A Promised Heart (Book Four of the Dream Catcher Series)

by Rita Hestand

  He smiled, "The pleasure is mine."

  He pulled a feather from her frock and touched her nipples with it. She squirmed and giggled.

  He dipped to take one nipple between his lips. She moaned softly.

  "Is it sinful to indulge in ones bodies so much?" She asked in a whisper.

  He rose up to look into her eyes with a sinfully sweet smile, "Making love is never sinful, if it is truly felt."

  "Careful, you encourage me to lust."

  "When one loves, it is never lust."

  Now his hands went under her to lift her hips to him and he supped upon her womanhood. His nose nudged her legs apart and his mouth found her.

  "Oh Hawk…I never knew love could be so wonderful." She cried as he raised her hips to his loving mouth.

  But before she climaxed, she brought his head up and smiled, "Take me to the highest peaks, for I will always be yours."

  Slowly he entered her, but she was so hot, so ready for him and her muscles began to work with his. They were lost in a world of their love, cementing their promises to each other, and becoming one with each other as this climax seemed to unravel them both. It lasted forever it seemed and the look on her face told him everything he needed to know about his woman.

  "I want your babies," she cried out.

  "Yes…yes my love…I will give you many." He drove inside her so deep she moaned the glory of it.

  They collapsed together, hugging each other and some time later, he reached to pull the blanket over them.

  Nightfall came and they woke several times, each time to renew their lovemaking.

  Near dawn of the next day, they awoke.

  She made them coffee and cooked him a big breakfast for after a night of lovemaking he needed strength.

  She sat back, wrapping a blanket around her now and looked at him. It was such a pleasure looking at Hawk for he was in fine shape. His arms were powerful, his chest broad, and his waist trim and rippled. His buttocks were solid and perfectly formed and his legs were long and muscled. With the work, he did and the way he could run, there was no wonder, his body was so magnificent.

  She enjoyed running her hands through his thick black hair too; it was always clean and shiny.

  His facial features were strong, but lean. And his eyes sparkled with mischief most of the time.

  As he ate, she mused how in love she was with her husband. The very word 'husband' made her heart grow warm. At last, they were truly married and she knew in her heart that God had sanctioned it. She knew he would be the husband she had always craved.

  "What do you stare at woman?" He asked when she grew too quiet.

  "I'm enjoying looking at my husband." He wore nothing but his loincloth.

  He eyed her a moment. "Your mind looks far away?"

  "No, not far at all. I was thinking, as much as I love you, I like you too."

  His confusion made her laugh. "Does that sound funny to you?" She asked.

  "A little…"

  "Well, I've had several lady friends in the past tell me that they loved their husbands, but they didn't like them a lot. I wondered about that at the time. But I can honestly say, I like you too. There are so many things I like about you."

  He smiled, and sipped his coffee; still looking at her huddled in the blanket.

  "Like what?" He encouraged her to share.

  "Like your heart…to marry me you gave our horses away, and promised food for this tribe which does not belong to yours. You have a big heart. I like that."

  He turned his head and smiled shyly.

  "I like you being honest with me all the time. I respect you so much, that when you tell me to do something I automatically know it is for my own good. I trust you, and…the fact that you can love my children like your own…I cannot tell you what that means to me…they never really had a father. And they so needed one. To give them what you give, makes me so happy."

  "Your children are good. They mind. They are respectful, and they know right from wrong. You have taught them these things. I see you in them. How could I not love them?"

  "Your kind and sweet and good! All the things that a woman would naturally love in a man, but there is a question I'd like you to answer."

  "Ask!"

  "Why did you come to the ridge and stay for so long? You could have left any time. You were there a good six months before Harold died."

  He smiled. "I had returned from hunting when I saw you and your family. I saw you with the children; how they played and you watched over them. I heard the screams from your lungs when your husband hurt you. I could not leave after that. At times I feared for your very life. I could not believe that a woman as strong as you would take that from a man. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands. After he died, I could not leave. I had fallen in love with you. I didn't realize it. I only felt it. Each time you came out of the house, I would watch, and each time you would look up at me, sometimes for a long time. It was as though your soul searched and found me. How could I leave you? I knew you were mine then. I knew…"

  "Oh Hawk," she came to hug him.

  He kissed her forehead. "Did you not know you were my woman?"

  She pulled away to stare into his dark eyes. "I knew how I felt, I just wasn't sure because you didn't come to me when Harold died. Although, when you stayed…I was so overjoyed. I was afraid you would leave many times. Sometimes when you were gone for days, I missed you so badly. I feared I'd never see you again."

  "I know." He said softly, staring into her face.

  "You know?"

  "I felt you pulling me back. Needing me."

  "Yes, I did need you. I always will. I'm not as strong as you think. I am a female. And when the Comanche came…I prayed you'd come after me."

  "I was afraid they might kill you."

  "I'm glad they took me." She said with a slight smile.

  "Why?" He frowned at her astounded by her comment.

  "Because how long would it have been before you finally made me yours, if they hadn't taken me?" She asked with a chuckle. "How long would you have stayed on that ridge, just looking and not taking what was yours all along?"

