ROMANCE: Paranormal Romance: The Valley (Book One) (Fun, Sexy, Mature Young Adult Vampire Shape Shifter Romance) (13 page)

Wild West

Chapter 1

I dreamt about cowboys since I was little girl. They’d always race down the dirt trail, their horses galloping at an astounding speed. When they weren’t doing that, the cowboys were busy chasing down criminals, herding animals, or enjoying a hot day on the ranch.

Okay, maybe I was looking at cowboys through rose-colored glasses. I’d see a few pass by, and my mamma would always tell me stories about them. Even though my mamma seemed to be the type of woman who hated the white man, even though her eyes lit up as a cowboy stopped to ask for directions.

But that was a long time ago. My mamma is in the ground, and now I’m a mamma myself. I still have my fantasies about a cowboy one day coming to sweep me off my feet, but reality tells me that won’t happen. I’m black in a town of mainly white folks, not skinny, and have a child. It appears that all the odds are stacked against me.

Thankfully, that boy of mine was almost grown, and spent more time with his father than with me. I was practically alone in my cottage, doing nothing with my life. In the frontier, there’s not much to do if you’re not a farmer or own a ton of land, and I’m neither.

For the last two months, I’d cook for myself, eat for myself, and clean the house for myself. At first, the solitude was nice, but something was missing…I was lacking excitement.

Finally, I snapped. After waking up, cooking the same breakfast and eating at the same table, I was about to read the exact same book. My life was on repeat.

It could have been my age, or perhaps just the empty nest syndrome. Whatever the cause, I desperately needed adventure. But being in a one-horse town, the only place that came to mind was the town saloon.

Something my mamma taught me was: never go inside a saloon. According to her, the place was filled with “a bunch of degenerates who will take your love and your money.” I believed that for the longest time, even when I was a rebellious teenager, but now I was wondering if it was as bad as I thought.

Hey, you only live once. And if I didn’t like it, I could get out of there. I gathered as much spare change as I could grab and waited for a traveling carriage. Finally, one showed up, and once I waved my money in front of it, it stopped. I jumped aboard.

“Where to?” the bushy-haired man asked.

“The nearest saloon.”

He gave me a judgmental glare before the carriage took off. Based on my appearance, of course he’d judge me.

He took me there, and in no time at all. The carriage stopped after 30 minutes or so, and I stepped off after handing the driver a few coins.

As the horse pulling the carriage trotted away, I looked at the saloon. Sure enough, it looked just as I thought. There were scuff marks on the doors where I assumed many fights happened, and the noise from the rowdy crowd could be heard from a mile away. It wasn’t even nighttime yet and this place would be packed.

I walked through the doors, wondering what would happen. My eyes made quick glances at the people. Some were ordinary citizens trying to enjoy their beer, and others were dirty men who were arm wrestling or shouting at each other about who go the fair share from their latest robbery.

Outlaws were common in this town. Thankfully, since I didn’t have too much money, they never bothered with me or my family, but it still gave me goose bumps looking at them. I made my way to the bar, the balding bartender looking at me with raised eyebrows.

“Don’t see your kind in here too often,” he said. I noticed the bags under his eyes. The poor fellow probably feared for his life every day. “What can I get ya?”

I enjoyed a glass of alcohol on occasion, but I was never the type to drink this early. “Just some water will do for now.”

“Goin’ to a saloon for water? You really are a strange one. But in a good way.”

With that, he filled a mug with some water. I gulped it down, impressed with how clean it was compared to the well water my mamma raised me on.

The bartender refilled my glass. “Quite thirsty, eh? Want to hear a few tales while you’re at it?”

“Sure,” I said. I was always out of the loop when it came to the gossip of the town, so it seemed a good time as ever to get caught up.

“You know about Rowdy Rand and Wily Welsh?” he asked me.

I shook my head. “Can’t say I do. With those names, I’m guessing they’re cowboys.”

