WARNINGS/COMMENTS: Graphic description of male-male sex. My heartfelt thanks goes out to Patricia Grace, who has been such a good sport about allowing me to slash her wonderful gen stories. I just can't help myself! I read them and I just have to see what they'd be like in a world where Chris and Vin move from deep friendship into love. Patti, you're a pal! Hope you like what I've done with this one! The gen version, "Desperate Measures," first appeared in Let's Ride #4. – Lorin Zane
SIZE: Appox. 185K
And it's a miracle, how one soul finds another
Just one miracle, is all it took my brother
For I have seen them, as they walk this world together
And I believe, I believe.- Emmylou Harris "Strong Hand,"
Stumble into Grace
Early June, Arizona Territory
Four Corners
The morning dawned bright and sunny, a welcome change from the weeks of on-again, off-again rain they had been having. Early summer in the desert was usually hot and dry, but this year had been an exception. A drizzling rain had plagued them, and, on the rare days that started out bright and sunny, tremendous afternoon thunderstorms broke out like they normally would in late July or August, soaking the already water-logged ground and bringing some flooding to low-lying areas. No one could remember a summer like this one. Flowers that would have usually died weeks earlier still bloomed, and washes that normally only ran after severe thunderstorms in the nearby mountains now looked like permanent creeks. The excess rain supported grasses that turned the hillsides a fuzzy green, and rabbits and coyotes could be found in abundance.
And, everyone agreed, the unusual weather was holding the summer heat at bay much longer than usual, the "silver lining" many were overheard to say. It couldn't last, they all knew that, but for the moment it gave everyone something to talk about, and spared them a few weeks of blistering misery.
The odd weather had also put off the bandits, bank robbers, rustlers and other unsavory types who might have otherwise preyed upon the local townsfolk. And, as a result, the seven regulators who protected Four Corners found themselves with little or nothing to do – a situation none of them were very comfortable with. So, it was with the greatest of pleasure that the men had accepted an invitation, delivered by Rain, for them to join her and the other families at the Seminole village for a celebration on the day of the next full moon.
Their resident tracker had been able to tell them exactly which day that would be, and the seven peacekeepers had made their preparations, expectations running high for a fun-filled and much-needed distraction. Nathan in particular was looking forward to the trip, hoping to continue the unusual courtship he and Rain had begun after he'd helped protect her village.* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
On the morning of the appointed day, an hour before the sun was due to rise, Larabee woke to the feel of a hand fondling him.
Tanner was curled up along the gunman's back, his arm draped over Chris' side, his hand cupping his slowly filling cock. He loved the feel of Tanner's hands on him. The tracker's movements were always sure and gentle, loving in a manly way that made Chris' blood sing. And the blond knew they wouldn't be leaving his bed this morning before they were both sated.
He relaxed, allowing Tanner's skillful fingers to tempt him to full arousal. Behind him, Larabee could feel the tracker's own prod – already coated with the oil the tracker had procured from the Chinese apothecary – swelling where it was pressed along the groove of the blond's ass. He loved the feel of that long, thick pole, ever so slightly curved so it seemed to reach out and offer itself to his touch
He smiled, easily calling to mind the expression that settled onto Tanner's face whenever Chris accepted that invitation and took hold of Vin's cock. The tracker's head would fall back, long hair swinging at his shoulders. Those beautiful blue eyes would half-close, the blue becoming deeper with Tanner's rising desire. His lips would part, and the tip of Vin's tongue would dart out to lick at his lips, a siren call to the gunslinger.
He could never resist that call, either. It drew him like a lodestone to a magnet. And he would kiss Tanner, grinding his lips against the tracker's, his tongue plunging into the man's sweet mouth. He loved the way Vin's lips would darken and swell under the assault, becoming more desirable. And Chris would respond, licking them, kissing them, and sucking on them until Tanner was writhing with need.
He loved it when Vin jerked and squirmed, grinding his ass on the bed, arching his back, begging Chris to pleasure him. And he almost always did. He touched the man's chest, ran his hands over the tight cords of muscle that covered bone… Vin was his wild thing… his to tame.
And he knew how to tame Tanner. Knew how to rub over his chest, how to tease at the small, hard nubs – pinching, pulling, rubbing… then licking at them, suckling. Vin would moan, the sound springing up from somewhere deep in the man's soul. It was the most arousing sound Larabee had ever heard, and it never failed to set his cock to weeping.
He loved the taste of Tanner's skin, the smell of his musky sweat. He loved the feel of the muscles moving under his touch. He loved to watch the tracker lose himself in the sensations only Chris could rain down on Vin's body. And, more than anything, he loved the sound of the man begging him to release him from the aching need that possessed the tracker, loved the way Vin breathed out his name like it was a prayer. The echoing sound of it rang in Larabee's ears and he pressed his hips back, mashing the throbbing rod that covered his crack and drawing a soft groan from Tanner. He wanted to roll over and attack the tracker, but Vin's legs had his own trapped.
"Vin," he called softly.
"Mmm," was the reply, a hand forcing its way under his side and coming up to tease at his already hard nipple. Tanner's other hand continued to work the gunman's cock.
"Vin," he tried again, struggling weakly, but his body was too lethargic with pleasure to put up any real fight.
Besides, he didn't want to fight. He wanted Tanner to bring him the release his body craved.
And, as if hearing Chris' thoughts in his own mind, Vin's fingers tightened on the blond's balls, squeezing and pulling, making Larabee's hips begin to jerk with an insistent rhythm.
