Never Surrender (19 page)

“The direction of your gaze lately tells me all I need
to know.”

* * * * *

Three days later, Taima’s spirits soared as he saw
their small encampment within the valley along the Wind River. Children played
beyond the lean-tos, their faint laughter carrying through the air as he
approached.

Two of his warriors spotted them first, one quickly
alerting Aiyana. The elation in her face spoke all Taima needed to know. She
ran toward Ahanu. He lifted her onto his horse, and she cupped his face in her
palms.

Taima watched the joyous expression on Kate’s face as
she walked her horse next to his. He leaned closer to whisper, “I think she’s
glad we finally returned him home.”

“As I am.” Kate turned toward the children. “Where’s
Kelee?”

When Taima turned, all the children were running toward
them. He slipped from his horse, knowing he wouldn’t be able to lift his son
onto the animals back without causing his wound anguish. The reins trailed from
his hand as he walked toward Kelee. A blue headband holding the boy’s long hair
accentuated his eyes, reminding Taima so much of his own mother’s gaze.

Placing one knee on the ground, Taima waited for
Kelee. The happiness a child bestowed on a parent still overwhelmed Taima as
his only son embraced him tighter than he could ever remember. He hugged Kelee
back with equal fervor.

“Father, I thought you would never get back. Is
everything all right? You brought Kate back?”

“Yes, Nechan, she has returned with us.”

Kate knelt next to him. Kelee fell into her embrace as
easily as he’d hugged Taima. He watched their exchange. In Kelee’s excitement,
his questions came without waiting for answers. There would be time enough for
them later.

“What have you been doing while we’ve been gone?” Kate
asked.

“I hunted with Sakima, helped Aiyana gather wood, and
fished with Dichali and his daughter, Mai.”

The hair on the back of Taima’s neck rose as he met
Ahanu’s gaze. He and Aiyana had also slipped from his horse and heard Kelee’s
comment.

“Perhaps it’s nothing,” Ahanu said.

Taima inhaled a ragged breath. “And perhaps it is.”
His thoughts centered on Mai.

Coyote.

Her name meant coyote in Shoshone.

A name he was more than familiar with; a name given to
skin walkers. Taima blinked, wanting to rid himself of the thoughts. To think
of skin walkers only gave them more power to invade one’s mind and soul. If in
fact she was one, he would be sure she and her father were sent far from his
people. He should have paid closer attention to those within his camp. How
could he have missed a woman intent on harming those close to him?

Aiyana’s eyes darted from him to Ahanu. “Is something
wrong?”

“How often did Dichali’s daughter, Mai, spend time
with Kelee? Were they alone with him?” Ahanu asked.

“Only twice. And they brought fish back both times.
Was I not to allow Kelee to be with them?”

“Everything is fine. Please don’t worry,” Taima said,
not wanting to alarm Aiyana. “Let’s celebrate our return tonight.”

Kelee had taken Taima’s hand, then Kate’s, as he
walked between them. Taima scanned the faces of those around their lean-tos,
searching for Dichali and his daughter. If she wanted to start trouble for them
already, he would put a stop to it immediately.

“Sakima has taught me to be a better shot so I can
become a great warrior like you and Washakie, Father. He was here with his
warriors, you know.”

“When did he leave?”

“Five days ago. He stayed until Grandfather said it
was all right for him to go. Grandfather said you were safe and would be home
soon. He’s always right, Noshi.”

“That, he is, my son; more times than I’d like to
admit.” Taima looked at Kate, though she talked with Aiyana. Would Sakima also
be right about her?

Sakima approached with the rest of their group, and
Taima embraced him. “I’m glad to be home, Noshi. Thank you for taking care of
Aiyana and Kelee for us.”

“I’m glad you have brought Kate back safely. My
visions told me many things while you were away. Are you stronger now?”

“Thanks to Ahanu and Kate. I probably wouldn’t be here
if it weren’t for their help.”

“And I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him and
Ahanu. They both risked their lives to save me,” Kate added.

“This is truly a cause for celebration,” Sakima said.

Taima glanced around at the lean-tos through narrowed
eyes. A sense of foreboding slithered up his spine. Again, the tiny hairs stood
up on the back of his neck.

Someone watched him.

Why hadn’t he felt it before? He looked past the crowd
of people only to stare into the dark, sinister gaze of a young woman. A moment
passed between them. Placing her hand over her chest, her long fingers touched
the hollow at the base of her throat. She blinked, then quickly turned her head
and stepped inside her lean-to.

