by Kris Norris
Jude nodded, unable to talk past the tight feeling in his chest. He inhaled, breathing in the sweet essence of his mate, tainted by the lingering order of smoke and whiskey. He took off, following it toward the saloon. Horse and men wove through the fragrance, finally fading to the point he knew he’d need his true wolf form to continue the trail.
A huff sounded off to his right. Jude turned, watching as Ethan’s wolf crept out of the shadows, nose lifting as it scented the air. A deep growl resonated through his chest, his lips curling back in a snarl. Jude took a step toward him when footsteps sounded by the side of the tavern. Ethan slipped away just as the mayor rushed around the corner, stopping with a startled gasp after nearly colliding with Jude.
The man took a couple of stumbling steps back, removing his hat as he placed it against his chest. “Marshals. Praise the Lord. You have to go after them. They have her.”
Grant motioned Jude to hold firm as he moved forward. “They have who, John?”
“Ms. Buchanan. She was sittin’ in here when those bandits rode into town. Told us all to stay inside…keep away from the windows. Then she went after them. Mumbled something about helpin’ out those other two Marshals. We heard the gunfire, then I saw a couple of men ride out of here as if the Devil, himself, was chasin’ them. They had Ms. Buchanan slung over one of their saddles.”
Jude pushed past Grant, not caring when his wolf edged forward. “Did you recognize either of the men?”
John’s face paled. “She had your eyes. When she looked at me before leavin’ to help you. She had your eyes.”
Grant stepped in front, blocking Jude out. “The men, Mayor. Do you know who they were?”
John blinked, trying to look past Grant before nodding. “Just the one. It was Bret Wilson. I’d know that man’s face anywhere.”
Jude growled, pacing away from the man. He heard Grant send the mayor on his way, a token thanks fading with the other man’s footsteps. A hand landed on his shoulder, Grant’s gaze finding his.
“I’m going to assume you and Marshal McClaren will be pursuing the Wilson brothers.” He merely nodded at Jude’s show of teeth. “I’ll take care of that warrant then head your way. Catch up with you boys in Tombstone. Just…do these parts a favor and don’t leave any of those boys breathin’.”
“You don’t have to follow us.”
“Don’t like gettin’ shot at. Like them takin’ your mate even less. I’ll catch up. One way or another. Bring your horses. You aren’t plannin’ on takin’ them, are you?” He grinned. “Thought not.”
Jude slapped the man on the shoulder, kneeling down as Ethan prowled out of the darkened corner. “You up for this.”
The wolf snapped its jaws, knocking its head against Jude.
He smiled. “All right, buddy. Let’s go show those boys what happens when they take what’s ours.”
Chapter Eleven
McKenna groaned, the heavy feeling in her head blurring her surroundings when she tried to open her eyes. Gray shadows played along the walls, the stench of beer and cigars causing her stomach to heave. She rolled onto her side, inhaling a harsh breath as pain flared through her ribs, ending in a sharp stabbing sensation in her temple. Something nudged at her conscience, but it bled into dark spots across her vision.
She concentrated on breathing, drifting in and out of consciousness as shouts and laughter echoed in the background. The ground had cooled beneath her when she finally managed to pry open one eye, taking in the room. Walls edged her vision, a lone chair sitting off to her left. She tried to lever up, landing back on her shoulder when her arms refused to move. She tugged at them, cursing inwardly when she finally realized they were bound behind her back. A tight feeling prickled beneath her skin as a whimper sounded in her head.
Footsteps clicked close by, rough hands clenching her shoulders. She hissed as they lifted her, sparking more pain through her body. She landed hard in the chair she’d seen, the stiff wood digging into her back as her arms were yanked farther behind her. The room faded, her eyes closing as voices rattled next to her.
A foot connected with hers. “Hey, bitch. Wake up.”
Fingers threaded through her hair, wrenching her head back as foul-smelling breath washed across her face. “Buchanan. We’re talkin’ to you.”
She moaned, trying to tell them all to go to hell, but nothing would form on her tongue.
