by Lynn Landes
Cassie stops riding and sits stiffly in her seat, Dalton grabs her reigns pulling her horse to a stop. Pierce and Harris notice immediately and slow down and join them.
“They are behind us now and closing the gap. A hunting party of Indians, the others are following.” Her glazed eyes look to the plains, and she smiles, “I know what we have to do, now.”
“Tell me, Cassie,” Dalton urges.
“We must meet them! We won't make your ranch, but we can meet them!” Cassie tries to kick her horse into a run, but Dalton stops her.
“What is she talking about?” Harris asks as Steele and Chase return to them.
“There’s no time, Dalton! We have to go now!” Pale face and panicked at the thought of watching them all die she pleads with them to believe her.
“Okay, Cassie. Lead, and we will follow!” Dalton replies releasing her horse and she explodes into action racing across the plains toward the group she knows is riding hard towards them.
“Are you crazy, we're almost home, Dalton?” Chase snarls.
“Four times, she has saved my life! That's four more than any of you! Trust me, and I will explain later.” He kicks his horse into a full run and leaves them to decide for themselves.
“Damn!” Harris growls, and they all follow. They are soon shocked as they watch Cassie handle the horse as though she were born in the saddle. She leans low over the horse's neck, encouraging her to fly and she does!
They are struggling to keep up with her when the war cry sounds from behind them. A small war party has spotted them and is hot in pursuit. The sound of hooves echoes behind them and they now know she was right!
Terror pierces Cassie's soul when she hears the call of death behind them. She glances behind her and is relieved to see the brothers all racing across the plains following her. The horse runs ahead, and Cassie gives it full freedom. “Yah!” she yells, and her horse gallops harder towards the small stream in front of them. Just over the rise, is the help they will need. Cassie plows into the stream, water, and mist spraying and does not slow. She pushes up the small hill and at the top the boys all reign up beside her.
“There!” Cassie points, riding towards them from the other direction are a band of soldiers on patrol from Fort Laramie. The boys are speechless. How could she have known?
“Ride!” Dalton yells, and they are off once more.
The soldiers are a group of twenty men who are unprepared for the six riders riding at them with a war party of Indians behind them. Yells and shouts sound out, and they prepare for incoming hostiles.
Dalton rides hard and orders the others to fall back. Rifles pointed and loaded all trained on the single rider who pulls ahead of the group. Dalton lifts a white cloth and waves it as he hurtles across the field. When he reaches the leader, he jumps from his horse and points behind them. Cassie and the others are waved in, and the soldiers quickly see why. They surround the group, and all prepare to fight.
A Cherokee war party crests the small hill and stops, staring at the soldiers. Sitting on top of their horses, Cassie can't help but admire them. Most of the ten warriors wear brown leather shirts, beaded belts, with varying weapon's hanging from them and leather pants. Some wear headpieces with a single feather and all wear war paint. Many carry bows, but the biggest surprise to Cassie is the fact that they all seem to have guns or rifles. They know enough to stay out of range of the soldier's bullets, and they sit glaring. Dalton pulls Cassie to the back, weaving through the soldiers that are all readying for battle.
“Stay here.” Dalton pulls his rifle from his saddle and Cassie smiles at him.
“Surely, you know me better than that, Dalton Rivers. I am through waiting in fear.” She draws her rifle and checks it, before drawing her pistol. Dalton kisses her hard, and she whispers, “I love you, Dalton.”
“I love you too.” He turns away but not before he feels the urge to kill and protect for her enter his mind.
After several long, tense moments, to the shock of all, the war party turns and rides away. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief, but not before a group of soldiers follows to track their movements.
“Someone want to tell me what’s going on here?” The regiment leader demands.
Harris takes over, and Cassie feels her hands begin to shake. Once again, she feels the press of those around her, and she moves towards Dalton. His presence is like fresh water on a hot day. He blocks her in between her horse and lifts her chin to look in her eyes. “Breathe. You did amazing, we are almost home. I'm going to ask them to escort us to the ranch.”
