Bonded Souls

by Agnes H Hagadus

  Cassandra stepped aside and allowed Cordelia to race by her. She hoped the woman wouldn’t slam the door. Emily had overdone in the sun and was exhausted. “I had a feeling young Henry would attempt some kind of revenge. I just didn’t think it would be like this.”

  “I feel for Mr. Wilkens.” Cassandra nodded in agreement. “I’ll be careful in town. If young Henry has set those two on us, there’s no telling what else he’s planning.”

  “I love you.” Elissa stole a quick kiss before making her way to the barn. The vampire was glad things would return to normal. Yet, she knew they needed help to run the ranch.

  Cassandra waited at the back door. Ten minutes had nearly elapsed when Cordelia came sauntering from her room. She was carrying a leather satchel and a small trunk. “You know, if you’d been honest, there could have been a good position for you. We are attempting to do things differently. To help women.”

  “It couldn’t end any differently.” Cordelia couldn’t believe how innocent Cassandra was. “My brother and I do want a ranch of our own. But we don’t want to work for someone else until we are too old to work our own ranch. There will be others.”

  “I’m certain there will be.” Cassandra closed the door behind her. She didn’t want Emily to overhear should she wake from her nap. “But next time, don’t go after the owners until you know there could be a chance. There’s nothing, nor no one, that will ever come between me and Elissa.”

  Ok. Maybe Cassandra wasn’t as naïve and innocent as Cordelia had thought. “I’ll keep that in mind.” The wagon came to an abrupt stop. Cordelia didn’t wait to be told. She sat in the back away from Elissa.

  Elissa winked before she urged the horses into a brisk pace. She hoped the trip would take less than the hour. Where to drop the deceitful woman off was the question.

  One thing that wasn’t a question was seeing Mr. Wilkens. Whether it was in town or at his ranch, he needed to know what his son was up to.

  The vampire was grateful Cordelia remained silent the entire trip. It meant she was scheming. Whatever she was scheming, the vampire and her wife would be more than capable of dealing with.

  After dropping off Cordelia at the hotel with a hundred dollars, Elissa made her way to the cattlemen’s association. She was wondering if her luck would hold.

  As it turned out, Elissa was lucky. Once again, Mr. Wilkens was happy to see her. It wouldn’t last long. “Do you know anyone by the name of Cordelia and Steven?”

  Mr. Wilkens scratched his chin. “I think Henry has mentioned the siblings. Is there a reason you are asking about them?”

  Elissa nodded. “It seems your son mentioned how there were two spinster women attempting to make a go of a horse ranch. It would be easy pickings to marry one of the two women and take over the ranch for themselves.”

  “He keeps on disappointing me.” Mr. Wilkens stood. He began pacing. “I think I’m going to send him back east. Even after his ma died, he wouldn’t listen. I tried after what he did to your cousin the first time they met.”

  “I’m sorry to have had to tell you.” Elissa remained seated. She watched as he continued to pace. “As for Cordelia, I dropped her off at the hotel. I’m worried about Steven. He’s part of the group bringing Mr. Ellison’s horses.”

  “Your horses.” Mr. Wilkens corrected as he smiled. “I have a few ranch hands I trust more than others. I’ll send them to meet the incoming horses. Make certain that they are delivered safe and sound to your ranch.”

  “I don’t know how to repay you, other than the first four offspring.” Elissa knew she could deliver. She would need help was all.

  “That’s more than enough.” Mr. Wilkens returned to his desk. Instead of taking a seat, he leaned against the front of it so he could be closer to Elissa. “I want to thank you for once again informing me of my son’s shortcomings.”

  “I don’t want to be thanked.” Elissa stood. She suddenly felt uncomfortable. “I just want Steven and Cordelia to remain out of our lives. And I wish your son could learn what being a decent human being entailed.”

  “Once again, I’ll help with whatever I can.” Mr. Wilkens made his way to the door followed closely by Elissa. “I just don’t know what I can do with Henry except to send him back east.”

