Bittersweet Ecstasy

Book 7: Gray Eagle Series

by Janelle Taylor

Genres: Historical Romance; Romantic Suspense; Western Romance

Synopsis

FOLLOW THE WIND. . . FOREVER ECSTASY. . . WHISPERED KISSES. . . Janelle Taylor's historical romances are alive with thrilling passion and enthralling adventure. With BITTERSWEET ECTASY, she continues the spellbinding Savage Ecstasy series with the unforgettable love story of Sun Cloud, the second son of Gray Eagle, and the beautiful Sioux maiden who steals his heart. . . Bittersweet Ecstasy Impetuous and willful, daring and free, ebon-haired Singing Wind had always been mistress for her fate. But when she set eyes on the virile Sun Cloud, she felt herself losing control of her destiny. She was the daughter of a chief, and by rights should wed Bright Arrow, the elder brother of Sun Cloud who would someday lead their people. But whenever Sun Cloud was near, she could not stop her pulse from racing, her skin from burning, or her very soul from aching for her beloved's caress!

Release date: October 24, 2011

Publisher: Zebra Books

Print pages: 516

Sample

In 1776, while the conflict between the Whites and Indians was raging into a bitter war which would last for over one hundred years, a wagon train, led by Joe Kenny, brought nineteen-year-old Alisha Williams to the vast Dakota Territory. She was thrown into the perilous life of Gray Eagle, a Lakota Sioux warrior who fiercely defended his lands and people against the white invasion. For weeks, the English beauty doubted her survival and sanity at the hands of the legendary warrior who took her captive, but theirs became a love and passion too powerful and consuming to resist.

Tragically and greedily, the Whites refused to leave the Indians in peace or to honor their treaties with them. Months after her capture, Alisha was rescued by the cavalry, then forced to endure more anguish and perils from soldiers and settlers who felt it was better for a white woman to be tortured and slain rather than to survive Indian captivity. At the fort, Alisha met Lieutenant Jeffery Gordon and a half-breed scout named Powchutu: who desired her, who soon lost her to their mutual foe Gray Eagle, and who nearly destroyed her in their quests for revenge.

Kind fate and a bold Indian bluff returned Alisha to the Oglala chiefs son. Disregarding his people’s resistance and dismay, especially the feelings of his promised one, Chela, who tried to slay the white girl who was stealing her place and love, Gray Eagle claimed Alisha as his own. After Alisha was alleged to be Shalee, the daughter of a white captive and a Blackfeet chief who had been kidnapped by whites and had been missing since age two, she was taken away from her captor and told to marry Black Cloud’s adopted son, Brave Bear. Given a path to honorable possession when his love was proclaimed Shalee, Gray Eagle fought a death challenge to obtain her return and hand in marriage. Having won, she was forced to “join” Gray Eagle in a marriage which entwined their destinies and sealed her false identity as Princess Shalee, a mistaken identity which she allowed to stand for many reasons. To prevent trouble in the Oglala camp, Gray Eagle gave Chela to Brave Bear as his wife, never imagining how many times and ways their paths and bloodlines would cross.

Shalee doubted Gray Eagle’s sudden claim of love; she was bewildered by his marriage to her; and she mistrusted his incredible acceptance of her as Black Cloud’s long-lost daughter, for he knew she was not the real Shalee. Confused and frightened, she was misled by her friend Powchutu, who had become as a brother to her during her tormenting sojourn at the fort. Powchutu tricked her into fleeing her new husband and into returning to St. Louis, where he hoped to win her for himself. Powchutu never told her that he had shot Gray Eagle in order for them to escape the Dakota Territory in the fall of 1776; she had departed believing Gray Eagle did not love her and that he wanted her dead, a mistake which cost the life of their unborn child and once again thrust her into the lives of Joe Kenny and Jeffery Gordon.

After she recovered from her miscarriage in Kenny’s cabin, Shalee and Powchutu reached St. Louis, to find their old enemy Jeffery Gordon lying in wait for them. In a flurry of events, Powchutu, living as her brother “Paul Williams,” was reported slain: she was told his head had been crushed beyond recognition and he had been identified by his clothes. Penniless, alone, and defenseless, she was forced to marry Jeffery Gordon. Soon, Jeffery’s evil resulted in his death at the hands of Gray Eagle. Once more, Shalee was reunited with her true love and destiny.

It had required more than love and passion for them to accept each other, to find peace, and to win the approval of his people for their mixed union; it had required months, many hardships, and sufferings. They had challenged all they knew and felt to win the other’s heart and commitment; they had defied their people, laws, and ways to fuse their Life-circles into one. Time and fate had been good to them and had allowed them, in a maze of hatred and perils, to find each other and to experience unique love.

