Chapter 5: Soft Spot

"You can't tell anyone about me—- " he tells me.

The Priest had told me he'd been here investigating a demon in this area, in addition to the horrific story he'd just revealed about Maverick. His investigation of demons was a waste of time. Here I thought Father Gideon was going to tell me how to get rid of the scourge in my life, but here he was blabbering about some damn demon name Lafayette and ever-lasting love. What on god's green earth did I care about that. My world has been torn apart. The only demon I was interested in was Kid Maverick!

Father Gideon, or the Chinaman, was trying to impress upon me the importance of religious ritual. But I was a man of science. I refused to believe in any religious mumble jumble.

"I want that idiot in jail Gideon, not exorcized!" I tell Father Gideon, "No offense, Father, but I'm more interested in that...that.... horse's ass over there!"

I'd been with the outlaws for about a little over a week now, and while I'd learned a great many things, cussing wasn't one of them.  Though I didn't believe in religion or religious rituals, I was raised to be a god fearing man, and cussing didn't come easily to me, especially when I was around women. Though it was unlikely that she understood my language, I modified my tone so as not to offend the Matawee squaw who was cooking meat over an open flame. My Mouth was watering fiercely, for it had been some time since we'd eaten a proper meal. It's clear the food isn't for us though, and the woman in the beautiful deerskin tunic and intricate beading scowls at me when I look too closely at her meal. She moves in front of it to block my sight.

I recalled how Miriam once told me she had the foolish impression that indians only ate berries and nuts. But Natives were adept hunters of fish, deer, elk and of course buffalo, what of them there was left. Trying to calm myself, I surveyed the area we were brought to.  Bright colored tipis stretch as far as the eye could see on the mountain range. The Matawee nation was huge and spread themselves far as if to announce their presence to one and all.

Once again I found myself faced with having to be honest with myself.  Not even attractive wild natured, exotic,  shirtless Indian warriors could make me regret this adventure I found myself on.

"Ha Jo Jam...". I hear Kid Maverick say to some of the tribe. Truthfully I'm confused by it. When we first arrived at the camp grounds,  Maverick was separated from the rest of us and presented to the chief. Then all at once, the Matawee warriors lined up and began to beat on him one by one.  It was terrible to watch. Blood streamed from him, and as disgusted as I was by him, I ached to see him in such pain. Yet now, he was standing with those same warriors and and it seemed he was talking to them about me.

"Is he talking about me?" I asked Gideon.

I look towards Maverick again. I wasn't imagining it. Those same tribesmen who were once so hostile to Maverick, were now laughing with him as he gestured towards me.  He comes back over to where the gang was being watched. We aren't tied up, but then again we didn't have to be. We were surrounded by at least 50 Matawee warriors who looked like they meant business if we tried to escape.

"You hurt?"

This comes from Yant to Kid Maverick. Yant seems to actually be quite good at medical needs. I watch as he moves over to Kid and the look he gives us lets us know it's bad.

"No. I normally spurt blood from my rib cage." Kid coughed and seemed to be having trouble inhaling.

He needed medical attention. Good. Maybe that's why I clamor up, reach over and deliver a hard swelled kick straight to Maverick's face.

"Oh god, my fuckin nose!"

Mooney backhanded the crap out of me, and growls, "Why I outta——"

He doesn't get to do anything else to me before a warrior claps him over the back of the head with the blunt end of a rifle. That shut Mooney up, and he didn't speak for at a least an hour afterwards.

We settle down but my beef with Maverick is real.

"I'll kill ya one day. I Hope you know that——-"

"You know?"

For the first time, Kid Maverick seems embarrassed and uncertain of himself. He'd fooled me. Fooled me real good with all those sweet stories he's been telling me. Making me think he had some kind of regard for me. But my eyes were open now and blazing red.

"I know what you did my people. White Biter! Murderer!"

He nods, "We get out of here I'll give you your pound of flesh—-if ya still want it."

"Goddamnit Mav tells him everything ——" Judd pleads out of nowhere.

"No, he's hurt. He's been wronged. Someone kill your family you'd want em dead. Ain't that right Judd."

Judd gets quiet, "Got me a brother... always tryin' to outdo me. Always up to something."

