This is the second story in a series called Home Fires
Disclaimer: I do not own Vin or the boys, the other characters are original from my imagination and anyone is welcome to use them.
Notes: For the purpose of this story I am placing this time period around the mid-1870's. The information on the Native Americans comes in part from 'The American West' by Dee Brown and in part from my imagination. Some of the traditions are general and my not be specific to the Comanche. My Native American heritage is mixed via my grandparents, and although many of our family are registered NA, I am not an expert on the history of the vast and varied tribes of the old west.
Please Note: This makes brief but not very detailed references to a child being spanked with a strap as was used in these times for discipline. It has its part in the story outline.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Sunni for her support and encouragement on my writing. Hope it's improving pard :0) and to my husband for his gift of love and the Book "The American West" that started this series with The Tie that Binds.
** There is a note that gives a brief history of the Comanche and where they originated it also gives the statistics as of our generation. ** Just a bit of information for those that want to know more. ** This information was taken from a study done called Comanche History as found on the web. **
This story picks up after the first story. In order to have a better understanding of the new characters please read The Tie That Binds"
The sun came creeping over the horizon, sneaking up on the jutting peaks of mountaintops to shed a light spray over the dusty landscape. Leaving, for a time, all it covered in a light orange glow. Overhead a cloudless sky still twinkled with the faded brightness of stars as the half moon was being pushed back to it's hiding place until it was called forth again in the blanket of darkness.This was the part of day that Vin Tanner loved best, a time when both day and night lived briefly in harmony before one would ultimately win the battle, leaving the loser to fade away for a time.
He sat near his campfire just outside of Four Corners sipping a hot strong cup of coffee. His minds eye turned to Sabina, her coming here stirred unwanted memories along with the good ones. Something that she couldn't help but what drove him out of Four Corners and away from her last night.
He'd lived a lot in his twenty something years, not even really knowing how old he was or when he came to be on this earth. A memory of the child he'd been at his mother's hearth, love and warmth the only true memory he could call forth from so brief a time spent there. At her passing he was hustled off to a Christian house where he was to labor for the good of the community even as small and young as he was. Life became unbearable, held so tightly in the arms of those so-called Christians and their beliefs. Words spewed forth day after day, beating against a soul not yet fully developed. Words that would forever created both sadness and joy at the hearing of them.
Vin was always quiet and tried hard to please so he would not feel the weight of the strap against his bare bottom or his back. Tried his best to work hard in the fields and listen and learn, to do, as he was told, but never able to please even as he grew stronger and worked harder.
They held him down that first time they shaved his head, lopping of the long light curls that were his only remembrance of his mothers loving touch. It was the reason he kept it so long now, still a defiant gesture to those who would try to control him. He would not cry or rage against what he was powerless to change and he learned to temper his feelings.
He never spoke unless it was to say 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' as he was painfully taught those first few weeks. He could not read nor write and although some of the other children had lessons, he and a few other did not. Reading and writing had always been hard for him, never enough time nor money to go to school and then to be so near the power of learning to have it withheld just out of his reach.
In his second year at the Foundling Home, he'd been hit once too often and with not enough time in-between each time to allow the bruising to heal. The headmaster would yank him up and drag him off for no reason that he could find all to often, the old man needing to exert his will on a small boy who would not cry or cower before him but stood and took all that was met out to him in quiet defiance.
This time, when he could get up off the floor, Vin left and went out into the fields that he had worked. The same fields that produced very little due to the lack of water and the hard dusty earth. He went out past the fields into the wilds of south Texas, knowing that in his leaving he might be courting his own death. In that moment of clarity a young boy felt his destiny come calling in the form a six foot five inch burly hide-covered mountain man.
Vin smiled when he thought of Bear and how the man had helped him. Vin'd been out for at least two weeks and was near his limit of strength with little food and tepid water to drink from the canteen he'd taken out of the tack room back at the Home. Not much shade and endless scrub brushes, the aloe plants he used on his burned hands and face, having seen 'Ma'am' use it at the Home but not yet willing to eat them, not knowing if he could.
As his memories took a more pleasant turn, he came upright with his hog leg in his hand as the sound of a horse's footfalls could be heard. He could not make out the rider that was coming at him from the East, as the sun rose behind who ever it was, blocking his view.