In February of 1778, their son Bright Arrow was born, and five years of peace ruled their lives before more greedy whites and cruel soldiers entered the Dakota Territory in 1782, along with a female named Leah Winston. The white captive, a gift to Chief Running Wolf from Gray Eagle’s lifelong friend White Arrow, took insidious advantage of Shalee’s disappearance and amnesia. Using guile and her resemblance to Alisha Williams, Leah attempted to steal Shalee’s existence and possessions. After many sufferings, Leah failed, a defeat which resulted in the wounding and near death of Running Wolf.

During his delirium, Running Wolf exposed a painful secret to Shalee—Powchutu was a full-blooded Indian, his first-born son by a lost love—a secret which nearly resulted in brother slaying brother, for they had become bitter enemies and fierce rivals. Running Wolf had never revealed his secret because the mother of Powchutu was a Crow—the Crow were fierce enemies of the Sioux—and she had married a French trapper while carrying their love child, then had raised their son as a despised half-breed who hated and battled the Sioux. Knowing that to expose Running Wolfs secret would bring anguish and shame to those she loved, Shalee kept it to herself for many years.

When Running Wolf died in 1783 and Gray Eagle became the Oglala chief, his rank and responsibility bred fear in her each time the Indian/white conflict increased in hostility and bloodshed. However, years of peace finally wafted over their lands, due to the friendship and efforts of a soldier named Derek Sturgis, who had been assigned back East in 1795, and whose replacement was a cold and cruel white leader who was determined to crush the Indians.

In 1796, Bright Arrow, son of Shalee and Gray Eagle, also captured and enslaved a white girl, an incident which inspired new perils and pains for all involved. Shalee and Gray Eagle wanted to spare their son the torment of forbidden love, but the bond between Bright Arrow and his white captive was too strong to break or to battle. Bright Arrow fell in love with the white girl who was revealed to be the daughter of Joe Kenny and a mute woman named Mary O’Hara, friends whose paths had crossed theirs many times. Despite everything, the Oglalas would not accept Rebecca Kenny as the wife of their future chief Bright Arrow, not even after she challenged all dangers to rescue him when he was a prisoner of the whites, an action which thrust Rebecca into the grasp of Lieutenant Timothy Moore and almost cost her her life. When the son of Gray Eagle and Shalee refused to give up his white love, he was stripped of everything and banished into the wilderness, to live as a trapper called Clay Rivera. Six years passed before Bright Arrow admitted to his self-destructive emotions and behavior and battled all forces to be reunited with his tribe.

In 1804, Bright Arrow and Rebecca won the right to marry and to return to his people, along with their two daughters, Little Feet and Tashina. While “Clay Rivera” was on the Lewis & Clark Expedition, Rebecca had worked valiantly in the Cheyenne camp to battle the dreaded disease of smallpox which took the life of their third daughter and the lives of two children belonging to Bright Arrow’s closest friend, Windrider. Since that day, Tashina and Soul-ofThunder, the surviving child of Windrider, had been the best of friends, as both had been close friends of Sun Cloud.

Sun Cloud, the second son of Gray Eagle and Shalee, had been born in 1797 and had been accepted as Gray Eagle’s heir to the Oglala chief’s bonnet and rank, until the unexpected return of Bright Arrow and his rapid gathering of numerous coups—deeds of immense valor or generosity. Upon his return, Bright Arrow was reminded of his father’s past vision which said, “The seed of Gray Eagle will not pass through our first son; the greatness of the Oglala will live within Sun Cloud and his children,” and he had accepted his lesser rank. Yet, as years passed and Bright Arrow’s legend increased, many, including Bright Arrow, gradually forgot the vision of Gray Eagle, forgot Bright Arrow’s past weakness and banishment…

Rebecca’s problems had not ended with the Oglalas’ acceptance of her. As when Chela had tried to slay Shalee for taking Gray Eagle from her, Windrider’s first wife Kajihah had been slain while trying to kill Rebecca for bringing Bonnie Thorne into Windrider’s life, a white girl whom the Cheyenne warrior loved and took as his third wife. After that bitter incident, love and happiness had ruled the lives of Rebecca Kenny and Bright Arrow.

Over the years, Windrider and Bonnie “Sky Eyes” Thorne had found great happiness and had given birth to four children. Windrider remained Bright Arrow’s close friend, and they often hunted or raided together. His son by Kajihah, Soul-of-Thunder, had become a great warrior, a close friend of Sun Cloud, and the secret desire of Tashina’s heart. Windrider had become the Cheyenne war chief and he led his warriors valiantly.

