A frown creased his brow when he realized something else—his body didn’t hurt. He slid his hand across his stomach before gingerly assessing his ribs. The flesh was smooth instead of torn. It was then he realized two things. First, that he wasn’t wearing any clothing; and second, that he was covered by a soft blanket.
He reached up and fingered the blanket, wondering if he was hallucinating. The thick cotton fibers were familiar against his skin. He lifted his hand and studied it. The flesh was no longer raw and sore. He wiggled his fingers, closing and opening them.
The next test was to sit up. If he could do that without pain, then either he was dead and didn’t realize it or somehow he’d been found, taken to the hospital, healed over the course of a few months, and redeposited to the exact spot where he had collapsed.
My being dead makes more sense, he wryly thought before he grimaced.
Do dead people have to take a piss? he wondered when the familiar pressure of his bladder demanded relief.
He reached for his breeches that were neatly folded and shook them out. They looked like they had been dry cleaned! With a shake of his head at his wayward thoughts, he pushed the blanket aside and stood up.
He almost lost his balance when he tried to shove his foot through the opening too quickly and it caught on the material while he scanned the area. He pulled the leather breeches up, but left the Concha belt undone.
His shirt and moccasins were at the end of his makeshift bed. He sat down and pulled the moccasins on before grabbing his shirt. He pulled the clean shirt over his head and tugged it down. He stood again, noting the thick layer of blankets and the still smoldering fire.
“Call of nature first, then find out what in the hell is going on,” he muttered.
He strode a short distance away and took care of business before walking down to the shallow river to wash his hands and face. He squatted and stared at the flowing river before he shoved his hands into the water. The chill sent a shiver through him and he rubbed his hands together as he processed that what he was doing was real.
He cupped his hands, scooping up the water and lifted a handful to his face. He took a deep breath and buried his face in the water before rubbing his cold, wet hands over the back of his neck. A shiver ran down his spine when some of the water seeped under the collar of his shirt and trickled down his back.
“This feels like I’m still alive,” he said under his breath.
He lifted an arm to dry his face when a movement across the river caught his attention. Slowly rubbing the dampness from his face against the soft material, he remained in place as he watched the woman approaching him. She held a large basket in her hands and moved with surprising grace over the uneven ground.
She was wearing a beautiful black and red Navajo Blanket dress that stopped just below her knees. White and red moccasin wraps covered her lower legs and feet. The dress was accented with a silver and turquoise belt with matching turquoise and silver jewelry. Her long black hair flowed freely around her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was also the woman who had haunted his dreams last night.
He carefully rose to his feet. The last thing he wanted to do was startle her. She stopped when she saw him standing and they stared at each other in silence like two wary predators wondering who would make the first move. Her lips curved into a hesitant smile and she began walking again.
“Watch out,” he cautioned when he saw her place a foot on one of the large round stones in the river. She raised an eyebrow. He waved a hand down at the stone. “It might be slippery. Let me help you.”
Before he could move, she crossed the river. He lifted a hand and rubbed it across his eyes. It was strange, but it looked more like she floated across. He shook his head.
Maybe I’m having a mental breakdown and none of yesterday really happened, he thought.
That was the only thing that made any sense. It was possible he had suffered a case of mild sun stroke or had a bout with dehydration and this woman had found him. His hand went to his shirt. There were no tears or any evidence of blood.
“I… thank you. It would appear that something happened…. I…. Can you tell me what the hell is going on?” he demanded.
She paused in front of him. His hands shot out when she held out the basket. He looked down and almost groaned when he saw the bounty of food inside. His head jerked back to her when she stepped around him and continued to the small campsite where he had awakened.
“My name is Aditsan Claw, by the way,” he called after her.
He shook his head when she merely looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. Not only was he going crazy—or had gone crazy—he was doing it with a sexy hallucination that made his mouth water to kiss that smile right off her lips. The thought that he might be dead again was interrupted when his stomach growled.
“Well, if I am delusional, at least it comes with a gorgeous woman and a meal,” he said with a sigh.
Chapter Five
Aditsan sat on a medium size boulder and placed the items on the woven plate that he hadn’t noticed at first. The woman sat across from him on another rock. The early morning sun brightened the other side of the canyon. The rays from it struck the layers of sediment and made the tiny rock crystals sparkle. The entire effect made it appear as if an artist had taken a paintbrush to the walls.
“My name is Aditsan Claw,” he introduced again.
She tilted her head and continued to stare at him in silence. He absently picked up a piece of bread and placed it on the plate. He added several pieces of fruit to go with it before holding the woven dish out to her.
He nodded to the plate when she looked at it with a frown. There was only one plate. He would use the basket. He frowned when she didn’t take his offering.
“This is for you. You did bring the food, after all. It wouldn’t be right to eat without offering you a dish first,” he said.
“The—food is for your consumption,” she softly responded.
He released a low chuckled. “So, you can talk,” he said with satisfaction.
“And you can hear me,” she replied as if surprised.