Larabee could feel the fluid leaking from the tip of Tanner's cock creeping down the crease of his ass, making it even easier for Vin to slide his hard prod up and down inside the oil-coated crack, the friction over the bud of his hole making Chris whine with frustration. He squeezed his cheeks tight, trapping Tanner's cock as best he could and winning a soft gasp from the tracker.
Larabee felt Tanner pull his arm out from under Chris' side. Then the head of the tracker's cock was hunting for that bud. Chris pulled his knees up closer to his chest, opening himself for Vin.
There was an almost immediate pressure poking at him, not to breach his defenses but to arouse his desire to be breached. And it worked. Larabee was quickly pushing back, trying to impale himself.
Then, Chris pressed back and Vin pressed forward, the tapered, flared head of his cock sliding into the hot channel like a hand into a well-worn glove. The fix was perfect, comfortable, and a little tight. Both men sighed at the timeless moment that held them suspended in an awareness of their bond.
Then Chris pressed back and Vin pushed forward, deepening the connection between them. And when they were as joined as they could be, they paused, drifting in the awareness of their union. But other passions quickly took over and they began to move, each seeking to pleasure and to find release.
It was Vin who came first, ramming himself up Larabee's chute and jerking wildly as he filled the man with his seed. Caught in the lingering afterglow, he was powerless when Chris pulled himself off the slowly softening rod and rolled over. Turning Tanner, his hand going to the tracker's cock, capturing seed and oil, rubbing it onto his aching member, he pushed into Vin, sinking into the tight heat he so craved. He almost came right then, but he managed to hold it off, allowing himself to plunge into the close-fitting, fevered grasp several times before he too came, hips jerking convulsively as he released a flood of seed into the tracker's shaking body, Tanner joining him with a dry orgasm that had Vin whimpering softly.
They rode the passion out and drifted on the serenity that followed, content to lie in a tangle of limbs, exchanging soft, languid kisses. Sleep carried them off for a short while, but the demands of their bodies woke them as the sun rose on a new day.
They relieved themselves in the enamel chamber pot, dressed and, taking a change of clothes, walked to the bathhouse to clean themselves. No words passed between them, none needed to express the feelings they shared.* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Later that morning, the Seven met in the livery. They saddled their horses, easy banter flowing between them as they worked. When everyone was ready, they headed toward the Seminole village at a leisurely pace.
"Anyone know why we're the guests of honor?" JD asked the group as they rode along, enjoying the extended spring.
No one had an answer, so Vin suggested, "Probably jist want t' thank us fer helpin' 'em out last year. Some tribes mark the anniversary of 'n important event like that by holdin' a celebration. It's a way fer 'em t' thank their spirits fer lookin' out fer 'em."
JD puffed up a little. It was also the anniversary of when he and these other men had come together to work as peacekeepers. And it was also a year since he'd arrived in the West. And both occasions were worthy of celebration as far as Dunne was concerned. But then his shoulders sagged a little and he shot Vin a sideways glance. "Uh, we ain't gonna have to say anything, are we?"
Vin glanced over at the younger man. "Hell, JD, I don't know," he replied. "Might have t' say a few words. Why?"
JD blanched.
"What's the matter, JD? Don't ya like talkin' in front of a bunch of folks? All of 'em watchin' ya, hangin' on your every word?" Buck teased the younger man.
JD looked from Vin to the ladies' man. "I didn't say that," he snapped defensively.
Josiah and Nathan exchanged knowing, amused smiles. Chris sighed softly and tried to look unamused, but Vin saw the mirth in the gunslinger's eyes.
Wilmington grinned. "Hell, kid, all ya got t' do is just speak what's in your heart an' it'll be fine."
"I ain't goin' out there to court those people, Buck."
"I knew a priest once," Josiah said, his deep voice a melodic rumble from the back of the group, "got so nervous standing up in front of his congregation he'd start to shake like a leaf in a strong wind… One time, he got to shaking so bad, he fell down, right there in front of the altar."
The preacher paused and JD twisted around in his saddle, asking anxiously, "What'd he do?"
"Well, he started praying, but his throat was closed up so tight he sounded like a screeching harpy sent straight from the Pit. People thought he'd been possessed by Lucifer himself."
JD's eyes rounded. "What happened?"
Josiah blinked innocently. "They burned him at the stake."
"What?" JD yelped. Then he scowled and shook his head. "Ah, preacher, you're pokin' fun at me – just like Buck."
"Just that last part, JD," Josiah assured the young man. "Father Andrew was a good friend of mine. He eventually got used to saying the Mass in front of an audience, but it was never easy for him. The important thing was that he tried."
JD looked a little more mollified.
"If you should ever desire some helpful suggestions," Ezra said solicitously, "I would be more than happy to share some of my accumulated wisdom with you."
"No, thanks," JD told the gambler. "I don't want t' court these people, or swindle 'em."
The others laughed.
"Very well," Ezra replied, ignoring the comment, "but I assure you, Mr. Dunne, the methods I could describe are time-tested and sure to–"
"Hell, Ezra, what d' ya need methods fer?" Vin asked him, interrupting the pitch the gambler was winding up. "Y' got 'nough charm t' talk the whiskers off a wolverine."
"Why, thank you, Mr. Tanner," Ezra replied, his expression stating clearly he wasn't sure if he'd been complimented or insulted. But he chose to assume the former. "I can't tell you how gratifying it is to see that someone has seen my natural, God-given talents for what they are."
The others snorted and shook their heads.
"What would that be?" Vin asked him. "'Nother weapon up yer sleeve?"
"Exactly, my good man, exactly," Ezra agreed with a smile.