After a promise of fresh beef and supplies to take back to the Fort, the soldiers are happy to escort them back to the ranch.
The Rivers brothers surround Cassie during the ride, protecting her from all sides as they ride, and the sun is setting just as they arrive. The men open the gate, and the soldiers entering the land are led to the large barn. Harris and Steel takeover getting the men settled and supplies distributed. Dalton leads the others toward the main lodge. It is the crown jewel of the Rivers Ranch.
It is a ranch style home, made of large beams harvested from the property. It has a large wrap around porch to enjoy the breeze and views. Large beautiful trees surround it and the other small cabins nearby.
“Cassie and I will be back in the morning,” Dalton informs his brothers, and she follows him on horseback into the forest. They meander along the banks of the stream about half a mile until he stops beside a small log cabin. He jumps down and swiftly moves towards her to help her with her horse and saddle.
Nothing has ever looked as beautiful as that small cabin. It has a small porch and two chairs, and the sound of the stream trickling through the trees sings a sweet lullaby. Cassie yawns and unstraps her gear, dropping it onto the porch. Pierce rides up and offers to take the horses to the barn.
“Thank you. We won't be in for dinner. Cassie needs to sleep and heal.” He gestures to his brother, and they walk a distance away. “I will be at the main lodge in the morning for breakfast, and I will fill everyone in then.”
“No problem. Chase is setting up patrols with the soldiers and ranch hands through the night. Just in case they decided to follow us, but the patrol returned and said they met with the others and headed across the plain. I think we scared them off. Rest well, brother.”
Dalton watches him ride away before turning to find Cassie sitting on the steps with her head in her hands. She startles when he clears his throat. Sleep filled eyes greet him, and he smiles. “Come on, beautiful, let’s get you settled.”
Inside the cabin for two is a small kitchen and fireplace. One sofa and chair flank the fireplace with a queen size bed on the other side. This cabin has the luxury of an inside bath, but no running water. He quickly gets a fire going to warm the small cabin up and turns to her.
“What do you want more, sleep or a bath?” he asks with a grin.
“A bath! I can sleep after.” Instantly awake, she helps him carry water to the small stove for heating. Dalton shows her to the small room in the back of the cabin built for just this reason, it holds a large claw foot tub with polished silver feet. A small bookcase is stocked with towels, soap and an oil lantern.
They fill the tub with steaming water, and he leaves her to wash, and he finishes unloading their gear. Every bone in her body aches from days in the saddle. Her bruises are fading more every day, and when she sinks into the hot water, she moans loudly. Ducking beneath the water, she wets her hair and scrubs it twice before washing her body and leaning back to soak. Dalton returns with two more buckets of hot water to reheat her tub.
“You are going to spoil me, Dalton.” She says, laying back in the tub to rinse off the bubbles.
Dalton laughs, “Who said this was for you?” He strips and joins her in the tub before she can make her escape.
She sits in the middle of the tub while he settles. He sinks down with his legs around her pulls her back against his chest. Water rushes up and over the sides of the t
ub onto the floor, and Cassie laughs. “This tub is not big enough for the two of us, you big moose.”
“Yep, that's what the extra water is for.” He laughs as she gets up on her knees and spins around. When she leans over the tub to pour the water over his chest his smile fades. Finally, they are home. He didn't realize until this moment how scared he was for her safety. Bubbles cling to her body and slide down her pink tipped breasts. His mouth goes dry, and he reaches for her.
“Cassie?” he says, and she leans forward, her mouth takes his. She pours all her feelings, hope, fear, lust, and love into the kiss. When she pulls back his hands grab her upper arms, and she grins, wiggling free.
“First, I want to wash you, Dalton.” Cassie soaps a clean washcloth. Dalton stands up in the tub in front of her, and she is amazed at the beauty of his hard body. Her hands slide up his knees soaping and circling, her way up his thighs, to encircle his erection. He jumps, and a husky moan escapes. Cassie's passion flares.
