Dani and the Bull Ch. 04

"They came down for a week last month, mom told me when I saw them that she had wanted to go before the summer heat set in, didn't used to bother her, but these days..."

Dani watched her mom nod. "We're all getting older Kate, and while your father isn't the big, good looking hunk he used to be, he will still turn a few heads and make some women go weak in the knees."

"Are you including yourself mom?" Dani knew she shouldn't ask, but she couldn't resist.

"Yes, I am included, but don't tell your father..." She pushed the blanket into Dani's arms, "here, this should work, and tell Bull I think he came up with a fine idea. Now if it was Nick, I would tell him to take him over in the high desert and let the vultures have him."

Kate laughed, "Better yet, send him down to the reservation and let my family have a go at him and Jessie. I know a few boys down there that would teach him a few tricks..."

Dani knew her mom and sister in law too well to hang around after that. Leaving Andi with her mother, she went back outside and saw that her dad, Bull and Mike were still by the truck. Bull was standing there with his arms crossed and his feet spread far enough apart to know he could keep his balance. She walked up to them and as she did, that feeling of being sick closed over her again. She didn't need to look to know Nick had been watching her approach, he was taking in every line and curve of her body and it showed in his eyes. Almost out of instinct she moved up beside Bull as if seeking his protection. "Here's the blanket you wanted..."

He turned his head and nodded. "Can I get your help with this Mike?"

Her brother nodded and the two men spread the blanket out on the ground before reluctantly taking the old dog from the truck and laying her gently on top of it. It was clear that neither of them relished the idea of touching the body. She had the idea though that it wasn't because the dog was dead, but because she had been last touched by Nick and his brother.

It was a relief that they didn't stick around until her grandparents arrived, and the whole feel of things changed once they were gone. Both Bull and Mike went into wash up after taking the body to the place that Bull had suggested and she stayed with her dad until they came out.

"Dani..." Her dad looked at her once they were alone. "About you and Bull, and last night, I admit I did over react, but it's a parent's right to feel concern and to worry about their children going off into new territory. And to be honest, we don't know a lot about Bull, oh I know what I've seen and what he's told us, but I can't help thinking there's more to him than just that..."

Dani nodded. "I understand dad, and you are right, there is a lot more to him than just what you've heard and seen so far. But at the same time haven't you always told me to trust my instinct?"

"Well yes, but...instincts can be wrong; I'm learning that now the hard way. Nick..."

She shook her head, "believe me dad; Bull doesn't come close to Nick in any sense of the word. He's not the norm, I will give him that, but I like him and he likes me and we've talked about things that I would never have discussed with anyone else. And before you bring up Sue and what happened between them that first night, Bull admits he made a mistake, and he apologized, believe me, it will never happen again..."

Her tone was so sure that she saw her dad look at her in surprise. "How can you say that and be so sure?"

"The same way you and mom knew you two were meant to be together." She leaned up and kissed his cheek, "I love you daddy, now come on, grandma and grandpa are here, and as you always say, let's bring on the party."

Bull took a drink of his beer and leaned against the old shed doorframe. Dani was setting on the ground beside the cage and holding one of the pups. They were well fed, and while they hadn't had the needed bath yet, it was clear that they were content. Back by the house the party was in full swing, and he wondered what had brought her out here when it was her day to have fun and enjoy her new found freedom.

"Dani..."

"He did it all on purpose Bull, all of it. The puppies, their mother, he did it to send me a message." Her voice was full of emotion. "To send us all a message..."

He moved to squat down behind her, and nodded. "I know, but its over and done with now, the vet is coming by tomorrow to check them out and they've got good food and good people to take care of them. Have you picked a favorite yet?"

She nodded; it was the only little girl in the four. "This one, I'm going to name her Rose, after her mother. But she'll never have to go through what her mother did...I won't let her..."

A deep male voice spoke behind them, "No, you won't Dani; you don't have it in you to be as cruel and unfeeling as Nick..."

