The Illusionist - 3rd Edition Read online

  * * *

  It had taken over an hour for Yemaya to get her leg and shoulder attended to.

  “Nothing more than a slight pulled muscle on the shoulder. It should be fine in a few days. Just take it easy,” the doctor advised.

  When he finished with the stitches, he suggested she gave her a prescription for some antibiotics. Thanking him, Yemaya returned to the waiting room, half expecting Dakota to be gone. Instead she was pleasantly surprised to see her talking to one of the nurses.

  "Are you interested in a cup of coffee or is it too late?" Yemaya asked.

  "Coffee sounds great," Dakota said. "We can get some and a bite to eat in the cafeteria."

  Fifteen minutes later, they were seated at a window overlooking the historical district of Charleston. Yemaya sipped her coffee while Dakota stirred her own nervously.

  Maybe this isn't a good idea, Dakota thought. When she finds out I'm a reporter, she'll probably leave. Oh well, might as well get it over with.

  "I… I think you should know I'm an investigative reporter," she blurted out and then blushed.

  "I guessed that," Yemaya replied. "I saw you taking notes at the show and then at the hospital."

  "Oh. Well, I'm doing this article for my magazine and… I mean…"

  "And you wanted to include me in it," Yemaya finished.

  "Yes," Dakota admitted.

  "Perhaps we can work something out. You tell me about your great-great-grandmother and I will consider giving you an interview. What did she do to get on the tribal council?" Yemaya asked.

  Dakota put down the cup of coffee, her gaze fixated on its contents as she tried to remember the details of her grandmother's journals.

  "Let's see. According to my grandmother, her grandmother was a looney," she answered, stirring the coffee.

  "Looney?"

  "Yeah, looney… crazy. Grandma used to say Dakota was 'tetched in the head' because she ran around buck naked through the woods, calling and singing to spirits. I think that might be an over-exaggeration. Apparently she liked to chant while dancing around the trees, waving her arms and hands in the air, spinning and twirling like a top. I bet she was a sight to see." Dakota waved her arms wildly in an effort to imitate her grandmother and then laughed at her silliness.

  "I can imagine," Yemaya smiled, visualizing a woman similar to Dakota communing with nature. "Or at least I think I can. So she was crazy. How did that get her a council seat?"

  "Grandma said Dakota spent a lot of time in the hills with the mountain people. Like I said, she lived off the land, hunted, skinned animals, fished — those sorts of things. You know, all that woodsy type stuff. Grandma thinks maybe Dakota ate something or smoked something that affected her sensibilities. Most likely, it was the stuff she smoked."

  "There was a picture of her sitting on a horse with a cob pipe in her mouth. I bet she found her own brand of weed back then," Dakota joked, looking up from her cup, eyes twinkling. "Anyway, my great-grandmother left a diary describing Dakota's escapades. Seems she was having one of her 'fits,' as great-grams would say, when she came across a young buck treed by a grizzly."

  "Buck?" Yemaya interrupted.

  "Indian. Anyway, seeing this naked Indian trying to scramble up a 'scrawny sapplin', the sun shining off his firm brown bare Injun butt' — her words, not mine. Dakota starts to 'whoopin' and hollerin' like you wouldn't believe.' Took off her buckskin shirt and began waving it over her head in a circle. It startled the brave so badly, he fell out of the tree onto the bear, which in turn startled the bear enough that it backed up a few feet, confused at the unexpected attacks."

  "Next thing you know, Dakota is beating this bear with her leather top, screaming and yelling like a crazy person. The bear swiped at her a few times. Then, according to the diary, it finally got tired of all shenanigans and took off into the woods."

  "I can imagine." Yemaya said.

