the chant. He closed his eyes and concentrated all his

energy on the words. So focused was he on the wishes the words sent out into the

universe that he lost track of time, standing there under the sky, the three of them

joined in a triangle of hope.

He became aware that a wind had risen. Not strong or possessed of anger, but a

cool, soothing breeze that carried the scent of wildflowers and fresh grass, trees and

fertile earth.

He opened his eyes and with surprise beyond all measure saw around them a

fertile green land, lush with grass that rippled in the breeze and flowers that grew in

random profusion.

A beam of light streamed down from the soft billowing clouds that floated lazily in

the sky, illuminating them in golden warmth. Clay felt the light penetrate him down to

the marrow of his bones, healing warmth that was so pure it nearly made him cry for

joy.

He turned his mind from his own joy to look at Rusty. Her face was still turned up

but now her eyes were open, tears streaming as she smiled up at the heavens, her violet

eyes swimming with dancing lights.

The light slowly faded and after a moment Rusty turned and dropped down on one

knee in front of Koda, gently loosening her hand from Clay’s to loop both arms around

the wolf’s neck and hug him.

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She stayed like that for a long time before she pulled back. “Thank you, my friend.

For always being there for me, for telling me the truth even when I don’t want to hear it.

For loving me. You hold my heart, Koda. We are of the same blood, you and I, and

nothing will ever change that.”

Words of truth, my friend. I rejoice in your return to the light.

Rusty smiled and rose to face Clay. “You saved me. You and Koda. Your love saved