Enchanted Ecstasy

by Constance O'Banyon

  "Everything we have said to one another does not amount to anything," Kane said. "I felt you yielding in my arms a few moments ago. I have been with enough women to know when one is ripe for making love, and you, Miss Deveraux, are overripe."

  Salador stepped in front of Maleaha, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his knife. "Shall I carve this man’s heart out, Maleaha? I heard the words he spoke to you. Your father would kill him if he knew of this."

  Maleaha answered him in the language of the Jojoba as he had spoken to her. "Leave him alone, Salador. I will find an effective way to satisfy my honor, never doubt it. One day I will bring the proud and arrogant Major Kanen Benedict to his knees." She turned and walked to the other side of the campfire. Salador looked at the white man and then he also turned his back. Maleaha would do as she had threatened, he had no doubt. He could almost find it in him to pity the white man. Almost, but not quite.

  The next morning the silence between the three weary travelers was ominous. Maleaha wanted nothing better than to reach home. She felt miserable; the last night she had hardly slept. She had been affected more deeply than she would like to admit by the cruel words Major Benedict had said to her, and this morning he had hardly acknowledged her presence. Maleaha knew that had she been white he would never have treated her in such a disrespectful manner, and her Indian blood cried out for revenge.

  It was well past noon, and the heat from the sun that beat down on them was becoming unbearable. Kane unbuttoned his bluejacket, but still felt no relief. The distant mountains seemed to beckon to him with their promise of cool breezes and the shade of the pine forest.

  They were riding through a canyon with small rocky hills on both sides, and Kane scanned the rocky incline. That would be a bad place to be ambushed, he thought, becoming alert. It was just at that moment that he heard a blood-curdling war whoop and realized that that was just what was about to occur.

  He observed that not less than twelve Indians were bearing down on them. It flashed through Kane's mind that it would be useless to try and outride the Indians, since their horses had been ridden hard all day and would never outdistance the Indian ponies.

  Kane reached for the reins of Maleaha's mount, but she whirled away from him and rode toward the hills. "Miss Deveraux!" He yelled, as a bullet whizzed past his head.

  Maleaha bent low over her horse and kicked the animal in the flanks, trying to gain more speed. She supposed that the major and Salador rode close behind her. When she reached the base of the steep hill she seemed to freeze. She knew what would happen to her if she were taken alive by the Indians, and that fear held her captive, unable to move.

  Kane jumped from his saddle and lifted her to the ground. He already had his rifle in his hand, and he quickly withdrew her rifle from her saddle holster. Then he half pulled, half carried her up the hill, and when he reached the top, amid flying bullets, he pushed her down behind a huge rock and lay down on his stomach, raising his rifle to his shoulder.

  Maleaha crawled over to his side, and both of them saw Salador, as he turned his horse and rode back toward the enemy.

  "No!" Maleaha cried as she raised her hand in a silent plea. "No! Salador!" She would have risen but Kane pushed her roughly to the ground.

  "Lie down, you little fool, do you want to be killed?"

  Maleaha watched helplessly as Salador raised his rifle and fired at the oncoming Indians. Two of the Indians fell from their horses, then another, as Kane fired his rifle. Salador was now surrounded. Maleaha screamed as she saw him raise his gun to fire one last time. Another enemy fell to the ground, but Salador was mortally wounded, and Maleaha watched helplessly as he fell from his horse and the Indians trampled his body beneath their horses' hooves.

  Raising her rifle, she fired, not taking aim, but firing out of grief and anger. "He sacrificed himself for me!" she cried, blinded by tears. Suddenly her anger pushed her grief aside. She would kill the men who had taken Salador's life.

  Kane aimed his rifle, and once more one of the enemy fell.

  Maleaha stood up, raised her rifle to her shoulder, and took aim. The bullets were whizzing all around her, but she did not seem to take notice. Taking careful aim, she fired and was rewarded as an Indian fell from his horse.

  Kane grabbed her and pulled her down beside him. "You crazy little fool. You may not care what happens to you, but I do," he said angrily.

  He reloaded his rifle, thinking to himself that they were fortunate—they had the advantage of the higher ground. The Indians would have to show themselves if they tried to climb the hill. Taking careful aim, Kane fired and watched as an Indian rolled to the bottom of the hill. Now there were only a few of the enemy left, and Kane began to feel they might have a chance. Whatever happened he would not let the Indians take Miss Deveraux, he thought, as he aimed and fired but missed his target. Maleaha, however, fired and hit the Indian she had been aiming for. One less to worry about, Kane thought grimly.

  He checked his supply belt and cursed himself for not bringing his ammunition pouch with him. He only had two shots left and Maleaha could not have much more. Surprise and relief washed over Kane as he saw the remaining Indians mount their horses and ride away in a cloud of dust. He had not been aware that Maleaha had stood up and aimed her rifle. She fired twice in succession and two more Indians fell. Throwing her now empty gun aside, she reached for Kane's gun, but he stood up and shook his head.

  "They are leaving, let it be."

  "No! They killed Salador. I will kill them all," she cried.

  Kane held her in his arms as she sobbed out her grief. "Hush, hush, it is all over," he said soothingly.

