by Paty Jager
“I have to get back before they come looking for me.” He glanced at her glowing face. “Can we still talk in our minds?”
Her smile lit her whole face. “Yes.”
“Then I’ll try to let you know what is happening and if I can slip away to see you again.” He stopped at the tree where he’d left his saddlebags. “When this is over we’ll be together. I promise.”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. “I will look forward to that day with all my heart.” She shifted to smoke, and he remained in a trance relishing the tingle on his lips.
The shrill call of an eagle shook him back to reality. He picked up his saddlebag and headed to the camp. If anyone saw his approach they’d see he’d cleaned up to start the day.
He yearned to be back at the soddy with Sa-qan in his arms. They may have become husband and wife by her people’s laws but he couldn’t breathe a word about her to anyone until this campaign ended and he’d married her in a church. He knew his mother would have understood had she been alive and able to talk this out with him. But in the eyes of the government, they weren’t married. He wouldn’t bring shame to Sa-qan by trying to pass her off as his wife without the paperwork to prove it.
Besides, he still had to get through this campaign alive and help keep the Nez Perce from getting annihilated by the U.S. government. When this battle started he’d been ready to help pressure the Indians into moving to the reservation and allowing more civilians to homestead on their land. Now he just wanted the bloodshed to stop and the Indians peacefully settled anywhere they wanted. If that meant figuring out a way to keep the army from catching the Nez Perce before they joined Sitting Bull, then that’s what he’d do. His love for Sa-qan now extended to her people and helping her fulfill her commitments.
Le’éptit
(20)
Sa-qan flew above the Nimiipuu camp tucked out of sight of the river her people had crossed that morning. The crossing took place both upstream and downstream from the landing for boats and supplies belonging to the so·yá·po. The Nimiipuu and horses were allowed passage without incident. She had circled in the air watching as the small group of soldiers held their weapons, but did not stop the Nimiipuu from crossing.
Now Joseph and another approached the landing unarmed. She wished Wade were here to help the soldier understand hunger plagued her people. Since she and Wade had become one, they had only visited once and it had been cut short by the soldiers seeking his guidance. Not nearly long enough for either one, but they both honored their duties. His horses and men fared worse than the Nimiipuu. He remained close to keep them from harm, much the same as she remained close to the Nimiipuu.
A so·yá·po met Joseph and another Nimiipuu warrior. The so·yá·po left, and a soldier talked with Joseph before the soldier returned to the buildings and came back carrying supplies. Joseph accepted the bundles. The bundles could not hold enough food to feed the Lake Nimiipuu band which only made up a quarter of the people at the camp waiting for food.
Joseph returned to the camp and a heated discussion began. She watched the anger build in the warriors. Small groups left the discussion, heading back to the river. The warriors set a building on fire, and as the so·yá·po tried to stop the blaze, the warriors looted the other buildings, bringing back food for their families. It heartened her to see the children eating, but the way the warriors stole the food would only make the soldiers angrier. Only a handful of soldiers watched the burning fires. She leaped into the air and started circling the area. If such a small force were sentinels for the river there must be more somewhere.
****
Wade saw smoke billowing in the distance. His heart sickened. On the trail of the Nimiipuu he’d found too many homes destroyed. Sa-qan told him the Indians asked for food first and when they were refused took drastic matters. Their actions didn’t help their cause. The more Whites they killed and plundered the less sympathy he could muster from the government.
He rubbed a hand over his unshaven face and stared at the smoke. His troops might reach the spot by nightfall. Wade twisted in his saddle and scanned his weary troops. He couldn’t push his men or their mounts that hard.
They were a good day’s ride behind the Nimiipuu. He wanted to leave the men for Howard to pick up and head out on his own. He missed Sa-qan. Memories of their discussions and heated kisses were all that kept him from falling victim to the fatigue of his troops. He rested well, dreaming of his angel.
