PART THREE
Even half drunk, Larabee knew someone was watching him.
As the minutes ticked slowly by, the blond searched his memories. He
couldnt conceive of anybody stupid enough to get near him when he was
in this kind of mood. No one that knew him anyway
That only left one logical conclusion
something that his gut had been
warning him of for some time now
Danger lurked. Some unknown was watching
and waiting
theyd surely take advantage of any chance to catch
him off guard.
Chris continued to chop the firewood as he had been doing for almost an hour.
Two more big pieces of wood fell into kindling as sweat beaded from the
mans bare chest. His rage had waned gradually, yet it didnt seem
that there would ever be enough lumber to quell all of his anger completely.
Still mindful of prying eyes, he gathered some of the pieces together and
carried them into his home. Forcing the door open, he kicked it closed behind
him.
Several minutes later, the door swung open quickly. Larabees gun was
drawn at the ready and his adversary simply stood and stared.
Athenas hands were outstretched, well away from her pistols.
The gunslinger sneered. What the hell are you doing here? How dare ya
trespass on my land? His voice was menacing as he spoke. "If
you know whats good for ya, youll get the hell out a here,
right now," he commanded. Holstering his gun, he shoved his way past her
roughly and moved back to the woodpile. Chris went back to chopping his firewood.
He ignored her presence, hoping desperately to avoid any further confrontations.
More than ten minutes passed before he finally heard a horse gallop away.
Maybe she aint as stupid as I thought!
He didnt look back.
Continuing the laborious task for another half-hour, the man finally gathered
the remaining wood and stacked it beside his home. He grabbed the water bucket
and drank sparingly, then dumped the rest over his head.
Only slightly refreshed, he looked out at the wide-open country around him.
Pursing his lips, he cussed at all the emotions that ran freely through his
mind. Why did he get like this? If he didnt let people into his
life, things like this wouldnt happen. First his family
he
wiped his face again
and now his fellow peacekeepers. And
Tanner
Two nights ago, Larabee had sensed the tracker watching
him as he piled belongings into his saddlebags. Hed felt the knowing
glare as he added several bottles of whiskey to his horses load.
Damn! Whiskey!
The gunslinger felt a familiar craving. His blood was running low on alcohol
and he needed more. Turning for his shack, he marched off and slammed open
the door. Intent on drowning out his memories, he waited for his eyes to
adjust to the darkness within. His gaze narrowed ominously as his vision
cleared. A low growl escaped his lips as he realized the woman had not left.
Athena could do little more than watch the whirlwind as he threw the bucket
and stormed across the room.
With his arm across her chest, Larabee pushed her back hard against the wall
and forced his body firmly against hers. He growled at her like a rabid dog.
"I
told
you
tah
get
the hell
out
a
here!"
Suppressing the sudden fear that arose deep within, she looked at him boldly,
all the while trying to maintain her usual calm manner. "I cannot leave here
without
"
The gunslinger heard the word cannot and reacted. Nobody
defies me! Grabbing the woman by the collar, he spun her around, throwing
her towards the door.
Athena fought to keep her balance and then turned to face him once more.
Rearranging her clothing, she looked him in the eye. On the outside, she
appeared calm and collected but inside, she was terrified. Yet,
she
could not give up
"I cannot leave," she said again. Slowly, she closed
the door.
Semidarkness enveloped the room
Hearing him move closer, she took a sudden breath. "I cannot leave
"
The gunslinger was seething below the surface and the anger was quickly becoming
too much for him to contain. A rage that centered on her
All relevant details had become a blur
Chris had twisted all of the
facts in his mind... A dozen days had passed since a dark stranger rode into
Four Corners. Shed come in disguise, spinning yarns of unbelievable
tales and the blond had watched his control slowly slip away. Fighting her,
and her hold on his men, the leader had been forced away to find some clear
direction in which to move. And then, when his back was turned, shed
brought more bad element to his town. The consequences
of which, they were all still reeling from
Larabee had thought over
all the details. It was all true
Everything that had happened over
the past twelve days was her fault. Everything that he blamed himself for
ultimately, it was all her fault. His rage wouldnt let him get beyond
that point.
And NOW!
