Never Surrender (14 page)

Greatly enjoying the food and whiskey, Kate’s stomach
finally quit growling and she relaxed to view her new surroundings. She glanced
at the men gathered in different clusters, making trade deals or simple
conversation. Thoughts of Taima crept into her mind as she compared him to the
warriors here, but somehow, there was no comparison.

Kate sipped from her cup until it was empty, then
realized how exhausted she was. Although she didn’t want to sleep in the
trapper’s tent, perhaps that would be the safest place. She closed her eyes,
rested her head in her hands for a moment and relaxed on the stump. Her feet
hurt so badly; they would likely throb for the next year. A soak in the river
would feel wonderful and help soothe her feet if she could only get there. What
she needed was a tub filled with hot water!

A hand on Kate’s shoulder made her jump and the woman
stepped back, her eyes as wide as saucers. Kate rubbed her own eyes, then tried
to calm the woman. “I’m sorry, I’m just tired.”

The woman pointed toward the oblong tent until Kate
rose and walked inside. The guns and whiskey were gone. Stacked boxes nearly
hid a pile of hides and blankets in the back corner. She glanced at the woman,
who nodded her approval. That was all the invitation Kate needed to stretch out
on the furs. Although the sun raised high in the mid-day sky, Kate knew she’d
be able to sleep.

She turned to the other woman. “I don’t know if you
can understand me or not, but thank you for your kindness.”

The Indian woman nodded, then stepped from the tent
and lowered the entrance flap. Kate stretched out on her stomach, resting her
head on her arms. Sleep came quicker than she realized.

The aroma of roasted meat drifted through her dream,
tormenting her senses. Her stomach wrenched with hunger and the smell grew with
intensity, finally waking her up. She stared into the darkness, aware she
wasn’t alone. Her heart raced. Someone sat in front of her on the boxes, his
form silhouetted against the fire outside. Thinking he was here to harm her, a
wave of terror welled up in her belly. Quickly, she sat up.

“Stay calm. I’ve only brought you food.”

She recognized the trapper’s voice, and relieved, Kate
took the plate he offered. “Thank you. I appreciate being allowed to sleep. I
was forced to walk most of the way here without rest.”

“Just eat. You look too thin. Tomorrow you’ll feel
better.”

“Is there somewhere I might bathe after I eat? Even if
you have to send the Indian woman with me; I won’t mind.”

Though the darkness in the tent hid his features, Kate
knew he watched her for a moment before answering. “I’ll let you know. Here’s
some water.”

Pausing before she accepted his offering, she looked
at him skeptically then took the tall bottle and tasted it.

Water!

Finally!

As she drew another drink, the cool liquid seeped from
her mouth and down her chin, only to wipe it away with the back of her hand.

“The Indian woman can show you where to bathe as soon
as you’re ready,” he said. “Did he beat you?”

Kate shook her head. “No, he just kept me tied and
made me walk most of the way for the past five or six days.” She picked up a
piece of meat in her fingers to taste it, all the while feeling his eyes on
her.

“Did he . . .” The man stopped, but Kate comprehended
the disgust in his voice.

Slowly she raised her head and glared at the bearded
man. “No...but one of his braves tried. I fought back, and he likely still
hurts where I hit him.”

The trapper chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll be
damned. At least my merchandise was kept safe.”

“I’m not merchandise, though you seemed to have paid
dearly for something you’ll never use!” Kate instantly regretted her choice of
words.

His eyes widened and his lips parted. Fear slithered
like a snake down her spine and recoiled in her stomach. She’d spoken before
realizing what impact her words would have.
Would she never learn?

Suddenly, the trapper towered over her like a grizzly
bear. His massive fingers grasped a handful of her hair and dragged Kate to her
feet. The plate of food slipped from her hand and crashed against the wooden
crates.

He pulled her close and his voice roared in her ear,
“You’ll have your bath, bitch! I’ll be more than happy to help wash away the
remains of your Indian lover so I can use my merchandise!”

Kate stumbled as he yanked her from the tent, head
first by the hair. She screamed aloud and grabbed his forearm to prevent her
hair from being pulled from her scalp. The rapid beat of her heart sounded in
her ears, nearly as loud as the trapper’s voice had.

Taima! I need you!

Scared, yet angry to be continually treated in this
manner, Kate stumbled along in the dark, the trapper’s fist still clenched in
her hair. She wondered how such a change could have come over her situation.
Her stomach churned at the thought of what she might have gotten herself into
this time. He’d probably drown her in the cold river.

* * * * *

Waiting like a stalking wolf, Taima stood in the dark
within a dense patch of trees with Ahanu. He watched the traders drink around
the glowing fire pits as their boisterous laughter carried through the night.
The exceptionally humid night, made the bandages around his waist warm and
itchy. Though the night made it hard to see, Taima scanned the men for the
Blackfoot he hoped was still in the vicinity. The man would pay for leaving him
for dead!

A woman’s familiar scream drew Taima’s attention. His
body tensed as he clenched the handle of the sheathed knife at his side.
Glaring through the darkness, he saw a burly trapper dragging a woman past
other tents and fires.

Kate!

Taima took a step forward to help her, and Ahanu
touched his forearm. “He will kill her for sure if he sees you. We must wait
for the right time.”

Ahanu pointed ahead of the trapper. “He means to take
her to the river. Let’s go this way,” Ahanu said, and turned from Taima.

He followed Ahanu as they skirted around the
encampment. His heart beat faster the closer he got to Kate. Surely, knowing
her as he did, she must have angered the man somehow. Although he’d be glad to
see her, he’d tan her hide for whatever she’d done to warrant this trapper’s
behavior.

