by Nikki Landis
As much as I didn’t want to agree, she had a point. “Maybe, but –”
“I need some space, Tarek.”
Reluctantly, I pulled back and allowed Synna to walk away from the conversation, but it was only temporary. She needed a few minutes to gather her thoughts and I wasn’t such an ass that I couldn’t see how deeply our disagreement, the texts from Heather, and my words affected her. I’d make it right as soon as Synna let me.
The rest of the afternoon was silent and seemed to drag. Synna spent the entire time in the little bedroom, closed off from view. I nearly barged in there a dozen times but decided it would only make things worse.
When she finally emerged from hunger, I made dinner, but she still didn’t say more than a few words. Both of us were stubborn, frustrated, and spurred on by the tension in the room. Add the fact that our sexual urges and longing seemed to constantly linger under the surface, and I was coiled tighter than a rattlesnake and ready to strike. Only I didn’t want to bite her, I wanted to give in to my desires and the need in my body. I craved her in ways that I didn’t quite understand. Our argument only fueled my lust which in turn made my coyote want to claim her even more than he already did.
That night I slept on the couch as Synna returned to the bedroom. It was a long and uneasy night. Several times I stood up and paced, tempted to let my coyote out and run into the desert to unleash the excess energy. If there wasn’t a dangerous enemy on the loose, I probably would have.
The feisty look was still in her eyes the next morning. I couldn’t figure out if she was mad because we argued or because I didn’t join her in the bed. She winced when she sat down at the table and I realized the wound on her leg needed cleaned and the dressing changed. I grabbed the first aid kit and set it on the table.
“Synna,” I began softly, “I need to check your wound.”
She nodded and I sank to my knees in front of her, lifting her leg and settling it over my thigh. The bandage pulled away from her skin easily, but I frowned when I saw the pink skin around the gash. There wasn’t any discoloration, but it was a little warm to the touch.
“I think there’s a mild infection. I’m going to clean the area and apply some ointment and then cover it with a new bandage, but I want you to take some antibiotics and pain reliever to help the healing process along.”
“How did you get antibiotics? Don’t you need a prescription?”
“The rez has a few doctors. It’s pretty easy to get what we need and keep it on hand.” She lifted a brow in doubt. “You need to remember the reservation is home to a lot of predators and wild animals. Snakes, spiders, scorpions, in addition to the lobo, mountain lions, and other creatures. Injuries are common. There’s a lot of land to cover if it’s life threatening.”
Her shoulders lost some of their tension. “You’re right. I didn’t think of that.”
Deciding it was best not to dwell on last night, I didn’t bring it up. There was something else I’d rather do today. Since the moment we arrived I kept Synna hidden away in the hogan, but she was probably feeling like a prisoner by now and fresh air and exercise would do some good.
“How about a tour of the rez?” I asked as I finished up and stored the first aid box.
She took the antibiotics and Tylenol I gave her and then nodded. “As long as you feed me first.”
We spent the afternoon on a long walk as I showed her all the familiar places from my youth. For the first time, I caught her smile as I pointed out the sheep and goat pens. It wasn’t long before we stumbled upon a group of elders that were sitting cross-legged around a small fire, smoking away on a pipe.
“Yá’ át’ ééh,” I greeted.
Conversation was minimal as I dropped down and joined in, gesturing for Synna to sit. She scooted close to my side as I picked up the pipe and held it to my lips, closing my eyes as I inhaled and held the smoke until I couldn’t any longer and then released it slowly, passing the pipe to her. She lifted a brow and then shrugged, taking a quick puff that made the others laugh as she blushed and passed it down.
“The pipe symbolizes peace,” I explained on a whisper, keeping my voice low. “Tobacco is a sacred food to the Navajo.”
She nodded, completely engrossed in watching the others as they inhaled, holding in the smoke, and slowly releasing it into the air.
“The pipe ceremony is a sacred ritual for connecting physical and spiritual worlds. A link between the earth and the sky.”
