Bittersweet Ecstasy (20 page)

Tashina tenderly caressed his cheek and locked her gaze with his, letting him know it was too late to retrace their steps to innocence. Each read the burning desire in the other’s eyes. Right or wrong, dangerous or wise, this moment had to be fulfilled. When she smiled at him, it drove every doubt or restraint from his mind and body. There was no need for words, for her aura said it all to him. She knew she was sure about sharing herself with him, and he realized it.

His head came down to seal their lips once more, to fuse their destinies into one. Her arms went around his neck, and they drifted into a dreamy world which was shared only by lovers. He was thrilled and inflamed by her responses. He crushed her tightly within his arms, then relaxed his grip to hold her tenderly as his mouth sought hers time and time again. His gentle kisses became more ardent and possessive, as did his caresses. He knew this first union should not and could not be rushed, for it was special. His lips touched every inch of her face and throat, and his body surged with new life and joy. She was his and he was hers. Nothing and no one could halt their sensual union tonight or their marital union in the near future…

Never had Tashina known such excitement and happiness as here in his arms tonight, with her love returned. His warm breath caused tremors to sweep
over her tingly flesh. As his tongue swirled about over her breasts, she quivered with delight and suspense. She did not feel embarrassed by her nakedness, nor when he removed his garments.

As it should be between lovers, there were no reservations, no inhibitions; it was right and natural between them. There was no modesty or shame, only pure love and its mate, untarnished desire. His hands were careful as they claimed her flesh, roaming her sensitive body as each area responded instantly to his contact. His touch was not as skilled and masterful as that of a man with more experience, but she did not notice. Soon there was no spot upon her that did not cry out for him to conquer it and to claim it as his own. Flames licked greedily at their bodies, enticing him to hasten his leisurely exploration.

When he bent forward and teased a compelling breast with his teeth, she groaned softly in pleasure. As his tongue circled the taut point, she watched with fascination, wondering how such an action caused her body to quiver and to warm. Wildly wonderful emotions played havoc with her thinking; it seemed she could do nothing but surrender to pure sensation. One hand slipped down her flat stomach to eagerly assail another peak, and he teased both simultaneously.

Her hand wandered up his powerful back into his ebony mane. Each time his mouth left one breast to feast upon the other, it would protest the loss of warmth and stimulation. His mouth drifted upward to fuse with hers. Between kisses, muffled moans escaped her lips, sounds which spoke of her rapidly mounting passion, if it could climb any higher or burn any brighter.

His own passion was straining to break free like a captured stallion. He moved over her to feel her warm moistness against his throbbing flesh. Assured she was prepared for his entrance, he cautiously pushed past
the barrier which eagerly gave away to his loving intrusion. Her demanding womanhood surrounded his aching shaft with a mixture of exquisite bliss and sheer torment. He was so consumed by desire, by bittersweet ecstasy, that he nearly lost all control. He halted all movement to cool his fiery blood. Dazed by heady passion, he urged her to lie still until his mastery over his manhood returned.

Tashina could not lie still. She was feverish from blazing desire by now, caressing his body with hers. As he began to move within her once more, the contact was staggering and she would have cried her need aloud if his lips had not covered hers. He imprisoned her head between his hands as his mouth worked deftly on hers. His hips labored swiftly and urgently as he increased her great need. She heatedly yielded her body to his loving hands and lips, seeking the pleasure and contentment which she somehow knew only he could provide.

He dared not free her mouth as he felt her body tense and shudder with her release. He muffled her cry of victory which would have alerted anyone nearby or awake. A sense of intoxicating power surged through him just before his own stunning release came forth. He was so shaken” by their potent joining and so enchanted by her magic that he almost shouted his own victory aloud. Instead, he moved rhythmically until the urgency had fled and they were holding each other tenderly.

He shifted to his side and continued to embrace her. When his respiration returned to normal, he turned his head to gaze over at her. Sensing his movement, she shifted her head and her eyes met his probing gaze. In the vanishing light, they exchanged smiles, then hugged and kissed joyfully. Theirs was an intense sharing of love and contentment. She laid her face on his wet chest and inhaled his manly odor, then she
snuggled closer to him and smiled to herself.

