Savage Desire (Savage Lagonda 1) (46 page)

Tajarez felt the leather straps bite into his skin, but he paid little heed to the pain. He was angry that he had been so foolish as to let his guard down and allow himself to be taken captive by the Ute warriors who had surrounded his camp the night before. As always, his mind had been on Mara. He could not think of anything but her, wondering if she was safe, and if he would ever find her.

His carelessness had cost him dearly. Most of the warriors who had accompanied him had either been slain or badly wounded. They had put up a valiant fight, but had been overcome by the element of surprise, and they had been hopelessly outnumbered.

It had not occurred to Tajarez that the Utes would help Anias against him. He could only think that the Utes did not know who he was. They would never dare attack the king of the Lagonda, for retribution would be swift and deadly. He did not choose to tell them who he was, however. At least now maybe he would see Mara, if she was still alive. If she was dead, nothing mattered. He thought about his child, who would have been born by now, and wondered what its fate had been at the hands of Anias.

He was dragged from his horse by three Utes and shoved in the direction of a tepee that stood apart from all the rest. His face was covered with blood. The bleeding came from a deep gash just above his eyebrow. He blinked his eyes, trying to clear them of the blood. His hands, which were bound behind him, were of no use to him.

Tajarez wondered why Anias had ordered him brought to the Ute camp, and not had him slain with the rest of his warriors. He stared straight ahead. The Utes would pay for helping Anias. If they killed him, he knew revenge would still be his, for the Lagonda would not let this insult go unpunished.

He was shoved roughly through the opening of the tepee. He stumbled and fell to his knees. He tried to rise, but was quickly overcome by the Utes, who tied a leather strap about his neck and then fastened the end of it to a stake. Then they bound his feet and legs so he was virtually helpless. His pride rebelled against being on his knees before anyone.

"So nice to see you, cousin," Anias said acidly from somewhere inside the darkened tepee.

Tajarez blinked his eyes.             
,

"Word has it that you are now king," Anias said spitefully. "Funny, you do not look like a king."

Tajarez could barely make out Anias's form reclining on a buffalo hide. He lunged forward, trying to reach his enemy, but he was stopped short by the strap about his throat. Tajarez felt himself getting dizzy from the pressure he was putting on the strap. He made a choking sound as he fell back on his knees. How he hated to grovel before Anias.

"Try that again, Tajarez, and you will not be king of anything for very long."

"You killed my father," Tajarez hissed, "and I will kill you.

"That was most unfortunate, Tajarez. I had no grievance against my uncle. It is you I have always hated. You, beloved prince of the people, the favorite of the Lagonda. You always got everything you wanted, while I was handed your leftovers. The women you discarded turned to me because I looked like you. My so-called friends only wanted to be with me so they could also be with you. I remember clearly the very day I began to hate you." He was quiet for a moment, recalling the incident. "It was at a harvest celebration. You and I climbed to the top of the stairs to get a better view of the people dancing below. The crowd saw us and began to cheer. I foolishly thought they were cheering for the both of us. My father grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away from you. 'They do not cheer you,' he told me. 'They want their prince.' After that day I no longer looked up to my illustrious cousin. I would feel no pride when someone would say I looked like you. I was always second-best where you were concerned. Even my own father would say to me: 'Why can you not sit a horse as your cousin, Tajarez? Why do you not swim as well as Tajarez? Why can you not run as swiftly as Tajarez?' I grew sick inside every time he would compare me to you and find me wanting. Today belongs to me, Tajarez. You kneel before me, awaiting my judgment."

Tajarez's eyes narrowed. The blood from his wound had stopped flowing and he could see his cousin more clearly. "I did not know until now just how deep your hatred was for me, Anias. I once loved you as a brother and felt very close to you. Now you are the enemy, my worst foe, and I will kill you."

Anias laughed maliciously. "You are not in any position to harm anyone, Tajarez. It is I who could end your life with the snap of my finger. The Utes would not hesitate to follow my wishes."

