The girl laughed softly, looking up at him. “Your body makes a liar out of you!”
Indeed his traitor manhood was rigid, throbbing with desire. “I have a woman,” he said again.
“Then where is she?” The girl challenged. “I am here and willing to do things to you no woman has ever done before, teach you ways of love I have learned from many men.”
She lowered her head and ran her hot, pink tongue across his nipples until he gasped and held her wet mouth hard against his chest, fighting for control. He was shaking all over, struggling with himself. He could have this girl, she was more than willing, and Kimi would never know. This lustful rutting could be over in a couple of minutes.
The girl laughed softly and kissed her way down his chest to his belly as she sank to his knees. He wore only moccasins and a brief loincloth. Surely she wasn’t going to ... ?
With almost superhuman effort, he pulled away from her. “No.” Why was he denying himself this pleasure? He must be three kinds of a fool.
The girl sighed, stepped back. “You are a fool, white Lakota, to be loyal to the jealous, stubborn chit.”
He didn’t even want to think about her words. They might make too much sense. “I bought you to set you free. Can you get back to your people?”
She blinked, her pretty face puzzled. “You ride with the Lakota and you set an enemy Pawnee girl free? It is too much to expect.”
“Nonetheless, that’s what I intend.” Rand nodded, “It made me sick to imagine what those traders had put you through.”
At that point the girl lost her composure and began to sob. “I was lured away from my people. Lucky promised me I would be his woman. I did not know until it was too late that he would lend me to his partners and make me earn money with my body from any man who had the price.”
Rand frowned, feeling desperately sorry for her. He reached out and gently stroked her hair. “How are you called?”
“They call me ‘Brown Sugar,’ but my Pawnee name is Kirit.”
“Kirit, if I help you get out of this camp tonight, do you have a place to go?”
She looked up at him, tears on her face. “My brother has a friend riding with the soldiers’ Pawnee scouts. He might be at Fort Berthold. Even Lucky does not know this. Maybe I can find my brother through him.”
Such a lovely body; such a waste, Rand thought, but he only picked up her shift and tossed it to her. “If I give you a horse and send you out of this camp, can you find your way to that fort?”
The girl nodded. “I think so.” She slipped the shift over her head, put on her moccasins. “I’ll ride out the opposite side, away from the creek so Lucky won’t follow and recapture me.”
Rand took her hand and led her outside into the darkness. The whole camp was asleep. Even the traders’ campsite across the creek was quiet. He was three kinds of a fool, Rand thought, not to enjoy both Indian girls until he figured out a way to return to civilization and his elegant fiancée. Sometimes he was too noble even for a Southern gentleman. Chivalry could be the only reason he was spurning this girl’s amorous offer, he told himself.
Carrying a small canteen and a little pack of pemmican, Rand led the girl quietly across the camp in the opposite direction of the creek. He led her to Kimi’s pony. “Here, Kirit, let me help you up.”
For a split second, she was in his arms and she reached to kiss him. “Good-bye, yellow-haired warrior. I wish I could stay with you forever.”
She clung to him, molding herself against him. With great difficulty, he forced himself to pull away from her. He put her on the pony’s back and handed her the food and water. “Go now and find your people,” he said. “Forget about the nightmare you have endured and find yourself a good man.”
She gave him a long look. “I found a good man. But he does not want me.” She looked off toward the creek. “I only regret that I do not get to take revenge on Lucky.”
“Sooner or later, justice will be done,” Rand assured her. “Go now and remember that all things are in the hands of Wakan Tanka.”
She nodded and rode away at a walk. Rand watched her silhouette growing smaller in the moonlight. Wakan Tanka, indeed. He cursed softly, slapping a quirt against his leg. He was even beginning to think like an Indian.
Kimi. What was he going to do about her? He turned and walked back to his tipi. He had humiliated himself enough by going to her mother’s lodge once this evening. He should throw away this little white savage who made him forget who he was, forget his cold, respectable fiancee, forget everything but coupling with her like an animal. If she were going to be angry with him, let her. Since when did Rand Erikson have to beg a woman for her forgiveness or favors? This luscious woman-child had made him lose his pride. She had made a fool of the heir of one of Kentucky’s wealthiest families.
