Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2011 05:30:30 -0800 (PST)
From: Daniel Running-water <danielrunningwater@yahoo.com>
Subject: Captured Heart / Chapter Six / Interracial and Incest

Captured Heart

By

Daniel Running Water

Chapter Six

Previously in chapter five:

Just over an hour later, the man was clean, his wounds patched up and
resting comfortably beneath several layers of quilts. At first James
thought that the man would be to hot, seeing how it had to be close to
eighty in the shade, but Bessie told him that it was necessary to avoid
infection or pneumonia.

James looked at the man as he slept and he marveled at how handsome he
was. His shoulder length brown hair had been washed and now lay about his
head in soft curls, as if a frame for his face. His eyes were brown also,
because James remembered them from earlier, and his nose was straight, his
jaw square and he had one dimple in his chin. He had a soft growth of
whiskers, James, himself having given him a shave.

"Will he be alright Mammy," James whispered when she slipped into the room,
to check on the man before going to bed.

"He's gonna be just fine, just fine," she whispered back as she moved her
hand away from his brow. "He's got a slight fever, but might be from all
the blood that he lost, Mammy sees no reason why he shouldn't recover. Now
you go off to bed and I'll sit beside him, ya'll need your rest," she said.

"I'm alright right here Mammy, now you run off and get some sleep."

Suddenly James awoke with a start as the man began moaning from the bed. He
jumped up and hurried over to him and when he stood beside the bed looking
down at him, the man's eyes opened suddenly.

"Hold it right there rebel, and get your damn hands up in the air," the man
said, pointing a revolver at James that he suddenly pulled from under the
covers.

James looked over at the bedside table where he had left the soldier's
pistol earlier and noticed that it was no longer there, but pointing at
him.

"Now make one false move and I'll shoot you," he said as he pulled the
blankets back with his other hand, still aiming the pistol at James.

"You shouldn't be getting up, you have lost a lot of blood," James said and
took a quick step towards him.

The man's arm went up quick, the gun went off, and James fell to the floor.

Now chapter five:

James stood there holding the soldier that had just collapsed when he tried
to stand. The gun having gone off was quick to bring Bessie and Billy
running and Billy had a gun ready to defend James.

"What in tarnation just happened," Bessie asked as she stormed into the
bedroom followed by Billy, and found James standing there holding a limp
Union soldier in his arms.

"He tried to stand and when he put his weight on it he fell, causing the
gun to go off," James lied.

"What was he doing with a gun?" she questioned.

"I had the gun and was moving it when he tried to get up. When he suddenly
fell, I caught him and the dang gun went off," James lied again.

"Well just be careful, you about gave old mammy a heart attack," she said,
turned and pulling Billy with her, they left the room.

After helping the soldier back into bed and tucking him in, he looked up at
James, his surprise was evident in his eyes.

"Why did you lie to your slaves?" he asked.

"First off mister, they are not my slaves, they are my employees that I pay
handsomely. Secondly, would you mind telling me your name, because I am
tired of referring to you as that soldier? And last but not least, I lied
because if I didn't, Billy would have put a bullet through your skull. Now
does that cover everything, or do you have more questions," James snapped,
resting his hands on his hips.

"Shane, Shane Mathews," he whispered, averting James' eyes. "So..."

"James Thornton," James said holding out his hand in friendship to Shane.

Shane looked for a long moment before accepting his hand and gregariously
shook it.

"Can I ask you why you even care if I lived or died, after all, I am a damn
Yankee as you put it?"

"I care because you are a human being, and secondly, I would hope that if
the shoe was on the other foot, some Yankee would be doing the same for
me," he offered, and then sat down on the side of the bed. "So where are
you from Shane?"

"Vermont sir," he said his voice now more gentle and friendly. "How long
was I out?"

"I heard you calling for help this morning while I was swimming and you
passed out shortly after I found you. I have destroyed your uniform, one
because it was saturated in blood and filth. Secondly because I did not
need some contingent of Yankee soldiers coming through here and finding
you, and them thinking that I had shot you," James said.

