Half-Breed's Lady

by Bobbi Smith

  "My first lesson. I want to learn everything there is to know about shooting a six-gun."

  "You're sure about this?"

  "I'm positive."

  Hunt drew his gun, and they went to sit at their campsite. He showed her how to load it and the proper way to hold it.

  "Just remember, this is a dangerous, deadly weapon."

  "That's exactly why I want to know how to use it."

  "Let's see how good you are, then."

  He took her a distance away from the horses and pointed out a small rock some distance away.

  "Take your time, aim carefully and see if you can hit that rock."

  Glynna did everything Hunt had told her to do, including squeezing the trigger slowly, but the gun jerked violently in her hand, and her shot missed badly.

  "This isn't as easy as it looks."

  "There's nothing easy about it."

  "It's heavy, too. No wonder Aunt Mimi carries only a derringer."

  "Do you want to try again?"

  "Yes." She was determined.

  It took almost half an hour before she finally came close to hitting her target. It was starting to get dark when they stopped for the night. They ate a small meal from the supplies Painted Horse had given them, and then Glynna bedded down for the night.

  "I'm going to take a look around," Hunt told her. "Stay here. I'll be back."

  He took his rifle with him and went to scout the area. He wanted to make sure there was no sign of Crouching Wolf and that all was going to be quiet for the night.

  Glynna lay quietly, waiting for his return, staring up at the star-studded sky. It was a beautiful night. If she hadn't been haunted by her concern for Aunt Mimi, she realized this could be considered her honey moon. She smiled at the thought. In all her wildest fantasies about being married, she'd never considered spending her honeymoon sleeping out under the stars. She'd always fancied herself going to Europe on a grand tour, staying at the finest hotels. This was as far as she could get from that fantasy, yet she had no regrets whatsoever. She loved Hunt.

  Glynna saw Hunt returning then, and knew that one night here with him under the stars was worth a lifetime of luxury. She smiled at him.

  "You took long enough," she said as he stretched out beside her.

  "I just wanted to make sure it was quiet out there."

  "And it was?"

  He nodded as he took her in his arms. "There's not a soul around. It's just the two of us."

  "I like the sound of that." She kissed him invitingly.

  They made love with quiet joy, treasuring each kiss and touch. When their passions were spent, they rested together.

  "This Comanche marriage was a good idea," Glynna murmured just before she drifted off, at peace in his embrace.

  Her words stabbed at Hunt's heart as he held her. Even after their talk today about his past, she still did not understand the ugly truth they would be dealing with once they returned he was a halfbreed and she was a white woman. Their love could never be.

  Hunt looked down at her as she slept so trustingly against him. He did love her-more than life itself, and for that very reason, he would not condemn her to a hate-filled existence. He was going to have to let her go, and he was going to have to do it soon. He closed his eyes against the thought. He sought sleep, but it proved elusive.

  Glynna awoke at dawn to find Hunt gone from her side. She sat up quickly, worried that something had happened during the night. As she got up, she heard the sound of water splashing and made her way down to the stream to find Hunt bathing. He looked up at her, surprised to find that she'd awakened so soon. She had been sleeping soundly when he'd left her.

  "I thought I'd take advantage of the stream while I could."

  Glynna just smiled at him, enjoying the view. The water was deep enough to swirl about his waist, but the power of his chest and shoulders was bared to her, and he was sleekly dripping with water.

  "Would you like some company?" she asked, starting immediately to undress.

  Hunt grinned. He remembered how hard it had been for him to keep his back turned when she'd bathed at the renegade village, and the thought of actually bathing with her excited him.

  "I'd love some company." He waited there for her to join him, wanting to enjoy watching her come to him.

  When she'd shed her clothes, Glynna stood before him looking much like a goddess in the golden glow of the dawn's first light. She was lovely, and by the time she'd entered the stream and made her way to him, he was ready for her.

  He waited therefor her to join him.

  "Do you want to bathe first?"

  "First?" she asked innocently. "I thought that was all we were going to do."