They both looked at Kate's father, Paul Two-Feather. Bull had met him soon after their arrival, but hadn't had a chance to spend much time talking to him or his wife. He had learned that he was a half blood Apache Native American and his father was a Shaman down in Arizona. He had been aware of the magic in the silver and turquoise wrist wrap that his father had sent up for Dani for her birthday. He was pretty sure the arrangement of the stone had a spiritual meaning to the man's father as well as looking pretty on her wrist.

"Do you like my father's gift Dani? I meant to ask earlier, he took great care in the crafting of it."

She nodded. "It's got a protection spell on it doesn't it Mr. Two-Feather, Kate told me you had all been to visit him last month and he had told her his vision. Bull should meet your dad, he has visions too." She gave him a smile as she spoke the tone of her voice almost teasing.

The older man laughed. "I didn't need to have you tell me that Dani, I felt it as soon as we shook hands, and you're right, my father would enjoy meeting him. I think they would find a lot to talk about. Of course, Native American magic and Bayou magic are not the same, though there are several tribes who lived in that area before they were driven off their land."

Bull nodded. "The Trail of Tears, a few of my ancestors was part of it, but none of them survived to see the so called "white man's promised land..." My grandmother knows every part of her heritage, and she's never let any of us forget it, not the slaves, the white or the Indian..."

"That is good; my father is the same way..." He heard his wife calling his name and smiled, "Sounds like Selma is ready to go home, we're taking Dylan and Andi home with us tonight to give Mike and Kate a chance to get a good night's rest, but they will be back tomorrow, I enjoy having the little ones around, but I find that these days, I much prefer the peace and quiet of it being just Selma and I..." He shook hands with Bull and smiled indulgently at Dani.

When he was gone, Dani looked at him. "You knew about the spell didn't you?"

He nodded. "I felt it as soon as you opened it. I agree with the man, my grandma and his father would get along no problem. But what's this vision his father had that prompted him to make that."

Her smile faded. "Well, according to what Kate said, her grandfather told them that a great evil was moving closer to me and I needed them to help protect me, he sent the wrist band as just a little added protection. He also knows I love silver and turquoise jewelry, I don't wear anything else."

I'll keep that in mind for future reference." Reaching for her wrist, he closed his hand over the metal and gems, and closed his eyes. Oh yes, there it was, the magic was strong and more powerful than anything he had ever felt before, only someone as powerful as his grandmother could match the strength he felt, and even she would be hard pressed to equal that of Paul Two-Feather's father.

"Bull, your charm...it's glowing..." Dani sounded both awed and a little frightened.

He opened his eyes and saw that it was true, at the same time he felt his demon come to life, not in fear, but in fascination, and there was more, from all around him, more power was flowing into him, and he stretched out his mind. There were at least a good twenty five to thirty demons all flaring to life around him, and he knew that all of them were from her family. The last time he had felt this had been fourteen years ago, before he had ever left home. None of them radiated any type of evil at all, just a feeling of sharing and love. Letting them go unaware of his touch, he turned his attention to the one closest to him. He had felt her's start to awaken last night when he kissed her, slowly, but there all the same, now he felt more and he knew that it had begun, over time she would grow more and more aware of it, and when she was ready, they would know the full effects. As he backed away to reality, he found himself wondering one thing, now that he was aware of the others around him, how long would it be before the people who had those demons would become aware of them as well. And what consequences would arise from it?

Leaving the puppies behind, they eventually went back to the party and she left him in the care of her grandparents as she went in to wash her hands. Harry Banks and his wife Dee were good folks, a lot like Jack and Helen and he had known instantly where Helen got her good looks. He had heard the stories of how her grandfather had never forgiven Jack for not only stealing Helen away from her family, but how he had inherited the house that her grandfather had been trying for years to buy it. Now Harry looked at him and smiled.