An eagle’s shrill cry invaded his thoughts. He glanced up, catching sight of Sa-qan. Her magnificence as a woman and as an eagle enthralled him. How his logical mind could accept her forms and the reality he could speak to her and love her when she wasn’t a mortal intrigued him.
Follow me. We must talk. Her words slipping into his thoughts he didn’t understand, but he didn’t question, only listened and obeyed.
“Sergeant Murphy, halt the troops and rest the horses. I’ll scout ahead.” Wade didn’t wait for a response. The sergeant had grown accustomed to this type of command from his lieutenant.
Wade urged his tired horse into a trot and followed the soaring eagle north. Once he’d put two miles between he and his men, he reined his mount toward a clump of aspen trees and dismounted.
Sa-qan walked out from behind a tree and straight into his outstretched arms. Enfolding her to his chest, he drank in her scent and savored her soft curves pressed against him.
“I’ve missed you.” He tipped her face up, kissing the lips he dreamed about every night and day.
She returned the kiss, breath for breath and tongue to tongue. Her bold exchange heated his blood and surged his desire beyond the limits of his buckskin breeches.
He drew out of the kiss, clutching her to his throbbing body. He’d never wanted a woman as fiercely as he wanted this one. His physical needs burned and ached to the point of pushing past desire to agony.
“My need to be one with you makes my body ache,” he whispered against her ear.
“I feel the same.” Her hands worked at the buttons on his jacket.
“This is hardly the pla—”
She stilled his words with a searing kiss.
Propriety and chivalry be damned. If he didn’t make love to her soon… Her hands slipped through his three layers of upper clothing and slid across his skin. The brisk autumn air couldn’t cool his fever for Sa-qan.
He pulled out of the kiss, spread his jacket and coat on the ground, and lowered her upon them. “I can’t wait for the appropriate place, but I can supply a barrier between your skin and the cold ground.” As he spoke she pulled her dress over her head, displaying her womanly attributes for his heated gaze. “You really know how to knock a man off his game.”
An alluring smile tipped her luscious lips, and he groaned when her fingers dipped along the waistband of his breeches.
“You must take off your clothes. I wish to feel your skin to mine.”
Her breathy command plopped him on his backside, and he yanked his boots off.
Standing, he shucked his breeches. His shaft sprang out, aching and throbbing. He bit his mustache as Sa-qan reached out, taking him into her delicate hands. The soft touch nearly had him spilling his seed. He quickly knelt, cradling her head in his hands.
“I want you to know, there has never been another woman who stirred my desires or claimed my heart.” He kissed her lips, her jaw, her neck, and worked his way down to her beautiful breasts. He licked and nibbled the raspberry nipples, enjoying her intake of breath and gasps of pleasure. His ache subsided as he brought her bliss.
All he ever wanted was to bring her happiness. He eased Sa-qan to her back, covered her body with his, and slipped into heaven. Awareness of her body, hot, wet, and welcoming sent his heart galloping. Her hips tipped, giving him a deeper thrust. Tears welled in his eyes at the pleasure her body gave him. He captured her lips in a long, wet kiss injecting all his passion and love for her into the mating of their tongues.
Her fingers dug into h
is backside, pulling him deeper, moving him in a rhythm that played in his head. Her body came up to meet his with each thrust and grind. Wade placed his hands beside her head and pushed up. His gaze locked on her glowing eyes as he continued the rhythm she’d established. Stars glittered in her eyes and the glowing lights resembled twin suns, blinding him. Her body vibrated and clenched his. One last thrust spilled his soul deep within her shimmering body.
He collapsed, drawing her to him and rolling to his back, bringing her body over him like a blanket. He kissed her and dropped his head to the hard earth. “I thought the first time we made love was earth rattling.”
Sa-qan rose up, her forearms planted on his chest, her lovely nipples brushing against him. “When we come together it feels as though a lightning spear rips through my body, giving me light and life. It is both frightening and very pleasurable.” She leaned down, kissing his chin. “I find much about you makes me happy.”
