Sweet Savage Surrender (24 page)

The ground was soft and damp, but they were aware of nothing but each other. His kisses made her dizzy and sparked a fire deep within her, an ache that wanted to bring him closer and closer until they became one. She could think of nothing but that she was here in
John’s
arms. He was finally here and they belonged together.
  His nearness was a healing thing, washing away all the loneliness she had felt while he was away.

He kissed her neck, her shoulders, then drew  down the scooped neck of her doeskin dress to kiss the swell of each breast. Finding the material cumbersome, John undressed her slowly, reverently, feeling
the need to woo her all over again. "
I want to look at your lovely body.”

The soft breeze gently caressed the lovers.  A warm intimacy was slowly, sensuously surrounding them as they lay side by side.  Desire sweet and warm as honey flowed through them as John kissed her once again.  Skyraven felt his hands fumbling anxiously at her garments and lent her own fingers to aid him in his quest, freeing herself of her soft doe skin dress.  Then
she was lying next to him, naked. The
very thought of his touch on her bare skin made her veins flow with liquid fire. 
It was as if he
r
body ha
d
been asleep all these months, but now he
r
breath caught in he
r
throat as
she saw the look in his eyes.

"
You are
more lovely than I remembered, he breathed, feasting his eyes upon her bare body.  He felt himself blessed to have her love, to be experiencing this enactment of his dreams.  In the muted sunlight her long legs gleamed like pale bronze, the thrust of
her breasts invited his touch.

John's lips closed over Skyraven's in a kiss of urgent sweetness and frantic
hunger
.  His mouth kept hers a willing captive, probing, exploring, making her vibrantly aware of how much she wanted him.  When he drew his mouth away, he gathered her breasts in his hands, burying his face in the softness, trailing kisses over the soft mounds until she nearly went mad with a feverish longing to feel the strength of his love deep inside her.  Needing desperately to touch him, she pushed the cloth of his jacket and shirt aside and let her fingers explore the expanse of his chest, caressin
g him as he was caressing her.

"I love you.  I love the taste of you, the feel of your body next to mine.
Oh, Skyraven, my beautiful Skyraven,
"
John breathed, then he sat up, removed his own clothing and returned to his place beside her. In turn,
Skyraven
admired his lean, muscular body as she reached out to caress him, touching his back, the muscles of his thighs, his buttocks, and his flat stomach.

Again
and again he kissed her, enveloping her in his embrace.  Her arms crept around his neck, her fingers tangling and stroking his thick golden hair as she whispered Indian love words.  As his hands moved over her body
,
she explored his maleness as well.  Her mouth opened,
to the probing of his tongue, then shivered as
his mouth went on to other delights
.

He
trailed
hot kisses across her breasts, her stomach, down her slim legs to the
core of her being.  Arching closer to him, Skyraven delight
ed
in th
e
tantalizingly
pleasurable
arousing sensations. She gasped with pleasure as John gently parted her legs and gently plunged deep within her.

With a groan of passion
,
John savored the tightness of her surrounding him.  All coherent thought fled his mind.  It was as if for a moment their hearts rose up to embrace.
Their bodies moved together like a summer storm, gentle at first, then becoming more demanding. He murmured sweet words of love into her ears over and over, sending shivers of delight up and down her spine. She raked her fingers through his hair, rubbed her hands over the flesh of his back, down his muscular thighs and over his buttocks, drawing him deeper and deeper within her. Their senses whirled and soared to the highest height. They both felt that they were joined in spirit as well as flesh. They moaned with pleasure as wave after wave of ecstasy washed over them.

At last when they returned to earth, they clung together savoring the rapture of their lovemaking. John cradled
Skyraven’s
head on his shoulder and gently rubbed her back
while
she smiled and repeated over and over again how glad she was that they had found each other once again. They remained contentedly locked in each other’s arms for a long time before they dressed. Just before she slipped her dress over her head, she drew his head down between her breasts one more time and he kissed each peak lovingly.

Then as the sun dropped farther down on the horizon
,
the spell was broken. 
They realized that they must move quickly. They had many things to do if John Hanlen had only two weeks to bring the plans for a peace council to his superior officers at
Fort
Lyon
,
Skyraven
knew. She would take him to the village, speak a good word for him, and arrange an audience with Chief
Lean Bear
. So thinking, they started back to the village together.

Chapter Twenty-Five

From a high mesa overlooking the Sand Creek area
,
Lieutenant Colonel Henry Sedgwick sat astride his horse looking through binoculars
, his tall, lean form casting a long shadow on the sandy ground.
.  On the flat land just north of the river
he could see several
cone shaped lodges
and several trails leading to the river
.  The Cheyenne Indian camp.