"Tell me, Anias, how did you get the Utes to help you in your treachery? I am curious."

"I was very clever, Tajarez. They think that I am you and you are me. I told them that you were trying to take my wife from me. They believed this to be the truth. It was easy since you and I look so much alike. I told them that you would try to convince them that you were me. I even had them stand guard over Mara, telling them to keep my queen safe.  Very complicated, do you not agree?”

Tajarez's eyes narrowed to pinpoints. "Where is Mara? Have you harmed her?"

Anias met his gaze steadily. "I would never harm Mara, Tajarez. She is made to give a man pleasure. Why would any man want to harm what he loves?"

Tajarez felt sick inside at the thought of Anias touching Mara. She was his. No man had the right to touch her. Hatred caused his tall frame to tremble. He clenched his teeth. "Is she safe then?"

"She is safe, which is more than I can say for you."

Tajarez looked at him dully. "Do what you will with me. I will not beg you for my life. Death holds no fear for me.

"I know that, Tajarez. That is why I have decided to let you live."

Tajarez looked at his cousin through half-closed eyelids. "What are you planning, Anias? Where is Mara?" He felt fear so strong he was having a hard time hiding it from Anias. It caused his stomach to tighten in a knot. "I will kill you if you have touched her with your filthy hands. This I swear."

"I told you before I would not harm Mara."

"You will set her free?"

"No, I will not do that. I find I cannot live without her. I believe those were the words you once spoke to me concerning Mara. She is everything a woman should be, is she not?"

Tajarez strained against his bonds. He prayed for the strength to break free. His eyes gleamed dangerously.

Anias was enjoying himself. He liked seeing Tajarez humbled before him. How long he had waited to have his proud, arrogant cousin at his mercy. He knew he had the power to destroy him completely, and Mara would be the lovely tool that would help him accomplish that objective.

Rising to his feet, he walked slowly toward the tent opening. "Tanka, bring Mara to me. Then a little later you can bring our little surprise."

Mara entered the tent on shaky legs. Her heart was beating so rapidly she could hardly catch her breath. Her hair was pulled away from her face and fell down her back in a single braid to her waist. She wore a fawn-colored dress, and high-top moccasins.

Tajarez's heart pounded at the sight of her slight figure. He swallowed a lump in his throat and felt pain in his heart.

Mara waited for her eyes to become adjusted to the dim light in the tepee. When she saw Tajarez on his knees, bound hand and foot, with blood all over his face, her heart ached and she wanted to go to him and throw herself at his feet. But his safety pushed that thought out of her mind. She could not condemn him and their children to death. It was not in her to watch them die unless she were allowed to die with them, and she knew Anias would not allow her to die.

Tajarez watched as the play of different emotions washed over her beautiful face. He saw her struggling with herself, and finally she was able to give him a weak smile.

"Well, Tajarez. So nice of you to pay Anias and myself a little visit. I hope you are enjoying our hospitality."

Tajarez noticed she avoided looking into his eyes. He frowned. What was this game she was playing? He felt confused. This could not be his beloved, so cold and unfeeling.

Anias held his hand out to her. "Come and sit beside me, my beloved," he said, purposely using the endearment he had so often heard Tajarez use when speaking of her.

Mara gritted her teeth as she took Anias's hand. She hated what she was doing to Tajarez. Even if he did not love her it had to be humiliating for him to watch his wife with the man who had slain his father.

"Our guest does not look well, Anias. Perhaps he would like a little refreshment."

"But, Mara, he cannot drink. His hands are bound," Anias said, smiling tightly.

"Then I shall have to help him," she said, feeling Anias's hand tighten on her fingers. She brushed him aside. "We would not want him to return home and say he had not been well treated, Anias."

Tajarez remained silent. He could not believe that Mara was acting on her own. Anias had some hold over her, most probably the child.

