Savage Summer

by Constance O'Banyon

  Suddenly she wanted to stand on the banks of the Milk River and walk among the Sweet Grass Hills. She wanted to go home and find herself again.

  “You look like a moon maiden who was sent to earth to walk among mortal man.” A deep voice spoke up from behind her.

  Skyler whirled around to face Morgan. Her heart was racing so fast she could hardly breathe. “What are you doing here?” she asked through stiff lips.

  “Damned if I know. I started walking after dinner and ended up here in your aunt’s garden. I suspect my subconscious brought me here. I never dared hope I would see you.”

  “I have to go in now,” she said, trying to sidestep him.

  Morgan reached out and caught her arm, restraining her. “Why have you been avoiding me? If you would just tell me what I have done to offend you. I have searched my mind, and haven’t come up with the answer. You were all right when I went to Washington. When I came back you had changed. Why?”

  “I have not changed, and I…am not avoiding you.”

  “Are you not? What would you call it?”

  “I simply…don’t like you.”

  He pulled her to him so tightly that she was forced to look into his face. The silvery light of the moon seemed to be reflected in his eyes, which sparkled luminously. “What have I done that would turn you against me? Was it wrong to declare my feelings for you?”

  “I cannot love you, Morgan. We come from different worlds. You could never fit into mine, and I no longer want to stay in yours.”

  He stared down into her eyes, unable to comprehend what she was saying. Refusing to be diverted, he tried another approach. “If you detest me, I could understand why you are withdrawing from me, but I know that isn’t the reason. I know what you were feeling when I kissed you, Skyler. Help me understand what has happened to turn you away from me—help me retain my sanity!”

  “I…do not want to talk to you, Morgan. Why can you not just go away?” she said, looking past him, since she couldn’t bear to look into his eyes any longer.

  “Look at me!” he said in a commanding voice. “Look me in the eye and tell me that you want me to leave you alone—then I will believe you.”

  Skyler met his glance and she saw many emotions in the silvery depths. Pain, uncertainty, hope…love.

  “I’m waiting, Skyler. Tell me you don’t love me. Let me hear from your own lips that you despise me.”

  She felt her heart skip a beat. Her lips began to tremble from the lie she tried to speak. “I…cannot!” she cried. “I cannot speak it.”

  He pulled her to him and she buried her head against his shoulder. Morgan could feel her slight body tremble as he held her to him. He was overwhelmed with a magnitude of feelings. This girl had come into his life and swept him into a sea of uncertainty. She was nothing like the woman he had imagined he would one day love. She was mysterious and secretive. He knew nothing about her past, and less about her future. He knew she had some deep feelings for him, but still he could feel he was losing her.

  He tightened his arms about her as if he could hold on to her by sheer force. “Say you love me, Skyler. Admit the truth…I have.”

  Raising her face once more, he saw she was crying. “Do not cry, little love. You will find that loving me will be the easiest thing you have ever had to do. I will make your life beautiful if you will only give me the chance.”

  Skyler could feel her heart melting. She knew without any doubt that Morgan loved her and she loved him. But love was not enough to overcome their differences. “I do not want to love you,” she cried. “Why can you not leave me in peace?”

  His hands slid down to her throat and he could feel the pulse beat throbbing madly. He raised her chin and gazed into her face longingly. “You’re killing my soul, Skyler. Can’t you see that?” he whispered.

  She was caught by the pain in his eyes. She wanted so badly to comfort him and find some comfort for herself. In that moment she forgot about the invisible line that divided the two of them. Cupping his face between her hands, she stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his.

  The moment their lips met, all their hidden feelings came rushing to the surface. Morgan crushed her in his arms and took command of her heart and body.

  Skyler felt as if she were flying on silver wings, soaring across the heavens to a place known only to lovers. How could it be wrong to love this man when she needed him desperately? Home and family were forgotten, and she wanted to follow him wherever he led.

  “You love me,” he murmured against her lips. “You know you do. Love me tonight, tomorrow, next year, and all the rest of our lives. I’ve never asked this of a woman before, but then I have never loved a woman before you. I need you as a man dying of thirst needs a drink of water.”

  Yes, her heart agreed—yes, I need you too. But she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. “There is no tomorrow for us, Morgan. There isn’t even tonight. I do not want you in my life.” Skyler spoke the cruel words that tore at his heart, and in so doing, felt her own heart cry out for his pain.

  His grip tightened on her arm, and he glared down at her with angry eyes. “Damn you, why? You have to tell me why you are throwing happiness away with both hands. Is it because of who you are, or because of who I am?”

  “It is a little of both,” she whispered through trembling lips.

  “Tell me what I can do to reach you?”

  “Why do you insist on the impossible. You would not walk in my world, and I would not be welcome in yours. Just go away and leave me alone.”

  Skyler sadly watched the love that had been shining in his eyes become replaced with confusion and arrogant pride. “I get the feeling I’m wasting my breath. Tell me!” he demanded. “Am I not good enough for you?”

  “My father would not think so, Morgan. It would be far better if you never tried to see me again.”