She was a fever in his blood, but eventually men either recover or die from fever. He must begin to think about recovering, putting this whole impossible adventure behind him, returning to Kentucky to pick up the pieces of his former life. He flexed his broad shoulders, trying to reduce the tension he felt. Rand went into his tipi and lay down on a buffalo robe. For a long time, he couldn’t sleep, angry with Kimi, knowing she was over at her mother’s lodge sulking when she could be here in his arms. Finally he dropped off to sleep.
Kimi leaned against the cottonwood tree, staring at the shallow water of the creek. She had been here for only a few minutes, but it seemed like hours. What was going on in Hinzi’s tipi? She didn’t even want to think about that oh-so-grateful enemy girl making love to him. Should Kimi swallow her pride? Could she bear to lie in that tipi at night after he had made love to her and watch him mount that other girl? Her mother was right; Hinzi was a virile stallion of a man. No doubt he could keep two women serviced and satisfied.
She heard a twig snap and looked up, startled. In the moonlight, she realized it was the tall trader, Lucky.
“Ah,” he smiled at her, “I scared you? Didn’t mean no harm.”
She took two steps back, a little uneasy.
He made a soothing gesture with his hands “I was out havin’ myself a smoke. What are you doing out alone, sweet stuff? You should be safely asleep in the arms of your man.”
“My man is the one you sold the Pawnee girl to.”
He laughed softly. “A little jealous then, are you?” He scratched his chin and looked out across the camp. “No doubt at this very moment, he is enjoying the taste of Brown Sugar. She is very skilled at pleasing men–not the innocent she was when I took her from her people.”
Kimi didn’t want to hear about it. She turned away from the trader, imagining Hinzi lying between that girl’s thighs, kissing her, running his hands over her.
Behind her, Lucky said, “I tried to trade for you, sweet stuff. Maybe now you wished you had not objected?”
“I must get back,” Kimi said, uneasy at the turn his conversation was taking.
He caught her arm. “Don’t run away, pretty thing; I won’t hurt you. While your man is busy with that Pawnee girl, why don’t you earn a few pretties for yourself? He’ll never know the difference.”
She turned and glared at him. “I don’t know what you mean.”
He grinned. “Sure you do. Come back to my camp. For a few minutes of your time, my friends and I will give you many beads and ribbons. Now do you know what I mean?”
Kimi grimaced as the images he hinted at came to her mind. For the first time, she had a little sympathy for the enemy girl and thought of her as an unfortunate woman instead of a nameless enemy. “No,” she shook her head, “Hinzi would kill you for it.”
He laughed easily. “I think the white warrior is too busy with Brown Sugar’s charms to even know or care what you do for the next hour. How did a pretty half-breed like you get into this camp, and what’s a white man doing living among the Sioux?”
Kimi didn’t answer. If he reported having seen Hinzi, would the soldiers come and take him away? “You must not tell that he is
here,” she said urgently.
He ran his fingers up and down her arm “And what will you give me, sweet stuff, if I promise I won’t tell?”
The hair seemed to rise up on the back of her neck as she realized what he was demanding. She didn’t even like the feel of his dirty hand on her arm.
“Maybe I can give you some ponies.” Perhaps her mother might be persuaded to part with the ones Hinzi had given her.
Lucky laughed. “Don’t need any ponies. Just a kiss,” he wheedled, moving closer, “just one.”
A kiss. Maybe she could stand that. Could she trust him to keep his word? She should go tell Hinzi what the trader threatened. Then she paused as she realized the Pawnee girl was no doubt keeping Hinzi too busy to interrupt him at this moment.
“Just one little kiss,” Lucky murmured. Even as she hesitated, he reached out and pulled her into his embrace. She opened her mouth to protest, but his own covered hers, his wet tongue slipping between her lips.
