Sweet Savage Heart

by Janelle Taylor

  Her thoughts drifted to Travis. She was nervous about leaving with him. He had not revealed her bad behavior of that first night. He had made her relax and talk freely. But still she wondered, Had he asked for her because she had rashly inflamed his body? Did he need a strong woman of courage, daring, and wits? A white woman to conceal his dark past? “I must not be afraid or bad,” she declared aloud as she completed her packing and shifted to sit on the buffalo mat to await her friend’s return.

  Suddenly her line of vision was filled by the towering physique of her new husband, whose gaze seemed to encompass her. She failed to notice that he had closed the tepee flap to assure their privacy.

  Travis came forward and hunkered down before her. His intention in visiting her had been to offer encouragement and to lessen her tension during this difficult period, but this was forgotten as he looked at her and drank in her stimulating presence. Unable to master his feelings and thoughts, he allowed his smoldering gaze to engulf her exquisite features, which set his body aflame with desire for her. It was obvious that he had trouble swallowing as he tried to clear his throat to speak to her. He was quivering with tightly leashed passion and straining to keep himself under control. His respiration became shallow and rapid. All he could think for a time was, She’s my wife and I want her. He was sorry he had been rude and harsh, and he was determined to win her approval and help.

  Wild Wind’s body and emotions reacted to his presence instantly. Her gaze fused with his and she was unable to think clearly. He seemed to dominate her entire world and all sights and sounds of other things were lost to her. Her tongue refused to speak and her body had the urge to fling itself into his arms. Her lips craved a melting against his and her mind begged to let her senses soar like his Indian name. She felt charged with anticipation and energy, yet held fast by weakness and apprehension. She felt bold and brave, yet hesitation and cowardice sneaked into her mind to prevent her from rising, walking to him, and surrendering eagerly to his allure. The drums had never beat more swiftly than her heart at this moment. She did not know what to say or do, or even if she could compel her body to obey her. She was flustered and enraptured, and her reaction annoyed her.

  Slowly Travis’s body drifted forward until his knees touched the ground and brushed lightly against hers. His shaky hands slipped into her hair on either side of her head, and he looked deeply and longingly into her expressive gaze, which sent forth messages of a matching hunger. Nothing and no one, including himself, could have halted him from touching her and savoring her lips. He lowered his head and brought his mouth down to hers, evoking a shudder from each at the blissful contact. The kiss was tender and exploratory, but gradually it deepened to reveal mutual desire. Travis’s strong arms closed around her body and drew her up to lock her possessively within his embrace. His lips skillfully claimed hers and sent their senses spinning.

  Wild Wind’s hands moved up his hard chest to ease around his neck. Without hesitation or inhibition, she pressed her body against his in a manner that exposed her desire and announced her surrender. An August day could not have warmed her body more than his nearness and passion. She was trembling with feverishly awakened needs. At that moment, she wanted him urgently and was willing to yield without reservation, to follow him wherever he led. He was the only man to claim her heart, her love, her desire, her life, her all.

  Abruptly Travis’s lips left hers and he pushed their bodies apart. Both were flushed and breathing heavily. She eyed him inquisitively and tried to reclaim her stirring place in his arms. Then she understood the reason for his withdrawal as Lone Wolf’s voice called out to him more sternly, “Come, White Eagle, we must complete our trade. This is not the time to begin your life with my sister.”

  Travis glanced at her as if guilty of some misdeed. His embarrassment and dismay were obvious, and they cooled her ardor. He mastered his respiration, then replied, “I will join you soon, Lone Wolf.”

  The chief did not enter the tepee or leave his position outside the closed flap. Lone Wolf’s sharp instincts and keen senses had absorbed enough to know he should separate them quickly; yet he was tempted to allow Travis and Wild Wind to make this joining a real marriage by sealing their vows with their passion and commitment. He decided it was too soon. “The sun passes swiftly, White Eagle. We must hurry.”