He nodded. “They’re cowboys tipping on the point of outlaws. They used to be rodeo stars under the same umbrella and they’d put on a hell of a show for everyone. But then, there was a falling out. I don’t know exactly what happened. Some say it was over a lass, while others say it was because their rivalry went from friendly to a bit dangerous. I dunno. I work so much that I never get to go to those shows.”

“Interesting,” I said. “So why do you bring them up?”

“Well, both are now working for two separate rodeo shows, and both are coming to this town today. I imagine the drama’s going to be good.”

I guess. I didn’t know anything about rodeos to really say, but if the rivalry was that intense, it may be worth it to check it out. The problem was that those shows were for rich people. You know, the same people who used to own us. I couldn’t save enough to buy a ticket, even if I tried. That’s why I drank water instead of booze.

The bartender told me a few more tales about the brawls he’s witnessed, and I listened with keen ears.

After a while, the saloon began to thin out as happy hour ended. I myself began growing bored of the scene, and the temptation to get up was quite strong. Then, the doors opened. The bartender said to me, “Speaking of Rowdy Rand, there he is now.”

With a name like Rowdy Rand, I expected a burly, hairy cowboy, but once Rand walked in, my heart thumped fast, and not out of fear.

Rand’s cowboy hat could not contain his dark, flowing hair. His vest didn’t conceal his chiseled body, either. Rand’s arms looked like they could punch out a wall, and they had enough hair to make him manly, but not enough to look like a gorilla. His jaw was quite defined, and he knew how to dress with style. He had to be fifteen years younger than me, but everything about him, from the way he dressed to his walk, gave off the authority of someone much older.

I looked down. Who am I kidding? Rand probably liked girls who were younger, white, had perfect bodies not soured from childbirth, and who had money.

A few people looked at Rowdy Rand. Some clearly didn’t know who he was, and others had a look as if the President of the United States just walked into the saloon. I noticed an empty chair next to me. There was no way he would sit beside a peasant such as me, right?

Then, Rand sat down beside me. I almost jumped out of my seat.

“What’ll it be, Mr. Ransack?” the bartender said with a smile.

Rowdy Rand spoke, his voice like rich chocolate. “I’ll have a bourbon straight out of the bottle. And just Rand will do.”

“I like your style,” the bartender replied, and he poured Rand some bourbon. The bartender slammed the glass on the table, and Rand picked it up, sipping on the bourbon like it was a glass of cold milk.

I was probably a ghost to him. I eyed my water, wishing I had the guts to drink bourbon straight from the bottle. At first, I didn’t notice Rand was looking right at me until he spoke.

“Come here often?” Rand asked.

I looked up. “Are you talking to me?” I asked. It was clearly directed at me, but I had to be sure.

Rand nodded. “You’re the only one beside me, so of course.”

I was glad I was black, because my blush was probably a lot less noticeable than a white girl’s. I felt like a teenager whose idol noticed her.

So should I be honest or lie? I tried to think of what my mamma told me, and afterwards, I went with telling the truth.

“Can’t say I do. I got bored, so I decided to check out this saloon.”

“Ah,” Rand replied. “This saloon looks like the scum of the earth on the inside, but their drinks are some of the best in the West. I come here every time I put on a show.”

“Oh yeah,” I said. “The bartender was telling me about that. What time is it? I have no way of affording it, but I’m just curious.”

“Six on the dot,” Rand told me. “I’ll be doing so many tricks, it will make your head spin. I can lasso cattle like I can drink bourbon.”

“That’s quite a claim. Too bad there’s no way I can see it. “

Rand looked at me, and a smile spread across his face. I tried to prevent myself from squealing. “So you say you can’t afford it, huh?”

I nodded. “I don’t have too much money to waste.”

“Ah. Well, as a treat from yours truly, go to the ticket booth and say you’re one of Rowdy Rand’s girls. He should let you in. It’s my little code I use if a pretty lady needs to get in. Well, I gotta prepare for the show. Here’s hoping the bourbon kicks in.”

