Chapter Forty-Seven
Katherine, Rachel and Susette sat silently in that tiny room a long while before Hoss and one of his men, Jackal, returned. Katherine figured that Timmons was probably keeping watch. There had been an outbreak of gunshots and yells some time before and Katherine could hear the rabid now as they moaned and shuffled in the dirt out on the street. There was also the unmistakable sound of tearing flesh and feeding rabid and Katherine prayed that her friends were okay.
"We're feeling a bit lonely." Hoss stated as he limped across the room and stood in front of the three of them. Katherine recognized the look in the men's eyes. She had seen that look before.
"I'd rather have you—" Jackal stated, pointing at Katherine and rubbing the bulge in the front of his trousers. "—but the boss done claimed you. So I'm taking that one." His gaze settled on Susette.
"She's just a child!" Rachel exclaimed with disgust.
Jackal chuckled. "Don't worry, old woman. I'll make sure you have a turn too."
Katherine swallowed hard and knew she had to do something. She couldn't allow these men to touch Susette! But what could she do? She was tied and bound. She had no weapons. Nothing other than her body—and a whore certainly knew how to get what she wanted using her body.
"I have a better idea." Katherine purred, knowing what she had to do. There was no other choice than to do what she did best. She had wanted to be something other than what she'd been raised as but not at the expense of Susette's innocence. Katherine licked her bottom lip suggestively and then grazed her teeth across it.
"And what's that?" Hoss asked, sounding intrigued. Katherine pushed herself onto her knees and scooted forward until her face was mere inches from his crotch.
"Let them go and I'll take real good care of both of you."
"You think we're stupid or something?!" Hoss demanded with disbelief, though Katherine noticed that his hips pushed forward toward her mouth.
Katherine shook her head and let her lips brush against the front of his trousers. Instantly she felt his cock spring to life beneath her gentle caress. "You let them go and I'll do you good and proper, Hoss, Jackal too."
Katherine pushed her shoulders forward to push her line of cleavage up beneath her white shirt as she gazed longingly at Jackal through heavy lidded eyes.
"What do you think, Jackal?" Hoss asked.
Jackal grinned. "I don't like young girls or old women as much as I love me a talented whore. Is that what you are?"
Katherine tossed her hair back and smiled. "There's only one way to find out how talented I am, boys. You let them go and I'll show you a good time."
Hoss waved Jackal aside and the two men turned their backs on Katherine. They bent their heads together, whispering among themselves for several long moments.
Those were some of the tensest moments of Katherine's life. She knew how desirable she was to men and she knew the power her body possessed over every man she chose to seduce (every man other than Colt she supposed). She could only hope that these men would fall for her charms as well.
"You can get away a lot easier with just me to worry about." Katherine added. "No one in that hotel cares about me. It's this little girl and woman they're worried about. I haven't been with them for any more than two or three days."
"Who's Miss Kate?" Hoss asked, glancing over his shoulder and shifting his weight off his wounded leg. "That giant bastard seemed awfully worried about 'Miss Kate'."
Susette began to speak but Katherine cut her off. "The girl is. She's his daughter. And the woman here is his mother. If you let them go then Colt and the rest won't have any reason to come seeking y'all out. He'll let you leave."
"You really think that?" Hoss asked. "You really think he'll just let us walk away?"
"I do. Colt obviously isn't the type that murders for revenge or he'd have killed you all in your sleep instead of simply steeling your loot."
"Why are you so willing to stay with us?" Jackal questioned suspiciously.
Katherine bit her lip and gave him a sideways glance as she leaned forward, keeping her voice in a seductive whisper. "Because you are real men, not self-righteous bastards like Colt. He tries so hard to convince everyone that he is good—perfect even—while making everyone else feel badly for what they are. I think time spent with you two boys would be quite a bit more...." She let her gaze stray to their trousers. "...entertaining."
"I knew you were nothing but a little whore." Rachel spat and Katherine glared back at her.
"That's better than being a bitter old woman who knows nothing of men." Katherine looked back at the men and flashed them a sultry smile. "I know how to care for a nice hard cock."
Jackal and Hoss quickly went back to speaking again and then finally after several long moments, during which Katherine found herself unable to look at either Susette or Rachel, the men turned to face them once again.
"You got yourself a deal, little woman. But you gotta take care of us one good time and show us you're worth it before we let them go."
Katherine nodded, hoping it was really going to be this easy to get Susette to safety. She honestly could not care any less whether Rachel lived or died.
