The Alchemy of Desire

by Crista McHugh

  Napayshini stood over him with a grim expression. “My wife’s daughter is now yours,” he said a cold voice. He walked away without explaining further.

  Diah rose up to his elbows and watched the men leave. No sounds came from the tepee. Dear God, don’t let them have killed her. If they harmed one hair on her head, he’d make sure his case of black fire would burn their descendants. He scrambled to his feet and threw the flap open.

  Oni gasped and raised one of the hides to cover her chest. “Diah, what are you doing here?”

  He crouched in front of her and examined her skin. Rows of puckered flesh disappeared over her shoulder and down her back from where the demon’s claws had sliced her. “What did they do to you? Did they hurt you?”

  She shook her head and glanced at her new scars. “Forced healing is never comfortable. They weren’t as nice to me as I was to you.” She pulled the hide tighter around her and flipped her thick braid over her shoulder. “I’m going to need a new dress. That one is little more than rags after today.”

  It wasn’t fair for her to be so beautiful. The sight of her bare skin flooded him with desire, and he wished he could ignore his hardening cock. He held her cheeks firmly between his palms so he had her undivided attention. “If you ever deceive me again…”

  She pried his hand off and leaned toward him. Her fingers brushed through his hair. “No more lies, no more secrets.” Her lips pressed against his and the hide fell in a puddle between them. “I promise.”

  He stared at her breasts and couldn’t resist her any longer. His arms crushed her body against his while his tongue delved into the sweet recesses of her mouth.

  When they broke away, she said, “I taste scotch on your lips.”

  “Cager gave me some before I came in here.”

  She laughed and shoved him back on a pile of furs. “You needed a drink to work up your courage?”

  He cupped one of her breasts. “More like calm my anger.”

  Her lips brushed against his ear. “And why were you angry?”

  “In all honesty, I forget now.” His skin burned. Sweet Jesus, he wanted her. It wasn’t fair that she had this much control over him, but as he remembered the prior night’s passion, he wasn’t going to complain too loudly.

  “Then I’m not going to remind you.” Her hand skimmed over the bulge in his trousers, sending shivers down his spine. “But I should make sure you don’t stay angry at me.” Her fingers unbuttoned his fly and reached in.

  “Oni, you don’t have—”

  “Shh!” She exposed his cock and stroked it. “I’ve been wanting to do this.” She lowered her head.

  Diah almost screamed with pleasure as her tongue licked the tip. Why had he been denying himself this for so long? “God, that feels so good.”

  Her laugh vibrated through her throat as she took him completely into her hot mouth.

  Every muscle in his body stiffened at that second. He tangled his fingers in her hair and pressed her lower, wanting to go deep inside her. He groaned as her throat relaxed and accommodated his need.

  Her head began to bob up and down. Each stroke of her tongue against his shaft felt better than the last. She sucked her cheeks in, keeping them tight around him while she teased him.

  “Do you have any idea how great this feels?”

  She lifted her eyes and amusement glowed in their amber depths. Could she be enjoying this as much as he was? She withdrew her mouth. A smile played on it before she ran her tongue along his shaft as if she were licking honey from her fingers.

  No, she wasn’t stopping now. The orgasm was building up in him. He needed her to finish what she started, or he would ache from his unfulfilled desire. “Please don’t stop, Oni,” he begged.

  Her mouth surrounded him once again. She sucked harder and faster, taking him to the verge of coming over and over again before backing off. Sweat prickled along his forehead from the anticipation of the approaching climax. If she would ever let him have it. Her tongue danced around him in a spiraling motion, reducing him to mere moans while she continued to play with him.

  His breathing grew ragged and his body demanded release. As much as he enjoyed watching her, his eyes grew heavy. He threw his head back as she brought him to the edge once more. “Please, please,” he whispered.

  This time, she carried him past the breaking point. He remembered crying out her name before he released all the tension that had been building up inside him. The orgasm rushed through his body as he filled her mouth with his seed. Sheer bliss consumed him, and she continued to gently suck and lick his cock to keep the waves pulsating though him as long as possible.

  Diah collapsed against the furs as they finally died down. “You’re welcome to do that any time you want, my love.”

  She crawled toward him like a coyote stalking its prey, but the sight of her filled him more with desire than repulsion now. She licked her lips. “And what do I get in return?”

  “I’m spent at the moment.”

  She pouted. “I’m sure you could think of something.”

  “Give me a few minutes to get my mind working again.” Her scent filled his nostrils as she leaned closer to him.

  “As you wish.” She cuddled next to him and began unbuttoning his shirt. Her cool hand dug through the layers of his clothes until it reached his sweaty skin. “Maybe we should get you undressed.”

  If he could move, he would take his clothes off and feel her skin against his, but his limbs felt as if the bones had been removed.

  She leaned over and kissed him. “Don’t worry. This time, I’ll be the one removing your clothes and telling you what to do.”

  Her words shocked him, but a small thrill rushed through him as he thought about the implications. Could he turn over control to her? “What do you have in mind?”

  She nibbled on his earlobe. “First things first. We need to get you naked.”

