by Conn, Phoebe
Mark shook his head. "It's too dangerous."
"Not for me," Viper joked with a ready laugh, then thinking of a way to inspire Mark to arrange the meeting, he grew serious once more. "If you do this for me, then I will tell Erica I want her to marry you. I do not want her to grieve for me all the days of her life, but she will if I do not set her free to marry you. I will do that tonight, but only if I
can see her at La Bathe's house, and we must be left alone. I do not want you with us."
Mark was too bright not to immediately understand why. It was one thing to allow Erica and the wily brave to exchange a few fevered farewell kisses, but to arrange the privacy they would need to make love, that was another thing entirely. "You are asking too much of me."
"Why do you always think of yourself first rather than of Erica?" Viper asked perceptively. "Her happiness should mean more to you than your own."
"Don't lecture mel" Mark replied angrily. "I don't have to take that from you."
"No, you want to take only my wife," Viper reminded him sarcastically. "I do not think she will ever marry you without my blessing. Of course, if I do not see her tonight, alone, I cannot give it."
"You're a real bastard, you know that, don't you?" Mark was seething with anger now, for he was sorely afraid what the brave said was true, and that Erica might well remain a grieving widow forever.
"Yes," Viper replied proudly. "You have a choice. Give me Erica tonight, and you may have her for a thousand tomorrows. You would be a fool to refuse such a bargain."
Just as he had been a fool to refuse the last one he had been offered, Mark reminded himself. It was the bitter irony of that thought that helped him make his decision. "All right, I will do it, but I want to hear you tell Erica she is to marry me just as soon as it can be arranged. Is that clear?"
"You do not trust me?" Viper asked with a mocking grin.
"No, I don't."
"Good, because I do not trust you, either. I will be at the guard's tent at midnight. Come for me then."
How the brave could have taken command of the situation Mark didn't know, but as Viper walked away the arrogance he had always displayed tore through the officer's soul like a white-hot blade. "I'm making a bargain with the devil himself," he swore under his breath, but he was convinced that if he wanted to marry Erica anytime soon, he had no choice but to do it.
Erica was already waiting inside Francois La Bathe's house when Mark arrived with Viper. She had not dared to bring a lantern, but she instantly recognized the silhouette of the Indian's powerful physique as he stepF>ed through the door. She had promised herself she wouldn't shed a single tear, and with a small cry of joy she threw herself into his arms and covered his face with enthusiastic kisses.
"I have missed you," the brave whispered between the deeply passionate kisses he gave her in return. She had worn the buckskin dress he had given her, and its softness welcomed his touch, but he wanted much more and hurriedly untied the laces at her shoulders.
"We have until dawn," Erica pointed out sweetly, as though she saw no need for such haste.
"I know, but I do not intend to waste a minute," Viper confessed, and as the buckskin garment slipp^ed to the floor he was delighted to find Erica standing nude in his arms. That she had not bothered to wear any lingerie made him laugh. "I see you did not want to waste any time, either."
"No, I didn't," Erica responded before giving him another warm hug and an ecstatic kiss. She had missed him so terribly, and she was delighted to find him teasing her happily rather than behaving like the hostile stranger who had given her so many black looks on the trail to Camp Release. Nibbling his ear lobe, she whispered a
seductive, "I love you," as she ran her fingers through his long, flowing hair while the tips of her breasts brushed his broad chest lightly. "I will never love anyone but you," she vowed softly. Her lips again found his, while her hands strayed to his belt buckle to free him of his clothes.
Viper sighed deeply, his voice a low moan in the back of his throat as her fingertips moved over him, peeling away his buckskins at the same time she began a smooth erotic massage. He had taught her well. Her touch was knowing, fluid, spreading over him with the warm sweetness of honey. Her hands were at his shoulders one moment, then caressing the flatness of his stomach or the curve of his hips the next. He leaned against her, wrapn ping his arms around her waist and pressing her hips so close to his their bodies seemed to melt together into one.