"Thank you James for being caring enough to look past my uniform and see me
as just a man needing help," he whispered as tears began to fall, James got
up and left the room, soon returning with a handkerchief.

"Here, you seem to need this more than I do," James said and gently wiped
away Shane's tears.

"So where are your parents, because this is quite a large plantation for a
man that is so young as you are, James?"

"Mother died giving birth to me and my father, well I just hope that he's
rotting in hell," James sharply said.

"Wow, talk about tones of hatred, I guess your father and you never saw eye
to eye, eh?"

James stood up and undid his shirt and let it drop to the floor before
turning to show Shane the deep scars on his back. Shane gasped when he
looked upon the scars, turning his head so that he no longer saw them.

"Please cover your back," he said and then waited until James had covered
it before turning back to him. "Please don't tell me that your father did
that to you," but Shane already knew that he had by the pain that he saw in
James' eyes.

"Ok I won't, but he did," he said and then told him the entire story of his
life with Jared.

"I can't imagine a father treating a son so, because my father and I are
best friends," he said and tears again came to his eyes. "By now he must
think that I am dead," he added.

"Why would he think that, you are only wounded?"

"Just before I passed out, I heard someone say to my commanding officer
that I was dead," he told him. "So as soon as they could, they would have
notified my family."

"Maybe not Shane, after all, you have only been missing for what, two or
three days?"

"I was shot on the first day of battle, as I was charging with on my
horse. They got me in my leg but the blood splattered everywhere on me. I
collapsed against the horse and he took off running and it was where you
found me that I must have fallen off."

"As soon as I can, I will try to get word to your family by telegraph."

"I don't want you risking your life just to put my pa at ease; not after
you were so kind to help me."

"Just give me your father's name and town, I have a good friend that works
at the telegraph office," he told him. "That is if the office and wires are
still there, your army has damn destroyed the town of Jackson."

"James, why are you being so nice to me, and please don't say it's the
humane thing to do. We are supposed to be enemies James, not best buds."

"I guess it's because I know what its like to be treated inhumane and I try
to do my best at being humane to those in need. Like I told you, the
darkies here are free; I freed them before any proclamation ordered me
to. I did it out of love for them as one human being to another. So, any of
them that you see here on my plantation are free to either work for me or
leave, and if they choose to stay, they are very handsomely paid for the
work that they do for me. Besides, did not God make us all in his image and
doesn't the constitution read that all men are created equal?"

"You know for a rebel James, you are one unique individual," Shane said and
extended his hand out to James. "I am proud to have met your acquaintance."

James happily shook Shane's hand and was about to get up, when Billy
brought a tray of food into the room.

"Miss Bessie thought that you two would be hungry James," Billy said,
surprising Shane that he would be so casual and intimate with the man.

"Thanks Billy and please thank Mammy for me," James said taking the tray
from him.

"Yes'sa James, now be sure to eat that before it gets cold," he said
smiling as he stepped from the room.

James set the tray on the table beside the bed, before helping Shane into a
sitting position. Shane fidgeted with the night shirt that Mammy had put on
him, tugging and pulling on the shirt until he had it around his waist.

"I'm not use to wearing anything like this to bed," he commented looking
over at eggs, biscuits and gravy that sat on the tray, as well as some
grits.

"What do you wear to bed," James inquired as he sat the tray on Shane's
lap, and grabbed a forkful of eggs and held it up to Shane's mouth.

"First off James, I sleep naked, secondly I got shot in the leg so I guess
I can feed myself," he said and then gently took the fork from James.

A slight blush came to James' face when he imagined this handsome man,
naked.

"What did I say to cause that," he chuckled, noticing how red James was.

"You truly sleep naked, but isn't that cold," he asked, again reddening for
having voiced it.

"Hell no, pa keeps the cabin warm. Besides, I sleep in the loft where all
the heat seems to rise to. Damn this is good, what is it called," he asked
and then shoved a spoonful of grits into his mouth.

"Grits, they are a staple here in the south, much like your potatoes are up
north." He too shoved a spoonful into his mouth, savoring the taste.

"I heard your southerners love grits, but it never occurred to me that they
were just white cornmeal," he told him.

