Title: Bound in Blood
Author (s): JeanD
Category: HC –
Rating: R for violence and suggested abuse non descriptive
Character (s): Vin and Chris and OMC & OFC
Disclaimer: The M7 characters are owned by Trilogy, MGM and
Mirisch, No copyright infringement was intended. For entertainment purposes
only, I am just having fun with them.
Note: I'd like to thank Becky for looking this over and her continued
support of my writing.
This is NOT a wagon train type of fic <g> so don't worry <giggle>
A blazed face gelding ambled along, picking its way across the half-hidden
trail. Atop the large beast, a man in buckskin rode, reins held loosely
in one hand while the other hooked a half-empty canteen across the saddle
horn. Blue eyes scanned the horizon and then lifted to the sky; a storm
was on its way, heavy clouds moving in covering the sun.
Vin was on his way to Red River, hoping to meet up with Chris at the Lazy
Seven Saloon. The gunslinger was to have taken some papers for Judge
Travis early this morning and Vin had made a run the day before to another
town farther west. He'd offered to pick up some medicines for Nathan
at the apothecary, since the healer was needed back in town.
Tanner's return trip would bring him within a mile of the river town.
The two peacekeepers had agreed to meet at the local saloon for drinks before
heading back to Four Corners together. By the look of things, they
might have to delay their return trip until the weather cleared.
The trail that Vin had chosen was unused and overgrown and normally would
have hidden the path from a less observant eye. He figured it was due
to the new railhead situated closer to Red River and most people used
a more direct route.
The introduction of the train in the Southern New Mexico Territory was both
a gift and a curse as far as Tanner was concerned. It could get people
and stock to their destination faster but it also invited a multitude of
other problems. Bandits had cropped up in the area in response to the
military's use of the railroads to transport their men, livestock and payroll.
The glitter of gold to large a temptation for many.
Four Corners still depended on the Overland Stage to bring in the mail and
other such deliveries. He was pleased with the positive changes the
seven peacekeepers had wrought in town, although a part of him saddened that
those very changes would eventually force him to leave.
Vin never allowed himself to relax much, ever diligent so as not to be caught
unawares by a bounty hunter, he noticed right away that the sounds of nature
that soothed him along this solo trip had suddenly stopped.
He gently pulled back on Peso's reins and the animal came to a halt at his
master's request. Vin reached toward the horn, where his gun rig was
resting. Long rides were hard enough on the body without the weight
of his gun pulling on his hip and placing added strain on his slightly curved
back. He patted the black's big neck as he lifted his hog-leg out of the
holster, knowing that it was ready to fire should the need arise.
oooOOooo
Lucinda Mae Bell walked along the dry riverbed in search of some medicinal
plants, when she first moved to the area from Arizona; it had been flowing
with water. Now 5 years later it had dried up, mainly from the big
ranchers and their dam's that kept what should have been free to all, bottled
up for their own personal use.
Lu, as most people called her, was out looking for wild onions and other
herbs that she used for cooking and healing. Her husband, Guy, had
ridden into Red River to pick up a couple of bottles of whiskey, using her
hard-earned egg money. Rubbing her bruised wrist at the memory of his
last drunken binge, she was pleased it was healed enough to take the brunt
of another of Guy's 'fits'. Secretly she hoped he'd take the bottle
and one of the saloon girls and stay in town for the night but held out little
hope of that happening.
oooOOooo
Vin stopped at the edge of a stand of trees and that's when he saw the woman
out about fifteen feet in front of him. She was a small woman with
dirty blonde hair and a loose fitting gingham dress and a matching bonnet
that was pushed half way off her head. Tanner didn't see any weapons but
that didn't mean the woman was packing any, she was also carrying a feedbag
with the strap across her shoulder.
He watched as she stooped down and pulled up some type of weed, sniffed it
and then threw it over her shoulder.
The Texan sat there a few minutes trying to decide if he should just wait
the woman out, move on once she'd passed or just come out, and be about his
own business. The decision was made for him when Peso lifted his back
leg and stomped, dislodging flies that had gathered across his big rump.
Lu heard the noise and quickly scanned the area looking for its source, at
first her eyes passed over the open section of trees but then she caught
movement from that direction. She saw the horse right away, a big black
gelding with a white blaze face, a beautiful creature. Then she noticed
the rider on its back, dressed in buckskin and had it not been for the animal,
would have blended into the surrounding area nearly invisible.
Tanner waited until he was sure she had seen him and then lightly kicked
his horse and moved out into the open, he could see the fear in her eyes
so he re-holstered his gun before issuing a greeting. He intended to
pass on across the dry river basin, not wanting to disturb her.
"Ma'am." The Texan touched his hat in greeting, "Don't aim to bother you
none. Just passin' through is all."
Lu nodded a greeting before dropping her eyes. She didn't want to give
him the impression that she welcomed conversation. If Guy should happen
to come back from Red River, this man might find himself in a shallow grave.
Her husband was that jealous.
Tanner didn't wait around to see if she needed help, he got her message loud
and clear but when Vin would have moved past her, he heard a gasp of pain.