With that, Rand got up, left a few coins on the bar, and walked out. I sat there for five minutes in shock and awe until I finally stood up, my next move not known. What happened rocked my world more than it should have.

Chapter 2

I walked around the town, unsure of what I should do. A rodeo star gave me free entry into a show and said I was pretty. By all means, I should be jumping on it like a man on fire jumping into a pond. But I had the feeling this man was pulling my leg.

First, let’s review what he said. He called me pretty. Me, pretty? As if! He was probably saying that just to be nice. Or he’s playing me for a good laugh. I imagined going to the booth, only for the man behind the counter to say that I was played, and there wasn’t any free access. Or I get inside, and Rand makes a fool of me by telling the entire audience what happened.

You’re being too paranoid, Amelia,
I thought.
If anything, he’s letting you in because it improves his reputation. If the younglings know that he let a black woman in for free, they would have respect for him.

Eh, it was worth a shot.

I passed the time by exploring the town, going into shops and looking at items I couldn’t afford. I hung around the town square, the clock tower steadily approaching 6. Once it was around 5:30, I headed to where the show was supposed to be.

Not too far away from the town, there was a ranch with more than enough room for a show. A bunch of people were heading that way, most of them dressed like aristocrats. Compared to me, a woman wearing nothing but rags, I stuck out, and some gave me stares.

I saw the line to the ticket booth, and noticed how long it was. If I had to wait in line all that time, only to be told I couldn’t get in, I was going to be pissed.

I waited in line, twiddling my thumbs to pass the time. Thankfully, both the aristocrats and the teenager behind the ticket booth were fast, and before I knew it, I was in front of the booth.

“It will be five dollars,” the teenage boy said, holding the ticket in front of me.

Five dollars? How did people have that much money to blow? That was ridiculous! Well, here goes nothing. I was praying for a miracle, but knew that it probably wouldn’t end too well.

“I’m one of Rowdy Rand’s girls,” I said.

The teenager gave me a stare, and then he looked down at the ticket. Was he going to hand it to me?

Finally, his hand came out of the booth. “Here you are,” was all he said.

I took the ticket and left the booth. I could tell that he didn’t believe me, but I knew the code word, so he had little choice but to give it to me. At least Rand wasn’t lying.

I went to the benches, handing the ticket collector my ticket. I eyed a spot near the front, and I sat down before anyone could take it. Then, I waited for the show to begin.

After a few minutes, a man dressed in a flashy red, white, and blue uniform came out. “Welcome to the show!” he declared. “We have lots of fun planned for you guys. First, the clowns!”

              A few clowns came out and performed some impressive acrobatic feats. Some people, including my son, hate clowns, but I thought they did their job well. After the clowns, there was a bullfighting show where the man almost got trampled. Finally…
              “You all have been amazing. And now, for the grand finale, ladies and gentlemen, Rowdy Rand!”

The gates opened, and Rand came out, on a steed that was almost as majestic as he was. First, Rand circled around the track, his horse jumping over obstacles, including passing through a hoop of fire. Once he made the obstacle course, a herd of cattle was unleashed into the ring. Rand pulled out a rope from nowhere and started spinning it into a lasso. Every time he threw it, a cow flew back because his lasso was on point. Soon, all the cattle were herded in one neat pile. Rand stood on his horse, bowed to the crowd, and everyone went wild. Including myself. Rand then took out a gun and fired. The bullets ricocheted off a metal plate, bounced off a shade, and hit a barrel in the center stage. The barrel exploded into a brilliant ball of fire. Everyone cheered. Rand then left the stage. There was a few more shows after that, but most of the people were only interested in Rand, and they left when his show was done.

I stuck around for the closing acts as the crowd began thinning out. I wondered if I should head home, or look for Rand. But did he really care about me?

Outside the ranch, I noticed the caravan where all the actors were hanging around. I headed that way. A crowd of screaming girls were near the caravan, being held back by a bodyguard. I pushed those white girls out of the way with ease, and made it to the front of the crowd.

