The Gunslinger (Barnett Ranch) (10 page)

             
He felt his manhood grow, but he kept himself in check.  She was a virgin and she was young.  He would go easy on her.  He walked toward the creek bank and laid her down
where the water just grazed her buttocks.  He kissed her hungrily, then trailed kisses down to the most private of parts and parted the lips with his tongue.  He licked and suckled on the clit.  He watched her in the moonlight.  She bucked and moaned with pleasure.

             
When she was ready to cum, he eased himself atop her and slowly took her.  He rested inside her a moment to let the pain ease, then slowly he moved in and out of her.  She relaxed and soon found herself enjoying it as much as he was. 

             
She let out a moan and he felt her cum. 
He pulled out
before he came in her, then he collapsed on top of her. 

             
“Hang on
honey;
I’m going to go get my bandanna so I can clean you up.”  Jax lifted himself off of her and went to his clothes grabbing the bandanna and then returning to her. 
He wet the cloth and wiped the blood from her privates, and wiped the cum from her naval.

Reeves

             
Reeves
left the drive as soon as his father returned
and made the trip back to Chugwater.  Montana was beautiful but wild and dangerous.  His father argued that he shouldn’t go alone but
Reeves
wouldn’t listen.  He wanted to get back and check on Virginia. 

             
His little sister was his pride and joy.  He watched over her, protected her and stood aside as she grew into her own person.  His gut continued to shout at him to hurry back.  He could feel there was something wrong.  What took a week with the cattle only took him three days by his self.  He kicked his horse into a gallop, keeping his eyes on the surrounding horizon. 

             
This was Indian country and there were some, who would like to see his scalp hanging around their neck.  Most Indians had been round up and taken to reservations
, but there were a few renegade bands
in the area.

             
He’d be at Fort
Ellis by now if he’d stayed with the herd.  He just couldn’t do it.  The naggin
g feeling in the pit of his stomach
kept pulling him back to Chugwater.

             
He couldn’t let up on the horse, just yet, either.  He needed to make it out of Indian
Territory
.  Then he would let the horse rest.  He needed to get back as quick as possible and he didn’t have time to be pinned down by a renegade band of Indians.

             
His ears picked up the sound of horses behind him. Then he heard the yells of the Indians on his tail.  Rifle fire sounded all a
round him and an arrow dug itself into his saddle. 
Reeves
pulled his colt from his side and fired into the band of Indians.  His horse was tired but he pushed him anyway.  He fired again and one of the Indians fell from his horse.  The rest of them stopped chasing him. Maybe they would stop long enough for him to get away. 

             
He aimed his horse for the river crossing
that
the herd had taken just a few weeks earlier.  He didn’t let up
un
til he was on the other side, then he jumped off his mount and took cover.  The horse didn’t run any farther, he came to a stop.  He was breathing heavily as he made his way back to the water. 
Reeves
waited but no one came.  He gave the horse a while to rest and then started out again before it could get dark.  He didn’t want to be ambushed in the dark, by those renegades. 

             
He didn’t know what tribe they were from and he didn’t really care.  His own Indian blood flowed through his veins enough to know that any tribe could be dangerous when they wanted to.  He also knew they would not see him as Indian, because he favored his father and took after him,
with
his fair complexion.

             
Just a few more miles and he would be clear.  He rode the horse hard still, making up the distance as quick as he could. 
He would see Wyoming by nightfall, and he was going to be damn sure nothing got in his way to stop him. 
             

Mrs. Ellen

             
“It’s been four
days Preacher.  Do you think he will find her?”  “Mrs. Ellen, I assure you, Jax will find her and bring her home. 
There are a few things that, you don’t know about him. 
I can’t divulge anything, because I’m sworn to secrecy, but I assure you, those men who took your granddaughter, will be seeing hell very soon.” 

             
Ellen was pacing back and forth on the front porch, watching the street waiting for
any sign of Virginia.  She was tired and worried sick.  The preacher comforted her some, but not much.  She knew Jax was good with his
guns;
one only had to watch the way he carried himself to know he was dangerous.  Still, it didn’t calm her nerves much, knowing that.  She hoped he was not also reckless. 

             
Ellen turned at the sound of her name being yelled down the street.  “Mrs. Ellen, Mrs. Ellen, you have a telegram, from Fort Laramie.  It’s from
Reeves
.”  “Are you sure, it’s from
Reeves
?  What does it say?”  “It says;
To Ellen
Barnett
, stop, Have turned back from drive, stop, worried about Virginia, stop, have a bad feeling, stop From
Reeves
Barnett
, stop.”
  

Ellen took the telegram and reread it.  She ran as fast as she could to the telegraph station to send a reply. 
To
Reeves
Barnett
, stop, Virginia kidnapped, stop, have sent trusted man to fetch her, stop, come home soon, stop, Ellen
Barnett
, stop.

“Mrs. Ellen, are you going to be ok?”  “I’ll be fine, just as soon, as Virginia gets home.”  Ellen walked back down the street and across to her restaurant.  She dismissed the Preacher, informing him she was going to lay down a while. 
She was upset and needed time alone. 

She told herself everything would be fine. 
Reeves
was coming home and if Jax didn’t bring her back,
Reeves
would.  She prayed to God, she was right.