"Let's go then. I'm ready for a little fun." Katherine teased with a wiggle and Hoss laughed. He untied the ropes from around her ankles, gripped her upper arm and jerked her to her feet.
"You are honestly going to give yourself to these men?" Rachel hissed.
Katherine threw her head back with laughter, wiggling her hips against Hoss as she did so. "Yes I am, honey." She purred. "And I'm going to do it with pleasure."
Jackal laughed, rubbed at his crotch and then led her and Hoss from the room. Katherine wasn't scared about lying with the men. This was who she was. A woman who used her body to get what she wanted. Honestly she saw nothing wrong with it. Rutting was simply rutting. It was nothing more and nothing less. She would lay with these men, get Rachel and Susette safely returned to safety and then she'd figure out a way to leave them herself.... Maybe even kill them.
Timmons frowned when the three of them entered the sitting room. "What's going on?" he asked.
"We're going to have a little fun on a whore. She bargained for the other women's safety. She says that if we let those other two go, then their friends over there will let us walk." Hoss replied, grunting as he shifted his weight off his bad leg.
"And you believe her?" Timmons questioned suspiciously.
Hoss nodded. "I know a whore when I see one. She says she ain't been with the group long and they have no loyalty to her. You know Colt ain't a murderer neither. We give him the two he wants and we'll slip out the back at nightfall."
"Well can I have a turn with her?"
"I'll give you all the turns you want, cowboy." Katherine assured him coyly.
"You keep our weapons out here, just in case she gets any ideas." Hoss undid his gun belt and tossed it into a chair before tossing down his boot knife as well. Jackal added his own weapons to the pile and Hoss winked at Timmons. "Don't worry, Timmons, you'll get your turn."
Hoss and Jackal led her into a back bedroom and Katherine bit her lip and smiled at them both. "Are you going to free my hands? My fingers are longing to touch you."
Katherine turned her emotions off as Hoss undid her hands, slid down his trousers and sat on the edge of the bed. He yanked her to her knees in front of him shoved her face toward his cock.
Katherine did what she did best and, using both her mouth and hand, began pleasuring the man. He threw his head back and let out a groan as his hand buried itself deeply in her golden hair.
Jackal came to stand behind her. He pulled her to her feet, though Katherine was careful not to take her mouth from Hoss's arousal. She felt her underclothes being pulled down, her dress being shoved up and then Jackal buried himself deep inside her from behind.
Katherine moaned. The men would think it was one of pleasure but truly it was pain. Jackal was driving himself roughly against her and his hands were gripping her hips so tightly, she knew she would have bruises.
Thankfully neither of these men was long lasting and before long they were both grunting and panting with their releases. Katherine stood straight and smiled at them both in turn as they readjusted their pants.
"I'm glad I chose you all. That was the best I've had in a long time." Katherine smiled.
Jackal grabbed up the ropes and retied her wrists. At her frown he chuckled and put his lips to her neck, suckling hard enough to leave marks. It seemed Jackal was a man who liked it rough and painful. Katherine had always hated those.
Without a word, Hoss led Jackal and Katherine back to the sitting room and the two men placed their weapons back on. "What's going on out there?" Hoss asked Timmons.
"Damn biters are still feeding on the corpses of our men, though there ain't much left now. Other than that it's been quiet."
"I still can't believe you let that damn woman come out and get our girl off the road without shooting her." Jackal spat.
Timmon's shrugged. "I don't reckon anyone deserves death by a biter. Sure this world might be going to hell in a hurry but it don't mean we gotta go with it."
Hoss laughed and smacked Timmon's on the back. "We're already going there. Hold her a minute will you?" He shoved Katherine into Timmon's and then disappeared into the room where Susette and Rachel were locked up.
He came back out with both women moments later.
Katherine frowned. "What are you doing with them?" she asked.
Hoss untied their hands and pushed them toward the door. "I'm doing what I promised I would."
Hoss threw open the door and Katherine saw all the rabid. They were covered in fresh blood and flesh from their feast on Hoss's men. The rabid heard the door open and turned their heads in that direction.
Susette began to scream. Rachel fought against them. Katherine felt herself being shoved toward the door as well.
"What are you doing?!" Katherine demanded. "You can't just shove us out there with those rabid! What about our deal?"
"You're cute, Miss Kate, and you must think I'm real damn stupid." Hoss chuckled. "I figure your friends will be so busy trying to save you that we'll have plenty of time to get away."
