“Wolfe, help us,” cried Lexi, holding out her hand. This time he tried to move forward, but his feet were stuck in the muck.
“Nay!” he cried out when the Serpent opened its jaws and snatched a screaming Emma from Lexi’s arms. It flipped the little girl up into the air and swallowed her body whole. Wolfe’s hand reached for his gun, but of course it wasn’t there. He was standing there in his drawers again, and just his hat and boots. Damned, this was getting old.
Lexi screamed in horror at seeing her child swallowed by the beast, and the Serpent opened its jaws, coming after her next.
“Nay, leave her alone,” he shouted. When his feet wouldn’t move he looked down to see his brothers holding him to the spot, laughing. They looked evil, like before, and it turned his stomach. Then he noticed someone kneeling over another body, and to his horror it was Ginny, all bloody, kneeling over the dead body of Anna Mae.
“Nay!” He tried to move again, and this time it wasn’t his twin brothers holding his legs. This time when he looked down, their faces looked like . . . him.
Everything froze suddenly, stopping in mid-motion. He wasn’t surprised to see William step through the fog. The knight looked severely disappointed and just shook his head.
“What is this? Why am I here and what does this all mean?” Wolfe had to know.
“You’ve created this world, Billy, and only you can change it.”
“I tried. I tried to get my family together and do what you said. It didn’t work.”
“Nobody said it was going to be easy. A warrior doesn’t give up - especially not a de Wolfe warrior. If you want things in your life to change – you need to change first. If you don’t - things will only stay the same or get worse. Now pick up your sword and shield and go proudly into the midst of battle to protect those of your family. Protect those you love.”
Wolfe woke up in the upstairs room of the Diamondback Saloon, sleeping on a bug-infested mattress that lie directly on the floor. His head throbbed. He eyed the empty bottle of whiskey next to him, and remembered everything now. He’d come here from the ranch, so upset he couldn’t even concentrate on tracking down the last member of the Hendershott gang.
He felt like a failure for the first time in his life. William was right. He’d let down his family by leaving. He didn’t stay to help save the ranch and he didn’t stay to be with Lexi – the girl he loved.
He sat up and moaned, wondering where that thought had come from. He hadn’t ever admitted to anyone, not even himself, that he actually loved someone. Hell, he didn’t even know he loved Lexi until she slapped some sense into him and walked away.
He had to get back to the ranch. He couldn’t just let things continue this way, William was right. If he refused to change his ways, why on earth would his siblings want to change? He was the head of the family now, and by God he was going to lead by example. He only hoped that it wasn’t too late.
He jumped up off the mattress and pulled on his pants. The door opened and he turned around to see Faye hanging on the arm of bounty hunter, Killian McCree.
“Sorry, Wolfe, I didn’t know you were in here,” said Faye. “We’ll wait until you’re through.”
“Wolfe, did you hear Jacko escaped and has joined up with his brother again?” asked McCree.
“He did?” Wolfe looked up as he donned his socks and boots.
“I had him halfway back to Nevada when I was ambushed. It seems the Hendershotts added a few more to their gang lately. I’m not proud to admit I lost him. They need to be brought in, and I don’t trust that they’re not going to hunt me down and shoot me in the back the first chance they get. I was lucky to get away with my life. However, with two of us, we could bring them in easily. Are you in, Wolfe?”
“What’s the bounty for the rest of the gang?” asked Wolfe, pulling his shirt into place.
“The bounty on each of their heads has doubled. The beauty of it is they can be brought in dead or alive.”
“Really?” He looked up in surprise. “That changed.”
“It changed the day they killed women and children on a stage not far from here. They’re ruthless, Wolfe. We’ve got to bring them in.”
“I can’t help you right now, McCree, though you know I’d like to. I’ve got something of importance to do first.”
“If you mean stopping that sister of yours, please do it,” said Faye. “She’s downstairs right now in one of her low-necked expensive gowns, and she’s coercing every man there to buy her a drink and asking for stagecoach fare to head back east.”