So much had happened in the span of forty-four years, since the arrival of Alisha Williams in the Eagle’s domain. After the return of Bright Arrow from his exile, Shalee had revealed the truth about Powchutu to Gray Eagle. The half brothers had been similar in looks and in character, but had led such different lives, different because of their father’s tragic secret and misguided pride. Gray Eagle had comprehended the truth and accepted it, delighting and touching his wife with his forgiving heart and generosity. At last, he had understood why Powchutu’s path had continually crossed with theirs and why Powchutu’s restless spirit had been drawn time and time again toward his Indian blood and heritage. Gray Eagle had confessed to wishing Powchutu were still alive so he could make peace with him…

During the past forty-two years, Bright Arrow had gone through many changes in his life and in his appearance. Up until the age of twenty, he had looked Indian like his father, after which his looks began to reveal his mixed blood by favoring his white mother more and more. His once-ebony hair now captured a slight fiery underglow beneath the sun or near blazing firelight, his brown eyes exposed a detectable hazel tinge, and his skin was not as dark as an Indian’s. The whites often mistook him for a man of Spanish heritage, allowed him to play “Clay Rivera” when necessary.

In the last twenty-three years, Shalee had watched her second son grow to manhood, following closely in his father’s legendary footsteps and becoming a noted warrior in his own right. Sun Cloud was his father’s image: hair like midnight, eyes like polished jet, and skin of bronze. Although desired and pursued by many females, he was not ready or willing to settle down yet. He was fearless, clever, energetic, and strong; he considered himself the protector and provider for his aging parents. He had given his parents joy, pride, and peace. He had been trained to take his father’s place, and he looked forward to that moment with a mixture of excitement and sadness, as a son usually took over at his father’s death.

Both sons had kept the names which had been selected for them by the Great Spirit before their births, for a male’s name usually changed during his visionquest. Both sons rode at their father’s side or at each other’s side during hunts and during raids, as another vision of Gray Eagle’s had revealed long ago: “Long before we join the Great Spirit, our sons will ride against the white man together. Both will be great leaders.” Gray Eagle’s sons had been guided and instructed by White Arrow, best friend and lifelong companion to Gray Eagle, and second father to the boys, as was the Indian custom.

Shalee had met White Arrow, when she had been captured by Gray Eagle, and they had become fast friends. In 1782, with Shalee’s assistance, White Arrow had married Wandering Doe, a lovely and gentle female who had died in the previous year, 1819. Wandering Doe had left three children to carry on her bloodline and love. One son, Flaming Star, was a close friend to Bright Arrow; while another, Thunder Spirit, was the best friend of Sun Cloud. When Wandering Doe’s strength and health failed in 1805, White Arrow had taken a second wife, Pretty Woman, who had given him two more children. Shalee was glad White Arrow had someone special to help him survive Wandering Doe’s loss.

Indian and white foes recognized the prowess and power of Gray Eagle and his Oglalas, whom the whites called Sioux. At sixty-nine, Gray Eagle remained a leader to be feared, respected, and obeyed. There had been a time when no warrior was stronger, faster, braver, or craftier; but his foes were increasing in numbers and powers, and age and responsbilities were taking their toll on the chief. Many realized it would soon be time for Gray Eagle to yield his rank to his son. That realization and action would be difficult for everyone, as Gray Eagle epitomized the spirit and heart of the Oglalas, of the Lakotas, of all Indian tribes in the Dakota Nation; he was their mouth, their courage, their bond; he was the scourge of the soldiers, and the reason why his people had not been vanquished. Friend and foe knew what the loss of Gray Eagle would mean to the “Sioux” and to the Indian/white conflict…

Times had changed; people had changed. Shalee had come to realize her husband was not invincible, not immortal, as many had believed or feared. Yet, he could still warm her heart and body with his smiles and nearness. He had never ceased to be a passionate lover, and she thrived in his strong arms and exciting Lifecircle. Even with its hardships, life had been good and happy for them. Shalee knew time and health were slipping away from them, but she was not filled with resentment or dread. When their time came to walk with the Great Spirit, she could die peacefully, knowing she had shared a full and happy life with those she loved, knowing that their way of life and peace were vanishing forever. She knew the white man’s evil and greed were mounting again, and she knew there would be no end to this madness and bloodshed, no answers which could bring lasting peace, not until the Indians surrendered all they had and were, and they could not and would not…

Times and peoples had changed in the nearby Blackfeet camp, too. Long ago, Brave Bear had been slain in valiant battle and Chela had died in childbirth with Singing Wind, leaving their four children in the care of others: Redbird and Deer Eyes, the oldest girls, had been raised by the shaman; Silver Hawk had been rasied by the war chief; and Singing Wind, their youngest, had been reared by the tribe’s head chief, Medicine Bear.