As I spoke, light gray smoke circled in the air and rose from the ground, surrounding the entire group in a hazy fog of both euphoria and peace. I released a breath and all the tension of the last couple of days disappeared. Drums beat a steady rhythm in the distance as a coyote’s howl joined in the low voices of the spirits. I felt the presence of my mother and her clan behind me as I swayed to the beat. Words were spoken in my native tongue and echoed like a chant as I rose to my feet and began to dance. Flames from the fire a few feet ahead burned higher as the coyote that was my spirit animal moved to my side and lay down. He was focused on movement in the distance.
There was no danger.
I felt a swift and fierce longing fill my chest followed by a sudden burst of love and light. Through the smoke and flames emerged the one woman I was destined to spend my life with. The female that was blessed by the spirits of my people. She approached with a smile and held a small boy in her arms who couldn’t have been more than two. As she passed him over, he snuggled into my embrace, his eyes the same shade as my own and hair as black as night. I swallowed hard when I realized this small child was my son.
Shocked, I lifted my gaze to the beautiful woman cradling her pregnant belly. I knew instantly that she was my wife. The love that was held in her gaze nearly brought me to my knees. I placed a kiss on the top of my son’s head and reached for her, tugging her closer before I gazed into the hazel depths of her eyes.
“I love you, Synna.”
The vision faded as I felt a rumble deep in the earth. The coyote within howled with the knowledge that our mate, our future, and the female that would bear our offspring was by my side. Opening my eyes, I saw the nods of the elders as they realized I had a vision. Potent and powerful, the glimpse of the future was all it took to permanently banish any doubts I had about Synna and our relationship.
I reached for her hand and lifted it, pressing a kiss on the top. When our eyes met, she inhaled a sharp breath and I knew that she also saw the vision. Confusion, disbelief, and a hint of fear lingered in the depths. It wasn’t common for those who weren’t Navajo to experience what she did, but the connection between us was strong. The spirits knew this. I wouldn’t stop until she believed it too.
One moment could change everything.
For me, it did. Synna Daniels was mine.
Chapter 7 – Tarek
Song #3 (Stone Sour)
Bonfires were lit as dusk fell over the rez. The elders sat in groups close to the flames and began to regale us all with the old tales and origin of our people. I listened to the stories that were so familiar I could recite every word from memory. My mother used to bring me to the bonfires, and I would sit at her feet, completely engrossed in the legends and creation of our people.
Synna was listening intently as one of the elders spoke, his gaze focused on the flickering flames.
“Changing Woman created the Navajo people.”
“She’s a Navajo deity,” I interjected with a whisper. Synna slapped at my arm lightly as a hint for me to shut up and I chuckled lightly.
“When she was about to leave on her journey back to the West, she gifted us with four clans. The four original clans of the Navajo people are Kinyaa'áanii (The Towering House), Honágháahnii (One-walks-around), Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water) and Hashtł'ishnii (Mud). There are more than 100 clans among the Navajo people now.”
“Wow,” she whispered with awe.
“Our land is a 27,000-square-mile reservation with more than 250,000 members. The Navajo Tribe is th
e largest American Indian tribe in the United States.” I expected her to slap me again when I said that, but she didn’t. Maybe she liked facts. I could give her a few and some were more than a little naughty.
My entire focus was on the woman at my side. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from her slightly parted lips, full and moist as she licked them occasionally. Every once in a while, a smile would tug them upward and I almost pulled her away from the group more than once for a stolen kiss.
The elder continued, “The Four Sacred Mountains are special to Navajos. Blanca to the east, Mt. Taylor to the south, the San Francisco Peaks to the west and Mt. Hesperus to the north. We live in harmony with our Creator and with nature.”
Unable to help myself, I grasped her chin and turned her head in my direction, moving closer. “Navajo people view the earth as a spiritual mother. Nothing is wasted. It’s the Navajo way to keep everything in balance with nature.” I was about ready to swoop in for a kiss when the elder began speaking of the skin-walkers.
