Dakota Dreams (Historical Romance) (35 page)

As Black Otter's eyes widened in fright, Dakota's finger's tightened around the hilt. "Now you die, Black Otter. May you walk in darkness this night, for your treacherous soul is not worthy to walk in sunlight."

"Kill him!" Black Otter called out to his companion. "Do it now!"

"Your friend can't help you, Black Otter, he's otherwise engaged." Levi's welcome voice spoke up from behind them. "Do what you have to, Dakota, me and John have this buck under our aim."

Dakota shook his head to fight off the dizziness that came from his loss of blood. Breathing a sigh of relief because Levi was there to take care of Breanna, he felt renewed strength.

Dakota's hand tightened on the knife. "There is no help for you, Black Otter," he hissed. "Now you are at my mercy."

"Kill me then," Black Otter spat. "If you have forgotten what our father asked of you, take my life and let my blood stain your hands."

Dakota hesitated. He had every reason to kill Black Otter, but why was it so difficult to drive the knife into his treacherous heart? Black Otter's hands had been stained with the blood of hundreds of victims, why could Dakota not end his life?

Dakota yelled out in his frustration, burying the knife in the ground only inches from Black Otter's head. "You deserve to die, but I cannot be the one to take your life."

Dakota stood up and staggered backward. "I cannot go against my father's wishes. I will take you to the village and let the Arapaho decide your punishment."

No one saw Black Otter until it was too late. He grabbed the knife from where Dakota had left it and leaped agilely to his feet. Taking aim, his eyes gleamed as he visualized Dakota's death.

Dakota turned, knowing he was helpless to prevent his brother from throwing the knife. He waited for the impact, but heard instead the sound of a rifle.

No one had seen Breanna crawl up the slope or take the rifle Dakota had thrown down earlier. There was not time to take aim, so she pointed the gun at Black Otter and squeezed the trigger.

Dakota saw the confused look on Black Otter's face and the red stain on his chest.

Slowly, Black Otter crumpled to the ground, his eyes begging for an explanation—it wasn't supposed to happen this way. He was not the one who should die.

Dakota turned to see Breanna throw the rifle to the ground. "I am not sorry that I killed him," she said, falling to her knees. "I would do it again, if . . ." Weakness overcame her, and she fell forward, lost in the oblivion of darkness.

Dakota rushed to Breanna, gathering the most precious person in his life up in his arms.

John came forward, removing his coat and handing it to Dakota so he could cover Breanna's nakedness. "Allow me to carry her for you," he offered, knowing Dakota was weak from loss of blood and was swaying on his feet unsteadily.

"No," Dakota growled, his eyes daring anyone to try to take her from him. "I will carry my wife to the Arapaho village, where the medicine woman will tend her wounds."

Dakota did not look at Black Otter's dead body as he carried Breanna toward the Wind River.

When John would have followed him, Levi's words stopped him. "Leave him be. What he does now, he does without our help. He will find a warm welcome waiting for him in the Arapaho village, with those who care about him."

"But they both need attention, Levi" John protested.

"Nothing happens here that the Arapaho don't know about. They will get all the help they need in the village. I'm sure word has already spread that Black Otter is dead. There will be a cry of welcome for Dakota and Breanna when they arrive."

35

Night was stirring as Breanna awakened. At first she was oblivious to her surroundings because all she could think about was the pain that covered every inch of her body, making her feel as though she were on fire.

Gentle hands were rubbing soothing, cool liquid on Breanna's face. In her hazy state of mind, Breanna was able to make out dark Indian eyes — but they were not hostile as Black Otter's had been, they were kind and concerned.

The old medicine woman had stripped Breanna's remaining clothing away, and was now applying a healing mixture to her entire body. When that was accomplished, the woman placed damp cloths across Breanna.

The medicine woman turned at last to Dakota. "I have done all I can for your wife. She will need to be kept in the dark until the sun goes around twice, then I believe she will begin to heal."

"Will she fully recover, Cloud Woman?"

"Yes, her wounds are not so serious as that bullet you have in your back."

"Will there be scarring?" Dakota wanted to know, unconcerned with his own wound.

"No. I do not think so. The mixture of herbs I used on her should prevent any scarring. Of course, I believe there will be a slight scar where Black Otter cut her with his knife. Knowing that devil, I would say she is fortunate to be alive. Now all I can do for her is keep the cloths damp and give her plenty to drink."

The old woman looked at Dakota, who had refused to have his wounds treated until Breanna ^ had been taken care of. "Now that I have seen to your woman's needs, I will remove that bullet from you."