"Basically they are, but more refined then your yellow cornmeal."

"So Shane, how old are you?" James asked, taking the conversation to a more
personal level.

"I'll be twenty-five this December tenth, how about you James?"

"I just turned twenty-three this past May third." James gave a quick look
at Shane, before he asked more questions. "Are you married, or maybe have a
girlfriend?"

"Nope, it's just my pa and I and a brother, Travis. What about you, surely
a man as good looking as you must have every southern belle within miles
hoping to win your affections?"

"Nope, its just me and my mammy, her and Billy are the only family that I
have and love," he said, hanging his head as if in shame.

"Hey James, don't be ashamed for having them as family, they truly seem to
love you, I can see it in their eyes when they look at you."

"I am not ashamed to call them family," he paused and gave a long thought
as to what he was going to say next. "Its that I never knew love, except
from Mammy and Billy, my father loathed me from the day that I was born."

James placed his fork back on the plate and turned his head, not wanting
Shane to see the tears in his eyes.

"Hey James, come here buddy," Shane said, placing the tray to his side and
taking James into his arms, he gently rubbed James' back while he cried.

James quickly stopped crying, got up and hurried to the door. "I don't know
what came over me, I'm sorry," he said and ran from the room.

Standing in the hall and leaning against the wall, his heart was pounding
as he remembered how warm and secure he felt in Shane's arms.

"I can still hear you in the hall breathing, James," Shane called out, and
James held his breath, afraid of showing his feelings if he went back into
the room. "Come back in here...please," he asked and James moved to the
open door.

"I'm sorry for acting so unmanly and crying," James said his voice thick
and low.

"We all cry from time to time. Hell man, I cried like a baby out there in
those damn woods when I thought that I was surely gonna die."

"You did?" he asked stepping further into room. "How is it Shane that you
don't have a woman, what with you being so kind and gentle?"

Now it was Shane's turn to divert his eyes, afraid of sharing the real
reason he was still single.

"Now did you boys eat all of that food that Mammy done made you," Bessie
asked, coming up behind James and nearly frightening him to death.

"Dang it Mammy, why do you got to go and scare a man half to death?" James
asked.

"Hehe, old Mammy didn't mean to scare her sweet James none," she chuckled
and then it turned to a frown when she saw that the meal was half
eaten. "Why there is enough food let to feed an army," she scolded and
grabbed James by the ear and marched over to the bed. "Now you sit your
backside down there and I want you two to finish that there food," she said
adamantly, her brow showing her dismay.

"Yes'm," Shane and James said in unison, each grabbing their fork and
stuffing food into their mouths.

"I's be back shortly to change them bandages," she said as she turned and
marched from the room.

"This is really good food," Shane said and then reached over with his linen
napkin and wiped some gravy from James' mouth.

Again James blushed when Shane dropped his napkin before he softly ran his
fingers against James' cheek. James drew in a sharp breath, closed his
eyes, and softly sighed when he felt to soft touch against his skin.

"This is why I don't have me a woman James," he whispered and then wrapped
his hand around the nape of James' neck, pulling him close until they were
but a breath away. "I also reckon that it's the same for you," he whispered
against James' lips and then kissed him softly, pushing his tongue into his
mouth.

James wrapped his arms around Shane's neck and kissed him back, and they
both jumped when Seth and Hawk stood at the door, Seth letting out a short
cough.

"Oh my God it's an Indian," Shane said and began looking around for the
gun.

"Hawk, Red Sun, how nice of you to come visit," James said, and he was now
as red as the sunset. "Come in and meet my Yankee," he said and got up to
pull them into the room.

"Yankee, what are you crazy James?" Seth asked, not wishing to go closer to
the man.

His eyes then moved to the pistol which sat beside the bed on the table,
and he got worried for his friend.

"He may be a Yankee but he's a human being that needed my attention..."

"We saw you giving him your attention," Hawk said and again, James' turned
redder than a tomato in the hot Mississippi sun.

James told them about finding Shane, wounded. He told them everything up to
the moment that they stepped into the room and caught them kissing.

