"Fuck!" Chris yelled in frustration as he threw his leg over the back of Valor and dismounted. It was getting dark, he was still a mile from the shack and his horse had just pulled up lame. Vin was going to be pissed and he really couldn't blame him. Nothing had gone right the whole afternoon. The Pinkerton agent had been late, his meeting with him had taken longer than he'd expected, and then a bar fight had broken out just as he was leaving. By the time he'd helped JD and Josiah break things up, he was several hours late to meet Vin."Easy boy," he said softly to his horse, examining the front hoof in the dim light. "Looks like a stone bruise Valor, you'll be okay," he soothed, patting the big black affectionately on its flank. "I'll walk you the rest of the way in and then we'll get you fixed up."
Valor whinnied, seeming to understand what the gunslinger was saying. Chris grabbed the reins, gave them a tug and the two plodded off wearily toward the shack.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Chris walked into his yard quietly, noticing that everything was dark. >Wonder where the hell Vin is?' he said silently. He walked Valor to the barn and brought him inside, lighting one of the lanterns. Peso stood quietly in a stall, munching grass. 'So Vin is here,' Chris thought to himself with a smile. 'Must just be playing hard to get,' he joked to himself. 'Or he's really ticked..'
He unsaddled Valor, rubbed him down quickly, got him some feed and looked at the bruised hoof again. Deciding that a little rest was all the horse needed, he turned down the lantern and headed for the house. He was anxious to see Vin and apologize to him for being so late, and he knew just how to make it up to the younger man. He was sure that by the time he was finished with him, the tracker would have forgotten all about how late he had been. He smiled in anticipation and threw open the door.
Moonlight spilled into the small house, casting a silvery beam of light onto the slim, long-haired figure laying in his bed. He yanked off his gunbelt and boots, wanting nothing more than to dive into that soft bed where Vin waited. He hurried over to the bed, unbuttoning his shirt as he walked.
"Vin?" he whispered, placing a gentle hand on the smooth skin of the bare shoulder as he crept into the bed.
"Hello Chris," a husky, female voice greeted.
The gunslinger reared back as if struck. "Ella!" he whispered hoarsely, and backed off the bed in search of his gun. He felt the cold metal of a pistol against his temple, then the unmistakable sound of that same gun being cocked.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you mister," a gruff voice said.
Chris held his hands up. "Okay, I won't try anything, just tell me what the hell's goin' on," he ordered.
The bed creaked as Ella climbed out of it and lit the lamps, illuminating the shack.
She stepped forward and stroked Chris's face. "Aren't you glad to see me, lover?" she cooed.
A curse rose to Chris's lips, then he suddenly remembered the Pinkerton agent's words. >Play along with her. Don't agitate her. And Vin is around here somewhere, Larabee,> he reminded himself.
"Of course I am, Ella," Chris responded keeping his voice even and forcing himself to lean into her disgusting caress. "I was just surprised is all."
"I hope it was a pleasant surprise, Chris," she said.
"You know it was Ella. I've missed you," he lied outright.
"Have you Chris?" Ella asked, her eyes glittering with madness.
The gunslinger nodded.
"Ready to pick up where we left off?" she asked with a throaty laugh.
"If you call off your guard dog," Chris retorted.
Ella laughed again. "It's all right John," she said reassuringly. "Let him go."
The big man released his hold on Chris warily.
"Chris, I want you to meet my brother, John."
"Brother, Ella?" he responded, raising an eyebrow. 'Christ, there were more of these crazies at home?' he thought to himself.
"He was in the war, Chris. Hasn't been the same since. But he found me again, and that's what's important. Isn't that right, John?" she asked affectionately.
"Sure is, Ella," John replied with equal affection.
"And he'd do anything for me," Ella continued. "He just wants to see me
happy. Wonderful, isn't it?" she cackled.
"Yeah, Ella, it sure is," Chris answered dryly, trying to keep up his cool facade. On the inside, he was frantically wondering where Vin was. He willed his hands to remain at his sides, fighting the overwhelming urge to wring Ella's neck and demand that she tell him where Vin was. He made himself smile at Ella.
"So, how did you know I'd show up here?" he questioned.
"Well, Chris," Ella answered, as she finished unbuttoning Chris's shirt and ran a hand over his bared chest, "I've been watching you for a while now. And John's been following your friend."
Christ flinched at her mention of Vin. "What do you mean by that Ella?" he asked in a low voice.
