Jodi Thomas - Northern Star

"Cleve!" Brub yelled nervously. "Don't mess with that, just pull up her skirts and get on with it. We don't have all night."

Cleve grunted in disappointment. "I was looking forward to squeezing a ripe one. It's been so long since I had my hand full of somethin' soft." He rubbed his hands down her blouse, trying to satisfy himself. Grabbing her breast, he pushed hard and rolled his palm over her blouse.

When she jerked, he repeated the action like a child torturing a tiny animal, unaware of any pain he caused.

Perry tried to roll away, but he pushed her against the rough wagon floor. "You be still, little lady. I'll be finished in a minute. We ain't gonna hurt you more'n we have to." Grabbing her ankles, he pulled them toward him.

He shoved her skirts up almost to her waist in one movement. She heard his sharp intake of breath as the moonlight shone across her bare legs.

Perry studied his outline in the darkness. She could hear him fumbling with his pants. When he looked down at his belt buckle, her mind and body reacted. With all her strength she kicked her leg. Her boot flew toward him with a quick swishing sound. If she missed, there wouldn't be another shot.

She hit the mark solidly and Cleve fell backward in shattering pain. Blood squirted from his nose like a fountain, splattering her clothes with crimson.

"What is it?" Brub yelled as he ran to the back of the wagon.

"She broke my nose!" Cleve whined as blood filled his hands. "The little bitch broke my nose!"

"I thought you said you knew how to do it." Brub pushed his injured brother. "I knew this was a bad idea." He seemed more upset about the waste of time than about his brother's bleeding.

"Blood's comin out fast!" Cleve cried. "Whatta I do?"

"Get back in the wagon," Brub ordered in disgust. "We'll get her delivered and go find some cold water. Serves you right for thinking."

Brub slapped the horses into action as Cleve whimpered like a two-hundred-pound baby. Within a few minutes Perry felt the wagon slow once more. She tried to recognize her surroundings, but it was too dark. All she could tell was that they were at the back of a house. She could see no other homes nearby.

Brub whispered above Cleve's sobs, "You wait in the wagon. I'll take her in to the Captain and get our money."

Brub went around the wagon. He pulled the sack back over her head and shoulders, then lifted her up into his arms. He walked up the steps and kicked the door with his foot.

"Come in," a voice snapped, and Perry saw dim light through the burlap.

"Stand her up at the bedpost and tie her to it before you remove the sack," the voice whispered. She thought it sounded familiar, but her heart was pounding so violently in her throat that she wasn't sure of anything but the biting ropes at her wrists.

Brub checked the ropes, then jerked the bag from her head. Terror exploded in her mind like fireworks as she blinked in the sudden light.

The room was large and richly furnished. A man dressed in black stood in the shadows, smoking a cigar. The tip of the cigar pointed toward her as the man whispered, "What's all this blood?"

"She's a wildcat, Captain." Brub saw no reason to tell the truth. "She broke Cleve's nose while we was puttin' her in the wagon."

A cruel laugh sounded from the corner, filling the room like a foul odor. Perry's eyes widened in terror. She recognized his voice even before Wade stepped into the firelight to pay Brub.

His evil gaze never left her. "She's a woman worth taking."

Brub nodded, more interested in the money than in any woman. "You want me to take the gag off?"

"No, I think not. I need her to keep quiet for now." He moved closer, as if examining his treasure. "I love seeing those huge eyes so full of fear," he whispered into her ear. "I've had my fun with several local girls, but I've never killed one. You, my dear, are going to be the first." He smiled as if he'd just paid her a compliment.

Wade turned, remembering Brub. "You may go." Brub hesitated. "You ain't going to hurt her, are you, Captain?"

"No. I'm just going to detain her for a few hours. Don't worry. In a little while I'll send her home. Here." He pitched her cape to him. "Lay this across the railing outside so Miss Perry can retrieve it as she leaves. And make sure the lantern is left outside the door."

Brub nodded, then disappeared.

Wade moved closer. "Well, I'm glad you decided to drop by tonight." He slowly blew smoke from his cigar in her face. "You'll forgive the lie I told to that idiot. You and I both know you'll never leave this room alive."

He moved a few inches closer.

She could smell the whiskey on his breath. A spark of insanity lit in his eyes as he rambled on.

