by Karen Kay
But his response was unusual. He grinned down at her. “Not if I can help it.”
This said, he darted forward, leaping up into the wagon seat so easily, he might have flown there. He deposited her in the back, saying, “Stay there, and take out your gun.”
She did as she was told, and as she did so, he raised his own rifle into the sky. “Now, when I give the word, fire a shot into the air and keep shooting until the cattle either stop, or go in another direction. Do you understand?”
She nodded.
The moment of truth had come. She could hear nothing; nothing but the thunder of beating hooves over the dry prairie dirt.
“Get ready,” he shouted. “We must allow your guide to get to the rise. She’s almost there. All right. On the count of three. One, two…three.”
They both fired at the same time. Again, another shot, then another.
Heart pumping, Kali held her breath. Were they going to make it? It seemed doubtful.
One moment. Two. Then it happened. A miracle. It had to be a miracle. The steers turned.
Kali sat still, shocked, speechless. She had been saved. Saved. And as she stared at the impossible, she was unable to move, say or do anything. It was odd. Poised for the worst, there was a strange feeling of being let down. But also within her was a stronger emotion. One of great relief.
Kali licked her lips, and in doing so realized there was more than prairie dust that clung to them. The memory of this man’s kiss remained there, too. She sent him a surreptitious glance.
He was breathing hard, the movement emphasizing the breadth of his chest, and Kali found it difficult to look away. All the same, she managed it, staring off in the same direction that he was.
It was another few moments before she was able to talk, and even then, all she could do was whisper, “It worked,” not thinking that he might hear her over the clamor of the pounding hooves.
But he did hear, and looking back at her, he brought her face around to him, placing a finger under her chin and tilting her face up toward him as he so very slowly bent close to her. And without another word being spoken between them, he kissed her, the touch of his lips over hers as sweet as a lazy midsummer day. “Of course it worked,” he murmured against her lips, his breath sweet, fresh and musky all at the same time. “It was not in my mind that we should perish here this day.” And then he did the unthinkable one more time; he kissed her as though he had every right to do so.
Perhaps it was because her senses were already so heightened. Or maybe it was because everything about him seemed right. All she knew was that, while her arms crept around him to circle his neck, she wanted more. More of him, more of this, more of…something… And she uttered, “Please.”
“Please what?” he asked, lifting his head only a fraction from hers.
She couldn’t say. In truth, she didn’t know the answer to that question herself. Indeed, the extent of her certainty was limited to this moment, restricted to the knowledge that she didn’t ever want to leave the comfort of Soaring Eagle’s arms. Was it possible that he could hold her like this forever?
Dumbfounded at her thoughts, she gulped, staring up at him. “Soaring Eagle,” she said, “I—I…”
She what?
Patiently he appeared to wait for her to finish whatever it was that was on her mind, but it was difficult for her to continue when she wasn’t sure of her intent herself.
However, she tried again. “Soaring Eagle, I—I seem to have…”
Again she stopped. Still he didn’t speak, though he did watch her with guarded eyes, as though he might like to read her thoughts—while holding his own close to him.
At last she tried again. “Soaring Eagle, I—I seem to have…” some feeling for you, she finished to herself. Some strange inclination that feels as though it is as deep, as entrenched and as vital as the very air that I breathe…
Aloud, she uttered, “I seem to have placed my life into the right hands, your very capable hands. I wouldn’t be here now if not for you. You’ve saved my life, as well as my camera, my wagon, my horses. I…” She couldn’t finish.
And he didn’t react; not in the least, not even to utter a word of acknowledgment. But he did reach up a hand to her, trailing the backs of his fingers down over her cheek.
At his touch, shock waves reverberated through her body, and she shut her eyes against the frenzy of raw hunger that washed over her. Dear Lord, she prayed, what was all this excitement? How could a mere graze from a man create such longing? Not knowing the answer—alas, little caring—she swooned in toward him, her body fitting up snugly against his.
