Hammer to Fall, page 37
Only ten years? Feels like way more. “Wow, you’re right. Pretty unbelievable. What will we do to celebrate?”
“Well,” she said with a sly look, “we have our picnic, and it’s getting close to lunch. How about we run down to the river before we eat and cool off?”
Kuuuul off. “Umm, I don’t think I brought my bathing suit,” he sheepishly replied.
“Neither did I,” she said with a seductive grin, then turned and ran for the water.
As always, Eric followed.
—-End of Special Sneak Preview—-
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UNCOMMON BONDS Series at Evolved Publishing
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Acknowledgements
Once again, I’d like to express my sincere appreciation to the team at Evolved Publishing, especially my editor, Dave Lane (AKA Lane Diamond), who continues to help hone my thoughts and writing to make my books the best they can be. I’m also thrilled that Hammer to Fall features another fantastic cover by artist Kris Norris.
To all my friends and family who have read earlier versions of this and other books in the series, your feedback and support has been indispensable to me, and you have my deepest thanks. I’d like to give special mention to Professor Anthony Tuck, with whom my wife and I spent a magical day in Tuscany, and who shared with us his knowledge and passion of Poggio Civitate and Etruscan culture and history... including the thrill of holding the mysterious “Rika” bobbin. I can’t thank you enough for your support and inspiration.
Finally, and as always, I can’t give enough thanks to my wife and steadfast partner in all things, Madeleine, whose level head, and objective input keeps me on track when things threaten to go off the rails. With you by my side, anything seems... possible.
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About the Author
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | LinkedIn
William Noland combines a lifelong love of speculative fiction with a passion for history, sociology, and psychology. Engaging and entertaining, Noland's stories carry his hallmark of strong character development that weaves through every book in this page-turner series. In addition to writing, William plays in multiple rock bands and loves international travel and reading. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two cats.
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More from William E. Noland
An ancient entity, trapped and suffering; a girl who inexplicably hears cries of anguish in her dreams.... What’s their connection?
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PLAYING WITH FIRE
Uncommon Bonds – Book 1
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“I just kept turning the pages and could not put it down... The story was fast-paced and very interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Alma Boucher (5 STARS)
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“I seldom read a book and start laughing out loud, but with Playing with Fire... this happened more than once. ...Waiting for the next book is going to feel like an eternity. I can’t wait to read more about these characters who later on felt like friends.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Antoinette Wessels (5 STARS)
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“...a fascinating and exciting story that has depth and different cultural references. This shows how much effort the author put into the story and added to the already amazing writing and plot.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Miche Arendse (5 STARS)
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Lotte has moved from Germany, and is new to Southby High School, where Eric is trapped with her as his German tutor. Despite being somewhat dazzled by her unusual beauty and keen intelligence, he quickly realizes there may be more to her crabby demeanor and the scary black circles under her eyes than anyone realizes.
The unlikely couple must discover the mysterious source of Lotte’s debilitating nightmares... before madness overtakes her.
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More from Evolved Publishing
We hope you loved HAMMER TO FALL as much as we did, and that you’ll take a moment to post your heartfelt review at whatever retail site you purchased it. Your reviews are so important to what we do as a small independent press, and to our authors, of course.
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Suspense Thrillers from Evolved Publishing
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Special Sneak Preview
Destiny is complex in the 21st century: sometimes destiny tempts us, and sometimes we tempt destiny. Either way, every choice brings consequences, as Jake and Dakota are about to discover.
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PART 1 – DAKOTA
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Chapter 1 – Crossroads
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Dakota opened her eyes and looked around the familiar room. Indian dolls she’d played with as a young girl sat atop the dressers, and pictures from her birth to graduation from law school just one week earlier adorned three walls. The fourth wall displayed every fitness magazine cover she’d appeared on.
The room told the story of her twenty-six years of life.
She smiled as her eyes panned every nook and cranny, all of which contained some memento from one of the magical summers she spent here. She reminisced, as the collection captured her fondest memories of Wind River. She remembered rushing to bring her “treasures” home, knowing they would be displayed forever, as if in a museum dedicated to her.
She sighed contentedly at her special place, a comfortable place. She always thought if a room could hug her, this one would.
The smell of fresh coffee and bacon reached her from downstairs, pulling her from her reverie. She snuggled one last time with the thick old comforter that had kept her warm on so many crisp Wyoming nights. Today would mark the beginning of the next chapter of her life, one she had dreamed about for as long as she could remember.
She opened the door to her bedroom and looked out over the balcony. The log rafters, floors, and walls gave off a warm glow as the sun’s rays washed over them.
“Lomasi, good morning,” her grandmother said, looking up from the kitchen.
“Neiwoo!” Dakota offered a wide smile as she raced down the stairs.
The two women hugged.
