Chapter 37

Hoyt stood in an ash tree that was in a small copse of trees upon a small hill that overlooked Stockton. He couldn't have picked a better location. No one could see him there, but he had a perfect view of the town. He couldn't really make everyone out, but he could tell enough.

His body was on fire. He was so close to his goal. He would have Jane soon. He couldn't wait to have her underneath him again. This time no one would interrupt them. There would be no escape. He'd made sure of it. He wasn't leaving anything to chance. No, this time he would have his prize and we would rejoice in her death and destruction.

He licked his lips. He could already taste her. He shook himself. He didn't want to get ahead of himself, but he knew that he had to have her soon. He had been patient enough, but even his patience was wearing thin. He needed to buckle down and figure out where he could wait to make his move. He knew that it wouldn't be long before someone came across him.

He was afraid of being caught. He had before and he always got out. No, he wanted to make sure that he would have enough time to celebrate his accomplishments with Jane. He needed time. The small farm that he'd come upon would be the perfect place for him to practice and have his way with Jane. It was perfect. He'd already had it set up and ready, waiting for them to get there together.

He'd been watching the patrols around Stockton. He knew that Jane was waiting for him. Hoyt knew that was scared. He could almost smell it and it was delicious. What had surprised him was the way that Stockton had rallied behind their Ranger. It was a difficult thing and it had taken time, but he'd made his way closer. The Army hadn't stopped him. The Rangers hadn't seen him coming. And, the townsfolk...well, he wasn't sure that they even knew what to be looking for. It wasn't like there was a wanted poster up of him. He knew that if one was made it would have been by Jane's hand. She was the only one who really knew what he looked like. He liked it that way. No survivors, no witnesses, no way of being able to find him.

But, Jane had. She'd found him before. She'd been the only one and that is why his body sang when she was near. She was going to be his greatest masterpiece. She was going to be his crowning glory. There would no one like him again. He was sure of it. Jane was going to be pièce de résistance. There would never be a greater prize than Jane Rizzoli.

He sat in the tree for a little longer and watched the town moving below. He recognized Jane by her walk, but the man beside her he was a little wary of. And, then he saw the star on his vest. He realized that the man she was with had to be her brother, the town sheriff. He didn't look to be too threatening, but then again, neither did Jane. He would want to stay clear of him. He noted the larger men and where they came and went. He knew it was only going to be a matter of time. They would relax and then he would make his move. He would have his Jane and he would be happy again...for a little while at least.

Lozen and Elan sat in the brush outside off town watching the tree line. They'd received word through the wind that the Skin Walker was close. They wished to find him and his camp before he broke through into Stockton. They were glad that he hadn't noticed their presence yet and they hoped to keep it that way.

Lozen and Elan were grateful for their fathers' teachings. Being male, Elan learned from an early age to sit in the brush, hot, cold, whatever, and be still and silent. It helped them hunt and in war. The Apache learned that words were not meant to be used for frivolous things. Words held power, especially in the American Southwest. Speaking left your mouth dry in a dry place. Learning to be quiet and still helped them conserve energy, water, and be one with their local natural environment. It was another reason that the Apache were so deadly. Lozen being who she was, a spirit talker, had learned by watching the men that she helped protect while on campaigns. She learned from watching her brother Victorio.

"He's found a hide," Lozen told Elan.

"I see."

"We should tell Jane...soon."

"You want to watch him still?"

"Yes."

"Then, we will watch him. I'll call on Taza and Bodaway to watch the town closer to see where he might try to come in. They will have the rest of our group on the perimeter. He hasn't found us yet. I doubt he will before he tries anything," Elan stated.

"He won't. We will be still. We will watch and wait. Jane knows that we will alert when we need to. Remind them not to alert on anyone but him. Let the towns people and the patrols pass with not worries. The Skin Walker is to be watched and only confronted once he goes into Stockton," Lozen told him.

"Yes, Lozen," Elan said as he slowly backed away.

He knew that Lozen would call for him if she needed him. Right now, he needed to get the word out that the Skin Walker was too close to Stockton. He needed all the Apaches to agree to let Ranger Jane deal with him. He was not their burden. He was dangerous to the white man, but he hadn't attacked the Apache. They wanted to make sure it stayed that way.