  “I am coming,” Travis answered, then gently caressed her cheek and smiled apologetically. In a few more minutes she would have been his completely. He was shocked by the power of his attraction to her, but he knew she was also taken by him. “I must go. I came to tell you not to fear me or leaving your people. Prepare to ride, and I will come for you soon. Do not allow anger and false pride to spoil your departure. We will speak later.” He paused. “Surely what has just passed between us proves that it is I, not Black Hawk, you crave.”

  Wild Wind watched him rise and leave, closing the flap behind him. She wished her brother had not interrupted them, and she wondered if he and others had guessed what was happening inside this tepee. She blushed and tried to calm herself but found it difficult. His kisses and touches had created a fierce aching within her, an aching she knew only he could appease. There was a magic between them, and she was delighted by it. Now she was ready to leave with him. But then his last words echoed through her mind. Had he been trying to enchant and control her? Trying to ensnare her with her own feelings?

  The wagon had been unloaded and Travis was opening the crates to show the warriors how to use the different weapons. “I’m glad this matter has been settled peacefully and quickly, Lone Wolf,” Travis remarked. Yet he was uncomfortable. He did not like the way his neck kept itching, a sure sign of trouble. He had not trusted Claude Chambers; it had been the reason he had ordered Nathan not to take his eyes from the crates for an instant. Travis knew that if Chambers had a hundred barrels of water, he could not trust the greedy man to share even a dipper of it with a dying man. A cold shiver ran over the Texan’s body as he realized his keen instincts and suspicions were about to be proven accurate.

  Lone Wolf noticed the man’s reaction to the trade goods just before Travis declared in vivid rage, “That sorry bastard! He switched crates on us! These guns and ammunition are useless. I’ll kill the sneaky bastard.”

  “What troubles you, White Eagle?” the young chief asked.

  Travis explained the problem, knowing how the deception would appear to the Oglalas. “We’ll have to go back to the trading post. This time, Chambers will reward us with more than our fair share.”

  Black Hawk stepped forward and accused, “The white-dog lies. He seeks to trick us. He sets a trap for the Oglalas. He betrays us. I say kill him and the white-dog who waits nearby. The trade is no good. Seize him! I challenge for Wild Wind and his life.”

  Lone Wolf stared at the furious Travis, who was glaring at his hostile warrior. “What trick is this, White Eagle?” he demanded.

  Travis met the dark gaze and replied, “I swear on my life and honor that the white trader will pay for this black deed. I will go after the guns and prove White Eagle did not betray the Oglalas.”

  “The white-dog has no honor or true words. He must die.”

  “Black Hawk speaks in anger with a swift tongue,” he retorted. “The knives, blankets, and cornmeal are good. Many of the guns and bullets are good. I will return to the trading post to replace those that are bad. I will punish the white-eyes who tricked me. I must be allowed to prove my honor and words. Wild Wind is mine.”

  “No!” Black Hawk declared thunderously. “You must die.” The warrior drew his knife and lunged at Travis. Buffalo Slayer and Two Ponies seized the warrior and restrained him until their chief spoke.

  Prairie Dog rushed to Lone Wolf’s tepee and explained the dangerous situation to Wild Wind and Myeerah. The women hurried to where the argument was taking place. Wild Wind keenly and fearfully observed the confrontation. This man was her husband, she reflected, perhaps her destiny…

  “Hear me, Lone Wolf,” Travis
beseeched, “I did not lie or trick you. I demand the right to prove my innocence. I will ride to the trading post for more guns and ammunition. I will punish the trader.”

  Lone Wolf eyed the man critically, praying that Travis was speaking honestly and wanting to believe him, for he knew how much was at stake. “Buffalo Slayer, ride with Prairie Dog and Two Ponies and bring the other white man to our camp. We will hold White Eagle’s father friend and wife until he returns with more guns. If he does not return, I will slay the white man and Wild Wind will join to Black Hawk.”

  A gasp of astonishment from the girl alerted the debating men to her presence. “Tell me what happens here, my brother,” she coaxed.

  Lone Wolf explained Travis’s dilemma. Her gaze went to the man who was now her husband. Her probing eyes searched his face and observed his stance. No, she decided to herself, this man would not shame himself or risk the life of his friend by tricking her people. He was too clever to be unmasked this easily. It had to be a terrible mistake.