Mai.

She could possibly be one of the Coyote People, also
known as skin walkers, mind invaders, but if she was, he should have sensed it
way before this. Distraction was not something acceptable to him and he vowed
to pay closer attention to his senses.

When she disappeared, so did Taima’s eerie feelings;
the hairs on the back of his neck calmed, but he wondered how long before she
would show herself again. That was the first time he’d caught her watching
them, and he cursed himself for not being aware of her evil before. Had Kate’s
presence affected him so much, he wondered.

He would have to warn her not to look into Mai’s eyes,
and if she found it necessary to do so, then only for a moment. Skin walkers
used the open windows to invade the soul, slowly taking over the other persons
mind until they took complete control, squeezing out the original inhabitant,
obtaining what they wanted.

A shiver racked Taima’s body as he looked toward the
evening sky. Long ago when he was younger, Sakima had told him of skin walkers
as a warning, also telling him never to think of them or look into the eyes of
those considered to be Coyote Men...or Women for that matter.

Siding with his better judgment, Taima stayed near
Kate and Kelee during the celebration. A mountain sheep roasted over a roaring
fire, the aroma filling the air. A few of his braves slowly beat on deerskin
drums as others played wooden flutes.

The women, and remaining men, danced near the fire
against a darkening orange horizon beyond the mountains.

Kate touched his arm. “I’ll be right back.”

“What is it?”

“It’s personal. I’ll be right back.”

As she stepped into the pines, fear gripped Taima’s
chest.

He glanced around for Dichali’s daughter, his heart
pounding.

Mai was nowhere in sight. Frantically, his gaze
searched each lean-to, wondering whether she would be bold enough to go after
Kate with him so near.

“Ahanu, watch Kelee. I’ll be right back.”

Taima quickly strode toward the trees where Kate had
entered. Fisting his hands, he swore he would strangle Mai if she planned to
harm Kate in any way. The woman had already gone too far by taking his son into
her confidence.

Kate screamed.

Taima rushed forward into the already darkened forest,
hoping to catch Mai in the act.

“Who’s there?” Kate listened. “Answer me!”

“Kate, I’m here. What is it?”

“Shhh. Listen...over there.”

Snapping twigs and swishing branches sounded in the
distance. He stepped forward to catch the intruder, but Kate’s hand on his arm
stopped him.

“Don’t. What if a mountain lion lurks in the bushes?
You could be mauled.”

Taima peered through the shadowed trees, searching for
movement. “Cats await their prey in the trees. Whatever is out there walks on
two feet.”

Kate stepped closer to him and he grasped her hand.
Her fingers pressed into the back of his hand.

“Do you think it’s the Blackfoot warrior? Taima, I
would rather die than be taken by him again.”

Taima thought it best right now to allow Kate to
assume the stalker was the Blackfoot warrior. But he needed to alert her to be
aware of Mai and her evil eyes, if in fact, she were actually one of the Coyote
people--a chance he didn’t want to take.

He couldn’t let Mai succeed in taking over Kate’s body
should that be her plan. Then his breath caught in his throat. Would he know if
Mai took over Kate’s mind and body?

He glanced at Kate’s wide eyes as she stared into the
shadows like a frightened child. “Let’s return to the others,” he said.

Taima stepped forward, pulling her along.

He strode into the clearing and walked toward the
fire, still holding tight to Kate’s hand. “From now on, I don’t want you alone.
If you feel the need to go off by yourself, take Aiyana with you, but don’t go
anywhere alone.”

She didn’t answer. He stopped and looked at her. “Do
you understand?”

Kate turned away from the trees. “Yes. I understand. I
promise I’ll be more careful.”

Kate sat down next to Kelee. Although darkness closed
in around them, Taima noticed Mai walking from behind his lean-to toward her
own. She smiled, nodded, and stepped inside out of sight.

A cold fist clamped around his heart. Suspicion
immediately came to mind. She was up to something, but what? He didn’t trust
her at all. Suddenly, Taima felt suffocated by her presence among them, yet he
had no reason to banish her from the small tribe--yet.

“Noshi . . .”

Kelee tugged on the fringe of Taima’s leggings. He put
Mai to the back of his mind and knelt behind his son.

“I know you just returned, but is it all right if I
stay with Aiyana for one more night?”

Taima looked at Ahanu.

