by Marie Harte
No wonder so many men considered women inferior here. Most of them lacked the wits to dress themselves appropriately.
The ladies gasped when Beast snorted, and gasped again when they realized Thais’s gender.
“Ladies,” she murmured.
“My goodness, a woman,” the younger one said, all agog. Her bonnet hid most of the golden curls of her hair, allowing one to escape the crush over her ear. She grasped her flowered bag closer to her chest, as if to guard against thievery. From Thais?
A small crowd of men in mining gear, as well as a few women wearing dresses like these two, gathered on the small walk by the general store, their attention fixed on Thais and the ladies. A crusty old man in ragged overalls held a bottle in one hand and rocked back on his heels, grinning from ear to ear as he watched the growing spectacle.
Thais didn’t think she could blame Beast for their undue attention. And Hinto thought staying by the church would keep her away from trouble. Not in Morrow, apparently.
The older woman by the blonde’s side lifted her chin in the air, an air of superiority in her tone as she cinched her bonnet tighter. “My dear, whyever are you wearing pants?” She made a clucking sound with her tongue. “You poor, poor thing. You need to find yourself a good man. Get a fine dress and spruce up your looks. Perhaps the good women of The Morrow Nature Church can help you?”
When Thais said nothing, the woman pursed her lips, making her look even older than the three decades she appeared. “Oh, but perhaps you’re one of them?” She raised her voice and nodded in the direction of the bar some distance down the street, where several whores and their clients lingered on the porch outside. “I can’t imagine a proper young lady wearing such manly dress. Those tight pants and that dreadful vest. Oh.” The obnoxious women gave a fake shudder. The crowd several feet behind them tittered. “And no proper lady would hold one of those monsters. Demon spawn.” She looked down her nose at Beast.
The vore huffed out a breath, and Thais swore the animal laughed at her.
“Lady, if you wouldn’t mind. I’m kind of busy here.”
“Well? Honestly, dear, you do look like the type to appreciate those kinds of entertainments. We call them lewd, don’t we, Daisy?” She turned to her companion, her brow raised.
The woman struck too close to a truth Thais had been trying to deny. Tired and annoyed with this nonsense and wishing Kitty had just given her the information she needed instead of sticking her with Hinto, Thais answered back in a soft voice.
“You asking if I’m a whore? Well aren’t you a bitch.” Ignoring the shock of those standing within earshot, she continued. “I don’t think my state of dress matters one way or the other. I have all the parts I need to claim I’m a woman.” Thais took the hat from her head and draped it over the horn of her saddle, trying to make a point. “I don’t need a man to make me complete,” she sneered, reminding herself to avoid Hinto’s touch in the future. Damn him and his kisses.
The women hummed their disapproval, and not finding the prey they seemingly sought, walked away from her.
“Good riddance,” Thais muttered. Before she could be completely rid of them, two men intercepted them before they could finish crossing the street.
The crowd near the mercantile scattered except for the old man nipping at his bottle and laughing like a loon.
“Well, well, little Miss Daisy Danton.” The larger of the pair laughed. He wore wrangler garb—dusty jeans, a dark shirt and a sweat soaked hat. He looked as if he hadn’t shaved in days, and bloodshot eyes regarded Daisy with more than a hint of lust. He grabbed the younger woman’s bag and snatched the bonnet from her head. “Hey, sugar, why don’t we head over to the bar, you know, for a little fun.” He grabbed his crotch and squeezed.
“I never!” Daisy burst into tears and folded into her friend’s open arms.
“Freddy Nolan, you give her back her purse right now.”
“Fuck off, Tilda,” the smaller man said. “Your men ain’t here right now are they? Too busy screwing around in the mines to do you much good.”
Thais had to hand it to Tilda. She had the manners of a raging boar, but she had spirit.
Like so many scenes of depravity Thais had witnessed since leaving the Amazon, she watched as the Territory people sought to attack one another. No sense of community, no defending those too inexperienced to fight back. The women shot verbal darts while the men took physical advantage whenever they could. Thais hadn’t seen much in the Territory people to recommend them. Unfortunately, these four adhered to type.