She wouldn’t think. She needed this. She needed him, wanted him: his touch, his beingness, his attention. All of him.
Ah, she thought. This was surely love.
No! came the instantaneous rejoinder.
It couldn’t be love. Such a thing would be impossible. Why, the very thought of it was forbidden, for her, for him.
Still…
Mouth open, she gazed up at him with what probably amounted to shock, though she tried her best to hide any emotion from his watchful eyes.
She looked away, off into the distance. What she required was time; time and distance. Yes, that was it.
She needed to be alone, needed to sort this out analytically. After all, she had her entire life before her, her career, her ambition.
Still…
All at once, he seemed too close to her, and she to him. Could he read her thoughts? Would he realize what was happening to her?
Hoping she hadn’t presented him with the key to her heart written there on her sleeve, she scooted away from him, sighing when his arms dropped to his side. She said, “Thank you for what you have done, Soaring Eagle, but I’ll be fine now.” She glanced away from him. “I—I’m sorry if I have clung to you overly much.”
He must have sensed what was happening to her, for all he replied was, “No problem, ma’am,” as though nothing untoward had happened to them. He added, however, “I enjoyed it.”
And out of the corner of her eye, she saw his lips turn up in a half grin, a look that was as disturbing to her as his kiss had been a few moments earlier. He continued, saying, “I enjoyed myself very much. Just as I’ll be relishing your company all through the night tonight.”
That rather suggestive comment earned him a startled glance from her. “Tonight?”
“Unless you want to miss the Medicine Pipe ceremony.”
Kali knew her eyes must have popped open. “The Medicine Pipe ceremony? You’ll take me to it?”
She saw him glance skyward, watched him grimace before he said, “I guess so, ma’am. I guess so.”
Chapter Nine
…comfortable and convenient myths eased the way.
—Peter Iverson, When Indians Became Cowboys
It was a good thing, Kali thought a few minutes later, that she had scooted away from Soaring Eagle when she did, putting some distance between them. The sounds of gunshots, of masculine voices, of hooting, hollering and loud, blustering yelping came upon them rather quickly.
Four cowpunchers rode into view, looking as unkempt and as greasy as if they hadn’t bathed or changed clothes in well over a month. They were obviously on the tail end of the stampeding herd and, Kali thought none too generously, might have started it. They espied Soaring Eagle at once.
“Why, looky at what we’ve got here, boys, would ya,” said one of them. “An Injun. Soaring Eagle, ain’t it?”
Soaring Eagle didn’t utter a word, though he did stand up in the wagon seat with shotgun in hand, ready to confront these men if need be.
“Now, we ain’t disturbin’ you none, are we?”
Again Soaring Eagle didn’t deign to answer. It would have been difficult to do so, perhaps even folly to say a single word; all four cowboys had their guns drawn, and they were aimed at him.
A shot was fired at Soaring Eagle’s head; it missed. Soaring Eagle barely blinked.
But that wa
s enough to spur Kali to her feet. She came up sputtering, mad as the flaming color of her hair, and she hissed, “Well, well, well.” She took a step forward. “What’s this? Cowboys who don’t belong on Indian land running their cattle on it just the same? Taking potshots at a man? What for?”
All four men looked taken aback, if only for a second.
Kali pressed advantage, saying, “Well, I must admit, boys, that if you didn’t disturb him,” she pointed to Soaring Eagle, “you certainly did me.”
One of the bullies, the one who’d been doing all the talking so far, eased back his Stetson with the barrel of his gun. “Ma’am?” he said, for the moment looking more than a little puzzled. “What’re you doing out here with this Injun?”
Kali grinned. “Maybe I’m a government agent who’s been sent to spy on you cowboys.”
“Ma’am?”
“Perhaps I’m a newspaper reporter, wanting to get the latest scoop on poaching by the surrounding ranchers and cowhands. Or maybe I’m only here to take pictures of the Indians.”