“Ginny’s here?” That surprised and upset him at the same time. He hurriedly strapped on his gunbelt, and pulled his duster into place. “What the hell is she thinking?”
“I heard her say she’s looking for you,” answered Faye.
“She’s going to get herself into trouble in a place like this. She can’t take care of herself.”
“Tell her she can’t work the Diamondback. I work this saloon, and I’m not sharing,” said Faye.
“She’s not a . . .”
Faye raised one eyebrow and pursed her lips.
“She’s not in the same profession as you, Faye.”
“Wolfe, if you’re not using the room, leave already will you?” McCree ran his hand down Faye’s back. “I’ve got something to take care of before I head back out to hunt down the rest of the Hendershott gang.”
“Sorry I won’t be going with you.” Wolfe headed out the door. He stopped and turned back to Faye “I don’t . . . owe you anything, do I, Faye?”
“What for?” She put her hands on her hips and laughed. “I tried to entice you but you just kept mumbling about some girl named Trixie or Lessie and wanted nothing to do with me.”
“Do you mean Lexi?” He found himself holding his breath, waiting for her answer.
“Yes, that’s it. Whoever she is, she’s a lucky gal. Any man who is drunk out of his mind and can refuse someone like me –” She held out her arms and did a twirl to let him see her goods. “Well, that gal is really lucky to have you, Wolfe.”
He didn’t answer, he just turned and hurried away. He was met by Jake Stonewall at the foot of the stairs.
“Wolfe, I haven’t had time to come to the ranch to collect what you owe me, but I added up your bill if you want to pay it now.”
“Sure, Jake. Thanks.” He pulled a handful of coins from his pocket and held it out to Jake. He looked over and saw Ginny sidled up with two men, sitting on a tall stool at the bar. Her long gown cascaded over the side, and just missed the dirty floor. He recognized the men with her, and they were nothing but trouble. He’d had confrontations with both of them in the past, and knew their kind well.
Jake took the proper amount from Wolfe and started to walk away, and but Wolfe stopped him. “Wait.” He flipped another coin through the air and Jake caught it.
“What’s this for?” he asked, looking at the money.
“I have a feeling there will be more broken things I need to pay for in just a few minutes, so add that on to what I’ll owe.”
With his rifle strapped over one shoulder, Wolfe’s hand wavered above his revolver as he eyed the drunkards across the room bothering Ginny. One of them grabbed her by the wrist, and she cried out and tried to pull away. The other had the nerve to reach out and actually touch her breast.
Without hesitation, Wolfe pulled his gun from the holster and fired off two warning shots into the air.
Shouts were heard and people hit the floor, and Ginny looked up with tears in her eyes.
“Get your filthy hands off my sister, or the next shots I fire will take off both your damned heads,” he growled.
Both the men let go of her and held their hands in the air.
“Wolfe, we had no idea she was your sister,” said one.
“We thought she was a whore, in that dress and being in the saloon and all,” said the other.
That angered Wolfe even more, and this time the bullet he fired lodged into the floor r
ight in front of the man’s foot. He jumped and held his foot in the air.
“Call my sister a whore again, and you won’t make it out of here alive.”
“Wolfe, calm down,” came a voice from the door. He looked over to see Wade standing there with Warion.
“Where have you two been? And why did you leave your sister alone in a place like this?”
“We didn’t know Ginny was going to come in here,” Warion protested. “She only asked us to take her to town on the buckboard to look at hats.”
“Time got away from us, really.” Wade limped across the room, staggering from obviously having had too much to drink. He stumbled and fell against the poker table, and all the coins and cards fell to the floor.
“You bastard, you did that on purpose.” A big, burly man with rotten teeth got up and grabbed Wade by the front of his shirt and threw him against the wall.
“You can’t do that to my brother.” Warion lunged at him next, but the same thing happened to him. All all-out brawl started up again, and dozens of men started hitting and punching, and there were way too many people to use a warning shot this time.