As they pulled away, her grandmother reached out and stroked her hair. “My beautiful blossom, how did you sleep?”
“Like a log, Grandma. Where’s Woo Woo?”
As a young girl, Dakota could not pronounce Nebesiiwoo, the Arapaho word for grandfather, and so she called him Woo Woo. It stuck to this day.
Her grandmother nodded toward the barn. “He is down tending to the horses. He wants to go for a ride up the canyon later today. There is a family of grizzlies he has been watching. He knows how much you love them.”
“Oh, that’s awesome. I can get pictures for my place when I find one.”
“You know your grandfather and I would love it if you lived with us. He has counted the days for the past year, waiting for you.”
“I know he has, Grandma. He told me every time I talked to him. I promise to stay at least for the summer. I’ve missed being here over the past four years. Between law school and my fitness modeling, I had no time for myself, but it was worth it. Now I’m back in Wind River, and here to stay.”
Dakota hugged her grandmother and headed for the front door. “I’ll run down to the barn to get Woo Woo. We can have breakfast together and get caught up. I arrived so late last night, we didn’t have a chance to talk.”
“He will love that, dear. He paced all morning but did not want to wake you.”
Dakota stepped onto the front porch and looked out over the property. A brilliant carpet of summer wildflowers covered the rolling grasslands, which seemed to go on for miles. Where the fields ended, they give way to canyon walls painted with hues only nature could create. Beyond the canyons, the mountains rose, their faces painted by dark green alpine forests dotted with rushes of lighter green Aspens. The forests stopped abruptly, as if an invisible line existed. Rugged stone faces and snow-capped peaks touched the sky.
Dakota always said that a piece of Heaven had fallen to Earth here.
She looked towards the barn, where her grandfather led a horse into the corral, and promptly jumped off the porch and sprinted down the dirt road.
“Woo Woo,” she yelled, closing the gap between the house and the barn.
Jim looked up, smiled, and headed for the road to meet her.
Dakota jumped up and hugged him, wrapping her legs around him the way she had as a little girl.
Jim stood firm against the impact. His imposing stature reinforced her dreams that he had been a great Arapaho warrior in past lives.
“Lomasi, the sun shines again on my life.” His eyes welled up with tears of joy. “I have missed you so much. She represented everything good and innocent to him in a world he felt has lost its way.
“I have a special ride for us today, Lomasi.”
“I know, Neiwoo told me.”
He shook his head and laughed. “That old woman, she cannot keep a secret.”
“Come, Woo Woo, let’s eat and get caught up.” She grabbed his hand and turned him towards the house, pulling him playfully, just as she did when she was young.
The three sat at the kitchen table for a couple hours catching up on the past four years. They talked about Dakota’s parents, and the possibility of them moving back to Wind River after retirement. They discussed Dakota’s new job on the legal team of the Tribal Council, and her position with Jim’s law firm in Dubois.
A familiar sound from the living room interrupted their visit. “After all these years, I still love hearing that old cuckoo clock,” Dakota said. “Woo Woo, what time do you want to ride today?”
“Whenever you are ready, Lomasi.”
“Okay, I want to go for a run up to the Sacred Waterfall. It should only take around an hour and a half. I’ll grab a quick shower and we can leave. How does noon sound?”
“Noon is perfect. Make sure you take bear spray,” Jim cautioned. “The bears and wolves both have young with them,”
“Yes, sir, I will.” She left the table.
Dakota came down stairs a few minutes later in her running gear. The spandex orange and black shorts, and matching bra top, complimented her sculpted body.
“Dakota Sky Reynolds, where are your clothes?” her grandma teased.
“Neiwoo, maybe the Sacred Falls will bless me with a great warrior husband. If I run into him on the trail, I want to impress him.” She smiled and winked.
“The only great warriors you will see up there are the ones painted on the cave walls. Be careful. You have your spray and phone right?”
“Yes ma’am.”
She hugged her grandparents and left.
Dakota ran along the edge of the grasslands and into the canyons, following an ancient trail that her ancestors had forged thousands of years ago. Despite its age, the path remained clear.
Her grandfather owned a good part of the lower canyon pass, and maintained the trail to host important clients on horseback riding trips.
She meandered through the canyons marveling at the majesty surrounding her. The sun-kissed tan rocks were painted with pastel colors alternating between shades of yellows, reds, whites, and pinks that no artist’s brush strokes could ever capture. In spots, the canyon walls towered nearly 2000 feet. She imagined Arapaho braves standing on the canyon tops looking out over their land, guarding against other tribes, and watching for herds of Buffalo and Elk. Despite its seclusion, Dakota never felt afraid here. She believed the Spirits of her ancestors walked with her, protecting her in this magical place.
