Desert of the Damned (3 page)

“Your brother has embraced his abilities and is putting them to good use in the Special Forces. Why can’t you?”

13

Kathy Kulig

“I’m not Brad. My brother was always reckless and a show-off. It’ll kill him one day.”

“The other shamans are interested in learning of this Norwegian magic. They can help you and so can I.”

“Tell them to talk to Brad.” His brother was proud of the
Eigi Einhamr
, a rare Norwegian trait that was passed down through the male line. If Brad had been the one to find his father dead would his brother still embrace this burden?

“You’re here, Brad’s not.”

“Brad can shift into other animals. I’ve never attempted that. And I don’t care to try.”

“Brad did not see his father shot by hunters. That ain’t an easy thing for a nine-year-old.”

Jake shook his head. A wave of nausea went through him. He gulped down most of the coffee and tossed the rest into the fire. “Shit, you make the worst coffee.”

“Would you like a refill?” Bill asked like a smart-ass.

Jake made a face. “No, thanks. A second cup will probably kill me,” he teased.

Jake tried to block out the memory of the night his father was killed but the images flashed through his mind. He was only nine but he remembered every detail. He had watched his father change into a wolf from his bedroom window. The wolf loped out into the desert, gone for hours. Jake fell asleep waiting for his return and the crack of a rifle shot jolted him awake. When he ran into the desert behind their house, he found his father, who had been in the process of removing the wolf skin. From the shoulders up, his father was in human form. The wolf skin draped down his back and the lower portion of the body was still in wolf form. He was dead, shot in the chest by a hunter.

“I knew my mother couldn’t handle that her two sons had this gift, or curse. She deserted us,” Jake said to his grandfather. “But I was stupid. I had to tell Alison about this gift. She couldn’t handle it either and left me.” He closed his eyes, remembering Alison’s horrified expression when he demonstrated the transformation of
Eigi Einhamr
.

She freaked and he panicked and tried to keep her from leaving. He ended up clawing her leg. She left for California and never returned. How could he ever be sure he wouldn’t hurt anyone again?

When he opened his eyes, the stars appeared brighter and even seemed to vibrate.

His gaze dropped to the saguaros behind Bill’s house. A glowing aura surrounded the cacti. The trees also emitted a pale light.
What the hell…
Jake spun around, which was a mistake because the ground continued to spin when he stopped. “Bill, what the hell did you put in my coffee?”

Bill wasn’t sitting in his chair and the fire had burned out. How long had he been staring up at the sky like a drunken or drugged fool? He searched the backyard for his grandfather. He couldn’t find him anywhere. Panic gripped him. What was happening?

Creatures darted across the desert, strange creatures, not earthly ones. They looked two-dimensional like the ancient paintings seen in the cliff dwellings. “Bill!”

14

Desert of the Damned

“I’m here.”

Bill sat in the lawn chair, smiling and the fire was again burning in the pit. Jake shook his head, trying to clear it. Another mistake. The movement only made him dizzier. He tried to look at his watch but his eyes wouldn’t focus. “What was in the coffee? Peyote?”

“Only a little.”

“Fuck.”

“You must face Coyote,” Bill said with the face of an owl.

Jake snickered. He was having a conversation with an owl. “Why do I need to see Coyote?” He couldn’t stop chuckling.

“Because this Coyote is not of this world. This Coyote walks with an unknown tribe. He is dangerous and will soon harm more than the park animals.” Bill’s face changed from the owl back to normal and back to the owl again.

Jake stopped snickering. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Bill picked up a mountain lion skin from the lawn chair where Jake had been sitting earlier. “Deadly serious.”

Jake took a step back.

“It’s your heritage.”

“My curse. Damn you.” Jake kicked the lawn chair but didn’t move as Bill approached with the mountain lion fur.

“You must adjust to the form to become a warrior and defeat Coyote.”

Jake hung his head. Why couldn’t he accept the
Eigi Einhamr
with ease like his brother Brad? Were animals and people in danger? Or was it just an old man’s superstitions? In the past, his grandfather’s predictions had been correct too many times. Resigned to his task, Jake asked, “How will I find this Coyote?”