“Ginny, get the hell out of here now, and wait outside on the buckboard,” growled Wolfe.
“But Wolfe, I . . .”
“Go, I said!”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes, then picked up her skirts and ran out the door.
“Dammit,” said Wolfe, shoving his gun back into the holster. The big, burly guy was beating on Wade like he was nothing more than a ragdoll while his friend held Warion’s arms and made him watch. From a run, Wolfe lunged at the big guy, taking him down hard. Though he was twice Wolfe’s size, he sat atop him, trying to hold him down. Then the man put his hands around Wolfe’s neck and started strangling him while someone else smashed a bottle of whiskey over Wolfe’s head.
Wolfe could barely breathe. He grabbed for his revolver and used the butt to hit the man over the head, hard. Once free from his hold, Wolfe dragged Wade to his feet and shoved him toward the door. “Get outside and watch over Ginny, if you think you can manage that easy task.”
He pulled Warion out of another man’s grip next, and shoved him across the room as well. “Get outta here, Warion.” He punched a man and ducked from the fist of another. Someone lifted a chair above their head, meaning to bring it down atop Wolfe’s head, but he was aware of every move around him. He pulled the man he was fighting forward, and the chair smashed over his head instead.
“Let’s go,” he told his brother.
“Wait, I want to fight,” said Warion, always wanting to be in the midst of trouble.
“Then you’ll have to fight me, because I’m getting my family out of here and you have nothing to say about it. He pushed Warion out to the buckboard where Ginny and Wade were already waiting. He threw his brother into the back and slapped the horse on the rear to send it away.
Then he mounted his own horse, and turned back to see a lone figure standing in the doorway of the saloon. He didn’t need the moonlight to see it was the knight. William just looked at him with a slight smile and nodded.
“It’s not over yet, but you’re making good progress,” said the man as Wolfe turned and rode away. He wasn’t sure what just happened, but it felt right. It felt good to be the protector William had told him to be. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d even heard himself say aloud that he was getting his family out of here. There was that word again, and this time he didn’t dread it. This time he felt proud to be the protector of his family, no matter how broken of a family they truly were.
Chapter 6
Lexi ran to the door and threw it open, hearing the shouts of what she knew were the de Wolfe siblings. She saw Wolfe leading the way on his horse, and his siblings following in the buckboard.
“It’s them. They’re back,” she cried out, grabbing her shawl from the hook on the wall, and throwing it over her shoulders.
“Who is it Mommy?” asked Emma, walking from her bedroom, rubbing her eyes.
“It’s just Billy and his brothers and sister,” she said, bending down and kissing Emma atop the head.
Anna Mae ran out of the kitchen, drying her hands in a towel. “I’ll put Emma back to bed, Lexi. You go to Wolfe.”
“Thank you,” she said, giving her daughter a quick squeeze and hurrying out the door to greet them. She found him at the pump, splashing water over his face. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and in the light of the moon she could tell his eye was black and blue.
“Billy, you’re bleeding.” She ran to him, and gathered him in her arms.
“It’s just a scratch,” he said, looking down, washing his hands rather than looking into her eyes.
“Just a scratch, hah! He’s got glass embedded in his head from a shattered bottle from when he saved Wade from getting his ass kicked.” Warion removed himself from the back of the buckboard.
“My ass? He saved yours as well,” grumbled Wade, helping his sister down off the seat.
“Ginny, what happened to your gown?” Lexi’s eyes opened in surprise when she saw the normally impeccably clean woman standing there in a gown that was not only covered with dust and what smelled like alcohol, but also torn on the bodice, exposing her corset underneath.”
“She played with fire and she got burned, that’s what happened.” Wolfe grabbed his hat and headed toward the house. “Boys, get the horses taken care of and meet me inside. We’ve got something we need to talk about.”
“Now? I’m tired,” complained Ginny.
“Now!” was all he said, and then there was silence as his family followed his orders.