  Elissa made her way out into the sunlight. Today was a bright spring day. A commotion by the saloon caught the vampire’s attention.

  Sheriff Williams was in the middle of a group of scantily clad women. The vampire skipped her wagon and hastily made her way to see what the sheriff was dealing with.

  “Ladies, I’m sorry. It’s not my decision.” Sheriff Williams hated his job at times. He hated that women had to resort to entertaining with their bodies, but wouldn’t stop them. At least not until the Ladies’ League made enough fuss that he had no choice.

  “What’s going on here?” Elissa heard the grumbles. She already knew but she couldn’t act like she did.

  “These fine ladies are being forced out of town.” Sheriff Williams shook his head. “I’m sorry to have to be the one to enforce the wishes of the Ladies’ League.”

  Elissa shook her head. Ladies’ League, as far as she knew, was nothing more than women holding the bible up to judge others.

  The vampire took in each of the women. Most of them seemed like they could handle hard work. Her conversation with Cassandra entered her mind. They had spoken of using women as ranch hands.

  “Ladies if I could have your attention.” Elissa made certain eight women were focusing on her. “I have an interesting proposition for you. As some might know, me and my cousin have been rejuvenating a horse ranch. We could use some hard workers. We’ll pay a fair wage for hard work.”

  Silence met the vampire. Elissa scanned the women. Half of them wouldn’t even look her in the eyes. “It’s a second, third or fourth chance. All you have to do is be in my wagon after I make a stop at the bank.”

  Chapter 40

  Cassandra was at her desk. Emily was upon her lap. One was working on her latest story. The other was drawing pictures. The pictures just happened to be of wolves.

  Elissa had been absent nearly the entire day. Soon, Cassandra would have to put Emily to bed. And that would leave the young woman worrying.

  “Can I have a drink?” Cassandra kissed the top of Emily’s head. The young girl, at times, was uncertain if she had to ask or if she could just do something.

  “You can always have a drink of water.” Cassandra eased Emily from her lap. She watched as the little girl sped toward the kitchen. She shook her head wondering if she had been half as energetic at Emily’s age.

  After joining Emily in the kitchen, Cassandra decided beans would be a good side dish to the venison they had from the last time Elissa had had to feed. It meant soaking the beans overnight.

  “After you finished with your water, why don’t you wash up and change for bed.” Cassandra waited for the pout. Instead, Emily placed her glass in the sink. It still amazed Cassandra they had a pump attached to a sink that drained itself.

  After preparing the beans to soak, Cassandra went in search of her young charge. Emily was kneeling next to the bed saying a prayer. “And thank you for Elissa and Cassandra. Amen.”

  Cassandra blushed. She was nothing to be thankful for. After all, she knew what it was like to need someone and feel like you’d never find that person.

  “We’re thankful for you, too.” Cassandra helped Emily into bed. She tucked the covers around her charge before kissing Emily on the forehead.

  The sound of the back door opening caused a smile to appear on Cassandra’s face. She rushed to the kitchen only to stop in her tracks at the number of scantily clad women standing behind Elissa.

  Elissa closed the distance between her wife and herself. “I’m sorry to spring this upon you. As I was leaving town, after having spoken with Mr. Wilkens, these ladies were being ushered out of town by the sheriff. Something about the Ladies’ League voting to remove the hard workers from the saloon.”


  Cassandra glanced around her vampire. There were eight women. They ranged in age close to hers all the way to their mid-thirties. “Ladies. I’m sorry certain people in town are being so judgmental. I don’t know what my cousin has told you, but we’re gonna need help. A lot of it. It won’t be easy. But you’ll be paid a fair wage.”

  “I’ve already given each a small advance.” A blonde eyebrow rose as she continued to inspect the women. Two of them were smaller than she was, but Cassandra knew size didn’t necessarily mean they couldn’t do hard work. “And I’ve bought some material for dresses, but also work trousers.”

  A lot of work was in store for Cassandra and Emily. “Does anyone know how to sew?” One of the smaller women who had the longest deepest shade of red hair Cassandra had ever seen raised her hand. “Good. You can start helping me and Emily, our eight-year-old charge, to make outfits for everyone.”