Gossip said that Redbird had lived with the medicine man, as his mistress the whites would say, until he was shamed into asking her to become his third wife, but she astonishingly had refused. Deer Eyes, a girl loved by all who met her, had chosen to remain as the shaman’s helper, not wanting anyone’s pity for her physical disabilities. Silver Hawk, who at twenty-seven found himself joined to the barren Cheyenne maiden Shining Feather, was rumored to be seeking a second wife, and further rumors whispered that Tashina had captured his eye. Shalee hoped that gossip was not true, for Silver Hawk was nothing like his father Brave Bear; but then, she admitted to herself, the boy had been only five when his father was slain and he had been denied Brave Bear’s influence and guidance. Shalee supposed it was natural for a man to be bitter over the loss of his heritage and rank, as Silver Hawk was, even though he concealed his feelings.

Shalee hoped that Chela’s blood did not run too swiftly and turbulently in Singing Wind, who as a child of nine had tended Rebecca’s needs after her miscarriage in the Blackfeet camp. Singing Wind was beautiful and tempting, full of life and energy. She could turn most men’s heads, and many warriors were pursuing her. But Singing Wind did not appear ready or willing to settle down yet. Clearly she loved her freedom and wanted to be a female warrior. Raised in a tepee of males, she had learned to ride, shoot, fight, and hunt. She was like a wild creature, one who was sensual and earthy. Shalee had realized that Sun Cloud could not keep his eyes and thoughts off that particular vixen. Often, Shalee had wondered if she should encourage that match and union, or if she should wait until those two settled down a little more. There was no doubt in Shalee’s mind that they were well suited for each other, just as there was no doubt that both were resisting their attraction.

Since Shalee’s—Alisha Williams had lived as Shalee for over forty years and would die as Shalee—arrival in this forbidden land, many friends and family members had been slain and many villages had been destroyed. The threat of the whites was growing rapidly like a fatal disease that seemed determined to consume all Indians in its path. For the whites to obtain a quick or final victory, they had to defeat the “Sioux”; and to defeat the “Sioux,” they had to defeat Gray Eagle and the Oglalas. Only one white leader had obtained a real treaty with the Indians, and many now prayed for the return and help of Derek Sturgis.

Many also prayed for the return of Rebecca Kenny, who had disappeared without a trace last spring. Bright Arrow and his friends had searched for his wife until no hope remained for her rescue and return, yet Bright Arrow and Shalee had been unable to accept Rebecca as dead. Somehow, both felt that the Great Spirit would return Rebecca, who had been given the Indian name Wahea, which meant Red Flower, because of her fiery curls. In the lonely tepee of Bright Arrow, his seventeen-year-old daughter Tashina looked after his chores and cared for him, but Tashina was beautiful and many suitors hungered for her, unaware her heart was lost to a Cheyenne warrior, the son of her father’s best friend. Bright Arrow’s twenty-two-year-old daughter, Little Feet, had married a Sisseton chief years ago; she lived in another village with her husband and two sons, but a warrior in the Oglala camp still remembered, loved, and desired her…

In the Dakota Territory, it was April of 1820. Fortyfour years had passed since the lives and hearts of Alisha Williams and Gray Eagle had become entwined. Many new perils and adventures awaited the aging lovers and their two sons…

Miles from the Oglala camp, the youngest son of Gray Eagle and Shalee eyed tracks which brought a mischievous grin to his handsome face. The warrior’s midnight eyes sparkled with anticipation as he stealthily followed the unconcealed trail which snaked through the forest along the riverbank. Sun Cloud had been told only to discover where the white trappers had made camp to steal the Great Spirit’s creatures from their lands, then return to camp to report their location without endangering his life by attacking them alone. He had obeyed his father’s orders, as he had promised when they had come upon the fresh tracks during their hunting trip, until a new set of prints had urged him to close the distance between him and his foes. A keen hunter, he could read the signs which had been made by someone light of body and wearing Blackfeet moccasins, for each tribe’s leather shoes made a different design upon the face of Mother Earth. At last, he had sighted the person who also had found the white men’s tracks and was furtively following them: Singing Wind, adopted daughter of the Blackfeet chief!

