Thirty-two-year-old mixed blood John Strobaw, known to the Sioux as Medicine Hair, returns to his Turtle Crick Farm after a six-year exile on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Grief-stricken at the loss of his mate and lover Matthew Brand, known as Shambling Bear, at the Battle of Wounded Knee, he struggles to become a farmer again while fighting an internal battle to let go of the past and face his future. Will that future be with his best friend Winter Bird or with Pretty Face, an outrageous flirt who hasn’t yet decided who he is?<br><br>But before he can come to grips with this, John faces several battles. Will his former friends and neighbors accept him now the Indian War has come to an end? Can John forgive those same friends and neighbors after the murderous ambush of the Sioux by the 7th Cavalry at Wounded Knee? Or survive the hostility of an Indian-hating sheriff named Charles Landreth and protect himself against the mindless fear and loathing for Two Spirits, men who love men?

Wastelakapi…Beloved

“John!” Ethan called from outside. I turned and rushed to the door as three shots rang out in quick succession.


He turned as I raced to his side. “Second man. Came up out of the gully on his horse and took off to the east.”


We both whirled at the sound of a horse rushing into the yard. Andre pulled to a halt beside us. “I heard gunfire. What’s going on?”


“Ambusher,” I said. “He was going for me but got Gabe. Second one took off on his horse.” I turned to my lover. “You go in the house and stay with Rachel Ann and Ides. Do what you can to make things easier for them. Andre, you ride for the fort to let Gideon know what’s happened. I’m going after the man who’s running.”


Ethan started to object but apparently saw the determination in my eyes. He took up the two pigeon cages and headed for the cote. “I’ll send a message to the Mead letting them know what happened,” he said. “I’ll let them know one of the bushwhackers headed east.”


Chapter 54