Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

May 1887

Colt's emotions were beginnings to wear on him and he knew damned well they were beginning to worry some of the others. Colt had always been the calm, cool and collected type. He had stared down the barrels of loaded guns held by trigger happy murderers and never flinched. He'd hidden deep in thorn bushes while posses of lawmen and angry townsfolk had ridden less than a foot past him, hooves thundering and angry voices calling out, searching for the man who had robbed their bank.

Sum it all up and Colt was not a man who became rattled easy. But Evangeline, her soft beauty and his attraction to it, had him plenty rattled.

He looked around at his group, his friends, as they rode along the tiny trail in the direction that Charlotte had suggested they go. Colt was fairly certain he knew where the small Franks River was and he thought he might have even seen this house they were going to once. As a matter of fact, Colt was fairly certain he had stolen a few things from Ox and Evangeline's Aunt Rachel and her now deceased husband.

That should make for a fairly interesting reunion if the woman recognized him. He wondered if she still carried that damned buffalo rifle she'd damn near killed him with all those years ago. He hadn't ever been so scared as he was to see that tiny red haired woman come out of that house waving that thing as he and his pals had ridden hard to get away and she'd sent a bullet straight at Colt that had come so damned close to his head, he'd felt the air off it blow against his cheek.

"Hey Colt...." Comanche rode up beside him and Colt turned to the indian.

"What is it?" he asked, scanning the woods around him for any sign of threat.

"We've been riding hard for hours, Colt. I think it is time for a break so everyone can stretch their legs and get something to eat." Colt glanced up at the sun and realized Comanche was right. They'd left out at just after dawn and it was now a little after noon. He nodded and then held up his hand and whistled to bring the group to a stop.

"We'll take a break. Thirty minutes." He called out. He was desperately hoping to make it to Rachel's before nightfall but if the house was where he remembered; he didn't think they would. It would more than likely be tomorrow around noon before they arrived; which meant that after this break they could ride a few more hours and then try to find a place to camp.

Colt watched as Silas helped Charlotte and Grace from the cart. Frankie and Evangeline had been riding together on the wagon they had taken from the home they'd stayed in. All day long the two had snapped at one another and driven Colt crazy. He had no idea what their problem with one another was but he was thinking of separating them when they started back out.

Colt didn't stay any longer than that. He was fairly sure he could hear running water so he clicked his tongue and urged his horse toward the sound, eager to have some time alone.

***

"Shit, Evie, I'm sorry!" Ox exclaimed as he helped her off the wagon and nearly dropped her. Ox hadn't meant to but Katherine had breezed past him and he'd caught her scent and his body went all twitchy whenever she did that!

"That's alright, Ox." Evangeline reassured him. "Do you want to go talk to her?"

Ox realized that his sister had followed his gaze and realized the cause of his sudden clumsiness. Of course she had! Evangeline knew him better than anybody. Ox kicked at the dirt and shook his head enthusiastically.

"No, I couldn't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Cuz I'm just the big dumb Ox. I couldn't never get a woman as pretty as her to waste her time on me."