Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Forty-SIx

Chapter Forty-Six:

Hoss scratched at his bearded chin and shook his head. "Well I'll be a son of a bitch....."

"I've always thought so." Colt agreed.

"Never thought you'd have the nerve to show yourself to me again after what you took from me." Hoss growled as he moved his horse away from the ladies and toward Colt. That still left five men standing guard over them however.

"I just took my share." Colt replied with a shrug.

"Your share!" Hoss shook his head and clicked his tongue. "You took a bit more than that I'm afraid. You snuck in our camp and took every damn dime we had in those saddlebags."

"You're leaving out that little bit about you leaving me for dead just days before that, Hoss. It's funny how your memory always seems to block out any knowledge of how the bad things that happen to you are a direct result of what a screw up you are."

"You're just has fool-headed and cocky as you've ever been." Hoss grumbled. Colt was surprised by how quiet everyone else in the gang was being. Most were staring at him with shock and it caused him to wonder if they'd even known he was alive.

"Being cocky is only fool-headed if you can't back it up, Hoss, and I reckon I've proven I can sure as hell back it up." Colt looked at the other men. "What's the matter, boys? Didn't your boss tell ya I was alive? I left him a note when I took my share."

"Your share my ass!" Jackal spoke up for the first time. Colt had always liked Jackal... well until Jackal and the men had left him lying in a pool of his own blood with no horse and a posse of lawmen closing in. "You took every damn bit of it!"

Colt shrugged, trying hard to ignore the searing pain in his shoulder. Showing weakness was a death sentence when dealing with men like these. Colt knew that because he was one of them—or had been not too long ago. "I took my share plus a little extra for my pain and suffering."

"You're right, Colt. I knew it was you that robbed us and I could have come after you—"

Colt laughed loudly. "You're so full of shit, Hoss, that I'm gonna have to go get my wading boots if you keep talking."

"You think I didn't keep up with you?" Hoss asked with a smile. "I happen to know that you ran solo for a couple years after robbing us and then you took a bullet to the chest and damn near died."

"Were you concerned for me, Hoss?" Colt inquired with a grin as he let his eyes quickly fall upon Katherine, Rachel and Susette. The three of them were huddled together with men on all sides. Colt knew that Katherine had a gun but he was glad she didn't pull it. None of the men standing over them would hesitate before putting a bullet through her head. Colt also knew that nobody would be able to start firing shots at the men on horseback without risking hitting the ladies. All the bodies were too close together down here.

"Of course." Hoss laughed. "I heard that after you took that bullet and came back from the edge of death you were a changed man. I even heard you got yourself a pretty little wife and a baby. You got them holed up in that hotel too?"

Colt snorted and cleared his throat. Hoss had always enjoyed mind games and playing dirty.

"Oh I see.. the biters got 'em didn't they?" Hoss asked, when Colt didn't respond. "Guess they learned about you the hard way, huh Colt? You never do come through for those that need you."

It seemed that Hoss had gotten good at getting in people's heads in the last seven years. Right about now Colt was mad enough to strangle the bastard with his bare hands, but he wasn't going to let Hoss know that. Colt kept his posture relaxed as he spit into the dirt and rubbed his cheek.