  "Me too! When the Indian came to his senses, he saw her doing a crazy dance while she was chanting loudly and waving her hands in the air. Great-grams claimed the Indian was more 'skeered' of Dakota than he was of the bear. Thought she was possessed by spirits. He jumped up and ran away,. Unfortunately he tripped and fell, dislocating his shoulder. Great-great-grams grabbed his arm, gave a whoop and yanked it, causing it to slip back in the socket. Turns out he was the son of a Lakota chieftain. He thought she was inhabited with spirits or something because he convinced her to follow him back to the tribe. She lived with the Lakota for several years afterward."

  "Phew... quite a story. So, saving the son of a chief made her eligible for a tribal seat?"

  "Nah! Indian braves aren't that easy. They showed her plenty of respect for her bravery but she was still just another squaw, albeit somewhat unusual. Crazier than the rest but a woman nonetheless. What got her on the tribal council was her whipping a few bare asses. Apparently, the chief and the elders didn't want the other tribes hearing that a female was able to beat their bravest warriors."

  "Especially in those days," Yemaya added.

  "Yeah. Grandma said Dakota humiliated several of the braves during the hunts. She'd come back with more game, then tease the young men about being softies or lazy or inept. They'd get fired up and next thing you know fights broke out and off came Dakota's top. After pouncing on some poor guy, she'd swat at him with her shirt, yelling and screaming like a banshee. The men were terrified. Some tried to fight back. One brave found himself flat on the ground with great-great-grandma sitting on his chest pointing a knife at his throat."

  "I would imagine that was rather embarrassing," Yemaya said.

  "Me too. Anyway, they began calling her Maopa, or mosquito creek woman, because they claimed she was like a mosquito — small and annoying but very brave. So to save face, they gave her the status of council member. That way, there was no disgrace in being beaten during the hunts since she was protected by spirits. It was also their way of explaining away how she 'whooped up on so many bare arses.'"

  "Sounds like your great, great grandmother was quite a woman. How did you come into the picture?" Yemaya asked, leaning forward, her head propped on the palm of her left hand.

  "Me? Oh, you mean how'd great-great-grandma get pregnant? Well, she met a French-Canadian trapper. Seems she decided it was about time she reared a few kids of her own. She saw a Frenchman and liked his looks. Said was a 'fine feddle of a man — good breedin stock' — and wanted his baby. Not him, mind you, only his baby."

  "She seduced him, bedded him, got pregnant, and then kicked him out. Jean-Pierre Lambroux left for lands unknown, never to be seen again. Great-grandma Chayton arrived eight months later."

  "Chayton?"

  "Yeah, Chayton. It means falcon."

  "Interesting... any other Indian names in your family?"

  "Several, actually. Mom's name is Teetonka, which means talks too much." Dakota grinned. "And does she ever. Everyone calls her Tee. Grandma's name is Naypashni, which means strong or courageous. We call her Pashna. Grandma had her own escapades, so her name is appropriate enough. I have two cousins, Anchapa and Choumani. I think that's about it for the Indian names."

  "Any native blood running around in your veins?"

  "Not really... unless Lambroux had some. Dakota stayed with the Lakota for several years, then headed farther west with great-gram, Chayton. She ended up in Colorado and died there from an epidemic of some kind. Probably dysentery or cholera. Chayton was grown by then. She came back east and settled in Illinois, married a local boy, and had three kids. The rest is history as they say."

  "A colorful history for sure," Yemaya said.

  "Definitely. So you've listened to me ramble on. How about giving up some of the dark sordid details of your life?" Dakota teased.

  "Nothing to give up," Yemaya replied calmly. "Both of my parents died when I was young. As for my history... I would describe it as complicated." Yemaya glanced at the clock on the cafeteria wall and grimaced. "Unfortunately, I need to go now. There is a lot of things
that need to be taken care of today, not to mention getting out of these awful clothes and cleaning up a bit."

  "Oh, I get it," Dakota said feeling disappointed. "You wangled my family history out of me and now you're off and about, eh? No fair, you know."

