Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Forty-Two

Evangeline dropped the sack she was carrying, lifted her skirts and ran as fast as she her legs could carry her. She burst into the mercantile and her eyes fell on Colt. He was sitting up against the counter, his shirt was off and his shoulder wound was still oozing blood, but he was alert and his blue eyes lit up and filled with relief when they met hers.

"You're alive?" Evangeline gasped. Without waiting for him to reply she ran to him and threw herself into his chest. She was careful to stay away from his bad shoulder as she clung to him and sobbed against his neck. "I thought you were dead."

"No, ma'am." Colt replied gruffly. "No, I ain't gonna die just yet."

"But you got shot in the head." Evangeline stated with shock, her voice muffled against his skin.

"No, I got grazed in the head and knocked out cold. I got shot in the shoulder." Colt countered, kissing her hair. "And you're going to get covered in blood, sweetheart."

"I don't care."

"I need to get that wound tended to." Silas urged. Evangeline sniffed and turned her head to see Comanche and Frankie walk in. Comanche had picked up the sack she'd dropped and he tossed it to Silas.

"Where is the man that shot me?" Colt asked. "Is everyone else okay?"

"Everyone is fine." Comanche replied with a tip of his head.

"Except the man who shot you." Frankie cut in.

"Yes he is dead." Comanche agreed.

Evangeline knew she was in Silas's way as the man began to use the water and a rag to dab at Colt's shoulder. Colt hissed in pain and Evangeline laid gentle kisses to his jaw and gripped his hand in hers, wishing she could take his pain away.

"What in the hell is that?" Colt demanded suddenly. Evangeline followed his gaze and fought back a gag when she saw the bloody piece of skin and hair hanging from Comanche's waist, bouncing against his leg when he moved.

Comanche shrugged. "My trophy."

Frankie laughed and winked at Comanche. "Nice scalp, injun."

"Thank you, Paleface."

Colt grumbled under his breath as Silas poked at the bullet hole in his shoulder. "Dammit, Silas, leave it be!"

"You were shot, Colt." Evangeline reminded him. "Let Silas patch you up."

"Y'all act like this is my first time getting shot." Colt stated. "These two bullets actually make times thirteen and fourteen."

Evangeline blinked several times as she stared at him. "Fourteen times?! You've been shot fourteen times?!"

"Yep." Colt grimaced in pain, his one-armed grip on Evangeline tightening almost painfully as Silas poured a strong smelling antiseptic over Colt's shoulder, the nose-burning liquid coating both the entrance and exit wound.

Colt's nostrils widened and Evangeline felt him trembling with pain as Silas began to sew up the entrance wound on his shoulder.

Evangeline threw a glance at Comanche and Frankie and the two of them quickly slipped out of the mercantile.

"Look at me, Colt..." Evangeline urged gently, hating to see the pain on his face and yet impressed by the way he kept himself from crying out.

Colt's dark blue eyes looked deep into hers and Evangeline held his gaze. So much was written in Colt's eyes. Evangeline recognized the love she saw there. Colt looked at her in much the same way that her father had always gazed upon her mother. Colt loved her and she loved him right back—fiercely.