Sun Cloud’s dark eyes narrowed in annoyance and apprehension as he watched the Indian girl slip from tree to bush to tree as she daringly moved closer to the two trappers. Having observed and heard of her skills, he knew she could hunt, shoot, fight, and ride as well as most braves, but her actions on this day were foolish and perilous. He wondered what she was doing this deep in the forest alone and what had possessed her to behave so impetuously. She might not only endanger her own life, but his as well. If he was forced to protect her, he would be compelled to challenge death to save her.

His vexation and begrudging respect increased as he secretly watched her cunning and daring. He kept mentally commanding her to give up her reckless pursuit, but she did not. When the trappers reached their camp and joined a third white man, she concealed herself nearby and seemed to be listening to their words; for, like himself and his family, she too knew the white man’s tongue.

Sun Cloud thought of signaling her with a special bird call, but decided that one of the trappers might recognize it, for many had been taught by traitorous white-loving Indians how to detect a foe’s nearness and plans. He dared not toss a rock or pine cone her way, for she could jump or squeal and alert the men to her presence, and he could imagine what those rough males would do to a beautiful and helpless Indian maiden. The same was true if he sneaked up on her and startled her. For now, it was unwise for him to move any closer or to take any action, so all he could do was watch and wait, and mutely scold Singing Wind for placing them in this predicament.

As he sat there hidden from his self-proclaimed foes, he knew he could not attack, even if he was one of the chosen bow carriers for his Sacred Bow Cult. The bow carriers were selected and rewarded for being the four highest-ranking warriors of their tribe, along with four staff carriers and two club bearers. The sacred bows were revered by all Dakota tribes, collectively called Sioux by the whites, and were kept in the ceremonial lodge when not in use. All the Dakota believed the bow ceremony was powerful medicine for war and peace, and the choosing and presenting of a sacred bow was done carefully under strict rules. The ten men who were selected for these honors held their ranks until death or relinquishment, for death usually came quickly for them because of their duties. Each of the ten were required to be leaders in battle, to display enormous courage, and to slay at least one enemy during every battle. After a member had acquired numerous coups, he could return his bow, staff, or club with honor. The Sacred Bow Ceremony was nearly as difficult and revered as the Sun Dance, and was done frequently for the same reason: to show loyalty, to fulfill a vow, to seek protection and guidance, and to honor the Great Spirit.

Time passed, and his patience was tested sorely. He failed to realize it was the fetching view of the Indian beauty, not their precarious positions, which teased at his susceptible flesh and mind, and caused him to grow tense and clammy. She was slim and shapely, a female who tempted a man to seize her and to toss her to his mats, to seduce her with gentleness, leisure, and skill after he had taken her with consuming passion and swiftness to cool the fire in his blood.

Several times his near-black eyes walked over her body from shiny midnight mane to leather-clad feet. Surely by now he had memorized every visible inch of her face and body, for he had done such a study many times before. Her hair fell in silky strands to her waist and was usually tucked behind her ears, making her appear younger and displaying her face more fully. Her dark brown eyes always sparkled with some powerful emotion, as she seemed incapable of feeling anything halfway. Her skin was as smooth as the surface of a tranquil pond and was colored like the underbelly of an otter. If there was a mark or flaw upon her body, it did not show, for no one could consider the tiny dark circle upon her throat as anything but eye catching. Each time he noticed it, he wanted to touch it with his lips, then let his tongue play over it before deciding whether to move up or down her body…

Sun Cloud recalled past days when they had tangled with mischievous words, for he had known her since childhood. She had always been bold of speech and manner, and as a boy in warrior training, it had often angered or challenged him to have a girl question or trail him and try to join in on such events. From what he could tell, Singing Wind had never wished she were a man, but she wanted to be able to do whatever pleased her or whatever needed to be done, even if only men did such things. It had angered her to be told she could not join their games and practices because she was “only a girl.” She had never seemed to accept her place as a female, to the irritation of many and to the disappointment of others. To Singing Wind, anyone with the right skills should be allowed to help or to protect her people. To be fair, perhaps he should not blame her for her untamed character and masculine behavior, for her parents had left her, a baby, in the care of others when they had walked the ghost trail.