  Yemaya stood and stretched. "No one ever said it was, and I never wangle. I said earlier I would consider giving you an interview. Call me Monday. I promise to tell you a little about myself. I might even give you something you can write in that notepad of yours to make your boss happy," she added, walking toward the exit. "See you!" she called as she walked out the cafeteria door.

  Well, I'll be damned, Dakota thought. An actual interview.

  Paying the bill, she headed for her car. Climbing into the driver's seat, she started the engine. Suddenly, it dawned on her something wasn't quite right.

  "Son of a bitch!" Dakota exclaimed, slapping the steering wheel. "She never gave me her number and stiffed me for the bill too."

  Irritated at herself for having been tricked so easily, she slammed the car into gear, floored the accelerator, and spun the wheels as she headed down the highway. What had been one of the most interesting nights of her life had just turned to worms, and Dakota was not happy.

  CHAPTER 3

  YEMAYA UNBUTTONED her silk blouse and tossed it on the bed. Blue leather slacks quickly followed along with black silk underwear. Walking to the bathroom, she turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature.

  Just as she was about to step in, she remembered the doctor had warned her about getting her wound wet. With a sigh, she turned the shower off. The shark bite would heal within a few days. She always healed quickly. For tonight, though, a hot bath would have to suffice.

  Moments later, lying in the oversized whirlpool, her right leg draped over the edge, she leaned back, closed her eyes, and replayed the evening's events. Everything had gone well until her assistant had discovered the crack in the platform. Crack wasn't exactly accurate. It was more like a hairline cut over two meters long.

  The damage didn't seem that severe at first glance. Later, she would learn from the police that it had penetrated almost half of the thickness of the glass. That and the weight of two attendants was potentially enough to create the break. Add Yemaya's weight to it and the results were a foregone conclusion. The blow from the shark only sped up the inevitable.

  Even though Yemaya didn't have the details of the damage to the Plexiglas, she already suspected the show had been sabotaged. The question was why. Did someone want to scare her attendants or were they after bigger fish — namely her? Was the scare meant as a warning or a murder attempt? Finally, why hadn't she sensed Shezara's attack? Never before had the shark gotten through her defenses.

  Exhausted, Yemaya decided to worry about everything after a good night's sleep. Her agent, Sonny Marino, and her brother, Raidon, were better at handling this type of situation. She'd call them in a few hours.

  Brushing the evening's events aside, she thought about Dakota. The hours spent with the young woman had been pleasant. Yemaya was intrigued not only by the woman's history, but also by the woman herself.

  At approximately 5'6", Dakota had the compact body of an athlete. She was either active in sports or spent a lot of time in the gym. Yemaya had enjoyed the stories about Dakota's ancestor. She was looking forward to learning more and her.

  Warm water and bubbles swirled soothingly around Yemaya. Her tired muscles relaxed under the gentle massage of the jets. Within minutes, her thoughts slipped gently away, giving her exhausted mind a reprieve from the day's events.

  * * *

  Yemaya's nose twitched slightly. A faint odor penetrated her slumber — wild flowers. How did wild flowers get into the bathroom? Slowly, she opened one eyelid and looked around. A meadow surrounded by huge oak trees encompassed her view. Brilliant flowers of every color painted the meadow. Small monarch butterflies floated from one blossom to another, tasting the delicate pollens. The sound of running water, mixed with the chattering of squirrels created an idyllic scene.

  Soft green grass cushioned her body while the back of her head rested on the palms of her cupped hands. Deep within the forest, wild birds argued noisily to establish territories or fend off unwanted attention. The setting was too idyllic to be real. At least that was what she thought until her ears were assailed by the high-pitched screech of a wild animal. Looking around she searched for the source.

  Within seconds, a half-naked woman charged from the darkened forest into the light, swinging something in her right hand. The screeching turned into a melodic chant as the figure twirled, jumped and ran, arms swaying back and forth above her head, her face turned upward toward the sky.

