Free Dark Warrior: To Tame a Wild Hawk (Dark Cloth) by Lenore Wolfe

to answering questions. “I’ve heard enough.” He turned and grabbed Mandy’s wrist. “You’re coming with me. I will not tolerate you staying here and tending to that man.”
    Meg grabbed at Mandy. “No, McCandle!”
    “She has no choice.” McCandle’s once-handsome face twisted in hate. “Not if she wants to save that precious ranch of hers.”
    Mandy took hold of the crystal hanging around her neck and centered. Her body hummed with the power of the Grandmothers.
    McCandle let go of her wrist, then appeared surprised he had done so. He looked at her, an odd expression on his face.
    “I don’t need you to save my ranch,” Mandy spoke quietly. “I need to save my ranch from you. Thank you, but I have everything worked out fine without your generous offer.”
    McCandle stared, confused, at his hand, but her last words seemed to bolster him back up. “That’s right . . . .” He didn’t seem to notice Meg pulling Mandy farther from his reach. “It was generous of me.” He straightened his suit. “You couldn’t do it without me, Mandy. You need me to save that ranch of yours.”
    Mandy glared at him. “I won’t come crawling to you.”
    McCandle’s green gaze narrowed on her.
    Mandy steeled herself. As before, contact with him had left her weak. She sensed the dark cloud that shrouded him, but she could not find the source. She saw only the dark, cloaked man, who had been seen hanging around Ashley a lot of late.
    “And just what are you gonna do, Miss Kane?” He raised both brows and drawled on, “Are you going to hire that gunslinger in there? I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Not if you wish him to live .” He strode forward, pushing Meg aside as easily as if he’d swatted at a fly. Reaching her, he ran a finger down her flushed face. “I’ll see him in hell first.”
    Cold shock flooded Mandy’s body. McCandle’s unusual green eyes held the vacancy of a mad man. She didn’t doubt him for a minute. The powers he held, he wielded without control; a madman with power, growing stronger each day. With his father out of town, there was no one else to stop him. His father was a mad man, too, to be sure. But he was nowhere near as insane as his son.
    McCandle straightened the cuff on his sleeve. His gaze lifted, and he stared intently at Mandy for a moment, then turning his head ever so slightly, he looked directly out the window. Mandy followed his gaze to the man in the long, dark, well-tailored suit standing out on the boarded walk. For some unexplained reason, she shivered. When she regained her senses, she realized McCandle was staring at her. “Who’s that man, Ashley?”
    He grinned, and Mandy felt a chill crawl over her skin.
    He turned away. “It begins,” he flung back over his shoulder. Walking out, he slammed the door.
    Mandy shivered and felt Meg put an arm around her. “He’s insane.” A worry frown marred her face. Mandy turned to look at Meg, but did not see her friend.
    Be careful, child. You are all in grave danger. He has the power of your enemies. His power will challenge all you are, and all that is the Hawk.
    Mandy shivered again.
     
    Chapter Seven
    W hen she peeked into Hawk’s room later, he was asleep. She retrieved her journal and sat down, but she couldn’t find the words to write. Hawk lay sleeping peacefully. She saw herself lying there with him. He was warning her and, right now, she should be back at her ranch. She’d even gone out and had her rig hitched up.
    But she couldn’t go.
    Over, and over, she told herself he was her only hope. She warred with the Grandmothers’ words, which said he was her destiny. Yet when she looked up now, to find his golden-green eyes watching her, when she found her breath lodged in her throat every time he touched her, she knew—she’d crossed a path, and there was no going back.
    “Come here, Mandy.”
    She stood on shaky legs and made her way before him.
    He took her hand and turned it over. With slow, sensual