To top it all off, THIS
this woman
was refusing
to back down from him
Anybody with good sense knew when to stay away
from the gunslinger. But, here she was, in HIS home, refusing to leave
Nearly two weeks of pent-up frustration and anger drove the blond beyond
his normal limits. He balled his fist to strike but
remembering, if
only briefly, that she was still a woman, he backhanded her instead.
Athena jerked with the motion of his hand and was forced to step back to
keep her balance. After a moment, she turned to face him again. She regained
her lost step, looked at him defiantly and straightened her shoulders.
How dare you! Larabee struck her again, this time adding a little more
force to his blow.
The woman completely lost her footing this time, ending up on the ground
in front of the door. Tasting the blood in her mouth, she tried to regain
her feet and licked at the gash that had appeared on her lip.
"Stay down!" he yelled at her. Something inside him almost begged Athena
to comply. Why doesnt she understand?
She stumbled but managed to reclaimed her place in front of him. Licking
her lip again, she sucked the deepening cut.
Anger pushed Chris harder. He was beyond feeling any pain or remorse
yet; something was nagging at him
He didnt want to hit her again.
"Leave me alone," he pleaded.
Her eyes solicited his understanding. "I cannot
"
Larabee was a gunman. Everything he had learned over the years had kept him
alive. His ears had learned to detect fear, and for the first time, Chris
was hearing it in her voice. Yet, her words were his focus
not her
tone. The constant repetition of her insistence told him she was determined
to stay and that just made him mad. The blond growled and backhanded her
again
and again she fell to the floor. "Stay down, damn you!" he cussed
as she tried to stand.
After a second try, Athena managed to regain her feet. She took a deep breath
and fought back her fear. Trying desperately to concentrate on her task,
she stuttered the words. "I
I cannot leave here
without your
assurance that you will return to your rightful place."
Hed let her finish her sentence this time but the words made his blood
boil. Larabee snapped. "No!" he yelled before hitting her squarely in the
jaw with a clenched first.
The strength of all his anger had been behind the blow and the woman crumpled
to the floor unconscious.
In that brief moment in time, Athena had ceased to become a woman. In
Larabees eyes, she was nothing more than an enemy, who needed to be
gotten rid of. Breathing heavily, he gazed upon her body like a wild beast
moving in for the kill.
Fighting her way back from unconsciousness, Athena slowly
became aware of her surroundings
and his presence. She was still on
the floor in the same position she had landed in. It was dark outside and
he hadnt lit the lantern. She could only see the flickering of the
fire as it danced about. She heard the shuffling of his feet and straightened
out to gauge his position. Her body ached, her face burned but her injured
shoulder hurt more.
Suddenly, there was a foot in the middle of her back pushing her against
the cold floor. "You ready tah leave yet?" a menacing voice cut through the
air. The heel of his boot pressed her for an answer.
Through all the turmoil that plagued her thoughts, Athena forced her task
to the forefront. She replied with the only answer she had. "I cannot." Her
voice was shaky but she was determined to stay. "I
cannot" She forced
out the words painfully, as he pushed harder.
Athena felt like she was being crushed as he leaned more weight on her back.
The fire in her blood instinctively drove her to reach for her colts but
her gun belt had been removed while she was unconscious.
As the woman ran different options through her mind, Larabee suddenly removed
his foot from her back.
For a brief second, Athena thought she sensed his doubt.
"Stay down," he growled before moving back to the fire.
The woman heard a chair squeak and then a spoon scraping along a plate. She
sucked her badly split lip, picturing him eating by the fire
Curling
her shoulders to warm herself, she naturally assumed he had no intention
sharing any food. Closing her eyes painfully, she tried to get more comfortable
on the floor. Five minutes passed before she heard his plate hit the table
and then what sounded like guzzling. It wasnt until the bottle smashed
into the fireplace that she understood
He was consuming more whiskey...
Again, Athena tried desperately tried to refocus her thoughts on the mission,
rather than the man himself. She knew she needed to cleanse his soul, so
that he could resume his fate, but she still hadnt been able to gather
any information from his musings. Never before had she tried to guide someone
without having a direction to lead them in. And, she had experienced anger
before
but not like this. She felt blind and defenseless yet, she was
being driven
she could not fail him. If she lost just one
she
would lose them all.