  Hunt gave a throaty chuckle as he lifted Glynna and brought her against him, fitting her legs around his hips. Glynna gave him a sensual smile as she pressed herself tightly to him. She linked her arms about his neck and kissed him.

  "I've always enjoyed taking a bath, but I think I may like bathing even more after today," she said.

  Hunt gave a low growl of hunger as he returned her kiss. Without altering his stance, he filled her with the proof of his desire, and she gave a purr of delight at the intimacy. All thoughts of bathing were lost as they surrendered to the love that overwhelmed them.

  When at last the storm of their excitement had passed, they did bathe. It was well past sunup when they left the water to prepare for the new day. They ate a small breakfast and were soon on their way.

  As Hunt rode out, he wished there was some way to stay there in the wilderness with Glynna forever.

  Crouching Wolf sat at his campfire, deep in thought. The knife wounds Lone Hunter had inflicted on him were painful, but not as painful as the humiliation he'd suffered. He was well enough to seek his revenge, and he planned to do just that.

  "They left the village yesterday?" he asked Tall Grass.

  "Early. They are heading back toward the place where we took her."

  Crouching Wolf nodded. "We will find them today."

  His eyes were ablaze with fury and hatred as he looked over at his friend, and Tall Grass knew that he would have no peace until he'd found them.

  "Does anyone know where you went?" Crouching Wolf asked him.

  "I told no one that I was coming after you."

  "Good. We will raid together."

  The two renegades were deadly and determined as they sought Hunt and Glynna's trail.

  "Something's been troubling me, and I was wondering..." Glynna said thoughtfully as they continued on their trip home much later that afternoon.

  "Wondering about what?"

  "What my name really is." At his confused frown, she went on, smiling, lighthearted, "Well, am I going to be Mrs. Hunt McAllister when we get back or Mrs. Lone Hunter?"

  Hunt's grip on his reins tightened and his expression darkened. He didn't want to talk about this. He didn't even want to think about it for another day, yet she was looking at him expectantly, waiting for his answer. He struggled to find the strength to say what needed to be said. There could be no delaying. It had to be now.

  Glynna saw the change in him-the way he tensed as he rode, how his expression turned stony, losing all warmth and emotion, and she wondered why.

  "What's wrong?" she asked, reining in.

  Hunt stopped beside her to face her. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you about this `marriage.'

  "What?" She was completely at a loss.

  It was time. Hunt could avoid this moment no longer. He glanced over at Glynna, the look in his eyes devoid of emotion.

  "The only reason I married you was to save you from the renegades."

  "I don't understand."

  "Painted Horse would give you to me only if I took you as my bride. It was the only way to free you, so I gave him Warrior as the bride-price, and he gave you to me. Now that we're away from the village, you no longer have to consider yourself my wife, and, in fact, once we're back at the ranch, it would be best if you didn'
t tell anyone at all about what happened."

  "But we're married!" Glynna was shocked.

  "Aren't you promised to someone back in New York?"

  She paled at the mention of Edmund. "Didn't what we've shared mean anything to you?"

  "What happened between us was not important. What's important is that you're free and you're safe."

  "Why have you changed this way?"

  "I haven't changed. I did what I had to do to get you out of danger."

  "Oh, so making love to me was getting me out of danger? Making love to me was `doing what you had to do'? I didn't realize I was such a chore!"

  "I'm sorry. Things shouldn't have gone as far as they did between us, but I can't change that now. You said yourself that Crouching Wolf and Painted Horse had had words over you. To save you, I had to do it the Comanche way. I had to pay the brideprice."

  "And I know all about your bride-price!" she countered, anger, hurt and embarrassment stinging her. She'd thought he loved her, but now as she thought back over their days and nights together, she realized he'd never told her that he did.

  "Glynna-"

  "Oh, no," she said, fuming. "I promise you, Hunt McAllister, that as soon as we get back to civilization, I will get you another damned horse to replace Warrior! I wouldn't want you to feel that you'd paid too high a price for my freedom, and I'll also see to it that my father pays you a reward! I wouldn't want you to think that your precious time had been wasted coming after me. I know how much work you have to do at the ranch."

