She lay back again, finally falling into a light sleep. She was not sure how long she had lain there before someone jerked her from her mat and slapped her hard before she realized what was happening. The blow sent her sprawling, and she let out a startled scream.
“It is time to take my brother’s woman,” Wild Horse shouted loudly in the Comanche tongue, deliberately raising his voice so that Wade would hear him.
Jennifer had no idea what he had said. She watched Wild Horse in shocked wonder, unsure of his intentions, surprised he had awakened at this late hour just to abuse her. Had he ever really been asleep? Had he caught her watching him and somehow been angered by it?
She gave another frightened startled scream when Wild Horse yanked her to her feet again and began tearing away her clothes. The woman with whom he lived sat back smiling, and her son just stared as though watching a sideshow.
“Stop it! Stop it,” Jennifer could not help yelling as the man ripped open the bodice of her dress and tore at the skirt. He hit her again, and she heard Wade yelling her name as she again fell down. She felt Wild Horse grab at her bloomers, and in an instant they were ripped off. She grabbed frantically at what was left of the skirt of her dress and pulled it over her knees, curling away from him. “Stay away from me,” she screamed.
She heard Wade call for her again, and Wild Horse grinned. He reached down and dragged a kicking, screaming Jennifer to his mat, pinning her there, letting her scream at him and fight him until she went limp from an exhaustion that came easily because of her weakened condition. Her sobs met Wade’s ears, and the whole village could hear him growling and shouting obscenities at Wild Horse.
Suddenly Wild Horse released his painful grip on Jennifer’s wrists. She looked up at his grinning face as he slowly moved off her. He nodded to her and backed away, sitting down beside a small fire inside the tipi. He kept watching her, still smiling, while Wade continued to call for her. She realized then that what had just happened had all been done to rile Wade. If he was to think Wild Horse had raped her, he had to hear her screams.
She watched Wild Horse in surprise and wonder, putting her hand to the sting at her face and realizing that Wild Horse had not hit her nearly as hard as he could have. She jumped then when Wild Horse suddenly let out a war whoop and growled like a man who had just enjoyed something delightful. Jennifer hung her head when she heard Wade’s agonizing cries. Wild Horse had not touched her, but come morning, Wade would be thoroughly convinced otherwise.
Time moved even slower then. Jennifer turned and crawled back to her own bedroll, aching to go to Wade, to tell him she was all right. But she knew that was the worst thing she could do now. She knew instinctively that Wild Horse would not bother her the rest of the night, and she finally managed to get a few hours sleep before she was awakened by the first hint of light from a rising sun.
Aguila came into the tipi, and Jennifer struggled to keep the front of her torn dress from falling away from her breasts. Aguila took a look at her, then moved his eyes to Wild Horse, who still sat by the fire and had apparently not gone back to sleep. The two men exchanged words, and Aguila gave Jennifer a look of approval.
Jennifer could hear the general commotion then of an awakening camp. Wild Horse drank some water, then said something to Gentle Winds. The woman retrieved a small tin and set it in front of him, and he began painting his face black. When finished, he tied his long, black hair into a tail at the back of his neck, then rose and stripped to only his loincloth. He picked up Jennifer’s bloomers then and came over to her, grasping her arm, holding her eyes as she slowly rose. The time had come.
Jennifer’s heart pounded as she allowed Wild Horse to drag her outside. She decided that if Wade was to be thoroughly convinced she had been abused, she would feign a struggle yet this morning. Wild Horse shouted orders to two other men, and they went inside Wade’s tipi. Others began to gather then, some laughing, some letting out war whoops, eager for the fight that would finally take place.
Wade was brought out of the tipi. He still wore only his knee-length long johns. It took four men to hold him back as Wild Horse dragged Jennifer closer to Wade, then held out her bloomers. Jennifer hung her head as though in shame.
“Your woman now belongs to Wild Horse,” the man told Wade. He threw her bloomers into a camp fire. “She will not need them.”