“Rand’s asleep,” the bodyguard told me. “Everyone needs to get out.”

Great. Looks like I couldn’t see Rand. I sighed, and was about to turn back. But then, I decided to see if the code worked on this bodyguard.

“I’m one of Rand’s girls,” I said.

The bodyguard raised his eyebrow and looked at another guard. They spoke to each other in whispers, and then he said to me. “All right. But if you’re lying, we’ll make sure you never come to a show again.”

The two bodyguards led me into the caravan, and a few girls jeered at me. So long! I felt a bit more confident, but I was still afraid of what I’d find. What if Rand was playing me, and acted like I didn’t exist once I entered the caravan?

They led me past different rooms until I arrived at the room in the very back. Here goes nothing.

The bodyguards opened the door, and I was quite impressed at Rand’s quarters. There was a bed that put mine to shame, and surrounding it was a nice, wooden dresser and even a small bath. And to think that this was only his touring room.

              “Is she yours?” the bodyguard asked.

Thump, thump.

              “Yes, she is,” Rand said. “Y’all can leave.”

The bodyguards, still giving me a judgmental glare, left, and soon only Rand and I were in the room.

“That was… a great show you put on,” I said. Ah, gee, I probably scared him away just from the awkwardness alone.

Rand smiled. “Thank you. I spent months trying to perfect my aim. We lost so many barrels of gunpowder from practicing.”

“It was worth it,” I said. “I’m just glad I could see it. I thought I never would.”

“Everyone’s gotta see my show at least once in their lifetime,” Rand replied. I smiled. He was smug, but that’s what I liked about him.

There was a short silence, and then Rand said, “So tell me about yourself.”

Great. I couldn’t wait to turn him off from my horrible life story. Nothing lightens the mood more than telling how I got pregnant at the age of 18 and how the father left me because a white woman fell in love with him.

But I told him anyway, and he legitimately seemed to care about my story, and wasn’t just saying he was upset just to make me feel good. Once I told his story, he said, “That’s rough. You deserve better than that.”

I almost wanted to cry at his words. Even my own mamma was disappointed in how my life turned out. Made watching her go even worse.

Rowdy Rand then explained his own story. “My parents weren’t the richest, either. I used to love the rodeo, and always wanted to be a cowboy. I did so many jobs as a kid to get enough money to go. My hands still hurt from all the weed-pulling and waiving that newspaper around. After seeing the show, it inspired me. I dropped out of school and became the best I could be, and now, all them folks who thought I was going to fail are now asking me for money. It’s wonderful.”

We talked a bit more about our lives. Once I started feeling less star struck, I realized that Rand’s a down-to-earth guy and quite nice.

Finally after thinking it for the whole conversation, I said, “So how come you invited me to the show? I’m nothing like your other screaming fans.”

I expected him to say he felt bad for me. He grinned. “Because you’re the perfect woman for me,” he said.

No way! He had to be playing me like a fiddle in a traveling band. There was no way I was perfect.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He stood up, walking close to me. “Being a rodeo star, I’ve had my harems, and they’ve all been white women. They’re nice, sure, but black women are the wilder ones. Especially if they’re experienced.”

I wasn’t that experienced. But I can pretend I was.

He continued. “Also, some of the best sex I had was with women who had a whole lot on them. You’re a combination of everything I like in a woman.”

Hearing these words made me want to smile like some dumb girl in school. Not only that, but feelings were surfacing that I thought went away years ago. My heart tingled more than when I thought I found love. I was sweating profusely despite it being a cool night. And between my legs, my womanhood craved more of this.

We came closer, the strong cowboy grabbing me by the arms. He brought me closer until our lips touched. I could feel the raw power coming from his lips as they pressed against mine, holding nothing back. Rand’s tongue slid into my mouth.