“Tonight, I am going to love you, Dalton. I'm going to show you what it feels like to be mine.” She raises up from her kneeling position dragging her erect nipples up his thighs, while her hands continue their tortuous journey over his chiseled abdomen, chest, and shoulders.
Dalton groans and tries to grab her, but once again she moves away, circling his body to push him to his knees in the hot tub. Cassie grabs a cup of hot water and pours it over his body to warm him up before she scrubs his back and buttocks. Dalton looks up at the ceiling, clenching his hands at his side to prevent himself from taking her.
“Sit, let me wash your hair,” she murmurs softly. Soon she is dipping hot water and pouring it over his hair and scrubbing with firm smooth strokes. Satisfied that he is clean, she guides him back into the tub.
“Dalton, I am ready for you. Touching you makes me crazy.”
“Show me, Cassie.” He demands as she moves to straddle him. Determined to take things slowly, his hands grasp her hips to help guide her, but Cassie has other plans. She drops all her weight slamming the full length of his steel into her hot, ready body. Her scream of pleasure is mingled with his, and all good intentions flee.
Passion takes over, and he watches her beautiful body ride him, taking him to the height of ecstasy. Frantic to show him how he makes her feel, Cassie soon forgets all worry, seeking only to quench her desperate desire for him. Dalton feels her tighten around him and they climb the mountain of sensations.
Soon the water grows cold, and they are laughing as they dry each other off and rush to the bedroom to warm up by the fire. Wrapped in blankets, they eat apples and biscuits, while he watches Cassie dry her hair in front of the crackling fireplace.
“I can't wait to sleep in a bed again,” Cassie states as she watches Dalton eat his second apple. The juice drips down the side of his chin and into his blonde beard, and he smiles in satisfaction at the look of lust that enters her eyes.
“I am not sure how much sleep you’ll be getting,” he says growling.
Cassie crawls across the floor on her hands and knees towards him, taunting him, “Well, I am younger than you, Dalton. Are you sure you can keep up with me?”
“Quite sure, Mrs. Rivers.” Two hours later they sleep wrapped in each other’s arms and dream of the future.
Chapter 31
Aiden stops at the post office in Brigham City on the morning of his third day to check for messages. The clerk avoids eye contact when he gives him the message and quickly leaves him alone with the slip of paper. “Eustace is dead. Lynch mob, talk of arresting you when you return.”
He isn't sure how to feel. He waits for the pain that everyone speaks of when a family member dies, but he feels… free. Freed of the responsibility. A slow smile spreads, and he rings the bell drawing the clerk from the back room.
“Tell me where the best place would be to hire a tracker?” Aiden demands.
Brigham City is indeed hell on earth, to any of those unfortunate enough to be passing through. Aiden finds it refreshing. If one has a problem, they deal with it.
Just last night two men entered the bar and accused him of rape, or some such nonsense. Aiden explained to them that he left a silver coin, but that only seemed to infuriate the man even further. So, he buried his knife deep in the man's chest and sliced straight up into his heart, while the boy watched his father die. He tossed the body at the fourteen-year-old boy and laughed at the look on his face. Those watching did nothing. They turned away as if blind, it was amazing. When the boy raised his shaking pistol and shot it, he missed. A bullet in the head was a favor to Aiden's way of thinking. Now he wouldn't have to live a lifetime with his failure. He then searched the bodies and took everything of value, including a pocket watch before returning to his drink.
The saloon owner had dragged the bodies outside and tossed them into the street. They would be left to rot unless a family member claimed them.
He smiles as he checks the time on his newfound watch. After he takes care of business today, he will have to pay that girl another visit.
“No Name Saloon is your best bet. You best be careful. The worst of the worst hang out there. Ex-soldiers, trackers, bandits and bounty hunters, so watch your back.”
Aiden laughs as he walks out twirling the gold watch on his finger, “Sounds like my kind of place.”