  "I loved him and they killed him," she sobbed.

  "I know, but he would not want you to cry."

  "You do not understand! Salador and Lamas have lived at Deveraux Ranch since before I was born. They always looked after me and protected me. Salador is . . . was ... I loved him."

  "It would seem his last thoughts were for your safety. He knew what he was doing when he rode toward those Indians."

  Maleaha wiped tears on the back of her hand and moved away from him. "You are right. Salador would not want me to cry," she said, squaring her shoulders and raising her head proudly. Kane saw her battle with the tears that were shining in her eyes.

  "Those Indians were Arapaho, major. If you want proof to take back to the colonel, I suggest you look for it among their dead bodies."

  Kane followed her down the hill. When he reached the bottom he began to examine the dead Indians, while Maleaha found Salador's body. It was hard to recognize Salador, he had been so badly mutilated. Maleaha picked up his knife and began digging frantically in the soft sand. She would not leave him until he had a proper burial. She felt rather than heard the major kneel down beside her. With the butt of his rifle he helped her dig the grave that would be the brave Salador's final resting place. When the hole was deep enough, Kane lifted the dead Indian in his arms and laid him in the shallow grave. Then once more working with his rifle butt, he covered the grave over with sand.

  He watched as the Indian girl raised her hands to the sky and chanted some words he could not understand. Then she knelt down and clasped her hands as if she were praying. As she stood up she looked at Kane.

  "What were you saying just now?" he asked softly.

  "I asked the Great Spirit to accept the soul of a brave warrior."

  "You believe in the Indian god?"

  "I respect the Indians' belief, major, although I myself was raised as a Christian. You might find, if you took the trouble to look, that the Indian God and the one you worship are one and the same."

  "I was not condemning, Miss Deveraux, merely curious."

  "Did you find anything to prove it was the Arapaho who raided the ranches?" she asked, changing the subject.

  "I found this silver armband with the sun and the moon carved on it. I believe it is like the one found at one of the ranches."

  Maleaha took the armband from him
and studied it, turning it over in her hand. "Yes, this is the symbol of the Jojoba. Very clever of the Arapaho to try and implicate the Jojoba tribe by leaving this behind as evidence. Do you believe Mangas now, major?"

  "With this, and my report on what happened here today, it should not take long to place the blame where it belongs, Miss Deveraux."

  "We have one problem, major. First we must find our way home. And it seems we shall have to walk, since the Arapaho have cleverly taken our horses, believing we are as good as dead without transportation and water.''

  Kane shoved the armband into his pocket and picked up his rifle. Looking at the grueling sun, he removed his jacket and unbuttoned his white shirt. "Shall we go, Miss Deveraux?"

  6

  Kane had not taken many steps when he realized the Indian girl was limping. Taking her arm, he stared down at her. "Why did you not tell me you had hurt your foot?"

  "It is nothing, I can manage."

  He shifted his rifle to his other shoulder and took her arm. "Lean on me for support, Miss Deveraux. Try not to put too much weight on your injured foot." Kane put his arm around her waist, lending her his support.

  They were making slow progress as Maleaha tried to keep up with Kane's long strides. She did not want him to know just how painful her ankle was, knowing they must put as much distance between themselves and the Arapaho as they could before nightfall. She did not really expect them to return, but it never paid to underestimate one's enemy.

  Maleaha stumbled and would have fallen if Kane's strong arms had not been supporting her. Kane was beginning to suspect that her injury was much worse than she would have him believe, so he swung her up into his arms, over her loud protest, and carried her as easily as if she weighed nothing.

  "I will do the walking for both of us," he told her.

  Maleaha put her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder. She could hear the steady drumming of his heart as she closed her eyes. How right it felt to be in his arms. She loved the feel of his soft white shirt against her cheek.

  She had felt pride in him today. He had been fearless as he took charge against the Arapaho, and she herself had felt little fear because he had given her courage as they faced death together. Maleaha knew that if it had not been for his quick thinking and bravery she would, at this very moment, be just as dead as Salador.

  Together they had faced overwhelming odds, and together they had won. Of course Maleaha knew they would not have stood a chance had it not been for Salador's sacrifice. He had bought them enough time to get to safety, and by doing so he had lost his life. Maleaha felt a great emptiness inside her knowing how much she would miss Salador. She had always accepted his presence as a fact of life, but until today she had not known how much he loved her.

  Maleaha felt the major's eyes on her face and she looked up at him. "You were very brave today, Miss Deveraux. I do not know of any other girl who would have reacted as well as you did under the circumstances.

  Maleaha was pleased at his praise of her. "I was just thinking how well you performed under danger, major."

  "Coming from you, I consider that high praise indeed. Do you think the Arapahos will return to search for us?"

  "I do not think so, but it would not do to let our guard down. Most probably they think we do not stand a chance of surviving without our horses and water."

  Kane could feel the afternoon sun beating down on him. There was no breeze, no shade, nothing to shelter them from the heat. He looked down at the girl he carried in his arms. Her face was the loveliest he had ever seen, and she seemed almost childlike at the moment, depending on him because she could not walk.