Synna’s eyes grew wide as she turned away.
“Yee naaldlooshii or skin-walkers are not just legends. It is not wise to go outdoors alone at night.”
I reached for Synna’s hand and held it as she snuggled against my side.
“Skin-walkers are cursed humans who can transform into other creatures, mostly wolves and bears that roam the earth looking for their next victim. Evil forces take hold of these people and they are so strong that the skin-walkers are tempted to remain in their animal form for too long. They lose their humanity. All that remains is a dangerous, bloodthirsty hybrid. A being that hunts to kill.”
Synna shivered.
“Since they are shapeshifters, skin-walkers can transform themselves into any person they want. They like to steal the faces and identities of others to win the confidence of their victims. We cannot fight evil with evil. It is not the Navajo way.”
I pressed a kiss to Synna’s forehead, sensing her unease.
“The only way to stop a skin-walker is to learn their true identity and then to call the monster by its full name.”
“I’ll have to remember that,” she whispered.
“I don’t think you’ll run into one.” Skin-walkers were extremely rare.
“You never know,” she disagreed.
Once the tales ended the elders began to rise. August was the hottest and driest month of the year and perfect for a rain dance. Synna was going to be surprised.
“I’ll be right back,” I promised, squeezing her hand. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Synna
WHEN TAREK RETURNED, my jaw nearly dropped. He was the most breathtaking and beautiful man I’d ever seen. His entire appearance had changed. He was shirtless and wearing a pair of white cotton pants. A white apron cloth draped across his hips over the material. Deer moccasins were on his feet and a headband circled his head with white feathers and blue turquoise. I heard someone say the white and blue represented wind and rain.
His hair was long and loose and hung down his back. Silver bracelets adorned his left wrist. Tribal marks and symbols were painted on his torso, chest, arms, and face. He resembled some kind of Native American god or spirit, a powerful deity that moved with grace and strength. I didn’t know what was happening until someone mentioned it was a tradition.
The rain dance began as Tarek moved into a line formation with other men of the tribe. Men and women formed separate lines and danced in zigzag patterns, lines moved closer together and then farther apart again. The dance was accompanied by singing as multiple voices joined one another. Rhythm was kept by the sound of feet hitting the ground instead of drums. I would have thought drums were used but when combined with the singing, the footsteps of the dancers were loud.
Complicated steps were formed in a circular grid as Tarek moved. He spun around clockwise in slow circles as he kept a steady pace. His deep and sensual voice began to chant with the others and joined in the singing of his native tongue. Sometimes he would raise his hands to the sky occasionally to urge the rain to fall.
I was completely mesmerized.
Tarek moved with a grace and confidence that proved he was a great warrior. Even in modern times, he was a solid member of his tribe and it was obvious he was both respected and loved. The heat and dry air soon caused droplets of sweat to bead up on his skin. He didn’t seem to notice as he continued to twist and turn to the beat, his long hair swinging lightly with every step. The muscles of his chest and stomach, biceps and back bulged, and I couldn’t tear my gaze from his naked upper body.
Tarek was hot as hell.
Intense desire and need rose within me and I couldn’t hide the attraction I felt, nearly crackling between us with tiny electric jolts in the summer heat. Tarek danced closer and I could tell he wanted to be as close to me as he could. His body knew the movements so well that even when our eyes met, and he lost concentration he never faltered or missed the beat.
It was in that one, singular, unpredictable moment when our gaze locked and the sexual tension between us sizzled in the summer heat that I knew he was mine and I was his. The exact second in time when there was no going backward, no standing still in time, just moving into the future where nothing was certain, but everything was right as it should be. A terrifying and yet exhilarating push and pull that could only end one way.
Sweaty, skin to skin passion until both of us found release in one another.
