Comanche Moon

by Virginia Brown

  “Kill things?” Diamond echoed. “Reckon they do, Miss Judith.” He smiled indulgently at her. “Just to survive, though. Animals don’t kill for sport. Man is the only animal who does that.” Deborah shuddered, and Diamond looked down at her. He frowned. “A bad choice of conversation, I think. Look, why don’t we ride over to that ridge? You can see halfway to Arizona from there.” Grateful for the diversion, Deborah avoided Zack’s eyes as she remounted. Her mare snorted and pranced sideways just enough to make her grip the reins a little tighter and give her an excuse to concentrate on something except him. Judith nudged her sorrel mare close to Deborah, her voice faintly shaken.

  “I didn’t mean to upset everyone.”

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yes. I just—remembered things.”

  “It’s all right,” Deborah said softly. “No one here will think less of you for what has happened. Dexter told me that he has only sympathy for women who were taken captive.”

  “He did?” Judith’s eyes widened, capturing sunlight like a mirror. “Do you think he actually feels that way, even knowing—thinking—what could have happened?”

  “I’m certain he does. And you know that Zack would not judge you.” Judith threw Zack a fierce glance. “He’d better not.” Deborah glanced at Judith’s pale face. Lately, she’d been different, either a whirlwind of vivacity, or so quiet it was unusual. Their months of captivity had had its effect on her, too. Maybe more so. There had been no one for Judith to turn to. She’d been starved, beaten, worked hard. Their release couldn’t have come too soon for her, while Deborah had been treated gently.

  They rode quietly for a while, horses stirring up dust behind them in small clouds that drifted on the wind. Diamond spurred his mount between Deborah and Judith. He reined in, then pointed to a clump of sage and rocks.

  “Look. There. In the shade of that rock. See the bird?” It took a moment, but Deborah finally saw the bronze-green bird with a sharp-pointed beak and bristle of bluish feathers atop its crown. Long tail feathers jutted out behind as it moved with quick, brisk movements.

  “What’s it doing?” she asked, watching as the bird broke off small clumps of cactus with its sharp beak. It was making a small ring of sorts, it seemed, scurrying from the cactus to a chosen spot, carefully placing a snip of cactus, then retreating with swift, long strides.

  Diamond chuckled. “Roundin’ up a rattler.”

  “What?”

  “Watch. See that dun-colored pile by the rock? That’s a young rattler.

  Can’t be an old one. Old ones are too smart to sleep out like that. This one may wake up inside that chaparral cock. Or road runner, whatever you want to call it. Mexicans call ’em paisano, or friend, because they eat snakes and mice. Watch it eat this snake.” Deborah stared in disbelief at the small bird. “Is this a joke?”

  “No joke, honey. Watch a minute.” The bird scurried about soundlessly, seeming to glide above the ground.

  It busily surrounded the young snake with pieces of prickly cactus, then darted behind it. Lunging forward, the bird dove at the sleeping rattler and missed. The near miss alerted the snake, and its head snapped up, the tip of its tail twitching furiously.

  Every time the agile bird darted in, the snake struck, and every time, it missed. Deborah could hear the chi chi chi chi of the rattles clacking together. It was a duel to the death, and for some reason, she felt sorry for the snake. Was there a double meaning in there somewhere, she wondered. She glanced at Zack, but his attention was on the struggle.

  When she glanced back, it was just in time to see the nimble bird dart forward and impale the snake just behind its head with the sharp-pointed beak. In spite of herself, she jerked and cried out.

  “Oh no!”

  The sound startled Judith, who had been watching with intense concentration, and she gave a yank on her horse’s reins. The sorrel spooked, snorting and half-rearing, then executed a few crow-hops across the ground before anyone could react. It stumbled, and Judith tumbled off backward in a flurry of blue riding skirt and white-stockinged legs.

  Deborah cried out again even as she tried to dismount, and before she knew it, she was at Judith’s side. Stunned, her cousin lay sprawled on the ground pushing dazedly at her skirts to cover her legs, her hair tumbling over her shoulders in a golden mass.

  “My leg,” she moaned, biting her lower lip and wincing.