"Judd don't nobody want to hear about Bobby again."

"Don't get me started about Bobby—-" Judd goes in.

I'd heard Judd mention this brother Bobby from time to time. Nobody ever let him finish his story. I guess folks had gotten tired of him whining over it long ago.  I didn't care what the sam hill Judd was talking about. It didn't matter if Maverick told me the "whole story" or not.  There was nothing in that story that was going to make him honorable. I never believed Maverick was innocent and on the up and up, especially since he still had my damn purse. But knowing a man to be a thief, and learning he is a mass murderer is entirely different things. As furious as I was with Maverick, I couldn't help but feel let down as well. I never figured Maverick was the type to kill innocent brown babies.

"You don't need to give me your life—-Outlaw," I assure him, "By the time this here journey is done I'm going to take it."

My threat is loud and clear causing everyone to get quiet even Judd for the first time tonight. I turn away from the others even Father Gideon who has been staring at the dust some time with no concern over what was going on.

-

They come. They take Maverick away.

I look over at Mooney. He has a seriousness to him. I wonder if he's worried about Maverick.

"Should have come in here guns blazing like I wanted too."

"He's as good as dead," Judd whispers, "I knew it was all lies when he said he could convince his tribe to give up the map."

"Good riddance..." I ground out, but I wasn't really feeling it.

Yant slaps his thigh, "Goddam Doc. I wasn't gonna say nothing because I kinda like ya but ya sound like a fool. Big fool. The Kid was trying to get the Tribe to let ya leave."

I'm not the only one interested in what Yant was saying. We were held prisoner after all and the Indians were getting more hostile.

"You speak their language?" I'm confused.

"A few words that my Delores taught me. See she is a Mattawee. A member of his tribe."

I'm shocked. I would find out later that Yant was in all accounts related to Kid Maverick. Some sort of in-law if the Mattawee follow those sorts of things. I'd also find out it was Yant who introduced Kid and Mooney.

"You must have got it wrong," Mooney argues, "He was trying for me. Trying to get me out or maybe all of us or ..."

"Nope," damn Yant is being blunter than usual, "Just Doctor Samuel."

"Oh."

That comes from Mooney. As though it's not enough Yant continues to twist his knife.

"He was defending your innocence a lot more than the rest of us. And I can't blame him. You're the only one here who ain't take a life—-so far as I know."

"All That defending and the doctor is quick to throw Kid to the wolves..."

Mooney laughs. He had this wide smirk and a bit of blood in there from the Indians doing numbers on him. I think he wants me to feel some type of way about this. I think he wants me to be bothered more than I am.

"All's I'm saying is the truth," Yant shrugs.

He's not bothered by Kid's actions. No one else is, save Mooney for obvious reasons and me. The reason it matters to Mooney is nowhere near as clear.

That's when someone walks up to us. It's one of the Indians.

"You come with us," the warrior says in a stern voice.

I get so nervous I start shaking. It isn't until the woman next to him looks at me and smiles warmly that I let down my guard.

The woman seems more welcoming and says , "It's OK.  We are told you are a doctor. We hear you have been taken. We see you attack the cursed one..."

"Well I—-"

I was going to put my foot in my mouth and explain why I did what I did to Maverick but someone kicks me. I turn and strangely, I notice it's the Chinaman.

He's trying to warn me to shut up and I suppose he had a point. I don't know what these people would do if they learned what Maverick did to my small tribe. He could become a warrior hero, or it could go all the worse for him.

The woman smiles, "You are safe now." I guess she was reading the fear on my face and decided to reassure me.

I am released and the last thing I hear is Mooney seething from the sides of his mouth like a bull, "What'd I tell ya? He never cared about Kid. He'd throw him to the wolves."

~

The Indian woman's name is Idallah, she said it meant She who disciplines. I think the sound of her name is much prettier than it's meaning.  She made it sound exotic when she pronounces it. Idallah is quite kind and welcoming which is a relief after all I'd been through.

"Tomorrow we'll get our best rider to take you to the nearest town. Your people have coin with them. We will give you enough of it for safe passage."

"How can I thank you?"

"No need. You are safe now Doctor Samuels."