Mara wet a cloth and bent down beside Tajarez and began washing the blood from his face. She dared not look into his eyes or she would be lost. Holding an earthen jug for him to drink from, she kept her eyes on Anias.

"Mara, look at me," Tajarez ordered. She closed her eyes to the pain she heard in his voice. When she opened them, she looked into his deep brown eyes and saw torment. "Beloved, let me hear that you love me, or at least say you forgive me for all of my past mistakes."

Mara felt Anias's hand on her arm, and he drew her up beside him, sending the water jug smashing to the ground.

"Mara has such a kind heart, she cannot stand to see anything suffer," Anias said cuttingly. "That is one of the things I love about her."

Tajarez could not stand the sight of Anias touching Mara. His heart cried out in protest. "What trick are you up to, Anias? You would have me believe that Mara loves you?" His voice was full of disbelief.

"Do not ask me, Tajarez. You would not believe anything I say. Let Mara talk for herself."

Tajarez's eyes went to Mara's flat stomach. She was doing this for the child. Anias had threatened the baby. He had to believe that or he would go crazy. Mara would never betray him to his enemy.

"Come, beloved. Show Tajarez where your heart lies," Anias said, putting pressure on her neck and drawing her face close to his.

She looked into his eyes, pleading silently with him not to shame her in front of Tajarez. She knew Tajarez would be humiliated. Her face burned as his lips touched her, and she felt tears sting her eyes. Mara wished she could die rather than bring dishonor to herself and Tajarez.

"Do not touch her! Take your filthy hands off my wife," Tajarez said through clenched teeth.

Anias raised his head and looked at Tajarez with a mocking frown on his face. "My, he does have a temper, this husband of yours."

"Mara, do not let him touch you again," Tajarez pleaded. "I cannot bear it. I would rather he killed me."

Anias whirled on Tajarez. "That is what you would like, but you will not find death at my hands, cousin."

Mara felt as though a thousand sharp knives ripped her heart apart when she saw tears sparkle in Tajarez's dark eyes. She knew he would rather die than let Anias see how badly he had wounded him. Tajarez really did love her. The proof was in the tears that rolled freely down his face.

She wanted to run to him and kiss away his pain and tell him that she would die with him. She trembled from the intensity of her emotions. Oh, my love, if you only knew that I had to do this for you and our children. I cannot condemn them to death, she thought. Her mother's heart shied away from the thought of her babies' dying when she had it in her power to save them as well as their father.

Squaring her shoulders and giving no sign that she was dying on the inside, she faced Tajarez. "You see how it is between myself and Anias. He is kind to me. You were not. You ignored me most of the time, while he showers me with attention. I love him." Her heart cried out silently at her lie.

Tajarez raised his head proudly and stared at her. "Do not do this to me, Mara. I am begging you for mercy." His voice cracked. "If he has some hold over you, the child perhaps, I would rather the three of us die together than see you in his arms. Do not let him touch you again. Come to me, Mara. We will die together like the king and queen we are."

Mara wavered. She wanted nothing more than to die in his arms at that moment. Anias, seeing her uncertainty, called out to Tanka, who was waiting outside.

"Tanka, bring in the basket now." He knew he had to bring Mara back to his side, and he hoped the sight of her babies would do it.

Tanka entered and set the basket down beside Anias. As she turned to leave, her eyes fell on Tajarez. The sight of him kneeling helplessly before Anias filled her with rage. She had thought her love for him had died, but as she had stood outside the tent she had become enraged with Anias for degrading the proud king of her people. She hesitated at the entrance, then she stepped outside into the bright sunlight, blinded by tears of pity for the man she loved.

Anias gave Tajarez a wide smile. "As you can see, I am still attracting the women you discard. Tanka has been very useful to me. Would you like to see your child, Tajarez?" He bent down and picked up the tiny girl and placed her on the buffalo hide just in front of Tajarez. "Look at your daughter, Tajarez. She is very like you except you will find that she has her mother's eyes."