The ride continued peacefully, full of high-spirited discussions, all seven of the men enjoying the warm sunshine, the rain-greened landscape and the company. Chris and Vin exchanged occasional glances, each of them thinking back to the pleasures they'd shared earlier that morning. And from the twinkle in the tracker's blue eyes, Chris guessed they were in for an enjoyable evening as well. Being out of town made the tracker more adventurous, and more amorous, and Chris was more than happy to indulge whatever Tanner might come up with.
When they finally arrived at the Seminole village, they were met by a welcoming keen from the women and girls, and an enthusiastic war cry from the men and boys.
The chief, Tastanagi, stepped out to greet them, and Rain appeared, along with Opa Locka, who flashed Buck several flirtatious glances through her long, dark eyelashes. The ladies' man was instantly all smiles, just like Nathan was when he saw Rain smiling shyly at him over her best friend's shoulder.
"I think she likes me," Buck tittered softly to the healer as he nodded and grinned at the young woman. But Nathan's attention was only on Rain, the young woman looking even more beautiful than she had the last time he'd seen her.
"Uh-huh," Jackson replied distractedly.
The seven peacekeepers dismounted and some of the children ran forward to take their horses to one of the corrals.
"Welcome, my friends, welcome," the chief greeted, smiling at them. "We are most honored that you have come to join us this day."
"We're honored y' asked us t' come," Vin replied for the others.
The old man nodded his thanks to the tracker. The man called Vin Tanner had lived among the Indians, of that he was sure. And he had obviously learned many of their ways. He would make a good husband for one of his young maidens, if he could arrange it, but he suspected the man's heart already belonged to the one called Larabee. "Come, come, my friends, it is nearly time for us to eat."
One of the children ran up to Ezra as the regulators trailed after the chief, asking excitedly, "Will you show us more tricks? Please?"
The gambler smiled down at the little girl, saying, "Why, I would be delighted to perform some of my amazing feats of magic. It would be my honor, and my privilege, for such a beautiful young woman as yourself."
The girl blushed and giggled, then hurried off to help her mother, who called to her from the doorway of one of the repaired houses.
"I see you've acquired some admirers among the Seminole," Josiah observed with a grin.
Ezra flashed him a smile. "Another of my many natural gifts," he replied smoothly.
"If ya ask me, it'd be a gift if it worked on the ones a little older," Buck teased the gambler, his head turning as he passed Opa Locka. He smiled, tipping his hat, his gaze captured by her come hither glance. He tripped and stumbled forward several steps.
The young women giggled at him while his friends all laughed.
"And I see your 'animal magnetism' is in full flower today, Mr. Wilmington," the gambler returned, adding, "I'll be sure to sit up-wind."
"An excellent idea, brother," Josiah agreed.
"Better watch yo'rself," Nathan cautioned the ladies' man. "I hear that one's lookin' hard fo' a husband."
Buck's head whipped around and his eyes flew open wide as he stared at his friend. "A husband?"
Nathan nodded.
Wilmington paled slightly, then blew out a breath and shook his head. "You're a good friend, Nathan, a damned good friend. Thank you."
The healer fought back a grin as he nodded. "Just watch yo'self."
"I will," Buck promised him. "Believe me, I will… A husband?" He shuddered dramatically, drawing laughs from Nathan, Josiah and Ezra.* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
As they followed the silver-haired man, Chris glanced around the village. The destruction that had been visited on the community had all but disappeared. The houses, corrals, and lean-tos had all been rebuilt and the small pens holding chickens and pigs had been repaired as well. The abundant rain had helped their small gardens, which had already grown tall and lush with healthy-looking vegetables. Wild flowers grew in clumps around the houses and the fences, adding color to the community.
"Looks like you haven't had to show anyone your hospitality," the gunslinger observed with a faint smile.
"Or our hostility," the old man agreed, nodding seriously. "The Spirits of this new land have been kind to us this year."
Tastanagi led the seven men to a small clearing that was ringed by tall cottonwoods. The wide tree branches cast dappled shade over the entire area below them and colorful woven blankets had been spread out on the ground in that shade, bowls and baskets full of food waiting in the center.
"Please, my friends, come and eat with us. Today we celebrate our victory over the Confederate ghosts," the chief said. "Our first victory in this new land."
Chris could see the pain hidden in the old man's eyes and knew this was also a celebration of his son, Imala. The gunslinger clearly remembered the young Seminole man and how he'd died, fighting side-by-side with white men he could count as his friends. And as a man who had lost a son, he understood the bittersweet feeling that had to be coursing through the older man. But those feelings were tempered by the presence of his grandson, who looked to be healthy and growing like a weed. Larabee's gaze slid to Tanner. He had found his own salvation in the tracker.
Reaching the blankets, the seven men spread out and sat down on the blankets, accepting the food and drink that was passed to them by the Seminole men, women and children. It was a bounty freely shared, and each of the peacekeepers was honored by the friendship it represented.
Many of the young women took seats near Buck, the children settling near Ezra and Vin, which prevented the tracker from sitting next to Larabee. Chris' gaze swept over Vin, and then the rest of his men, and he felt himself relax – something he rarely allowed himself to do. He was among friends here, and family. And knowing he wasn't alone any more lifted some of the burden he had carried since his wife's and son's deaths, dissipating his usual depression like a morning fog in sunlight.
His gaze returned to the tracker, who was seated across the blanket from him. Vin immediately looked up and met his eyes, his expression silently asking if anything was wrong. Chris' head barely moved, but it was enough to reassure Tanner that all was well. Vin looked back down at the small boy who had been talking to him.