  “I can do that, Miss Cassandra.” The voice was barely above a whisper. The closer Cassandra looked, the more the bruises stood out. This woman was a broken one.

  “I’d like to meet you all and learn your names, but it’s getting late.” Cassandra studied each woman. There was only one she didn’t like the looks of. It was mostly because of the open leering she was doing of Cassandra’s petite form. “The bunkhouse needs some work, I’m afraid. But the stables are ready for the twenty-four horses we’re expecting.”

  “I’ve slept in worse.” The one who openly leered at Cassandra was the one who spoke. “And I’ve slept with worse than horses.”

  Some of the other women laughed. Cassandra didn’t even crack a smile. Elissa noticed the interaction between Cassandra and the dark-haired woman. “I’ll show you ladies to the stables. We get up at first light.”

  There were some grumbles. Elissa knew the ladies didn’t even get to bed until first light. They would have to adjust to living on a ranch.

  It wasn’t until nearly midnight when Elissa settled next to her wife. “I probably should have asked before bringing the ladies here. It’s just they had nowhere to go and we talked about attempting to hire women and…”

  Cassandra interrupted her wife in the most pleasant of ways. Elissa felt the insistent tongue exploring her mouth. The petite form was now fully on top of the vampire. “I take it you aren’t upset with me.”

  Another kiss spoke volumes. “I admit I was shocked to see so many barely dressed women in our kitchen. And there’s one or two we’re gonna have to watch. But I’m definitely not upset you brought them here.”

  “I did good?” The expression on Cassandra’s face caused the vampire to swallow hard. It was a predatory look her wife was giving her.

  It wasn’t long before both were shed of their clothing. Cassandra needed this. It wasn’t because of the look some of the working women had given her or Elissa. It wasn’t because of what the siblings had planned.

  It was because Cassandra’s soul was aching. It happened every so often where she just needed to be intimate with her wife. They’d only been married about six months, but every so often her craving to touch and be touched was overwhelming.

  A thought entered Cassandra’s mind. Was there a way they could taste one another at the same time? There was only one way to find out.

  After lavishing Elissa’s breasts with attention, Cassandra turned herself around. She slowly lowered herself so that her wife had access to her nether lips and she had access to Elissa’s.

  It was difficult for both women to concentrate once the other’s tongue entered. Somehow, Cassandra managed to not only concentrate her tongue on a pulsating clit, she managed to use her finger to enter her wife.

  Elissa growled as she felt the tongue on her clit. Her teeth elongated and she concentrated on not nipping Cassandra’s most sensitive nerve bundle. She distracted herself by mimicking her wife and entered Cassandra with a single digit.

  The flow of juices over tongues was nearly more than either could handle. If one could drown, this was the most pleasurable ways to do so.

  They had to stifle their releases. It’s one of the few drawbacks to having Emily in their lives. But neither would allow for the child to leave if they could help it.

  Not quite done with her wife, Elissa used her strength to position Cassandra so that she was straddling her vampire. Her hand made its way between their bodies.

  Once again, Elissa entered her wife. She allowed for Cassandra to set the pace her hips thrusting against her single digit.

  As Cassandra slammed down on Elissa’s hand, the vampire’s hand slammed against her opening. It hit her clit just right. It was causing her to rise fast. Too fast.

  This was amazing, but Elissa had hoped for a little slower lovemaking. As she gazed into half-lidded dark emerald eyes, she realized it didn’t matter how long their lovemaking lasted. All that mattered was that they reconnected.

  Petite hands found Elissa’s breasts. Azure eyes closed as one hand was on Cassandra’s lower back helping her wife to balance. The other hand was now drenched in her lover’s overflow of juices.

  “Let go.” The words were barely whispered but Cassandra did as she was asked. She collapsed against the tall length of her wife. A moment later, Elissa stiffened and stifled her own release.

  “That was…unexpected.” Elissa felt warm all over. It wasn’t because the nights were retaining the days’ heat. “But extremely welcomed. Now are you going to be able to wake up at daybreak?”