“It’s fine. He’ll be no problem. You and Kate need
time alone...to talk,” Ahanu said, his slanted grin lending to his jovial
personality.

Kate turned around. “What do we need to talk about?”

“Nothing. Are you ready to get some sleep? The journey
is catching up with me tonight.”

Kate embraced Kelee and kissed his forehead, then
joined Taima. “Is your side hurting you very much?”

“No, but I am very tired. I’m glad you decided to come
with me.”

“I doubt you’ll need me to keep you warm with all the
buffalo hides you have in your lean-to.”

“I’ll sleep better knowing you are next to me and
safe.”

Kate cocked her head sideways. “Will I be safe next to
you?”

Taima understood the double question and wondered
himself. It could be a long night should he decide not to make her his wife as
he’d planned once they were alone. He pulled back the hide that covered the
entrance to his lean-to. “I guess that’s a chance you’ll have to take...but
you’ve been safe with me so far.”

As Kate passed close before him, Taima laced his
fingers around the back of her neck and drew her face close to his. The scent
of sweet sagebrush drifted to his nose. “I will always keep you safe.”

Taima bent his head toward her. The warmth of her lips
against his own heightened his need for her. Kate didn’t pull away, but
instead, gently wrapped her arms around his shoulders, molding her body against
him.

He pressed his tongue past her satin lips to sweep the
inside of her mouth. Desire coursed through him like the rush of the Wind
River, pounding in his ears as he wrapped his arms around her slender body,
bringing her closer.

Kate kissed him back with equal fervor. Her breasts
rose rapidly against his chest, their warmth penetrating the leather of his
shirt. Without breaking the kiss, Taima lifted her into his arms and stepped
inside, the hide falling behind him to cloak them in total darkness.

Kate laced her fingers into the hair at Taima’s nape,
drawing herself closer, deeper into the kiss, as his arms embraced her. His
slow, dizzying kiss enflamed her passion, heating her flesh from head to toe,
the scent of sagebrush emanating from her skin. The warmth of Taima’s naked
chest penetrated her leather dress.

Still kissing her, he lifted her into his powerful
arms as though she weighed no more than a child. Her heart soared, and her
stomach fluttered. Of course, Kate knew he desired her. But, she would make him
love her also, as much, if not more, than he’d loved his wife.

The intermittent touch of his tongue against hers
radiated electrifying waves of excitement through her body. Un-relinquished
desire gave her the courage to be bold. She deepened the kiss by sweeping her
tongue against Taima’s, eliciting a groan from him as he stepped into the
lean-to.

The buffalo hide covering the entrance dropped behind
Taima, cloaking them in near-total darkness. He withdrew from their kiss and
released Kate’s legs. When her toes touched the ground, her knees would have
buckled had she not had her arms around his shoulders.

Taima’s mouth again claimed hers; his kiss urgent and
exploring. Lost in the abyss of desire, Kate tipped her head to the side, and
Taima’s lips seared a path down the side of her neck. The rapid beat of her
heart nearly sent her into a tailspin as she drew a ragged breath to calm
herself and clung to Taima. His tongue moved in small, sensuous circles down
her neck, making her body ache with need.

“Taima,” she whispered. Desire nearly consumed her
every breath.

Afraid if she spoke again, she would betray her true
feelings, Kate kissed his shoulder. The moist, saltiness of his skin met her
tongue. Gently, she pressed her teeth to his flesh. He groaned again, giving
her a sense of satisfaction. She did, indeed, affect him, though he’d tried to
hide it.

His hands moved slowly over her body. The tenderness
of his caresses stole her breath as Taima pushed her dress above her hips.
Cooler air touched her thighs, but his warm fingers soon kneaded the naked
flesh of her backside, sending a heated tremor up her spine.

Kate closed her eyes, and arched her back, not
realizing it would mold her to Taima’s body even more. His arousal rose against
her abdomen. Slipping beneath her dress, his hands lightly skimmed her waist,
moving over her ribs, where his thumbs caressed the sides of her breasts.

Kate rested her head in the crook of Taima’s shoulder
and took a deep, unsteady breath. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Are you?” he asked in return, his warm breath
penetrating her hair.

Afraid to answer aloud should her voice betray her
eagerness, Kate only nodded against his shoulder. As his thumbs skimmed over
her sensitive nipples, a sharp intake of breath caught in her throat. A moan
escaped her lips.