For a brief moment Larabee wondered what it might have been like, seeing Vin with Adam, but the memory of the boy's smiling face was too painful and he pushed it away, determined to enjoy the day and not dwell on his past – something he did too much anyway. Besides, the life he had with Tanner wouldn't have been possible in a world where Adam lived.
Chris started slightly, realizing for the first time that, if he were given the choice today, he wouldn't be able to pick between Sarah and Vin. How could he live without both of them if they were both alive? And, with Sarah dead, how could he possibly survive if he ever lost Tanner?* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
From the corner of his eye, Tanner saw the flash of pain cross Larabee's face and he knew the black-clad man was thinking about his lost wife and child. But the grief passed quickly and Vin sighed softly to himself, glad, but wishing he knew a way to ease the man's sadness. He never suspected that he did just that with his steadfast friendship and love.
Then the blond's expression changed, and Vin frowned, unable to read it. That unsettled the tracker and he wanted to watch, see if he could puzzle it out, but the boy was tugging on his sleeve again. He looked away.
He knew Larabee was still watching him, but he turned his attention back to the boy, hoping the celebration wouldn't be too painful a reminder of what Chris no longer had to celebrate himself.
The child smiled shyly up at the tracker, asking about his blue eyes, and where they had come from. And Tanner had an answer for him, the one his Kiowa family had taught him many years ago, when he wasn't much older than the child seated next to him. He knew Chris was listening as well, but he didn't mind. He had no secrets from the man.
An hour or so later
About halfway through the meal they heard the first rumbles of thunder on the far side of the foothills the village was built along. Vin and several of the older men all looked up into the sky, studying the clouds and birds they found there.
"Better move this under that ledge," Vin said, nodding at a rocky shelf that jutted out from about halfway up the hillside.
Two of the old men nodded their agreement and the women stood and began shifting the food blankets over to the protected area. The blankets followed. Before all of the others could rejoin them under the overhang, lightning flashed above them and the rain began to fall, lightly at first, and then with more determination.
Most of the villagers took cover under the jutting stone ledge, but a few hurried off to their homes instead. The peacekeepers remained with the majority of the people under the overhang, waiting out the storm.
"Again?" JD lamented, staring out at the falling rain. "I hate this! I've never seen so much rain!"
"Wet summer," Vin said matter-of-factly. "Happens sometimes, JD. Makes it so the springs'll still run in the dry years."
Dunne thought about that for a moment and then nodded, saying with a sigh, "Guess it's a good thing then."
Vin nodded. "Ya get stuck out in the desert, ya'll be grateful a summer like this fed the spring that'll keep y' alive – if y' c'n find it."
Chris watched the exchange, marveling again at how easily Tanner seemed to impart his knowledge to others, especially JD. He was a patient teacher and his wisdom was something Larabee replied upon, more than he'd ever really realized.
More lightning crawled across the darkening sky, followed by loud cracks of thunder, some so loud a few of the children squeaked with fright.
"I felt the ground move!" JD yelped, looking down at the wet earth under his feet.
"Just the thunder," Buck told him with an amused grin.
"I'm tellin' ya, Buck, I felt it move!" JD argued with the man.
Chris glanced over at Vin, who nodded his agreement with the young sheriff. Tanner had felt the tremor too. Then the skies seemed to open up and the rain poured down so hard that they couldn't see the houses built just beyond the cottonwoods, or even the trunks of the big trees themselves.
Several minutes later the pounding rain came to an abrupt stop. And, a few minutes after that, the clouds began to break apart and drift away, carried on a swift wind high up in the sky.
The peacekeepers helped the villagers gather up what was left of their feast, carrying it back to their homes. The men and women then gathered in the center of the village, beginning to sing and dance.
The seven regulators stood and watched, Buck flashing smiles at all the young women who happen to glance his way – and that was quite a few. "Like lookin' at ripe fruit on the vine," he sighed longingly. "And it's all just waitin' to be plucked and savored."
"Just be sure you don't pluck one that's already got herself a husband," Nathan warned him.
Buck's reply was interrupted by two small boys who came running into the center of the celebration, chattering excitedly in Seminole. The old chief frowned as he listened to them, and the dancing came to an abrupt halt.
"What is it?" Chris asked the old man, worried by Tastanagi's sudden concern.
"One of the children is trapped in the old gold mine," he replied. "We must hurry."
Chris and the other peacekeepers followed the old, silver-haired chief and several other Seminole men as they took a narrow path that led up the side of the foothills. The ground was wet and slick in spots, but they kept moving swiftly.
"I only wish I had known about this fortuitous shortcut before," Ezra muttered under his breath.
"So you didn't have to ride out on us?" JD asked him.
The gambler shot the young sheriff a pained look.
"Sorry, Ezra," JD immediately apologized. "I know it was different then; you didn't really know us. Besides," he added, "you came back to help."
"I was another man then," Standish said softly. "Another man."
JD shot him a half-curious, half-concerned look, but said no more. It didn't appear that the gambler wanted to talk about it.
When they reached the mouth of the mine shaft, the chief called out loudly in his own language. A small, frightened voice answered him in the same tongue, but the boy sounded frightened to everyone's ears.
"He all right?" Nathan asked the chief, his brow pinched with worry.
"Tosi says that he is trapped," Tastanagi told the healer. Then he spoke loudly into the mouth of the shaft again, but this time there was no reply.
Chris started into the mine, Vin on his heels.
"Gentlemen, you may wish to reconsider," Ezra said softly, stepping out to stop them. His gaze darted to the old chief, not wanting to offend him, but still needing to warn his friends about the dangers he knew they would face.