Dakota knelt down beside Breanna, his anger still burning for what Black Otter had done to her. Taking her limp hand in his, he ached because of the pain she was going through. "You saved my life, beloved Breanna, proving you are brave and strong. You will heal, and soon your spirit will soar with mine through the clouds and we shall love one another forever."

Breanna moaned, unaware that her husband had again declared his love for her, because again he had spoken to her in the Arapaho language.

"I will no longer wait to take that bullet out, Dakota, while you make pretty speeches to your woman," Cloud Woman informed him. "I will do it now."

Dakota leaned back on the buffalo robe, too weak to protest any longer. He knew he had lost a lot of blood and that the bullet was very deeply imbedded.

***

Breanna huddled near the cook-fire. She smiled at the old medicine woman who had been tending her for the last week. Already the places where Breanna's skin had been sunburned had healed, and the only signs of her ordeal were a slight scar from the knife wound and a golden tint to her skin.

Since the medicine woman did not speak English, she and Breanna communicated through gestures.

Breanna felt uncomfortable dressed in the buckskin gown that fell to her ankles.

Dakota had been in to see her several times, but as her strength returned, he seemed to become more silent, and she began to feel he resented her because she had taken the life of his Indian brother.

The tepee flap was pushed aside, when Dakota entered. Breanna pulled the soft fur robe about her, feeling uncomfortable under Dakota's intense scrutiny.

The medicine woman gave Breanna a toothy grin and ambled out of the tepee, leaving Dakota and Breanna alone.

Dakota wore buckskins, and Breanna noticed for the first time that he was allowing his hair to grow longer. She wondered if that was a sign that he intended to remain in America.

There was an uncomfortable silence before Breanna was courageous enough to speak. "Does your wound still pain you, Dakota?" she inquired.

"No, it is all but healed." His eyes swept her face. "I am told that you are recovered sufficiently to make the journey back to England." He dropped a bundle of clothing down beside her. "Levi, John, and Baxley arrived this morning. Baxley sent you some of your clothing; the rest are on the pack-horse. You will go with them when they leave this afternoon."

Her heart stopped beating. "You will not be coming with us?"

Regretfully, he shook his head. "I cannot leave at this time. Black Otter did much damage to the Arapaho, and I must see that the army understands that my brother's raids in no way involved this village"

She wanted him to take her in his arms, to assure her that he would come to her in England. Breanna knew him well enough by now to realize that he would not leave while the Arapaho needed him. Now that she had been in this village and seen the love and respect the people directed at Dakota, she could better understand his feelings for them.

She wondered if these were to be their final moments together—if indeed she was looking upon his face for the last time. "Will you ever return to England?" she asked at last, fearing to hear the truth.

"I would like to tell you yes, but there is still much for me to do here. I have it within my power to make life easier for my people, and I intend to see that they have everything they need."

Breanna realized that nothing she could say would change his mind. "I have been wondering about your friend, Shadow Walker, who was injured the night Black Otter abducted me. Is he recovered? Did John or Levi tell you his condition?"

"Shadow Walker's injuries were serious, but he is recovering at Murphy's Trading Post. He will be well enough to return to the village in a few days."

"Dakota, I have something to say to you. I have the feeling the death of Black Otter stands between the two of us. I have to be honest with you, if the circumstances were the same, I would do it again. You have never said so, but I have to know if you blame me for his death."

Dakota sat down beside her, wanting and needing to touch her, to crush her in his arms, but if he did that, he would weaken and never allow her to leave. This time, he had to consider Breanna's safety above his own needs.

"Breanna, what you did was the bravest, noblest act I have ever seen, and you saved my life. It was strange, but at the moment I could have taken Black Otter's life, I found the promise I made my father stayed my hand."

Her golden eyes became misty. "I am glad you did not have to kill him, because I know now that you could never have lived with the guilt of a promise broken. Strangely enough, I feel no guilt at all for what I was forced to do."

He smiled and touched her cheek tenderly. "When one is brave, there need be no guilt."

Pushing his love for her to the back of his mind, he hardened his heart. With lowered lashes concealing the love that shone in his green eyes, he stood up and helped her to her feet. "I will leave you to dress. When you are ready, I will send Levi for you." He glanced at the buckskin gown she wore. "You were not meant to wear rough leather clothing against your soft body. You should wear only silks and satins."

"What you are saying is that I do not belong here with you."

"I am saying you belong in England."

Breanna's eyes traveled over his tall form. He looked so at ease dressed as an Indian. "I cannot say the same about you. I can see now that you have a life here, Dakota. You talk about staying to help the Arapaho; is it not possible that this is where you want to be?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you feel you belong here?"

"This is where I was born and grew to manhood. A part of me will always feel at home here."

Breanna had the unsettling feeling that she might never see him again. This Dakota was a man she did not know. He was an Indian, and she could feel him slipping away from her. Did this land, this people, have a prior claim on him? Would she have the courage to leave him when the time came?