"Ay-uh, you are crazy," Hawk said and then laughed at the two.

"Shane, these are my very best friends, Chief Hawk of the Choctaw and his
man, Red Sun," James proudly said, introducing the men to Shane, Shane
turned his eyes to James, questioningly.

"His man?" he asked.

"Red Sun and I married," Hawk told him, further surprising Shane, because
no man married another man, ever.

"Married, how can this be, because it's quite unheard of," Shane said,
wrapping his arms protectively around James when he sat beside him.

"Ay-uh married, for we spoke our own vows and pledged our hearts to each
other, which marries us in the eyes of our Great Spirit," Hawk proudly
said, he too wrapping his arm around Seth's waist.

"Tell me Shane, what happens when you are healed, will you go back north
and forget our brother James," Hawk asked and even James turned to look
Shane, waiting to hear his answer.

"Truthfully, I haven't thought beyond today, Hawk. I won't insult James'
intelligence and tell him that I love him and want to spend the rest of my
life with him," he said, more to James then to Hawk. "But I will say James;
I am growing awfully fond of you."

Completely disregarding Hawk and Seth standing there, Shane gently pulled
James to him and took possession of his mouth with his. James leaned into
Shane and kissed him back as he wrapped his arms firmly around the man's
neck. Again, Seth let out a brief cough, not seeming to bother to two men
kissing.

"We are still here in the room, James," Seth said and they broke their
kiss.

"Now is a good time for Mammy to change those bandages," Bessie said, again
scaring them all when she just burst into the room.

"Dang it Mammy, you did again, you nearly gave us all a heart attack,"
James said and the four of them laughed heartily, looking at the amusing
face that Mammy was giving them.

"Now you three scat while I bathe and change this here soldier," she said,
shocking Shane that some woman was about to bathe him.

"I am quite capable Mammy of bathing myself," Shane quickly said as he
pulled the blankets up to his neck.

"If'n Mammy thought that ya'll was capable, I's wouldn't be telling you
that I was going to bathe you," she said and then tugged at the blanket,
but Shane refused to relinquish his hold on it.

"I'll help him with his bathing," James said, seeing how embarrassed Shane
was for her to look upon his naked body.

"Well...if'n you don't mind, Mammy will come back and change them bandages
when he is bathed," she said, sitting down the warm water beside the bed on
the table.

James grabbed the gun quickly to make room for the basin, tucking it under
the blankets beside Shane. Hawk turned his gaze to Seth, wondering if it
was a smart idea to allow a man, who was suppose to be an enemy, have a
gun.

"Why don't we go downstairs and wait until you are finished bathing him,"
Seth said, ushering Hawk quickly from the room.

"I think we should stay Red Sun, what if James needs our protection?"

"You just want to see what that soldier has down there, well forget it, I
have just enough for you, now move it," Seth ordered, gently pushing Hawk
towards the stairs.

"I never heard of an Indian and white man being lovers," Shane said as
James slowly lifted the night shirt from Shane.

"The Choctaws call it `having two spirits' and its not as uncommon as one
would think." James told him, sharing his knowledge of the Choctaw.

James sat there momentarily, taking in the masculinity of the man, gently
running his splayed finger over Shane's chest, using his finger to trace
every valley and rise of Shane's muscles.

"Do I appeal to you, James?" Shane asked, James shook his head before
lowering it down to a nipple and running his tongue over it.

He softly caressed the hard nub with his tongue, before sucking it into his
mouth and gently nibbling it. Shane gasped as sensual sensations, which
were new to him, coursed through him. He gently ran his fingers through the
softness of James' hair, lifting his face up to his so he could kiss him.

"Not yet James, I'd like to wait until I am recovered and we get to know
one another better," Shane said, noticing the disappointment in James'
eyes.

"If you wish," James coolly said, and then turned his attention to simply
washing the man.

"I will not allow myself to fall in love with James, because he's a damn
rebel," Shane thought while watching James preparing to bathe him,
remembering that it was a rebel that had killed his best friend Charlie and
wounded him. "I must return to outfit and eventually to my home in Vermont,
because they must be thinking that I am dead. Oh father, how will my death
affect him," Shane thought his heart heavy with the pain that his father
must be feeling over his death.