  “Judith! Are you all right?” Deborah anxiously felt her arms and legs, but found no sign of broken bones. “Here. Let me help you up.” Judith accepted her help, clinging to her arm as she rose to her feet, then cried out and sagged earthward again.

  “My ankle! Oh, I think it’s broken!”

  “Are you certain?” Deborah checked again. Her ankle was already swelling inside the high-top boots she wore, and she looked up at her. “I think it’s just sprained, but I can’t be sure until we take off your boot. Does it hurt too badly?”

  “Bad enough,” Judith muttered, wincing.

  She felt someone kneel beside her and looked up to see Zack. His knife was in his hand, sunlight glittering along the sharp edge.

  When he reached for Judith’s foot, she screamed, a high, shrill sound that shocked Deborah and made Zack freeze in place. Runnels of light splintered from the blade, and Judith screamed again before Deborah recovered.

  “Judith, Judith—he’s just going to cut off your boot,” she said calmly, but felt a tightening in her throat at the look of terror on her cousin’s face.

  “No, no, I don’t want him anywhere near me!” Judith cried out, shuddering. “Please—make him go away!” Distressed, Deborah looked at Zack. He gave her an understanding nod, and said, “Diamond can do this. I’ll try to catch your horse.”

  “Catch my horse?”

  His mouth twisted. “It took off when you did. Diamond went after it.” He rose to his feet and sheathed his knife, glancing at Judith. “Calm her down while I go after him.”

  Deborah shifted, smoothing back Judith’s hair and wiping tears from her face. “It’s all right,” she repeated in a litany of comfort. “He was only trying to help.”

  “I know,” Judith whispered. “Or, part of me does. But he looks so fierce, so— savage—that he makes me think of them. I keep seeing all those Indians, screaming, yelling—I’m sorry.”

  “It’s all right.” Deborah pushed her hair out of her eyes and tried to smile reassuringly. “We’ll get you back to the house so you can put your foot up. In a few days, you’ll be out dancing again.” She heard cursing behind them and half-turned to see Diamond dismounting and stalking toward them. He looked angry and frustrated, and she cleared her throat.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Damn bad luck, that’s what. Your bobtailed nag is halfway to Arizona by now, and your cousin’s horse broke its leg in a snake hole.” Deborah stared up at him. “What are we going to do?”

  “Reckon we can double up. We’ll have to. She can ride with Banning, and you can ride with me.” He grinned suddenly, his eyes raking her boldly.

  “Might be kinda worth all this at that.” Rising, Deborah said softly, “May I speak with you a moment privately?”

  “Sure thing, sugar. Miss Deborah,” he corrected at her quick frown.

  They stepped away from where Judith huddled miserably. Putting her hand on his arm, Deborah said, “She won’t ride with Mr. Banning, I’m afraid.”

  Diamond looked surprised. “Why not? Has he—?”

  “No, no,” she said hastily. “It’s just that she’s afraid of him. See, he reminds her of . . . of our ordeal. He looks a lot like a Comanche, you must admit.”

  “Yeah, guess he does. Didn’t think of it that way. Must be why she’s so skittish around him. Sorry. I wouldn’t have had him come with me today. Just thought he’d be the best to have around.”

  “I know you meant well.” Deborah managed a smile. “You’ll have to let Judith ride with you.”

  Slapping the ends of his reins against hi
s thigh, Diamond regarded her for a long moment. “Banning doesn’t scare you?” She met his gaze steadily. “Not like he does her. I wasn’t treated as badly as she was.”

  “Right.” Sweeping off his hat, he ran a hand through his thick blond hair, then tugged the hat back on and adjusted the brim to shade his eyes. “All right, sugar. I’ll take your little cousin back to the hacienda. You wait here on Banning. Doubt if he catches that spooked hoss of yours, so he ought to circle back soon.”

  “You’re going to leave me alone out here?” Irritated, Diamond pointed. “See Banning? He’s circling back already.

  Besides, your cousin don’t look like she’s doing too well.” That much was true. Deborah nodded. “You’re right. I’ll wait on Mr.

  Banning. You just take care of Judith.” He grunted. “This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I asked you to go ridin’ today.”