The hand shoved her head forward. “Damn it, Jack. You gave her too much of that chloroform. We rode all night so we could be back here by mornin’. Let Frank have first go at her. But thanks to you, she’s still out.”
“You told me you didn’t want any surprises, Bret. Told me to keep her out. What the hell did you think I was going to do? The woman has a knack of killin’ folks. Wasn’t going to take a chance she’d get away. And it’s not like I know how quickly that stuff wears off. Figured it was better to just keep givin’ her more. Besides, you’re the one who hit her with the rifle. You’re lucky you didn’t kill her outright.”
“Bitch seems to take more than most.” Bret snorted. “And now we’re stuck here, waitin’ for her to come around. What fun is playin’ with her if she’s not conscious?”
The sounds blended into incoherent mumblings, her head lolling to one side. Time melded into the throbbing pain in her temples, and she didn’t know how long she’d been sitting there when cold water splashed across her face. She gasped, choking out her next few breaths as fingers pinched her chin. A low snarl sounded in her mind, a familiar scratching feeling breaking through the haze.
“I know you’re awake. Open your eyes, Buchanan.”
She blinked, one eye still not working right as she stared at the man hovering in front of her, his fingers bruising her jaw. A cruel smile worked across his mouth, and he pushed her head away as he straightened, yellowed teeth showing between his thin lips. Another growl echoed in her mind, her fingers twitching behind her back. The man moved backwards as two more stepped into view. They snickered at her, bending down to kneel at her feet.
Bret nudged his brother, smiling at her. “Well, well, looks like your luck has run out, girl. And ours is just beginning.” He stood, slipping behind her as he yanked her head back, forcing her to look up at him. “I told you we’d meet again, only this time you don’t have those marshals around to save you.”
He let go, laughing as her head bounced forward. “Wasn’t very nice, you shootin’ Frank. Had to cauterize the damn wound just to save his life. He didn’t like that. So now it’s his turn to show you what happens to people who cross us.”
Frank stepped in front of her, reaching for her shirt and ripping it open. Buttons flew across the room, the tiny pinging sound alerting something inside her. She watched as the room faded into shades of gray, a telltale ache moving through her limbs.
Frank stared at her, mouth curving into a frown as he glanced at his brother. “There’s something wrong with her eyes.”
“What the hell are you mumbling about now?” Bret shuffled around to his brother’s side. “Who cares about her eyes? Those aren’t the parts you should be interested in. Just fuck her.”
“But…” He motioned to her. “Don’t you want to know why she’s been huntin’ us?”
“Do I look like I care? She’s just another gunslinger out to cash in that bounty on our heads. Nothin’ more.”
“I don’t think so. Some of the guys said she didn’t take the reward for Tanner.”
“So she’s stupid on top of everything else. Are you going to take her or what?”
Frank sneered at Bret. “You ain’t the boss here, Bret. I can ask her questions if I want. I am the older brother.” He turned back to her. “Why did you come after us?”
She stared at him, his words rattling around her head as she tried to get her tongue to work, but her teeth felt too big. Her mind divided.
Frank leaned forward, grabbing her chin like his brother had done earlier. “I asked you a question. I suggest you answer.”
S
he snorted, groaning when he snapped her head back as he released it. Damn, whatever they’d hit her with had done some serious damage. She managed to make eye contact as she worked at the ropes binding her hands. “You never should have brought me here. They’ll come.”
Frank frowned. “Who?” He laughed. “Those Marshals? Why would they do that? They came to Tombstone to arrest you, so don’t try to pretend like they care what happens to you. Besides, a storm pushed through these hills during the night. Rain washed away my brother’s tracks. Afraid no one’s going to find you before you’re nothing more than a heap of bones bleached by the desert sun.”
“Right. You keep tellin’ yourself that.” She clenched her jaw as pain throbbed in her head. “Not going to end well. I promise you that.”
“It’s going to end with you screaming my name before I slit your throat. Now tell me why you’ve been huntin’ us before I give you something else to choke on.”
“You honestly don’t remember me. That’s a shame. You boys should be more careful about who you wrong. Never know when the past is going to come back and bite you in the ass.”