  Glynna felt sick. She wanted to get away from Hunt. She needed to get away from him. She had thought that they'd shared something special, but she'd been wrong so wrong.

  Glynna was wheeling her horse around, ready to ride off and leave Hunt behind, when shots rang out around them.

  Hunt had time to glance back only once and see Crouching Wolf taking aim at them again. He immediately urged his horse toward Glynna and quickly swept her from her mount, protecting her with his body, just as shots exploded around them.

  Hunt silently cursed his own stupidity for having let his guard down as he dove for cover behind some nearby rocks, still holding her in his grasp. He should have been watching. He should have anticipated that Crouching Wolf would try to cause trouble for them.

  "Stay down! It's Crouching Wolf!" Hunt ordered as he shoved her behind him.

  "Give me a gun! Ill help you!" Glynna told him. She wasn't sure she could hit much, but she could try.

  "All I've got is my sidearm. I didn't have time to get my rifle."

  "Can we get back to the horses?"

  "No. They ran off." Hunt shifted his position a bit to see if he could get a good shot at Crouching Wolf.

  Crouching Wolf and Tall Grass were watching, and both fired at him the moment he showed himself.

  Hunt quickly ducked back down, swearing viciously as he realized his enemy wasn't alone. He would save the few bullets he had until he was certain he could hit them.

  "There's someone else with him?" Glynna asked.

  "Yeah. It looks like there's two of them."

  He fell silent for a moment trying to figure out a way to escape, but without their horses, they were pinned down with only one gun. Things didn't look good.

  Hunt's mood was fierce and his mind was racing as he tried to anticipate their attackers' next moves. There was little time. Another barrage came at them, and he returned two shots selectively, but with no luck. He didn't hit either man, and the firing continued.

  "What are we going to do?" Glynna asked, knowing the seriousness of their situation.

  "The only thing we can do wait it out and hope Crouching Wolf tries something stupid." Even as Hunt spoke, though, he doubted it would happen. He was outnumbered and outgunned. Somehow, he had to keep Glynna safe. He could not let Crouching Wolf have her. There had to be something he could do. The only other weapon he had was his knife, but it was better than leaving her unprotected. "Here." He handed her his knife. "Take this. Use it if you have to.

  The look she gave him spoke volumes, but he had no time to say any more. Crouching Wolf and Tall Grass attacked then, riding at them full speed, their guns blazing. Hunt fired, trying to drive them back. One bullet found its mark. Tall Grass was killed as he charged them. But just as Crouching Wolf came at him, Hunt's ammunition ran out.

  Hunt stood before Glynna and faced his enemy without fear. Crouching Wolf was sitting on his horse, smiling a feral smile, his rifle trained on Hunt's chest.

  "Lone Hunter, it would seem that you could not defeat me, after all," he said with a sneer.

  "I defeated you, Crouching Wolf, and I did not need to come at you from ambush to do it."

  The renegade's smile didn't waver. "It does not matter how one wins a battle. It matters only that the battle is won." He looked over at Glynna. "As it was meant to be from the beginning, you will now be mine. It is time."

  "No, Crouching Wolf!" came a shout from the distance.

  Crouching Wolf panicked when he turned to see Painted Horse and a band of his warriors surrounding them.

  "Painted Horse!"

  "That's right! I did not trust you, and I was right. Your time of lies and deceit are over."

  "No!"

  Crouching Wolf turned back, ready to fire at Hunt, but Painted Horse fired first. The evil warrior pitched forward, thrown from his horse by the force of the shot, and lay dead on the rocky ground.

  Glynna cried out, and Hunt quickly took her in his arms and held her close.

  Painted Horse rode in on Warrior, his men following. They were leading Hunt's and Glynna's horses.

  "You are unhurt, Lone Hunter?" Painted Horse asked.

  "We are fine, but only because of you. You saved us, my cousin. I thank you."