  “Nor I. I’m certain you’ll forgive me if I say that you seem to have your priorities confused. My cousin’s welfare should come ahead of your desire for a pleasant afternoon.” Swearing softly, Diamond grabbed her by the shoulders before she realized what he was going to do, and yanked her to him, kissing her full on the mouth. He tasted hot and wet and salty; it wasn’t unpleasant, but it left her cold. When he lifted his head, his brown eyes were narrowed.

  “You taste good, sugar.” His voice was rough, guttural. He cleared his throat and grinned. “I’m gonna taste you again soon, when we can be alone.” Deborah shivered at the heat in his tone, and managed to free herself from his grasp. “Please,” she murmured. “This isn’t the time or place. Not here.”

  “No, not here, that’s for sure.” His palm slid down her arm to grasp her hand, and when Zack rode up behind them, he was still holding it. “Banning, I’m gonna take the little lady back before her leg swells too bad. You take care of my woman for me.”

  Zack stared at him for a moment without dismounting. “I can catch her horse, but I’ll need your rope. Won’t be any need in us splitting up.” He flicked a glance at the horse standing with head down and foreleg quivering.

  It snuffled softly, obviously in pain. “You going to put it down, or you want me to?”

  Diamond sliced the suffering animal an indifferent look and shrugged.

  “Just get the gear off it. Let the damn thing die on its own for all I care. Stupid nag, stepping in a hole in the first place.” Appalled, Deborah must have made some sound, because he turned to look at her, a frown creasing his tawny brow. “Ah, sugar, I don’t mean to be as hard as I sound. I just don’t want you to see it, that’s all.”

  “I assure you, that I would much rather see the poor thing put out of its misery than I would see it left to die slowly, Mr. Diamond.”

  “Didn’t I say that?” he shot back irritably, and looked at Zack. “Cut its throat, Banning. Quick and easy.” Throwing a leg over his mount’s neck, Zack slid to the ground and crossed to the injured horse. He unsaddled it while Diamond gathered Judith up in his arms and put her in front of him on his own horse. Deborah was almost in tears when Diamond handed her a coil of rope for Zack and mounted behind Judith. She tossed the rope to the ground and looked up at them. “I’ll be there soon after you,” she told her cousin. “You just let Tía Dolores take care of your ankle until I get there, all right?” Pain creased her pale features, but Judith managed a grimace that passed for a smile. “I will. I’ll be drinking lemonade on the patio when you get there.”

  Deborah watched them ride away at a slow lope, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood with the wind whipping her riding skirt and tossing the feather on her hat. Then she turned to see Zack talking softly to the horse.

  He’d unsaddled it and poured water from his canteen into his hat to let the animal drink. He rubbed the sweaty back, crooning Comanche words the entire time, soft, liquid sounds that soothed the trembling animal. It nuzzled him in an affectionate gesture.

  Deborah watched silently. There was a gentleness in Zack’s movements, and respect for the animal. He stroked it and talked to it, and she felt her throat tighten as he drew his pistol from its holster and put the barrel against the mare’s head. The horse seemed half-asleep, head lowered and pressed against Zack’s chest. He scratched it between the ears, then pulled the trigger of his pistol.

  The report made Deborah jump. For a moment, the animal seemed unhurt, then it sagged slowly to the ground and gave a last shudder before the eyes began to glaze. Deborah buried her face in her palms and wept. She didn’t know why. She had felt no special affection for the animal, but she hated the necessity of killing it.

  She sank to the ground, unable to stand a moment longer. With her head bent and her face still cupped in her hands, she didn’t see Zack approach, but she heard his light step. He knelt beside her. She felt him, his warmth, his sympathy.

  “It was kinder than the knife,” he said after a moment. “Though if I had killed the horse in the Comanche way, I would have slit its throat as Diamond said, and honored it as a brave and faithful friend.” She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t look in that direction, and Zack seemed to know it. He crouched there beside her without speaking for a few minutes, and she was grateful. Then he rose to his feet with languid grace and held out his hand.