He pressed kisses to her damp hair and held her possessively. It was not the time for speaking; it was the time for touching and feeling. An hour passed as they lay quietly in the tranquil aftermath of their first union. He longed to stay at her side, but he knew he must leave. He propped himself on an elbow and tried to pierce the darkness to view her lovely features. It was unnecessary, for he knew every inch of her face by heart. Soon, others would be stirring in the Oglala camp. He hoped he could sneak away without being seen, for he did not wish to darken her reputation, even if they were to join.

He whispered into her ear, “I must go, my love, before
Wi
awakes and reveals our night together. You are mine, Tashina, and I will return for you soon. I love you, and each sun and moon without you will be harder to endure now than before this union. My heart flows over with happiness and pride. Stay close to camp and guard your life well, for I would cease to be without you. I will sneak to the river and swim beneath its surface until I am beyond your camp.”

“Do not allow
Unktehi
to seize you.” She teased him about the mythical monster of deep waters.

“No power or person could take me from your life, my love.”

They kissed deeply and longingly, only to find passions rekindled. They made love swiftly and urgently, for each knew their time was short. He quickly dressed and hugged her tightly. Tashina loosened the flap and peered outside. Sighting and hearing no one, she kissed him farewell and watched him vanish between the other tepees.

After sealing the flap, she returned to her sleeping mat and curled up on her side, smiling as she drifted off to sleep while thinking of her love.

In the Blackfeet camp, Bright Arrow was talking with Silver Hawk in his tepee while his wife Shining Feather was at the river doing her wash and her other chores. After Bright Arrow’s arrival late yesterday, time and attention had been consumed by the revealing of his father’s message about the impending war council and by gift-giving and coup-telling where Silver Hawk was concerned. Many had gathered to share in the excitement—eating, laughing, talking— and to celebrate the daring deeds of their past chief’s son, along with his other recent
coup
of defeating the four foes who had been spying on their camp. It had been a glorious day for Silver Hawk, the kind of day which the insidious warrior intended to experience many more times in the near future.

Silver Hawk smiled with pleasure as he remarked smugly, “We have gathered many
coups
together, my friend and brother; and in the suns to come, we will gather many more. Our tribes would know such power and greatness as no others if Silver Hawk was chief of the Blackfeet and Bright Arrow was chief of the Oglalas.” He lowered his tone as if to speak conspiratorially and leaned closer to the man on the sitting
mat across from him. “It is strange how the Great Spirit chooses to work His will among His people. I am firstborn son of a great chief and you are first-born son of a great chief, but our ranks were lost long ago. Medicine Bear makes many mistakes these suns and moons, and many grow dissatisfied with him. Times are bad, my brother, and our tribes need brave and cunning leaders.”

Silver Hawk inhaled deeply before cautiously going on with his plan. “I do not speak bad of my other father Gray Eagle, but his time as chief nears an end. His spirit and heart are young and brave, but his body and mind grow older and weaker each sun. When I visit your tepee, my heart is full of pain when I see it hurt him to move and I see his once-keen eyes dulling and I hear the words and thoughts which he forgets. We face more peril soon than we have known before, my brother. I fear only a terrible defeat will prove to your father and people that Gray Eagle is no longer young and strong enough to lead the mighty Oglalas. I speak these words with a troubled heart, for I see the hatred and the determination of our white foes to conquer us this season; and I fear the Oglalas love and respect your father too much to ask him to step aside for a younger and stronger chief. I fear the war council will appoint him as leader for the joint battle, and I fear he is unable to carry it out safely. Most of all, my brother, I fear these fears, for fear does not belong in a warrior’s mind, body, or heart.”