Turning Peso sharply back around toward the source of the noise, he saw her
sitting on a rock and holding her ankle.
She cursed under her breath as her own stupidity, Lu had been so busy watching
the handsome man as he left that she miss-stepped and turned her ankle on
a rock.
Vin dismounted and walked over to the woman to offer help, but in the moment
before he reached her a searing pain lanced through his arm just as the sound
of a gunshot echoed around him.
Swaying slightly from the shock of the impact of the bullet, Tanner quickly
regained his footing and reached for his sawed-off just as he remembered
it was still on Peso. He'd left his damn gun on the horse in his rush
to get to the injured woman.
Guy Bell had been only about a mile from his homestead, coming up the West
side of the trail. A bottle of whisky that was almost empty balanced
on the saddle in front of him. He'd been thinking of a pleasant romp
with his wife when he saw her on the ground and a man behind her.
His blood ran cold then hot, in his drunken mind he saw his Lucinda Mae ready
to offer her charms to a stranger. Rage boiled up and he reached for
his rifle, swaying slightly he righted himself and fired, aiming for the
stranger's chest and cussing when he listed to one side and the shot went
wide.
At the sound of the shot, Lu jumped to her feet unmindful of her injured
ankle and turned back to see the man in buckskin holding a bloody hand across
his upper arm. She heard her name bellowed out and closed her eyes,
knowing that her last sight might be that of her enraged husband just before
he killed her.
"Lucinda Mae! Woman, get yer ass over here!"
Vin stood still, knowing all he could do was wait and try to doge the next
bullet or hope the stranger came close enough he could use his knife in defense.
He watched as the woman hung her head and limped toward the man on the horse.
"Guy, you got to listen', it ain't what yer thinkin'." She reached
a hand toward him, hoping that he would see reason. She was almost
even with him when Lu noticed the nearly empty whisky bottle still clutched
in her husband's hand. Lucinda knew that alcohol would only make the
situation worse.
Bell looked down at his woman and then back up to the longhaired stranger,
his first instinct was to put a bullet between the other man's eyes and leave
him here for the buzzards to pick clean. Looking around, his alcohol
induced haze had cleared enough that his senses momentary returned, he wouldn't
kill him right out in the open, too fearful of getting caught.
"Don't make a move mister, if'n you want to see the next sunrise."
Looking down at Lucinda, he kicked out at her with his boot catching her
on the upper arm.
"You take this here rope an' tie that feller up." When she hesitated,
he pushed her again with the tip of his boot. "Don't make me ask ya
again darlin'."
Vin stood perfectly still as the pair moved toward him, he could see the
Lucinda didn't want to follow Guy's instructions by the slump of her shoulders.
The Texan was standing out in the open with no cover so he tried to talk
his way out, ignoring the growing pain of the bullet wound in his upper arm.
"Sir, I think you might'a got the wrong idea here. I'm part of the
law…" He never finished his sentence as the barrel of the rifle swung
down into his face.
Hearing those words sobered Bell up instantly. He now realized a bit
too late that he might have jumped to conclusions but now he'd gone and shot
a man of the law. This put a new twist on things since Guy was wanted
for cattle rustling in Arizona, something he was sure his wife didn't even
know.
"Take that kerchief from round his neck an' gag him with it. I can't
think if'n he's gonna be yappen at me."
Lu finished tying the stranger's hands, she didn't pull it tight enough to
cut off his circulation but the hemp rope was not loose enough for him to
get away. Looking up quickly and offering an apology with her eyes,
she tugged on his bandana until it came untied. She twisted it and
then placed it across his mouth and limped around to his back, reaching up
she secured the cloth.
"Where's that black horse of his'n?" Guy looked around but didn’t see
the animal and was not going to waist time looking. "To hell with it."
Pointing the gun, he motioned the pair on the ground to get moving.
Vin was pleased that neither of them thought to check him for weapons, so
he still had his knife under his buckskin coat.
Bell took another drink from the bottle; his mind racing with thoughts of
how he was going to be able to keep Lucinda alive once he killed this lawman.
She would be the only witness and he would not face prison or hanging if
it could be helped.
oooOOooo
Chris left the Sheriffs office, disappointed that the man was outside town;
therefore, he'd have to wait to deliver the papers for Judge Travis.
Tucking the folded sheets of paper back in the inside pocket on his duster,
the blond stepped out onto the boardwalk and scanned the street.
It was cool and the sky full of thunderclouds covering the sun and taking
what little heat its rays had provided, thus allowing the temperature to
drop considerably. He donned the long black duster after he located
the Lazy Seven just down the street.
Larabee moved through the batwing doors and up to the bar. After getting
a mug of beer, he located a table in the back. Turning back to the
barkeep he asked, "You serve food here?"
Bill looked up and nodded, "Not much of a choice but I can rustle you up
something."
Chris nodded and indicated the table he'd picked out by tipping his beer
mug, "Bring it over and another one of these." When he reached the
table, he pulled the chair out with his booted foot and sat down wearily.