  “Come on. I’ll catch your horse, but you need to wait in the shade. I remember what happened last time you were out in the sun too long.” Startled, Deborah’s gaze flew to his, and she saw the slight crinkling of his eyes as he smiled at her. She relaxed and nodded. “Yes, I do burn easily.” When she put her hand in his offered palm, shock waves shuddered up her arm and she caught her breath. The touch brought back a storm of memories. Pine trees, soft breezes, a hawk winging overhead. She shut her eyes, and when she opened them, Zack was staring at her.

  “Are you Diamond’s woman?” For an instant, his question made no sense. Then she realized what he was asking at the same time as the more recent memory of his rejection slashed at her.

  “I’m no one’s woman,” she said tartly, and tried to pull her hand from his grasp. He held it firmly, and a slow smile curved the erotic line of his mouth.

  “That’s what you think.”

  Chapter 17

  “Kiss me,” he muttered, and cupped her chin in his warm palm.

  Shivering in spite of the searing sun, Deborah could not offer a word.

  Zack saw her eyes widen, sunlight captured in the dark centers and reflecting like gold, her long lashes making shadows on her pale cheeks. He was crazy.

  He had to be. He knew better than to begin anything. Hadn’t he stayed away from her this long?

  But there was something drawing him to her, some invisible tug, whether of heart or body was immaterial at this point. He just knew he had to taste her again, had to hear her soft, sensuous cries in his ear.

  He didn’t care what Dexter Diamond thought, what Judith thought, what anyone thought but Deborah. She was the only one whose opinion mattered.

  His head bent, and he brushed his lips across her mouth in a light kiss.

  Her breath came in short, feathery pants for air, whispering over his face when he drew back a little to look at her. He saw her swallow, her throat rippling with a silky movement.

  “I shouldn’t do this.”

  “No,” he agreed, because she was right. “You shouldn’t do this.” He kissed the corner of her mouth, then her cheek above the bronzed curve of his hand where he held her, then her closed eyelids. She quivered. He felt it, the faint tremors that told him more than her words could have done.

  A hot wind blew over them, dry and rustling, scattering dust like dead leaves. He felt it beat against his legs and pepper his bare skin in a fine mist, almost like rain. The air shimmered with intensity.

  Her lashes trembled, lifted, her eyes huge and flecked with gold lights.

  She seemed slightly dazed.

  It took a concerted effort, but he lifted his head after a moment. Her skin was warm, sun-heated, soft beneath his fingers. He drew in a
deep breath to steady the raging blood pounding through him, and managed a faint smile.

  At least, it felt like a smile. From the widening of her eyes, he wasn’t sure what it looked like. His voice was so hoarse it was barely recognizable to him, sounding more like a harsh croak.

  “Deborah.”

  “Yes?”

  “We can’t stand out here in the sun and . . . and do this.”

  “No.”

  She wasn’t going to help him, he saw that at once. He was on his own here; she looked too confused, too distressed by everything.

  He suppressed the urge to draw her into him, to keep kissing her out here in the sun and heat where anyone who might wander by would see them.

  Not that this area was a highly traveled region. But he was a man who rarely took anything for granted, and he didn’t intend to risk what was left of her reputation by subjecting her to more gossip. A ranch hand could pass, or Diamond could send someone back for them.

  Zack set her back and away with a firm hand, regretting the necessity and his awakened hunger. “I’ll take you to a shady spot, then catch your horse.”

  She looked at him solemnly. “Yes.” He wanted to groan aloud. There was something so wistful in the way she looked at him, so needy. He wondered if he had the same dazed look, as if he’d been knocked down by a wild bull. He figured he did, since he certainly felt like it.

  Zack mounted his gray, then held out a hand to her to mount behind him. He saw her brief hesitation before she put her hand in his outstretched palm, then he lifted her and she swung up to perch with both legs on one side of the horse.

  “You’re going to have to straddle,” he said. “Otherwise you’ll fall off.

  And hold on to me. I don’t have time to play the gentleman if I want to catch your horse before dark.” There was a brief silence, then he felt her shrug. “All right. Not that I thought you would play a gentleman anyway.” It was maddening, having her legs nudging his, knowing her riding skirt was pushed up to her knees, feeling the soft press of her breasts against his back when she put her arms around his waist as gingerly as if he was a cactus.