He hated waiting, but he had come all this way and he wasn’t about to turn back until his curiosity had been satisfied. He had
nev
er liked these hostile savages or this damned
fla
t prairie country they were so proud of. He agreed with
Col
on
el Chivington that the only way to make a lasting peace was to exterminate every one of them, for these rebellious heathens could
nev
er be subdued for long.

Sedgwick smoked cigarette after cigarette while he waited. It seemed like hours.
  Down the river  he could see the figures of a soldier and an Indian girl walking along holding hands.
Finally the two of them had emerged from the thicket, and Sedgwick recognized John Hanlen. He was even helping her up onto his horse. Now she was riding off and he
was
left without a horse to carry him back to the fort. He certainly wasn’t going to let himself be seen until he knew what this was about.

The
Ind
ia
n girl rode a little ways, then turned back.
Bend
ing down, she embraced Hanlen, then rode away again, glancing back from time to time. "So, what I  heard is true," Sedgwick
mumbled to himself.  "He does have a squaw.  Randolph Hanlen's son is an Indian lover.
That old windbag
would
probably have
apoplexy
if he knew his Johnny boy was cavorting with a savage.”
H
e couldn't keep from smiling. 
Someday when it was to his advantage he just might tell the general
.

Sedgwick had followed John Hanlen all the way along the trail he had chosen, carefully avoiding the chance of being discovered.  He'd
masquerade
as a loyal friend for a while longer. He had a scheme up his sleeve and he didn't want anyone to know
of it just yet. 
Well, we shall see what else you are planning my friend.  For I doubt that it is peace that you are seeking
.
His mouth twisted in a smirk. 
Neither had Chivington thought so, that was why he had so easily agreed to Sedgwick's plan.  Give John Hanlen all the freedom that could be allowed, to do as he wished
,
Chivington
had told him
.  But he would be followed.   Give a man  enough rope and he would hang himself, or so it was said.       
             

But what are your motives, Hanlen?
  For the life of him Sedgwick couldn't fathom the Major's intent."  Could it just be the girl and nothing more sinister?  He had seen the two lovers go into the thicket together
,
but he couldn't tell what they were doing because of all the foliage
.
  They had been in there a long time
before coming out
. 
And I don't think you were just  picking berries.
  Some of the men said that the Indian squaws were a hot blooded lot. No doubt he was savoring her body.

A little
bed sport
, eh, Hanlen?
he concluded.  Strange that he thought that John
had to relieve his desires on an Indian.  Being the son of a general, a handsome on
e
to boot, had given the young man
every advantage possible. But maybe the Indian girl was worth it. Sedgewick
whistled
beneath his breath with a chuckle and muttered, “Well, have your fun while you can. It just might be that before this whole matter is through, fornicating will be the last thing on your mind.”

Sedgwick was uncomfortable in the saddle, but still he waited, watching Major Hanlen. The major was acting as if he
had
all the time in the world. Now he was sitting on a rock as if he were waiting, but for what or for whom? At last he thought he saw some movement on down the trail towards the Indian village.
  Picking up the binoculars again
,
he held them to his eyes.  He could see a small band of braves approaching.  Three of them and the woman
proceeded
on in the young major's direction.  The
rest of them turned back. 

What on earth had come over Major John Hanlen?  The next thing
,
he would be leaving the
cavalry to become a squaw man! Henry’s cold blue eyes continued looking at the scene before him. My god! The three warriors were shaking hands with John. Now he was getting upon the horse with the woman. They were all riding
toward
the village like they were long-lost, good friends.

How big was the village? How many braves? Sedgwick tried to calculate. If Chivington decided to strike, it would have to be determined that they soldiers could win. A defeat could be disastrous.
Victory
was what was needed. He had to get away from here and report his findings. No doubt Chivington would find them very interesting. Turning his horse
around,
he
went down the other side of the butte and urged his hors
e into a fast gallop. 

All the way back to the fort he was thinking what a wonderful hero's welcome he would get after he had
led a cavalry to that village and killed those damn hostiles. He’d talk Chivington  into letting him take command. It would be his reward. Yes, sir, he thought, he was going to use the relationship between the major and that Indian girl to further his own goals. Well, at least the young Major Hanlen had led him to the village he was looking for and given him a chance to ingratiate himself with colonel Chivington and with the restless settlers near the fort.

Sedgwick’s head was filled with dreams of glory
as he galloped onward.  He kicked the horse in the side to urge it to g
o even faster.  He could see h
imself riding through
Denver
City
in a parade in his honor. 
Every citizen
for miles would come to see him
, would laud him as the great Indian fighter
.  There would be marching music, flags flying and much cheering.  He might even receive the distinguished
service medal for bravery.