Reeves

Reeves
re
read the telegram, sent by his grandmother.  His gut had never once failed him in situations, such as these. 
Once again, the nagging feeling he kept getting had proven to be right.  His sister had been kidnapped, now what?  Who was this trusted man?  He would know soon enough. 
Chugwater
was just coming into his sight. 

Reeves
crested the hill, took one long look at the town and kicked his gelding into a run.  The gelding was more than eager to get there too.  He knew that town
meant
food and water. 

He pulled the gelding to a stop in front of his grandmothers, home that doubled as a restaurant.  He jumped off his horse, wrapped the reins around the hitching post and walked inside.  There were no customers in the dining area, today.  She probably sent everyone home, until Virginia should return. 

Reeves
climbed the stairs and knocked on his grandmother’s bedroom door.  There was no answer, s
o he tried the knob.  It turned, so he let himself in the room.  His grandmother lay sleeping on her bed.  Tears glimmered on her face.  She’d not even bothered to fix her hair in what looked like days. 

He slammed the door shut, to wake her. 
She sat up in surprise then crossed the floor to hug him. “
Reeves
, you’re home.  I’m so glad to see you.  I’ve been so worried.
”  “What happened to Virginia, Granny?”  The old woman was distraught and couldn’t get the words out.  She hated saying them.  She couldn’t say them.  She didn’t know where to begin. 

             
Virginia awoke in Jax’s bedroll, with his arms wrapped securely around her.  She wore only his buttoned down shirt that hung to her knees, because she’d washed her clothes and hung them to dry.  She was cold and she clung closer to him.  She thought he was asleep but he pulled her tight and kissed her forehead without opening his eyes. 

             
She snuggled closer to him. “Jax,” she whispered.  “Hmm,” he opened his eyes and looked down into hers.  “What’s going to happen when we get home?”  “I’m going to take you home to Mrs. Ellen’s and everybody’s going to welcome you, home.”  “I mean, what’s going to happen between us?”  “I don’t know what you mean, honey.”  “I don’t guess I know what I mean, either.”  She dropped the subject, not knowing how to broach the question of marriage with him.

             
He kissed the top of her head.  The sun was rising and they needed to get back on the trail.  He didn’t want Mrs. Ellen to have to worry much longer.  “We should get up and get going.  Mrs. Ellen will be worried sick.”  “I know, but I just don’t want to get up.  It’s warm in your arms.”  She lifted her mouth up to his and he took it. 

             
He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him.  They made love again, until they were too exhausted to move.  They fell asleep once more in each others arms.  They slept until noon when they finally got up and dressed. Jax saddled the horse while Virginia filled the cantina at the creek.  She bent down to retrieve the water and smiled to herself. 

             
Jax rode up behind her.  “Are you ready?”  Virginia stood up and nodded.  He reached down
, wrapping his massive arm around her waist
and pulled her up in front of him.  “Let’s go home honey.”  Jax wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck.  He clucked to the mare and started off at a walk.  This man made her feel things she had never felt before.  She could only hope this feeling would last.   

             
Virginia leaned back against his chest and relaxed in his arms.
  She drifted off to sleep once
more
still exhausted from their night and morning of
lovemaking
. 

             
Jax watched his surroundings.  The area they were coming too had been full of hostile Indians just a few years back, and he didn’t want any of them to catch him off guard.  He kept his eyes on the horizon.  All seemed peaceful, maybe even a little too peaceful. 

             
It was quiet.  He listened to the birds sing, and the sound of squirrels playing in the nearby brush.
He looked up at the sky.  It was a pretty day.  Still he couldn’t ease his mind.  He searched left and right, looking for anything that might be there, that shouldn’t. 

             
Nothing stuck out to him so he shoved the thought out of his mind.  Virginia stirred and he kissed the top of her head.  “Are you awake, honey?”  Virginia moaned and stretched.  She graced him with a pretty smile that nearly took his breath.
Even with her face all bruised up, she was beautiful.
“Yes, how long have I been asleep?”  “Oh, for about an hour or two,” he answered. 

             
Virginia looked around.  “Where are we?”  “We’re still a few days ride out.  This is where those renegade Indians attacked those people a few years back.”  “How did you know about that?  You weren’t even here.”  “I was down in Cheyenne.”  “Oh,” she said. 

             
She wondered how long he was in Cheyenne before he made his way to Chugwater.  She thought it might fill in a few clues as to who he really was.  She was almost positive that he was called the Angel of Death in most of the country.
  Still, he never said whether he was or wasn’t when she brought the name up.  His face was unreadable.

             
Virginia was lost in her thoughts, so she didn’t hear what Jax said when he asked her if she needed a break.  He kissed her ear,
and then
whispered, “I asked you if you need a break.”  She squeezed her neck and ear together and squealed. Chills ran down her side.  “I will if you keep that up.” 

             
Jax laughed to himself.  Jax was tempted to do it again, now that he knew she was ticklish.  He wanted to see where else she was ticklish at. 
He waited until he got her off the horse though. 
He pulled the horse up short and eased out of the saddle pulling her down afterwards.

             
The horse sidestepped as Virginia leaned into her, when Jax nibbled at her neck and tickled her ribs right beneath her armpit.  Jax then nibbled his way up her neck until he was kissing Virginia hard and passionately on the mouth.  He broke the kiss and walked away leading the horse to a tree.  “It’ll be dark soon, and we’ll need to make camp. This seems like as good a place as any.  We’d be a lot further right now if we hadn’t gotten such a late start.”