  With a skill that surprised him, she removed his clothes in less than a minute and tossed them aside. Then she trailed her lips down his neck to his chest. Her tongue flickered over his nipples and desire burned within him again. If she kept this up, he’d be ready to make love to her sooner than he thought.

  He reached down and felt the soft leather of her breeches covering her firm ass. “No fair. You’re still wearing something.”

  “What are you going to do about it?” she asked in a low voice.

  She didn’t need to seduce him, but she was doing a damn good job of it. He flipped her over onto the furs and grabbed the waistband. “Pesky pants getting in the way.” He slipped them past her ankles and ran his hands over her smooth thighs. “This is better.”

  “Touch me.” Her eyes smoldered as she traced the muscles in his arm.

  The arousal her command generated surprised him almost as much as her coarse language had the night before. Proper young ladies would never behave this way. Perhaps he’d been looking for love in all the wrong places before he met Oni.

  He inched his fingers along her inner thighs. “Touch you where?”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her pelvis forward. “Higher.”

  He brushed the thatch of hair between her legs. “Here?”

  “Damn it, Diah—”

  He laughed and slid his fingers into her sex, causing her to gasp. “Is that better?”

  “Almost.” She guided his fingers to the sensitive spot and moaned when he grazed it. “There.”

  He grinned. Now he could torment her as much as she did him. He fondled the tiny nub, varying the pressure and the speed of his strokes. He would build her close to a climax and back away, just like she had with her tongue earlier.

  “You’re so evil,” she panted.

  He leaned over and kissed her parted lips. His tongue explored her mouth while his thumb played with her clit. God, she was tormenting him with desire. His cock ached to enter the hot wetness his fingers now explored.

  She broke away and cried out, caught in the throes of her ow
n orgasm. She arched her body against his, urging him to continue sending her over the edge. He marveled at her beauty, at the way the candlelight illuminated the curves of the damp skin as she writhed beneath him, and dedicated it all to memory. She was his and his alone. No man would ever see this side of her as long as he lived and breathed.

  Oni dug her nails into his wrist. “Enough.” She trembled and closed her eyes.

  “Are you sure?” His tongue caressed her nipples, tasting the salt of her sweat as he teased them into taut points. “Maybe I should I finish making love to you?”

  She reached down, stroked his hard cock and grinned. “Ready to go again?”

  Yes, am I ever. He rose to enter her, but she pushed him back against the furs and straddled his lap.

  “I told you I’m in charge tonight.” She lowered her hips so the tip of his cock barely entered her sex.

  Diah groaned as the hot sheath surrounded him. Would he ever get tired of being inside her? He grasped her hips and tried to push her lower so he could feel her all around the shaft.

  She leaned over and nipped his bottom lip. “Naughty.” Then she sank lower and took him completely inside her.

  He released her and sighed. He would gladly surrender to her as long as she would treat him to this level of pleasure over and over again.

  “Behave, and I’ll make you come again.”

  She began to move her hips up and down like she was riding a horse. Only she was riding him instead and excitement surged within him. Her breasts bounced with each thrust, and she moaned as she angled her pelvis so his head rubbed against her pleasure spot with every rise and fall. Her thighs clamped around his waist, not allowing him to move unless she wanted him to.

  There was something strangely erotic about how she used him to pleasure herself. Another orgasm welled up inside him as he watched her body grinding against his. She met his eyes for a second before arching her back and moaning in pleasure.

  He reached for her hips again, wanting her to go faster and deeper. He couldn’t take much more of this and hold back his own need to come.

  She pulled his hands away and rocked back and forth on his cock. “Please, not until I’m done.” Her movements became more frenzied, and finally she cried out and fell forward. Spasms racked her body as she clung to him.

  Diah flipped her over and began thrusting, needing to reach his own climax. It didn’t take him long and bright lights danced in front of his eyes when he exploded into her. He covered her mouth with his, wanting to muffle their screams of pleasure.

  The last waves of his orgasm radiated through his body, leaving exhaustion in their wake. He pressed his cheek between her breasts and wrapped his arms about her waist. Her heart thudded against his ear. He smiled.

  She ran her fingers through his hair. “Did you enjoy that?”

  He wasn’t capable of speech yet, so he nodded.

  “Am I forgiven?”

  Diah raised his head. “Oni, is there anything else you’re hiding from me? You’re not married, are you? Or have five kids hiding somewhere?”

  Her laughter echoed through her chest. “The only secret I have left is that I love you with all my heart.” Her knuckles brushed along the stubble on his jaw. “I only hope that you can love me in return, now that you know what I am.”

  “Oni, I love you too, although I wonder if it borders on madness at times. Just clarify one thing—you’re a human who can change into a coyote and not the other way around, right?”

  She grinned and brought his hand to her breast. He rolled her nipple between his fingers while she kissed him to the point where they were both left breathless. “Does that answer your question?”

  “Absolutely. Coyotes don’t kiss like that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Onawa, a word with you.”

  With a jerk of his head, Chaytonska indicated that he wanted to speak to her alone. Despite the early hour, he wore the look of a man who’d been up for hours. Her blood chilled.

