Wild Passion - Published by Wild Dreams Publishing!

Chapter 2 - Part C

Spirit Bear turned to confront her. "Iyotaka, wana!" he took a few strides to her and took her stick. He pointed to the tree where she'd been sitting.

"Please, Mr. Indian. Give them a drink." Kaitlin mimed drinking in the air and pointed to the men. "I know they are bad, but no one needs to suffer without water. Then I will go back and sit down."

Spirit Bear was not in the negotiating mood. He scooped her up and took her directly to her spot under the trees. In a voice that could not be disobeyed, he commanded, "Oyuhlagan sni."

Kaitlin was nervous but stood up for what she felt was right. "Mr. Indian, please. Just a little water for the men?" Again, she made a drinking motion in the air and pointed to the prisoners.

Spirit Bear's arms were crossed over his chest, but he nodded once. He'd planned on giving the ska sunka a drink anyway, but he didn't mind if she thought he did it because she'd requested it. They still had plenty of bark left in them, but he wanted them to continue to have endurance for the retribution they still had to pay.

Spirit Bear walked to the creek at the base of the hills to fill the mniapahta. For the first time, Kaitlin was left alone in the company of his captives.

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"Kaitlin, get yur butt over here an' cut these ropes a' from me. Yu'd better hurry a'fore that red skin comes back." Jed used his softest, kindest voice in hopes of persuading her to do his bidding.

"Jed, Lord knows I hate this for you, but I can't help you."

"Shore ya kin. Yuh jus' come on over here and let these here ropes out so they kin be nice an' easy to move. Ya don' hafta turn me loose. I kin act like I jus' worked 'em loose on ma own."

"Jed, I'm more scared of you than I am of that Indian. He's tried to help me where you just hurt me. You would have raped me, and you nearly killed me!"

"Aw, shoot, Kaitlin! I was gonna sleep wit cha, but I got a rite to! I am ter be yur husband! Yur paw done turned ya over ta me. A'sides, that Injun's gonna do to ya the same as I waz! What wud ya rather haf, a filthy red skin a'tween yur legs or yur husband?" He waited half a beat before continuing, "Yu'd better hurry up an' decide! He'll be a comin' back a'fore long!"

"I don't know, Jed. You're mean and scary! I don't want to marry you." She wore a pouty frown of defiance before she stated with vehemence, "I won't!"

"If'n I swear ta leave ya be, will ya at least loosen these ropes up on me? James, too?"

Kaitlin looked worriedly toward the creek. "If he comes back and sees me by you..." she visibly trembled.

"He's gonna do that ta yeh anyways. I kin save ya. But only if'n ya turns me loose firs'." Jed did his best nice voice to help manipulate Kaitlin into doing his bidding. Scaring her about her destined future with the red skin only helped his situation.

Kaitlin stood in indecision, trembling with the knowledge that their uncertain future was in the palm of her hand. She was more frightened of Jed than she was of the magnetic warrior who'd only treated her with kind gentleness. Jed had shown her nothing but pain and humiliation. She knew she couldn't trust him; however, she knew that the men's situation with the Indian couldn't be a good one. While he had treated her with soft tolerance, the men were only shown power and domination.