*****MAG7*****
Chris stood sentry outside the jail waiting for JD to get back with breakfast, something he'd not taken the time to do and not thinking of it until the young man offered to go get something for them both.
He saw Sabina come out of the saloon and head across the street toward Potters Mercantile. She puzzled him and Vin's mixed reaction to her presence here troubled the gunman. He was not a man who typically jumped into other's personal business unless it was a threat to the town and the people he'd sworn to protect, so his urge to nose in here was unusual.
He watched her progress down the dusty boardwalk until she disappeared into the store and then turned to see JD headed his way with Buck on his heels. The two of them bringing a smile as he watched Buck dance around the young man trying to get under the covered dishes. That smile dropped a bit when he saw Buck successfully snatch one of the two plates away and suddenly realizing that it might have just been his breakfast the rascal took off with.
'Buck!' JD turned after the other man and the one remaining plate went flying as he lost his grip and his footing.
'Damn! Sorry JD.' Buck tried to look contrite but failed miserably as he tried to stop the laugh struggling to get out. JD looked a sight sitting at the edge of the dusty street with a plate of ham, eggs and biscuits between his outstretched legs.
Chris was about to step out to help the younger man to his feet, when he saw him pick up one of the biscuits and brush it off against his sleeve; he smiled up at Buck and took a big bite.
The blond took that moment of distraction to step up to Buck and take the other plate out of his hand before the big man knew what he was about.
'Hey!' Buck turned to see Chris grinning and danced away back toward the jail, and he shrugged his shoulders and headed off after his own breakfast.
*****MAG7*****
Sabina looked around the store running her fingers over some of the fabrics and looking at the large jars of stick candy and gum drops along the front of the counter. Her mind wondered back to yesterday and Vin.
She'd left him after she kissed him and went back to the room above the bar knowing that he would need time to think about things. She also knew that her presence here would flush out memories for him and hoped they were good ones.
She'd tried the bed and found it amazingly soft and fell asleep only to wake this morning in disappointment that Vin was not beside her nor had he come to her in the night.
A voice pulled her out of her thoughts, 'May I help you miss?'
She looked up to find a woman with dark brown hair pulled up in a severe bun and wearing a brown gingham dress with lace around the collar up to her neck.
Mrs. Potter had been watching the young woman for a few moments and thought that she understood the dreamy look coming from her light green eyes. And seeing how she was dressed in men's cloths and wearing those Indian shoes, she must need new clothes.
'I have ready-made, Miss?' Mrs. Potter offered as she stepped back with an out sweep arm to indicate the rack of clothes beside the counter.
Sabina just shook her head and asked, 'Do you have any work?' She needed to start somewhere and this was as good a place as any to start.
Mrs. Potter dropped her out stretched hand and it landed on her plump hip considering what had been asked of her. She could use some extra help but it would have to be limited due to her financial situation. She could spend more time with her children if it worked out.
She smiled and took the young lady by the arm, 'Lets talk.'
Sabina smiled back and followed along to the front of the store.
*****MAG7*****
Nathan came down the steps above the livery in time to see Josiah come out of the Church. He met up with him in front of Bucklin’s General store. That was always a laugh for the seven especially Buck. Vin was the one who gave him that name showing perhaps for the first time his deep affection for the ladies man.
Word spread and when one of the daughters of the original storeowner took a strong liking to Buck and when her father passed she re-named the store. It continued to be a source of entertainment for many in the town and the other six peacekeepers in particular. Buck took it all in good-natured fun and with a proud tilt to his head that clearly spoke volumes about what he did to get this particular lady to like him so much.
Both men just looked at each other chuckling as they passed the store and headed toward the jail to check in and then to the saloon for a bit to eat.
*****MAG7*****
Vin was surprised to see Casey, of all people, heading toward him, but he knew by the easy gait of her horse there was not trouble following her.
'Casey.' His fingers went to the edge of his hat automatically.
Casey smiled at Vin as she got down off her horse. She has been headed to town but upon seeing the smoke and knowing it was one of Vin's favorite haunts she headed his way to say 'hello' from Aunt Nettie and offer her Aunt’s invite to super.
'Vin' she greeted as she sat down and watched as he hunkered down on the other side of the fire and extended his cup of coffee in silent offering.