"This old house, it's had its share of times. Started out as a saloon when old Jacob Lazarus came up here from New Orleans right after the civil war, saloon, brothel, and gaming house all in one, you can imagine how the good folks of Elton reacted to that, about the same way they react to the family now. It didn't help that Jacob lived openly in sin with a pretty girl he had brought with him. Black haired beauty so they say, rumors have it that Jacob challenged many a man to a gunfight when the man looked the wrong way at her. I do know that there are a lot of graves up in the old cemetery of men who died in that time period; they must outnumber the women two to one. I do know for a fact that she gave birth to two children, two boys. Both of them reached manhood, only to have one die in the Spanish American War. She died giving birth to the youngest one herself, tore old Jacob up something awful from what I hear, all I know for sure is that once his oldest son reached manhood, he took a colt .45 and shot himself in the head."

"Grandpa, are you giving Bull a history lecture?" She giggled. "He loves telling all the old stories about this place. Are you going to tell him about the Lady in Red?"

Bull looked at her, "the Lady in Red?"

Her grandfather sat back in his wheel chair and grinned. "Alright young lady, let's see if you really listened to me over the years, tell this bayou boy about the Lady in Red."

"Alright I will, a drink of your beer please Bull, if I am going to tell it, then I am going to do it just the way grandpa told me..."

He handed her the bottle and watched as she took a long drink, once she handed it back, she sat back against him with her back straight and coughed once to clear her throat. "Now you know about the place once being a saloon, it came and went, but during the depression and prohibition dad's relative decided to open it back up. No one around here much cared, I mean this was all timber country then and the loggers needed a place to come on Friday and Saturday nights to unwind. They could drink some good whiskey that this person had smuggled in from Canada, play cards, and they could spend the evening with one or two lovely ladies who for the right price would cater to their every whim...then one night a gal walked in and everyone started to call her the Lady in Red, because you never saw her in any color but red, and who, they say could make a man smile just by looking at him. I can only imagine what they did in private, but I transgress, the Lady was a big favorite with all the local men and the women all hated her beyond words, there is even talk that she seduced the local preacher in his own church, but that has never been proven. Well, in time, she got pregnant, if on purpose or by accident is anyone's guess, but talk about a town going nuts, every man in town fell under their wives and girlfriend's eyes, and for nine months every one waited to see what the baby looked like. Most of all our relative's wife, who didn't mind being the wife of a saloon and brothel owner, but she didn't take kindly to the idea of him sampling either product which he was known to do on occasion. Anyway, the night the Lady in Red went into labor, this lady, she was right there, ready to report what sex the baby was and what she or he looked like..." She paused to take another drink of his beer, but Bull barely noticed, he was fascinated by the story. "Well you can imagine what happened when he came out looking just like this woman's husband, all hell broke loose, but then just as suddenly it all died down, and it was as if she had just resigned herself to the fact. She took over the care of the Lady in Red and the baby both, pretty soon everyone in town was seeing her act like she was the mother of the baby herself. She'd never been able to give birth, so a lot of people thought she had decided that if her husband had fathered the baby, she might as well accept it and take care of his heir, and she was a good mother to him, gave him the best of everything possible. One night though, when he was about six a strange thing happened, both the Lady in Red and her husband both died. Her husband from a heart attack, and the Lady in Red from what was probably some kind of venereal disease. Her husband was buried up along with the rest of the family and the Lady in Red in another part of the cemetery. It wasn't until the old lady was on her death bed that she confessed to having killed them both. Had been serving them arsenic in their food since after the baby was born, and the mother had stopped nursing." She took breath and looked at her grandfather, "Did I tell it right grandpa...?"

Bull saw Harry smile then begin to laugh, so hard that after a while he began to cough, and it took several minutes for him to stop. "You told it perfectly honey..."

There was a chorus of laughter and Bull looked at her. "That was a load of bullshit wasn't it?"

She shook her head, "No, it's true; I can show you the graves of all of them. And on the one, all it says is "The Lady in Red" and the day she died which by coincidence or not happens to be tonight. It was her son who left dad this house, and the only reason he knew about the relatives in New Orleans was because he was trying to find out information about her to have the tombstone changed." She gave him an impish smile. "How about it Bull, should we go for a walk in the old cemetery and I can show you..."

He smiled. "Sure, but I am surprised you aren't going to dare me..."