A half hour later, Wolfe flinched as Lexi removed the last piece of glass from his skull and rubbed an ointment on his wound.
“You’re lucky you don’t need stitches,” she told him, rinsing out a rag in a wash basin.
Ginny had already changed out of her gown and washed up and was wrapped up in one of Anna Mae’s quilts, sitting by the fire.
“What happened tonight, Billy?” Lexi squeezed out the rag.
“I did what I had to in order to protect my family.”
Wade and Warion entered and headed over and sat by the fire as well. The mood in the room was sullen. Everyone waited for Wolfe to speak. He stood slowly, feeling the pain in his head. Anna Mae sat in the rocking chair, and thankfully, little Emma had managed to sleep through all this.
“What happened tonight better never happen again,” Wolfe warned them. “I might not always be around to come to your rescue.”
“Actually, that’s the first time,” Wade pointed out.
“That’s right. The only time you ever came to our aid,” added Warion.
It wasn’t true, but rather than to argue the fact he’d saved them both many times from their father’s beatings, he just let it go. “I’m sorry about being such a cold-hearted bastard all these years, but something in me has changed lately. From now on, I’m going to always be there for each one of you, so don’t ever hesitate to ask me to help you.”
“What brought about this remarkable change?” asked Anna Mae, rocking and looking up from darning some clothes.
“It was the ghost, wasn’t it?” asked Ginny, and he could already see the twins starting to smirk. “Wolfe, that’s why I was in the saloon tonight. I was looking for you to tell you I saw that man with the eyepatch you were talking about.”
“You did?” Wolfe was surprised, since he was starting to think that maybe he was the only one of his siblings who could see William.
“I saw him watching over you and Lexi when you kissed the other day, though I hadn’t wanted to admit it.”
“Oh!” Lexi looked down, embarrassed, and played with the wet rag.
“You kissed Lexi?” Wade asked.
“You kissed her?” Warion echoed his brother. “Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Anna Mae looked over the top of her wire rimmed spectacles. “They’re in love.”
“You are?” Wade ha
d that soused expression on his face that always made him look like a drunken fool. Wolfe knew the conversation was embarrassing Lexi, and he didn’t want to talk about it with everyone before he’d had a chance to speak to her about their situation in private first.
“I’m going to stay here and help bring the ranch back to where it was when Pa was alive,” Wolfe announced. “I’m also going to head a cattle drive to take the cattle to market.”
“Oh, Wolfe, thank you!” Anna Mae put her darning down on her lap and smiled.
“I thought you had bounty hunting to do,” said Ginny.
“I’ll still do that, but this is going to be my priority. If we all stay and pitch in, we can do this. Our . . . family . . . won’t lose the ranch after all. So who’s in with me?” He looked from one of his siblings to the other, but none of them made direct eye contact with him. His heart dropped. He had failed. William wasn’t going to be proud of him now.
He shook his head, wondering when he’d started caring what a ghost thought of him.
“I don’t want him to stay. I want Chase back.” He looked up to see Emma standing in the doorway of the bedroom, obviously having overheard everything.
“Emma, get back to bed.” Lexi hurried over to her daughter.
Once again, Wolfe felt like an outsider looking in, and he didn’t like that feeling. He was almost getting used to this idea of family, and had hoped things would change now since he was changing – just like William said. But maybe even ghosts were wrong once in awhile. Maybe none of this really made a difference after all.
“Do what you want, I don’t care.” Wolfe got up and put his hat on his head and left the house without looking back.
“Billy, wait,” called out Lexi, but he didn’t even turn around. “Anna Mae, can you help me with Emma?”
The woman put down her darning and walked over to help her, but stopped and looked back at the other siblings along the way. “I may only be your stepmother and not even for a very long period of your lives, but I have to say that I think what Wolfe is doing is wonderful. Your father would have been very proud of him right now, and very disappointed in the rest of you.”
Wolfe of the West Page 5