Breanna had too much pride to make a scene. If she never saw Dakota again, she wanted him to remember her leaving with dignity and not hanging on him, begging him to keep her with him.

"I will dress now," she said in a resigned voice, turning away and dismissing him. "I will send word when I am ready to leave."

Dakota could feel Breanna's coldness in the depths of his heart. It appeared to him that she could not leave fast enough to suit her.

"Breanna, it has to be this way. Winter is coming on, and I fear you would not survive the cruel winters of this land. Always in the back of my mind lurks the vision of how my white mother died. I do not want this to happen to you."

Without turning around, she spoke. "I have not asked you if I can stay," she reminded him.

"No, you haven't," he agreed.

Breanna did not hear him leave, but when she turned around, he was gone. Now that she was alone, she could allow the tears to fall, and they fell in a great flood down her cheeks.

As last, exhausted and spent, she dried her eyes. Removing the buckskin gown and moccasins, she dressed in her own gown and boots, which went a long way in fortifying her for the task that lay ahead.

The America she had longed to see had become her rival for Dakota's affections. How do I compete with a whole tribe of people? she asked herself. You don't, her mind answered.

***

Breanna moved through the village beside Levi, looking neither to her left nor her right. The Arapaho people had been kind to take her in, especially the old medicine woman, who had nursed her back to health and shared her tepee with her. But Breanna would not be sorry to leave. This was not her world—but the world that had taken Dakota from her.

A young Indian woman stepped into their path, and Breanna looked into soft brown eyes and a lovely face with high cheek bones and midnight-black hair. The girl said something to Levi, which Breanna did not understand. The hunter then turned to Breanna and translated.

"Breanna, this is Running Deer's sister. She is also the wife of Shadow Walker. She wishes me to tell you that her dead sister's spirit can rest now that you have killed her murderer, and that Running Deer will know peace because Dakota has found happiness with you."

Breanna stared long and hard at the Indian woman, not in the least comforted by her words. "Tell her, Levi" she finally replied, "that I send my greetings to her husband, Shadow Walker, and I shall be eternally grateful for his sacrifice on my behalf."

Without waiting for Levi to translate, Breanna nodded politely to the Indian woman and stepped around her. She did not want to be reminded of Dakota's dead love—certainly not at this time. She would need all her courage and strength to ride out of Dakota's life today, for she might never see him again.

When Breanna reached the horses, Baxley greeted her with a smile and took her bundle, securing it to the packhorse.

Dakota stopped talking to John and turned to her. With a firm grip on her waist, he lifted her into the saddle and handed her the reins.

Was this how it would end—coldly and impersonally? She wondered.

His eyes caught and held her glance. "Breanna, it is not my wish to say our good-byes in this public manner, but it is better so."

Her voice was cold. "No need to explain, Dakota. I understand."

His hand closed around her hand that held the reins. "Do you?"

"Yes, I think so."

"I doubt that you do, Breanna. There is so much that is unsaid between us."

She stared at the Wind River, unable to look at Dakota any longer. "I will agree with you on that. But sometimes good-bye is the only thing left to say."

Knowing that if she didn't leave soon, or if he uttered another word to her, she would fling herself into his arms, Breanna set her shoulders and nudged her mount forward.

"Good-bye, Dakota."

John, Levi, and Baxley fell in beside her, and they rode slowly out of the village.

Breanna could feel Dakota's eyes on her, but she did not look around. When she reached the river, she fought the overwhelming urge to ride back to him. Instead, she kicked her heel into her horse's flanks, making the animal plunge into the river.

She became aware that several Arapaho warriors plunged into the river just behind them. She looked at Levi questioningly.

"The Arapaho will ride for several days with us, to assure our safety," he explained.

When Breanna rode up the opposite bank of the river, she looked back just long enough to see Dakota standing on the far shore. He raised his hand in a silent salute, and she responded in kind.

"I don't like the way you two parted," Levi observed.

"It was the only way it could end, Levi."

"Something isn't right here, Breanna."

"Nothing will ever be right again," she said tearfully.

"Dakota would have come with us if you had asked it of him."

"I chose not to pressure him. I had the means to tie Dakota to me, and I chose not to use it. I do not want him unless he comes to me of his own accord."

Breanna urged her mount into a gallop, and Levi had to ride hard to catch her.

"What are you saying?" Levi asked when he finally drew even with her.

"I am saying that I am with child, and I didn't tell Dakota because he would feel obligated to come with me."

Levi looked at her with softened eyes. "If I was a good friend to Dakota, I'd ride back and tell him right now. A man has the right to know when he is going to become a father."