Bret shuffled forward, bending down beside Frank. “Darlin’ you must have the wrong men. We never leave anyone alive.”
“Then I guess the other night wasn’t the first time you’d lost against me. Won’t be your last, either.”
The man laughed, swatting his brother in the arm. “Damn, I love a woman who fights back. Don’t have all the fun big brother. I want to hear her scream my name, too.”
Frank nodded. “I’ll leave her alive. That’s all I can promise.” He slid open the buckle on his pants, dropping them to his knees. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll make sure you have a real good time. But I bet that’s really why you came lookin’ for us, isn’t it? You wanted more.”
He reached for her pants when a knock sounded on the door. He turned as it opened, another man popping through. “What now?”
The guy glanced at her. “Something’s wrong. Wayne went out to check on a noise by the barn and never came back. There’s something out there, and I don’t think it’s human.”
“Bloody hell. It’s probably just some coyotes or something. Take Dale and go have a look. That’s what we’re payin’ you for. And when you find Wayne, tell him he’s being docked a day’s worth of pay for bein’ stupid.”
The guy nodded, though McKenna could see the uncertainty in his eyes. “Maybe one of you should come along.”
Bret snorted. “You afraid of coyotes? Shit, we need to find better help.” He patted Frank on the back. “Have your fun. I’ll be back soon and I want my turn.”
Bret slapped the other man on the back of the head as they walked out the door, slamming it shut behind them.
Frank turned to her, grinning. “Looks like it’s just you and me, baby. But don’t worry. After Bret has his turn, we’ll both take you.” He leaned down over her, fingering the top of her corset. “Tell me. Did you give yourself to those marshals? Spread your thighs for them? Take them together? I’m bettin’ you did.”
She smiled. “And I’m bettin’ those aren’t coyotes out there.”
Frank’s hand faltered before he speared his fingers through her hair, holding her head back. “Doesn’t matter who’s out there. Bret’ll kill ‘em.”
“And that’s going to be your second mistake. Assuming you can kill what’s not even human.”
The man frowned, then laughed. “Not even human? Girl, you are crazier than I thought. But I’ll play along. What was our first mistake?”
“Not killin’ me ten years ago.”
McKenna closed her eyes as she gave herself over to her wolf, Frank’s scream echoing through the room.
* * * *
Jude crouched in the shadows lining the barn, one of Bret’s men dead at his feet. He could still taste the fear in the man’s blood as Jude had attacked the outlaw from behind, slicing through his jugular vein before the bastard had been able to do more than grunt. Jude had waited to see if more would venture out, but the others hadn’t stepped off the safety of the porch.
He padded toward the main building, ears twitching. They’d pushed hard, following McKenna’s scent across the scrubby landscape. A harsh storm had washed away the horses’ tracks, but it hadn’t been able to sever their connection to their mate, her very essence leading them along. They’d happened upon the homestead just as the sun had dipped below the distant hills, bleeding the sky into a fiery orange.
Ethan had pushed hard, his body still trying to heal from the gunshot wound. Jude had tried to get the man to rest—allow him to get McKenna back for them—but Ethan’s wolf had stubbornly kept moving, covering the miles without stopping. The animal had collapsed after ducking into the barn, and Jude had left his friend resting as he’d dealt with their first intruder.
His wolf growled inside his head. Ethan getting hurt had irritated the hell out of it. Having them take McKenna… The animal was beyond being reasoned with. All it knew was that their mate was inside, and there wasn’t anything it wouldn’t do to get her back.
He trotted around to the rear of the building, her scent increasing as he closed in on a window to a back room. He sniffed the air, this growl sounding in the growing darkness as he caught a whiff of male arousal mixed in with her unique marker. His lips pulled back into a snarl as he eyed the glass, judging the distance, when a guttural scream pierced the silence.
Jude shuffled back, lining up the window when it shattered outwards, a man’s body falling to the ground amidst a shower of glass. The guy rolled across the ground, clutching the jagged wound at his neck as he tried to stumble to his feet. Another figure jumped through the opening, landing gracefully on the dirt as it tracked the male, tackling him into the mud before he’d even risen. Teeth flashed in the waning light, a gurgled rasp fading into silence again.