Her words triggered another squeeze of his heart. “You make me very happy. Happier than I’ve been in years.” He rolled, slipping her desirable body under him. Her soft curves, lush breasts, and kissable lips had his body springing to life once again. “I only regret we aren’t in our home where I could pamper you and love you until dawn.” He lowered to kiss her and saw wariness flicker in her eyes.
“Did I say something wrong?” He grieved the idea of leaving her warm body, but couldn’t ignore the brief hesitation in her eyes. Wade rolled off and sat, drawing her up onto his lap. “Why do you look and feel like you’re going to disappear?”
The sorrow in her eyes when she looked at him, struck as sharp and blunt as an axe in his back.
“How will we be together? We are of two worlds.” Her softly spoken words didn’t put fear in his heart it challenged him to work to find a way.
“We’ll worry about that once the Nez Perce are settled. Right now, I want to enjoy the few moments I get with you. No thoughts of later.” He held her chin in his hand, drawing her lips to his. He brushed them softly, eliciting a soft moan from her before seducing her mouth. His hands roamed her body at will, following the curves and dips, memorizing the places that caused her to squirm and the ones that filled his mouth with her gasps. His hands grazed the golden hair at the juncture of her legs. Her hips moved toward his hand.
He smiled against her lips, delved into her sweet mouth with his tongue, and his fingers into her hot moist center. She rocked against his hand and moaned. Her movements rubbed the length of his alert shaft, flaming his desire. Not releasing her from his kiss, he turned her body and settled her over his throbbing need. She drew him in inch by agonizing inch. He pulled out of the kiss, expelling a hiss of barely held restraint.
Fully seated deep in her body, she moved up and down, bobbing her breasts in his face. He grasped a nipple between his lips. She moaned and moved faster. He grasped her backside, helping her move up and down. He nipped her rosy nubbin. Her body contracted around him, she gasped his name, and dropped into his lap as he lost control, once again giving every essence of him to her in his release.
He clutched her body to his as she remained seated in his lap, their bodies and hearts fused. The steady thrum of her heart to his and her breath combining with his—he did believe they had become one. He knew to have her out of his life he would feel only half a man.
Wade pushed her shimmery white hair out of her face and kissed her nose. He’d never seen her so lethargic. “Did I hurt you?” fear gripped him that he’d been too rough this last time.
She opened her eyes. Their golden depths glittered. Her kiss-swollen lips tilted into a devastating smile that flipped his heart. “You lifted me to the clouds and beyond. My body will always thirst for you and my heart will hold you forever.”
“I take it that means I didn’t hurt you?” His heart hummed with delight from her words.
“No, you could never hurt me. But you have drained my powers.” Her forehead wrinkled in a frown. “It is curious that you weaken powers when we make love just as I am drained when I heal.”
“I don’t find it curious, because you have healed my heart.” He kissed her forehead until the wrinkles disappeared.
She tipped her face, skimming her lips across his. “Was your heart injured?”
“In a way. Until I met you I’d hidden behind my duties as a cavalry officer to keep from confronting my sorrows from the past. Losing my family, the war, and all the things that had slowly eaten away at my desire to live.” He peered into her intelligent loving eyes. “Meeting and loving you has made me realize there is a life outside of the military, and I want to try it, again. With you.” He stopped her from dipping her head and stared into her eyes. “We will be together when this is over. We’ll find a way. I promise.” He sealed his promise with a tender kiss.
Sa-qan melted in his arms. He believed in his words. She must, too. Her heart would only beat if she had Wade in her life. This she realized when her body shattered in waves of unbridled ecstasy and her heart soaked in his essence. They were one and would always be one.
She wound her arms around his neck, pressed her tingling breasts to his chest, and wiggled in his lap, bringing his maleness to life inside her once more.
****
Sa-qan stood beside Wade. The sun had begun to set.
“I’ve been gone too long from my troops. I need to get back or they’re going to come looking for me.” Wade squeezed her hand.
“I have witnessed soldiers coming from the fort beyond the river. They will catch up to the Nimiipuu before Cut Arm. You must get to them and ask them to let the Nimiipuu escape.”