Katherine felt panic fill her. They were going to kill them all. Sacrifice them to the rabid! Katherine had laid with these men for nothing. She had given them her body and was going to have nothing to show for it.
"You can't throw her out!" Katherine exclaimed, trying to get to Susette as the girl reached for her.
Jackal laughed. "Sure I can."
Katherine screamed as Jackal grabbed Susette by the arm and tossed her out the door and onto the porch with rabid quickly stumbling their way.
***
"Shit! Miss Kate!" Ox yelled from the top of the hotel when he saw the door fly open and Susette being shoved out onto the porch. He could see Katherine inside. She was screaming, yelling, pleading and being laughed at in return. Her hands were bound and she was completely defenseless—and being tossed out to the rabid right behind Susette and Aunt Rachel.
"What in the hell is Hoss doing?" Colt demanded with horror as the rabid drew closer and closer to the helpless women and Susette. Rachel and Susette were untied but Susette was clinging to Katherine's skirts and Rachel simply stood there panic-stricken.
Colt, Frankie and Comanche began taking shots at the rabid. "Don't hit the women!" Evangeline screamed. Ox knew it was too dangerous. He had to save Katherine. He had to save his aunt and Susette as well. This group had Grace, they wouldn't lose another child.
Ox stood and ran for the ladder. He wrapped his hands around the sides and jumped down, keeping his feet on either side of the metal bars and sliding to the ground quickly.
Ox let out a roar that was more beast than it was human and ran into the road, pulling his long bowie knife and swinging at the rabid that stood between him and Katherine.
"Miss Kate!" he yelled. He felt a rabid's hand close on his arm and sunk his knife into the monster's eye just before it could bite him. Another attempted to sink its teeth into Ox's shoulder but an arrow jammed into its temple and Ox nodded at Comanche as he yanked it back out.
Together Ox, Comanche and Colt fought their way through the rabid. Thankfully there weren't many left and most were moving a bit slow having gorged themselves on the bodies of the dead men.
"Ox!" Katherine screamed. Ox looked up in time to see one of the men from the gang, cut Katherine's hands free. Another man, the one named Hoss, yelled angrily and punched the other man hard, sending him flying backward out the door and crashing into Katherine and Susette.
The women fell and Ox's blood froze as he watched Katherine putting her body between Susette and the four rabid closing in on them, while kicking her feet violently at them, trying to keep the monsters from falling upon their helpless bodies.
Hoss and the other man, Jackal, disappeared from view. Timmon's let out screams of pain as one of the four rabid attacking the ladies turned to him and fell upon the man, sinking its teeth deep into his thigh.
Ox ran at the rabid still surrounding the ladies and swung his giant knife, using the blade much like a machete.
"Ox!" Susette cried out as he took out the last of the rabid around them and tossed his knife to the side. Susette jumped into his arms and Ox soothed the little girl, surprised by her actions.
Ox held out one hand to help Katherine to her feet but she refused the offer, pushing herself up off the ground without help. Ox frowned as Katherine crossed her arms over herself and stared at the dirt instead of at him.
"Shit, Miss Kate, are you okay?" Ox asked Katherine, even as he helped his Aunt Rachel to her feet. Katherine nodded but said nothing.
"That takes care of the rabid." Comanche stated, wiping his hand across his blood splattered chest and sliding the gore covered arrow back into the quiver on his back.
"Ox, get the women back to the hotel." Colt ordered.
Ox nodded, adjusted Susette on his hip and offered his arm to Katherine. Instead of taking it, she kept her eyes focused on the ground and headed quickly for the hotel. Ox felt his heart break apart a little. What was wrong? Katherine probably hated him for not protecting her and for letting those men get their hands on her. Ox had never been more ashamed in his life. He wrapped his arm around his aunt's shoulder and led her across the body littered road.
***
Colt shook his head as he walked over to Timmons. The man was on his back in the dirt and he was breathing hard, panting with pain. His eyes were shining bright with fever and the front of his thigh had a chunk of flesh missing. The wound was oozing and already yellowing with whatever sickness made the rabid what they were.
"Help me, Colt...." He whispered. His voice was tight with pain. "Don't let me turn into one of those monsters."
Colt nodded. He pulled his revolver and shattered the newly fallen silence of the afternoon with a roaring gunshot, ending Timmons suffering.
"Where did the other men go?" Comanche questioned as the indian came up behind him.
