Free Sioux Slave by Georgina Gentry Page B

those in gray,” Hinzi drawled with a sigh. “I was captured, locked in a bluecoat prison with some of my fellows. Many died or lost their minds. I began to think I might die, too, if I didn’t get out.”
    Kimi nodded in sudden understanding. “We have heard about the soldiers’ cages. Sometimes they put our warriors in them, too. Those who escape say it is a living death.”
    The soldier nodded. “It is. I watched men die around me. Finally some of us were given a chance to save our lives by joining the bluecoats and coming West. I have no designs on your land. Those who wore gray only want to keep those in blue out of our country and live as we lived before.”
    â€œSo now you invade my land and kill my people.”
    â€œIt doesn’t make much sense, does it?” he asked ruefully. “I wasn’t sacrificing my life for a cause or even for love.”
    â€œNo sacrifice is too great for love,” Kimi whispered. She thought about her mother, her people. She had never known that kind of love with a man. She didn’t even want to think about it.
    The soldier looked listless and ill. A sheen of sweat gleamed on his handsome face. She reached out slowly and put her hand on his forehead. His fair skin burned with fever. She wished she could get a shaman to look at his wound, but a lowly captive was beneath the dignity of any important Lakota. Like a mongrel dog of no value, it mattered little to anyone whether this soldier slave survived. Why should it matter to her?
    But of course it didn’t, except for his value as a hostage. “Hinzi, are you hungry?”
    He shook his head. “Not really.”
    â€œYou must eat. I’ll get you some broth.” She went out, came back with some steaming meat broth, sat down by him.
    He smiled. “I could feed myself better.”
    â€œI remember what happened last time you got an arm free,” Kimi said wryly.
    â€œI haven’t forgotten either; believe that.” His look seemed so earnest that she was almost touched. Then she remembered also that whites were no more to be trusted than a sly coyote. She began to spoon the broth between his lips.
    â€œLeft-handed,” he said. “You’re unusual in more ways than one.”
    She felt flustered in spite of herself. “No doubt you have kissed so many Indian girls, you wouldn’t know one from another.” She spooned broth into his mouth.
    â€œNot many, but a few,” he admitted with a shrug. “There are several who hang around the fort.”
    â€œPawnee or Crow tramps!” Kimi sneered. “Their men sell themselves to the whites as scouts, their women trade their bodies for a little whiskey or a few trinkets.”
    â€œA man has needs,” he said and his gaze swept over her body. There was no doubt what he meant.
    She finished feeding him the broth and watched as he drifted back off to sleep. Needs. Did women have needs too? She looked at his prominent manhood and sighed. Kimi reached out and put her fingertips on his forehead ever so gently. His skin felt like fire. He moved restlessly in his sleep, writhed in a way that dislodged the bandage. What was it he saw in his dreams? She hummed her spirit song and it seemed to calm him. He stopped thrashing about and smiled ever so slightly.
    Did he dream of another woman? Kimi looked at the virile, half naked man, wondering suddenly how it would feel to have this stallion make a woman of her? Then she felt her face burn and was relieved his eyes were closed so that he could not see her flush and wonder what had caused it.
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    For the next several hours, when she was not busy with chores, she checked on the delirious soldier, bathing his big body with cool water. She was glad no one saw her do this. Wagnuka would not approve of her touching the man’s body. Not that he could harm her; his arms were still securely tied. In spite of his size and strength, he was a