“Ma’am?” the cowboy repeated, as though his vocabulary had taken a steep dive for the worst. “Ma’am, you’re here with an Injun.”
Kali frowned. “Good observation. Do you have any objections?”
“Why, I reckon so, ma’am. Plenty of ’em.”
Choosing to ignore this, Kali didn’t respond. Instead, she climbed over the seat and came to stand next to Soaring Eagle. He tried to place her behind him, but she elbowed her way forward.
And Kali, never one to fear coming directly to the point, asked, “What are you four good-for-nothings doing on this land?”
Each one of the cowboys grinned as though caught out in a lie, although only one of them answered. “Why, ma’am, them cows, they plumb got outta hand. I do declare, they did… What?” he snapped as Kali sent the man a poisonous stare.
It was in her mind to jump to the ground and give these men the tongue-lashing they so richly deserved. Soaring Eagle, however, held her back, reaching out to catch her by the wrist. It was as though he had read her mind. But when she glanced back, Soaring Eagle shook his head.
“Why, ma’am, don’t ya believe us?” said the cowboy.
“No,” she stated plainly. “And I think you know you’re trespassing. Now why, may I ask, are you aiming your guns at me and my friend, gentlemen? You’re not afraid of a woman and a…an Injun, are you…? What?” Kali mimicked the cowpoke. “Didn’t your mothers teach you better manners?”
All four men scowled at her; however, all four men pocketed their firearms.
“Now,” Kali said, brushing the dust off her skirt, “since no real harm has been done, I won’t press charges.”
“Ma’am?” Again the talkative cowboy looked baffled, as though she might be speaking to him in Greek rather than plain English.
She ignored him. “But I am going to have to take this up with the Indian agent unless those cows are off this land within the hour.”
“Oh, are ya now?” came the sardonic rejoinder. “Well, you do that, ma’am. You jest do that.” And he laughed.
“Or,” she said, “I might have to press charges with the sheriff.”
More laughter.
“Or the governor or the press. Whomever. I’m not particular,” she added. “You almost killed me with your runaway cows, gentlemen. And you’ve certainly brought my work for the day to an end. It’s a good thing for you that this Indian was here and was quick-thinking enough to avert a disaster.”
“Well, now, would ya jest listen to that? An Injun savin’ a white girl?”
“That’s right,” she said. “And he saved your reputations too, gentlemen. You don’t want to become known as murderers, do you?”
More laughter, although what these men found funny about that particular statement escaped Kali.
She said, “So remember that if you’re figuring to keep those cattle on this land, there will be trouble. Now get out of my sight.” With no desire for further conversation, she spun around and sat down in the seat with such a huff, the wagon swayed.
So caught up was she in her own thoughts, she didn’t notice that Soaring Eagle sent a wicked grin to the cowboys, although she did hear him say, “Well, boys, you heard the lady,” before he jumped down from the wagon.
She watched as Soaring Eagle made his way to the front of the wagon, where he picked up two harnesses. She worried for him, since she didn’t hear the imminent sounds of the cowboys’ departure. Why wasn’t Soaring Eagle alarmed, she wondered as she watched him jaunt toward the small rise, the place where Gilda and the rest of the horses still stood.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kali beheld a sight she dreaded. One of the cowboys had raised his gun, his eye trained on the small of Soaring Eagle’s back.
Without thinking, Kali jumped up and turned to face the culprit, frowning. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Have you no honor?”
A nervous chuckle was all the answer she received, as all four cowpokes reined in their geldings and, without so much as a tip of their hats to her, galloped off.
Good, thought Kali. Let them go shoot at rocks instead of people.
In a huff, she resumed her seat.
“How dare they talk to me that way. How dare they talk to you that way.” Kali sat fuming long after the cowmen had made their exit. Both Soaring Eagle and Gilda stood beside the wagon, having brought back the team horses. “I won’t have it, I tell you. I simply won’t have it. Is this the sort of prejudice you have to endure on a daily basis?” she asked of Soaring Eagle.