"My guess is they ran out the back." Colt replied and without waiting for a reply he strode quickly around the tiny house that Hoss had been holed up in. His angry, determined strides ate up the ground quickly and sure enough, Hoss and Jackal were running—or at least attempting to. Hoss's injured leg meant the progress was slow going and it also meant they were still within range.
Colt drew in a breath, let it out slowly and fired off two quick shots. One caught Jackal in the back and the man fell dead. The other caught Hoss's good leg and the man buckled with a cry of pain.
Colt reloaded his gun as he walked. It didn't take long to catch up to Hoss. The man attempted to pull his gun but Colt kicked his wrist, sending the piece of metal flying. Colt crouched low and grabbed Hoss's through, holding the man down in the dirt.
"I always knew you were a coward, Hoss. And today you proved it."
Hoss sneered and tried to punch Colt but Colt dodged the swing. "How did I prove it?" Hoss hissed, his voice laced with pain.
"Only a coward would toss helpless women and a child into a sea of rabid so they could safely make a run for it. And Timmons? I thought he was your friend? You fed him to the rabid."
"Timmons had grown soft. First letting you and that bitch save that woman from the road without putting a bullet in you and then cutting that whores hands free.... I see why you keep that whore around. She's got a nice mouth."
Colt frowned but chose to ignore the comment. "I'm gonna kill you now, Hoss. It's something I should have done seven years ago."
"Yeah, you should have." Hoss agreed, no fear showing in his gray eyes. Colt wasn't surprised that the man didn't show fear. He was tough. An outlaw. Colt knew if the roles were reversed, he wouldn't let this bastard see any fear either.
One final gunshot filled the air as Colt ended Hoss's life. He stood and turned to see Comanche standing behind him, the Indians face expressionless.
"Let's get these bodies back to town. We have a lot to burn before nightfall. We don't want to have any fire burning once night falls, that'll just draw in more rabid."
Comanche nodded and without another word the two men got to work on their task.
***
Jedidiah stepped into Rachel's bedroom to find that Ox was already occupying it. He was unnoticed and so he smiled and was about to slip silently back out of the room to give the aunt and nephew time alone when Ox's words and sad voice stopped him.
"She won't even look at me, Aunt Rachel. I guess she realizes now what kind of man I really am. I'm too damn dumb to keep anybody safe and she knows it after today."
"Ox, you shouldn't blame yourself." Rachel assured the boy. Jedidiah's smile grew. Most did not care much for Rachel but Jedidiah knew that deep down she was a good person and he loved her. "If that petulant child, Susette, had not run off into the street than none of this would have happened."
Jedidiah frowned. Had she truly just said that?
"You shouldn't blame her, Aunt Rachel. Shit, she's just a little girl. Her, Evangeline and Charlotte are in the kitchen. The girl just keeps shaking and is scared darn near to death." Ox stated as he wrung his hat in his massive hands.
"Yes, well, what she did was foolish and nearly got quite a few people killed." Rachel countered.
"I don't want to talk about her, Aunt Rachel. Did Miss Kate say anything about me while you all was over there? Did she say she was mad at me or anything?"
"She didn't think about you at all, Ox, and you'd do well to forget about that whore."
Jedidiah feared Ox would throttle his aunt as his face reddened and he stepped forward, pointing one giant finger in her face. "You'll watch what you say about Miss Kate!" he warned. "I love that woman and intend to marry her one day."
"You can't marry a whore, Ox. Even a man such as yourself deserves better than her."
Ox seemed confused for a moment as he rubbed his neck and his green eyes looked at the floor. "What's wrong with her? And what do you mean a man like me?"
"Oh, Ox—" Rachel whispered gently, sitting up straighter in her bed and laying her hand on his forearm. "You know that I love you but you also know that you're not the—brightest—of men."
"Yeah, I know." Ox mumbled, kicking at the floor.
Jedidiah couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was the woman he had fallen in love with? Before he could make his presence known she spoke again. "And Katherine is a whore, Ox. She gave herself to two of those men. She wasn't thinking about you when she did that. She took them to the other room, raised her skirts and gave them her body."
"She wouldn't do that!" Ox argued loudly.
Rachel nodded. "She did. You don't need a woman like that, Ox. You need a simpler woman. A good girl that will be satisfied with a simple life with a simple man."
Jedidiah was horrified when he saw Ox break down in tears. The giant's broad shoulders heaved up and down as he buried his face in his hands. Rachel opened her mouth to say something else, but Ox turned and all but ran from the room, nearly trampling Jedidiah in the process.
