Savage Beloved

Shadow leaned against Candy for a moment, then ran off to where White Wolf and the other wolves awaited her arrival.

Tears came to Candy’s eyes when White Wolf and Shadow touched noses, then turned and disappeared with the others in the shadows of the forest.

“I hope we see her again,” Candy said, wiping tears from her eyes.

“With such affection that is between you and the wolf, I can promise you will see Shadow again,” Two Eagles said, taking Candy’s hand and leading her back to the horse. “Hiyu-wo, come, my woman. We have things awaiting us.”

“Things?” she said as he lifted her on the horse.

“Ho, things,” Two Eagles said, chuckling as he mounted behind her. He held her with his left arm and lifted the reins with his right hand.

Soon they were on their way home, with so many beautiful promises of tomorrow awaiting them.

Chapter Thirty-nine

I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I

Did, till we loved?

Were we not wean’d till then?

—John Donne

Filled with resentment at the knowledge that everything she had done to get Two Eagles to care for her had been in vain, Hawk Woman sat and glared into the glowing embers of the fire. She was being held prisoner in the same tepee that had been Candy’s jail until . . .

“Until Two Eagles took her into his lodge,” Hawk Woman whispered to herself, her jaw tightening. “That woman has gained everything since her abduction, while I have lost all that was important to me.”

Yes, she had lost her freedom; she didn’t even know what her final fate would be when Two Eagles returned home to deal with her.

Yes, she had lost him, and all hopes of ever having him.

“And all because of that prissy, tiny thing that came into my life at the wrong time,” Hawk Woman said as she continued to talk out loud to herself.

Yes, she had to find a way to get back at Candy once and for all. Somehow she would find a way to make her pay for interfering in her life.

Suddenly a shriek of pain pierced the air outside the tepee. Hawk Woman heard someone cry the name of the warrior who had been assigned to stand guard outside the tepee.

She hurried to the entrance flap and drew it aside just enough to see what was happening.

Her eyes widened when she saw Bold Bear’s wife run to him, tears pouring down her cheeks as she told him that their daughter, Evening Star, had fallen and it looked as though she might have broken an arm.

Hawk Woman’s heart raced and a cunning smile quivered across her lips when she saw Bold Bear leave his post in panic. Obviously, he had forgotten his duty of guarding Hawk Woman the moment he heard about his daughter’s misfortune.

She watched him go with his wife into the shaman’s lodge, leaving Hawk Woman alone, with no one guarding her.

Her heart thumped wildly when she saw everyone rushing to stand outside the shaman’s tepee, concerned about the little girl’s injuries.

Realizing just how easy it would be to leave, Hawk Woman didn’t waste another minute.

Although she knew she would be forced to leave the safety of the village without a weapon, this was a chance she had to take. Hawk Woman opened the flap more widely and took another quick look around her.

She still saw no one anywhere except outside the shaman’s lodge.

Cackling beneath her breath, she sneaked from the tepee, stepping lightly, then ran around the side until she was safely at the back where no one would see her.

She stood there for a moment, panting, her eyes on the corral. She knew that if she was to get far away before Two Eagles returned home, she had to use one of his horses.