San Antonio Rose (Historical Romance) (22 page)

"No. I felt no pain."

He sat up, suddenly overcome with shame. "I
never meant to do this to you again, Emerada.
You have enough troubles without my adding
to them."

She laughed and coaxed him back down to
her. "Perhaps it was my design to seduce you
again, Ian McCain. I think perhaps I did the
first time."

"You make me feel so alive," he said, running his hand over her breasts, knowing that he
wanted her again.

She swung over on top of him, and he gasped
at her bold move. "I am the dancer that steals
men's hearts-did you not know?"

He went hard again and slid into her. "Yes,"
he said, closing his eyes when she moved back
and forth on him, "I know you've stolen mine."

Ian lay back, watching Emerada as the morning shadows played across her beautiful face.
She was like a different person now. Moments
ago she had been warm and loving in his arms.
Now she was in that secret place in her mind
where she went in her torment. He knew she
was thinking about her family.

"Have you a plan for getting us out of here?"
he asked. "You seem to manage everything
else."

Her gaze melted into his. "As it happens, I do
have a plan. I have learned never to leave anything to chance."

"And what would that be?"

"When I did not return to Santa Anna's
camp, Domingo must have guessed that I
would come here, if I possibly could. If I know
him, he will be here soon."

He sat up and looked at her in amazement.
"You have a plan for everything, don't you?"

"I have to, Ian."

"There is still no way of talking you out of
this crazy scheme with Santa Anna, is there?"

"No."

"I thought not. I should save my breath." He
rolled to his feet, drawing an admiring glance
from her. "I wouldn't want Domingo to find me
with no clothes on, would I?"

Emerada folded her arms behind her head,
allowing her gaze to sweep up his muscled
body. "He would kill you, I think."

He pushed his leg into his trousers and said,
"If you look at me like that, I'll throw caution to
the wind and take my chances with Domingo.
Or," he said, watching her carefully, "we could
tell him that we are going to be married."

She searched his face to see if he was serious. He seemed to be anticipating her answer.
Oh, how she would love to be his wife, to wake
up every morning in his arms. But that was
never to be. The untimely death of her family
haunted her, and their voices seemed to cry out
to her inner soul. She would see them avenged.
And Ian had his Pauline.

She gracefully stood and shrugged her
shoulders with pretended indifference. "You
do not want a wife like me, Ian. I merely used
you. I had to."

He gripped her shoulders and spun her
around. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I had to know how to please Santa Anna."
She moved away from him and began to dress.
"What is your opinion, Ian McCain, will he be
pleased with me now? Have you taught me
well?"

He felt as though someone had just slammed
a fist into his stomach. "Oh, yes," he said, with
the intention of trading hurt for hurt. He swept
her an exaggerated bow. "I was glad to play
your stud, little dancer. You can now feel confident that you can service the dictator as well as
any woman of the streets."

She willed herself not to cry, but, oh, how
deeply he had wounded her. Well, she deserved
his scorn, didn't she?

The sound of horses kept her from having to
reply.

"That will be Domingo," she said, going out
the door and stepping into the sunshine.

Faithful Domingo looked her over carefully.
"I was worried when you did not return. Then
when some of the soldiers came into camp
leading Soledad, I came to look for you."

Emerada turned to Ian. "You can take my
horse, and I will ride with Domingo."

The big man reached down and lifted her up
behind him, eyeing Ian all the while.

Ian pushed his boot into the stirrup and
mounted. "I will inform Houston that I did my
duty to you," he said coldly, kicking the horse
into a gallop.

"That man is never very polite," Domingo
observed.

Emerada leaned her head forward against
her faithful Domingo's back. "I hurt him badly.
I doubt he will ever look at me again."

"And this matters to you?"

"It matters very much."

Domingo silently urged the horse forward.
There was something different about Emerada,
and he didn't yet know what it was. Whatever it
was, it involved Colonel Ian McCain, of that he
was certain.

When Emerada rode through Santa Anna's
camp, most of the men were having their
siesta. There were only a few sentries on duty,
and they passed her through with the usual
friendly greeting.

Moments later she entered Santa Anna's tent
and stood before him with a forced smile. He
had been writing at his folding desk and
glanced up at her, his face etched with anger.

"Excellency," she said, feigning excitement.
"Each day you move closer to General Houston. Soon you will have him cornered, and he
will have nowhere to run. Then you can crush
him!"

Santa Anna made a gesture dismissing his
aide and waited for him to leave before he spoke. "Why do you speak to me so formally,
Emerada?"

She lowered her gaze. "Sometimes I am
overwhelmed by your magnificence and it is
difficult to do otherwise."

He picked up a penknife and ran his finger
down the sharp blade. "Emerada, have you
seen what happens to those who deceive me?"
His dark gaze pierced hers. "It is not a pleasant
sight. Just because you are a woman that will
not stay my hand from your punishment."

She rushed to him, going down on her knees,
thinking what a great actress she had become-rather than humble herself before him,
she would like to grab that penknife and shove
it into his murderous heart.

"Antonio, you cannot think I would deceive
you." She took the hand that held the knife and
pressed it against her breast. "If you believe
this, end my suffering now."

He dropped the knife and gathered her to
him. "Beautiful one, why do you torment me
so? I want you-you know I do." His lips
pressed against her cheek. "Where do you go
when you leave me? And why have you not yet
come to my bed?"

She closed her eyes to hide her disgust. The
man who had murdered her family was about
to make love to her. She prayed she could get
through it without clawing his eyes out.

