Free White Dawn by Susan Edwards Page A

drooped on fragile stems—another sign that summer would soon be past.
    “It’s wonderful,” she murmured, staring around at this little bit of paradise.
    He grunted, then indicated she should make camp. Untying a long leather thong that crisscrossed her back to hold their belongings while they traveled, she quickly unpacked the pouches of food, a blanket of rabbit pelts she’d sewn together and the buffalo hide that she used to roll everything into. Gathering fistfuls of dry grass and leaves, she piled them together, making a soft bed upon the hard ground. She laid her warrior’s buffalo robe on top. Turning, she waited to see if he was going to hunt, or if they’d just eat a meal of dried meat and berries.
    The look in his eyes made her smile. Dried meat and berries. When he held out his hand she took it and let him lead her down onto the soft bed she’d just fashioned. Without hesitating, she stepped out of her cumbersome skirt, noting that it was in tatters and would soon be worthless. And when she pulled the shift over her head, she heard it rip. She winced. Soon she’d have nothing to wear—but right now, it didn’t seem to matter.
    After a bout of leisurely lovemaking, Emily rose and brought the pouch of food to their bed. She also brought the comb she assumed her warrior had gotten from traders. She handed it to him, and as he did each evening, he settled her between his thighs.
    “I’ve never had anyone comb my hair as gently as you do,” she commented, leaning back into his hands as he gently untangled her long locks. While he attended to her hair, she sampled from the fresh batch of berries she’d picked yesterday.
    “I wish you could talk to me. It’s the only thing I really miss, you know.” She’d tried to get him to teach her his language, but outside of a few words here and there, it hadn’t worked.
    So in the evenings, she talked: about what she’d seen during the day, her fears, her childhood. Anything she could think of, just to hear a voice she could understand.
    When he tossed the comb aside and slid his hands around to cup her heavy breasts in his palms, she leaned back. Laughing, she tipped her head back and held out a freshly picked berry.
    “You really should eat.”
    He took the food from her, deliberately nipping her pink-tipped fingers with his teeth.
    Long into the night, Emily gave herself to her warrior, sensing an edge to his loving. But the touch of his mouth skimming her flesh shoved the worry aside. Her lover wouldn’t allow any distraction on her part. When she finally fell asleep, her legs tangled with his, her head tucked beneath his chin, and her fingers twined with his, it was with a smile on her lips.
     
    The howl of a wolf broke the predawn stillness, startling Emily awake. Sitting, leaning on one hand, she blinked against the darkness. The moon had gone behind a cover of gray clouds. Her heart raced. What had awakened her? She no longer feared the beasts of the forest. Not with her warrior at her side. But tonight she sensed something was wrong. Seeking warmth and reassurance, she turned to her companion.
    He wasn’t there. She reached out and touched the bedding but found only a cold, empty spot where she’d fallen asleep wrapped snugly in his arms. She rose to her knees and peered into the darkness. Where had he gone? She shivered.
    Suddenly a small ray of moonlight broke through the blanket of clouds, and Emily spotted a familiar figure moving farther into the gray shadows, away from her. Why the sight of her warrior walking away struck terror into her heart, she didn’t know. Yet all of his strange behavior came back to her, and she didn’t care if he was going scouting or checking up on a noise he’d heard; she didn’t want to be left alone.
    Not now.
    “Wait!” she cried softly. She jumped to her feet, heedless of the rocks and branches stabbing her bare soles as she stumbled after the departing figure.
    Catching up, Emily grabbed his arm, dimly