“I’d feel better if you ate with me,” he said.
She reached out and took the offered food from him with a puzzled expression. He reached into the basket and pulled out another loaf of bread, surprised that it was still warm. He tore a piece off and popped it into his mouth. She copied him, moving hesitantly as if the act of eating was foreign to her.
“You never told me your name,” he said.
“Name,” she repeated before her lips curved in that mysterious smile again. “Angeni, I am called Angeni.”
“Angeni. Thank you,” he said.
“You are feeling better?” she asked.
He frowned and nodded. “Yes… no… I’m not sure,” he admitted with a strained chuff of laughter.
She placed the bread she was holding on the plate and set it on the rock next to her before she stood up. He warily watched as she stepped around the fire pit. She raised her hand and gently laid it against his forehead, as if checking to see if he had a fever.
He stiffened when a tingling sensation prickled his flesh. Not sure what was happening, he reached up and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. He stiffened with surprise when his hand appeared to pass right through her arm when she stepped backwards.
“Your body has healed, though. You are no longer in pain?” she inquired.
He dropped his piece of bread into the basket and set it aside. She took another step back when he rose to his feet. A strange suspicion formed in his mind and he didn’t like what he was thinking.
“What’s going on? Who are you and who put you up to this? Are you slipping me drugs?” he demanded.
She appeared oblivious to his growing anger. His sharp gaze took in the expressions crossing her face. Nothing pointed to anything deceitful or nefarious, but something was off, and he was going to get to t
he bottom of it.
“I don’t understand,” she softly replied.
“You don’t— I want to know what is going on. Yesterday—” He stopped and lifted both hands to run them through his hair in frustration before he turned to face the river. “Yesterday I fell off a damn cliff and nearly broke my neck. I did break some ribs, suffered a five-inch gash in my side, tore up my hands, knees, and had a concussion. I was—dying. My lung—” His hand moved to his left side. “I couldn’t breathe well.” He turned and stared at her with a hard, searching gaze. “I was drowning in my own blood, dammit all to hell. I was dying!”
“Yes.”
Her simple reply took him by surprise. “It really happened. I was—dying,” he choked on the last word.
“Yes,” she said.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t form. His eyes ran over her as he tried to make sense of the impossible. She continued to watch him with a curious, innocent expression.
“How?” he finally asked in a hoarse voice.
“You asked for help,” she said.
“I asked—” he stopped and thought.
Grandfather, help me.
He had asked for help. Flashes of memory, fogged by pain, poured through his mind. He remembered the fall, the journey along the canyon wall to the river, his collapse at the end, and finally his certainty that he would be dead before anyone found him. He also remembered the first moment Angeni had touched him.
“I don’t understand,” he said, echoing her earlier response.
She stepped closer to him and placed her hand over his heart. He tentatively lifted his hand and laid it over hers. She smiled at him.
“Your body was broken and I healed it,” she explained.
Mesmerized by the compassion in her eyes, he leaned toward her. He held back a breath from her lips, giving her a chance to pull away from him. When she didn’t, he captured her lips in a fierce, passionate kiss.
His hand slid along her arm and up to her neck while he wrapped his other arm around her waist. Her lips parted under his and he deepened the kiss, marveling at her response. He was vaguely aware of her hands sliding up to his shoulders.
She was real. This wasn’t a dream. He reluctantly ended their kiss, but didn’t release her.
“Angeni,” he murmured, resting his forehead against hers.
“I must go,” she said, a slight tremble in her voice.
The protest on his lips faded when he suddenly found himself standing alone. His gaze wildly searched for Angeni, but she had disappeared. Fear gripped him by the throat at the thought that maybe he was going crazy until he saw the basket and the blankets.
With trembling fingers, he reached for the basket. The coarse grass was stiff. He lifted the basket to his nose and sniffed. The faint aroma of the woven grasses mixed with the smell of freshly baked bread and the sweet scent of the fruit. He wrapped his arms around the basket and hugged it against his chest.
“When will I see you again?” he called out.
“Tonight.”
The faint response drifted to him on the wind. He would see her again tonight. He leaned back against the rock and breathed deep, calming breaths.
“Thank you, Grandfather,” he murmured, looking up at the sky and grinning.
Chapter Six
Aditsan spent the day exploring the canyon. He followed the river for nearly six miles before he turned around and made his way back to camp. Along the way he discovered places that time had forgotten.
The outer walls of the cliffs contained Navajo pictographs. He spent several hours studying them and looking for more. The stories reminded him of the ones his grandfather used to tell him about—a time when the great people of the Navajo nation roamed from Canada down to Mexico.
His real life seemed surreal at the moment. After all, with the press of a mouse button or a message to George, he flew all over the world. Aditsan ran his hands down along the soft leather breeches. He didn’t miss the expensive suits or the designer jeans that he normally wore.
The sun had settled over the western wall of the canyon by the time he returned to camp. He stripped out of his clothing, draping it over a rock, and waded into the pool. He wanted to wash away the sweat and grime before Angeni returned.