  “If he has betrayed us, he must die,” her brother told her.

  Black Hawk said with a sneer, “I will slay the half-breed for fooling you and shaming you, Wild Wind. He cares not for Wild Wind. He only desires a wild spirit to master. He seeks our shame and deaths. In five moons, he will be dead and you will join to me.”

  Wild Wind was antagonized by the warrior’s words. She was not a fool or a prize! She walked to Travis and studied him, all too aware of what had occurred between them a short time before. She knew that if a man tricked you in one way, he would trick you in others. Surely he could not cause her heart to soar and her senses to cloud if he was evil and deceitful. “Do you lie, White Eagle?” she asked softly.

  Travis met her steady gaze and responded, “No. I was tricked. I must slay the man who betrayed and dishonored me.” Travis felt as if his personal history was almost repeating itself. Once more the Indians were accusing him of treachery, and again he was innocent. But this time there was more at stake than his life and honor. He inwardly raged against the false charges and his vulnerability, but he was touched by the lack of doubt in her eyes and voice.

  When Travis repeated how he had checked the items, then explained that the trader had cheated him by switching them, she knew he was telling the truth. “I will ride with him, my brother. If he lies, I will slay him for my people.” She watched the effect of her words on Travis.

  Black Hawk shouted, “No! I will ride with the white dog and guard him. You are a woman. Do not seek to protect your new mate.”

  Wild Wind whirled and shouted back at the nettling warrior, “I am only a woman, but my arrow and knife find their targets more times than yours, Black Hawk! If he has shamed and tricked me and my people, it is my right to slay him. We are joined only in words, and false words can be broken. If you ride with him, I am sure he will not return alive. As does White Eagle, Wild Wind looks white. Only she can enter the white dog’s trading post and watch him for tricks. My people need guns and supplies to battle the white-eyes. I joined to him to obtain them for my people. Now I must help him replace those stolen by the evil white dog. Until his words are proven good or bad, his mate lives under this shadow of suspicion with him.”

  “You cannot ride with me, Ra… Wild Wind. It is too dangerous. The trader will expect my return for justice. He will be waiting to trap me. I will need twenty warriors, Lone Wolf. Guard my father friend and wife carefully. I will return for them in five moons.”

  “Who is this father friend, and where does he camp?” she asked.

  Instead of replying, Lone Wolf ordered his braves to capture Nathan Crandall and to bring him to camp. He was not surprised when Travis warned them not to injure the old man. “He will be safe for five moons, White Eagle. On the sun of the sixth moon, he will die and my sister will join to Black Hawk, if you betray us again.

  “No, my brother. If I am freed, I will join to RidesLike-Thunder as you promised,” Wild Wind announced, declaring her rejection of Black Hawk, whom she had rashly believed she could easily enchant and master. She was astonished at the clever way in which the warrior had concealed his dark side from them. If anything happened to her new husband, she would not remain here!

  “So be it,” Lone Wolf concurred, to Black Hawk’s fury.

  Wanting to give her courage and hope and having a desire to annoy Black Hawk, Travis ignored the eyes watching them as he took Wild Wind’s hand and smiled at her. He entreated confidently, “Do not worry. I will prove my honor and words and return for you soon. You are my wife and you must trust me.” She nodded and lowered her gaze, and he knew it was to shield her emotions from him and the others. Travis was not given time to await Nathan’s arrival and speak with him. Instead he was soon riding off with the band of warriors to seek Chambers.

  It had required enormous self-control for Wild Wind not to hug him and kiss him farewell. She had nodded understanding and her agreement with his words, then had squeezed his hand tightly to let him know she believed him and would be waiting eagerly for his return.

  After watching Travis and the warriors ride away, everyone went back to their tasks but Wild Wind and Black Hawk, who remained where they were until the band was out of sight. The jealous warrior scoffed, “Be careful of the evil fires of love and passion, Wild Wind. If they burn too swiftly and wildly, they will leave nothing of you but blackened coals. You are a fool to trust him. He is bad, and he has gained control of your will and wits. If you are rash, the eagle’s claws will tear your heart and life to pieces. He did not wish to join to you. Lone Wolf demanded that you leave as his mate, not his whore. What is an Indian wife to a white man? Only a lowly squaw to warm his mats until he grows weary of her.”