  Kane felt his body come to life and he tried to beat down the desire he was feeling for her at the moment. He doubted he would feel so drawn to her if they were not alone and dependent on each other for survival.

  He smiled down at her and she gave him just the slightest smile in return. There was no sense fooling himself, he had wanted her ever since he first saw her at the fort. Although he had fought against his desire for her, he knew he had never been moved by any other woman as he was by her. Perhaps it was because she was so different from anyone he had known before. He tried to picture Lucinda under these same circumstances, or any of the other ladies he was acquainted with. He frowned. It was not really fair to compare Miss Deveraux with the gentle-bred ladies he knew. It would be just as difficult for her to function in an environment where women wore silk gowns and knew all the niceties of life as it would be for them to function in her uncivilized world.

  "Major, if you will make for those pine trees you can see off to your left, you will find a stream where we can rest and refresh ourselves."

  Seeing the mountains in the distance, Kane shifted her weight and walked purposefully toward them.

  "If I am too heavy, I believe I can walk now, if you put me down."

  "Nonsense! You hardly weigh anything."

  Maleaha observed his face through half-veiled eyes. She could see the black stubble that indicated that he needed a shave. His chin was firm and stubborn, hinting that he would always want his own way in everything. His lips were full, and Maleaha turned her face against his shoulder as she wondered what it would be like to be kissed by him.

  When she looked up at him, she saw mockery in his silvery eyes, as if he had read her thoughts and was amused by them, and she drew in her breath as his eyes moved to her lips.

  "Please put me down. I can walk now," she said through stiff lips.

  "Why do you have to be so damn beautiful? I have been having some unconventional thoughts where you are concerned," he ground out.

  Maleaha was incapable of answering as she felt herself drawn under his spell, and in her innocence she did not really understand the full extent of his meaning.

  Was he going to kiss her, she wondered, as his lips drew closer to hers, and against her will, her lips parted in silent invitation.

  "Oh no, you little enchantress, I will not fall under your spell. Are you not satisfied with all the hearts you must have extracted from others? Must you have mine to add to that number? Kane asked her mockingly.

  "I was not aware that you had a heart," she snapped, angered by his statement.

  "You are right. I do not have a heart. But I am a man, and I can feel the pull of your charms. Mangas must have enjoyed you last night. I am surprised he would let you go so easily."

  By now they had reached the shelter of the tall pine trees, and Maleaha tried to squirm out of his arms, not understanding the harshness of his tone nor the meaning of his words. "I am very fond of Mangas, you know that."

  "Obviously," he drawled, setting her on her feet to end her struggling.

  When Maleaha's injured foot touched the ground, she bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain. She hobbled down to the stream, went down on her knees, and buried her face in the cool water. She then cupped her hands and drank deeply of the refreshing water, aware that the major was doing likewise.

  Maleaha lay back on the cool grass, allowing the soft breeze to cool her overheated body.

  Kane was lying beside her, and she turned her head to look at him. "Major, the Kincade ranch is no more than ten miles from here. I could give you directions, and you could be there before midnight if you were to leave right now."

  "Are you suggesting that I leave you behind?"

  "Yes, I would only slow you down. You could send someone back for me when you arrive. It is most important that you inform the colonel about the Arapahos as soon as possible."

  "I have no intention of leaving you behind. We started out together; we will stay together until we reach our destination."

  "You do not need to concern yourself about me; I can take care of myself."

  "When I leave, Miss Deveraux, you will leave with me!" he said in a tone of voice that showed he would not be swayed by her and that dared her to disagree with him.

  "Let me have a look at your ankle," he said, sitting up and taking her
injured foot in his hand. Before she could protest, he had shoved her doeskin dress up and was unlacing her moccasin.

  Kane's eyes traveled over her long, shapely leg to her delicately arched foot. Seeing that her ankle was red and swollen, he frowned. "This is much worse than I thought. When did you injure it?"

  "When we were climbing the hill trying to get away from the Arapaho."

  He lifted her in his arms, carried her to the stream, and plunged her foot into the water. "I am angry that you did not tell me how badly your ankle was hurt. Did you think to impress me by being a martyr? I can assure you that ploy will not work on me."

  "I do not have the slightest idea what you are talking about! I did not tell you about my ankle because it was none of your business," she told him haughtily. "I pity you, major. You always seem to look for the worst in people. Does it disappoint you that I had no motive in mind when I did not tell you about my injury? I simply did not think it concerned you."

  "If I look for the worst in people as you say, I have rarely been disappointed, especially where females are concerned."

  Maleaha was angered by his assessment, as well as by his degree of sarcasm. "Poor Major Benedict, have you been sorely used by the ladies?" she said through clenched teeth.

  "You should not put any weight on that foot for a few days." Kane said, ignoring her outburst.

  Maleaha leaned back on the grass and rested her head against her folded arms while her foot dangled in the water, bringing relief to the throbbing ankle. She sighed, wondering what there was about the major that both drew her to him and pushed her away at the same time. There had been sparks between them ever since they had met. She decided not to think about it, afraid to examine her feelings too closely, concentrating instead on what they could eat. She felt almost weak from hunger.