Voices drifted on the heavy night air as Taima closed
in on the couple near the water’s edge. He stepped careful, not making a sound,
then crouched near a group of tall sagebrush with Ahanu beside him.

The trapper still held Kate’s hair while he gripped
her free arm. “You’d better think again, woman, if you assume I don’t have
plans to use the merchandise I paid so high a price for. Your last Indian lover
must have wanted to keep you bad. He raised your price twice.”

Hearing the trapper’s words, Taima swallowed hard and
drew his blade, wishing the Blackfoot were here. How many times had he forced
himself on Kate during their journey? Taima would make sure that Blackfoot
would never enjoy another woman...Indian or white.

Knowing what Kate must have endured brought back
Taima’s raging memories of hatred toward trappers for what happened to his wife
and mother. This trapper had just stated his own intentions toward Kate, and
Taima planned to put a stop to it. He’d leave this trapper for the grizzlies to
fish from the river further downstream.

Just as Taima started to lunge forward, Ahanu grasped
his upper arm. “Someone comes.”

Taima turned toward two drunken men as they called out
to Kate’s tormentor.

“We thought you might need a few extra hands to
restrain that wild white woman of yours. Are you sure she wants a white man
after those savages she’s had?” Their laughter echoed across the meadow.

Taima looked at Ahanu, whose fingers dug into Taima’s
arm. Ahanu shook his head, and Taima reluctantly heeded the warning.

“Once I’ve scrubbed their sweat from her milky flesh,
I’ll show her what a white man can offer. Can’t wait, can you, bitch?”

A pause cut the air and Taima squinted in the dark to
see what the trapper might be doing now.

“You two go on back to your party. I don’t need any
help gettin’ my own party started...now git!”

The two men meandered back to where they came from,
and Taima’s gaze moved back to the trapper.

“Let’s have this dress. You won’t be needin’ it
anyway,” the trapper growled. “I don’t plan on you wearing anything at all for
a while.”

“No!” Kate screamed.

Taima could barely see them in the dark, but knew Kate
struggled.

“Please...don’t do this . . .” she cried out, her
voice stabbing like painful arrows into Taima’s heart. He squeezed his eyes
shut, but that only made the torturing images worse. He snapped his eyes open
in time to see Kate’s doeskin dress being thrown aside.

“There...get used to it! I might as well join you,
darlin’.” He tore off his own clothes, using one hand, while the other held
Kate’s wrists, then he dragged her toward the water by her hair, wading in with
her.

Knowing the splashing and sloshing of water would
cover any noise he made, Taima pulled loose from Ahanu and moved forward like a
sleek mountain lion. He glanced back, making sure Ahanu followed.

Taima watched the trapper’s back, then quietly waded
into the water. Obviously, the other man assumed they were alone, never lending
a thought they might be interrupted.

Kate continued to slap against the man’s bare chest.
“You’d be wise to hold still and quit strugglin’. In time, you’ll be used to my
touch. Or do you want it a little rougher, like them savages gave you?” The
trapper tried to kiss Kate, but she still screamed. “A dip underwater might
take some of that fight outta you.”

As the man bent forward and immersed Kate’s naked
body, Taima grabbed him around the neck and shoulders. The trapper stood,
released Kate, and grabbed Taima’s arm that wrapped his shoulder. Holding tight
to his victim, Taima pulled his knife across the front of the man’s neck, his
blade quickly slicing through flesh and bone.

Warm liquid seeped onto Taima’s arm. The man gurgled,
his head fell back, and his arms dropped to his sides. As his body went limp,
Taima tossed him sideways into the water away from Kate.

Taima’s chest heaved from the struggle and his heart
pounded. Revenge never felt so good. He bent to wash the blood from his arm.

Kate screamed again.

More water splashed.

Ahanu struggled with her while she beat his chest with
her fists, likely thinking he was another captor. To save his friend from a
beating, Taima grasped Kate’s upper arms and spun her around. Too late did he
realize his mistake, for she began hitting him.

He gave her a shake. “Woman, will you never stop!”

Immediately her movement ceased.

She stared up at him, her eyes glistening in the dark,
her lips parting.

“I would think you could at least say thank you for
saving your life.”

He waited.

Kate’s cold, wet hands gently cupped his face.
The
touch of an angel.
A touch he craved, yearned for, needed, to sustain his
life.

“Taima?” she murmured, her voice just above a whisper.
“It can’t possibly be so.”

She touched his brows, his cheeks, and his lips. Then
suddenly, she hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her naked
body against him, her bare breasts flattening to his chest. He held her close
within his embrace, molding her body to his, sending her warmth into him.

Kate pulled his head toward her. She cried and touched
her soft lips to his. Taima swallowed her sob, his tongue pressing past her
lips to sweep the sensitive flesh of her mouth. Anxiously, her tongue danced
with his, creating a slow heat that moved through him.

Taima caressed the curve of her lower back, her soft
backside, and the cool skin of her shoulder as he held her tight. Lost in her
nearness, his fingers threaded through her wet hair while he deepened the kiss
that he never wanted to end.

Ahanu cleared his throat.

Taima broke the kiss, pressed Kate’s cheek to his
chest and rested his chin atop her head. He looked at his friend, who held out
Kate’s dress. Taima reached out, took the dress, and Ahanu politely turned
toward the shore.

“Do you want to put this on before we escape, or would
you like to go the way you are?” Taima asked Kate. “I prefer this way, if it
matters.”

Heat spread through Kate’s body as she realized Taima
held her naked against him. “Oh, my God! I have to find my dress.” She
struggled to be released. “Let me go.”

“You mean this one?”

“But how . . .”

“Ahanu went ashore for it. Though I hate to cover such
beauty, let me help.” He held the dress over her head as Kate placed her arms
into it, then let it slip down her body.