When Rachel saw Jedidiah she smiled. "I was wondering when you'd make your way in here."
"I was on the roof keeping watch while Colt and Comanche cleaned the mess in the street."
"You can come sit next to me." Rachel urged him when he remained in the doorway. "It's amazing that no one was killed today."
"Yes. Amazing." Jedidiah agreed. "What just happened in here with Ox?"
Rachel flushed and picked at her blanket. "I was simply telling the boy the truth—"
"You are not who I thought you were, Rachel."
"Jedidiah, I—"
"I have nothing else to say to you." Jedidiah assured her and he turned and walked out the door, closing the door behind him.
At least now he would not have to mourn her death so deeply when she met her end. He was glad he had seen the real Rachel and ashamed that he had not realized how harsh and judgmental she was sooner.
***
Evangeline stepped out of the new woman's bedroom, closing the door gently behind her. Silas stood in the hall and he shrugged as Evangeline stopped beside him.
"She doesn't remember anything." Silas stated with a sigh. "She doesn't' know her name, where she came from or how she came to be with those men."
Evangeline was shocked. "Did they hit her that hard?"
"More than once." Silas shook his head. "But I don't think that's all it is. I think she's traumatized and shocked. Maybe she'll remember things later once she's had time to rest."
"I took her in some dinner but she simply sat and stared at the wall. If she noticed me at all, it didn't show."
"She just needs time—" Silas was cut off when Ox went past them, tears streaming down his face. He went into his own room and slammed the door closed behind him.
"Um... Tell Charlotte I'll be back down to the kitchen in a minute to help get supper on the table for everyone." Evangeline said and without waiting for Silas to reply she went to her brother's door. "Ox?" she knocked. "Can I come in?" Sobbing greeted her question and Evangeline opened the door.
"Go away, Evie." Ox sniffed, swiping at his face.
"Ox, what is wrong with you?!" Evangeline demanded, crossing the room quickly and putting her hands on her brother's cheeks.
"Miss Kate don't love me, Evie."
"Did she say that?" Evangeline questioned gently.
"No." Ox's green eyes looked so sad that Evangeline felt her own heart breaking. "Aunt Rachel did. She said I'm too simple for a woman like Miss Kate. She said Miss Kate don't care about me and that she...she..." Ox's voice broke and he stopped talking.
Evangeline felt rage fill her. Their aunt had said that?! "Ox, that's ridiculous! Katherine cares about you and you care about her. Don't you listen to Aunt Rachel!" Evangeline urged and then she turned and strode from the room.
She ran into Colt in the hallway and made her way around him.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"To see my aunt." Evangeline ground out. She could hear Colt following behind her but her mind was focused on one thing and one thing only.
She burst into her aunt's room and Rachel cried out with shock. "Evangeline what are you—" Evangeline cut her off as she brought her hand down hard across her aunt's face.
"Do not ever speak that way to Ox again, do you understand?"
"I only told the boy the truth." Rachel countered, her hand touching her red and welted cheek.
"Bullshit!" Evangeline yelled, surprising even herself with her use of profanity. "You are a mean, hateful woman and I am not surprised that my parents had very little contact with you all these years. Colt is a good man. Ox is a good man. Comanche is a good man. Katherine is a good woman. You need to stop judging everyone around you, Aunt Rachel, because next time I hear a single bad word about those I love come out of your mouth, you'll get more than just a sore cheek!"
With that Evangeline turned and strode from the room. Colt stopped her in the hall. "What was that about?"
"She's a bad person." Evangeline replied, her fists clenching at her sides. "She has been nothing but rude to everyone and now she's made Ox feel as if he's too dumb for Katherine."
"You shouldn't hit people, Evangeline. You'll get scars on them pretty knuckles of yours." Colt teased, his dark blue eyes full of love.
"Yes well a hardened criminal has to have a scar or two." Evangeline replied, smiling. She loved the way Colt always seemed to know how to make her feel better.
"You're too beautiful to want scars." Colt countered. "Now let's go get something to eat and rest. Everyone is just stressed and tired. The town is secure for now and everyone is safe, just like you said they would be. Maybe we'll actually get a few good days of peace and quiet."
"Wishful thinking?" Evangeline asked, as Colt slipped his arm around her shoulders and led her toward the staircase.
"I sure hope not, sweetheart."