Midnight Fire by Linda Ladd

Author:Linda Ladd
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 1990-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Over the next few days, Chase's eyesight improved steadily. Although he couldn't tolerate bright sunlight without pain, the blurriness was less pronounced. He kept inside during the day, watching near the cave entrance for any sign of rebel activity or of the government troops which should have been dispatched to Saltillo when he'd notified Benito Juarez about the revolutionary stronghold at San Miguel. At night, he sat by himself outside the cavern.

He was there now, in position as usual as dusk descended like a gauzy gray blanket over the chasm below. Carlisle was inside, asleep on the catre. He'd made love to her, fiercely, desperately every night since he'd waded into the spring and possessed her for the first time. But during the days, he hated himself for his own weakness, and he'd sit alone, away from her, and listen to her muffled weeping. She was as unhappy as he was.

Dios, what was he going to do about her? Gray would probably kill him. In good faith, Gray had put his sister in Chase's care—and look what had happened to her. Most of it was her own fault for getting involved with the Perezes, but her welfare had been Chase's responsibility. He'd failed to protect her, and now they were lovers and enemies, both at the same time.

Grimacing, he stood and walked to the boulder that overlooked the arroyo. Far below, on the trail winding to the mine, he saw movement, then froze as three heavily armed horsemen rode into sight. Guerrilleros, he thought, on a direct route to his position. He scanned the bottom of the canyon for other riders, saw a group searching along the sandy banks of the stream. Cursing, he ran for the cave. He dragged tree branches against the entrance, trying to disguise the opening. Hurriedly, he buckled on his gun belt, then slung several ammunition belts over his shoulders as he yelled to Carlisle.

"Get up, Carly! Arriba, quick!"

Carlisle sat up, wearing only his shirt. Her eyes widened with fear as a man's shout came from outside. It was too late to get to the horses, so Chase pulled her into the water. They waded quickly into a dark, deep passage where the tunnel wall turned back into the mountain.

"Not a word, Carly, do you hear?" he whispered, very low, and she nodded, holding tightly to his arm as voices sounded at the mouth of the cavern. Chase flattened himself against the wall, gun barrel pointed up and resting against his shoulder.

"El capitán was right. They have been here," a deep voice muttered in Spanish. "You, Pablo, go down and bring the others. We will search the cave for them."

Chase waited tensely, cursing inwardly for letting himself be trapped inside the mine shaft. He listened as the two men searched through their supplies and then led the horses outside, the hoofs clomping hollowly on the dirt.

In a minute the men returned, speaking softly to each other. Chase heard an ocote torch hiss and flare, then the sloshing of water as they waded into the spring.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.