Freddy grabbed Daisy and groped and pinched her hard enough to leave bruises. Tilda tried to interfere, but the other man held her back while taking advantage of her as well.
Thais thought about leaving them to their fate when the smaller man bunched Tilda’s dress at her waist, exposing her frilly undergarments and laced up boots. He ran a long-fingered hand up her leg, and Tilda cried out in terror. To Thais’ disgust, no one stepped forward to help.
“Oh hell,” she muttered, knowing she couldn’t leave. Her “lady friends” deserved a put down, yes, but not this. In a louder voice, she said, “Leave them alone.”
Freddy and the other man froze then turned as one to stare at her.
“Cedric, is that there a woman on top of that horse? Sounded like one, I think. But you can’t tell in that getup.”
Cedric smiled, his teeth pretty and white. He had strong cheekbones, clear skin, a lean build, and surprising cleanliness.
She sighed and dismounted. Clearly she needed to teach these men some manners. No one else in this cowardly town would do it. Beast shoved his head between her shoulder blades, as if pushing her toward the brewing battle. Not that she needed his encouragement. After the day she’d been having, she deserved a little fun.
“I heard a woman, Freddy. Indeed I did.” Cedric shoved Tilda away from him. “Get gone, missy. And the next time I see you, how ’bout showin’ a little love?” He laughed as she hurried away with Daisy. “Now who the hell are you?”
Freddy and Cedric approached. They didn’t try to disguise their intent or pretend they didn’t mean to hurt her.
The minute Freddy stepped within reach, Thais hit him hard below his sternum, knocking the wind from his chest. Cedric tried to grab her, but she easily evaded him.
“You’re going to have to do better than that, boy.” She snorted in disdain.
His face turned red and he swore, but he didn’t attack.
She waited for Freddy to regain his feet. He didn’t disappoint. Standing again, he put his hand behind his back and withdrew a long nosed revolver.
Thais darted forward with her knife, nicking Freddy’s jugular to cause major blood flow. He dropped the gun and clutched his neck. Cedric took advantage of her distraction, as she’d known he would.
She turned to take the brunt of his blow on the back of her shoulder, then kicked out at his stomach. Her foot made contact with his ribs and she heard a subtle snap.
He hissed in pain but looked ready to advance again. Tired of playing and irritated that her shoulder throbbed, she spun around and punched him in the face. The attack broke his nose. Blood spurted and he yelled in pain.
“Not so pretty now, are you?” She shoved him aside and stepped over Freddy, who was trying to crawl away. She debated whether to let him then decided she didn’t need the hassle. She’d come to this backward town to find and kill Gregor. Keep your focus on the prize, Thais. Information about Bartel is all that matters.
She yanked Freddy’s head up by his dirty hair. “Next time, leave the women alone.”
Before Freddy could answer, commotion sounded down the street, and Beast snorted a belated warning. Another crowd had gathered and grew steadily nearer. Hinto’s height made him easy to spot amidst the mass. He didn’t look pleased.
Two men who looked remarkably like Freddy led the way. One dropped to his knees and put a bandana to Freddy’s neck.
“Damn, son. What the hell
happened?” He glanced around, seeking another source for the damage done to his friend. Though he called Freddy “son,” Thais didn’t think any of the three were more than a few years apart at best.
“That bitch knifed me,” Freddy managed, his voice little more than a hiss.
All eyes turned on her, but it was Hinto’s anger she found most disquieting.
“What?” She planted her hands on her hips, defensive though she had no reason to be. “He and his friend Cedric tried to molest two women.”
“What women?” someone in the crowd called out in a belligerent tone. “Don’t see no women here.”
Others grumbled in agreement.
“Freddy mauled Daisy Danton while Cedric tried to take advantage of Tilda. I don’t know her last name, but she’s older than Daisy and really annoying.”
Silence met her words, and then the tide of animosity turned.
“Hell, Freddy. You know better,” the man helping Freddy said.
“Butch ain’t gonna like this,” his friend warned, shooting Thais a lethal glare.