Bill closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. “You will sense his power from a great distance. You may see his power as Northern Lights or a vortex of energy or you may hear the hum like live electric voltage. In your altered state you will know him.”

“I don’t know if I can do this.” But the peyote broke down his inhibitions. Picking up the mountain lion fur, Jake slung it around his shoulders and imagined becoming one with the animal.

The vibration shattered through every muscle, every cell. A white flash of light shot slivers of pain to every joint. He dropped to the ground. His body changed, reformed to fit the animal skin. Four legs, four paws made contact with the hard-packed earth. He sniffed the air for prey. His human memory remained intact.

He must hunt Coyote.

“Not Coyote. Hunt for the rogue Coyote,” the grandfather said, seeming to understand Jake’s intentions.

15

Kathy Kulig

In mountain lion form, Jake glanced over his shoulder at his grandfather and waited a moment until the message registered.
The rogue Coyote is the prey.
Jake loped across the yard, leapt over the fence and bounded off into the night.

* * * * *

Jake, as the mountain lion, stalked the desert night like a brown ghost, racing around rocks, cacti and trees. With wide padded paws, he kicked up the soft sand and ventured toward a hum and vibration. Something he’d never sensed before. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, hardening his animal muscles, sharpening his senses.

Nostrils flared, detecting a mixture of scents—the earth, the plants, a rabbit, the faint trail of a deer but not his quarry. Human memories and thoughts unraveled in his mind as the true quest of his hunt emerged. He padded down a rocky slope, ignoring the temptation to hunt small prey. He must find Coyote and kill him.

Instinct directed him through the wilderness and open plains, like an invisible trail.

If he veered off, the hum or vibration left his body, a change in direction accentuated the sensation. The energy drew him to his target. Several hundred yards ahead, below the next bluff, a pulsating glow highlighted the rim. Jake knew it was not a human structure emitting the light. Barren desert couldn’t create that type of illumination.

As he reached the top of the bluff, the wind carried the scent of a man, his prey. He also detected a mixture of scents and vibrations in the air and since he dared not trust his unfamiliar form, he crept closer to inspect. He couldn’t afford to make a mistake.

At the sound of voices, his ears twitched forward and he skulked around bushes until he detected movement, then froze. Next to a fire a man and woman were mating.

The man was between the woman’s legs and pleasuring her with his mouth and fingers.

“Ride my hand. I can make you come a thousand different ways.”

Firelight glinted on the woman’s body as she writhed in pleasure, her hips rising to meet the man’s touches. The man pushed her thighs farther apart. Even in his animal form Jake could admire the woman’s body, the inward dip of her waist, the curve of her hips and full breasts. Part of him thought his presence there was wrong, observing them, intruding on their sexual encounter. And part couldn’t deny his own desire heating up while watching her in throes of passion. Raising his snout to the breeze, he breathed in the tangy sent of sex. The animal side and human side were aroused.

She cupped her breasts while the man continued licking her. She tossed her head and blonde hair tumbled around the blanket. “Dante, I can’t wait. Fuck me now.” The woman pulled his shoulders down.

The man chuckled as he seemed to bring her to the edge of orgasm then stop. “Not yet,” he said.

“You’re killing me.”

“Hmmm.”

“Please…”

16

Desert of the Damned

“Not yet,” the man said.

Damn. Jake crouched, tail lashing the air.

The man slid up her body and Jake thought he was going to enter her but instead he hovered a few inches above her. At the height of desire this man was making her wait. Anguish and pleasure tightened the muscles of her face as she struggled to draw him down onto her. Her lover smiled and resisted. The man liked to tease, pure torture.

The human side of Jake couldn’t help but be turned-on by the scene. Why was he watching these two lovers? That man was his prey, wasn’t he? Why was Jake waiting?

He studied the man, then the woman. There was nothing unusual about them except for the light glowing around them. But was it possible he would see that with any couple making love? What if he had the wrong man? Could the woman be Coyote? He had to be sure. He hadn’t been in animal form in so long, how could he trust his senses?

Then a golden light around the woman grew bright and concentrated around her head. The radiance flowed from her and entered the man between his lips. When the light faded the man smiled, as if pleased with his deed. Jake growled low in his throat.