Sickened, Kimi struggled to pull away. Lucky was strong from years of surviving on the frontier. He held her more tightly, crushing her against him all the way down both their bodies. His sweaty hands ran over her, his mouth on hers so hard that he cut her lip and she tasted her own blood. She managed to bite his mouth and he hit her across the face, cursing. “I’ll teach you, you little slut!”
Half-dazed, Kimi tried to cry out, but now he had his hand over her mouth. She fought to get away from him, knowing she was no match for his strength.
He laughed softly. “I ain’t called ‘Lucky’ for nothin’. Pretty Injun slut, you will now take Brown Sugar’s place. By the time anyone realizes you’re gone, you’ll be many miles from here. Your man will think you’ve run away in a fit of jealous rage. What he won’t know is that besides me and my two friends, you’ll earn much money for me as a whore among the tribes and around the forts!”
Twelve
This had been the longest, most terrifying night of Kimi’s life, she thought as she rode in front of Lucky on his horse, her hands tied behind her.
How foolish she had been to go down near the creek alone where he could grab her. He had tied and gagged her, then carried her to his camp. Quickly he and his partners had loaded up and left the sleeping Sioux village. She had struggled for hours to slip from the rawhide thongs that bound her, but they held firm.
If only she could have gotten her mouth free to scream, but Lucky had double-checked the rag that gagged her. All she could do was utter soft moans, none loud enough for the sleeping Indians to hear as the three traders rode quietly out of camp and off into the darkness.
All night they had ridden at a gallop, fearing pursuit. They stopped only now and then for a moment to cool the lathered horses then remounted and rode on. Now Lucky held her close against him on the horse and laughed against her hair. “So little Injun gal, you think now you wish you’d stayed in your man’s tipi, even while he made love to the Pawnee gal, eh? Your jealousy has gotten you into a whole heap a trouble.”
Kimi flinched, remembering. It would probably be morning before the tribe realized she was missing. Would Hinzi come? Too late, she remembered her fury, slapping his face. He might not bother to look for her. He might think she had gone with the traders willingly.
Buck looked behind him. “Damn it, Lucky, this time you went too far. Didn’t you see that white Injun’s face? He’ll cut your gizzard open for this, and maybe ours, too.”
“Aw, quit worryin’. Brown Sugar’s keepin’ him occupied. Nobody will know she’s missing for hours.”
“Shucks,” Tech said, “we been riding for hours. How long do you figure we’ll have to ride before we’re safe from them redskins?”
“Goddamn it! We don’t dare relax yet,” Buck warned.
Lucky kissed up and down the back of her neck. She struggled to pull away, but he only laughed and pulled her up against his lean body. “Don’t fight me, sweet stuff. You’re helpless and dependent on my good will. I expect you to be very, very good to me when you get the chance.”
The other two laughed.
Tech said, “And to your old partners, too, Lucky, don’t forget that.”
“She’ll be very good to all of us–or else.” Lucky promised and ran his hands over Kimi’s breasts. Even through the doeskin she felt the heat of them.
Kimi pulled away from his stroking hands and sat up stiff and straight in the saddle, letting him know she had no intention of cooperating.
He laughed again and nuzzled the back of her neck. “Sweet stuff, by the time we get finished, you’ll be like that Pawnee: eager to please us so we won’t beat you. Maybe sometimes we’ll even give you a little whiskey.”
Too late Kimi felt pity for the Pawnee girl and what she must have survived the last few months in the ownership of this ruthless trio.
Buck said, “She’s gonna be a little gold mine, ain’t she? We’ll make a pile of money off her from soldiers: They like half-breed gals.”
“Shucks, we gonna let Injuns use her, too?” Tech looked over at her. The lust in his hard eyes made her shudder.
“If they got some good furs and ponies to trade,” Lucky said and ran his hand over her body again.
Her doeskin shift had worked its way up so that he now had his dirty hand on her thigh. She tried to concentrate on her anger, what she would like to do to this trio if she had a knife or a gun and could work her hands free. It kept her from thinking about the inevitable time when the traders felt that they were far enough from the Lakotas to make camp.