In one seductive motion, Taima swept her dress over
her head, then held her secure within the circle of his embrace, bare flesh
against bare flesh. Kate slipped her arms around Taima’s neck. Her heart raced
when his hand cupped the back of her head. Gently, his lips pressed against hers,
then covered her mouth, his tongue thrusting past her lips. His other hand
gripped her backside, holding her tighter.

Another moan escaped Kate’s throat. She no longer
cared if Taima finally realized she desired him, wanted him...
needed him.

Suddenly, he stepped away from her, leaving her
confused and very aware of her nakedness when moments ago it hadn’t even
occurred to her. She stared into the shadows.

“Don’t move,” he assured. Taima rustled in the
darkness, moving their belongings around, then grasped her hand and sat down.
“We’ll be more comfortable on the warm hides.”

Kate knelt beside him on the furs, waiting in
anticipation of his touch. As he stretched out onto his side, his hand upon her
waist drew her down beside him. Nervously, she rested her palm upon his chest,
feeling the slow movement of muscles beneath his warm flesh.

He kissed her forehead. “I only wish it were light
enough to see you.”

“And I you,” she said, envisioning his broad, corded
chest. Kate lightly ran a finger over his hardened nipple, moving lower to the
muscles of his ribs. Slowly, she smoothed her hand past his waist to his hip
and gasped as she felt only bare skin. He’d removed his leggings and
breechcloth!

Taima chuckled, the sound coming from deep within his
chest.

Heat flooded her cheeks and Kate was glad he couldn’t
see her face. She smoothed her hand lower, only to feel the tight sinew of his
backside taut against her hand.

He gently pushed her shoulders down onto the furs, his
long hair brushing over her chest. Liquid fire covered the tip of her breast as
his tongue circled the nipple. In a swirl of ecstasy, she tilted her head back.

Never had she dreamed Taima could shatter the wall
she’d built securely around her heart.

Never had she thought she’d ever surrender to his
seductive, savage touch.

* * * * *

Kate’s faint moans radiated a passionate message to
every muscle in Taima’s taut body. Just knowing his gentle caress or tender
kiss could cause such a reaction within her made his heart swell with a feeling
he thought had died years ago. Yet those feelings made themselves known as he
moved to lay atop Kate, careful to brace most of his weight on his elbows. He
molded her soft curves to the contours of his body.

He kissed the slender column of her neck. Her racing
heartbeat fluttered beneath his lips. Desire welled within him, refusing to
ebb, and his mouth claimed hers in a passionate kiss. Her eagerness reached his
soul.

Kate intertwined her fingers with his, and Taima
stretched their arms over her head. Their breathing came in short, ragged puffs
as he slipped his knee between hers. He half expected an objection, but none
came, only a demanding response as Kate squeezed his fingers, arching her body
against him. Her tongue enticingly slipped past his lips.

Taima let go of one of her hands to caress a full
breast, a slim waist, and the warmer curves of her body. She arched against the
palm of his hand as he continued the caresses until she writhed beneath him.

He broke from the kiss. “You’re sure this is what you
want? I’ll not have you accusing me of anything once it’s finished.”

She cupped his face in her small hands, her breathing
warm against his cheek. “Know this is what I want, or I wouldn’t still be
here.”

Unable to hold back a moment longer, Taima entered
her. When her moist lips and tongue touched his, he kissed her, thrusting
deeply at the same time. Blood surged through his veins, heating his flesh even
more as Kate’s hands caressed his chest, then moved down his sides to his hips,
where she pulled him tightly against her.

Withdrawing from the kiss, Taima cradled her head in
the palms of his hands to bury his face in her silky, sage-scented hair.
Excitement shot through his body like a wavering arrow, begging for a release
that had been too long restrained. He wanted to wait for the right moment, but
her quivering inner muscles tightened around him as she kept pace with his
every move.

The heat of her body made it impossible for him to
hold back any longer. He thrust deep and she accepted him. Together, they found
the tempo that bound their bodies as one. Then his world exploded like the rush
of white-water over rocky rapids. Torrential waves of ecstasy pulsed through
him until he lay spent, reveling in the aftermath of what he hadn’t felt in
years for any woman. Drawing in a slow, even breathe, he waited for his racing
heart to slow.

Slight tremors shivered through Kate as he held her
tightly. He felt as though he never wanted to be separated from the warmth of
her body. Crushing her to him, he pressed his mouth to hers. She responded
passionately, nearly making his heart burst.

