Wind Rider

by Connie Mason

  Cut Nose stood over Hannah, his body taut with the need to pound himself into this woman. If she resisted, he would have his way with her and then kill her so she could not accuse him afterward. Dropping to his knees, he stared into her sleeping face. Illuminated by the dappled moonlight finding its way through the smokehole at the top of the tepee, her hair reminded him of the shiny coat of a fox, neither red nor brown but a vibrant mixture of the two.

  Hannah was sleeping so soundly, she did not feel Cut Nose lift a lock of hair that had fallen across her shoulder. Nor did she see the gleam in his dark eyes as he slid them along the length of her thinly clad body. The night was warm and she had kicked off the blanket. Her shift had ridden up, revealing a slim white leg and shapely thigh.

  Cut Nose’s mouth watered and his hardened staff prodded against the apron of his breech-clout. Untying the thongs, he tore it off and flung it aside. Dropping to his knees, he placed a hand over Hannah’s mouth.

  Hannah awoke with a start, frightened and disoriented. She sensed immediately a menacing presence and opened her mouth to scream, but a pressure against her lips prevented the sound from escaping. Her eyes widened with terror when she saw the hulking form bending over her. Cut Nose! She could see the feral gleam in his black eyes and smell his arousal. Shaking her head from side to side, she attempted to convey her unwillingness, her revulsion. But Cut Nose had never cared what Hannah wanted or didn’t want. He only knew what he wanted.

  “Do not resist, Little Sparrow,” he hissed. “Your man is not here and you left your tepee flap open in invitation. I will pleasure you in Wind Rider’s absence. Perhaps you will find that you prefer me between your sweet thighs.”

  Hannah shook her head in vigorous denial, trying to bite his hand so she could scream. The pressure on her mouth increased and Hannah tasted blood as her teeth cut into the tender flesh of her lower lip.

  Rising over her, Cut Nose spread her legs and flexed his hips, preparing to thrust into her, but at the last minute he hesitated. Despite his raging lust, the sounds of shouting and raised voices drifting to him on the night wind finally registered in his brain. At first he was too sexually aroused to pay them heed, but as the voices became louder and more excited, he could no longer ignore what was happening.

  Cut Nose uttered a harsh, guttural cry, then leaned down and whispered something in Hannah’s ear that stunned her. “Tell no one that I was here, Little Sparrow. If you do, I will kill Wind Rider.” Then, abruptly, the pressure was gone from her mouth. Before Hannah had time to think about his threat and what it meant, Cut Nose pulled aside the tepee flap and slipped into the darkness.

  Hannah lay in stunned silence, wondering what had happened to frighten him away and thanking God for the diversion. A shudder rippled through her as she recalled Cut Nose’s words. How could he harm Wind Rider when he wasn’t even here? Then she, too, became aware of the excited voices and shouts of the villagers. Though she had gained a good understanding of the Sioux language, she still couldn’t make out what the excitement was about. Was the village under attack? She didn’t think so, else she would hear battle sounds.

  While she was still contemplating Cut Nose’s strange behavior and hasty exit, Hannah became aware of the sudden silence that had fallen over the village. The abrupt lack of noise was more startling than the babbling she’d heard earlier. She sat up, intending to go out and learn for herself what was going on, but before she could rise the tent flap was thrust aside and someone entered.

  Hannah drew in a ragged gasp, fearing that Cut Nose had returned. She let her breath out slowly when she realized that the figure was much too tall and muscular to be Cut Nose, who was short and squat. The man’s face was hidden in darkness, but his torso and lower body were clearly outlined in the moonlight poking through the smokehole.

  Her eyes traveled from his ankles upward, over muscular calves, corded thighs, and slim hips, pausing briefly where his breechclout provided scant protection for the bold thrust of his manhood. Her eyes lifted from that dangerous part of him to settle on the broad expanse of his chest. The moment she saw the fading bruises she knew.

  Ryder! He had come for her.