'Nah, thanks anyway. Hey, Aunt Nettie wanted me to ask if you'd come for super tonight? She's got a chicken set to roast, green beans, corn and fresh bread.' She smiled, watching his face light up, just like her Aunt said it would.
Her Aunt had told her, 'you tell him what I got fer him, ya hear girl? He'll be out here lickety split, mind my words.' And her Aunt knew Vin Tanner well or rather his stomach.
'God Casey I ain't even had breakfast yet. Stop now ya hear!' He grinned as he rubbed his rumbling stomach.
Casey got up and he rose with her, 'what should I tell her? Oh and she's got fresh apples for pie.' Knowing this would get him for sure.
Vin grinned as he nodded his head, 'Well, ain't been out there for a while, guess I could ride that'a way later an check on Miss. Nettie.'
Casey cocked her head studying him, 'How come you’re so polite all the time?' She was curious cause JD sure needed to learn some of these fine manners for himself.
Vin took the question with the heart it was asked from, knowing that Casey couldn't know about the painful lessons learned early to be respectful. So he distracted her as he walked her to her horse.
'Ain't hard to be respectful to such a pretty gal.' And smiled at the blush that highlighted her cheeks.
Casey turned from her horse, 'Hey you comin in to town?'
'Yep' Vin answered her as he moved back to the fire and emptied the coffeepot over the coals.
'I'll wait and ride in with you if you don't mind the company?'
Vin nodded his head, 'Sure.'
*****MAG7*****
Sabina was out front of Potters sweeping when she looked down the street to see Vin come riding in with a young pretty woman beside him. For a moment she thought she'd judged him wrong. Many years separated the man she knew and the one he had become. Years that she knew nothing of including if he himself had taken a wife in that time or had children of his own.
Just as quickly as the doubts came they left, she had a sense of Vin that she couldn't explain. He was an honest man, and would have told her had he been bonded to someone else.
She went back to her work, knowing that if she came too close too soon he would run like the wild thing he was. Civilization could not hide a restless soul, nor wipe the love of freedom from his hunted blue eyes.
*****MAG7*****
Vin sat with Chris outside the saloon sharing a bottle of Rye Whiskey late in the afternoon. Vin knew he was going to have to get going if he wanted to make supper at Nettie's. With that thought he rose to his feet and turned toward the livery.
'Headin out to check on Nettie. I'll take rounds comin back in. Tell the boys fer me.'
Chris nodded to him and watched as he walked off. He started to turn away when he saw Sabina come out of Potters and fall into step beside the tracker.
The blond gunslinger shook his head, it'd been obvious to him that Vin had avoided the lady most of the day and he had to give Sabina credit that she hadn't pushed at Vin like he thought she would.
Mary Travis's golden blond hair caught his attention as she came out of the Clarion with a bundle of freshly printed newspapers. He stood up and headed toward her, wanting a copy for himself and one of her sweet smiles to go with it.
*****MAG7*****
'Vin,' Sabina moved along side the quiet man. She wanted to share her good news about the part time job that Mrs. Potter had given her. She'd seen him around town on and off all day but didn't go to him. She wanted to get herself settled some and give him time to adjust to her being here.
Vin stopped at the mouth of the livery and gave her his full attention. When he turned toward her all he could see was her lips as her tongue snaked out to moisten it as if she were nervous. Suddenly he had a desire to lean down and suck that tongue into his mouth.
He mentally shook himself; this was the heart of the reason he had stayed away from her. She distracted him. With the bounty and the people of this town needing his attention to keep them safe, he didn't know that he could offer even a portion of what this woman deserved.
'Yes' He coughed trying to clear the raspy sound of his voice as it fell on his ears.
Sabina made sure not to move in too close to Vin, not wanting him to feel closed in even as much as she wanted to touch him now.
'I have a job, so I can pay for my room now.' She was proud and it showed in the tilt of her head as she studied him for his reaction.
Vin nodded not really know how to feel about her putting roots down here and wondering if this was the best for her. She was almost grown when she came to the People being nine years of age, in three or four years she was old enough to be a wife and mother. To look at her was to see a white woman; to hear her speak was to see a white woman but to know her heart was to see a Comanche woman with an understanding of life that few would ever know.