If ever a man could make the sounds of a wild animal in the heat of battle, it was Wade Morrow at that moment. Wild Horse grinned as Wade struggled to get away from those who held him. Aguila came up and took Jennifer away, and she felt sick to her stomach at the thought of what was to come. In minutes Wade could be dead, and she would not even be allowed one last kiss or touch.
She followed Aguila to an open area where the fight was apparently supposed to take place. Men continued to hold Wade while Wild Horse picked up two small hatchets. He handed one out to Wade.
“Now, my brother, you are strong enough and angry enough to fight me fairly. You have no feelings left for me, because I have enjoyed your woman.”
Wade moved his eyes to Jennifer. She raised her own to meet his, seeing the pain there. “I’ll never be able to forget, as long as he’s alive,” she told Wade, hoping the words would put even more hatred into his heart.
Wade looked back at Wild Horse, and for the first time Wild Horse wondered if he had gone too far. The others let go of Wade, and Wade promptly grasped the hatchet Wild Horse offered him.
“I hope you feel this is a good day to die, my brother,” he told Wild Horse, “because after this morning, you will no longer walk this earth!”
Wild Horse crouched for battle, and Wade did the same, the two men circling, getting a good grip on their hatchets, challenging each other at first only with their eyes. Jennifer could not imagine how Wade could be in any condition to fight, with numerous cuts and bruises still showing on his body, his wrists raw and bleeding from tugging at his ties. She saw something in him now that had not been there before, an innate viciousness, a keen instinct for survival, and a deep desire to kill.
Wade ducked back when Wild Horse took the first swing, more of a teasing gesture. He grinned, waving the hatchet while beckoning Wade with his other hand to come closer. Wade seemed to be gauging his brother, as he continued to circle, his hair long and loose, looking as much the warrior as any man there.
Jennifer put a hand to her stomach, watching in terror while she held the bodice of her dress over herself with her other hand. She wished there were something more she could do; to make Wade think the worst of his brother would have to remain her only contribution to his winning this battle.
Wade suddenly darted forward, managing to lightly slice his hatchet across Wild Horse’s belly just before the man could dart away quickly enough. The unexpectedly aggressive and surprisingly quick move caused Wild Horse to lose his grin. Now his teeth gritted with determination, his eyes smouldering, while blood made its way in several streams down the front of him.
Jennifer felt ill at the sight, shuddering at the thought of Wade being sliced to ribbons. The warriors surrounding the sight were becoming more and more frenzied now, all of them rooting for Wild Horse, Jennifer was certain. Wild Horse, spurred by the urgings of the others, began swinging viciously at Wade, several quick, relentless lashes that kept Wade backing up. Jennifer was forced to move with the crowd as they broke apart to let the two men through. She watched in dread and terror, expecting Wild Horse’s hatchet to open up Wade’s skin at any moment.
Wild Horse swung again. As soon as his arm came around, Wade suddenly charged into him, pinning his arm against his chest and knocking the man to the ground. He raised his hatchet, but Wild Horse managed to push Wade off with the arm Wade had pinned against him. When he did so, his hatchet came across Wade’s shoulder. Jennifer gasped as blood immediately began pouring from the gash.
Wade stumbled backward but managed to get to his feet at the same time as Wild Horse. Both men circled again, both now covered with not only t
heir own, but each other’s blood; both looking as wild and ferocious as a grizzly might look after feasting on a deer. This time it was Wade who made a gesture with his left hand, grinning, telling Wild Horse to come closer.
Jennifer prayed that if Wade was going to win, the fight would be over soon, before he bled to death. There would be no winners if he managed to kill Wild Horse and ended up dying himself. Wild Horse jumped closer and swung again, but Wade caught his wrist, his own hatchet raised. Wild Horse quickly grabbed Wade’s hatchet arm, and the two men pushed against each other, each trying to bring down his hatchet.
The viewing warriors were frenzied now, hardly noticing Jennifer. They spread out to give the fighters more room as the conflict suddenly turned into a test of strength, each man pushing at the other. Wild Horse finally managed to swing out a foot and catch it behind Wade’s knee, bringing him down. Jennifer whimpered Wade’s name as Wild Horse landed on top of him, both men still pushing at each other’s arms.