"My original plan was to disgrace you and have Hunter shot as a traitor in Raleigh, but somehow he escaped. My guess is that he'll ride straight to your brother's house. If I know him, and I do, he'll go wild when he discovers you've vanished. He'll have no trouble following the trail those two dullards left."

Wade stepped away and moved back into the shadows by the door. "This time there will be no mistake. I'll personally see that Hunter dies."

His voice was that of a madman, utterly pleased with his own cleverness. "Hunter will see your cape and break the door down. He'll see you here in the center of the room, tied up and frightened. As he runs to his love I'll cut him down from the darkness."

The cold steel of Wade's gun flashed in the firelight. She realized that if Hunter rushed in from the darkness he'd only be able to see her, no more. Wade would kill Hunter before he even realized his cousin was in the room. Tears spilled over and rolled down her cheeks as she saw how carefully Wade had planned Hunter's death.

Wade laughed as he moved nearer. "I'll leave your lover bleeding on the floor while I bed you," he taunted as he moved the tip of one gun barrel along her jaw.

"Tomorrow I'll explain to the authorities how Hunter found us and killed you. Then, of course, I killed him." He delighted in seeing her tremble.

He studied her carefully. "I need to make sure he sees no one but you when he breaks in." Wade moved his hands to her blouse and ripped off the material, leaving only her white camisole to cover her breasts. She was breathing rapidly in fright, and for a moment he watched her breasts moving up and down. In haste he jerked the band of her skirt and it ripped free. With it went her only hope of escape: the knife.

"That looks better." He smiled. "All white, like you would have been on our wedding night." He rolled the torn clothes up and moved into the darkness.

Perry heard the door creak open. "If you'll excuse me, my love, I'll get rid of these," Wade said, leaving the room.

She twisted violently, not caring that the ropes Were digging into her flesh. She had to get free. But the bonds were impossible to break, and she only succeeded in causing herself pain. From somewhere outside the door she heard Wade call Noma's name.

Perry listened as she heard him order her old servant to get rid of the rags. Tears rolled down her face as she heard Noma's voice. For a moment she prayed the woman would help her, then she prayed Noma wouldn't discover her. For Perry knew it would only mean Noma's death as well.

Wade dismissed the servant and returned to Perry. He paced before her, slapping his fist against his open palm like a fighter impatient for the round to start. "We have a few hours to wait. Much as I'd like to have my fun with you now, I feel your cries will be so much more meaningful when your lover lies at the foot of our bed.'' He moved closer so that his words stung her damp cheeks. "With the rumors I've spread about you today, all you'll be fit for is whoring. And tonight you'll be my whore while I spread Hunter's blood over you."

Perry fought to keep from throwing up as he whispered all his plans in her ear. He didn't touch her. He didn't have to. He was whipping her senseless with his words.

Moments ticked by in heartbeats as Perry waited. Each low roll of thunder halted her breath. She listened for Hunter's approach, praying the storm would somehow keep him from coming to his certain death. Her wrists were caked with blood, but still she twisted, trying to break loose. If one hand were free, she could pull the gag away in time to warn him. But her task was impossible.

When a low pounding of hooves sounded above the rain and drew nearer, Perry knew time had run out. Horses screamed to a halt and footsteps hammered across the porch. She could do nothing but wait for her world to end.

Abram's voice shouted above the storm, "Wait, Hunter, it might be a trap!" Perry's body jerked, and she wished she could add to Abram's warning.

But Hunter slammed his entire body into the door, blasting through like a cannonball fired at close range.

In agony, Perry strained against her ropes, trying to pull herself away from the terrible reality before her. She closed her eyes the moment she saw his face, unable to bear the sight of Wade's bullet blasting into Hunter's body. It was enough that she saw the worry and rage in Hunter's eyes as he looked at her. She couldn't remain sane if she saw him fall.

The door to the room creaked, blending with the storm's cries, rolling in from the open back door.

"No!" a woman's voice screamed from the darkness near Wade. "Stop!" she shouted as a round from Wade's gun shattered the room. For a moment the room seemed to be in the heart of a storm cloud, the sound of the rain punctuated by the thundering cry of a weapon and the bright flash of fire.

Recognizing Noma's voice, Perry opened her eyes and searched the darkness in the corner. The black woman was standing directly in front of Wade's smoking gun. Her large frame had blocked the bullet's path to Hunter.