  She glared at him and retorted, “The only evil here is within you, Black Hawk. Think of your people, not your wicked desires. You make a fool of yourself before our people and you blacken your face with shame. I will wait for his return, then go where he commands. It is as I wish, and so it shall be. You will see,” she declared smugly.

  Near the trading post over two days later, Travis pointed to a lone cottonwood in the distance and told the leader of the band, “If I do not show my face by the time the sun reaches the top of that tree, you must attack the post and take the guns. If I am slain in the battle, tell Lone Wolf what happened. My friend will teach the Oglalas how to use the white man’s firesticks. When the training is over, he is to release my friend and my wife to return home.” He impulsively removed his wanapin and handed it to the silent warrior as he said, “Give this to Wild Wind… if I die.”

  Buffalo Slayer took the necklace and gazed at it. It was a circular medallion made of sacred red stone. Upon its surface was scratched a war eagle in flight, one talon clutching a thunderbolt and the other one tightly grasping two broken shafts of an arrow. Around the eagle’s neck was suspended a smaller medallion with symbols of the War Bonnet Society. Buffalo Slayer lifted curious eyes as Travis snapped the reins of the harness and headed the wagon toward the trading post.

  Once inside, Travis was angered to discover the extent of Claude Chambers’s guile. He explained his problem to the new man in charge, who accepted no blame or responsibility for the treachery. And no amount of reasoning could sway the man’s unfavorable decision. He would not even honor the receipt for the items already purchased. Travis did learn that Chambers and his two cohorts had not left the post until yesterday morning and were heading for St. Louis.

  “Yore quarrel is with Chambers, son. I can’t take my time and money to exchange damaged goods you bought from him.”

  Travis returned to where the Indians were waiting for him. “At dark, we go in and take what’s ours. Post some guards, Buffalo Slayer,” he gravely advised, hoping to avoid more trouble and another delay.

  Travis began pacing with unnatural impatience, musing that darkness could not arrive quickly enough to suit him. He knew he had no choice but to steal the guns and ammunition, or Nathan would be dead and Rana would be lost to them.
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  Finally, when all seemed quiet in the small settlement near the trading post, Travis cautiously returned to the large, sturdy wooden structure.

  “We’re closed,” a voice called out without opening the door. “Come back in the morning.”

  “It’s Bill Saunders. I’ve got a deal for you, a thousand dollars.”

  The bolt was moved aside and the door opened slightly. “What’s your deal, Saunders?” the man inquired eagerly.

  Travis held out a leather pouch and shook it, making the emptied bullets sound like clinking coins. “A thousand and those useless guns until I can track down Chambers and retrieve my money for the exchange. You’ll have the money, plus those guns to exchange for another sale. I’ll need twenty rifles to arm my men to go after him. Deal?”

  The man pondered his offer and his blank expression. “And what’s to keep you from not coming back after you catch Chambers, if you can?”

  “The fact that I need eighty rifles more than I need the money Chambers swindled out of me. I’ve got a wagon train of green settlers sitting practically helpless three days’ ride from here. The quicker I can track Chambers and get my money back, the sooner I can arm my people and be on our way to Oregon. You won’t be sorry for helping us,” he coaxed. “I’ll pay you a hundred dollars for your help and trust.”

  The man seriously considered the lucrative deal. Finally he shook his head and replied, “Sorry, son, but it ain’t wise to trust a desperate stranger with so much of my stock.”

  Travis sighed loudly and grimaced. “I was afraid you wouldn’t be obliging.” He drew his pistol before the man could slam and lock the door. Pushing the man inside, he bound and gagged him, then rendered him unconscious to prevent a witness to his actions. When a voice called out from the other room, Travis rapidly reacted. Without making a sound, he hurriedly concealed himself near the door to the adjoining storeroom. When the man entered the dim area to see why his boss had not answered him, Travis carefully struck him over the head and he too fell unconscious. Then he went to the door and gave his signal.