Wade arched up, suddenly rolling Wild Horse over onto his back. Now it was Wade who was on top. He had managed to flatten Wild Horse’s right arm to the ground, and he dug his thumb into the man’s wrist in such a way that it hit a nerve that made Wild Horse unwillingly open his hand. Wade leaped off the man, grasping up the hatchet before Wild Horse could get it back. Wild Horse jumped to his feet, his eyes wide with astonishment.
Now it was Wade who was grinning. He kept his eyes on Wild Horse while he crouched to toss the man’s hatchet aside. It slithered through the dirt, and one of the other warriors picked it up. Wade knew the man would not give it back to Wild Horse. It would not be honorable. Wild Horse had lost his weapon to his opponent.
Wild Horse scowled, his eyes slithers of hatred. He pulled out his hunting knife then, getting a good grip on it. The two men circled again, Wild Horse jabbing out with his knife threateningly, but unable to get close enough to do any damage because Wade still wielded a hatchet. Wade swung his weapon several times, and this time it was Wild Horse who kept jumping back.
Finally, after Wade swung from left to right, Wild Horse slammed into him, and again both men fell to the ground. Wade managed to get a grip on Wild Horse’s knife arm before the man could shove the big blade into his side. Only the tip of it entered Wade’s flesh. Jennifer watched in terror, knowing that the moment Wade lost his grip, the blade would sink deep, for Wild Horse would use every ounce of strength he had to ram it hard.
Again the conflict turned into more of a wrestling match, as both men pushed against each other, Wild Horse on top of Wade. With a sudden burst of strength, as though he knew it was now or never, life or death, Wade managed to arch violently, pushing Wild Horse’s knife arm even farther away and rearing up so that they rolled over. Wade quickly scooted forward on Wild Horse’s body, bringing up a knee and pressing it against his chest with all the strength he could muster, while each man still held the other’s weapons arms.
Wade pushed hard with his knee so that he could see Wild Horse was unable to breathe. He jammed the knee harder, and Jennifer felt ill at the sound of a crack. She knew it was either a rib or the man’s breast bone. Wild Horse’s eyes got bigger as he struggled to breathe. It finally became too difficult to hang onto his knife. His hand went limp, and Wade yanked the knife from his hand and leaped to his feet.
Wild Horse rolled over, panting for breath, holding his chest while Wade stood back waiting for him to get up again. Now Wild Horse was weaponless. As Wild Horse struggled to regain his breath and get to his feet, Wade realized that technically he had already won the battle. He would have kept his personal vow not to kill his own brother, if not for what he thought the man had done to Jennifer; and he knew that this would be no satisfactory end for Wild Horse. In spite of what the man had done to both him and Jennifer, Wade understood the reasoning behind it, and he respected his brother’s Comanche pride, for he felt it himself now. Wild Horse would rather die than live on in shame.
Wild Horse got to his feet then, taking deep breaths, glaring at Wade. Both men were covered with blood and dirt, and at the moment Jennifer’s heart ached for both of them, two men who should have been able to share the bond of brotherhood; one man who did not want to kill his brother, the other deliberately making his brother believe a lie so that he would hate enough to kill. Wild Horse began to speak, and Jennifer could only guess what he might be saying. A look of resignation showed in his eyes.
“So, my brother,” he was saying to Wade, the word panted. “You have taken both my weapons. I…misjudged your skill and strength. A woman…can give a man much power…fill a man with much hatred and vengeance. Now you understand…my own vengeance for what happened to my wives…my sons. Now you understand…the Comanche heart!”
Wade hesitated, and Jennifer could see by his eyes that he was touched by whatever Wild Horse had said. She had not missed the note of near affection in Wild Horse’s tone of voice.
Wade was himself confused and surprised by his brother’s sudden look of compassion. “Why?” he asked. “Why did you have to hurt Jennifer?”
Wild Horse’s eyes narrowed. “Because one of us must die! That is the one thing…you must understand above all others. If you do not end this fight…I will keep you and your woman here…and she will continue to share my bed. Perhaps the next time…I will let you watch!” A proud sneer returned to the man’s face.