Ella raked her nails down Chris's chest teasingly, then struck again, this time ripping into the skin with her sharp nails. "Don't pretend like you don't know, Chris. Don't insult me. I know all about you and Vin. But don't you worry about anything, lover. I'll take care of that little problem soon." She watched, mesmerized, as the scratch marks slowly began to bleed. She licked at the blood trickling out of each, then pulled on the shirt collar to bring Chris's lips down onto hers. The gunslinger allowed the kiss, wanting to vomit at the close contact. The feeling of sickness increased as he tasted his own blood on Ella when she forced her tongue into his mouth.
"Ella," Chris said, breaking the kiss as soon as he could, "I'm starvin'. Did you make anything for dinner?" he asked, trying to sound as normal as possible.
"I didn't Chris, I'm sorry," Ella apologized with a pout. "But you see, I've been very busy today. Both John and I both have been, haven't we, brother?"
"Yes Ella," John agreed.
"Doing what Ella?" Chris asked, pretending like he cared. 'Where the hell is Vin, you crazy bitch?" he thought to himself. He wanted to scream it at her.
"Oh, we've been working on a special surprise, just for you, Chris," Ella cooed mysteriously.
"That sounds nice Ella. When do I get to see it?"
"Well, since you've been such a good boy, Chris, and so happy to see me, I guess we can show you now!" Ella shouted gleefully. "John, will you show him?"
Chris's eyes followed John as he moved to the opposite corner of the cabin. He lit another lamp and a sheet covered bundle came into view. Chris looked at Ella questioningly, and then it dawned on him.
He knew what was under that cloth. He stepped forward, unable to keep up the facade with Ella any longer.
"Vin!" he cried as the sheet was pulled off to reveal the broken, bloody body of the sharpshooter. He was unable to move, tied tightly to a chair, and his panicked cries were muffled by a large gag wrapped tightly around his mouth. His hair hung wet and limp over most of his face, revealing only one eye, which was swollen shut. He was shirtless, his upper torso and arms a mass of bruises and bloody scratches that matched what he could see of Vin's face.
"What the fuck did you do to him!" he screamed, leaping at Ella. John pushed his sister back and stood between the two, gun drawn, pointing the barrel at Chris's chest.
"Back off, leave my sister alone," he commanded.
Chris stood poised on the balls of his feet, hands clenched into fists, ready to strike.
"Better do it Chris, or I'll shoot your little friend," Ella taunted, coming around behind the two men with Chris's gun drawn. She walked over toward Vin and held the gun to his head, backing up her words with her actions
The fight left Chris immediately as he realized the danger Vin was in. He relaxed his body and stared at Ella.
"You don't like my gift, Chris?" she asked playfully. "I'm hurt, and here we've gone to all this trouble."
Chris decided in a split-second that he'd try another tact. What he'd done so far hadn't worked. "Let Vin go Ella, it's me you want. I'll stay with you, I promise, but let Vin go."
"Oh no, Chris, I can't do that," Ella answered, aghast at the gunslinger's suggestion. "He tried to come between us, Chris, just like your wife and son did. And I'm going to take care of him, just like I took care of them, so we can be together, just like we're meant to be."
"Ella, he didn't mean anything to me," Chris retorted, blocking out the sharp, muffled gasp that came from Vin. He closed his eyes briefly, silently begging the tracker's forgiveness for the lies he was going to have to tell, in order to save his life. He only hoped that if they both came out of this alive, that Vin would forgive him someday. He walked over to the woman that he hated more than anyone else on this earth and gave her a seductive grin. "After you left, I got lonely," he said with a shrug.
Ella shook her head and stared back at him, the madness that filled her brimming from her eyes. "But back at my ranch, you were going to shoot me," she protested.
"I got confused Ella," he replied, leaning close to whisper in her ear. "It was the shock of realizing just how much you care about me. I made a mistake. Let me make it up to you," he whispered coyly. "I'll show you just how sorry I am," he promised.
"What about him?" she asked, gesturing toward Vin.
"Let him watch, see what he's missing," Chris retorted cruelly. He hated himself for what he was about to do, making Vin watch him seduce Ella, but it was the safest place for Vin to be in. There was no way in hell he wanted the tracker outside alone with that maniac, John, and it was freezing outside and he'd noticed that Vin was wet. At least he would stay warm inside the shack and Chris would be able to keep John from hurting him anymore than he obviously already had.