As James washed Shane, his worries came flooding to him, and he wondered
now if Shane was only using him until he recovered. He gave Shane a quick
glance, wondering if he would just up or would he kill him before leaving,
because he was a rebel."

"Your mind is far away, isn't it," Shane asked, drawing James back to the
present.

"What...no not really, I was just thinking of all the work that needs to be
done, is all," he lied, knowing that he could not express his thoughts.

"Have you no help here James?" he asked as James rang out the cloth before
he washed Shane's lower extremities.

"I did until the war came here, but now most of the ex-slaves that I had
hired have run off, fearing that they would be killed."

James had finished bathing Shane's chest and stomach and was about to move
away the blankets, when Shane beat him to it and threw them back, exposing
his manhood to James. James gasped, surprised at the size and now
understood why Mammy had made her comment.

"Did I surprise you James, because I did Mammy earlier," he shyly asked.

"I wouldn't call it surprise, but shock, damn would you look at the size of
that thing," James said, lifting it with his hand and instantly, it rose to
full erection.

"I won't... I just can't," James said and placed the cloth back into the
water.

He rose from the bed and quickly moved to the door, pausing and looking
back at Shane.

"You can finish with your bathing," James hurried out and closed the door
behind him.

***

When James reached the bottom of the stairs, Hawk and Seth stepped from the
parlor, meeting him there.

"Your face is as red as a tomato, James," Seth observed.

"It is... it must be the heat and humidity," James said.

"Or could it be that Yankee upstairs?" Hawk asked, giving him a smirk.

"Shane... no, it is surely the heat Hawk."

"James is to trusting with the Yankee," Hawk firmly stated, his arm tight
around Seth's waist. "He is only going to bring you trouble, remember that
he is our enemy."

"I know that Hawk, and thank you for your concern, but he really is a nice
man," James said.

"Nice or not, he'll surely kill you and leave once his leg is mended." Seth
gave Hawk a jab in the ribs with his elbow, knowing that his words were not
helping James.

James looked long and hard at Hawk; the words he just spoke seemed to
confirm his own thoughts from earlier, and it made James very
uncomfortable, almost afraid.

"I am really not sure what to do about Shane; he seems sweet and interested
in me, but..."

"But what," Seth asked, now concerned for his friend's safety. "We saw how
he was holding you when he kissed you," he reminded him.

"But he stopped me from making advances, saying that preferred to wait
until he was healed before becoming involved."

"Ay-uh, he will surely kill you James, do it first before he has the
chance," Hawk stated, shifting his gaze to the top of the stairs, knowing
that he'd do it for him if James wished him to.

"Hawk please, can't you see that James is already upset by all this, he
doesn't need you to spread fear in him," Seth snapped, also casting a
wondering glance upstairs.

Shane reached over to the table beside the bed, lifted the revolver and
tucked it under his pillow before settling down for a nap.

James was about to share his fears with Hawk and Seth, when the thundering
sound of many horses hooves, brought his attention to outside. He opened
the front door and saw a Union captain dismounting his horse.

"How my I help you, Yankee," James asked coldly, stepping outside and
meeting the man as he ascended the steps.

"I'm Captain Trevor MacDaniels young man, is the owner of the house home?"
he asked as he introduced himself to Shane.

"I am the owner of this here plantation," James further stated, keeping his
eyes locked with those of the captain. "Just what brings you onto my land,"
he added.

"As you are aware off, the battle left many dead soldiers from both sides
lying and waiting for burial. I am just allowing you the courtesy of
telling you that we shall be on your land, looking for our dead and
wounded," he said and fear filled James' heart.

"Then make it fast, because I don't appreciate Yankees on my property,"
James turned and began to walk back into house, but Trevor's remarks caused
him to turn and face him.

 "You're kinda snippy for someone that is at our mercy," Trevor said
sarcastically, continuing to lock eyes with James.

"If'n ya'll are threatening me sir," James started to say, but remembered
how these same Yankees had burned most of the town.