Jude took a few cautious steps forward when the creature raised its head, snout stained with blood, ears flat against its head. It snapped its jaws at him, slowly stalking around the dead body as it kept a healthy distance between them. White fur gleamed against the black shadows lining the house, the beauty of her stealing his breath.
He moved toward her, stopping when a low growl resonated through the air. He cocked his head, answering in kind, knowing they needed to get clear before the other men came running. She flicked her tail, slowly edging toward him, head lowered, eyes wary. She sniffed the air as she closed in on him, her wolf halting in its tracks. Her eyes widened and she rushed forward, nuzzling his neck as her tail swished through the air. He yipped, licking her ear before backing up as footsteps pounded around the side of the house.
He nudged her side, darting in front of her when Bret and another man rounded the corner, mouths gaping open as they took in the scene. Jude backed up, taking McKenna with him as Bret’s gaze fell to Frank.
“Frank?” Disbelief shaped his features as he swung his focus to them, hatred gleaming in his eyes. “I’ll fucking skin you.”
Jude growled in warning, determined to stand between the men and his mate when both men lurched forward, the gun Bret had drawn firing as the man hit the ground. The bullet whizzed past Jude, hitting the wall as the report echoed across the landscape. Jude looked back at the men, cursing inwardly when Ethan’s wolf stumbled forward, somehow managing to stay upright as it staggered toward him, tongue lolling out of its mouth. Jude lunged for him, nudging him around the building as the men pushed onto their hands and knees.
Jude glanced at Ethan, not sure if the man would get clear in time as the wolf limped across the ground. Jude cursed then dove at Bret and his companion, shifting mid-air as he bowled them to the ground again. He hit hard, rolling past them, scrambling onto his hands and knees. A blur of white darted forward, smothering the man on the right, his muffled screams quickly dying away. Jude pressed to his feet, more men rounding the house as he ran at McKenna, all but dragging the wolf off the bandit. Blood stained her fur, the metallic scent heavy in the air.
; Jude swore under his breath. There was no questioning that her wolf was in complete control, the animal reacting purely on instinct. And he had a bad feeling the creature would take any risk to keep her mates safe. He corralled her forward, rounding the house as shots filled the night, one grazing his thigh.
Fiery pain sizzled up his muscle, and he cursed as his next step faltered, slamming him against the house. He pushed off, heading for the field, knowing they needed to backtrack to the barn. Once there, he could ensure Ethan and McKenna stayed hidden while he grabbed the weapons off of the man he’d killed. Hell, he should have taken them right away, but he’d wanted to track McKenna as his wolf, not trusting his senses as a man with his human emotions clouding his judgment. That and the fact his animal had demanded control, barely allowing the man to sway its desires.
McKenna ran beside him, her movement fluid. Graceful. He’d been right. Her wolf was every inch the stunning beauty she was, her thick fur rustling in the light breeze. She rounded the barn, scrambling to the ledge below the window, nudging Ethan through first. Jude ducked in behind them, leading them over to a pile of hay stacked in the corner.
He bent down, helping Ethan’s wolf settle on one of the mounds, the animal’s breathing labored. Fear beaded Jude’s skin as he watched the animal pant. The fact Ethan hadn’t shifted back didn’t bode well, and Jude prayed his buddy hadn’t pushed himself too hard, made it impossible for his animal to heal him.
McKenna nuzzled Ethan’s snout, giving the wolf a lick as she moved in beside him, laying her head across his chest. A mournful whimper rumbled free, her eyes mirroring Jude’s concern. He gave her a smile, admiring the contrast in their coats. Ethan’s steel gray to her pure white. They looked stunning together.
He bent forward, hoping her wolf would let the woman understand his words. “You stay here. Protect Ethan. I’ll go finish this.” He tsked when she growled at him. “No. Ethan needs you. He pushed himself far too hard to get here. I’m fine. Stay with him.”