Safe. I should be happy. My eyes Jerk around while she's talking taking in everything that is going on.

"All I require for now ma'am is some place quiet to lay my head. I'd like to reminisce a little. This place feels so like home."

I don't know why the thought pops in my head. But I suppose relieving the deaths of my tribesmen made me remember things I'd forgotten, like the way we talked, dressed and dealt with each other.

"What tribe are you?"

"Ahuli."

She nods, "The Ahuli and the Mattawee are Half Moon Bonded. We hunt the same grounds."

Our tribes were half moon bonded.

"What's that mean?"

She hesitates.

I knew how it was. Tribes had their secrets. They were very guarded on who they told.

"It's Ok, Idallah.."

Perhaps I'd ask Kid Maverick what Half-Moon Bonded meant. That is if I ever got to see him again.

"You're done with your journey?" She asks it in a teasing way as though making light of the city slicker that got way too much than he'd bargained for from his escorted trip to the wild frontier.

"Done."

I notice the look on her face as she puts a jug of cactus whiskey to her lips. It was whiskey made from the sap of a cactus. I had vague memories of it from childhood, for my people made it by the gallon. If memory served correct, Idallah's tongue should have gone numb by now.  By the way some of the warriors were already stumbling and shooting off their weapons to the sky, I figured they were hitting the jug pretty hard.

"Come drink with us desert brother.  Tonight we celebrate. The ceremony is tonight."

"What ceremony?"

"The ceremony of the undead. Tonight we sacrifice to the undead one, the warrior Cheveyo.  The one you call Kid Maverick."

I gulp.

Holy shit.

~

Idallah keeps speaking to me for what seems like hours. I can't stop thinking about Kid. These warriors were going to kill him. I knew he was a true scoundrel, and for killing my tribe, he deserved to die. But I couldn't wrap my head around the fact they were going to kill him. Now that I knew that I had to figure out how to rescue him.

Didn't add up to much of a rescue attempt, seeing that the Indians were falling down drunk. Without anyone challenging me, I walk right over to the area where the other men were being held. I stop short though when I notice a guard.  He's facing away from me. I can't see his eyes, but he's very still and I wonder if he's asleep.

"Hello..." I ask getting close enough to touch him.

"Already dead."

I turn at that moment and see the group. Sure enough, the guard is already dead. I wonder who did it but I'm not shocked to see it's Mooney taking credit for the kill, floating with a smile.

"You came back for us?" Judd whispers loudly. "Fellers look at that. The doc came back for us. That's a good fella right there. I say we make him an honorary member of this here gang..."

Yant slaps me on the back, "I second that."

I'm ridiculously happy that the gang is surprised I came back and wanting me to join them. It's the closest I've felt to them.  I look over at Gideon. He's still making out like the silent Chinaman, but even he  reaches over and slaps the back of my neck. I don't think it means much, but then he goes for the small of my back.

"He's not in the goddamn gang!" Mooney barks, then lowers his voice, "I said it before and I'll say it again. Shut yer trap Judd. Why don't you marry the goddam guy if ya like him so much."

"Nah," Judd states, "I wouldn't cross that line. Not anymore. I love Samuels here. He's like my brother Bobby. Or like I wish Bobby was afore he......"

"Besides," Yant interrupts Judd before he goes on a rant, "Who would have the guts to try to get with the doc with Kid crushing on him the way he does."

This clearly irritates Mooney. Like a fool, I try not to feel giddy over what Yant had to say about Kid being sweet on me. Besides Mooney was still dangerous, and I didn't want him getting any ideas on me having feelings for Kid.

Mooney unnecessarily waves his gun about and grunts, "We need to get going before one of these Indians sober up."

"Goin?" I ask, "What about the kid..."

Silence. Nothing.

I look around. No one's talking. Judd and Gideon even run off to get the horses, avoiding my question.

It's Yant who is at my side, "What they ain't trying to tell ya is that —-well, sir, this here is Indian business, and seeing how Kid is an Indian, we figure we best let them sort this out themselves."

"They're gonna sacrifice him."

Nothing. Mooney avoids looking at me

"We figured that much but uh—-well boy, I dunno how to say it—-"

Yant is a good guy. He's a really good guy. I can tell he's trying to spare my feelings, but Mooney has no patience with that.