"No way, I learned my lesson about that last night..." She stood up and kissed her grandparents on the cheek, "since you probably won't be here when we get back, I'll be by later on in the week to see how you two are doing. Love you grandpa, grandma..." She looked at him as she turned to go to the house. "I'll go get my keys and jacket. Anyone else want to take a walk in the moonlight with me and Bull, I think dad and mom would feel better if we have a few dozen chaperones."

Annie and Zach were up for it, as were Sue and Tom who seemed to have hit it off unexpectedly. There were a few of her other cousins as well, and those that didn't drive or ride piled in the back of the truck. Everyone was in high spirits and they stopped at the small market on the other side of town for more drinks. He went in as well, pulling a bottle of water from the cooler instead of beer.

"You don't drink much do you Bull?" Tom looked at him as he pulled two half cases out.

"Not if I can avoid it, alcohol and I aren't the best of friends."

Tom looked past him suddenly, his eyes darkening. "I wish I could say the same for some folks, I thought he told dad he was leaving tonight for Texas."

Bull followed his gaze and saw that Nick and his brother were out by the truck, Dani, Sue and Annie were there as were other relations, but Nick seemed to be zeroed in on Dani and even while he watched the older man tried to grab her arms as he tried to kiss her as well. "Son of a Bitch!"

The water and beer were forgotten as he raced out the door with both Tom and one or two others. Jessie had Zach pinned against the hood of the truck and while other members were trying to help both him and Dani, it was clear they were losing the battle. Bull felt his demon come alive and as he grabbed the collar of Nick's jacket to pull him off Dani, he saw Tom doing the same to Jessie and Zach. Nick looked at him as he finally got the man's filthy hands off her and grinned.

"You ain't got in her pants yet have you big man, well you go ahead and get there before me, but one of these days, she'll be under me and you won't want her when I get done..."

Bull felt and saw all around him go red as his fist connected with that grin, he could hear Dani screaming, Sue and Annie yelling, feel Nick hitting him in return, none of it mattered, all he wanted to do was bury this pile of crap in the ground and it was all he could think of even when strong hands had put him in a choke hold and he was fighting to stay conscious. A deep voice spoke in his ear. "Don't fight me big man, I understand you have your reasons, but going to jail for killing a piece of trash like Nick Jensen isn't worth it. Now, I let you go, you go over to Dani, and you let the EMT's take care of him, alright? And consider yourself damn lucky that Mel in there has some high grade surveillance equipment. We got it all on tape, so you might not even have to go to jail tonight..."

It was the words Dani and Jail that made him pull his last punch and drop Nick to the ground. Relaxing took all his control, but he finally nodded and the man behind him let him go. He was still shaking though when he walked over to Dani and wrapped his arms around her. "You okay hon?" He found his voice sounded rougher than usual.

She nodded, but he could see she had been crying. "I couldn't stop him Bull, it's like once he got near me I just felt sick and ready to vomit, it wasn't as bad as usual, but I just couldn't..."

He nodded. "I know Dani, its okay." He put her head against his shoulder and stroked her hair. The emotions of what was running through him showed clearly on his face, and were fully aware that everyone around them could see, but he didn't care. He didn't care either when a ripple of amusement and wonder passed through the crowd as he lifted her chin and claimed her mouth in their first public kiss, a kiss made to make her forget the taste of Nick's mouth and what she had gone through. She didn't fight him, if anything she clung to him tighter, hunger racing through her body and he felt his own react. This was nothing to what they had shared last night, nothing to what he had ever experienced before. He knew part of it was from what had happened to her, the violence, but the rest was simply the meeting of two people who had been waiting for each other for a long time.

Reaching down he gripped her bottom and lifted her up so she could wrap her long legs around his waist and that brought more than a few whistles but he didn't care, it felt too good and she tasted too wonderful, it wasn't until Tom shook his shoulder and chuckled that he realized that even the local Sheriff was grinning. Swallowing hard, he looked at the man who was damn near as big as he was, and wondered if he was going to be spending this night in jail or not. As if the Sheriff had read his mind, he saw the man shake his head.