David Carter slammed in through the batwing doors, marching up to the bar
and demanded a drink; two of his brothers were shoving and jostling each
other as they followed him.
Bill and Paul spent the next several moments teasing their youngest sibling,
growing bored; they ambled off toward the gaming tables. Soon, they
both were engaged in a game of cards.
David had enough teasing to last him ten lifetimes, today he was going to
show his brothers that he was a man.
He picked up the glass and downed the whiskey in one swallow, looking around
he noticed the solitary man dressed in black at a back table. Shadows
fell across his face from the dark hat, leaving only his mouth clearly visible.
Chris felt the scrutiny and looked up to see a young man, short in stature,
looking at him with wide eyes. After a moment, the youth turned back
toward the bar, and Larabee moved his arms as a plate of ham and biscuits
were set before him.
"Holly, shit." David hissed when he recognized Chris Larabee.
He'd been in another town with his family a few years back and witnessed
this man draw with lighting speed when he was challenged. Cater knew
he was faster than the blond; he'd been doing nothing but practicing out
at the ranch. This was the opportunity he'd been looking for, to kill
this man, would mean he would take on his reputation.
Swallowing back the incautious urge to issue the challenge this very moment,
the younger man decided to bide his time.
The gunslinger was notoriously fast with the colt that rode high on his hip
but today, David Carter would be faster. Once the six-foot blond was dead
at his feet, no one would pick on him again. No man would dare say
anything about his slight frame. He was 19 years old last week and
had yet to grow past five-foot six.
Teased and tormented since he was 16 for his lack of height and body weight,
by brothers that we all over six-foot and strapping men like their pa.
David was often teased by the boys that lived in town as well and with new
people arriving everyday on the train, he knew it was going to get worse.
Today it would all end; he'd be respected for killing this man. Yes,
he'd show the people in this town what a real man was, now he was going to
wait until the sun wasn't so high, wait until the afternoon crowd was here
in town to see him defeat Chris Larabee.
oooOOooo
Vin was glad he'd been able to keep his hide coat on, the sun was covered
and a strong cool breeze knocked his hat from his head and left it hanging
low down his back. Beside him, the woman walked and further back her man
rode on a bay horse.
Tanner didn't make the mistake of looking over his shoulder again.
He'd done that not long after they got started, trying to judge if he could
dart to the side and into the brush without getting a bullet in the back.
An empty whiskey bottle burst against his skull for his trouble.
The Texan could feel the cut throbbing and the blood trickle down the back
of his neck and into his shirt. His upper arm was aching where the
bullet pierced him and the combination of that and the cold was quickly sapping
his strength. Vin lost his footing and tripped, a hand on his arm steadied
him, since he could not do so himself.
Lucinda reached out automatically to help the stumbling man. She felt
the sting of a cut on her cheek from the glass bottle that her husband had
thrown. She still couldn't believe that this was happening, she knew
that Guy was the jealous sort but never would have dreamed that he would
go this far.
"Get your hands of him Lu!" Damn his head was aching from too much
drink and thinking about what he was going to do with his prisoner.
It burned his gut to see his wife, HIS WIFE, reach out and touch another
man right in front in front of him.
Vin moved away from Lu, not wanting to cause this innocent woman anymore
difficulty than he figured she was already facing.
A few moments later she stepped in front of him and turned to the right,
just up ahead he could see an old homestead, and a dilapidated barn.
An old mule stood in the broken down corral munching on hay that had turned
a dark yellow color from age.
Guy carefully got down off the bay and swung his rifle up and into the back
of the man in buckskin. "Move." Prodding him forward, Bell shoved
the barrel of the weapon hard enough to bring the man to his knees.
Turning to his wife, he nodded toward the house.
"Get in there and get some grub on."
Lucinda hesitated only a moment, at war with her need to help the injured
man and her desire to avoid conflict with her spouse. She finally gave
into the hard glare her husband sent her way, and turned toward the house.
In that one look, Vin saw all the hurt and pain that Lu had endured with
this man but also the fleeting look of a woman who had been deeply in love
at one time. He felt sorry for her in the deepest heart of him.
Walking circles around the man at his feet, Guy's rapidly sobering mind was
sure of one thing, this man couldn't live. With a wanted poster in
Arizona on his own head for $300.00, he couldn't risk being caught and refused
to think about having the charge of attempted murder of a lawman to the list.
Vin knelt there in the dirt, watching and waiting for any opportunity to
strike. His hands were bound but he could use the rest of his body,
he knew he needed to move soon, the wounds he'd received were making him
weak.
"I know," Guy laughed as he walked around and mumbled to himself, "We was
helpin' you when you took sick and died of yer wounds." This was perfect,
and solved all his problems.
Bell knew that a man could weaken and die if exposed to the elements, and
this longhaired cuss was already sporting two wounds. An idea formed,
followed by a wicked smile as Guy broke the seal on his second bottle of
Red Eye.
"Lu, get out here an bring that doctorin'' stuff you got." He jabbed
the longhaired man in the chest with the rifle. "Don't worry, fella,
we're gonna fix you up just fine."