Others expressed their displeasure.
“Daisy and Tilda? Shit. You know Tilda’s brother works in the UTO in Ermine. Gonna get the UTs down here on us if they ain’t careful.”
“Hate the UTs.”
“Me too.”
“Shitheads, the pair of ‘em.” Someone remarked and spat on the ground at Cedric’s feet. “Freddy ain’t smart enough to think it. Had to be Cedric’s doin’.”
The crowd dispersed and headed back to the bar with Cedric.
Freddy’s friends hauled him to his feet, bracing him between their bodies, and left with a warning.
“We’ll be seeing you again, sugar. Count on it.” One of them pointed his fingers in her direction and cocked his thumb like a gun. They walked away, dragging the idiot with them.
She and Hinto stood alone.
Thais waited for him to speak, but her quiet only seemed to make him angrier. Not feeling like explaining herself further, Thais turned on her heel, mounted her mare, and rode north, following the trail Tilda and Daisy had taken.
Hinto followed on Beast, still silent.
It didn’t take her long to find the pair of women walking with quick strides along a trail through tall grasses and clustered trees. In the distance, she saw their destination, a row of houses away from town neatly constructed of painted wood, glass and brick. A few fenced-in corrals held horses and chickens. Behind the houses, several farmers plowed and tended crops.
“Oh, Tilda, that was awful,” Daisy whined.
“Here we go again,” Thais muttered. She rode closer. “Hey, Daisy, Tilda, wait.”
They turned and stared at her in horror. When they looked beyond her to Hinto, they screamed and ran.
“Hell.” Hinto shot forward on Beast and blocked their escape. He quickly dismounted and calmed Thais’s quarry with a charm he’d rarely used on her.
She shook her head. “I just need some information. Gregor McKenzie. Where can I find him?”
“Why? Are you going to insult him too?” Tilda asked, apparently still irked about being called a bitch.
“Lady, you should be thanking me. I saved your lily white ass from Cedric. Or did you welcome his attentions after all? Maybe I was mistaken.”
Tilda paled. “No, no. I, ah, Gregor. He lives on the McKenzie ranch four miles that way.” She pointed south. “He’s a nasty man, much worse than the dreaded Nolans.” Tilda cleared her throat. “I suppose we owe you our thanks.”
“Grudging though they may be,” Thais added with an unwilling grin. “Lady, you really are a pain in the ass. But thanks for the information.” That said, she turned her mare around and headed south.
She heard Hinto swear but had no time for his nonsense. Gregor was nearly in her grasp. Once she had his gun, she could return to Kitty for the information she needed. More importantly, no more Hinto.
The disquiet following that thought bothered her, and she chalked up the feeling to belated anticipation. For three years she’d been trying to run down the past. She was closer now than she’d ever been. So why did she feel so distanced from her life?
“Dammit, I said hold up,” Hinto snarled and grabbed the reins as they entered a copse of trees.
She blinked up into a furious blue gaze and sighed. At least they’d have this disagreement away from prying eyes.
“What the fuck did you think you were doing back there? You could have been hurt, you idiot. Or worse. Put your hat back on.” He grabbed it from the saddle and slammed it on top of her head.
Stunned at his hostility, Thais allowed her own anger to build and whipped the hat off.
Hinto wasn’t done. “I leave you alone for a few minutes and you bring on a turf war with the Nolans. Do you have any idea how ruthless they are? No, of course you don’t. Because you’re not from around here, are you, Amazon?”
Thais let fly a fist that connected with Hinto’s cheek. The crack sounded loud in the sudden silence around them. Even Beast remained still, attuned to the tension between them.
“Enough.” She seethed. “I did as you ordered, not asked. For some strange reason, you now act as though you have rights concerning my person. You do not. Those women were in danger of being raped, and I stopped that from happening. I did nothing wrong.”
She flexed her fingers, bemused to find her hand actually stung.
The red spot under his eye would surely bruise. Instead of the satisfaction she expected to feel, confusion mixed with hurt.