The words brought Wade back to reality, brought back the hatred that had made him gladly battle his brother. He tossed aside the hatchet. There was now only the knife between them.
“So, my brother,” Wild Horse said, his grin returning, “you are at least an honorable man. You give me…a better chance.”
“You have no chance, my brother!” Wade sneered. He moved the knife to his right hand and lunged at Wild Horse, slamming his left arm against the man’s already-cracked breast bone, while he tried to shove the knife into Wild Horse’s groin; but with a strength surprising for his condition, Wild Horse managed to again grab Wade’s right arm. It all happened then in a matter of seconds. Because of the way Wade charged into him, Wild Horse was already stumbling backward. At the same time he shoved Wade’s arm to the right. Gravity forbade either man to stay on his feet. As they went down, Wild Horse lost his grip on Wade’s arm, which Wade curled around the man in an automatic reaction to break their fall.
They landed with a thud and a grunt from Wild Horse, whose eyes suddenly widened. His face quickly paled, and it took a moment for Wade to realize the man had fallen onto his own knife, still in Wade’s hand. The point of its wicked, eight-inch blade could be seen protruding from Wild Horse’s stomach, while Wade’s right hand was pinned under the man’s back.
The circle of cheering warriors quieted. They moved back, and Jennifer stared as both men stayed on the ground, seeming suddenly frozen in time. At first she wasn’t even sure just what had happened.
Wild Horse just stared at Wade, managing to reach up then and touch Wade’s face with his right hand. “So…my brother,” he said in a whisper. “It is…done. You should…know…I did not touch…your woman, I only wanted you…to think it. She knew…it had to be so…for your sake. But I…did not think…it would help you this much. It is…good. The spirits…smile upon us both now. I go…to my death…a happy man.”
He grasped at Wade’s hair, a soft grin on his face that finally faded into death. His hand dropped, and Wade stayed bent over him for a moment, then rolled the man slightly to his side and yanked out the knife. His eyes teared, and he closed them, bending his head to touch his cheek to Wild Horse’s.
“Damn you,” he whispered. “It didn’t…have to be, my brother,” he choked out. “It…didn’t have to be. Why couldn’t I make you understand that?”
He raised up slightly, touching the man’s face and closing his eyelids. He threw back his head and let out a long, piercing cry like a wounded animal, and the others watched in shock and sorrow. Wild Horse was dead. Wade wept over the body for several minutes, and Jennifer could
not help her own tears, her heart aching for him. He finally rose, staring down at the bloody knife still in his hand. He turned to Aguila, whose own face was wet with tears. Wade stumbled over to the man, holding out the knife.
“You take it,” he told the man in English. “He was like a son to you. I am not, and I cannot take the man’s place. These people belong to you now. They have lost their leader. It is your decision what they must do.”
Aguila slowly took the knife, his jaws flexing with a need to weep openly. He nodded and turned sadly away. Wade turned and slowly walked toward Jennifer, holding his chin proudly, keeping his eyes steadily on her own he came closer. “He told me…he never touched you,” he said, his voice gruff.
She dropped her eyes, her throat aching. “I didn’t want you to die,” she answered, wondering if he was angry with her. She felt his hand at her face then, and he drew her closer, wrapping her in his arms, neither of them caring that he was covered with blood.
“It’s all right,” he told her. “It had to be. I understand that now.” He hugged her closer. “I feel strangely at peace now, Jenny. I know I belong to a fierce, proud people. I know part of me belongs here, and I understand the wildness I sometimes feel inside me.”
She put a hand to his chest. “Let me tend to your wounds, Wade, before you bleed to death.”
He kept his arms around her shoulders, turning to look back once more at Wild Horse’s body, his wounds and suffering of the last few days leaving him in a kind of weary stupor. “I look at him…and it’s like seeing myself lying there…as though I killed myself, Jenny. In a way…maybe I did. I killed…the Comanche in me. I just…want to go home now…and take you with me…if you’ll come.”
She took his hand and kissed it. “You know that I’ll come. We made it through this horror, Wade. Now we can face anything together. Nothing can stop us from loving each other and being together.”
Comanche Sunset Page 42