“I can’t ask them to allow the Nez Perce to escape, but I can try and stall them. My horse, however, will never make it.” He patted his horse.
“I will bring you a horse this night. You can go to the soldiers.” She put a hand on his prickly cheek. She had enjoyed the roughness and the softness of him as they became one. She liked many things about Wade. She could not stop the curving of her lips.
His eyes lit with merriment as he placed a hand over hers. “Why are you smiling?”
“I see a man who honors his duties and a man who will hold my heart with gentleness.” She raised onto her toes and kissed his lips. “I will see you soon.” She shifted to smoke, drifted toward the darkening sky, and swirled into an eagle. She must find a rested horse for Wade to ride to catch the soldiers headed toward the Nimiipuu. He had to talk to the soldiers. Between them they had to stop the killing.
Le’éptit wax ná-qt
(21)
Wade rode into camp. Three rabbit carcasses proved the men had more than hardtack in their bellies. He waved Murphy over to him out of earshot from the rest of the men.
“Sergeant, the Indians are moving farther ahead of us every day due to our tired mounts and low rations. I didn’t see any sign of a back guard. I want you and the men to wait here for supplies and Sturgis to catch up. I’m going to go on ahead and see if I can’t figure out their intentions on the direction they’re heading.” Wade chewed on hardtack, swallowed hard, and eyed the pile of rabbit bones.
“Sir, do you think it’s wise for you to continue chasing them Indians?” Murphy ran a hand through his red curls. “Your horse isn’t any stronger than the rest of ours.”
“When I come across a farm, I’ll purchase a new mount.” Hopefully Sa-qan could find him a horse. Did spirits steal? He hoped not, but it would be best if he didn’t ask her how she acquired a mount for him.
The sergeant shook his head. “Every homestead we’ve come across has been wiped out by the Indians.”
“I’ll travel off the Nez Perce’s path and see what I can find.” He didn’t like telling fibs to his own troops. Sa-qan said the other troops approached from a different direction.
“Go to sleep, Sergeant. I’ll leave in the morning.” Wade took the offered coffee a private brought him and sank to his blanket. After three rounds of love making with Sa-qan he was weary but not tired. He closed his eyes, tho
ught about his angel, and drifted off, hatching a plan to catch the troops coming from the north.
****
Sa-qan found a so·yá·po dwelling with cattle and horses. She landed on the fence and watched the horses, deciding which would be the strongest to carry Wade a great distance the fastest. Her legs grew tired as she studied the horses. Wade must have been right about her healing his heart. That would explain why she fought weakness. She had yet to rest since their giving of their bodies to one another.
The dark horse with white socks gave off the aura of spirit and strength. She drifted to smoke and entered the horse. He had a strong heart but also a quest for freedom. This made directing the animal to jump the fence and run away easy.
When the horse tired, she walked to the spot where she and Wade became one and waited. He would arrive shortly after the sun came up. She drifted out of the animal. The bounty of grass would fill his belly while she waited and rested. Weariness wrapped around her like a warm wool blanket.
****
Sunshine warmed her face and the snort of a horse shook her awake. Sa-qan stretched and watched the horse. She had not fallen asleep before as a spirit. Did Wade’s injured heart require that much healing that it drained her txiyak more than physical healing?
The horse raised its head and nickered. She rose, wrapping an arm around the animal’s neck, calming the creature so it did not run.
Wade rode up. The animal under him hung his weary head and walked tenderly. Wade stopped, slipped from the animal, and walked up to her, looping a rope around the spirited horse’s neck.
“This is a fine animal. I’m not going to ask where you acquired it.” Disapproval and wariness dulled the initial welcome in his eyes. He kissed her cheek and placed the rope in her hand.
He knew she took a so·yá·po horse. He kissed her, but he did not approve of her taking the horse even for the good of the Nimiipuu.
“Would it help to know this animal did not wish to pull a wagon?” she asked, watching him take the saddle from his horse.
