A Promise of Thunder

what may she’d hang on to it and survive. If only that damn Grady Stryker would stop badgering her.
    Storm glanced out the window, surprised at how dark it had grown while she ate dinner and cleaned up. Not a star was visible in the inky sky, and the pale sliver of moon was obscured by thick clouds rolling in from the west. The low rumble of thunder echoed over the prairie and distant streaks of lightning lit the moonless sky. Storm hoped the approaching storm wasn’t a severe one, for storms had always made her nervous. Chiding herself for being a sissy, she prepared for bed.
    The fine lawn nightdress had just fallen in place over her head when the sound of advancing horsemen echoed through the darkness. She flew to the window and threw aside the curtain. It was too dark out to see a thing, but the thunder of hooves grew louder with each passing minute. A shiver of apprehension passed over Storm’s body. Instinctively she knew that this was no friendly visit from neighbors. She had the light doused and the fully loaded shotgun in her hands when the shooting and yelling started.
    Crouching beneath the window, Storm searched her mind for a valid reason behind this senseless attack. With bullets flying at the house at a furious speed, she tried to think of someone who would wish her ill and came up blank. She had no idea how many men were shooting at her, or why, but the rapid firing indicated that more than one man was in the raiding party. They were circling the cabin, shooting at random and shouting, when a bullet shattered the glass window pane Storm was so proud of. Cautiously raising her head, she balanced the shotgun on the window ledge and fired a few rounds at the dark shadows as they rode past. It was far better to retaliate than let the raiders think she was a helpless woman cowering in a corner, Storm thought as she squeezed off another round. She had plenty of ammunition and could protect her property as well as any man. She would feel much better though, if she knew what this was all about.
    And what would happen to her if she failed to chase the men away?
    Her answer came sooner than she had anticipated. A sudden quiet put a new fear into her as she raised her head to peer through the shattered window. She knew a moment of wild jubilation when she thought she had successfully chased the men off. But a moment later the locked door gave way beneath a pair of booted feet, crashing open with a loud bang. A scream left Storm’s throat as the two men who had barged through the door saw her crouching beneath the window and started in her direction. They were upon her before she had time to raise the gun and squeeze the trigger.
    Grady paced the narrow confines of his cabin in long, restless strides. Something had disturbed him, and his instincts were, usually right on target. He had made the rounds of his yard twice but found nothing amiss. Glancing toward Storm’s homestead, he saw nothing threatening there. He shook his head, disgusted at himself for being so damn fanciful. But usually his senses were so keen, he did not dismiss his intuition without careful investigation. Tonight had been the exception. Though his intuition told him otherwise, he had found nothing to even remotely suggest danger.
    Stripping to his breechclout, Grady prepared to curl up in the bedroll that served as his bed. The air was cold and crisp; outside a storm was brewing. He’d worn much less in colder weatherthan this and thought nothing of walking around the cabin barefoot and nearly naked. Dismissing his fears, he stretched out on the bedroll, his mind suddenly filled with arousing visions of Storm, her honey brown eyes flashing with defiance and her body soft and warm in his arms. He closed his eyes and imagined her spread beneath him, her body moist and welcoming as he slid full and deep inside her. He could feel her tighten around him and …
    Suddenly he bolted upright. All his erotic thoughts skidded to a halt as the explosive sound of gunfire drifted across the prairie. Who could be firing guns at this time of night? he wondered as his mind worked furiously to sort out the ominous night sounds. His body tensed with painful awareness as his acute hearing told him the shots were coming from the direction of Storm’s homestead. His body reacted before his mind gave the order.
    Disdaining his clothing, lying neatly folded beside the bed, Grady grabbed his rifle and knife and flew out the door. A blood-curdling war cry