"Your ass is mine, you little bitch. I am going to give you the pounding of your soon to be short life," he said panting after their fight. He dropped down straddling her. This time he lost little time undoing his belt and used his free hand to grab the top of Lijuan's pants with the intention of yanking them all the way down. She looked to her left, saw something move, and knew what it must be. She made a grab for it, seizing the rattler by the neck. She thrust it up behind her as the man leaned down and the snake sank its fangs into his neck. He rolled off her screaming as the snake held on tight. The bandit thrashed about trying to remove the snake. Finally, he yanked it free and slammed it against the ground before he fell onto his back.
Lijuan crawled away and found her hammer picking it up with her good hand. He was lying gasping as the venom worked its way deeper into him. She went over to him on her knees and raised the hammer with her good hand and struck a blow to his head stunning him. Then she lifted the hammer again.
“Who,” she yelled as she struck his head again, “is pounding,” She struck again savagely, her face a dark mask of rage. “Who?” she cried as she brought the hammer down for a final crushing blow. She fell back onto her good arm watching the snake slither away. Then she turned her attention back to the dead man with the crushed skull.
“You wanted to know who I am? I’m a Wilde. A Wilde always … gets her man … one way or … another and I just ... got you!” She told his body as she slumped down next to him. After a few more minutes of just lying there, catching her breath, she realized she had to do something about her arm. Slowly she struggled to sit up and gazed down at the blood still flowing out of her. Looking down at the rest of her body, Lijuan rolled her eyes as she removed her bra, her breasts falling free, to use it to bandage her wound, wondering if she would be nude before this ordeal was over—one way or the other.
CHAPTER 27
FORT CAMPBELL
Arizona Territory
Ten Miles from the Mexican Border
In the office of Colonel Anders, the commanding officer along with Captain David “Dutch” Wilde, Bright Feather, and Captain Reginald Vellaneau, sporting a bandage on his head from his near brush with death at the hands of Rodrigo Salazar, were gathered. Only moments before out on the parade ground they had watched in silence as several privates carried the burlap bag containing the body of the dead outlaw through the doors of the fort. Two more enlisted men had followed with shovels slung over their shoulders for the unmarked grave they were to dig.
Justice had been beyond swift. In a daring game of deception, Dutch and Bright Feather the previous day had managed to trick the wanted murderer, getting him close to the border before their ruse had been uncovered by another outlaw that attempted to warn Salazar. In the ensuing confrontation, that man had paid with his life, and the pair managed to get Salazar back into the United States to answer for the murders of several cavalrymen.
Salazar had been tried in the morning, convicted in the afternoon, and with no time to construct a proper gallows, found himself on the wrong side of a firing squad at dusk. Now at nightfall, he was going to his unceremonious grave.
“I can’t thank you two enough for apprehending him,” Anders said to Dutch and Bright Feather.
“No thanks are necessary. I’m just glad we were able to see justice served today. Not only did he kill those men, but he tried to kill a family friend when he held up his stage,” Dutch said, thinking of Quillan Dodge, Honor Elizabeth’s on and off again boyfriend. “We were happy to get front row seats when he got what was coming to him,” Dutch said solemnly.
“I concur with you, Yankee. I owed him something fierce. The world will be a better place with him moldering in his grave,” Vellaneau spat, his hand unconsciously touching the bandage, the result of the graze he had taken from Salazar’s bullet after he’d murdered a fellow officer right in front of him.
“For once, Captain, we all agree on something.” Bright Feather said and nodded to him. Beyond the plank walls only a moment after she finished speaking came a commotion out in the drill yard and the words “Injun” came through clearly.
"What in the world?" Anders said. The group exited out into the parade ground, and they heard Blue River's voice shouting from the other side of the gate.
“Let us in!” he yelled.
“That’s my brother!” Dutch said, shocked.
“Our brother,” Bright Feather called out in equal surprise.
“I’m never going to get used to the notion that the two of you share a brother,” Vellaneau said.