He knew that no man would leave the Skin Walker alive had Jane actually been their sister. And, as much as the Apache loved her, she wasn't Apache. They would help her hunt the man, but they couldn't take vengeance that wasn't theirs to take. He knew that some of the younger braves wanted to help her more. They wanted to be able to claim that they defeated the Skin Walker, but they were smart enough to listen to the older men.

Lozen had chosen the men to be with them. She knew that younger warriors would be looking to make a name for themselves. They didn't need that. They needed to be smart and be careful. Lozen was keeping them on their toes, but they had found the Skin Walker. They were watching him. They knew where he was. And, they were relaying the information Jane. He wouldn't be able to sneak up on her completely. And, that was all that Jane needed. She just needed to know where and when he was coming. She would handle the Skin Walker and then Lozen and he would dispose of him so that he couldn't hurt anyone else. He knew that Lozen had spoken with Jane about Skin Walkers before. He knew that she knew what they had to do the body. It wasn't Jane that they were worried about. It was the town's people when they found out what Elan and Lozen were prepared to do to the body to purify it and send his soul into the afterlife.

He knew that he had to be quick and get to each of the other sets of warriors on the perimeter. He needed to relay Lozen's orders. He wanted to make sure that everyone knew what to do. As soon as he was done with his messages. He would stop in at Tommy's place. He knew that Ranger Jane's baby brother would be able to relay word to her and he lived just enough on the edge of town that it would seem suspicious and the Skin Walker wouldn't see him.

Hoyt was patient when he wanted to be. But, he finally saw something that made him smile. Jane had a friend.

The woman stood out in the Texas prairie. She was obviously new to the frontier. Her dresses were too fashionable. Her hair gleamed like wheat in the field ready to pick. He couldn't make out her eye color, but he suspected that it was a light color and something that suited her completely. The way that stood with Jane noted some form of familiarity. And, Jane seemed to be overly cautious and protective of her as she never left her side when she saw the woman.

His smile grew and grew. The honey blond was he way to Jane. He just needed to figure out who she was and get her alone. With her, he could draw Jane out and she would come willingly. Her need to be the hero and to protect everyone would override her basic common sense. He'd found a weakness and he wasn't ashamed to exploit it. Besides with the blonde in his clutches, he would get two for one. He would have Jane, but he would also have her. Oh, how the possibilities were being to fly through his brain. All the deliciously sinful ways that he could have them, toy with them, and torture them before he enevideatlly killed them both. She would be a means to and end and nothing more. She meant nothing to Hoyt, not like Jane did. Jane was his obsession.

He made his way down out of the tree. He'd found what he needed for now. He would wait a few days. Things would die down a little. It would make his coming even more devastating. And, he thrived on devastation.

He mounted his horse and rode away. By now, he knew the patrol routes and how often they would pass him. He looked up at the sun and then pulled out a pocket watch. Glancing at the time, he knew that he had plenty of time to get back to his abandoned barn. It would be tomorrow before another patrol would even be out that way. He knew that he had another two days once he got to his barn to get back to this tree. He had everything planned out for now.

He could wait. He was willing. His prize was attainable and she was within reach. Now, he just needed to plan a little more and wait a few more days. By this time next week, she would be his and they would be at his barn.

He licked his lips. He could already taste her sweat covered skin. He could smell her fear. His eyes rolled back into his head. Yes, she would be delicious, but now even more so that he knew that she had a friend, someone besides family to protect. He knew better than to go after Jane's family. He already knew that as soon as she knew he was back that they would be protected. And, he'd been right. The Army had shown up very quickly and other Rangers, too.

He would be lying if he didn't admit that he was impressed that she carried that much clout, but he also knew that it was because of his failed apprentice's fascination with fire. He wasn't too sad that he was gone. He had more apprentices out there, but none of them were near enough to Stockton or could get to Texas quick enough for his liking. He also knew that as soon as he had Jane that he would have to leave Texas, probably permanently. He didn't really mind and that was because he knew it would be because he finally Jane and had his way with her.

What he didn't see as he rode away was the two Apache warriors that were watching him. He didn't know that they had already started a chain of events that would end his terror. They were willing to break the treaties and be in town to stop this Skin Walker. They were helping Jane. And, when they were done, just as the wars between the Army, the settlers, and the Apache raged on in the New Mexico territory, they would go home. They would go back and continued their fight because they knew that if they saved Jane, Jane would try to save them.