  Squatting down on his haunches, Ryder’s silver gaze met the startling green of Hannah’s eyes. Involuntarily, Hannah shuddered, chilled by the coldness she saw there. Errant moonbeams cast the planes of his face in demonic lines. Hannah wanted to fling herself into his arms, but fear held her back.

  “Did you think I would not find you, Little Sparrow? I was on my way to Fort Laramie when I came across the dead blue coats. Finding you with the People is a gift I did not expect. I cannot say I am sorry that your lover has been slain.”

  Hannah went still. Was he still under the misconception that Trent was her lover? Would she never be free of his suspicions and accusations?

  Chapter Twenty

  Suddenly Hannah realized that Ryder couldn’t have known about Trent unless he had seen him with his own eyes. Then she was aware that he was looking at her, really looking at her. His eyes were keen and sharply penetrating. Her breasts rose and fell with each breath as she realized what that meant.

  “You can see! Oh, Ryder, you have your sight back!”

  “Is that why you left me, Hannah, because I could not see? Did your lover offer more than I could give you? You almost had me convinced that you loved me. I decided not to go away for your sake, because you pleaded with me to stay with you/’

  “I do love you. Everything I’ve done has been for you.”

  Ryder laughed harshly, but there was no mirth visible in the silver depths of his eyes.

  “You took a lover for my sake?” He grasped her shoulders, pulling her so close she could feel the heat of his body searing her through her thin chemise. His eyes glittered like shards of glass. “Explain yourself.”

  “Trent promised to arrange your release if I accompanied him to Fort Laramie. He-he wanted to marry me. I let him think I was agreeable. He even let me watch when you left the jail, to prove that he had kept his word. I was grateful that he had notified Zach so that he could accompany you home. I didn’t know that you had regained your sight.”

  Ryder’s mouth thinned in derision. “Good, but not good enough. Gilmore had nothing to do with my release. Zach persuaded the governor to grant me amnesty. It seems the governor was impressed by the fact that I had no Indian blood and had been a captive of the Cheyenne.” He gave a derisive laugh. “Little did he know that I loved my Indian family, fully embraced the Indian way of life, and scorned white society. Until...” He was going to add, “Until I met you,” but he thought better of it.

  “Until what?” Hannah prompted.

  “It no longer matters.”

  “I’m your wife, Ryder. You can tell me anything.”

  “My faithless wife.” He hurled the words at her like stones. She flinched and shook her head in vigorous denial.

  “There was never anything between me and Trent. I truly believed you had been freed because of his efforts. I did not know the governor had granted you amnesty. I can’t believe Trent lied to me.”

  Ryder sent her a hard look. “Men will say anything to get what they want. But I do not believe for a minute that you really thought he could help me.”

  Hannah inhaled sharply. Was there nothing she could say to convince him? “What do you believe, Ryder?”

  Ryder stared at her, his fingers pressing so hard into her shoulders, his knuckles turned white. “I believe you saw me in jail and realized I am not like other white men.”

  “That’s the reason I love you, because you are different from most men. I did what I thought right to keep you safe.”

  Ryder sent her a skeptical glance. “Did you really believe Gilmore had the authority to free me? I did not think you were so naive. He lied, Hannah. He was using you for his own selfish purposes. Did you sleep with him? Did you allow him to make love to you? Did you take him into your body and cry out in the same way you did when I made love to you?”
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  She cringed inwardly. “No! I would never have allowed him to touch me. I never meant to honor my promise to Trent. How could I marry him when it’s you I love? But I feared telling him the truth too soon. Then he might have wired Denver and had you taken into cus-tody again. I went along with him and would have told him the truth once I knew you were safe. I feared for your life, Ryder. I had to do something, anything. You couldn’t have taken many more beatings. The next one might have killed you”

  “Why didn’t you tell Zach the truth?”

  “I couldn’t; don’t you understand? If you thought I was sacrificing myself for your sake, you would have come after me and endangered your life. I wanted you to think that I went willingly with Trent, that I truly intended to marry him. Later, after I told Trent the truth, I would have returned to Denver and confessed everything.”