The center of town looked like a typical bustling town if you overlooked the dead bodies on the street, or the trash, and the stench of decay and desperation in the air. Aiden is staying at the nicest hotel in town as money is no object to him. Soon he will have Cassie and her gold mine back, and then the money will flow once more. Besides, he took plenty from the townspeople before he left. His money is blown on whores, drink, and gambling while moving around town, hiring the men he will need.
When the storms roll in, Aiden decides to take his time. Cassie has grown careless and tracking her will be easy. It would have taken them a week to reach Wyoming by train, and that was if they'd stayed on it. Since they are moving on horseback and traveling through storms, he is assuming it will take longer.
No Name Saloon is attached to the brothel in the center of town. It is a two-story wooden building with a small balcony above the main porch. Hitching posts for horses and a few tables and chairs outside. The music is loud, the smoke thick and the fights, are constant.
Aiden sidesteps a group barreling through the swinging doors. The fight tumbles into the street and shots ring out, while he lights a cigarette and watches to see who wins. He laughs when they shoot each other dead and both fall to the ground. The vultures move in and strip anything of value.
Stepping inside the saloon, Aiden finds a typical saloon for this part of the country. A wooden stairway leads upstairs to the “play rooms” attended by the ladies from the brothel next door. A highly polished mahogany bar stretches the length of the room with two bartenders working it. Cowboys line the bar, some with saloon girls draped over them. A large stage with a piano next to it flanks the other side of the bar. The dancing girls are dressed in short, tight red and black lace corsets, with stockings and feathers. Highly painted, with fake smiles plastered they kick and dance while men scream and applaud the effort bouncing their white powdered breasts, hoping to score enough to escape this hellhole.
Poker games are played, and the alcohol served is sloshed about while men bury their guilt and shame in the liquor and entertainment. Aiden heads to the bar and tosses a quarter to the bartender.
“Whiskey, the good kind, not the rot gut you serve to these fools.” He orders. The bartender glares at him, and a shot glass is slammed on the bar and poured carefully then slid to Aiden. He shoots it back and turns to scan the bar. The kind of crew he will need to hire would not sit with their backs to the bar. No, they would be in the most defendable positions. Corners or high ground. He glances around bored with the typical show that one finds in these saloons. Poker games, someone cheats, and someone gets shot. A fight over a dancing girl breaks out while someone declares undying l
ove for another girl and finds her with another man, more fighting ensues.
Aiden sighs, bored, he decides to liven things up. He heads across the room, to the stairs and moves up the wooden stairs while another show starts. The dancing girls, wiggle and shake to the piano keys, and the men cheer and drink.
The painted girls watch him and move to greet him with a smile. Blonde or brunette? With a grin, he chooses the blonde girl, and the brunette pouts stalking away. He pulls her towards the railing pretending to watch the show below while she whispers to him, her rate and room number.
Aiden feels the eyes of the men in the corner and grins in their direction. He cups the woman’s ass, pulling her against his body and she gasps at his forwardness as he nibbles his way down her throat. His hand slips around and under her thigh which she lifts to allow his hand higher.
Her blue eyes widen when he strokes her. As she closes her eyes and grinds down in pleasure, he grabs her by her arm and leg lifting her high before tossing her screaming over the balcony railing and onto the stage below.
Her terrified scream is drowned out by the music and cheers, and for a moment, no one moves when she crashes into the wood with a sickening thud. The piano stops and all heads swivel in the direction of Aiden's laughter. His sick, chuckle is the only sound heard, and from the corner of the upstairs balcony, a movement catches his eyes. With a flick of his wrist, he buries his knife deep into the man's throat, and the girls upstairs run screaming.
Aiden approaches the balcony railing and lifts his hands. In one hand he holds a stick of dynamite, in the other a bag of gold.
“Now, before this goes any further and I kill the lot of you, I would ask that you hear me out. I am looking to hire some men. A rancher from your parts, named Dalton Rivers stole my property, and I want it back. I pay in gold dust, he jiggles the bag. In advance and I will triple the bounty for the one who brings me back my property.”
Silent faces lifted to him, fill with greed and determination, Aiden smiles. He has them now. “What will it be, Dust or Blood?” he roars.
