three hours. Patter about them and how things were going to turn out. Their wedding. “I built a cabin on our ranch, Cass. I didn’t know what I was doing, but it was for us. It’s real big. Got high ceilings, all logs. It’s got a bedroom, but I built it so I can add more easy. For our kids, we’re going to have kids.”
All the time he talked, he could feel the energy between them. Other spirit warriors had told him about the energy that flowed between soul mates. Nothing could have prepared him to experience it. Bliss. Golden bliss billowing through them.
She had to feel it. Feel it, Cass, he thought. You’ll know. We’re meant for each other. You have to live.
Cass lay on the bed in the ambulance, strapped down. Immobile. Eyes closed. They’d washed the sticky stuff that held her eyelids closed off, but the lids didn’t flicker. Still, still as death. Only faint breathing that even he could barely hear said she was alive.
Oh, Grandpa, come and help me. Bring Mama and all the Ancestors. Bring the Great One and the eagles and Kachinas. Bring them, please. Save her, he prayed.
Nothing. No sustenance. No aid.
The driver spoke into a mic, asking for a gate they couldn’t see to be opened. They pulled into an almost invisible lane and drove down it, leafy branches brushing the sides of the vehicle.
“It’s an old estate,” Doug said. Leroy was so glad Doug was there. He was a spirit warrior too, married to his soul mate. He knew what Leroy was feeling.
“Buddy,” Doug said and laid a hand on Leroy’s arm. “You can’t save her. I don’t even think your grandfather could. She’s got a curse on her, Leroy. She’s got to work her way through it herself. This is where she belongs. We have to leave her and leave her fast before Donatore knows what’s going on. She’s been here before. I brought her here. They got her better. We’ve got to get out of the way and let them do it.”
They were at the emergency door of the hospital: an old mansion, shingled brown and three stories high. He could feel the place; it was a good place, old and well cared for.
They were in a white room. They had had to go through white corridors to get to it, fresh painted white and clean. Cass lay on the gurney, waxen.
“Please, baby, do something. Let me know you’re alive. Let me know you know I’m here.” Tears streamed down Leroy’s cheeks. He didn’t wipe them. Oh, if she didn’t say something, do something … His tears pelted down and he wanted to bend over and sob. He hovered at the edge.
“We’ve got to go. She can’t hear you.” Doug took his arm to lead him out, but he shrugged it away and ran to her.
Leaning over the bed, Leroy grabbed her arms and shoved his face close to hers. “Baby, it’s me. Don’t you know me?”
“Mr. Watches, I’m afraid I have to insist …” A doctor with a stethoscope around his neck and a clipboard entered the room. Two nurses followed. A big guy in a white suit was behind him.
Doug pulled on his shoulder. Leroy was ready to turn, ready to belt him, ready to go with him, when a movement stopped him. Cass was looking at him, eyes shiny in their sunken sockets. She just looked at him. Didn’t say anything. Her soul pulled him into her; he inhabited her, just for a moment. Her eyes closed.
“I love you, Cass. Get well for me.”
She couldn’t die, could she? Not after their souls had touched.
6
Take a Powder, Kid
“ S he’s going to be at the clinic about four months,” Will Duane took Leroy into his study a few days after he had gotten back from rescuing Cass. Leroy was staying at Will’s estate in Woodside, with the pack of warriors he had invited to his home after the Meeting.
Leroy glanced at him, and then looked away quickly.
“I’m sorry, son.” Will knew how lousy he looked. “I’m stressed out. I’ve got a lot on my plate. What you did, finding Cass and getting her to safety, was heroic. I’m very grateful. Have a seat by my
All the time he talked, he could feel the energy between them. Other spirit warriors had told him about the energy that flowed between soul mates. Nothing could have prepared him to experience it. Bliss. Golden bliss billowing through them.
She had to feel it. Feel it, Cass, he thought. You’ll know. We’re meant for each other. You have to live.
Cass lay on the bed in the ambulance, strapped down. Immobile. Eyes closed. They’d washed the sticky stuff that held her eyelids closed off, but the lids didn’t flicker. Still, still as death. Only faint breathing that even he could barely hear said she was alive.
Oh, Grandpa, come and help me. Bring Mama and all the Ancestors. Bring the Great One and the eagles and Kachinas. Bring them, please. Save her, he prayed.
Nothing. No sustenance. No aid.
The driver spoke into a mic, asking for a gate they couldn’t see to be opened. They pulled into an almost invisible lane and drove down it, leafy branches brushing the sides of the vehicle.
“It’s an old estate,” Doug said. Leroy was so glad Doug was there. He was a spirit warrior too, married to his soul mate. He knew what Leroy was feeling.
“Buddy,” Doug said and laid a hand on Leroy’s arm. “You can’t save her. I don’t even think your grandfather could. She’s got a curse on her, Leroy. She’s got to work her way through it herself. This is where she belongs. We have to leave her and leave her fast before Donatore knows what’s going on. She’s been here before. I brought her here. They got her better. We’ve got to get out of the way and let them do it.”
They were at the emergency door of the hospital: an old mansion, shingled brown and three stories high. He could feel the place; it was a good place, old and well cared for.
They were in a white room. They had had to go through white corridors to get to it, fresh painted white and clean. Cass lay on the gurney, waxen.
“Please, baby, do something. Let me know you’re alive. Let me know you know I’m here.” Tears streamed down Leroy’s cheeks. He didn’t wipe them. Oh, if she didn’t say something, do something … His tears pelted down and he wanted to bend over and sob. He hovered at the edge.
“We’ve got to go. She can’t hear you.” Doug took his arm to lead him out, but he shrugged it away and ran to her.
Leaning over the bed, Leroy grabbed her arms and shoved his face close to hers. “Baby, it’s me. Don’t you know me?”
“Mr. Watches, I’m afraid I have to insist …” A doctor with a stethoscope around his neck and a clipboard entered the room. Two nurses followed. A big guy in a white suit was behind him.
Doug pulled on his shoulder. Leroy was ready to turn, ready to belt him, ready to go with him, when a movement stopped him. Cass was looking at him, eyes shiny in their sunken sockets. She just looked at him. Didn’t say anything. Her soul pulled him into her; he inhabited her, just for a moment. Her eyes closed.
“I love you, Cass. Get well for me.”
She couldn’t die, could she? Not after their souls had touched.
6
Take a Powder, Kid
“ S he’s going to be at the clinic about four months,” Will Duane took Leroy into his study a few days after he had gotten back from rescuing Cass. Leroy was staying at Will’s estate in Woodside, with the pack of warriors he had invited to his home after the Meeting.
Leroy glanced at him, and then looked away quickly.
“I’m sorry, son.” Will knew how lousy he looked. “I’m stressed out. I’ve got a lot on my plate. What you did, finding Cass and getting her to safety, was heroic. I’m very grateful. Have a seat by my