  "I did not trust Crouching Wolf, and I was right. You will make the rest of your trip home safely now. No other will bother you. Here are your horses."

  Glynna looked up at Painted Horse. He had frightened her for days, yet he had just saved their lives. Painted Horse was nothing like Crouching Wolf and Tall Grass. She knew she owed him a debt of gratitude. She left Hunt's arms and stepped away, looking up at the Comanche leader. "Thank you, Painted Horse."

  He looked down at her and nodded. "It is good that Vision Woman is safe."

  "Very good," Hunt agreed, knowing that without his cousin's help, he would have been dead.

  Painted Horse directed his men to take the bodies of the two men with them, and then they rode off, disappearing as they'd come, leaving Hunt and Glynna alone.

  Glynna couldn't believe that it had all happened so fast. She and Hunt had been arguing, and then suddenly they'd been fighting for their very lives. Now it was over as quickly as it had begun, and she was at a loss. Hunt had saved her again, but she knew now it wasn't because he loved and cared about her. It was only because he wanted to get her back home.

  Hunt holstered his gun and turned to Glynna, wanting to make sure she hadn't been injured in some way. "Are you all right?"

  "I'm fine," she answered, her tone cold. "What about you?"

  The iciness of her voice let him know that their words before the attack had not been forgotten. "I'm fine, too. Glynna-" He wanted to say more, to try to ease the harshness of his earlier explanation, but she gave him no chance.

  Glynna went on, not waiting for him to say any more, "We were very lucky Painted Horse showed up when he did. Now we can concentrate on getting back the ranch. That's all I care about right now. I want to make sure Aunt Mimi is alive and well, and then I want to go home."

  Hunt didn't say any more, but brought her horse to her. She handed him his knife back and did not wait for any help from him. In fact, she didn't want any. She had had enough of his help. She mounted quickly. The closer she got to the Rocking M that day, the better.

  Swinging up into his saddle, Hunt followed after her. She set a quick pace, and he knew it was going to be a long, hard ride for the rest of the day.

  Hunt glanced back in
the direction Painted Horse had ridden and despair filled him. His cousin was a good man with a good heart, but Hunt knew he would never find peace again in this world. Things had changed too much. The life he'd led had been destroyed, and there would be no future for him, if he could not accept that. He hoped Painted Horse would find a way to change, so he could live. He did not want to think about what would happen to him if he continued to raid.

  Night came too soon for Glynna. The last thing she wanted to do was think about bedding down that night. If she could have had her way, she would have kept riding nonstop until they'd reached the ranch. When Hunt announced to her that they had reached the place where they would camp for the night, she reluctantly stopped. He tended to the horses, while she set about spreading out her own blankets and getting ready for the long hours to come.

  Memories of the last several nights taunted her. She thought of how they had made love before the campfire and how they had come together so gloriously in the stream. She had believed Hunt loved her then, and she had given herself to him freely and without reservation. She had been wrong, though, very wrong.

  Hunt didn't love her. He never had, and he never would.

  They ate in relative silence, and as soon as she could, she turned in for the night. Lying huddled and alone under her blanket, Glynna sought sleep. Only in sleep would she find the quietude she so desperately needed.

  But sleep did not come easily for Glynna as memories of the day's happenings played relentlessly in her mind. Turbulent thoughts of Hunt's cruel revelation and Crouching Wolf's surprise ambush would not be dismissed. Finally, late that night, she did drift off, but it was a troubled sleep that offered little solace or rest.

  Hunt lay across the campfire from Glynna, his mood as dark as the moonless night. He had done it. He had convinced Glynna that their marriage was nonexistent and that what had happened between them had been a mistake, that he didn't love her. It hadn't been easy for him, but he was glad it was over.

  Even as he told himself that he was glad that it was finished between them, though, Hunt knew it would never be over for him. When the attack came, he had been so desperately afraid that some harm would come to Glynna. He hadn't even thought about his own mortality; he had cared only about what was going to happen to her.