Chapter 12

Tornado closed the two-mile distance to the pueblo in record time. The tracks behind the blacksmith's were fresh and easy to follow. The light of the full moon was his greatest ally in finding the tracks as he nosed the horse toward the open desert.

The camp was north of the pueblo. Sheltered amid some rock formations, the fire still gave off a glow that could be seen for miles.

Zorro could hear the sound of rushing water off to his left. When he got his bearings, he realized, with a start, just how close this was to the very cave in which he and Victoria had taken shelter. That night seemed like a million years ago!

After he left Tornado a little way from the camp, he eased up to the perimeter of the camp and saw that the men were already preparing to leave. They were giving little thought to their hostage. It appeared they were just going to leave her there while they went off to torch the hacienda.

He waited. He could see the fear in her eyes from where he hid in the shadows, and it twisted his heart in knots. Waiting was not exactly how he wanted to handle the situation, but there were at least a dozen men and he wasn't going to take a chance tonight. He sat through ten long, tense minutes watching the woman he loved tremble in fright.

Finally, they were gone. He waited a few more minutes before emerging from the shadows and going to Victoria.

"Querida, are you hurt?"

Relief washed over her. He removed the cloth from her mouth.

"Di—"

"Zorro!" he corrected her sharply. "I am sorry, but you must remember to address me that way. You never know when someone might overhear. We need to hurry. They plan to attack the de la Vega hacienda and I need to get back there. Felipe should have them well prepared for it, but another pair of hands would help."

He untied her hands and was cutting the ropes that bound her feet when he gasped and jerked his left hand back quickly.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She jumped quickly to her feet, nearly tripping over the rope in the process. Zorro was examining the ground where her feet had been.

"Careful, move over here, quickly." He was already stomping hard down on the patch of ground. "A scorpion. It stung me." The knife's blade flashed in the moonlight, and she watched in horror as he made two cuts on the back of his wrist.

"What are you doing!" She reached to stop him, but he had already begun sucking at the wound. He spat out several mouthfuls before he replied.

"The venom. If I can get most of it out before it spreads..."

"It isn't …deadly, is it? Her voice began to break in fear. "It... won't-"

"Kill me? No, probably not. But it won't make the next 24 hours for me very enjoyable." He gave her a faint smile. He only wished he felt as confident in his prognosis as he had made it sound. The venom of some scorpions was more poisonous than many of the deadliest snakes, but they did inject less venom. "We can't stay here."

"You're bleeding!" The amount of blood alarmed her. The cuts he had made were so deep!

But he ignored her. "Whatever happens at the hacienda, some of the men are bound to return." He thought quickly, trying to ignore the burning sensation that was now traveling a slow line up his arm. "Do you remember the cave we sheltered in during the storm? It is just over on the other side of the stream and back a bit toward the pueblo. I think I can make it that far." He was already beginning to feel strange and he knew he should limit his movements to slow the spread of the venom.

He whistled for Tornado.

She saw Zorro stumble and the picture of the cave flashed into her mind.

"Wait!" If this was as serious as she suspected, she was certainly not going to spend another night in that place without some comforts. Quickly looking around, she spotted a couple of blankets and scooped them up before going back toward the Tornado. With some difficulty, he managed to get them both into the saddle.

The stream, now reduced back to its original size before the recent rains, was fairly easy to cross. Finding the cave was a little more difficult in the dark, but soon, they were leading Tornado to the small sheltered place under the rocks.

Zorro leaned heavily on Victoria to keep his feet and he collapsed with relief just inside the cave. His breathing was ragged and he was shivering violently. The rapid deterioration in his condition was frightening. She spread one of the blankets out on the cave floor, and it was all she could do to get him positioned so that she could move around him freely.

"Diego, I'll be right back." This time there was no protest at the name. She left the cave and went back to Tornado to get the canteen and saddlebag. She filled the canteen from the stream and then began quickly picking up small dry twigs and sticks on her way back to the mouth of the cave.

She could barely make out his form when she entered the cave. Thinking he might have passed out while she was gone, a sudden chill gripped her heart. "Diego?" She felt for him in the dark and was relieved as his hand found hers.

"Yes. I am ..." But he didn't have the breath to finish his sentence.

"Diego, just rest now." The darkness was almost total.

Good idea or not, she was going to make a small fire. There was flint and steel in the saddlebag as she had suspected. In a few minutes, the cave walls reflected a soft warm glow from the small fire. The dryness of the material she had collected would prevent too much smoke, but it also meant there would be little warmth from such a fire. She watched with satisfaction as only tiny swirls of smoke drifted to the ceiling of the cave and found their way toward the entrance. At least, the smoke would not drive them from the cave.

Now that she could see, she turned her full attention to Diego. His eyes were shut and it sounded as if every breath was an effort. His hand was swollen and discolored. She thought for a minute and then began digging out a small hollow in the ground near him. She filled it with the cool water from the canteen and placed his hand in it. The coolness should help the swelling. She only wished there were a bowl handy so she could keep it raised as well.

"Diego? Are you awake?" She wanted him to rest, but he knew more than she did how she could help him.

His eyes fluttered open and he whispered her name. "Yes, I am awake. You... made a fire?"

"Only a small one. If it begins to smoke, I'll put it out. Don't worry. How do you feel? What should I do?" She could see confusion in his eyes. "Will it give you a fever?" She felt helpless and she was already fighting back tears. "I don't know what to do!"

"I am... not... sure." His chest heaved with every word. "It seems to... be affecting... my breathing... more than anything." He placed his right hand on his chest. "It hurts... here."

She bent down and put an ear to his chest and heard his heart beating wildly, not really in a rhythm. Panic gripped her. No, he could not die! Not now!

"I just... need ... to catch... my... bre —" His voice failed as his throat closed in a spasm. His muscles twitched as if he were in the throes of fever.

"No!" Victoria screamed the word and it reverberated off the walls of the cave.

He had to breathe! It was her only thought. And if he could not, then she would breathe for him! She leaned his head back and put her mouth on his. She blew life-giving air into him. Over and over, she continued to force the air into his mouth.

After what seemed an age, his body relaxed and she could feel him stir.

She withdrew her lips from his. His right arm had caught her around the waist and he pulled her back down. Their lips met again. But this time, it was not for life, but for love.