  “I’ll be ready to go in a few minutes.” She gave Diah a peck on the cheek and joined her half brother on the edge of camp. Members of the tribe milled around, starting their morning rituals of cooking breakfast and preparing for the day, but none of them ventured near them. “What?”

  “I’m concerned about the number of wasichu I’ve seen in the area, especially with the arrival of the White Buffalo.” He looked over her shoulder at Cager and Diah. “You wouldn’t be leading them to the Paha Sapa because of that, would you?”

  The suspicion glowing from his golden eyes told her he already knew the answer, so she didn’t bother confirming it. “What else have you seen?”

  “A flying object that breathes smoke and blocks out the sun.”

  Her pulse quickened. “When did you see it last?”

  “Three days ago.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief. That was the same day it attacked them. Hopefully, they wouldn’t encounter it again. “What I do is my own business.”

  “And you would willingly lead them there, knowing the curse that awaits the man who harms the White Buffalo?”

  “I don’t think the curse is real.” She turned to walk away. He was just trying to keep her from finding it. He was like his father in that way. Overly protective of the tribe’s secrets.

  He caught her arm. “And is that a chance you wish to take with the man who loves you?”

  Her gaze traveled to Diah, who smiled as he said something to his brother. He had no idea what awaited them. Could she live with herself if she knew she’d been responsible for his death? “Your point is made.” She jerked her arm free and her mind churned with ways to sabotage the hunt.

  “I’ll be watching you, Onawa.” He turned and returned to the other Lakota men. They stood in a tight group, their faces unreadable but their postures indicating their unease with the wasichu in their camp.

  “What did he want?” Cager asked when she joined them.

  “He was asking about O’Kerry’s airship. He saw it a few days ago.”

  Diah frowned. “Was that all? You look like he said something that upset you.”

  She avoided his eyes. How could he read her so well? For a moment, she almost told him the truth. But would he believe her? “He’s always tried to keep me tied to the tribe, but I don’t belong here.”

  “Neither do we, so let’s get the hell out of here.” Cager mounted his horse and waited for them to do the same.

  It was then she noticed three horses instead of two. “You got me a horse?”

  “I didn’t mind sharing mine with you, but Cager insisted you have one. He thinks we’ll travel faster.”

  Cager tightened his grip on the reins. “We will, or have you already forgotten how much ground we covered before she lost her little pony?”

  She approached the new horse and stroked its nose. It sniffed her but did not seem alarmed by the scent of coyote that always lingered on her skin. She hopped on the horse’s back. “I’m glad you didn’t put a saddle on her. I’ve always preferred to ride without one.”

  “Isn’t that uncomfortable when you run?” Cager raised his brow.

  She shook her head, and Diah added with a grin, “She has strong thighs.”

  Her cheeks grew warm as she remembered how she rode him last night. If only riding a horse was that fun.

  They rode south and by the end of the day the dark hills of the Paha Sapa loomed in front of them. Pine trees covered the lower slopes, but the bare pinnacles glittered black in the setting sun. If the White Buffalo could be found, it would be here in these sacred lands of hidden caverns and sparkling riverbeds.

  A small valley served as their campground that night. As she started a fire, she heard a falcon’s cry and cringed. Her eyes scanned the skies for its source. Perhaps Chaytonska meant what he said. She resumed feeding twigs to the flames, but her body refused to relax.

  Diah sat near her and pulled her into his arms. “It’s good to see the moon again.”

 
She cuddled closer to him and he wrapped the buffalo hide around them. The almost full moon illuminated the clear night skies, obscuring the stars around it. Her chest tightened. In a few nights, the White Buffalo would appear. “It’s almost time for the Coyote Moon.”

  “Is that when you get stuck as furry for a few nights?” Cager asked. With another flash of his wand, the tepee from the abandoned camp expanded to normal size.

  Diah’s muscles rippled along his arms. She could feel his anger rising with each beat of his heart so she replied, “It’s a sacred month when the old magic is the strongest. It’s why you think the White Buffalo will appear during this time.”

  Cager snorted. “Don’t you think it will be here, or is this all another trick, Oni?”

  “No, if the legends are true, she will appear with the full moon and our chances of finding her are the greatest here.”

  Howls echoed off the hills. For the first time, Diah didn’t immediately reach for his gun. Instead, he listened to them with a faint smile on his lips. “It sounds like the coyotes are enjoying the full moon, too.”

  “Of course. That’s because the Great Trickster lives on the moon.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t you see the profile of the coyote on the moon?” She drew it for him in the dirt. “See, here are his ears, his nose, his open mouth and his neck.”

  His eyes flickered between her sketch and the moon. “I can kind of see it. I was always told that it was the man in the moon.” He erased her lines and drew his own interpretation of the image he saw there. “See?”

  Cager rewrapped the buffalo blanket around himself and grumbled something incomprehensible before adding, “You two going to talk about the moon all night?”

  “Who pissed in your coffee, Cager?”

  Oni covered Diah’s hands with her own. “Don’t let him get to you,” she whispered in his ear, and his muscles eased in response. “He’s just jealous because you have a woman lying next you every night and he doesn’t.” Her fingers brushed against his thigh under the blanket and desire pooled in his eyes, thinning the blue into a narrow rim.