Sun Cloud wished her father, Chief Brave Bear, and mother, Chela, had lived long enough for him to know them, for they had played such vital roles in his parents’ pasts. Singing Wind was twenty-three, a few months older than he was, but she had not known her parents either. Chela had died giving birth to her, and he wondered if that troubled the audacious girl or if that was the reason why she wanted to capture and savor excitement before she risked her own life having children. It had to be frightening and tormenting to know your mother had died giving you life, and that you could die bearing a child. Perhaps this explained why she had rejected all men who had pursued her and did all she could to repel new chases. Her father, Brave Bear, had been slain in battle. Perhaps, no surely, she would be different if she had been raised by her parents instead of Chief Medicine Bear and his sons. Still, one day she had to destroy her wildness and conquer her fears.

Sun Cloud watched as her hand eased down her leg to brush away an insect, and he wished he could do that simple task for her. The way she was sitting behind the clump of bushes, her buckskin dress was hiked far above her knees, displaying an ample view of lovely thighs. He admired their sleekness and tone. Surely not an ounce of fat lived on that enticing figure, and he grinned and wet his lips.

As his responsive maleness alerted him to his carnal line of thought, he frowned in vexation. He should not allow his attention to stray when he was so close to an enemy’s camp. Sun Cloud asked himself if he could excuse or deny what others considered flaws in her character, or if it even mattered what other people thought about the girl who caused uncommon stirrings within him. He wondered if she was as spoiled and willful as many alleged, for that was not how he viewed her love of life and adventure or her spirited nature. Many claimed she would never be satisfied to be a mate and mother, that she would distract and harass the strongest of men with her unwomanly antics. A chief, for he would become chief one day, must marry a woman he could be proud to call his own, a woman who would not embarrass him before others, a woman whose purpose in life was to make him happy and to care for their home and family. Many accused Singing Wind of wanting more than her rightful share from life and vowed that she would make herself and her mate miserable! Sun Cloud did not want to believe such words, for he could not deny she was the most desirable creature he had seen and she caused him to think of more than taking her swiftly and casually to ease his manly needs. Surely such a strong woman would make a good wife for a chief, if she could prove the tales about her were untrue or exaggerated. As children of chiefs and members of allied tribes, if she would…

Sun Cloud stiffened as he watched her pull the knife from its sheath at her slim waist. Her body was on full alert. He thought she was planning to attack the man who had been left to guard the camp while the other two went to check their traps before nightfall, just as he felt they were not far away and their absence would be short. He mused, If she was so clever and skilled, why did she not realize the rashness of such an attack? If she tasted defeat, she could get them both killed, as he could not remain where he was and do nothing.

Sun Cloud drew his knife and grasped it securely between his teeth. He flattened himself against the ground to crawl to her side, to stop her attack or to defend her, whichever became necessary within the next few minutes. Suddenly he was halted when one of the men returned to camp. He strained to hear the man’s words.

“We need help, Big Jim. Those traps are full and we have to empty them afore dark. Our camp ain’t in no danger. We didn’t see any Indians or signs of them all day.”

Sun Cloud was relieved when both men gathered a few items and disappeared into the trees. He was glad Singing Wind was smart enough to know she could not attack two men whose combined sizes would make nearly four of hers. Surely, he reasoned, she would not hang around until they went to sleep to make another attempt to… To what? he asked himself. Did she only want to steal some possession for coup? Get a coup scalp? Prove something to herself or others? No, Singing Wind could not be that foolish.

The Indian girl looked his way as he inched toward her, making enough noise for her ears alone. Surprise and pleasure crossed her lovely features first, then she quickly concealed her curious reaction. After replacing his knife, he carelessly frowned at her, bringing a look of annoyance to her face. “Why do you trail three large enemies alone in the forest when night is upon you? Go quickly while it is safe,” he whispered between clenched teeth to reveal his displeasure. He hoped she did not read the anxiety in his eyes or hear it in his voice, for a warrior should never expose such weaknesses. Before making his feelings towards her known, he had to make certain she was a unique woman.

Singing Wind eyed the handsome male, and misread his behavior. Sun Cloud could always get beneath her flesh and her control with a look or a word; that admission worried her, for it was unwise to chase a man who appeared to have little or no interest in her as a woman. For years he had caused a strange warmth and tingle in her with his presence. They were no longer children, but she did not know how to be a woman around him. She had done so many foolish and rash things while finding herself, or by trying to be all she could be. She feared that he believed all those silly tales about her being defiant. Unlike his brother, he was tall and lean, his body appearing all muscle and strength. He had the darkest and most expressive eyes she had ever seen. He always wore his long ebony hair loose, and usually wore only one eagle feather dangling from the back of his head, even though he had earned countless coup feathers. His features were sized and arranged in such a manner as to forcefully and appreciatively draw a woman’s eyes to them. Yes, Sun Cloud set her skin tingling and heart racing, and countless females desired and chased him. Yet he had pursued no female, and certainly not her! Over the years, he spent too much time scolding and shaming and making fun of her to notice she had become a woman! How she wished that he would forget her rebellious years and take a new look at her. How she wished he could understand her. Catching her loss of attention and poise at his close proximity, she defensively sought to dispel his powerful pull. Noticing his seeming displeasure with her, she unwittingly accused, “Why do you trail Singing Wind and seek to prevent a victory over these foes? We cannot sneak away as cowards. You are a Sacred Bow carrier; together, we could defeat them.”

