Jory Strong - Dakotah's Reading

It was time to leave. The tightness between Dakotah Flemmings shoulder blades, the sensation of being watched, the faint whiff of wolf shed smelled on several occasionsall of it was confirmation of what her instincts had been urging for days.

She needed to get moving. Tomorrow. Sooner if she could find Roy and get her cut of the ride receipts. Tonight if she could still catch a bus out of the small town where the carnival had stopped, setting up in the hopes of drawing from the people coming for the psychic fair.

Fuck. If shed known about the psychic fair, she would have bolted from the last town.

Her stomach twisted, exposing the lie for what it was. Shed caught faint traces of wolf in that town too, but shed stuck around anyway, just in case Sarael called, needing help.

Dakotah shivered. Vague images of the man Sarael had been running from pressing in on her. Whatever he was, he wasnt human. He wasnt wolf. His scent was cold and alien even though shed been aware of the blood rushing through his veins and heard his heart beating with lethal menace.

Her nose wrinkled in a silent snarl of denial as her womb fluttered and desire rippled across her abdomen before settling in her pussy. A lingering reaction to the potent pheromones the man had used to subdue and enthrall her.

She had a vague impression of talking to him, of being led to her trailer, of knowing she was in the presence of a predator more deadly than anything shed encountered before. A man whose presence had stirred the wolf inside her. It wanted a mate like the male whod claimed Sarael.

Dakotahs lips twisted. The wolf was mistaken in thinking that a mate would solve all their problems. The wolf hadnt seen men like those shed been forced to service. The wolf hadnt been a part of her during those nightmare years. Hadnt watched through her eyes or experienced things through her body.

The wolf hadnt endured. Hadnt loathed and reviled the men shed struck with whips and paddles while they pleaded with her in little-boy voices, begging for more punishment. Begging her to do degrading things to them.

Disgust curled in Dakotahs stomach. The wolf hadnt seen men like the ones whod populated her world before she diednot literallythough maybe it had been like that. Maybe she had died in those dark woods and been reborn into something straight out of a horror film. She couldnt remember very much beyond escaping. Running. Bleeding. Hurting. The pain so intense that if shed had the strength, she might have killed herself to end it.

Her hands balled into fists. Never. No matter how many men Victor Hale sent after her, she wouldnt die without a fight.

The wolf stirred and she forced herself to relax. If she couldnt get out of this town tonight, then shed let it run. It might be a while before she could risk it again. She owed that part of herself a chance to escape from the deep cage it was forced to live in.

It had been a struggle at firstcontrolling the wolf, suppressing it, convincing it that only death would follow if its presence became knownespecially to others who also had a second form. But a couple of chance encounters, fights that had left the wolf nearly savaged, lucky to escape, and it no longer believed that finding a pack was the answer.

Now the wolf moved deeper into the darkness of Dakotahs soul when it scented others like itself. Now it tried to contain any trace of itself for fear of triggering an attack. And in return, Dakotah ceded control when the wolfs form replaced her own, let it hunt deer and wallow in the kill, let it run free as long as it didnt threaten innocent human life.

Yeah. If she couldnt get out of this town tonight, shed let the wolf run. It was cold enough outside that even horny teenage lovers would favor the backseat of a car over a blanket in the woods.

Dakotah looked around the small trailer that had been her home for the last year. A tin can on wheels. But a lump formed in her throat anyway, burning for a second until she swallowed it.

Itd been a good year. The safest shed known in forever. Though the carnival still attracted its share of predators. Townies usually. Who thought the women would be easy.

But shed managed to have some fun. To be around boys and men who weredecent. Around people who were decent.

Shed forgotten people could be like that. Shed forgotten that it didnt always come down to either using or being used. Maybe shed never known it to begin with.

But it was still time to move on. At least she could leave knowing Sarael was okay.

Dakotah reached for the black leather jacket hanging on a hook next to the door and heard the slow, unmistakable gait of Helki, the carnivals ancient fortune-teller, drawing close to the trailer. She tensed. Bracing herself for the rattling of the door as the old woman stopped on the other side of it and knocked.

Youre leaving, Helki said when Dakotah opened the door and stepped back to allow the old woman to enter.

Dakotah shrugged, determined not to feed the fortune-teller any information. Even after a year of traveling with the carnival, of hearing Saraels tales of Helkis tarot readings, of being around Sarael who actually believed in what the cards foretoldDakotah remained skeptical. Not that truth couldnt be found in the cardsbut that it couldnt be altered.

You wont find Roy tonight, Helki said, her eyes dancing with mirth when Dakotah stiffened, giving away the fact that shed been about to seek the carnival owner out.

Where is he?

Helki cackled, a sound she seemed to reserve for skeptics and fools. Hes got a couple of lady friends in this town. Hell be catting around all night and most of the morning.

Thanks for coming by and saving me the trouble of looking for him. Dakotah shifted from one foot to the other before pressing forward, deciding it was better to get it over with than to play head games with the fortune-teller. Is that all you wanted to tell me? Or did Sarael send a message?

Helkis face softened at the mention of Sarael, the child shed raised when Saraels mother left her behind at the carnival. No. Though you will see her sooner than you might think and be a part of her world for more years than you can imagine.

A burst of warmth filled Dakotahs heart, and for a moment she let herself believe, but then she ruthlessly pushed it aside. Sarael was already in Italy. And even if she did come back to the United States, thered be no happy reunion. By tomorrow Dakotah would be gone. In another couple of days, shed have a new name, a new identity, a new cell number. In a couple of days, Dakotah Flemming would no longer exist, though she had a feeling this name, this identity would be the hardest one shed ever shed.

Shed adopted the name for the rugged wildness that could be found in the Dakotas. For the wolf. But over the last year, she felt as though shed become Dakotah. It would bother her to She shrugged the thought away. She couldnt afford to become sentimental over a name.

So you swung by to save me the trouble of looking for Roy? Thanks, Dakotah said, her body tensing, her mind already guessing the reason behind Helkis visit.

It was a strange tradition at this carnival. A reading by Helki before you were allowed to stay. A reading by Helki before you leftif you intended to leave on good terms. She didnt plan on coming back. But the life shed led had taught her it was smarter to leave doors open than to slam them shut. You want to sit down?

The skin around Helkis dark eyes crinkled with amusement. She answered by taking a seat and pulling a velvet-wrapped deck of tarot cards from the pocket of her coat.

Without being told, Dakotah took the chair opposite the fortune-teller and accepted the deck. Keeping her mind free of all thoughts as she shuffled then cut and restacked the deck, before handing it back to Helki.