The pass made a sharp right turn, and she saw a familiar outcropping perched to the left, which marked the trailhead to the Sacred Waterfall. Arapaho called them Heetcenise’ Beebeihit, Waterfall of Virgins. Her grandmother had told her the story of the falls when Dakota was young. Indian maidens traveled for miles to swim here, believing the Spirit of the Water would bless them with a strong warrior husband. Brides–to-be cleansed themselves in a final ceremonial bath on their wedding day. The ritual beckoned the Spirit to bless them with many healthy children, but once they gave their “special gift” to their husbands, they could never step foot in this sacred water again, as only virgins could swim here. Those no longer pure would suffer the curse of infertility by the Spirit.
The path to the waterfall winded along a cliff edge. In spots, a wrong move could lead to a shear drop to the canyon below. Given the state of the overgrown trail, it appeared she might have been the last person here, five summers ago. The grass growing across the trail covered loose rocks under foot, and the morning dew made the exposed smooth stones slippery. No matter, for Dakota knew the way to the waterfall like the back of her hand. With a little effort, and some precarious climbing, she soon heard the music of water splashing into the sacred pool.
The waterfall sat like an oasis in the middle of the woods. It cascaded ten feet over dark- green, moss-covered rocks, into the crystal-clear pool below. Tall ferns and leafy laurels outlined the water’s edge at its widest and deepest parts. Where the pool emptied into the stream, large flat rocks lay strewn about. Dakota always felt the Spirit had provided them for the girls to lie on after swimming in the cool water, so they could bask in the warmth of the high-altitude sunlight.
She walked to the mouth of the pool and removed her clothes. Sweat glistened on her tanned body as the sun shined on her through the canopy, and her dark hair glowed with an incandescent hue. She stood natural in front of the pool, as many girls had over millennia, and after ambling waist-deep into the cool water, shivered. She dove forward and down into the depths of the pool, and swam to the waterfall. In the waist-deep water, she allowed the gentle cascade to fall on her from above, and felt the peace.
Her grandmother said the Spirit of the Water lives in the waterfall.
She leaned her head back, allowing the sacred water to hit her face and move down the front of her body. It flowed over her breasts and trickled down her pubic area, causing her to shudder as she became aroused. Her stomach tightened with each kiss of the water on her “special gift.”
Dakota dove back into the clear pool and swam to the front. She stepped out of the stream and sat on one of the flat rocks. The sensation first of the cool water, and now the warmth from the stone, on her “special gift” overwhelmed her. She laid back and moved her hands in circles over her breasts and erect nipples, past her stomach, and between her legs. She closed her eyes and let the Spirit of the Water possess her, and arched her lower back. Her breathing quickened as she fantasized about the warrior husband that awaited her.
She stood up a few minutes later, her heart racing and body dripping with sweat, and dove back into the refreshing water. After cooling down, she swam to the front of the pool and stood knee deep in the water.
She looked upward, closed her eyes, raised her arms at her sides to shoulder level, and slowly spun to connect to everything that surrounded her.
“Hohou Hii3tone3en Cei3woono Neci,” she whispered, thanking the Spirit of the Water.
Dakota left the Sacred Falls rejuvenated. Excited to go on the trail ride with her grandfather, she quickened her pace to reach the ranch sooner.
Anna sat on the front porch enjoying the warm summer sun. “Lomasi, how was your run?”
“It was great, Neiwoo.”
“And did you swim?”
“Yes, the water felt awesome.”
“Perhaps now you’re here for good, the Spirit will bless you with a great warrior?”
“Sadly, I have had little success on the relationship side.”
“Honey, you are beautiful inside and out. I do not know how any man would not want to be with you?”
“All the guys in college just wanted a party girl. The men in the fitness world just wanted sex to feed their egos. The few nice guys I dated for a while would break things off because I wanted to save my ‘special gift’ for my husband. I might be the only virgin over twenty years old in 2017!”
“Well, after looking at the guys in your photo shoots, that had to be hard,” Anna said, fanning herself.
Dakota blushed. “Neiwoo?”
“Honey, I might be older, but I’m not dead.”
The two shared a laugh only women could understand.
Dakota spun. “Here comes Woo Woo. Let me jump in the shower.”
Jim walked up on the porch and sat down in the rocking chair next to his wife. She had a tall glass of ice tea and a sandwich waiting for him, as she did every day at noon.
“Lomasi is taking a quick shower,” Anna said. “She should be down soon.”
“Good, I have the horses ready.” He looked at his watch. “She is so punctual—almost noon, as planned. Dakota will be a nice addition to the practice. It will need someone regimented like me to remain successful when I retire.”
“Yes, she is just like you. Sometimes it drives me crazy.” Anna smiled and patted the topside of his hand.
“Twenty years in the Army will do that, I guess.”
She rubbed his shoulder. “That was thirty years ago, Old Man. I would have thought you would have mellowed by now.”