"He's already fuckin dead!" Mooney says. "Fuck don't you understand you god forsaken idiot!  He's dying inside already. If the Indians don't kill him, the hex will."

"So you're doing nothing?  You're just leaving him to die."

Yant shrugs, "Its Indian business..."

By now the others are back with the horses. I watch Mooney mount his horses. They have Maverick's horse there with the others. They were definitely leaving him.

"But he's a member of your gang."

"What do you know about this gang?" Mooney asks.

"I know you're a bunch of yellow bellied cowards if ya gonna leave one of your own!"

It's a challenge. It's a clear smack in the face. Anytime  else and I'd be dead. We all knew it. The tension is thick because of it. It couldn't happen here between Mooney and myself,  but he nods knowing what I know.

"Disappear city slicker. Next time I see you——you're a dead man."

"C' mon boys!" He tears out of there at a gallop. The others don't follow behind him immediately but again I know that they all will.

"Gdam it, now you gonna get killed by Mooney and I won't get to flirt with ya no more," Judd states.

He walks over to me grabbing me hugging me. I'm not surprised when Yant joins in on the hug. Strange how quickly I'd gotten attached to these boys.

"Here's all the money I got," Yant offers, "Keep east from here and you might not end up ever crossing paths with Mooney again."

"Not worried bout Mooney. Worried about these Indians."

"You really going after Maverick?"

"Yeah."

"You love him?"

"What? Why would you ask that?"

"Either you love him or I'm convinced I've never met a doctor so goddam stupid in all my life," Yant teases.

"Bull—-"

We all look at the Chinaman who is holding up a satchel.

Judd finds it hilarious. "Look you almost got the Chinaman to speak."

Gideon is still acting like he doesn't know English and is still very convincing.  " Shut up Judd. He wants bullets," Yant confirms "I think that's what he is trying to say."

"Maybe me and Gideon can talk in private about the bullets."

"Whose Gideon?" Judd asks, "I swear if you all have been pulling a fast one on me and Sun knows how to talk—-"

"He said Sun—-idiot," Yant smacks him in the back of the head, before taking off at a gallop himself. Judd saluted me and then followed.

When they are far enough away I feel Gideon walking closer to me. He reaches out and rubs a hand solidly down my back, and to my ass. I wasn't expecting it, but I don't push him away when he slips his finger in my hole. The he withdrew it before sniffing his finger and then tasting it.

"I been wanting to do that for a long time." He says, then clears his throat, "We can leave if you want.  I was only going to follow them a little while longer and then leave. Seems like there's nothing to these stories of demons save for some tribal lore."

"Disappointed."

"No. I met you," Gideon states, "And I can't stop thinking about you and staring at you. We're so compatible. What if—-"

Gideon has a point. We were so compatible.

"Hard to believe you're a priest."

"I'm with the church but not quite a priest..."

"What are you then?"

He pauses.

"Listen...it doesn't matter. Kid Maverick is trouble. And I'm kind of sweet on you too. Don't want you in that kind of trouble. So I'm giving you another option. Forget him. Come with me. Ok, I'm a Jesuit priest---I'll admit that. But I never took a vow of celibacy. Not in my heart. Not now that I've met you. Our past doesn't matter now. What matters is now. Come with me. Be with me."

I shake my head, "I'm fond of you Gideon, and I'm a strong believer in God, but I can't believe in your faith. You being a priest and all, you'd have to choose one day. Your religion or me. Could you let it go, just to be with me?"

He pauses. Gideon was so used to keeping some part of himself hidden, I think he thought being with me couldn't be much different. But truth of the matter was, his religion believed that being with a man was an abomination. As much as he liked me, I don't think he could easily reconcile going against his faith.

"No. If I'm honest with myself, you're right. I guess this is goodbye then." He paused as he swung up on his horse. For a moment, I thought he would change his mind, but  a moment later he was on his horse, and riding off into the sunset. I wondered if I'd ever see Gideon the cowboy, ninja, preacher, ever again. Still had the feeling there was something even more to Gideon. Something tells me, like Maverick, Gideon was still much of a mystery to me.

