“No,” Scarlet said.
“It ain’t like I’m giving you a choice. It’ll be me first and as many of the rest as want, and you can be on your way.”
“No,” Scarlet said, more forcefully. She went to step around him, but he pushed her back.
“I’m not kidding, neither,” Rabon said. “Here or in the shade yonder. I’ll let you decide that much.”
Scarlet looked at each of them. She saw no pity, no mercy, only resentment of who she was or, rather, what she was. The only exception was the young one.
Jimbo; he was troubled. She appealed to him, saying, “Your ma wouldn’t like this. It’s not decent.”
“No, it’s not,” Jimbo agreed, and turned to Rabon. “All she wanted was some blackberries. You do this, everyone in the hills will be against us.”
“She won’t ever tell,” Rabon said, and took hold of Scarlet’s arm. “Will you, girl?”
Before she could respond Jimbo grabbed Rabon’s wrist and pulled his big hand off her. “No. I won’t stand for it. You hear? She’s free to go.”
Rabon’s features twisted in amazement and then fury. Yet he smiled and patted his much smaller cousin on the head and said, “We’ll talk about this later. Right now, the only reason I don’t stomp you into the dirt is because you’re kin. Remember that when you wake up.”
“But I am awake,” Jimbo said.
“You were,” Rabon said, and punched him. Rabon’s knuckles were the size of walnuts, his fist as large as a sledge. His blow lifted Jimbo onto his heels and sent him sprawling in a heap. Rabon rubbed his fist and regarded the rest. “Anyone else object?”
No one did.
Scarlet rammed her shoulder against Woot and drove him back. She was through the ring in a single leap and had taken several more strides when iron fingers locked in her hair and she was jerked off balance and slammed to the ground.
She fought but they were too many and too strong. Her arms and legs were pinned and spread and Rabon reared above her.
“Truth is, girl, I don’t care if your kin find out. I’m tired of the stupid truce. My pa and his stories, he had a lot more fun than me. Now I aim to have me some, thanks to you.”
And Rabon laughed.
Town Tamers Page 27