***
“Angeni, what you are doing is forbidden,” Dyami stated in a firm voice.
Angeni ignored her brother and continued gliding over the area where lightning had created a small fire the day before. She should have known he would have seen what she was doing. The large eagle swooped down and Dyami shifted so he could walk beside her.
“Go away, Dyami,” she finally said.
He reached out and touched her arm. She released a sigh and opened her hand. The seeds she was spreading were caught by her sigh and scattered on the wind.
This will not be my best work, she thought with a touch of resignation.
“Angeni, you know it is forbidden to interfere with the world of people,” he quietly admonished.
“I know,” she replied, refusing to look at him.
He stepped in front of her. “You are going to see him again. Why?” he murmured.
“I don’t know,” she confessed.
“Father will be furious,” he warned.
She laughed and looked at him with twinkling eyes. “When isn’t he? Besides, Mother will soothe him,” she playfully retorted.
Dyami shook his head. “Out of all of us, I never expected you to be the rebel,” he grudgingly confessed.
“I have my moments,” she teased.
“I’ll do my best to keep Father distracted until you come back to your senses,” he muttered.
Angeni hovered over the burned ground and watched as her brother transformed back into an eagle and flew away. Her focus returned to the scorched earth and she sighed again. She truly hoped that Dyami was successful, otherwise cleaning up the mess might take a while.
She looked up at the clear sky. “Huyana, I need you,” she called.
A cloud formed over the scorched area where she spread the wildflower seeds and a gentle rain began to fall. The cloud dissolved after a few minutes. Satisfied that the seeds would have the ash from the fire to feed them and the water from her sister to help wash them into the soil, she turned her attention to the canyon where Aditsan waited.
“Aditsan, I’m coming,” she whispered, her soft call riding on the wind.
***
Aditsan treaded water and swiveled as a breeze blew across the water. He closed his eyes and listened. Above the sound of the waterfall he caught the faint murmur of his name.
The soft caress of hands on his shoulders startled him. He opened his eyes. Angeni’s shining brown eyes stared back at him with an expression that took his breath away.
“You came back,” he murmured.
She smiled at him. “I promised I would,” she gently replied.
His arms wrapped around her waist and he drew her against his body. His breath hissed out when her bare flesh caressed his. He captured her lips, parting them.
Her hands threaded through his hair and she opened for him. His tongue tangled with hers while he slid his hands down to cup her bare buttocks. Her legs parted and wrapped around his waist.
The brush of his full cock against her soft curls pulled a moan of desire from him. He released her lips and stared into her eyes. She returned his unwavering gaze.
“I want to be with you,” he said.
Her expression softened and she traced his face with her fingers. “Yes,” she murmured.
His arms tightened around her for a brief moment when she lowered her legs. He slid his hand up and grasped her hand, afraid to let her go in case she disappeared. Together, they swam to shore and slowly walked out of the water.
Aditsan paused when she stopped. A flash of uncertainty hit him that she had changed her mind. She smiled at him before looking up at the sky and whispered a soft reque
st.
A gust of warm wind suddenly surrounded them, pulling the moisture from their bodies before disappearing. He reached out and touched the silky strands of her hair as they fell around her. Once again, he wondered if he was hallucinating.
“Angeni.”
“I wish to be with you, Aditsan,” she said, caressing his cheek.
His fingers tightened around hers and he drew her close. Bending, he swept her off her feet and carried her over to the pallet of blankets. He tenderly lowered her down to the soft bed, covering her body with his.
Her hands framed his face and she lifted her head to capture his lips. A shudder of need ran through him when her legs parted and the tip of his cock brushed against her soft mound. He slipped his hand down and wrapped it around his full shaft.
A low moan slipped from him when Angeni lifted her hips and rubbed against him. The tip of his cock slid between her soft folds. He released his grip on his cock and slid his arm under her. Her fingers gently scraped against his scalp as her tongue fought with his in a primitive mating dance.
Aditsan fought to keep control as he slowly impaled Angeni. He wanted to savor their first time together, but his body and mind were already in meltdown. The touch of her hands sliding across his flesh sent shock waves along his nerve endings. Her tight channel was slick with their combined desire and wrapped around his cock like a warm blanket on a freezing night.
His breathing quickened when he encountered the thin barrier. Shocked, he pulled back and gazed down at her. She returned his gaze.
“Angeni—” he breathed.
“Take me, Aditsan,” she whispered.
She moved in a slow sensuous undulation. The satin brush of her inner thighs slid along his and she wrapped her legs around his, locking them together. The movement opened her completely to him. He kept his eyes focused on her face and rocked his hips forward, breaking through the barrier and joining them as one.
Her lips parted in a gasp. He bowed his head and captured the sound. He remained still, giving her body time to adjust to his until her soft, impatient whimper and the slight movement of her hips showed him that she was ready.
The Glittering World Anthology: Native American Romance Paranormal Fantasy Page 25