Finding no other option available to her, Athena again tried to concentrate
on her objective, instead of the man. She sucked back her dread and spoke
calmly. "Are you that afraid of me, that you would refuse to listen?" As
soon as shed spoken the words, she realized it was a mistake.
The table no longer separated Athena from the gunslinger as he came crashing
towards her. He dragged the woman to her feet. Using hair and clothing for
leverage, he slammed her against the door. Growling something about liking
her better when she was out cold, he dragged her to the kitchen area, shoved
some sort of cloth in her mouth and tied another around her face to stop
her from talking. Happy with her situation, he threw her back hard against
the wall and sat back in his chair.
Visibly shaken by her treatment, Athena slowly lowered herself to the floor
and stared at her captor.
His eyes were unwavering in their attention to the flames. His body unmoving,
except for the slow rise and fall of his arm as he drank.
The woman watched ominously as the blond slipped further and further into
the bottle he drank from. She had no clue what she was supposed to do next...
Blind, defenseless
and stupid!
Hugging the corner for warmth, Athena waited an eternity before Larabee fell
asleep. Drained of her determination and aching all over, she gave in to
her bodys demand to rest. The woman finally succumbed to the darkness.
For the first time in her life, she was truly lost and afraid.
The morning sun was high on the horizon when he finally
stirred and realized hed fallen asleep in a chair. Groaning loudly,
he tried to stand. His stiff body complained loudly but his head hurt even
more. He grunted under his breath then rubbed his eyes and slowly opened
them.
What Chris saw in front of him made him sick
.
The woman he knew as Athena slept huddled in the corner by his fireplace.
Her face told him shed been beaten and her mouth was tied securely
with a rag. Staring at the unbelievable sight, shadows of recollection crept
slowly into his consciousness. He scowled
then his eyes widened in
disbelief. Like so many horrible stories, he had heard
Larabee realized
that he had created this appalling picture. His heart sank. Oh, god! Damn
it! What have I done?
Easing from his chair, the gunslinger moved cautiously towards the woman.
She immediately sat up and gazed at him defiantly.
The trained eyes of the gunslinger saw fear in hers for just a fleeting second
before her bravado shone through. Clearly, she was challenging him as he
moved towards her. "Easy," Chris said calmly.
She flinched away.
His gut was twisting in knots as he moved a little closer. "I just want to
help," he tried to reassure her.
Trying to stand, Athena glared at him angrily. Shed been curled up
in the corner for some time and her muscles were sore. Slowly, she was able
to push herself up against the wall. She stared, trying to adjust her mouth
around the gag.
He could see her fighting the restraint. "Let me take it off," he moved a
little closer.
Athena continued to glare at the gunslinger as she tried to reach the knot
in the cloth that gagged her. Yet, each attempt to raise her hands over her
head was met with pain. Her shoulder protested the movement vigorously. Her
head swooned uncontrollably.
Chris could see that she was having problems and offered to help again. "Let
me
" he tried to move closer.
The woman backed away from him once more. She was still trying to reach the
knot. But again, she was unsuccessful in her attempts. Athena felt as though
she might collapse and panic welled from deep within. Desperation forced
her hand. She needed help. Gazing at the man, she studied his body language.
He seemed different this morning. Almost like a man
instead of the
cold, angry drunk that had attacked her last night.
Larabee knew he was being dissected and he welcomed the cold hard stare.
Chris felt he deserved nothing more
For an instant, the woman thought perhaps she could sense emotion
empathy
but then it was gone.
Closing her eyes in frustration, Athena decided she would have to trust him.
Glaring into his eyes, she slowly turned her back so that he could reach
to the knot.
The gunslinger understood her warning all too clearly, but he did not intend
to put her through anything else. He just wanted to see her on her way and
get back to his own life. He moved closer, untied the knot and then backed
away.
Slowly removing the rags from her mouth, Athena shook her head to clear the
cloudy thoughts. Being only partially successful, she turned back to face
her assailant.
For the first time, the blond could see clearly, what he had done to the
young woman. Her lip was split badly and her face was swollen and bruised.
Chris felt physically ill. He was ashamed of himself and he turned from her
gaze.