"Antonio, I am here now."

She saw passion in his eyes, but she also saw doubt. She would have to go through with it this
time if she was going to allay his suspicions.

"Where do you go when you are away?" he
asked in a commanding voice, suddenly shoving her away. "I want you to stay with me."

"I thought you knew that a dancer must
practice every day. I cannot practice with so
many men around, so I go off by myself."

"This is what your man, Domingo, told me."

Emerada felt no regret about lying to this
man. "It is true. A good dancer will never neglect her duty to her art." Her arms slid
around his shoulders. "And I am a good
dancer, Antonio."

Excitement showed in his dark eyes. "Dance
for me now."

She licked her lips and parted them. "If that
is your wish. But we have no music."

His hand moved over her breast, and his lips
covered hers. She had every reason to believe
this was a man who knew how to seduce and
please a woman, but not her-never her!

Emerada playfully pushed him away and
stood, releasing her hair so it flowed about her
shoulders. She was amazed at how easily she
had manipulated the dictator.

"I need no music to dance for the Napoleon
of the West."

His gaze raked over her, and she could see
that he was excited. She prayed she could
make it a long dance.

"General," his aide called out, rushing into
the tent.

Santa Anna jumped to his feet, a murderous
glint in his eyes. "How dare you come into my
tent without permission? I will have you
stripped of rank for this!"

Emerada could not believe her good fortune.
She'd been rescued from giving herself to Santa
Anna. With pity, she watched the aide explain
his outburst. But the man seemed undaunted,
so she suspected he must be accustomed to
Santa Anna's unpredictable temperament.

"But, Excellency, you told me to let you know
the moment the Americans are on the move
again. Houston has broken camp."

Santa Anna turned to Emerada regretfully. "I
am sorry, my dear. But I must attend to my
duty. You will forgive me?"

"Of course." She moved to the opening and
turned back to him, smiling. "Until later, Antonio." Then she hurried out of the tent, happy to
have escaped his impassioned advances yet
again.

Emerada lingered near Santa Anna's tent
with the pretense of lacing her boots. A guard
approached her and spoke apologetically. "I am
sorry, senorita, but you must move away from
the presidents tent."

She looked at the man and raised her skirt to
her knees. "You would not want me to trip on
the laces, would you, Captain?"

The man swallowed hard and shook his
head, his eyes on her shapely legs. "No,
senorita."

Santa Anna's angry voice could be plainly
heard by her and the captain. "Imbecile! You
dare to interrupt me when I am entertaining
the San Antonio Rose!"

"Excellency, I had to! It is believed that
Houston intends to use the ferry at the San Jacinto River to elude our army. I suggest that we
move at once to intercept the enemy forces."

"We have him!" Santa Anna shouted. "The
coward will not stop running until he reaches
the border. But we will be there to stop his retreat."

Emerada could imagine Santa Anna bent
over his map, and she heard him speak to his
aide. "Order the camp struck at once. We rendezvous at the San Jacinto River. I will have
Houston trapped between the river, here-and
Buffalo Bayou, here. There will be nowhere for
him to run!"

Emerada dropped her skirt and gave the captain another smile. Then she walked away with
her hips swaying, trying to impart a casual demeanor. When she was out of sight, she hurried to find Domingo.

Houston must be warned at once!

Ian's uniform was splattered with mud. He unfastened his buckle and removed his saber. The skirmish with the Mexican patrol on the road
to Harrisburg had felt good. He and the five
men under his command had left seven of the
enemy dead and taken five more prisoners,
while none of his men had even a scratch.

Ian had just unbuttoned his shirt when his
tent flap was pushed open and Emerada entered.

"Where is Houston?" she asked hurriedly,
trying not to look at his bare chest or remember what it felt like to run her fingers over the
dark hair there.

His glance locked with hers. "He is out with a
patrol."

"I must see him at once. Take me to him."

He sat down on the edge of his cot and began
removing his muddy boots. "Can't. I don't
know which way he went."

"Send someone to find him."

He dropped his boots and stood. "You'll just
have to tell me or wait for the general to return."

She stalked toward him and tapped her finger angrily against his chest. "Then you had
better find out where he is and get him back
here. Santa Anna is on the move, and he knows
where you Eire!"

"Is that supposed to scare me?"

"You had better be scared. He has twenty-five
hundred men at his disposal. How many do
you have, Ian McCain?"

He captured her hand and held it in a tight grip. "You know something I've noticed about
you, Emerada? When you are angry with me,
you use my whole name."

"I am angry. I have waited a long time for
Santa Anna to come up against Houston's
forces." She jerked her hand free. "I will just
have to find Houston myself." She moved to
the opening and was about to leave, when he
took her by the shoulder and spun her around.

"You have us all dancing to your tune, don't
you, little dancer? Me, Houston, and Santa
Anna."

"This is no time to argue, Ian. Santa Anna is
coming, and you have to stop him!"

His hand dropped away. "Tell me about it,"
he said at last.

"Do you have a map?"

He went to the camp table, found his map,
and unrolled it.

She studied it for a moment and then jabbed
her finger on a point. "Mark this well so you
can relate it to Houston-Santa Anna intends
to trap the Texas army between the San Jacinto
River here, and Buffalo Bayou, here."

Ian nodded. "A good plan. No one ever said
Santa Anna didn't have the heart of a general."

"You would do well not to underestimate
Santa Anna." She walked away from him and
turned before she left. "Tell Houston I will do
everything I can to keep Santa Anna occupied."