Free Dark Warrior: Kid (Dark Cloth Series Book 2) by Lenore Wolfe Page A

the berth. She’d never been so relieved to have her friends—her new family—by her side. She knew Mandy would have to get off of the train before it took off, but Kat felt more than a little relieved that she’d succeeded in getting on the train, anyway it took, before it took off.
    Kat knew she couldn’t have a better man tracking the gunman’s whereabouts, than Cord. The moment they’d figured out that someone had put Kid on the train—they’d begun widening their circle on him too.
    Cord might not be Indian, but he could track damn near as well as one. There were a few things that this town didn’t know about that man. Not bad for a man who ran a mercantile.
    Kat felt Hawk come into the berth and lay a reassuring hand on her arm. For the second time that day, she felt tears threaten to fall. These two were setting everything she’d thought she’d known about people on its ear.
    Not that she hadn’t valued them both already—she did. How could she not? They’d both commanded respect—had led men who followed them with high regard—in that last war they’d gotten themselves in the middle of with Hawk’s half-brother, Ashley McCandle. What, with Hawk being a feared warrior, and Jake—well, he’d gained a pretty fearsome reputation of his own—hunting the men who’d killed his wife—but none were more feared than Hawk.
    Kid had been quite the opposite, she thought, tears once more filling her eyes.
    What had gotten into her anyway? She felt like such a girl, fighting not to cry all the time—had been feeling like that a lot lately—even before all the fancy dresses and the fancy shoes.
    She knew love made her feel this way.
    It was just that—as good as Kid could fight, he’d never lost his sense of humor. He’d always had a quick smile or a joke—and Kat needed that, right now. She’d had too much seriousness in her life. She’d had too much sadness too.
    She loved Kid’s quick wit and easy smile. He’d even managed to keep it up with bullets flying all around them, on more than one occasion. She couldn’t help but fall in love with him.
    And she didn’t know what she’d do—if anyone succeeded in taking him from her.
    Kat felt Mandy lean close to her. “Now, none of that,” she heard her quiet command. “Kid is fine. Jake will find where they’re taking him, and then you’ll be hot on their trail. Besides,” she said, and Kat heard the smile in her tone, “you’ve really got to feel sorry for anyone stupid enough to take Kid without his permission.” She laughed out loud.
    Kat almost laughed with her—and winced as pain tore through her skull.
    “Oh, dear,” Mandy sobered. “I’m so sorry, Kat,” she said.
    Kat raised her fingers in reply—the only one she could give.
    She turned and stared out the window at the bright sunshine outside—and winced as the pain stabbed through her head.
    She wondered how the sun could be shining.
    She didn’t even know if Kid knew she lived. Was he looking outside at the sunshine—thinking that she’d died? After all, he’d seen her get shot in the head. And he’d likely assumed the worst.
    And that put him at more risk than anything else. Cause if he thought she was dead, he might do something reckless, and she might not be able to get to him—before it was too late.
    A single tear broke free, and she couldn’t even lift her arm to wipe it away. Angry, she turned her head away. Time seemed to crawl. She knew Hawk would be as frantic as she was—and she took solace in the knowing.
    That knowledge felt like the only thing that kept her from flying straight over the brink of a panic, like nothing she’d ever known.
    Only yesterday, she’d considered going back East—and leaving him behind. Now, she knew that nothing could get her to think such reckless things again.
    Here she sat—ready to head to Richmond, Virginia—and she swore that if she found him alive—and unharmed—she’d never consider being apart from him