  Ryder searched her face. “Do you expect me to believe that you went with Gilmore for my sake, that you didn’t let him make love to you on those nights you were alone with him on the trail? Do you think me a fool?”

  “No, no fool,” Hannah said softly, “but the man I love.” Suddenly a thought occurred to hef. “How did you know where to find me?”

  “I stumbled across the bodies of the patrol. Signs revealed that the patrol had been attacked by a war party of Sioux and Cheyenne. I recognized Gilmore among the dead and knew that you were traveling with him. When I searched through the bodies and did not find you I feared you had been captured by men who would take great pleasure in hurting you. Few of the People outside of Red Cloud’s camp know who you are. In these times white women are fair game.

  “Shortly afterward I crossed paths with the war party led by Runs-Like-A-Deer. I learned that Coyote had taken you to Red Cloud’s camp. I was relieved to know you were safe.”

  Hannah stared into the heated depths of his eyes, stirred by the emotion she saw there. Relief? Was that all he felt? “Why did you come after me if you thought I’d betrayed you? Wouldn’t it have been much easier just to forget me? Even in this dim light I can see that you’re still not fully healed. Your ribs must pain you terribly. It amazes me that you can even sit your horse.”

  Ryder smiled thinly. Early in life he had learned that pain was a state of mind. He had tried to put himself above it. It was the only way he could bear the excruciating agony of endless days in the saddle on rugged mountain trails.

  “At first I wanted to hear from your lips that you’d gone with Gilmore of your own free will. But as my anger grew I wanted to punish you. Now I know I wanted to find you for my own peace of mind. I fell in love with you, Little Sparrow. Against my will I learned to trust someone white. For the first time since I was a small child you made me feel that perhaps I actually did have a life with the white eyes. You have no idea how it feels to be a man without roots, to never know where you belong, to feel the confusion and utter desolation of trying to find kinship with people who think of you as a savage. With you by my side I thought it might be possible to bridge the gap between the society I grew up in and the one to which I belong. My sister made the adjustment, but it is easier for a woman. I am a warrior. I know no other life.”

  Hannah stared at him, stunned. It was the first time he had bared his soul to her. She knew now how deeply she had hurt him and wondered if she could ever repair the damage she had done. Would he ever trust her again? Would he ever trust anyone with white skin?

  “I don’t care what you are, Ryder. I love you. You are the man I want above all others; that’s all I care about. At the time I had no way of knowing you had already been granted amnesty. If Trent knew, he did not tell me.”

  His grip on her shoulders tightened and she winced, willing to accept the pain if it helped convince him she loved him. Their bodies were almost touching now, breast to breast, thigh to thigh, their lips inches apart. She could feel the searing warmth of his breath fan her cheeks and she swayed against him. He groaned and dropped his hands to her buttocks, lifting her against him.

  The air left his lungs in a harsh expulsion of breath. “I must be crazy to want you. You have destroyed my dream of finding a woman who would love me for what I am.”

  Hannah’s mouth went dry. “Do you still want to punish me?”

  “My mind wants to punish you, but my body wants to thrust inside you until no other man exists for you but me. It nearly destroyed me, thinking about that blue coat making love to you, filling you with his seed.”

  “I want no man’s children but yours.” Hannah nearly blurted out that she already carried Ryder’s child but deliberately withheld the information. She wanted Ryder to believe her, to trust her, before telling him. Otherwise she’d never know if he wanted her for herself or for their child.

  His hand came up and sifted through her hair, then tightened reflexively, grasping the lustrous strands and pulling her head back so he could stare down into her face. She saw uncertainty in his eyes, and something else, something deep and disturbing. What would it take to convince him that she loved him?

  The hard lines of Ryder’s face did not soften as he gazed into Hannah’s eyes. Could he trust her? Did he want to fall under her spell again? It would be so easy... so damn easy. He didn’t want to go through life never knowing who or what he was or where he belonged. He wanted to be loved. He wanted a home and children. Was that asking too much from life? Since he’d met Hannah his life had been nothing but confusion and upheaval. If he was smart, he’d steer clear of Denver and say to hell with his promise to become an Indian agent. If he was wise, he’d remain with the People and champion their cause, as he had done in the past. But since meeting Hannah things were no longer clear in his mind. His life and thinking had changed in subtle ways.