"Keep up that attitude and you'll find your ass living in your own slave
quarters," he rudely said, glancing back at his troops and laughing.

"I can assure you sir, that I do not have slave quarters, because my
workers were not slaves but free men," James reiterated, keeping his stand
firm and his eyes holding those of Trevor. "I freed my slaves once my
father was dead, so don't threaten me," James said as Hawk and Seth stepped
from the house, surprising Trevor.

"I am sure that you blue coats do not want the Choctaw warring against
you," Hawk said, his stance firm and his hands fisted and resting on his
hips.

"This here is Chief Hawk of the Choctaw," James said smiling as he
introduced Hawk to Trevor.

"No... that will not be necessary Chief Hawk," Trevor said, knowing that
the Choctaw greatly out numbered his men and backing slowly away from
Hawk. "As I said before, my outfit will be searching the area for our dead
and wounded," he turned and descended the stairs...quickly.

Lifting his head up and straining to see who it was that had rode in,
Shane's eyes widened when he saw his commanding officer.

"Trevor," he gasped, knowing the man's cruelty and intolerance for the
rebels.

Shane laid his head back on the pillow and remembered the raids that Trevor
had lead against the rebels in other towns. He had personally witnessed
Trevor raping and killing many women and young girls, as well as allowing
those of his men that chose to do it, rape and kill the men and boys.

Hearing Trevor and the other men as they rode away, Shane sighed. He was
thankful that he'd hadn't been found, for he knew what Trevor was capable
of and would do to James.

"He is all the more reason that you have to get Shane out of your house,"
Seth said, worrying even more for his friend.

"Ay-uh James, what if that evil man comes back and wishes to search your
house, do you really think that Shane will protect you?" Hawk asked,
glancing over James' shoulder that the soldiers as they rode away. "Hawk
does not trust that blue coat," he said, pulling Seth closer to him.

"Thank you for your concern Hawk, but I really doubt that he'll be back to
cause me anymore problems. Besides, did you see the look of fear on his
face when you threatened him?" he asked.

"Ay-uh, he was smart to fear the Choctaw, because it has been many winters
since my people have warred against the blue coats. Come Red Sun, Hawk must
return to his village and make sure that sentries are posted. I do not
trust that blue coat," he said and then gave James a hug before leaving.

"Just think about what Hawk said, James. I don't want to lose you my
friend," Seth said and also gave James a hug. "If need be it, you are
always welcomed at Hawk's village."

"Ay-uh always," Hawk said, sitting tall and proud on his stallion, waiting
for Seth to mount his own horse.

***

Trevor not only felt angry as he rode away, he felt belittled in front of
his soldiers. It was bad enough that James had totally disrespected him,
but he hated when Indians did it. He purposed in his heart that he would
not only get even with James, but more so with Hawk, chief or not.



"I will bring an end to him," he whispered.



"Did you say something captain," Josh Braddock, his second in command
asked.

"No," he snapped back at Josh.

"If'n you don't mind sir, but just what are you gonna do about that damn
rebel and redskin?" he asked, noticing how irritated Trevor had been since
they left the plantation.

"Just never you mind, Josh," Trevor said, not as snappy as before. "I am
still thinking about that. No one, and I do mean no one, disrespects me in
front of my men."

They rode off and began searching the woods for any men that lay dead or
wounded. They had just about called it a day, when Josh noticed the drag
marks that James' travois had made.

"Looky here sir, these here tracks were made by a travois of some kind,"
Josh pointed out to Trevor who dismounted to take a closer look. "From the
looks of the tracks, someone was transporting something heavy...like a
man. I'd even venture to say that if'n we followed them, it would lead back
to that damn plantation." Josh looked smug as he shifted his eyes over
towards Trevor.

Trevor looked closely at the tracks and then in the direction that they
went, acknowledging that Josh just could be right.

"I dare say that that rebel has some explaining to do," he grinned, finally
having a reason to go back to the plantation. "How about we come back this
evening and check the place out," he suggested to Josh.

"You mean like catch him unaware, damn sir, I like how you think," Josh
said, giving the man his own evil grin. "I can just imagine what goes on
there inside that fancy house."