“No one is asking you to, Reginald. Let him in!” Dutch shouted to the gate guards as they all raced to the gate. After the two soldiers saw Anders nod okay, they swung the gate open. Blue River and Christina galloped into the fort and dismounted from their steeds.
"That's Colonel Caine's daughter! What the hell are you doing with her, Blue River?" Vellaneau demanded, instinctively reaching for his gun. Dutch gripped his arm and glared at him.
“Don’t even think about it, Vellaneau. You know he’s my family!” Dutch said to him. Bright Feather ran over and hugged Blue River.
“Bright Feather, Dutch, what are you doing here?” Blue River asked, as surprised to see them as they were to see him.
“We just wrapped up a mission we’d just undertaken. The bigger question is what are you doing here and with Miss Caine no less?” Dutch said.
“No time to explain! We must go back with the troops. Our coach came under attack by bandits after we left San Lupe Pedro in the Juarez Canyon. We had to leave Miss Lijuan behind …” he said but was interrupted when Dutch grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him against the wooden wall.
“What! You left Lijuan back there? Alone?” Dutch shouted.
“Dutch!” Bright Feather yelled. Dutch waved one arm to keep her back as she moved forward. “Bright Feather, not now, please,” he said as he focused back on Blue River. “You left our sister out there on her own?” he asked.
“I didn’t want to. She insisted she stay behind to hold them off. She wanted to give me time to get Miss Caine to safety,” he answered.
"It's true, Captain Wilde. There was no other way. He fought with her about leaving, but she wasn't going to have it any other way," Christina put in. Dutch let go of him; his blue eyes still betraying his anger.
“I see. How many was she up against?” he asked as his jaw tightened.
“Over half a dozen. If she had Miss Cassandra and our sisters they would have made short work of them,” Blue River said.
"Yes, but she was alone. Now, where did this happen again?" Dutch asked.
"At the Juarez Canyon way station. That was destroyed as well, and everyone murdered including the stagecoach that had stopped there. Dutch, I didn't want to leave Miss Lijuan out there," Blue River insisted.
“We got to get moving post haste. If that little sister of yours is out there, we have got to save her,” Vellaneau said.
"Reginald is that concern in your voice. You barely know her," Bright Feather said with surprise and a healthy dose of suspicion.
“Don’t matter how many times or when I met her. I’m still a Southern gentleman at heart, and there is a lady in distress. Colonel Anders, we need some of your men.”
"Of course," Anders said and went off to gather the troops and Vellaneau went with him.
They all knew regulations were about to be violated by crossing the border, but none were going to let that stand in the way, the least of all the Wilde brothers.
"I wonder if he would be so motivated if it were Honor Elizabeth or Catalina in trouble?" Bright Feather wondered. "Remember, he seemed quite friendly with Lijuan the night of my award ceremony. Could he have an interest in her?"
I don’t care about his motives are. I care about finding my sister alive!” Dutch exclaimed. Then he turned back to Blue River. “I’m sorry, brother, being in the army I should know about tough decisions. Forgive me for before,” he apologized with deep sincerity.
> “You didn’t say anything that I wasn’t saying to myself,” Blue River answered honestly.
“Your brother was most brave, I dare say. I would be dead but for him and Miss Wilde, too, of course,” Christina said. Dutch nodded and squeezed his brother’s shoulder.
“Come on, let’s go get her. We will find her—alive!” Dutch said as Christina took Blue River’s hands.
"You be careful out there, I owe you. To think I should be dead twice over today if I hadn't missed that stage, and then you taking out those men sent to kill us," Christina said to Blue River looking him in the eyes with compassion and respect.
“I’ll be fine, and yours is truly a life worth saving,” he said in return, and they shared a smile before he dashed off after Dutch his concern for Lijuan mushrooming through his body like a thing alive.