“Feel better now?” he asked, his voice suspiciously low. She could see the storm clouds brewing in his eyes. Not a good sign.
“No.” Though she should have. She shifted her shoulder and flinched as the pulled muscle reminded her of the blow she’d taken, courtesy of Cedric the stupid.
Hinto scowled. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Thais, I’ve tolerated a lot of your bullshit, but I’m at my limit. What’s wrong?”
It galled her admit it, but she told the truth, not wanting to waste any more time on worthless banter. Not when they had a lead on Gregor. “Cedric landed a punch. Now can we go?”
Hinto moved with lightning speed. One minute she sat on her horse, the next he had her in his arms atop Beast.
“Let me go.” She couldn’t budge in his hold.
“Dammit, show me.”
Muttering curses under her breath in her native tongue, she shifted in his lap and nodded at the back of her shoulder. “It’s fine. Just a bruise.”
Hinto stripped off her vest and yanked through the buttons of her shirt to expose her shoulder. With careful fingers, he prodded the tender spot. “Yeah, that’s gonna leave a mark. Bastard.”
His touch turned from soft to hot as he stroked her skin. Uncomfortable to feel the same desire she’d felt for him before, she tried to sever their connection.
“I’m fine. Let go,” she whispered, unable to look away from his mouth.
“Such soft skin. So pretty, yet marred by pain.” Hinto leaned down to plant a kiss on her injury. “I’ll kill him.”
So caught up in his kiss, she nearly missed what he said. “Wh-what?”
“I’ll kill him. Right after I kill Gregor.”
“No, you won’t. I’m here for that. I still don’t know why Kitty insisted you come along—”
His kiss smothered the argument and stoked the hunger in her once more. She wanted to push him away, but her fingers curled into his shirt instead. Like the last time, he used his lips and tongue to melt her resistance. So hot, so strong, Hinto demanded her heady response.
Her entire body lit up as he pulled her closer.
He broke the kiss and ran his mouth down her cheek to her neck. “I can’t wait to bury myself inside you.”
A demon, that’s what he was. A man who could make her lose control of herself, to forget all the reasons why they shouldn’t be together. If Hinto ever did bury himself inside her, he’d risk her entire fu
ture for a moment of pleasure.
He sucked on her neck and left a stinging bite that he soothed with another kiss.
Granted, the pleasure robbed her ability to think, but now that she knew what to look out for, she’d do her best to steer clear of temptation. Again.
Angered more at herself than him for being so weak, Thais called on her formidable willpower and put a finger over Hinto’s lips when he moved to follow with another kiss.
“Enough. I want back on my horse. Right now.” The breathy quality of her voice embarrassed her, and she could feel herself turn red. But she refused to look away from Hinto. A warrior didn’t cower but faced her opponent with honor and dignity…no matter how much her body might ache to be overtaken by a Territory man. Goddess, what’s happening to me?
Hinto didn’t blink. He lifted her carefully off him, sucking in a breath as he did so. Lowering her onto her horse, he finally glanced away after staring at her gaping shirt, where the binding kept her aching breasts tight against her chest.
“Damn.” He exhaled a long, deep breath. “Might want to replace that shirt. The buttons are missing and I can see that band holding your— Ah, your shirt’s gaping.”
Nice of him to notice, she thought with sarcasm. Irritated she still wanted him to touch her, Thais slid off her mare and dug through her saddle bags for an extra shirt. Quickly changing, she put herself to rights. The vest and hat felt like armor, hiding her from the world again. From Hinto.
She vaulted into the saddle and headed south. Hinto followed without speaking.
When they broke through the trees and rode through a tall, grassy field, he cleared his throat.
“I’m not sorry about that kiss.”
Kiss? It had been more like an erotic conquest, one she’d surrendered to much too easily.
“But I am sorry I yelled at you. You’re right. You did nothing wrong defending those women.” Gruff yet sincere. Hinto surprised her yet again.
After a moment, she nodded. “Apology accepted.”
“So Freddy and Cedric tried to attack those women, then you?”
“Yes.”
“Surprised you didn’t kill ‘em.”