"Someone has to go get that boy," Chris snapped, meeting the gambler's eyes.
"I agree, Mr. Larabee, completely, I assure you. But, if you'll notice," Ezra said, waving down at the foot-wide rivulet of water running from the mouth of the shaft. "The ground water is rising. A result of the numerous storms we've been having, no doubt. Parts of that old mine are, most assuredly, under water. If one of those walls should weaken and collapse, or give way even partially, the water–"
"I'll go," Vin cut in. "I c'n track the boy an' git 'im out quick. He cain't be too far in if we c'n hear 'im from here."
"You're not going alone," Chris told the tracker, his tone making it clear that there was no use arguing with him, because he wasn't going to change his mind.
"Better if I do it alone," Vin replied, wanting to protect Larabee, if the stubborn man would just let him, but he already knew it was wasted breath. "Ezra's right – it's goin' t' be unstable in there."
"Let's go," Chris broke in. "We're wastin' daylight." Then he stopped and looked back at the others saying, "Wait here; just in case there's trouble."
"Watch your backs," Buck told them, looking worried and unsure if he should listen to Larabee this time.
Chris nodded, flashing his oldest friend a small smile. "We'll be right back," he assured the ladies' man.
The tracker nodded to Wilmington as well, and then, together, Vin and Chris ducked into the mine shaft, making their way past a tangle of rubble just inside the opening. "Buck," Chris called back outside.
"Yeah?" he asked, starting in to join them.
"No!" Chris snapped. "Just get me a branch or something we can use to burn for light."
Wilmington nodded and ducked back out. A few moments later he stepped in just far enough to hand Larabee a thick tree branch that had been wrapped with cloth and was already burning. "Wood's wet, but it should work long enough for you to find something better. Be careful, both of you," he added as more small rocks and loose dirt fell from the ceiling of the shaft.
"Get out of here," Chris told the man. Then, taking the burning branch, he headed farther into the shaft, calling for the boy. Several yards in, he found an old torch that had been left along the wall of the tunnel and picked it up, setting it alight and handing it to Tanner.
With the additional illumination, Vin spotted another recent collapse of beams and rocky fragments from the ceiling of the shaft. And at the edge of that pile he spotted Tosi, lying half-buried under the rubble. "There," he said, pointing.
He and Chris hurried over to the boy, Larabee leaning his torch against the wall of the passage, then checking to see if the child was alive while Vin thrust the end of the torch into the dirt and started digging to free him.
Tosi moaned softly as Vin worked and Chris knelt and lifted the boy so his shoulders rested on his thighs, keeping him out of the water that was slowly starting to pool on the ground around them.
The boy's eyes blinked open and few moments and he gasped, frightened at first.
"Easy, son," Chris said, his voice soft and soothing. "We'll have you out of here in no time."
Tosi looked from Chris to Vin, recognition finally easing his expression. "Did Ezra come, too?" he asked them airily.
"Yep," Vin replied, still digging. "He's waitin' fer ya outside. Been showin' yer friends more 'a them fancy card tricks 'a his. Ya ask nice, he'll show 'em t' you, too." He looked up, meeting Chris' worried gaze. "See if ya c'n pull 'im out now."
Larabee gently lifted and pulled, the child sliding free of the pile with a little effort.
Chris stood, cradling the boy in his arms, and immediately started back for the entrance of the cave. Vin grabbed the burning torch and hurried past the gunslinger to light their path out.
"Chris?" they heard Buck calling. "Chris!"
"We got him!" the gunslinger called back. "We're comin' out!"
But three steps farther on another tremor hit, more violent than the first. A low, growling rumble gave them warning a moment before the ground began to shake, but there was no time to do anything.
"Run!" Vin snapped at the gunslinger.
Chris started to comply, but the sharp crack of wood splitting filled the shaft like a gunshot the moment before ceiling fragments rained down on Larabee and the boy.
The gunman lost his footing and knew he was going to fall. He flung Tosi away, hoping to spare the child another pummeling.
The boy squealed with fright, but Vin caught him and set him down on his feet. "Chris!" the tracker called, turning to look at the gunslinger as more debris fell down on him. Tanner pressed the torch into Tosi's hand, saying, "Head fer the entrance – now!"
The boy nodded, his eyes wide and full of fear, but he didn't move.
"Go!" Vin told him, pointing.
Tosi jumped at the sharp tone of the tracker's voice and hurried away as fast as his feet could carry him.
The shaking stopped as Vin reached Chris, who lay in the midst of the fallen debris but was already struggling to his feet. Tanner grabbed the man's arm and helped him up. "Ya all right?" he demanded, fear for the blond making his chest tight.
Chris nodded and coughed. "Let's get the hell out of here," he choked.
They turned and started after the boy, but another shot-like crack exploded in the shaft and, a moment later, wood, rock and dirt collapsed, filling the tunnel in front of them and cutting off their escape.
The two men dove for opposite sides of the passage, both hoping to avoid being hit by the materials falling from overhead, but rocks and pieces of rotted beams still struck glancing blows. Chris was knocked off his feet a second time, a blinding flash of light the last thing he remembered seeing before a wave of blackness overtook him and carried him away.
Vin! he cried, but the word never reached his lips.* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"Chris!" Vin yelled when he saw Larabee go down for a second time.
The tracker lunged away from the far wall of the shaft, but falling debris caught him along his left side, face to hip, the force driving him to the ground. He hit the floor of the shaft, rolled and starting to sit up so he could get to Larabee. But a large portion of the ceiling broke free and fell, landing on Tanner's legs and abdomen.