  He pulled her chin up, "You were mine the minute your husband died. Even I knew that."

  "Oh Hawk…we've wasted some time…"

  "No…it was not a waste. In that time, our souls searched us out. We grew to know each other, trust each other, and love each other. When I took you, I didn't want to just save you, but show you how much I loved you all that time."

  She lay down once more, and opened her blanket to him, he snuggled against her. "Is everyone this happy that loves?"

  "I do not know. Love is a strange thing. Like right now…I want you again."

  She smiled sweetly, "You do?"

  "I do!" He smiled back.

  Then he kissed her. A sweet heartfelt kiss melted all over her like chocolate. It spoke of the gentleness of her man, it spoke of how much he cherished her, and it stole her heart completely.

  They spent hours making love. But this was their time for it. This was as it should be. And he was even gentler with her now, showing her every delight. And she in turn pleased him in ways he never imagined.

  The next morning after breakfast, they both needed a bath, so they went to the spring and bathed together. They took such delight in each other, lathering one another and exploring the excitement of their love.

  A gentle rain came and they spent the afternoon inside the blanket. They made love again, and afterwards they took a long nap. When she woke up she was lying on her stomach, and he opened his eyes. He looked at her, all of her, and his hand ran over her backside. He began kissing her all over, and she moaned. His lips followed a path from the center of her back to the back of her neck as he flipped her hair away so he could nibble there.

  She finally rolled over to stare up into his eyes.

  "Why am I so in love with you, Hawk?"

  "I don't know, I'm just glad you are."

  "All my life I was rais
ed to think Indians were mean and bad. And yet, I fell in love with a man who watched over me and my children. And the love is so much stronger than any I've ever experienced. Perhaps I was never in love at all, until you came."

  He rose up for a moment, "I think when you have to fight for that love, when you have to give up everything for that love, it becomes stronger."

  "I would die for you Hawk! You must know that."

  He stared now, his face serious. "I would not allow it."

  "But I would. Gladly. I wanted you to know it. I want you to know how deep my love is for you. I know too, that you probably tire of me telling you such things. But it is important when we have such a barrier between us that both our people do not understand. It is important to express our love often."

  "You are the strongest, most beautiful woman I have ever known."

  "We'll make a good life together Hawk."

  "Yes, we will."

  She felt his manhood strengthen.

  "Come inside me Hawk, and fill me with your love." She cried out.

  And in one stroke he was inside her and kissing her.

  He gently stroked her breasts as he kissed her into a wild submission. His tongue moved inside her mouth as he plunged himself deeper. She pulled him now with her muscles and nearly screamed with the ecstasy of their lovemaking. Climaxing together shattering the stars over them.

  They slept once more, waking in the middle of the night to talk and be together as one.

  "These people have been wonderful to us. Never judging us, and the ceremony and the preparations, as though we belonged with them."

  "I think I will always consider these people a part of us now. They have completed our dream to marry. We owe them so much."

  "I agree." Eve said as she packed up their things to return to the children. They took up their blankets, put on their clothes and went to get the children.

  Hawk told the chief they were going to find a place to live. He talked to him about Salt Creek Flats.

  The chief looked at him seriously now. He shook his head and advised him. "That is Cheyenne and Arapaho country now, reservation land. But I have something for you to consider. There is land not far from here, ten miles to the east, with creeks and good land. It is Shoshone land; you may live there, as long as there is peace within you. I give it to you…"

  "I couldn't accept a gift like that?" Hawk shook his head.

  "It would mean peace for you and your family. And it is important to start bridging the gap from the whites to the Indians. It is important to live in peace my son. So go in peace now."

  "But why? Why give it to us?"

  Black Eagle looked at him with wisdom. "Because you will have a hard enough time living in two worlds. Yet your love is as strong as any I have seen. My people, we are happy here. As long as the white-eyes will let us, we will be here. If we must go to reservations, we will go, but we will stay as long as we can. I will send Bended Knee with you to show you the way. The land is fertile, it will yield, and you will not be far from us. We will share in the fruits of your labor and if we go to the reservation, you can bring us food."

  "I would do that too…" Hawk agreed.

  "You will be blood brother to the Shoshone then?"

  "Yes…"

  "We will have a ceremony and you will become blood brother with us. But promise to share peace with others as much as you can…"

  "I promise you."

  "Good. We will have the ceremony now and you will go to the land…"

  "Many thanks to you and your people for all you have done for us."

  Black Eagle nodded.

  Hawk told Eve and the kids what had happened and they were so happy.

  Soon the chief appeared and as the tribe stood and watched, Black Eagle cut his wrist and cut Hawks and they joined. "Now and forever, we are blood brothers."

  "Now and forever, we are blood brothers." Hawk repeated.

  "Go now…."

  Bended Knee a husky Indian with a round race joined them and led them on the journey.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The journey was very hot.

  They stopped many times to cool Jane Ann down and wipe Matthew's forehead.

  The first night they camped out and found a creek nearby.