He stroked her bare thigh. “Yes, sweet stuff,” he whispered against her hair, “when we finally make camp, you are going to entertain us. We’ll see if you are as talented with your ripe body as Brown Sugar was.”
She protested against the gag, letting him know she would fight him when he tried to take her.
He only snickered. “Oh, but you will, Injun. The three of us are bigger than you are, so we will take your sweetness as a bee takes honey whenever and however often we want. Even if you tell the soldiers at some of the forts, none of them will pay any attention to the protests of a half-breed gal. They will be too eager to sample your charms themselves. All white men think of Indian girls as sluts to be used for their pleasure.”
Was that true? Kimi thought of Hinzi, asleep even now back at the Lakota camp with the voluptuous enemy girl in his arms. Had he enjoyed that girl as he had enjoyed Kimi? More importantly, had that Pawnee pleasured him more than Kimi had? He might not even be interested in getting Kimi back this morning. Well, her mother and some of the others would start a search.
They rode all night long, stopping now and then to rest the horses. Kimi was so tired from sitting on the horse that she kept nodding off, only to be jerked awake by Lucky’s dirty hands fondling her. If only she could sleep. She knew that when they finally stopped to take a long rest, the three traders had plans for her. In her mind, she saw herself spread-eagled on a blanket under a scrubby tree, maybe two of them holding her down while another raped her. Then they would change places until all had been satisfied several times. After that, they would sleep and leave her tied up and smeared with their sweat and seed until they were ready to ride again.
They didn’t stop at dawn, but kept riding, pausing now and then to rest the horses which were becoming noticeably weary. They rested only a few minutes at a time, eating in the saddle. While Tech and Lucky looked at her with increasingly lustful glances, Buck said, “Hold off. We don’t have time to really enjoy her now; wait ’til sundown. By then we will be at our favorite camping spot.”
She had never been so thirsty in her whole life. No, that wasn’t true. A memory came to her, bobbed in and out of her mind like a leaf on a stream. She had been thirsty then, too. Maybe it was only a hazy dream of a lifetime ago. Her tongue had seemed swollen so that she couldn’t swallow. How old was she then? Kimi tried to grab hold of the allusive memory, but all she could remember was crying softly for water and a big man, a white man, patiently explaining th
at there was none. Water. They had to walk to water. Kimi was too small to walk. The man seemed so weak he could hardly stand up, yet he carried her. Hinzi? No, the image from the long ago memory had eyes as green as new grass. She tried to remember more but everything was lost in a blur of time and forgetfulness. Kimimila, my love ... Oh, Kimimila ... Now why was the memory of a butterfly important? The handsome man muttered it over and over as he carried her, fell, got up, and stumbled on and on....
The images that came and faded like mirages in her mind had to do with another life. Kimi groped through mental shadows and cobwebs to put it all together. Thirsty, so thirsty ...
She was miserable, not knowing if she was asleep or half delirious as the troubled images came and went. Maybe she had only dreamed it all.
Kimi started, realizing she had dozed off from sheer exhaustion. All three of the dirty men were leering at her. Buck took the gag out of her mouth and offered her the canteen. Her mouth was so dry, she seemed to have no feeling in her tongue. Her hands were still tied behind her back, and he didn’t untie her. He held the canteen to her mouth. The water sloshed down her face, dripped into the neck of her shift.
Lucky wiped his mouth. “I reckon I’ll take a drink off what’s drippin’ down her neck.”
“No, you won’t,” Buck frowned. “Later, when we got more time.”
Tech scratched his crotch slowly. “Shucks, for that one, I could make time.”
“Later,” Buck promised, “and she’ll be very cooperative, won’t you, sweet?”
“No, you son of a tick-bitten coyote!” Kimi snarled.
He reached to grab her bound hands, lifted them high behind her until it stressed her shoulders and caused her to flinch in pain. “Now you better learn to behave yourself, gal, so we won’t hurt you. Right, Sioux slut?”
She was determined, but the pain was more than she could bear. “Yes, anything,” she gasped.
Sioux Slave Page 18