Athena took a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself. She didnt
feel right yet, that didnt explain why this man was confusing her.
His thoughts were a complex jumble of conflicting information. She couldnt
clear her mind to understand the change. The creature that had attacked her
seemed to be gone. In its place was a man... a gentle
caring man. She
had been right before
she could feel his compassion in her mind
She shook her head again. She felt disorientated
dizzy. Taking her
eyes off Larabee, she looked around the room. Spotting the water bucket,
she licked her lips and took a step towards it. Being gagged all night had
left her parched. She needed some water
but her legs wouldnt
cooperate. She stumbled against the upturned table.
Suddenly, there were arms helping her. They guided Athena safely to a chair
and then poured water for her to drink. The water stung as she drank but
it felt so refreshing.
Chris picked up the table and then brought some warm water from the fire.
He wet a cloth and tried to give it to the woman but she pulled away when
he got close again. He could see that her lip was bleeding and the bruises
and abrasions on her face were turning color. He knew she needed to be cleaned
up but how were they supposed to accomplish that task when she wouldnt
let him near. He tried to offer the cloth again and once more, she pulled
away. Forcing a smile, he tried to tell her everything was all right
but he couldnt convince her. The gunslinger stepped back and turned
his face. He stood in silence. He had no idea what else to do.
Athenas mind wandered as she watched the man
I dont
understand! Incoherent, almost fleeting images, flashed through her mind.
Her eyes fluttered closed as she tried to regain her bearings.
A soft voice whispered in the darkness. "Im sorry."
Through her confusion, Athena realized that the words came from the
gunslingers mouth. She opened her eyes and stared
She understood
his words but couldnt comprehend why he might speak them. She knew
he was voicing his regret
but
How it possible for one man
to have two spirits? All along, she had assumed that Larabees
conscience was dark. He was comfortable that way. Thats what had kept
him alive. But,
this darkness consumed the light that was so obviously
here right now
a good side and a bad that constantly fought for control.
Could it be that simple?
Comprehension, unlike knowledge
is sometimes only gained in the
hardest of battles.
Remembering the elders wise words, Athena was struck by her
circumstances... She understood that she could have gained this insight in
no other way. The harsh reality waned and a small smile appeared on her lips.
She might be able to help this man after all. If his consciousness was truly
divided
if she could bring out the light
then she might be able
to make him listen. Her eyes softened with compassion and she slowly reached
for him.
Her cry of pain ended Larabees self-loathing. He turned quickly and
his eyes came to rest on the shoulder she held. His couldnt help but
notice the color of her shirt beneath her vest. Blood! Reaching out,
Chris pulled her coat collar back.
Athena followed his hand with her eyes and saw the crimson stain clearly.
Sudden panic took over briefly as she tried to remove her coat. She didnt
succeed. The movement was too painful.
Larabee could see the pain on her face. He understood her panic and moved
closer, helping her remove the coat. Guiding her with his arms, he directed
her to the bed.
Somewhere in the urgency of the moment, they had trust. It was clear to them
both, that her shoulder wound had been bleeding throughout the night. This
much blood loss explained why she felt so light-headed.
"Sit!" he directed her. Moving back to the kitchen, the blond gathered fresh
bandages and warm water.
Athena did as he instructed with little hesitation. She was still unsure
of him but sensed that his concern was real. Besides,
she didnt
have much choice.
Laying the fresh bandages on the bed, Chris motioned to her clothing, "I
need to take a look." He set the water on the side table as she unbuttoned
the vest and managed to get it off.
The gunslinger pulled a small blanket up from the bottom of the bed and looked
at the girl again. "I need to get the bandages off," he said, handing her
the blanket.
Athena knew what he was asking as she watched him turn his back. She hesitated.
A soft voice whispered, "Its okay."
Her head swooned and she took another deep breath, before slowly unbuttoning
her shirt. Removing it, she covered herself with the blanket.
Larabee needed to be sure of himself. He, too, took a deep reassuring breath
and waited until she had stopped moving around
and then he waited a
few seconds more. He couldnt remember ever treating a woman with a
pistol wound before. He turned and looked at his patient. The softness of
her curves distracted him for just a moment before he began his work. He
tossed her soiled shirt aside and slowly removed the bloodied bandages. He
cleaned away some dried blood and assessed the wound. Nathans gonna
kill me!