All afternoon he had planned to take her swiftly, to bury himself in her velvet heat, to allow his passion for her to rage without constraint until he had not only satisfied himself, but enveloped her in the perfect peace that had eluded him while they had been apart. That had been his plan until he had felt her first breathless kiss brush his cheek, and now he knew he wanted to savor each second of their time together rather than merely consume it in reckless haste.
"You are always so wairm," Erica whispered against the muscular contours of his bare chest. "Your kiss, your touch, your whole body is always filled with so appealing a warmth I can't resist you." She rubbed her cheek against the flat bud of one nipple, then traced it lightly with the tip of her tongue before slowly sinking to her knees before him. Her lips brushed over his belly and her tongue tickled the indentation at his navel while her hands slid down his sides. Finding him fully aroused, she drew the tip of his manhood into her mouth for another, and even more deeply pleasurable, kiss.
Viper's fingertips played across Erica's temples lightly before moving through her cascading curls to press her face close as the gentle motions of her lips and ton^e sent tremors of immense pleasure pulsating through his loins. Bathed in the light of her love, the small, darkened cabin took on the glowing beauty of paradise, but this was not how he wishSl to surrender to the magical spell of her love,
and, exerting the last of his self-control, he gently pushed her away. Calling her name softly, he drew her to her feet.
"Have you a blanket, or something soft to spread upon the floor?" he asked as he again wrapped her m his arms.
"Yes, it is here right beside me." Erica slipped from his embrace to reach for the blanket she had taken from her cot. "The army's blankets are not very soft, but—"
"It is fine." Viper hushed her apology with another lingering kiss. He helped her to spread the coarsely woven blanket at their feet, then pullecl her down ujKjn it. "We have made love many times, but I will remember tonight as being the best of all."
Erica was grateful for the darkness then, for her eyes flooded with tears at the devastating thought that they would soon be parted forever. "We have had so little of love," she sighed regretfully.
"No, we have had it all," Viper argued convincingly. **There is no more than this." As his words were muffled by her kiss, his hands strayed to the lush fullness of her breasts. His thumb circled the petal-soft crests until his hunger for their delectable taste overwhelmed him with desire. His lips left hers then to begin a slow, adoring appraisal of her flavorful curves. When he at last moved away, he continued his glorious quest to explore each delightful nuance of her lissome figure, until he was convinced no man would ever know her divinely shaped body as intimately as he.
That the wooden floor beneath her was far harder than a feather bed escaped Erica's notice entirely, she was so blissfully happy to be with Viper again. His hair fell about her hips like a dark cloud, making her shiver with anticipation as he paused for a moment to bury his face in the soft flesh of her stomach. Savoring their closeness, she felt his fingertips part the golden curls between her thighs, and using her fxxiy's own fragrant essence, he prepared a delicious welcoming path for his eager kiss. It was impossible for Erica to think beyond that point, for his tender affections flooded her senses with an ecstasy so profound that she was lost in the loving he gave with such masterful ease.
Viper created within Erica's slender body a yearning for fulfillment so intense that she soon called his name in a
breathless sob, begging him
to take quickly what was rightfully his. "Now, Viper, nowl" she urged, and in a futile attempt to escape the exquisite torture that threatened to consume her soul with desire, her nails drew bloody trails across the bronze skin of his broad shoulders.
Jolted from the pursuit of his own pleasure by that searing pain. Viper positioned himself above Erica, but despite her fevered cries of encouragement, he entered her slowly, using shallow thrusts, delaying their journey to rapture's shore by moving with a gentle rhythm until his own need for release equaled hers. He could not control the impulse to thrust more deeply then, finally infusing both their hearts and bodies with the stunning force of love's most precious gift. His senses flooded with that glorious sensation, he did not withdraw, but continued to hold Erica captive in his embrace until he could at last think clearly enough to say what he knew had to be said.
