Many centuries ago, a village killed the children of the Thunder god. For their crime, the Creator banished them to live a half existence in the land of shadows, neither dead nor alive. But once a generation, a brave is given the opportunity to save his clan.

In 1834, that warrior is Swift Hawk.

Swift Hawk has until his thirtieth birthday to complete his quest, and in a spirit vision he sees a beautiful white woman in a wagon call to him for help. She moves him in ways he cannot explain.

On the run from the law with her brother, Angelia Honeywell is as heavenly to behold as her name is to hear. But she needs rescuing from her brother's latest scheme: impersonating a scout and leading a wagon train across the plains. When Swift Hawk rides to their gaze Swift Hawk knows that the way to break his clan's curse is to show mercy to his enemy, but Angelia finds no mercy from the desire that enflames her every time the brave draws near....