CHAPTER 28
YBERRA COACHWORKS
Verde Abundante Valley, Mexico
Far off back in the Los Valles Tres unaware of the desperate situation the fourth daughter of Half Breed Haven faced, the evening's atmosphere at the Yberra villa proved to be one of much joy and merriment. Everyone had pitched in to clean up as much of the destruction from the battle that they could. Outside the bodies of the bandits had been attended to, and Francisco's vigilantes had escorted the surviving members of Don Diego's gang out of the area to the Natchez jail where Cassandra said they could be entrusted in the care of Sheriff Santiago. For his part, Dante would join them once he had recovered. For the time being, he had been moved to the doctor's office and was in a bed next to his son. Rosa stayed in town to keep watch over them both.
A festive dinner found the Wilde family exchanging tales from their many exploits. Honor let Katie do most of the talking when it came to the encounter with the Melendez family earlier in their travels. Honor knew her friend would leave not the slightest detail unvoiced. Honor was truly proud of her friend for not sugarcoating her mistake that had allowed the evil sisters to travel with them.
As for Cattie and Cassie, it had been Cassie who had relayed most of what happened with the Reaper in the Rio Sangre Valley. Cassandra had trodden lightly because she knew there was still pain in her younger sister over the death of El Segador. Cassandra did not pretend to understand it, but she accepted it and did not let on about the emotional toll killing Victor must have had on Catalina.
For her part, Catalina had acted as if it was business as usual as she related their adventure that took them from Natchez to a nunnery to the wilds and back again. Cassandra knew it was exactly that—an act. She sensed there was something more going on beyond Victor's death but didn't want to press her on it. All she could do was be content in knowing that her sister would recover fully, as you could never keep a Wilde down for long. Cassandra took satisfaction in seeing Cattie flirting with one of the twins that seemed receptive to her charms.
Honor Elizabeth looked out the window at Quillan’s coach that had been retrieved from the salt mine. Thankfully, it had come through unscathed. The money from the evil Melendez family had also been recovered for the most part, and Honor had already turned it over to Cassandra.
In the morning, the group would head back towards home with a plan to stop over at Fort Campbell. They were certain Dutch’s friends would board them for the night. The morning after that they would head back to Alamieda. Katie and Honor would make a brief stopover at Cedar Ledge to see the judge and then continue to Godspell where at last they would be able to deliver the coach to Quillan in time for the Dodges to put in into service on the newly awarded Jackson Peak run.
Honor had one last thing she wanted to do in Mexico before they left, and she watched as Eunice approached Francisco with the note Honor had written for him. She grinned as a smile of great satisfaction came over the man’s face while he read it. He looked up at her and mouthed the word “Si” to her proposed rendezvous.
Francisco had no sooner shut the door to the “Luxury Room” before Honor Elizabeth had snapped the lock into place and rising on her toes gave him a passionate kiss. She had been thinking of doing it for some time, and when their lips met a fire began inside that she was eager to embrace and quench at the same time! As they broke apart from the first kiss she had been dreaming about, Honor saw the waterfall/shower, and she smiled happily. That would do nicely to quench her thirst for Francisco.
"Oh, sir, I have been thinking of this for some time you know," she said, and he laughed softly, running a hand down her back to her finely shaped rear end. He pulled her against him in an answer and kissed her long and hard. They both laughed when they ended that kiss. She wrapped her open arms around his waist and ran her fingers over his back. They walked together, exploring each other with their hands until they got to the shower. Without any preamble, he picked her up and stepped her into the shower. She laughed and then almost choked as water went into her mouth. Her clothes stuck to her body and her hair became quickly soaked. She giggled and squirmed against him.
"Seeing you all wet and ready for me is like a fairy dream come true, my beautiful chica. I have a feeling you are going to show me your strengths here as you did elsewhere," he said, admitting his appreciation for her efforts since her arrival at the coachworks. He was also admitting he was as eager for her body as she was for his. She reached down, her hand slipping past his waistband and cupped his manhood in her hands and gripped it tightly. He came up on his heels with a groan, letting her down to her feet. She could feel his shaft stiffening in her hand and laughed.