Viper rose up on his elbows, then leaned down to kiss Erica's cheeks and eyelashes sweetly before giving her another lingering kiss, which was still filled with a promise of passion. His eyes were accustomed to the darkness now, but he still could not make out her face clearly. Finally deciding that was a blessing, he made his request.
"There is something I want you to do for me," he began.
Misunderstanding his mood, Erica responded with a throaty giggle. "Why Viper, what is there left to do?"
The handsome brave had to laugh, too, then. "Perhaps nothing new, but we can do everything again. But first, I want you to listen to me carefully. I was not talking about making love."
He had grown so serious. Erica was frightened. She did not want him to talk of death, for that would be too sad to bear. "Oh please, don't—"
"Just listen," Viper commanded firmly. "I love you with all my heart and soul. I want only what is best for you. I want you to have a happy life, the life you would have had had we never met."
Erica could see Viper's face no more clearly than he could see hers, but she knew his expression would be as serious as his tone. "Without you, I will never be happy," she replied sadly. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled
over her lashes, but she made no move to brush them away.
Viper leaned down to kiss her, his affection flavored with the salty taste of her tears. "I will be with you always. Erica," he whispered as fervently as a prayer. "I will be in the warmth of the sun, the beauty of the stars, the gentle whisper of the wind. You will see my love painted across the sky in the bright colors of each sunrise and sunset. After each rain, I will put a rainbow in the sky to make you smile. I will teach birds to sing my love songs, and each spring I will cover the earth with a fragrant blanket of wildflowers so you will know I have not forsaken you. Keep me alive in your heart, my beloved, and we will be together always."
He felt her chest heave as she drew in a deep breath, but before she could give in to the torrent of tears he was certain his bittersweet words of farewell had inspired, he lowered his mouth to hers. As his tongue slid between her trembling lips, he began to move his hips with a fierce rhythm, bringing her swiftly to the brink of rapture this time. He took full advantage of the passion that flowed between them, eagerly lifting her spirit aloft with his knowing that the warm afterglow of this far more violent loving would restore a blissful calm to her soul. When she again lay relaxed in his arms, he explained the last part of his request.
"I want you to marry Mark, today, if it can be arranged."
"What?" Erica could not believe her ears. "How could you ask such an imp)ossible thing of me?"
"Are you refusing to grant my last request?" Viper asked with a touch of his usual teasing attitude.
"Yes! I won't do it. How could you possibly expect me to marry him when I am so in love with you?"
Viper rolled over slowly with Erica still cradled in his arms, bringing her up on top of him where she could lie comfortably upon his chest as they discussed her future. His hands moved up and down her spine in a soothing motion he hoped would prove relaxing. "I will not pretend that I like or admire him, because I do not, but he will make a good husband for you. I want you to have a family and be happy. I told you that. I do not want you to SF)end the rest of your life all alone."
"I would never be truly alone," Erica reminded him
softly. "You promised to be with me always."
"Yes, and I will. Mark knows you love me, and it does not matter to him. When he makes love to you, he will know you are thinking of me. He will expect that and forgive it. No other man ever will."
Erica gave his request the careful thought she knew it deserved, but still couldn't grant it. "I don t want to make love with another man, nor do I want another husband. No. I won't do it."
"You are only seventeen years old," Viper pointed out wisely, "and very pretty, too. You may not think you will ever want another husband, but one day you will. I should be the one to choose him for you."
Erica did not reply. She could feel the steady beat of his heart and did not want to talk of spending the rest of her life with another man when she loved him so dearly. "I wish," she began slowly.
"No," Viper cautioned as he clasped her more tightly. "We can change nothing. Now you are to obey me in this, Erica. Mark would not have let me have you tonight, had I not promised to g^ve you to him at dawn. I will not go back on my word, and you cannot either."