It wouldn’t be once. Couldn’t be twice.
The only way either of us would be satisfied is if we gave in to the temptation that raged in our blood and begged for more.
I stood as he moved closer and kept dancing, twisting his body as his hands lingered close to my skin. A feral gleam entered his eyes and the man in front of me was as much predator as warrior. He leaned in and captured my chin, tilting it up as his mouth hovered above my own.
“Say it.”
“Kiss me,” I begged, needing the connection like my next breath to survive.
Just as his lips were ready to meet mine, the first fat plops of rain began to fall. People all around us shouted and hollered with joy and excitement. Singing continued as well as dancing as the tribe celebrated the blessing of mother earth.
Everyone was distracted.
I took advantage of the moment and ran toward the hogan.
Tarek caught me outside as the rain began to fall harder. Lightning flashed above us as thunder rumbled a short distance away. The hot dirt beneath our feet sizzled as the cool rain made contact. Stars erupted above and mingled with the summer storm as the rain relentlessly soaked every inch of our bodies.
Tarek pushed me up against the outside of the hogan. Flames from a nearby bonfire was the only source of light, much too far away to give detail to anyone who may look our way. There was a brief second when our eyes met and then his lips crashed down on my own. Passion exploded between us in the damp and heated night.
Tarek’s hands were roaming my body as he pushed his way between my legs. The hard bulge of his erection pressed into my stomach as I moaned with need. One had gripped my ass before it slid higher and joined the other, teasing and playing with my nipples through my drenched bra. My back arched as he pressed kisses to my throat and then trailed his hot tongue down my skin. There was a tear and my t-shirt hit the ground after he ripped the material from my body.
“Need more,” he growled as he sucked on the material of my bra and pushed it aside, spilling my breasts from the tight confines. Alternating between licking, teasing, and squeezing he took total control of my body while he demanded my total surrender.
“Tarek,” I gasped as he lifted his head. I wouldn’t deny him. It wasn’t possible.
Reaching upward, he slid his hand behind my neck, his fingers gliding into my hair, tugging my head back as he replied, “I want you, Synna Daniels.”
“Then take me,” I offered with a husky tone I hardly recognized.
His tongue slid into my mouth and I knew that I was lost. Arousal ripped
through my body in response. The warmth of his mouth was such a contrast to the cool rain that continued to fall and splash onto our bodies from above. He tugged my hair and I whimpered with the need to feel more of him. With a groan, he tangled his tongue with mine then pressed kisses and nibbles down the side of my neck, pausing briefly to suckle on the sensitive spot beneath my ear.
I gripped the long, wet strands of his hair, holding on as he devoured me, tasting my flesh with every swipe of his tongue. There was no stopping my response. I leaned into him, licking the seam of his lips as he growled and forced his tongue back inside. I forgot everything around us but the warmth and feel of his body pressed to mine and the excitement racing through my veins.
He broke the kiss and made his way lower, grazing his teeth over my erect nipples. He cupped my full breasts in his hands, tweaking the peaks with his thumb and forefinger. Tarek’s hips rolled into mine.
“I need you. Right here. Right now.”
I nodded as he reached for the button on my jean shorts and then they hit the ground as he shoved them down my thighs with my underwear. I stepped clear of the heavy, wet fabric as his pants dropped to the ground next followed by his boxers. His cock sprang free and I licked my lips not at all surprised by the length and wide girth. My core pulsed with anticipation.
Tarek lifted my body as my legs wrapped around his waist. My fingers gripped the wooden exterior of the hogan and fully expected to slip due to the rain. I didn’t move. He held me with arm around my back and pumped his rigid length with his fist before positioning himself at my entrance and gliding inside me with a smooth thrust.
Both of us stilled.
Tarek’s eyes locked on my own and I swear the amber color deepened. “You’re mine now.”
I didn’t deny it.
A heavy lump formed in my throat as I knew there was no other man for me other than Tarek Jones.