“Not every day,” he replied. “Only when I go into town.”
“It could be worse,” said Gilda, “if white woman not be here. Might have killed Soaring Eagle.”
“Killed him? Oh, surely not. They were only poking fun, weren’t they? I must admit it was hardly what I would call great entertainment, but… I mean, Soaring Eagle is, after all, on his own land. They’re the interlopers.”
Gilda shrugged, while Soaring Eagle remained stoically silent.
“Do you think they’ll get their cattle and go?” asked Kali.
“Maybe.” It was Soaring Eagle who answered. “You might have frightened them into doing it…at least for today. But we’ll have to see what tomorrow brings.”
“Yes, we’ll see,” said Kali thoughtfully. “We’ll just see. I don’t intend to let this drop so easily.”
“Neither do they.” It was Soaring Eagle speaking from over his shoulder. Both he and Gilda were fast at work, hitching up the team. “Neither do they.”
Kali jumped down from her seat and came toward them. “Here,” she said, “let me help.” She grabbed hold of a harness and set to work herself. “I’m sorry.” she said to Soaring Eagle. “I was wrong when I said that what was going on here might be a case of simple misunderstanding.”
Soaring Eagle nodded.
But Kali went on, “Why, those men were nothing but bullies, keeping their guns trained on me while I was talking… Drawing on you when your back was turned.”
“Aa, they are bullies,” said Soaring Eagle, “and have no more wit than to think they are big because they carry big guns. Perhaps they try to make up for…something else which is too small to mention.”
And while he and Gilda snickered, Kali, not understanding, frowned at them. “What do you mean?”
“Never mind,” said Soaring Eagle. “They might be hired killers.”
“Hired?”
“Aa,” said Soaring Eagle. “It is a strange practice that the white man engages in. And it is hard to understand what sort of weakness in a man allows him to pay another to do his killing for him.”
Kali frowned. “What makes you think they could be hired?”
“I have heard tales of other whites, those who plow the land or those who raise sheep. These people speak of this thing.”
Kali didn’t comment. In faith, she was shocked. What sort of hypocrisy was this? Landowners who professed to be law-abiding, God-fearing peo
ple, hiring killers? For what? For the price of a bit more land?
Soaring Eagle’s look at her was full of scorn. “Does that make you afraid?”
Kali shrugged.
“It is possible,” he said, “that those men will leave you alone if you ignore them and what they have done this day.”
Kali turned on him. “Ignore them? How could I ignore them after what I’ve seen?”
“It would be safer for you if you did.”
“Perhaps,” she said, “but I’ve never been one to take an easy road simply because it would be safer.”
“Still,” he said, “it might be more pleasant for you if you did.”
“Pleasant? As if I would want that.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
Kali threw down the buckle she was securing and took a step away. “Do you need to ask?”
He didn’t respond.
“This is unbelievable. How can you think that, after what happened here today, I would try to pretend that…that… Is that all the respect you have for me?”
He arched a brow, giving her a questioning look.
“Didn’t we already have this talk? If what you are telling me is true, I will do all I can to help you learn the truth.”
He shrugged. “Will you? Is your skin not white?”
Kali reeled under the remark. It was a low blow, pure prejudice, and she knew it. But she kept her opinion to herself. In the past, however, her reaction might have been different; she might have spoken up and argued with him for all it was worth. But not now. It could be entirely possible that he did have good reason to speak as he was.
She said, “This whole thing is going to need investigation. I’ll start with Mr. Black tomorrow. Whatever is happening here on this range, I swear I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”
“That is good,” said Soaring Eagle. “Just ensure you don’t end up at the bottom of it. But I don’t think you’ll be seeing Mr. Black tomorrow.”
“Oh?”
“The Medicine Pipe ceremony is tonight. If you want to attend that ceremony, you will have to come with me.”
“Really?”