My eyes widened. No one had ever been this wild with me; not even my last husband. My mamma would say this was a sin against God, but I loved this sensation. I closed my eyes and let him kiss me. Once I learned how he moved his tongue, my own tongue moved with him. Soon, we were kissing like two teenage lovers. I pulled away for a few seconds to catch my breath.

“You’re amazing,” was all I could say.

“You’re even more,” Rand replied. I swooned. “Now, could you undress for me?”

“I’m embarrassed,” I replied, but I did it anyway. My arms moved automatically, stripping me of my raggedy clothes. Soon, I stood in front of him, baring it my all.

I thought he’d be turned off, but instead he went closer, his hand grabbing my left breast. From the extra weight and from being a mother, it was quite big, and I could tell Rand was having fun squeezing it. His finger circled around the tip of my nipple, which hardened at the very touch.

I never thought I could get turned on so much by being touched there, but I did. I felt hornier than I did when I was 16, and even Rand was getting turned on by it. I noticed the bulge in his jeans. My hand ghosted over it, and I felt his hard thing trying to break out of his pants.

I grabbed his pants and pulled them down. With only his white boxers, his erection was almost free, and I gasped at the size. Rand pulled down his own boxers, and then it was free.

“It’s huge,” I said. His penis was almost half as long as my arm, and it made me dripping wet.

“I’ve got quite a snake down there. Most women can’t handle it.”

I looked at his massive cock, and imagined it inside me. The fantasy was too much, and I let out a moan just thinking about it. I went against his bed, showing him my big ass.

“I can’t take it anymore!” I shouted. “Give it to me.”

I sounded so desperate, so demanding, and in any other circumstances, I’d feel embarrassed submitting this easy to a young white man. But there was something about him that ruled my world, and made me want more.

Rand took no time at all with my request. I felt the head of his giant thing press against my vulva. Normally, I’d have a hard time getting that inside, but I was so wet down there that it slid inside me as easy as pancakes on a buttery pan. He went a few inches in and already, I was screaming his name.

I wondered if his fans could hear me outside the caravan. The thought of them knowing he chose me over them gave me a smug grin, which quickly changed to a pleasurable gasp once he went deeper inside me. Rand’s thrusts moved to a rhythm, and my ass bounced to it.

“You’re packing so much back there,” Rand said, his hands grabbing both my cheeks. He moved his hands, my ass bouncing as he did. I felt both his hands raise up, and before I knew it, they slapped my ass.

Stinging pain shot through my ass, and I let out a yelp. The last time I got spanked like that, it was because I mouthed off in front of mamma. Of course, I was a child back then. When you were a kid, being spanked brought you to tears, and you’d be promising your mamma that you’d never do whatever you did again.

When you’re an adult, it felt amazing! “Do it again!” I shouted, the words escaping me before I could even think about them.

“Yes, ma’am,” Rand said, and his hands raised again.
Smack!
This time, he spanked me harder. I could feel my ass jiggle as his hand slapped my cheeks, and while I was distracted, Rand used this as a chance to go deeper inside me.

My womb felt so full as he ploughed me with his massive cock. He still had a bit more to go, but he already satisfied me for a long time. A familiar sensation soon spread across me. It was the feeling of an orgasm. Something that I hadn’t felt in years. My husband could never make me feel like this no matter how hard he tried. I shouted as I let out an orgasm, my body stiffening at the pleasure. My body then relaxed a bit, ironically, as Rand spanked my ass again.

Rand then pulled out his cock just as I was building up to another orgasm. I turned around to look at his penis, which was glistening with both our juices. “Turn around,” he told me.

I flipped over on my back, spreading my legs. As I did, he entered me, and he looked me right in the eyes as he did. His piercing blue eyes suddenly softened and we looked at each other not as sex partners, but lovers.

I moved in tandem with his thrusts, and soon, we were both reaching our climax. Well, for me, it was my third climax or so. I kind of lost count. My walls tightened around his cock as he screamed. Then, my womb felt hot as he pumped me with his cum. Three powerful blasts shot from him. As he pulled out his cock, a bit of his sperm oozed from the tip.