Chris knew that the healer had been forced to go deep for this bullet. Obviously,
hed needed to stitch her injury afterwards. Some of the sutures had
torn free during the assault Larabee had inflicted. Damn!
As she watched him tend her wound, Athena sensed true concern. She became
aware of his gentler side. She had not seen
nor sensed this part of
the man she dubbed the dark one. It was clear that her
initial judgment of him had been wrong
yet there was
something
else
The only way she would know would be to forgive his actions and
move on. She couldnt give up. Taking a deep breath, the woman spoke
softly. "Can I speak to you now?" she asked as he worked.
A fleeting twinge of anger reared itself in the blonds head but he
beat it back down quickly. It was obvious that she meant to say her piece
to him
no matter what the cost. Finishing up washing away the dried
blood, Chris took another deep breath and nodded.
She smiled at his acceptance and relaxed a little. "You must not leave your
village. You must return. History must know The Seven."
He pressed hard against her shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding. I
cant go back!
She flinched from the pain but tried to ignore it. Seeing his eyes avoiding
her, Athena tried again. "You must remember your kinship and return to these
men,"
For the first time since shed come to town, Chris looked long and hard
into her eyes. It was like looking into a mirror and it made him uncomfortable.
He was just as uneasy with the few words she had spoken. He pursed his lips
and motioned her to keep pressure on her wound.
Frowning slightly, Athena took the padding from his hands and held it in
place.
Getting to his feet, the blond ran his hands through his hair. "You dont
understand
I cant." He moved to the kitchen and search for a
distraction. He decided to warm some biscuits, remembering that she hadnt
eaten anything since shed been there. Besides keeping the womans
strength up, the task diverted his attentions away from her relentless pursuit.
Athena closed her eyes. She felt his inner struggle, although he appeared
calm. She could talk to him rationally if he was thinking
instead of
reacting. But, that still didnt mean he would understand her message.
The woman fought back the doubt that crept into her mind. The gunslinger
did not possess the language skills of her green-eyed gentleman. He didnt
share the passions that drove his oldest friend. She needed to find a way
to communicate with this man.
Larabee watched her for some time. She swayed a little but looked so peaceful.
"Athena," he called softly.
This was the first time he had used her name and she opened her eyes slowly
to look at him. A vision flashed through her mind so quickly, she couldnt
tell what it was. Blinking in recognition of her surroundings, she tried
to focus.
He could see her confusion again. He knew she needed rest and nourishment
and he offered her a biscuit. He wanted her to relax
to trust him,
yet her eyes told him something was not right. He was ashamed of the way
he had treated her. No one deserved to witness this kind of rage. Chris
couldnt fathom the extent of his anger. What demon possessed him, that
he could do such a thing? He closed his eyes briefly before calling her again.
"Athena," he whispered quietly. "I
I know it doesnt help
but Im sorry
so sorry." Laying the other biscuits in her hand,
he walked silently out of the shack.
Watching the door close, she licked her swollen lips. "I do not need your
regret
" she whispered. "I am not the one who is in need of help." Athena
closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "But... thank you
"
Chris walked around for an hour before sitting on his
porch for another. He was angry... so very angry with himself
How
could I have done this?
Yet, no matter how much he chastised and cussed
it didnt help.
He still had to go inside and face Athena. Forcing his eyes shut tight, Larabee
breathed deeply and made a silent covenant. He was going to listen to her
no matter what she said. Satisfied with his decision, the gunslinger picked
up the saddlebags hed found in the corral and got to his feet. He edged
the door open and stepped inside.
The sight before him stopped Chris in his tracks. Setting the bags down quietly
by the door, he looked solemnly at the scene. Athena lay face down across
the bed, apparently asleep. The gunslingers eyes slowly traced her
long braid down her back. Her bare skin revealed, so completely, the curves
that only women possess.