There was something unnatural in what he’d just witnessed.

She arched her back to kiss her lover. Was she aware of what had happened?

Finally the man kissed her and she pulled him down on top of her. Would he mate with her now or kill her? Jake advanced closer, hiding behind a mesquite bush.

“I want your cock in me now. Or make me come now.”

Head down, eyes locked on his prey, Jake moved out from behind the mesquite.

“Spread your legs,” the man demanded. His laugh was almost mocking. He bent down to lick her more. She moved her hips away from him but his hands held her thighs steady so she wouldn’t twist away.

“I’m wet enough.” Her body jerked. “Oh God, I’m coming.”

If the man made a move to harm her, Jake thought. Yes, he had to be the prey. He could see the light pulsing around the man now. Then the image of Coyote was superimposed over the man’s face. Jake growled. He crept closer, in the open now but the man had not seen him yet.

The heat of the fire caressed his fur. Soon he’d taste blood… He hesitated, not moving, barely breathing. Blood? The human side questioned how he could suggest such a thing but he knew the creature had to die if this was the beast his grandfather had warned him about. He remembered the peyote. Peyote could cause hallucinations.

Ignoring the thought, he took another step closer and growled again.

“Yes,” Dante breathed against her slit. “Yes…” Abruptly, the man called Dante stopped, slowly lifted his head and locked eyes with Jake. A predator’s gaze, Jake thought.

Leaning up on her elbows, she swung around, turning toward Jake and screamed, struggling to flee. But with little effort, the man pressed a hand to her chest and she remained motionless. Jake could smell her fear. Again she attempted to move but the man used his magic, raising his hand seemed to put her to sleep. Eyes closed, she 17

Kathy Kulig

collapsed on the blanket. Her breasts rose and fell with deep breaths, so thankfully she wasn’t dead.

Jake studied him for a moment. He wanted to make sure there was no mistake. The man’s face changed to Coyote’s again. Rainbow colors continued to spiral above his head. No doubt this was the enemy his grandfather described.

Hate to end your evening but your mate has to die
, Jake thought as he prepared to lunge.

Jake arched his back as he saw Coyote’s image change back to human form. The hackles rose on the back of his neck, his muscles twitched as a powerful desire to kill swept through him.

The man continued to watch Jake as he crawled away from the women on all fours, mirroring the mountain lion’s sleek movements. Firelight caressed the woman’s naked curves. She lay peacefully, unaware of the war about to begin. If he failed, would the creature return to continue his rape and murder?

The woman didn’t seem opposed to the sexual attentions of this inhuman creature.

Conflicting thoughts battled in his mind. The man apparently sensed a moment of doubt in his opponent because he shifted into complete Coyote form and darted past the fire and out of sight.

Jake’s muscles went rigid. He dug his paws into the earth and leapt several yards into the air and barely missed the creature.

Coyote pivoted and ran off in the opposite direction. Jake followed, kicking sand and breaking dried branches as the two zigzagged around low brush and cacti.

Coyote didn’t look back. Jake suspected his prey could hear him closing. A few more yards and Jake would have him. With his tongue he felt the long canine teeth that would plunge into the neck of his prey. He’d destroy the threat and wouldn’t have to wear the mountain lion skin again.

Jake hardly felt the burning in his animal muscles pumped with adrenaline as the death of his enemy was only a few paces away. Close, so close. A few more feet…

Then Coyote misjudged a turn and ran directly into a large saguaro cactus.

And disappeared.

Stunned and still running full speed, Jake could not stop or slow down as he plowed into the plant with a sickening thud.

The sting of dozens of cactus spines pierced his face, shoulders and legs. He howled in pain and rolled on the ground.

Jake willed himself out of the mountain lion skin. As the skin fell away, many of the spines fell away. Damn. Hooking the fur over his arm, he rolled up the sleeve of his work shirt. Dots of blood on his arms showed where the spines had nailed him.

Fuck. He examined the cactus, pressing in places where he thought he saw Coyote enter, careful to avoid the spines. How did he escape? Where did he go?