  He stepped back a pace as if she had struck him. “If that is your wish, then I will grant it. I fear the day will come when you will realize what you have thrown away tonight. My love for you is so strong I cannot wish you the pain I am feeling. I only wish you happiness.” His eyes swept her face in a long, lingering glance. It was as if he wanted to remember every detail after she had gone.

  Without another word, he turned and walked away, soon to be swallowed up by the dark shadows of night. Skyler wanted to call out to him, but she knew it would do no good.

  As Skyler walked down the path toward the house, she noticed that a dark cloud had moved over the moon, casting the garden in darkness. Her heart was heavy, and tears ran down her face. She could feel the hopelessness of her situation. She loved Morgan and he loved her, but she could never stay in his world. Skyler realized he was also frustrated because she couldn’t even tell him what was wrong between them. Her young body craved the love that would give her fulfillment, and she knew Morgan felt the same.

  Morgan’s anger and confusion had been like a knife in her heart. Deep inside, she wished him only happiness. She didn’t like to think of him being sad. It seemed such a tragedy that the two of them loved so deeply, and yet they could never be together.

  As the first drops of rain began to fall, she lifted her face to the heavens and the raindrops mixed with her tears. It was as if the whole universe was weeping with her.

  “Morgan, Morgan, it would have been better had I never met you,” she cried. “If I had never known love, I would not now feel such pain.”

  Morgan felt the first drops of rain hit his face. Flexing his tired muscles, he directed his footsteps homeward. For so long he had searched for the ideal woman for him; now he’d found her in Skyler Dancing. What had gone wrong, for God’s sake? Nothing he’d said to her tonight had penetrated that wall she’d built between them.

  Seeing the light of his house in the distance, he slowed his steps. As the rain peppered down on Morgan, he knew it wasn’t the only wetness on his cheeks.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Danielle stood atop a smooth rock that je
tted out over the Missouri River, gazing at the sea of grassland that seemed to stretch on and on forever. The only break in the land was the occasional cliff or butte which had been carved by the river over the past century. Shading her eyes against the bright sunlight, Danielle saw the cottonwood trees that grew along the river and thought they would make a good cover for one to hide.

  She was puzzled, knowing Scar Face hadn’t taken this route when he had abducted her. Her mind wandered to the silent, brooding Wolfrunner. They had been traveling together for over a week, and he seldom spoke to her. She found herself wanting to know more about him. What was he really like? Did he ever laugh? Did he have a sense of humor? Surely she couldn’t judge him by the way he treated her. He didn’t seem to like her and considered her to be a burden.

  A shadow fell across her face, and she turned to face Wolfrunner himself. His eyes brushed past her as they always did, giving her the impression that he didn’t like to look at her.

  “This is unfamiliar to me,” she said with a wide sweep of her hand. “Why are you taking me this way? Surely there is an easier way.”

  Still he didn’t look at her but fixed his eyes on a nearby cottonwood tree. “Scar Face will not expect me to take this way home. It will throw him off for a time.”

  “Do you mean we will no longer have to worry about him following us?” she asked hopefully.

  “He will not be fooled for long, but for a while we will not have to worry about him following us. Soon he will discover that I have tricked him, and he will backtrack to search the prairies for us.”

  “Does that mean we can stop long enough for me to bathe in the river? I am not accustomed to going so long without a bath. I have never been this filthy in my life.”

  His dark eyes moved over her with seemingly bored indifference. Danielle didn’t know that Wolfrunner was thinking that even in her dirty and tattered condition, he still found her desirable.

  “Come. You can wash yourself while I hunt game so we will have meat. You can go into the river if you stay out of the deep part. I will not be here to pull you out should you get in trouble.”

  “My father taught me to swim, so I will not drown, if that’s what you are worried about.”

  “I was not worried, but your aunt would be. I owe it to her to see you safely back.”

  Danielle watched as he turned and walked away from her. His dislike for her seemed to grow with each passing day. Had she not obeyed him in everything? Why did he continue to treat her with such disdain? Apparently he would be satisfied if she would drown in the river. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about her anymore.

  Sighing inwardly, she made her way down the side of the hill to the river edge. Wolfrunner was a mystery in more ways than one. He seemed to despise her and yet he was going out of his way to keep her safe. Of course he never missed an opportunity to tell her he was taking her back only for Joanna’s sake.

  Coming upon a spot where the river had washed upon a kind of sandstone pit, she noticed it was somewhat like a small pond. It would be an ideal spot for bathing since it was surrounded by cottonwood trees and would offer her some degree of privacy.

  Gazing into the clear water, Danielle got her first look at her own reflection, and was horrified by what she saw. Her hair was a mass of tangles and her face was streaked and dirty. She hardly recognized herself.

  Without further consideration, she stripped off her skirt and blouse and tossed them aside. Easing herself down into the pond, she dunked her head down, allowing the cool water to wash over her. How wonderful it would be to feel clean again. After she scrubbed herself as best she could without soap, she rinsed out her tattered skirt and blouse.

  As she climbed out of the water, she stretched her arms up to the heavens, allowing the sun to kiss her golden-colored body. She smiled, thinking how Alexandria would scold her if she could see her now—naked as the day she was born.