As it was not their way to interrupt when another was talking and Bright Arrow could not honestly disagree with Silver Hawk’s gentle words and seemingly sincere concern, Bright Arrow held silent. Lately, especially along the trail to their summer camp, Bright Arrow had noticed the very points which Silver Hawk was making—Gray Eagle’s aged body, eyes, ears, and
mind—and it tormented him deeply. Yet, he had forced himself to ignore those warning signs, for he hated to admit such a thing even to himself. He also knew that Silver Hawk was right on another matter; this new battle with the whites would be their worst and they needed a superior chief and war leader. No matter how much he loved and respected his father, his people and other tribes should not wishfully choose to ride, and to die, behind a legend. One lapse in thinking, planning, or fighting and all could be lost forever. He wished his father would grasp his limitations and gently refuse the honor which Bright Arrow knew would be placed upon his shoulders as a burden which could destroy them, but he knew his father would lead them and fight for them until his death. He asked himself if he should speak openly and honestly with his father on this grave and personal matter. It would do no good, he decided, recalling how many had talked with Bright Arrow long ago over a grave and personal matter—Rebecca Kenny—and how he had not listened to or heeded their words; and look what it had cost him. Perhaps his father was remaining chief only long enough for his chosen successor to get enough age, size, respect,
coups,
and experience to take over as chief. If he had not lost that right, he had enough of each to take his father’s place this day. Anguish and anger filled him as he realized he no longer possessed the reason for his loss of rank, Rebecca Kenny. Now he had neither.

Silver Hawk had pretended to wet his throat with water while giving his words time to sink in and to work on Bright Arrow. Yes, Bright Arrow had been his friend and companion since childhood, but if he had to use him, or even destroy him, to get what was rightfully his, he would. If they could work together, they could continue as friends and allies, but work together without Bright Arrow’s knowledge.

The devious Silver Hawk kept his tone controlled as he informed Bright Arrow, “Medicine Bear has lived sixty-two winters and he has no son worthy of becoming the Blackfeet chief, yet it is time for him to release the chiefs bonnet. No warrior in my camp has
coups
or skills to match Silver Hawk’s. Many whisper about voting me chief over Medicine Bear’s sons, for it is my right and duty. Evil took my father, not the Great Spirit, so I still have a claim and right to the chiefs bonnet. Because our tribes are linked through our mother Shalee, many know this bond will grow larger and stronger if I become chief. On my last visionquest, I saw myself standing on a hill, looking over our lands free of whites, and I was wearing the Blackfeet chief’s bonnet.”

Silver Hawk locked his gaze with Bright Arrow’s as he added, “And my friend and brother Bright Arrow stood beside me, wearing the Oglala chief’s bonnet. The time has come, my brother, when your rank must, and will, be returned to you. The Great Spirit has made you a matchless warrior and He has removed all reasons to prevent your rightful destiny. You have but one need to prove your heart is all Indian; you must marry an Indian girl of high rank, one who can bind you to the bloodline of other great chiefs and prove your value.”

Bright Arrow’s gaze widened as he caught Silver Hawk’s meaning. “You speak of your sister Singing Wind. What does she say of such things? And what of my father’s words, Sun Cloud is to follow him?”

“Singing Wind has chosen no love or husband, for she waits for one worthy of her blood and rank. She is destined to become a great chiefs wife; I know this and she knows this. She has much love and respect in her heart for Bright Arrow. If you approach Medicine Bear for her hand in joining, she will agree. Her head is
strong and willful many times, but she is smarter than most females and she has much courage and daring. With the love and guidance of a strong hand and good husband, she will become all she is meant to be. Do you not see the truth, my brother? The Great Spirit did not make Brave Bear and Shalee of the same bloodline so this union could be possible. He gave you the white woman to fill your days to prevent you from joining another before Singing Wind was of age. He used the white woman to take you from your people so He could remove all weaknesses and flaws from your body, so He could test you and strengthen you and return you to your people to become a matchless warrior and chief. When the time came, He removed her from your life, for her work was done. Do not suffer over her loss, my brother, for I am sure the Great Spirit did not slay her; He has returned her to her rightful destiny. Long ago, He made us friends and blood brothers and He has chosen this season to return our ranks, to make us chiefs who will ride together and lead our peoples to survival and greatness.”