Colonel Chevington and The governor  of
Colorado
, John Evans, had not shared with the soldiers the fact that killing Indians was against government policy.  The soldiers were there to protect the white population but they must abide by the treaties that had been made and seek peace not war. 
Both Evans and Chivington thought those policy-makers in Washing, D.C.
had no idea of how hard life was out here i
n the W
est
. What the territory needed was statehood, with Evans as senator and Chirington as state representative. They understood western problems. The government had their hands full with a war of their own right now. As soon as the War
Between the S
tates was over
,
both John Evans and Colonel
Chi
vington
  wanted to see the Union Pacific Railroad go right through the Arapaho and
Cheyenne
hunting reserve.  There really wasn
't anyplace else for it to go if they wanted it to co
me
to
Denver
City
.

As he neared the fort
,
he thought that he must write to Major Hanlen's father just as soon as he could find the time.  It would break the old man's heart to finally realize that his son would never become a real soldier.  Too bad that he was the one to have to tell him
,
but then, som
eone had to do the dirty work. Perhaps then old
Randolph
would
take him under his wing again. His son wasn’t a good soldier, but Henry certainly was, and he was determined to prove it beyond a doubt and reap the benefits.
             

The stone structures with their flat sod covered roofs looked mighty inviting as he came through the gates of the fort.   He had run the horse so fast that the poor thing was ready to drop of exhaustion.  Its coat was wet with sweat and its mouth lathered w
ith foam for lack of water.

"H
ere, do what you can with him,
C
orporal
"  He dismounted and
threw the reins toward a blue-clad soldier standing nearby.

Lieutenant Colonel
  Henry Sedgwick hurried toward the Colonel's headquarters.  This bit of information
about Hanlen rolling around with a squaw
was just too good to
keep
to himself.
And he’d have a few other things to talk about as well.
Those wild brutes would soon pay for causing so
much trouble to their betters.

A commotion up on the lookout tower distracted him before he could walk through the door. “
Lieutenant
Col
onel Sedgwick, sir, a band of soldiers is approaching,” a young soldier said when he inquired. “They have an
Ind
ia
n with them.”

“Oh they do, do they?” Climbing up the ladder of the tower, he took a look for himself.
The Indian warrior was dressed only in leggi
ng
s, a breach cloth and moccasins.  His glistening
braids
were each tied with strips of otter fur
and feathers. Although
his hands were tied behind his back
,
he held his head high and proud. 
Arrogant bastard, Sedgwick thought disdainfully. He had heard that there
were rules of conduct which the warriors followed.  They were known for their bravery and courage even in the face of great danger
. Well, he’d soon have that one down on his knees, begging for mercy.

"Our men captured him during a raid to steal horses at the Dennison place near Beaver Creek
, the officer leading the small party of soldiers said. “
Some of the Cheyenne Dog soldiers were with him but we don't think he is
Cheyenne
.  We questioned him
,
but he didn't seem to understand and none of us can understand that dialect he is speaking.
”

"Good work, lieutenant." 
Maybe we can get John Hanlen to talk with him
, he thought sarcastically. He seemed to like Indians—or maybe only the females.

"
We followed his companions but lost track of them.  We did come upon their abandoned lodges though
,
and burned
down the whole damned mess"

By now, the white men  had taken over the
North Platte
country
.  T
h
e
Cheyenne
  claimed only the count
ry from the headwaters of the R
epublican
River
and Smoky Hill River southward to the
Arkansas
.  They had vo
wed never to give it up.

"
So far the Arapahos and the
Southern Cheyenne
have remained peaceful in the midst of the hostilities
,” the commanding soldier said, “
but if the stealing and disruption goes on much longer they are bound to be drawn into it
,
too."   The lieutenant shook his head as if trying to think what could be done
about the whole situation.

Another Indian lover
, Sedgwick thought. Too many bleeding hearts. “If the Arapaho and
Cheyenne
make war on us, then they’ll have to pay the price, won’t they, soldier.”

“I guess so, sir.”

"T
hat's why we're here, aren't we?  To rid the area of these red
devils?"  And surely a devil is what this well-muscled brave seemed to be.  "Look at him staring back at me.  What I wouldn't give to know what he was thinking."
             

Though he was tempted to let the
white
man
know that he
understoo
d every word,
the Indian
didn't speak
their language. 
It would be t
o his benefit  to play ignorant
.  But if
t
hese white men thought the Arapaho and
Cheyenne
would ever abandon the best buffalo hunting reserve in the entir
e
plains area
, they were fools
. 
Somehow he’d stop them. It was a vow Lone Wolf made as he was marched roughly along.
     
    
     
             
.