***

James hurried upstairs once Hawk and Seth had left. He knew that Shane had
to have noticed the soldiers and he needed to know what he was going to
say.

"Yes I saw them James. I gotta say that you have got some balls to be
talking to the captain as you did. I gotta warn you, he really hates
Indians, and if I were Hawk, I would be watching my back," he warned,
locking eyes with James.

"How come you didn't call out to the captain, Shane?" he asked.

"And what, get your ass shot and me thrown in the brig?" Shane said. "He
would never believe that I was being held captive."

"Is that what you think that I'm doing Shane," he asked and his eyes
quickly glanced to the table, noticing that the revolver was missing. "Do
you really think that I am holding you as my captive?"

"Am I your captive James; are you willing to let me just ride out of here
once my leg is mended?" Shane asked, turning the question back on James.

"You have never been a prisoner Shane, much less my captive. You are free
to leave whenever you feel capable."

"Then I will ask you this, do you want me to leave James," Shane asked, his
eyes stared unwaveringly into James.

James was torn between telling him he was falling in love with him and
doing his duty as a confederate and turn him in. He was falling deeply in
love with Shane, even though he was a Yankee. Even as a confederate, James
never embraced the rebel cause of slavery. He felt strong about a state's
right to governed themselves without the federal government stepping in,
but how would he ever explain a Yankee friend, much less a lover.

Deciding to use the same tactic on Shane, he asked:

"Do you wish to leave Shane?" the room was deathly quiet as Shane pondered
his answer.

"I have a father to worry about James; his health has failed him over the
last few years. I worried so much about when I first enlisted to serve,
knowing that he would worry about my safety."

"How convenient an answer," James thought, his heart falling as he turned
from Shane, knowing that the man would surely leave once he was able.

Shane pulled James closer to him and softy ran his fingers over his face as
his eyes following the trail of his fingers. He ran his fingers through
James' hair, bringing the softness of it to his nose and inhaling its
scent.

When Shane began kissing wherever his fingers lead him, James' body
shuddered with passion.

"Please don't Shane," James whispered, knowing that he didn't want Shane to
stop, because he wanted him to take him and together, soar to the heavens
as they made love together. Sighing he said, "I can't do this and then
watch you ride away from me forever," James' eyes watered as he fought back
his tears.

"I don't deserve a love as yours James," Shane whispered against James'
ear, while he held him tightly to him.

"Love doesn't know right or wrong, north or south, Shane. It only knows the
presence of two hearts struggling to be one against insurmountable odds,"
James whispered, holding Shane out from him. "I love you Shane with all my
being and heart," he said and then clung to Shane as their mouths met in a
kiss that was not only tender with the passion that they were both feeling,
but with hope for tomorrow also.

The last light of day was streaming through the window, casting its reddish
glow around the room. James slowly rose from the bed and walked over to the
door; he glanced over his shoulder at Shane, and then turned the lock,
securing their privacy. After he walked back to the bed, he slowly,
seductively, stripped. Once he was naked, he lifted the blankets and slid
into the bed beside Shane, nestling into his arms.

"I too have fallen in love with you James," Shane whispered against his
mouth and then took it, thrusting his tongue deep into the warmth of
James'.

After their kiss ended, James sat up and drew the night shirt up and over
Shane's shoulders, leaving the man naked before him. James gently parted
Shane's legs with his hands and knelt between them, lowering his mouth to
Shane's taught round nipple.

"Oh James," Shane sighed, feeling for the first time the pure ecstasy of a
man as he made love to his nipple with his mouth.

Shane intertwined his fingers through the softness of James' hair, moving
him across his muscular chest to his other nipple. Shane arched his back
when James began nibbling on his nipple. James took possession of Shane's
arm and raised it, licking and sucking on the hair of his armpit.

Shane's brain was wild with emotions and feelings as James took his time to
seduce him into a world of forbidden love. Shane didn't want it to stop, as
James' tongue began bathing his sensitive skin, slowly moving down to
Shane's lower regions, causing guttural groans and moans from Shane.