  Hawk, Matthew, Bended Knee managed to kill a couple of sage hens so they had meat. Eve cooked potatoes and made gravy.

  That night they all camped together closely, the kids glad to be back with them.

  They lay talking about all the good times they shared in the Shoshone camp. Bended Knee rested on the other side of the fire, quietly. He wasn't much of a talker but he seemed to enjoy the children and he played a flute for them.

  "Would you make me one?" Matthew asked him.

  Bended Knee agreed to.

  But he told him he would need a special kind of wood and if they found it, he would make it for him.

  As Bended Knee played the flute, they all lay looking at the stars.

  "Look at all those stars." Matthew smiled and reached his hand toward them. "They look so close."

  "Some say that the earth, moon and stars are all part of the human souls that have lived before us." Hawk told them. "That they watch out for us, from there."

  "So…grandpa and grandma could be up there?" Matthew asked.

  "They could." Hawk smiled. "You know they are smiling down on you right now and guiding your pathway."

  "Really?" Matthew seemed intrigued. "Is that where heaven is?"

  Hawk glanced at him, "I do not know. I do not think any of us know where heaven is. But every now and then we get a glimpse of it here on earth."

  "Maybe they get a ride on a star, so they can see us."

  "Whatever you believe, you carry in your heart."

  Matthew rose up and looked at his parents now. "I liked that village. They were nice. I got a lot of friends there."

  "Shoshone have lived with the whites a while now. They have taken up the white man's ways too, but they still have Indian customs. We will visit with them many times."

  "I'd like that." Mathew told him.

  "What will we do when we get to our new home?" Matthew asked.

  "We will build a home, grow food in the land, and maybe have some cattle. We will live free and good and at peace."

  "Will there be Indians there?"

  "There are some yes…"

  "Are they friendly?"

  "Some are I am sure. There are a lot of Indians in this Territory." He informed them. "We must somehow learn to get along with them so we may live in peace."

  Eve glanced over Jane Ann she had curled up against Hawk and gone straight to sleep. He leaned to kiss her chubby cheeks.

  "You did not want to go to your folks? Did you?"

  "No. Not after talking with Jinx, I realized how futile it would be. It would not be wise to go. My folks would not accept me, nor you and the children. I will not go where I am not welcomed. They are just learning to accept reservation life; they had not learned to accept me yet. Maybe never."

  "I am sorry for that. I am sorry for you…"

  "It is not your fault. I have accepted things for what they are. We cannot change all people. We will live our lives and be happy no matter. Our family is small right now. But someday it will be many."

  Bended Knee told them they were almost there the next day.

  The next day brought a scorcher and the children tired easily. Eve kept up easily but she mopped the children's heads and faces several times to cool them down.

  "This is it," Bended Knee finally said as they approached a hilltop and stared down at the land. The new land was fertile and good. Hawk was pleased. He looked at Bended Knee and shook his hand. "It is good my friend."

  "I will stay and help you build a new home, plant the first crop…"

  "Good, I could sure use the help." Hawk agreed.

  "Why didn't the tribe use this land though?" Hawk asked, his curiosity getting the best of him."

  Bended Knee stared at hi
m and a cloud of a frown entered his facial expression. "You have neighbors on each side, but to the west is a hostile neighbor, Comanche. To the north are Cheyenne and Arapaho. Neither is friendly. It will be hard to survive. Black Eagle believes that if you can survive the first two winters here, you will make a fine home. If his tribe came here though, it could cause war between the Indian nations. He does not want war. However, you will probably do battle with them sooner or later. I volunteered to come with you because I knew the dangers and I want to see you survive. You have a family and your love is strong, something I have yearned for a long time. The raiders killed my wife seven years ago. Like you, I want peace and to live."

  "Then maybe you'd consider making your home here with us. We could build you a house too. Surely we can survive." Hawk sounded confident.

  Bended Knee nodded…"I will consider this. But there is one foe that we all share and that makes three."

  "Who are you talking about?" Hawk smiled. "Mackenzie for one, the white man!"

  "Has he been this far east?"

  "Not yet, but we do not know how far he will go. We never thought he would come across the Red. But he did. I only use his name to speak of the hatred of the whites, and you have married one of theirs. They will hate you for this. All whites will."

  "I realize that."

  "Does she?"

  "Yes…We've accepted we will face many who do not approve of us. But the love we share is stronger than our foe, that much I am sure."

  "Then you will endure my friend."

  "I hope so…" Hawk stared out over the land. "I truly hope so."

  The first day in the new land, Hawk and Bended Knee made two tipi's, one large one for his family and a smaller one for Bended Knee. The children helped as much as they could.

  After hunting for game, they came back with two wild turkeys and cooked them over an open spit.

  The land was rich black soil that would grow good crops, Hawk knew this, and when Bended Knee saw how fertile the land was, he was encouraged.

  The kids ran about the land, enjoying the freedom.

  At supper, though Eve had news.

  "We're bringing something else to our new land."

  "Oh, what's that?" Hawked eyed her with a smile.