  Cassandra giggled. “You wore me out. I’ll be able to get at least four hours of sleep. That’s enough. I could always take a nap with Emily.”

  Elissa laughed at the thought. “I’m sure she would enjoy that. But I’d prefer if you napped with me.” Cassandra winked before snuggling next to her wife. “I know. You’re napping with your wife now.”

  “Yup.” Cassandra yawned as her relaxed body allowed sleep to overtake her. It was the best part of making love, besides the enjoyable act. It was how relaxed her body was afterwards and how easily she fell asleep.

  Twenty minutes later, Elissa was holding her softly snoring wife. The wonderment of holding Cassandra like this in her arms would never end.

  A noise in the kitchen caught Elissa’s attention. Carefully, she extricated herself from the warmth of Cassandra’s body. Before one could blink their eyes, she was dressed.

  Slowly, the door opened. Another noise, similar to the first, caught her attention. Once again, moving with stealth, she was at the doorway to the kitchen.

  Elissa leaned against the doorway as she watched two of the young women who had traveled with her scrounging in the kitchen. Taking a match from the holder beneath the lantern, she silently illuminated the kitchen.

  The two women turned around. One’s stance was instantly huddled as if she was to be beaten. The other stood proud as if she was pleased she had been caught stealing.

  “There’s plenty of food.” Elissa made her way to the cabinet that contained Cassandra’s canned goods. She motioned each woman over. “All you had to do was tell us you were hungry. No need to sneak around.”

  The taller of the two, the one who had appeared pleased with herself, was the first to Elissa. “Take however much you need. Just remember in the morning, first light, that breakfast will be served and we don’t skimp on breakfast in this house.”

  The fact Elissa didn’t eat meant nothing. They would soon discover she was up way before the sun and rarely stopped working until the sun had set.

  The only thing that kept Elissa inside was the thought of any time spent with Cassandra. The way they had enjoyed one another a few minutes ago came to mind. The vampire shoved the more than pleasant thoughts from her mind. She needed to concentrate. She still was uncertain if she could trust all eight women.

  “We’ve always had to steal food.” The meeker of the two spoke. “We were barely paid. So stealing is all we know. I’m sorry.”

  “No need to be sorry.” Elissa attempted to rein in her dark side. It naturally flowed whenever somethin
g could harm her wife. “Just know here you can ask.”

  “Thanks. By the way, my name is Clarissa.” Her brown eyes wouldn’t meet azure ones. She made her way to the canned goods. She took the green beans. “This should tide us over until breakfast. Again, thank you.”

  “No need to thank me. Consider it a part of your wages.” Elissa watched the two women exit the backdoor. She wondered what exactly she had gotten them into by hiring former saloon girls.

  Another noise caught Elissa’s attention. She exited the house at lightning speed. A low growl escaped her as she saw the flames. The older of the stables was on fire.

  Already, the women were forming a chain from the well to the stables. Elissa moved with speed to her wife. She shook Cassandra’s shoulder. “Fire. Stables. I’m going after whoever did this. The ladies are already working to put out the flames.”

  Cassandra barely had time to realize what her wife had said. She hastily dressed in her work attire before running out of the house.

  The only positive was it was the older of the two stables. The negative was in two to five days the twenty-four horses would need to be housed somewhere.

  There was no time to think of that. Right now, they had to salvage what they could. They had to keep the fire from spreading to the other structures.

  Chapter 41

  Elissa stopped as she heard the howls. She knew Raven and her pups had discovered the trail. She listened carefully for only three heartbeats.

  The sound of horses didn’t surprise Elissa. Horses were no match for her vampire speed. She found the trail and was hot on the heels of the ones who had torched the stables.

  The vampire didn’t care if she harmed anyone or not. Once she was close enough, Elissa launched herself at both riders. With a thud, the trio landed on the ground amid the twigs and pinecones.

  Elissa didn’t allow either figure to move. She maintained her vampire speed as she retrieved the rope hung from the closest horse’s saddle horn.