Sun Cloud’s eyes narrowed in warning at her unintentional affront, which made it appear as if she was always picking and poking at him, as if they were still children. He concluded that this little wildcat could have anything and anyone she wanted, including him, if she would sheathe her claws and open her eyes. He unwisely reproached her, “Singing Wind is a fool if she believes she can defeat three men who are as grizzlies to a tiny fawn. Sacred Bow carriers know when to attack and when to wisely retreat. Return home and forget the impossible.”

“I will return home when I have taken their scalplocks, weapons, and horses,” she rashly informed him, knowing she had been doing nothing more than spying on them to report their actions and location to her people. She had drawn her knife to be prepared to battle any peril which threatened her retreat. She was angered by this particular warrior’s low opinion of her intelligence. What did it matter who discovered and observed their mutual foes? she scoffed mentally. She felt as if he had cornered her and insulted her; now, she must prove her mettle and skills, or slip away as a coward.

Sun Cloud felt there was no time to argue with this headstrong girl. Without warning, he skillfully delivered a noninjuring blow to her jaw which rendered her unconscious. After replacing her knife in its sheath, he scanned the area for movement from the trappers. Detecting none, he gathered Singing Wind into his arms and vanished along the riverbank. He put a lengthy distance between them before stopping to rest and to revive Singing Wind. He grinned as he dribbled cool water over her face and caused her to awaken with a start, then chuckled as she gathered her wits and glared up at him.

“How dare you attack me and treat me like a child!” She verbally assailed him as she came to a sitting position before him.

Sun Cloud decided a soft tongue and mellow mood might have more effect on her than a strong hand and scolding. “Your fiery words are untrue, Singing Wind. I saved your life. Be satisfied you live to take warning words home to your people. I could not allow you to place our lives in danger for a wild dream.”

“Singing Wind did not endanger the life of Sun Cloud,” she refuted, believing that misconception was the reason for his anger and action.

“What warrior of honor and courage would allow a woman to be captured, raped, and killed by white foes?” he reasoned, his tone calm and almost caressing. “You speak of your warrior skills, yet you prove you have few or none when you attempt such a futile deed, then risk another’s life to rescue yours.” He told her how he had trailed her and observed her, and had reacted only when she’d appeared to be in peril.

As he warmed and enlivened her with his presence, she scoffed softly, “If your skills and instincts are as large as you think and claim, Sun Cloud, you would have seen I was not preparing to attack their camp; I was preparing myself to flee at the right moment. You think badly of me. I am no fool. To enter a battle which is lost before it begins is to beg for defeat and death. I desire and tempt neither.”

His face exposed an expression of enlightment and respect. He smiled and nodded that he stood corrected. “Knowing of Singing Wind’s rebellious and bold nature, my mistake was logical,” he teased.

“You know nothing of Singing Wind, but for mean rantings and wild charges. I behave only as others allow me to do without losing my honor. I am the daughter of a great chief, and I have duties to my people as you have to yours. If I had not followed the tracks and they had been those of scouts for a white attack, then I would be a fool and my people or yours could be dead before a new sun. I knew the danger of my tracking and I took no risks. You know this to be true.”

“Yes, your words… and actions were true and wise,” he concurred. “I feared for your life, and spoke too quickly. I am glad the daughter of Brave Bear has wisdom and courage. Come, I will take you to your camp and return home. Soon, the sun will sleep.”

Singing Wind was baffled by the warrior’s mood and behavior. She nodded and stood, then straightened her garment. She was surprised when he grasped her hand and led her away from the river. It felt good not to argue and fight, so she willingly let him take control. Perhaps, if she tried hard, she could convince him she was not the untamed creature which so many called her. Perhaps he would come to respect and to admire her, if he realized she was not a bad person.