Vin cried out as something bit painfully into his leg, then his breath was stripped away by the weight of a beam falling across his hips and stomach.
He fought desperately to draw a breath, but the weight pressing against him made it impossible for him to fill his lungs. He struggled frantically, but the heavy piece of wood refused to budge. Panic flared, but a glancing blow to his head carried him unwillingly into the darkness.
Chris! he exclaimed, but the word never reached his lips.
At the same time
The men gathered at the mouth of the mine staggered backward when the tremor hit and, a few moments later, a cloud of dust belched out of the open mouth of the shaft.
"Chris!" Buck cried, fear squeezing his heart with its icy fingers.
Tosi darted out of the entrance, dropping the torch when he saw the men standing there. Nathan immediately scooped the boy up and began to check him over for injuries. "Where are Chris and Vin?" he asked the child.
"Inside," he said, beginning to cough.
As soon as the air cleared enough to allow them to see the entrance of the mine, the other peacekeepers rushed forward into the opening.
"Chris!" Buck bellowed. "Chris, can ya hear me? Vin!"
JD immediately began digging into the jumbled pile of rocks, dirt and broken wooden beams, but as soon as he created a hole, more debris rushed to fill in the space.
"Stop," Ezra said, reaching out to grab hold of JD's shoulder, but the young sheriff shrugged him off, continuing to dig. "Stop!" the gambler snapped, more loudly this time.
JD jerked up, surprised by the man's tone, and the command. "We've gotta do something, Ezra!" he snapped back at the man. "They could be buried in there!"
"There is far too much debris here for us to move it," Ezra said, his gaze sweeping over the portion of the shaft he could see. "We'll never be able to tunnel through all of this in time. And we would require support beams as we progressed if we did." He looked upward, his brow furrowing in thought. "Perhaps we might reach them in time from above."
"There's got to be a whole lot more earth to move above us than in front of us," JD argued with him.
"The mine's built into the hillside," Josiah said, nodding as he caught on to what the gambler was suggesting. "The shaft might be close to the surface at the top of the hill."
Ezra turned to the chief saying, "Send someone back to the village. Bring back more help. You and the rest of your people stay here. My friends and I will go up onto the hilltop and call for you. With luck, you'll hear us. If so, call back, or send someone to say that you've heard us."
The silver-haired man nodded, then turned and gave his instructions.
Nathan joined them, still holding the boy. "He's gonna be fine," he said. "Chris and Vin?"
"They're still in there," Buck stated, frowning at the pile of rubble. It was hard to imagine that anyone could have survived, but he refused to accept that they were dead.
"Not for long, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra said, stalking back out of the shaft, the other peacekeepers following him.
A few minutes later
Water flowed into the tunnel, spreading out and creeping closer to the fallen gunslinger, reaching Larabee's hand first, running down along the front and back of his arm. When it reached his chin, Chris moaned softly as consciousness returned in a painful rush. He coughed and spat, trying to clear the dust from his lungs and the muddy water from his mouth. Then, with an effort, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees so he was out of the rapidly rising water.
His surroundings seemed to dip and warp with abandon as soon as he moved and he closed his eyes for a moment, willing the violent motion to stop. When he opened them again, the world had stopped its bizarre contortions, but his head still throbbed excruciatingly. He started to stand, but had to stop when the motion forced him to retch.
As his stomach emptied itself, he realized he was staring down into several inches of water. He frowned, wiped his dripping hand over his mouth, and then dared to glance up again. Memory and realization hit him at once: earthquake… Cave-in… Vin.
"Vin!" he called as loudly as he could, but the tracker's name came out as a weak, gritty scratch.
There was no reply and Chris forced himself to his feet, looking around as best he could in the semi-darkness. Dust still hung heavily in the air, and he staggered through the water a few steps. "Vin!" he called again. And then he saw the tracker, lying in the water, floating actually, a pile of debris covering his lower body.
"Tanner!" Chris called sharply, hurrying over to the man. He knelt down and lifted Vin's shoulders out of the water. The quick action caused the gunman's head to pound, setting off sparks of lights that danced in front of his eyes, but he forced the pain back and called, "Vin? Can you hear me? Damn it, Vin, open your eyes."
And blue eyes fluttered opened slowly. "Damn, Cowboy, what did y' hit me with?"
Chris snorted softly. "Just a whole damned mine shaft," he replied, trying to see how bad the situation was for the tracker. "Can you move your legs?"
Vin looked down at his buried legs and tried to move. He sucked in a sharp gasp and froze. "Cain't move."
"Damn," Chris hissed, his heart racing. "Can you sit up? Let me see if I can dig you out."
Vin nodded and, with Chris' help, he was able to stay in a seated position if he held on to the beam that seemed to be trapping him. The water was just high enough to almost cover his lap.
Looking down, Tanner realized that the beam must have shifted somehow, ending up on his hips and upper thighs, but his ribs ached with a fiery agony that told him they were either cracked or broken. He watched as Larabee began digging through the pile with his hands. The gunslinger's eyes were pinched at the corners, as was his mouth.
"Chris, y' hurt?" he asked the gunman, worried now about Larabee more than himself.
"Head hurts," the blond replied, adding, "It's nothing." Vin didn't look like he believed him, but – thankfully – he didn't say or ask anything more.
It only took a few minutes for Chris to remove most of the rubble covering the tracker. But that only exposed the larger problem. One of the overhead support beams had fallen, pinning Tanner's legs beneath it. And it was big enough that Larabee knew he wasn't going to be able to lift it without some help.