~

They had him in a pit. It took me nearly a half an hour sneaking around the camp to find him, and even longer to stake it out. I watch as the last two guards finally pass out, leaving the pit unguarded. I crawled over the ground as quietly as I could until I can look down in the pit.

He's butt naked and but somehow still manages to look like one bloody mess of sex with a bad attitude.

"Psst..."

My voice is low. He barely opens his eyes when he sees me. There's no spark there. Not the same that I remember. It's almost as though he's given up. I wonder if he knew the risk by coming back here? I wonder if in his mind he was hoping for a different sort of reunion with his tribe. He was a fool. If his tribe was anything like mine he'd be lucky if the punishment was a quick one.

"What's this some kind of rescue..."

"Kinda...best time. Most of your tribe are asleep..."

"Get out of here Doc."

He turns away from me. There is this heaviness behind his eyes. One that I just don't understand. I move closer.

"I can save you."

"You don't know what it is you're saving Doc," he explains, "Get out of here. Get out of here before he comes out."

"Who?"

I look around.

"Don't you get it? Don't you understand what I am," he explains, "You've spent all this time with us looking for the Sea Dog. Haven't you figured out the truth yet?"

He seems defeated, and just a little scared. I try to ignore that.

"We need to get out of here Maverick. The Indians will catch us----"

"Leave, I don't want your death on my hands."

"Well, it will be because I'm not leaving you!"

He looks at me for a moment as though not believing I'm being as difficult as I am. I wonder if he appreciates someone being there for him. I wonder if he realizes how much I'm risking to be here. He sighs deeply and look around.

"You'll need to know the truth if you're gonna save me. And you won't. You'll hate me."

I laugh a little.

"You killed my entire tribe. Sorry to break it to you, outlaw, but I hate you already. So just spit it out. What is it?"

He smiles a little to himself, reluctant, but ready to tell me the truth.  It's a truth that shocks me to my core. I'm not prepared for it. Even while he's talking my mind takes in the information and I'm shocked. Unsure of how to react.

Unsure if this man is out of his mind.

For the first time ever it seems like Kid Maverick drops the act completely. He takes off the armor and allows me in. And the way he looks at me makes me feel like he doesn't let a lot of people in. This is a big deal for him. A huge deal.

"The Sea Dog is an immortal. You know that. Well, the real story is that the sea dog went looking for a way to live forever. He came seeking the Ahuli and Mattawee tribes, and  seeking my ancestor who was a great shaman who was known to have great magic. He made love to her and had children with her,  but it was said he never loved her. My ancestor loved the Sea Dog however granted him the gift of immortality.  To give him this, she had to curse him with the blood of a powerful vampire....Lilith, the very first vampyre. The Sea Dog was bitten and became this vampyre."

Vampyre. Greek for Vampire. Blood sucker

The word sends shivers down my spine.

"Oh..."

That's all I can get out.

"When the Sea Dog began to change they put him in a deep sleep. He hoped that one day he'd wake up and find the love of his life. The problem is the shaman's magic was flawed. In order to keep him alive, one person in our tribe is cursed at birth to tie their soul to the Sea Dog. The hexed child barely ever makes it to adulthood before the curse starts eating them alive. I am that hexed child. I'm dying because of the curse. That's not even the worst part. Once a Year on a full moon the Sea Dog comes out of the body of the hexed."

This is why he was concerned. That's when I notice something. A strange echo of pain.

"Kid?"

Kid is squirming. He grabs his stomach. Something was wrong with him. It's as though something was coming up, or out.

Kid was possessed by the soul of a vampire.

"Get away from me!"

That's when I see Kid isn't himself anymore. He grabs me. His face looks the same but something is different. It's not Kid, not the same one that I know. Someone else is in there with him. Someone with murder in their eyes.

I try to get away. Jumping up, I try to climb out of the pit,  but find I'm pulled down to the ground. I fall. Immediately I hit the ground in a loud thud and I feel the heavier man jump on top of me. He breaks the restraints holding him and  pounces on me with inhuman strength.

He leans over me, and hovers but a moment.

"It's a full moon," he growls.

And that's when he bites me.

 

If you would like to read the next chapter in advance go to www.crushedcrown.com