Suddenly he whirled and seized her and pressed her against a tree, warning with a whisper, “Be still and silent, pretty one, something moves beyond us.” Sun Cloud knew what was ahead of them, two foraging deer, but he had yielded to the temptation to feel her within his arms and to see how she could react to his touch as a man to a woman. When the full lengths of their bodies made enticing contact, he pretended to peer around the tree to study the direction in which they had been heading, causing him to press more closely and tightly against her. When she trembled slightly, he bent his head forward and murmured in her ear, “Do not be afraid, little princess, I will guard you.”

Afraid, Singing Wind’s mind echoed; the only thing which panicked her was her possibly noticeable response to the man imprisoning her against the tree and breathing warm air into her ear each time he spoke in a voice which teased sensitively over her nerves. As she lifted her head to question their peril, he looked down at her, their actions fusing their gazes and mingling their respirations.

Their gazes roved the other’s face, an some potent force seemed to transport them to a private world where only they existed. Enrapt, all they could do was absorb the nuances of the other and submit to this irresistible attraction between them, an attraction which had been mounting within them for several years.

Sun Cloud’s left hand slipped upward into her hair and admired its silky texture. He looked at the strands resting over his fingers and noticed how they shone like dark blue night beneath a rising moon. With ensnaring leisure and the determination of a conqueror, his right hand moved up her arm. Along its journey, his strong and gentle fingers stroked her supple surface, then drifted over her face as they mapped each feature. Very slowly and sensuously his fingers moved back and forth over her lips as if they were extracting some magical potion from them. Finally they wandered round and round her dainty chin which no longer jutted out with defiance. Her eyes were entrancing him as they visually explored his face and torso. He could feel the heat between their bodies, and their mutual quiverings. He wanted her here and now.

Singing Wind’s senses were reeling from mounting desire and his tantalizing touch. His manly scent wafted into her nose and enflamed her blood. His body was smooth and hard and enticing. She could not resist tracing her fingers over his arms, shoulders, and chest, or lightly fingering the tiny battle scars on them which did not mar his appeal. As she marveled at the evidence of his courage and stamina at such a young age, his dark gaze ignited her passion like black coals in a fire. She hungered to taste those full lips, a craving which increased when he seductively moistened them.

Sun Cloud bent forward and did as he had dreamed many times; his lips and tongue teased at the flat mole which rested over the throbbing pulse of her throat. He heard her inhale sharply and stiffen briefly at that stimulating contact. Then his lips roamed to her left ear and he nibbled at its lobe, causing both of them to shudder with rising needs. Finally his lips tentatively sought hers, touching, nipping, brushing, probing, but without fully kissing her. When he leaned backward to see how she was looking and responding, her hands gently seized the hair on either side of his face and pulled his mouth to hers.

Their lips meshed fiercely and urgently, and they hugged tightly. Pent-up emotions burst free and raced rampantly. He captured her face between his hands and his tongue greedily invaded her mouth. She responded in like force and yearning, her hands wandering up and down his back and adoring the movements of his muscles as he embraced or caressed her. They were lost in a beautiful dream world until…

“Do you not see and feel it is better for you to behave like a woman instead of a man? Come, my pretty wildcat, and let Sun Cloud remove your claws and tame you. Halt your defiance and forget your rash dreams. Let Sun Cloud give you great pleasure.”

Fury surged through Singing Wind’s mind and cooled her passion. She roughly shoved the enticing warrior away. She mistakenly assumed he was only having fun with her, or trying to use her to sate his loins’ hunger. She was embarrassed and wounded, and she struck out in her pain. She laughed and taunted, “It will take more than an eagle’s fledgling to tame Singing Wind or to give her such sweet pleasures. I only wished to show thanks for what you believed was my rescue. Become a full man, then return to see if you can enflame me.”

“The only thing which flames within you is temper and rebellion. It is you who needs training, Singing Wind, for you know not of the danger of teasing a man when his body burns with the mating fever. There was no need to thank me falsely; I would save any woman or helpless creature in danger. Come, we must go before our words become harsher and we behave as spiteful children.”

Sun Cloud guided the silent girl to where he had left his horse. He mounted and pulled her up behind him, then rode swiftly for the edge of her camp, and left her there, without speaking or looking at her. If he rode swiftly, he could reach his own camp before the moon was sitting overhead. Perhaps the night air would cool his head and loins, and a rapid pace would lessen his tension.

Singing Wind watched Sun Cloud’s retreat until shadows surrounded him. She lowered her head in shame and remorse, knowing she had overreacted and been hateful. Perhaps his words had only been impassioned endearments, not jokes or insults; she had been frightened by the powerful emotions they had unleashed and panicked by her weakness for him. Doubtless he would never come near her again, and she could not blame him. Unless she proved to him that he was mistaken about her and her feelings…. . .