Ella laughed. "I like that idea, Chris." She pulled the gun away from Vin's head and replaced it in Chris's holster. The gunslinger breathed a silent sigh of relief. 'So far, so good,' he thought to himself.
Ella turned to her brother. "Leave him in here with us. Why don't you bed down in the barn?"
"You sure Ella?" John asked uncertainly.
Chris held his breath, praying his plan would work.
"I'm sure John, we'll be fine. And you tied Tanner up nice and tight didn't you?"
"Yeah, that son-of-a-bitch ain't going anywhere," John assured.
"All right then, John, good night, we'll see you in the morning," Ella replied, then threw herself at Chris with a whoop. "C'mon and take me for a ride, Bareback Larabee!" she hooted.
Chris picked her up and spun her around the room, then dropped her onto the bed. He fell on top of her, reaching for her mouth with his as he pinned her arms over her head. He kissed her deeply, until he heard John leave the shack, then he abruptly halted the embrace.
"Make a sound and I'll knock your teeth out," Chris hissed as he pushed off the bed. He reached out toward the table for his gunbelt, his eyes never leaving Ella.
"Looking for something, cowboy?" Ella taunted. "You can come on back in now John," she called out.
The large man walked back into the cabin, Chris's gunbelt dangling from his hand.
'Damn!' Chris cursed to himself silently.
"Chris, I really thought you had seen the light," Ella said with a sad shake of her head. "But I always find it better to be prepared for the worst, don't you?"
Chris refused to answer, just staring at her with hate filled eyes.
"Well, I think maybe we'll just have to teach you and your little friend a lesson tonight Chris. Maybe you'll accept things a little bit better when we're finished. Just remember, this is your fault, Chris, not mine. You've forced my hand." She leaned over to stroke his face, and Chris pulled out of her reach.
"Don't touch me, bitch!" he hissed with rage.
"Take them both outside John," Ella ordered coldly. Tie them both up, gag Chris, too. Don't want them keeping us awake all night." She winked at Chris. "I'll be out in just a few minutes to tuck you in, Chris, don't worry."
Ella cut the ropes holding Vin to the chair, then held the gun on Chris, while John and he dragged the former bounty hunter out of the shack. John led them over by the corral, where he retied Vin's ropes, then went to work on Chris. Within minutes, both men were trussed up, helplessly tied to the corral beams.
Chris turned, hearing Ella approach. He tensed when he saw she held a large pitcher of water.
"Thought you boys might be thirsty," she jeered, then dumped the contents of the pitcher over the two men. Chris shivered in the chilly night air as the cold water sank into his skin. He turned to look at Vin, just out of his reach. The tracker appeared to be unconscious, but he shook from the cold as the water seeped into what was left his already damp clothing. He cursed Ella through his gag, the words coming out as ineffectual, garbled sounds.
"I love you too, sweetheart," Ella toyed, replying to Chris. "And you two have fun out here, because it will be your last night together." She pulled her brother back toward the shack, then called over her shoulder, "We'll see you boys in the morning. Get a good nights sleep, lover, we've got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow." With a deranged laugh from brother and sister alike, the two of them disappeared into the house.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Chris twisted and turned his wrists furiously, trying to loosen the many knots. After several tries, he was exhausted, his wrists were bleeding and he was still tied up as tightly as ever. He did, however, manage to pull the rope binding him to the corral a little bit, so he was able to maneuver himself closer to Vin. He sidled up next to his lover, wanting to comfort the younger man with his presence, hoping at the very least he would be able to warm the shivering man a bit with some of his body heat.
"Vin," he called out through the gag, hoping the sound would awaken the tracker and he would know Chris was nearby.
The younger man only moaned and shivered more violently. Chris struggled against the ropes, grinding his wrist and ankles futilely and biting back a scream of frustration. He would kill Ella Gaines and her brother for doing this to Vin. He would hunt that woman down for the rest of his life if he had to. She would pay. He pressed himself closer to Vin, covering part of the younger man's body with his own. Vin moaned again and tried to pull away from Chris.
The gunslinger was heartsick, knowing Vin thought he was Ella or John, trying to hurt him again. God he wished he could take the shaking younger man in his arms, or at least talk to him, and tell him everything would be all right, even if it did seem like a false promise. He forced himself to close his eyes, knowing that their only hope of escape would be if he gathered his strength to prepare for whatever Ella and her brother had planned for them in the morning. He shivered one last time, then dropped off to sleep.