Larabee couldnt help but smile at her peacefulness
Suddenly aware of his thoughts, the blond retrieved a blanket from a chair
and moved closer to cover her. As he did, he noticed the bandage he had left
her, wasnt pressing tightly against her shoulder. The wound was still
bleeding and that worried him. Chris sat down gently and took hold of the
compress. He glanced briefly at the image of the red wolf on the womans
back. He prayed the creature would give her strength. Reaching out to touch
her shoulder, Larabee adjusted the cloth and soaked up the blood.
Athena was startled by a touch but her head would not clear enough for her
to understand what was happening.
Recognizing her confusion, he whispered, "Everythings going to be all
right."
Sensing no imminent danger, she relaxed and set her head back to the bed.
Chris took a small amount of satisfaction from her trust and reached under
her shoulder to press the bandage hard over her wound. With her shoulder
sandwiched between his strong arms, he laid down beside her. He couldnt
tell if shed lost consciousness or simply went back to sleep but the
gunslinger took comfort in her relaxation. He closed his eyes and drifted
away.
Larabee was resting in his own bed with a soft, beautiful woman lying on his chest. As he lay there with his eyes closed, he played with her hair... Wait! What! Its too long! Sarahs hair isnt this long. He shook his head. Not Sarah My beautiful wife is dead Mary it must be Wait! Weve never and Mary doesnt wear her hair braided.
He knew he was in his home, in his bed and he remembered
the woman was not Sarah or even Mary. The gunslingers eyes opened quickly
and he looked at the warm body beside him. His gaze never left Athena as
she lay quietly sleeping.
The images of her battered face flashed in his heart and again as he thought
about the terrible things, he had done to her last night. Chris carefully
sat up. He hadnt treated her like a woman. He traced the curves of
her bare back with his eyes. Shes definitely a woman... Again,
the gunslingers eyes came to rest on the tattoo. Its detail was as
stunning as the red wolf itself. He knew that the animal was a rare find
these days. They picked the right creature to mark her with.
Cautiously, the blond got off the bed and busied himself preparing a meal.
The woman needed to get her strength back. He owed her that much, at least.
And besides
the quicker she got better, the quicker she could get out
of his hair.
As she listened to him fixing the meal, a single tear rolled down Athenas
cheek. With his dark side obscured by the light, his touch had finally shown
her some of what was hidden so well within his heart. She was slowly beginning
to understand why this man was, the way he was. Every time he had allowed
someone close to him, something would happen. He had been driven to the breaking
point and survived only because he had mastered the ability to block out
the world. The womans comprehension of how to help Chris was slowly
becoming clearer. With a gentle smile on her lips, she closed her eyes and
drifted back to sleep.
He sat on the bed and gently nudged her back. "Athena,"
he called, urging her to consciousness.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and blinked to clear the haze of an incomplete
sleep. Instantly, she pulled away from the man towering above her, pulling
the blanket to shield herself as she moved.
"Its all right
" he moved away quickly. "Its alright." He
hadnt been prepared for her impulsive reaction and he hope it
wouldnt take long for her to remember that they had made peace
at least he hoped they had...
Athenas mind cleared and she remembered the change she had witnessed.
Bowing her head regretfully, she glanced back and offered him a small, reassuring
smile.
Larabee nodded, still unsure. He bit his lip, forcing his regret away, and
returned her gesture. "Here," he stepped closer and handed her one of his
shirts. "I figured if you buttoned it around your
self," he glanced
away. "Then I could still get to your shoulder." Refocusing on the woman,
he continued. "Least that way youd have your hands free to eat a little
supper." He indicated the food hed set out and then headed back over
to the table to give the lady a little privacy.
Athena looked at the shirt he had given her and then at her shoulder. It
was still weeping. What he was suggesting made sense and she was definitely
hungry. She turned her back, lowered the blankets and replaced them with
the mans shirt. Satisfied that the garment would remain in place, she
buttoned it around herself and then shifted to the edge of the bed.
Chris saw her movement and relocated to assist her in standing. Thinking
that she might still be a little lightheaded, he held out his arm to offer
assistance and smiled.
Athena considered the gesture and then looked up at the handsome man. She
couldnt help but noticed how his eyes sparkled when happiness shone
from his lips. He should do it more often. Slowly, she took his arm.
Together they moved to the table to enjoy the meal Larabee had prepared.
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