  Ryder hesitated, then slowly slanted his mouth down over hers. His lips were hard, but under the hardness Hannah felt the underlying warmth and rejoiced. Parting her lips beneath his, she eagerly accepted the stabbing heat of his tongue as she slid her arms around his neck. She tasted the maleness of him, experienced the strength of his corded muscles as his arms tightened around her, and felt the hardness of his erection, pressing against her softness. When her hands slid over his ribs he groaned and flinched, unable to conceal his pain.

  “Ryder, oh, Ryder. You’re still not healed. You should allow yourself more time to rest before . .. before we . . “ Her words belied her feelings. This was what she had yearned for, dreamed about, wanted .. . needed.

  “You have strong medicine, Little Sparrow,” Ryder moaned against her mouth. He released her lips to press kisses along her jaw and down her throat to her shoulders. “Wanting you is a sickness inside me. Heal my pain with the heat of your sweet body,” He shoved her chemise down her arms and filled his hands with her breasts, recalling how scrawny she had been the first time he’d seen her and thinking that she was now as voluptuous as any woman he’d ever seen. Her breasts were even larger than he remembered.

  “You are more beautiful than I remember.” His hands found her swollen nipples, lifting them to his mouth, tasting, licking, pebbling the crests to hard, throbbing peaks. When he suckled them like an infant the pleasure was so great, Hannah cried out.

  His hands traveled the length of her body, stroking her buttocks, molding her tightly against him. When her chemise proved too much of a barrier between them he stripped it over her head and tossed it aside. Then he kissed her again. She kissed him back, probing his mouth with the hot tip of her tongue, her hands roaming freely over his chest, testing the sinew and muscles, needing desperately to feel the hot thrust of his body inside her. Growing bolder, her hands roamed lower, to the rawhide string of his breechclout. With a flick of the wrist she released it, glorying in the size and strength of his desire for her.

  “Ryder.”

  At the sound of his name he laid her back against the sleeping mat, gazing deeply into her eyes. “Tomorrow I may regret this, but tonight you are mine.”

  “You will never regret loving me, Ryder. I won’t let you. Love me now. I
need to feel you inside me.”

  Ryder cupped her face in his hands, then kissed her long and deep. This time his lips were soft and supple, all traces of anger gone as he settled himself in the cradle of her thighs. Hannah spread her legs wider and reached for him, her fingers closing around his thick shaft. Undulating currents shuddered through Ryder, her touch more jolting than a bolt of light-ning. When Hannah tried to guide him inside her he pushed her hands aside and seared her mouth with his kisses, leaving her weak and trembling.

  “Ryder, please!’

  Breaking off the kiss, Ryder sent her a sardonic look and slid down the length of her body, spreading nipping kisses along the way. Hannah moaned and dug her fingers into his shoulders. His lips and hands left a trail of fire that led directly to the juncture of her thighs. He looked deeply into her eyes, then lowered his head, at the same time sliding his hands beneath her and raising her buttocks up to meet his mouth. Hannah screamed as the torrid heat of his mouth found that throbbing place between her legs that begged for his attention.

  Rapture shuddered through her in bright waves as she laced her fingers in his hair and held him tightly against her. Her heart pounded wildly; his mouth tormented her, his tongue drove her into a frenzy as it probed and teased. She felt his fingers ease inside her and she jerked violently. Then she exploded, bucking, arching against him until the last tremor left her body. When she opened her eyes she found him staring at her.

  “What-what is wrong?”

  “You have put on weight. I do not remember your breasts so heavy,” His gaze slid down to her stomach; then he placed a large hand over the slight rise that hadn’t been there three months ago.

  Hannah flushed. “I am eating well. Would you prefer me the way I looked when you first saw me?”