"You are not getting away that easily." She told him and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist, forcing him to hold her up with his big hands cupping her ass. He laughed, and they kissed again. Honor quickly went to work on his shirt, and when it was open, she lowered her head to his broad, strong chest. The water fell on her head gently and ran over her face as well as his muscles, and it was a whole new experience. His hands held her close and his fingers went up her soaked dress, slipping between her thighs from behind then and that got her attention, making her shake.
“Mmm, I thought you might like that dear!” he said, and Honor moaned, undoing the buttons on her dress, pulling it down with the corset Honor had loosed giving him full view of her plump breasts and their dark nipples and then he pulled herself forward so that his head went into her chest.
"I am positive you like that…ahh…me too!" She cried out as his lips found her nipples, licking them into erection. It was incredible feeling the wonderful sensations she had enjoyed before, but this time as water cascaded, glistening, over their entwined bodies it felt extra sensual. He lowered her long enough for them to strip the wet clothes off each other and then she was up in his arms again. He got a hold of her breasts with his lips again, and she cried out her pleasure as he groaned his. He moved her up and down, and the friction of her naked body sliding over his drove her desires higher until she was trembling with her lusts.
"Madre! Honor…oh baby you are, oh chica I am…so ready!" He gasped, and Honor cried out her consent.
"Take me, Francisco, take me now!" She moaned in a deeper sultry lust tinged tone. He lowered her with his hands to position her by bending her over. She felt his manhood brushing her eager opening, and then he plunged deeply into Honor, and she shrieked a sudden rush of pleasure that built with every thrust of his generously endowed cock. Every inch of her flesh seemed to feel every beat and pulse of his desire. She was wet, inside and out now as he pumped furiously away, his hands reaching around to squeeze her impressive breasts, pinching her nipples between his fingers.
They were both crying out their fulfillment with greater and greater feeling until she suddenly wriggled free and turned, dropping to her knees in front of him. Honor ran her tongue up his thigh, moving it to work his balls like a toy before she pulled his member into her mouth just as he exploded at the same moment her own orgasm was triggered that shook her to the core with roaring pleasure as she swallowed wave after wave. Honor Elizabeth continued licking and sucking until she made
sure she had savored every last drop that might have remained. Finally, as he softened within her mouth, they separated with a mighty shudder of final ecstasy and then leaned against each other in the gentling falling water. Honor had not expected it to be that spectacular and was more than just content. She felt utterly relaxed and cared for. It was the perfect end to a mighty strange trip.
"Thank you, my dear," Francisco said as he got his breath back. "I hope that was wonderful for you too." He said, already knowing the answer.
"Worked for me." She replied simply with a chuckle. "I surely hope you are ready to go again up in your bedroom. I shall show you some things that I promise that you will enjoy far more than stargazing at the heavens!" and of course she did not disappoint.
CHAPTER 29
JUAREZ CANYON
Canebraro Valley, Mexico
Through hooded eyes, Lijuan stared up at the sky. She was not sure when night had become day. She had no recollection of when she stumbled into the gully she found herself in. Wincing, she felt the sharp rocks digging into her bare back, and she was only vaguely aware that the saddle bag of money was gone, and the fact she had left her ever-present hammer with Bolivar's body didn't even register on her at all. Wearily, she turned her head to look at the blood-soaked bra wrapping her wounded arm.
"I told Honor that I, that I didn't need any, fancy mail-order … mail order bra from Paris. But no, she said … I had to, have it. Now look at it," she said to herself. Lijuan turned her head and looked skyward again. Her vision was blurry, but she could see circling shapes in the air, however, the name of what they were called was lost to her addled mind.
***
Dutch, Bright Feather, Vellaneau, and Blue River were off their horses. Five troopers waited behind them still mounted. They were looking down at vultures picking over the corpse of Bolivar. Vellaneau smiled grimly and picked up Lijuan's hammer. He began wiping it clean with his handkerchief.
The Boot Hill Express: Special Edition HBH Version (Half Breed Haven Book 12) Page 20