Taima brushed her hair away from her face, and rose
onto his elbows. He had finally made love without thoughts of Witashnah, nor
feelings of guilt. Though he may have fulfilled a physical need for Kate, he
had allowed her to tear apart his soul, to make him aware of feelings for her
he hadn’t wanted to admit yet.

Kate rose up to touch her lips to his. A soft, tender
caress. “I’ll not have you accuse me of anything now that we’re finished,” she
teased.

“You don’t regret what we’ve just done?”

“How could I regret something so beautiful?”

Taima drew in a ragged breath, worried about her
reaction to what he was about to say. “Because...now, you are my true wife.”

A moment of silence passed between them.

“I don’t understand.”

He continued to hold her tight as he lay atop her,
lest she decide to squirm from his grasp. “Since the first night you spent in
my lean-to with me, you have been considered my wife by our people. It is our
custom.”

“You mean all two people have to do is sleep together
in one lean-to and they are considered married?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe you kept that fact from me, allowing
me to think otherwise.”

Kate pounded upon his shoulders and Taima quickly
grasped her fists, drawing them above her head. She squirmed beneath him, but
he refused to let go. “What difference would it have made?”

“None. And it won’t now. You’ve already said you can’t
love me.”

“Kate . . .”

“Don’t! Nothing will change. I’ll not ask a thing from
you.” She struggled to release her wrists from his hold, but he didn’t budge,
nor did he withdraw from her silken sheath.

Taima closed his eyes in frustration. How could he
make her understand the way he felt about Witashnah? His feelings for her were
different.

“Kate, perhaps in time . . .”

“Stop it! I don’t want anything from you. You’re an
animal, a savage!”

Her squirming stirred his desires. He wanted to
continue what they had only just begun. Her anger re-ignited his passion and he
gently thrust forward with his hips.

“Don’t . . .”

Taima covered her mouth with his, silencing her
objection. His kiss was more brutal than he’d planned; his tongue explored the
recesses of her mouth, crushing her to him as he moved within her. She
responded in kind, battling with her tongue, and before Taima realized, he was
again erect within her silken sheath. Currents of desire swept through him and
Kate’s eager movements matched his.

She moved with him in rhythmic motions. Still holding
her hands, Taima stretched his arms out to the sides. He kissed her jaw, the
throbbing pulse at the hollow of her throat, her shoulder, until his mouth
covered the hardened tip of her breast. He longed for a small amount of light
to see the ecstasy in her face.

A tormented moan escaped Kate’s lips. Taima rose
slightly above her as they continued their rhythm. “Tell me you don’t want this
as much as I, woman.”

“I don’t,” she whispered, but desire lingered in her
voice, betraying her lies.

Taima stopped moving. He could hold out longer than
she. He was trained at self-discipline. He was a warrior.

Taima waited.

Kate pulled on her wrists, to no avail.

Her quivering muscles inside tightened around him, and
she moved her hips, but he resisted. Pulling her hands overhead into one of
his, he took the weight of a full breast in the palm of his other hand and
suckled the tip. Her uneven breathing came warm against his cheek.

“Why are you doing this?” she whimpered, her trembling
voice filled with aching need.

“We desire each other. Why do you fight it?”

She raised her knees and her feet caressed the back of
his legs. Unable to continue his restraint, Taima moved his hips in time with
Kate’s. Their tempo increased to the beat of the distant, thundering drums of
the celebration until her body shook with slight tremors of satisfied pleasure.

Taima captured her mouth with his, their tongues
moving with the same pace as he released his life-giving seed within her again.
Kate’s wild abandonment spoke words Taima knew she would never speak on her
own. Though she fought him at every turn, it only heightened their passion.

Tonight was no different.

Perspiration clung to his face and chest...between
their naked bodies. He released her hands to rub his face, then rolled onto his
side. Before Kate could turn away, he embraced her, drawing her close as he
pulled a fur over their bodies. She hid her face in his shoulder and hot tears
slipped onto his chest.

With a finger beneath her chin, Taima lifted her teary
gaze. “Little one, why do you cry?”

Rather than answer, she only shook her head.

“Open your eyes and look at me. Though it’s dark in
here, I know you try to shut me out.”

“We both want different things. How can we ever be
happy?”

“Because we are. Does there have to be more? Perhaps
in time, I will find it easier to love another. You have come to mean very much
to me in the short time you have been here.”