Black Dog(74)
It was Harrison Lanning. There was no sign of the other black dog.
Harrison flung the shotgun aside, bore the sheriff straight through the circle of the mandala right down to the ground and pinned him flat, all in the same silent rush.
“It wasn’t his fault!” Natividad cried. “It was mine!”
Harrison released Pearson, came to his feet, and swung around to confront Natividad. He was fully in his human form now, except for his fiery eyes. Behind him, Pearson came up on one elbow, not hurt at all. To Natividad’s relief, he didn’t get all the way up, and Harrison didn’t whirl back to strike him down to the ground. Natividad realized at last – she was ashamed she hadn’t understood it from the first – that Harrison had thrown the sheriff to the ground not as an attack nor even as the precursor for an attack, but as a way to prevent an attack. Not the sheriff’s, but his own. He hadn’t trusted Sheriff Pearson to know he needed to show submission, hadn’t trusted himself to tolerate any show of defiance, so he’d knocked the sheriff down with enough force to remind him to be prudent. That was actually clever. Even kind, sort of. As kind as a black dog in a raging temper was likely able to manage.
It was also a reminder Natividad should not need. Not that Harrison would hit her, she was pretty sure, but she crouched down in the snow anyway. Well, sort of collapsed, really. It was very easy to just let her legs fold up. It might be harder to get up again. She asked, “Was that Vonhausel? Is he dead?” Her voice shook. She couldn’t help that.
Harrison answered grimly, not shouting, “Of course it was Vonhausel. Of course he’s not dead. But if Grayson hadn’t sent me after you, you would be dead! We would have lost you! Reckless, irresponsible child!” Turning his head, he glared down at Pearson. “You brought her into this danger, when Grayson explicitly forbade it!” Harrison’s black dog still showed in his eyes, a powerful echo behind his human form.
Sheriff Pearson didn’t try to stand up. And he remembered not to look directly into Harrison’s face, so that was alright. He stayed propped up his elbow – his other arm was hurt, Natividad was almost sure – and said, “I lost good men protecting Natividad. Is the circle she drew for us worth it? You crossed it.”
Harrison Lanning glowered down at him. “Of course it was worth it – to you. It’s a good, strong circle. It’s blazing like a bonfire.”
“It’s supposed to shut out those who come with ill intent,” Natividad said. Her voice was not quite steady. She wanted to explain that black dog magic had gotten tangled up with her work, but didn’t know how. Instead, she took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. She said, “I told it to shut out evil things. I didn’t mean it to work against Dimilioc wolves. But…”
“It’s fine,” snapped Harrison. “Anybody could feel its strength, but it’s not directing that strength at me. Worth your men?” he added to Pearson, still glowering. “How not? Worth losing the only Pure girl we have? How could it be?” He transferred his glare to Natividad. “Reckless, self-indulgent, childish, disobedient–”
“Lewis needed help.” Natividad was still trembling. “Si una persona pide ayuda, hay que ayudarle – if somebody asks you for help, of course you should help them! If Grayson had sent you with me in the first place, it wouldn’t have been so dangerous…”
“I am here now,” Harrison said harshly, “and so if anyone attacks Dimilioc now, there will be one less wolf there to fight. That is your fault.”
He was still furious, but there was a lot less of the black dog in his voice now. Even his eyes were almost human again. When he held an impatient hand down to Natividad, she took it and let him lift her to her feet. She could stand up. For a shaky moment she had not been sure. “Are they dead? All those men?”
“Of course. How else? That you are not shows either violent luck or the direct favor of God, neither of which you deserve.” He took her arm in a hard grip, though not hard enough to bruise, which under the circumstances showed a lot of restraint.
Natividad bowed her head, meek as a black dog puppy.
“I will consider your punishment as we drive back to Dimilioc.” Harrison transferred his glare back to Sheriff Pearson, who looked down almost as meekly as Natividad, and, she was sure, with no more sincerity. “I will need a vehicle.” He held out a broad hand. “Your keys.”
Pearson tossed over his car keys without a murmur of protest.
“It’s as well you have your circle to show for your stupidity,” Harrison told the sheriff. If he was not mollified, at least he had not been further provoked. His tone, if not exactly gentle, was no longer so savage. But he added, “If you find it insufficient, don’t call on Dimilioc. Dimilioc will not be interested in your troubles.” He shoved Natividad back toward town.