Meeting Vin's eyes, he said, "You should've gotten out when you could, pard."
Tanner shrugged and grinned. "Ain't the first time I overstayed m' welcome."
Larabee chuckled softly, wiping the sweat from his upper lip with his shirtsleeve. "Want to try again?"
Vin nodded and leaned back, bracing his hands against the ground as best he could, the water coming up to his elbows now. He waited, and when Chris tried to lift the beam he struggled to pull himself out from under the heavy weight. He managed an inch, at most, before he was stopped by another sudden flash of pain shooting up his left leg and making him shout, "Sonuvabitch!"
"Vin?" Chris questioned, then swallowed several times as he willed his stomach to settle. He wasn't sure it was the exertion or the pain that had flooded Tanner's voice that had triggered the reaction.
"Must have somethin' stuck in m' leg," he said, his words strangled by the searing pain still shooting up his thigh.
"Don't move," Chris said. "Let me take a look."
Larabee dug some more, finally finding the real problem. A sharp fragment of rock was embedded in the man's flesh just above the knee. Blood oozed into the water from the wound in dark, twisting rivulets. He would have to remove the stone if Vin was going to pull himself out from under the beam. He looked up at the tracker. "You've got a sliver of stone that's cut into your leg. If I take that out, you think you can pull yourself free if I lift that beam a little?"
The tracker shook his head. "Cain't move more 'n a little, less y' c'n lift that more 'n the last time."
"Damn," Chris breathed, knowing he couldn't do any better than he already had. Still, the stone had to come out so he could bind the tracker's bleeding wound. He moved over and knelt beside Vin, untying the tracker's bandanna from around his neck.
Vin flashed the gunman a sly grin. "Y' go any farther, we's gonna have t' get married."
Larabee snorted. "I marry you and you wouldn't know what the hell to do on our wedding night."
"Hell, Cowboy, what else could y' want me t' do I ain't already done?"
Chris shook his head and crawled through the water to the tracker's leg. He put the cloth in his teeth and looked at Vin. "Ready?" he asked through the material.
Tanner nodded.
Chris reached into the water, got a grip on the stone and pulled. Vin cried out, his body jerking in response.
The flares of light erupted in front of Larabee's eyes again, but he pulled the cloth from his teeth, sucked in several deep breaths, and tied the bandanna around Tanner's leg, knotting it down as tightly as he could under the cold water.
The tracker gasped and groaned the entire time, but he remained still while Larabee worked, not wanting to make it any harder than it already was for the man.
"Sorry," Chris said, feeling his stomach starting to rebel again. He leaned over and quietly heaved into the water. Wiping his face with his sleeve, he straightened and looked around again. "I'm going to see if I can find something I can use as a lever on this damned beam."
Vin nodded, still panting as his leg burned and throbbed. He glanced down to find the water a few inches deeper already. "Better hurry," he said. "This water's risin' fast."
Larabee nodded and made a search of the section of shaft they had access to, moving as quickly as he could, but he found nothing long enough, or sturdy enough, to use against the heavy weight of the beam.
He sloshed back to the tracker, noticing that Vin was beginning to shiver. "Nothing," he said.
Tanner groaned, his eyes closing, head tilting back.
"Vin?" Chris asked, immediately dropping down next to the man, his arm going around the tracker's shoulders. "Vin, what's wrong?"
"Beam's settlin'… dirt's turnin' t' mud under me."
Chris blew out a breath, knowing he had to think of something, but he was at a loss and his head was hurting so badly it was hard to think at all. Then it hit him. He shifted onto his hands and knees and started frantically scooping dirt out from alongside Vin's legs, but a couple of inches down he hit hard caliche. "Damn it," he hissed miserably.
Vin met Larabee's eyes and offered him a half-grin. "Hell, least it means that beam ain't sinkin' no farther."
Larabee snorted. "Yeah, at least there's that."
"Y' sure yer all right, Cowboy?"
The tracker's eyes were full of worry and Larabee knew he couldn't lie to the man. "Head feels like I was kicked by a mule," he admitted.
"Here, let me take a look," Tanner said, turning slightly so he could examine the gunslinger. The movement made his ribs hurt, but he needed to be sure Chris was all right. A moment later he said, "Hell, Lar'bee, y' got a good-sized lump here."
"I'm not the one we need to worry about right now," Chris said, then leaned in and kissed the man's lips. The kiss was returned, a little too desperately. Larabee pulled back and pushed to his feet. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to look for a lever again. There has to be something."
Vin watched him go, deciding he'd just continue to worry anyway.
A short while later
Chris moved through the rising water, still trying to find a way out, but there was none. With a softly muttered curse, he turned and headed back to Vin. The cold water was already up to the shivering tracker's chest, and Tanner's face had turned a pasty grey that had Larabee more than a little scared.
"How're you doing?" he asked Tanner when he reached him.
"B-been b-better," Vin replied, his teeth chattering noisily.
"Other end of the shaft's blocked just like this," Chris told him with a sigh, his hand coming up to push the hair off the tracker's face.
"Prob'ly w-why w-we ain't already d-d-drowned," Vin said.
Chris' eyes rounded. "But that water's gettin' in somehow. If I can find out where–" He was interrupted by a sharp shaft of sunlight shooting into the semi-darkness and striking the water with startling radiance. Both men turned their heads away for a moment, allowing their eyes to adjust, then they looked up, half-expecting to see the gates of Heaven, or maybe Hell, opening for them. But they only found a narrow crack in the top of the shaft that reached to the surface.