That Mark had made such a despicable bargain revolted Erica completely. "How can you ask me to marry a man who would force you to make such a heartbreaking trade?"
Viper diuckled to himself, then decided to admit the truth. "I was the one who forced him to make the bareain, not the other way around. This was my idea, not his, out I would have traded away my soul to have spent tonight with you. And it would have been worth it."
Erica wound her arms around his neck to press close as she kissed him. "I will love you forever. Viper. I will."
"You will marry Mark," the determined brave insisted before her delicious kiss sent all coherent thought from his mind. "It has already been decided, but for the rest of the night, you are still mine." That he returned her abundant love in full measure was apparent in his every caress and kiss. He made love to her again, this time with a playful sweetness, and as always, the pleasure they shared was rich and deep. He could not see the joy in her expression until the sky began to lighten in the east and filled the small house with a dreamlike aura. Then he knew their
tragically brief marriage was at its end.
"It is time to go," Viper stated simply, a world of sorrow deepening the usually mellow tone of his voice. While it was the most difficult thing she had ever had to do, Erica left his arms and pulled the simple buckskin dress over her head. She fluffed out her hair with her fingers, but she had kicked off her moccasins and had to hunt a moment for them. When she turned back toward Vif)er, he was already standing by die door, fully dressed and holding the neatly folded blanket. Before she reached his side they heard Mark's insistent knock. Viper whispered a reply, then held out his hand.
As the lovely girl's fingers touched his, the Indian could no longer pretend a composure he did not feel. With a forceful grasp he pulled her into his arms, then, turning swiftly, forced her back against the door. Before Erica could utter more than an astonished gasp. Viper's mouth covered hers in a savage kiss, his whole body shuddering with a wild rejection of the terrible blow fate had dealt them. Casting the blanket aside, he pushed Erica's dress above her hips, freed himself from his buckskins, and took her with an all-consuming passion that proclaimed his anguish at their parting more eloquently than words ever could. She clung to him, eagerly accepting the depth of the sorrow he would never express with tears, until the life force of his last act of love had finally been spent within her. When he released her and hastily pulled her dress back into place. Erica drew him back into her arms for one last lingering kiss of farewell.
Viper did not apologize ior being so impulsive, since he saw no need to ask Erica's forgiveness for the desperate emotion that had prompted their final union. Readjusted his clothi
ng, grabbed up the blanket, again took her hand, and then opened the door. With an anxious glance he made certain Mark was still alone, then he slipped through the door and drew Erica out beside him.
Viper handed Erica the blanket that had proven to be so useful, then offered Mairk his hand. After an awkward hesitation, the officer took it. He had been standing right outside the little house and could imagine only one activity that could have made the wooden door rattle with such a steady rhythm. While he was disgusted that the
brave would treat Erica so disgracefully, he was too eager to return the man to the Indians' comp)ound to tell him so.
"I am giving Erica to you," Viper stated solemnly as he shook Mark's hand. "She is the only woman I have ever loved. She is a great prize, and you must treat her well."
"I always have," Mark replied, and, insulted that the brave thought such a demand necessary, he ended their handshake abruptly. "We must hurry. You've been away too long as it is."
Vifjer did not turn back to look at Erica as he left the house, and she covered her mouth with her hands to keep from crying out as he and Mark walked away. As he passed into the shadows she saw the angry red welts where her fingernails had raked his shoulders and wondered how he would explain those telltale mairks to others. That was th^ first time passion had so swept away her reason that she had left her mark on him, and it broke what was left of her heart to think it would also be the last.
When Mark returned to his tent, he was disappointed to find Erica sound asleep. She had tossed the buckskin dress over the end of her cot, and from the glimpse he had of one bare shoulder, he was certain she was sleeping in the nude. He had expected her to be awake so they could make their plans, but he knew she had slept no more than he had that night. While he was tired, he doubted he would be able to sleep, but the moment he stretched out on his cot, his mind slipped readily into the world of dreams.