Never Surrender Read Online Free Page A

she have been thrust back in time?
She chewed at the inside of her cheek, feeling the pain yet making it real
enough...as did the hard chest against her back, but certainly it couldn’t be
real. Yet here she was.
    Two thoughts nagged at her as she rode within a
stranger’s grasp; alone, with one other warrior, as dusk closed in around them.
As absurd as it sounded, even to her, she could have traveled back through the
passage of time. It frightened her, yet at the same time, excited her. This
familiar feeling she sensed, with the man who now held her and the stranger in
the Mercantile, played havoc with her mind. Perhaps if this was a dream, she’d
now have the answers she sought.
    Again, anger tormented her when she thought about the
senseless massacre by the Indians. They hated whites and killed without thought
or mercy, yet here she sat in the arms of a warrior, sensing such a
familiarity. She couldn’t explain it and wanted desperately to know the answer.
    When her captors stopped, they were at a spot Kate
assumed had been their current camp. Bedding and skin-pouches sat about the
ground and around the fire pit.
    After the man dismounted, she was yanked from the
horse and attempted to yank her arm from his grasp, without success. “I won’t
go with you!”
    He laughed at her, then glanced at his friend. His
companion led the horses away, leaving the two of them alone, staring at one
another, though darkness shadowed his eyes. She refused to be the first to back
down, though she knew better, but couldn’t resist.
    Dusk settled around them, but she could see he wore a
wide strip of deerskin across his forehead, holding back his long, dark hair
that hung forward, draping over his bare chest. A breechcloth joined fringed
leggings, and beaded moccasins covered his feet. A strip of deerskin stretched
above the muscle of each upper arm, the ties hanging to his elbows.
    Apprehensive, she stared back at the warrior as he
observed her jeans and sweatshirt with interest. He knelt down and caressed the
snakeskin of her boot. A smile continued to curve his lips as he shook his
head. Still, shadows covered his eyes.
    She waited for him to make the first move.
    He did.
    He released her arm and walked a few steps away,
heading for the copse of trees, but she didn’t follow. Then he spun around,
pointed up the mountain toward the trees and waited for her to move. She took a
few steps in his direction, so he turned and walked ahead of her.
    Immediately, she ran in the opposite direction as fast
as she could; or so she thought. After twenty strides, a muscular arm encircled
her waist and a hand covered her mouth as her feet lifted off the ground.
    Damn him!
    Kicking and screaming behind his hand, she struggled
as he effortlessly strode into the trees. If she wiggled enough, he’d have to
drop her. She was so enraged at being restrained that she paid little attention
to the path he took.
    Since this had to be a dream, she could be as brave as
she wanted, Kate mused. She tried to bite the hand covering her mouth. She’d
had enough!
    “Kaisuanten taipo wa’ippe!” Agitation laced his deep voice
as his warm breath touched her ear before depositing her in front of a cold
fire pit.
    He’d likely told her to be still. Which she certainly
wouldn’t be doing!
    Her heart ceased its beating as his gaze shot through
her. Though she couldn’t see his eyes, there was no mistaking his threat. His
voice created a shiver that ran the length of her spine, tightening every
muscle in her body. Kate struggled for another breath. The image of the warrior
from her dream materialized in her mind. Could it be him? But how would that be
possible? Perhaps her nightmare had been a warning and not one she should have
pursued!
    Too late now.
    Dismissing the vision, she brushed back stray strands
of hair from her face that had escaped her long, French braid.
    She scooted back when the second warrior joined them,
his appearance much the same as the first,