Chris sloshed over to stand directly beneath it. He squinted, the bright sunlight making his head throb painfully. The fissure looked wide enough for a man to climb through, if he could get up there. He knew the water would eventually float him to the opening, and freedom, but Vin was another matter.
"Y' f-find a w-way out?" the tracker asked him.
"Looks like," Larabee admitted, glancing over at Vin in time to see the relief flood his features. The feelings behind that expression felt like a fist in the gunslinger's guts. Vin was actually comforted, knowing that Chris would survive this, even if he didn't. "But it's not going to help if we can't get that beam off you."
"Least I k-know it'll be you collectin' that bounty on m' h-head."
Larabee's green eyes flashed. "I'm not collecting anything, Tanner."
Vin met the man's eyes, holding his gaze as he said, "Y' ain't goin' t' m-move this beam, Chris. An' there ain't no w-way t' s-s-stop this water from risin', n-neither."
"There has to be a way!" Chris argued savagely. "I'm not giving up, damn it. I can't–"
Vin nodded. "Ain't sayin' 'm givin' up, but if it c-comes down t' it… rather d-die b-by a b-bullet."
Chris frowned, fear suddenly flaring in his chest and making it hard for him to breathe. "What the hell are you sayin', Vin?"
"Don't want t' d-drown, Chris," the tracker replied, hoping he could make the man understand. "Seen it happen… comes d-down t' it, I want y' t' shoot me b'fore I c'n d-drown."
"Vin–" Chris started, fully intending to tell the man he couldn't – no, wouldn't – do it, but the raw terror in the tracker's blue eyes stopped him. Could he actually stand by and watch Tanner drown? "It's not going to come to that," he said, stalling for time.
"Don't see how it cain't," was the practical reply. "I want yer word, Chris. Please."
Damn it! Larabee hesitated, still not sure he could actually do it, but he knew he had no choice but to promise Vin he would. He took a deep breath, his stomach knotting as he forced his jaws to open so he could say, "You have my word."
"Thanks, Cowboy." And there was real gratitude in the tracker's blue eyes.
Which made the gunman's stomach want to turn over, and this time it had nothing to do with the pain in his head.
Around the same time
Ezra led the way to the hilltop, then stood, glancing this way and that, trying to decide where the mine shaft should be located below them. Once he had picked a likely spot, he stalked over and yelled loudly, "Hello! Can you hear me? Hello?"
"Ezra?" came a faint voice in reply. "Ezra, that you?"
"Mr. Larabee?" he called and the others immediately congregated at his location.
"Ezra, there's a crack! Find it! Hurry!"
The five peacekeepers began to search without delay, Ezra and Josiah on their feet, the other three on their hands and knees.
"Here! Chris!" Buck exclaimed, locating the fissure. He lay flat on the ground and yelled through it, "Chris, can ya hear me?"
"I hear you fine," Larabee replied, staggering slightly when he tipped his head back to stare up at the crack. The movement brought his headache back with a vengeance. He couldn't make out Buck's features, but he could see the dark outline of the man's head.
"Here!" Wilmington called over his shoulder to the others. He looked back down through the crack and hollered, "Chris?"
"Buck, I need a rope! Tie it to a horse. There's a beam on Vin's legs that's got to be lifted off. The water's rising. Hurry!"
The tone of Larabee's voice told the ladies' man just how scared Chris was, and that chilled Buck to the core. He looked up at the others, saying, "JD! Go back to the village. Get the horses and all the rope you can find. Go! Now!"
The young man turned without a single question and left at a full run.
Then Wilmington told the others, "Vin's trapped under a beam."
"The water?" Ezra asked, able to guess the real danger from the stricken expression on the ladies' man's face.
Buck nodded, looking away from the gambler's worried expression. He turned back to the crack, calling down, "JD's on his way!"
Nathan joined Buck at the edge of the opening. "Chris, you hurt?" he yelled down.
"Vin's trapped," was Larabee's reply. "He's got a cut in his leg."
"Chris, are you hurt?" the healer persisted.
There was a moment of silence, then, "Got hit on the head," he called back up, refusing to look at Vin as he did. "Hurts some."
Nathan met Buck's eyes and held them. "He's holding back," the ladies' man said. "I can tell by the sound of his voice."
The healer nodded. It looked like they had two injured men in that shaft, and not much time to get them out from the sounds of it. "They goin' to fit through this?" Nathan questioned, trying to gauge the width of the opening.
"I think so," Buck said, leaning into the crack. "Looks wide enough." From his position, Wilmington was able to see Chris pretty clearly as he stood below him, one hand raised to shade his eyes. The familiar black hat was missing and there was a dark streak in the man's blond hair that Buck guessed was blood. "Damn," he sighed softly. Then, glancing around, he caught sight of Vin in the gloomy shaft. The tracker looked like he was shaking, and Buck realized that the man was shivering. The rising water must be cold. "Hurry, JD," he said softly. Then he looked back down and yelled. "Hang on!"* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
JD raced down off the hilltop as fast as he dared. He stumbled to a stop at the bottom, panting for breath, and then hurried on to the mouth of the mine. The chief and two other men stood there, waiting.
"We did not hear you calling," the old man said.
"We found them. I have to get back… to the village… I need the horses and rope… as much rope as you have," he panted, trying to refill his burning lungs.
The chief nodded and turned to the other two men, speaking to them in his native tongue.
"They will take you the fastest way. The others will be here shortly," the old man told JD. He gazed up into the sky and began to sing, calling on the Spirits of this new land to help the friends of his people.