"James hurry...Yankees!" Bessie screamed from behind the locked door.

James sprung from the bed and after donning just his jeans, opened to the
door. He was about to step from the room when Trevor and Josh came rushing
from the top of the stairs, each holding their revolvers aimed at him.

Forcing the door closed and locked, James' mind was overwhelmed with
flashbacks to when he hid behind his locked door from his father's
wrath. Not letting a locked door stop him, Trevor kicked it in, thrusting
inside the room with anger and hatred in his eyes.

Trevor froze when he saw Shane lying in the bed, naked. Trevor's gaze went
first to Shane, then to a half naked James and then finally resting on
Shane.

"Well look what we have here, Corporal Shane Mathews," a smirking Trevor
said with Josh standing directly behind him.

"I found him wounded yesterday in the woods and brought him here to
recover," James said, placing his body between Shane and Trevor's revolver.

"I am quite capable of taking care of myself James," Shane said, pulling
the blanket up to his chin to hide his nakedness.

"I can imagine that you are quite capable of much more than that, by the
looks of you," Trevor said, pulling the blanket back and looking down at
the man's nakedness. "Josh, why don't you take James here to another
bedroom and work your charm on him while I take care of Corporal Mathews,"
Trevor ordered and glancing back at Josh.

"Yes sir, captain," Josh said moving quickly over to James.

Josh's eye lit up with excitement as he grabbed James by the arm and pulled
him from the room, into the hall, and down the hall to another
bedroom. James struggled against the man's grip, but reluctantly
surrendered to his strength when he was shoved violently into the room.

"You don't have to do this captain, it's not what you think," Shane
said. "He really was helping me and not as you are imagining."

"Is that right Mathews, then tell me, tell me why your chest hairs are wet
and why you have a love mark near your nipple," Trevor touched the mark
with the barrel of his revolver.

Fear showed in Shane's eyes when he realized that he could not convince the
captain of their innocence.

***

Shoving the barrel of his revolver against James' back, Josh pushed him
forward, causing him to stop once his legs came against the bed.

"Remove the jeans," Josh ordered.

"Please, you are making a big mistake here," James' pleaded, seeing the
lust in the man's eyes and then realizing that his words were falling on
deaf ears.

Josh simply jabbed the gun hard against him, "I said remove them or else
feel the bite of a bullet," he angrily said.

James unbuttoned his jeans and eased them down his sleek body, stepped from
them and kicked them aside.

"Now on the bed and on your stomach," Josh ordered as he grabbed a length
of rope that was sitting on chair and began tying James' legs to the
bedposts.

Fear for what was about to happen grabbed at his heart and he shuddered
when he thought of Shane in the other room. He quickly brought his thoughts
back to the present when he felt Josh grabbing his left arm and begin tying
it to his right.

"Now you are going to feel what a real man is like, boy," Josh said, his
fowl breath just a whisper from James' ear.

James felt the heat of Josh's body as he maneuvered his body between his
stretched out legs.

"Please don't do this to me," James begged, raising his head and glancing
over his shoulder and into the sadistic eyes of Josh.

"If'n its any consolation boy, Mathews is gonna get the same treatment from
the captain," Josh said, thrusting his manhood deep into James' sheath with
one powerful and aggressive thrust.

James screamed out in pain as Josh's manhood seated itself deep in
him. James buried his face into the pillow, crying as Josh began his
violent thrusts. He quickly raised his head when the sound of a gunshot
rose over the sounds of his rape.

"On second thought, I reckon that the captain may have changed his mind,
but you aren't going to be so lucky," Josh said groaning as he continued
his violent thrusts.

James cried hard into the pillow, thinking that his Shane was lying dead in
the other room, wishing that he was also. He didn't want to live if Trevor
had ended Shane's life.

"Damn you are..." Josh began to say but instead, he fell on James, his cock
slipping from James' ass and a Choctaw arrow now protruding from his back.

To be continued...

I added that last sentence so ya'll wouldn't be hanging until the next
chapter, wondering about James. If you care to comment, it would be greatly
appreciated at: danielrunningwater@yahoo.com

Thank you, Danny.