  As if sensing Yemaya's presence, she stopped her wild gyrations to stare curiously at the stranger sitting in the middle of the meadow. After watching her for a few minutes, she waved excitedly and walked over to Yemaya, plopping down next to her. Plucking a purple flower, she leaned forward and offered it to Yemaya.

  "So it's 'bout time ya decided to come callin'," the wild-looking woman announced, her breasts swaying slightly when she leaned backward to let her arms brace her in an upright sitting position.

  Yemaya couldn't help but stare at the woman's chest. The dark nipples stood erect. The breasts were small and golden. Blinking, she shifted her gaze to the green eyes staring at her good-naturedly.

  "Come calling? This is a dream. I never knew you existed until Dakota told me about you this evening. You are just the product of a very tired brain," she replied, resisting the temptation to lower her gaze.

  The woman smiled, revealing straight white teeth. Her cheeks creased on each side, displaying two dimples.

  "That so? Well, ifn that's what ya think, how come you're eyeing my teets like they was somethin' to be plucked from a tree and et?"

  Yemaya blushed. Do people blush in dreams? she thought.

  "Well, you are topless, you know. I am not used to seeing women running around half-naked like wood nymphs, especially in my dreams."

  "Nymphs? Ah, ya mean the fairy folk. Woods here is filled with fairy folk. We calls 'em spirits, though. They talks ta me and I talks back. I kin tell ya who and what is traipsin' through them trees day or night, and ya seen a fair share of nekkid teets so don't be a telling tales. I knowed ya has a special likin' for the ladies. We's alike that way, ya knows. Ain't no use tryin to fool this old woman," she chided, slapping Yemaya's right knee. "But where's my mannahs? The name's Dakota, but ya already knowed that, didn't ya?" she stated. "Just likes ya knows a lot of thangs," she added, nodding sagely.

  "I guess I did. What do you mean I know lots of things?"

  "Well, now. I don't need to go tellin' ya what ya knows and what ya don't. Right now I be thinkin' ya thinks I taint real."

  "I take it you consider yourself real and not some figment of my imagination?"

  "Figment? That a fancy way a saying ya made me up? Like thinkin' maybe ya is tetched in the head a wee bit?"

  "Yes, that is one way of putting it. Am I making you up? Probably to some extent. I mean, I went to sleep in my jacuzzi... uh... bathtub, and next thing I know, here I am."

  "Well, maybe ya did and maybe ya didn't. How would I knowed ifn I was made up anyways? Ya needs to ask yerself that more'n ya needs to ask me. Then ya needs to ask yerself why would ya go an' do somethin' so peculiar," Dakota suggested.

  "I see nothing peculiar about dreaming of you. Dakota told me about you this evening. The stories were interesting. I guess my mind is just processing what I heard."

  "Well, then. Guess maybe ya figures ya has the answer. Far bes it from me to be settin' ya on the right trail when ya knows what ya knows." Dakota chuckled, green eyes twinkling brightly. "Guess I might as well be movin' on. Got lots of fairy folk to jawbone with, ya knows. Trouble's brewin' in the darkness, and we has to do some figurin' ifn we're gonna win the next scuffle. I'll be a seein' ya sometime soon, magic woman, maybe at the gatherin'. Now ya better get on back to that thar jaco
ozee thing. Water's growin' cold, taint good to be catchin' a chill even for the likes of you."

  Dakota stood and wiped the grass from her deerskin breeches. Walking toward the woods, she turned, smiling gently.

  "Don't cha forget to give my respects to that grandchile of mine. She's a good one," she yelled. "Oh and them teets of hers are well worth lookin' at. Ya jest might get lucky if ya plays yer cards right. I dun good with that one," she added, laughing at Yemaya's startled expression. Waving goodbye, she disappeared into the shadows.

  * * *

  Yemaya felt cold. The water had cooled considerably by the time she awoke. Shaking her head, she looked around the bathroom. Nothing was out of place.