  Wolfrunner stood on the cliff, staring down at the girl. His eyes roamed hungrily over her golden body, and he felt a tightening in his loins. Her beauty bordered on perfection and he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away.

  Forcing himself to turn away, he made his way down the side of the cliff. Taking his knife, he proceeded to clean and gut the two rabbits he had killed.

  He knew it was too late to run away from the feelings that had come upon him so unaware. The girl had somehow gotten inside him and touched a part of him that no other woman had found. He knew he had been drawn to her from the first day he had seen her. It didn’t matter that she was more white than Indian. It didn’t even matter that she was spoiled and willful. He knew he would always carry an image of her in his heart. He had begun to admire her spirit and courage, and he hated himself for wanting her. Wolfrunner was honest enough with himself to now admit he hadn’t searched for Danielle for Joanna’s sake alone. He had searched for her because he had been compelled to find her.

  As Wolfrunner slit the first rabbit open and cleaned it, he tried to push the girl out of his mind. Perhaps it had been a mistake for him to take the longer way back to the village. Could he continue to hide his heart from the girl whose name he couldn’t even pronounce? It was all so strange and confusing. How could he want a girl who looked down her nose at him merely because he was an Indian? Deep down he had always admired the white race since all he had to judge them by were Joanna, Tag, and Farley. He had been ripped apart the day Danielle had belittled him, and it wasn’t likely he would ever get over it, he thought.

  Picking up the rabbits, he looked toward the river. The girl seemed to be pulling at him even now, and he didn’t know how to battle these newfound feelings.

  Danielle sat in the sun, allowing its warm rays to dry her hair. Running her fingers through the thick mass, she tried to remove the worst of the tangles. She knew her gown was torn and wrinkled, but at least it was clean.

  She felt, rather than heard, Wolfrunner when he came up behind her. Turning slowly, she favored him with a smile, but as always he merely seemed to look right through her.

  “I see you have not squandered your time. Can we build a fire to cook the rabbits?”

  Without answering, he handed her his kill and proceeded to gather up dried branches to build a fire. In no time at all, the two rabbits were roasting on a spit, and the aroma was enough to make Danielle’s mouth water.

  Sitting by the fire, she continued trying to remove the tangles from her hair. Some of the tangles would be impossible to remove, she thought in horror, fearing her hair would have to be cut.

  Suddenly Wolfrunner appeared at her side. She was shocked into silence as he turned her around and began to comb her hair with a branch from a bramble bush. His stroking movements were very gentle, and he took great care not to stick her with a thorn.

  Danielle closed her eyes, loving the feel of his gentleness. When he ran a hand softly down her hair, she shivered and caught her breath.

  “You must turn the spit,” he said, as he proceeded to plait her hair into one long braid.

  Danielle noticed her hand was trembling as she reached for the spit. What was happening to her? she wondered. She was somehow disturbed by his touch, and yet she wished he could go on touching her this way. She had gone so many days without a kind word from anyone that she now basked in his tender attention. She hadn’t realized that one with such strength could be so gentle.

  Her breathing seemed to be affected by his nearness, and suddenly she turned to face him. When their eyes met and locked, she felt a weakness in the very depths of her being. His dark eyes suddenly moved away from her, and he tossed the makeshift comb aside.

  “You will find your hair will not tangle now that it is braided. It would be wise if you would wear it this way until we reach the village.”

  Once again he was the cold stranger. Not knowing what to say, she reached back and touched the single braid, finding he had tied one of his black raven feathers in her hair. “Thank you,” she said, lowering her eyes.

  By now the meat w
as roasted to a golden brown, and Wolfrunner removed it from the spit. Since the meat was hot, he placed one of the rabbits on a flat stone and motioned for Danielle to help herself. He watched as she daintily tore a piece of meat and held it to her lips.

  “This smells delicious. I had never eaten rabbit before…before I was kidnapped. I believe I am becoming quite fond of it, or perhaps it’s just that I’m hungry.”

  “To a starving man, there is nothing better,” he told her, sitting crossed-legged and taking a bite of the meat.

  Danielle soon cast off her pretty manners and savored every bite of the succulent meat. She thought she had never tasted anything better.

  Every so often, her eyes would roam to Wolfrunner. He seemed not to be aware of her, so she studied him carefully. What was there about this man, this Indian, that had evoked some unknown emotion in her? she wondered. He was nothing like the men she was accustomed to. He was a savage, and she had the feeling that no amount of education would civilize him. Perhaps her feelings were no more than gratitude because he had saved her from Scar Face. There were many things she wanted to know about him—dare she ask him about himself?

  “How did you get the name Wolfrunner?” she asked, thinking he couldn’t possibly object to such a question.

  Tossing a bone aside, he fixed his eyes just above her head. “The name that was given me at birth was Small Fox. When I was in my seventeenth summer, Windhawk himself gave me the name Wolfrunner.”

  “My father told me that a brave had to win his name. I know my cousin Little Hawk has not yet won his name. What did you do to win your name, outrun a wolf?”

  His eyes moved to her face. “Yes.”

  “What a strange man you are. Most men of my acquaintance love nothing better than to talk about themselves, but you don’t, do you?”