He knew he needed to say something to her, 'At Potters?'
'Yes, Mrs. Potter is going to let me help her for a few hours each day. I am also going to see if Miss Inez can use any help in the saloon to help pay for my room.'
She was not prepared for his reaction to that.
Vin heard her and then his mind pictured the women that worked at Digger Daves and there was no way in hell he'd allow her to put herself before a bunch of drunks like that.
Before she knew what was happening he had her by the arm and was back in the same stall they'd been in yesterday. The difference was that he had her up against the slats and her arms gripped tightly as he leaned down toward her.
'You ain't gonna be no damn whore in a saloon as long as I'm alive.' His head dipped as his hands loosened and he took her mouth in a rough hard kiss before stepping back from her.
Sabina wanted more of that passion even if it was mis-directed in anger. She stepped forward and laid her palm open on his chest where she felt the thundering beat of his heart and watched as he tried to get his breathing under control.
'It is not as a whore that I seek to make money. I only will ask to help clean.' She looked into his eyes and read the regret there from his spontaneous actions.
'No, don't be sorry to care so much for me Vin.' She tugged his suspenders until he was flush against her and then he allowed her to pull him into a heated kiss.
After a moment he pulled back from her, 'I have to go.' Regret still heavy in his voice and she was not sure if it was entirely his actions or his feelings.
She let go of him slowly and then smiled up into his handsome face, 'Come to me tonight.' And she turned and walked out.
*****MAG7*****
While Vin was enjoying a quiet dinner at the Well's ranch, Orin Travis was on a stagecoach headed toward Four Corners. He was not a happy man and it showed in the set of his shoulders and the grim line of his mouth.
He received a missive from Washington that the Kiowa and Comanche that had been ordered to the reservation south of Fort Sill below where the Washita spilled into the Red River were raiding again throughout Texas and into New Mexico territory.
Two of the Kiowa war chiefs were being blamed for this new rash of raids on the settlers, they had managed to capture White Bear but Big Tree was still being hunted and thought to be the instigator.
The word was running up and down the line that some of the Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors had left their west Texas reservation lands to fight with the Comanche and Kiowa. Word being sent to all the areas along the New Mexico/Texas boarder, Colorado and Kansas as well being the closest to the conflict. Thank god the Apaches that once roamed New Mexico and Arizona were safely enclosed on reservation land for several years now he thought to himself.
The judge knew this was happening more and more as the Indians were being pushed back to allow room for more settlers, this blending of people that once might have been enemies who were now becoming allies. He wanted to check on Mary and the boy's, as he liked to call the regulators he'd hired to watch the town.
His thoughts drifted to what he knew of the Comanche.
[This next piece is from a web page called Comanche History] The Comanche were original to what we know as Wyoming as part of the Shoshoni Nation. In the early 1700's they acquired the horse and that is when the groups of the Comanche separated and began to move south. Up until around 1830 most of the Comanche tribes were located around the Platte and Arkansas River area in eastern Colorado and Kansas. Beginning in the 1740's they began crossing the river into Western Oklahoma and across the Texas Panhandle and into New Mexico.
The area they controlled became known as the Comancheria and extended south from the Arkansas River across central Texas to the vicinity of San Antonio including the entire Edwards Plateau west to the Pecos River and then north again following the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to the Arkansas.
Note: The number of Comanche listed as enrolled today in their headquarters in Lawton Oklahoma is around 8000 with only 5000 living in or around their tribal lands. Of the three million acres promised the Comanche, Kiowa and Kiowa-Apache by treaty in 1867, only 235000 have remained in native hands. Of this, 4400 acres are owned by the tribe itself.*****MAG7*****
On the ride back from Nettie's Vin ruminated on what to do about Sabina. His body wanting her but the heart of him not knowing if he could do right by her. What if there were children from their time together? What if he started a real family of his own only to have it ripped from him when the ‘reaper’ came to call? This bounty sat heavily on his shoulders; more now than it had in recent months.
The other six he knew would be all right if he was no longer around, even as close as brothers he felt to them. Sabrina? That was another story; she could be used against him in many ways and already proved to be a distraction to him.
He remembered when he first saw her ride in behind Bear to the camp along the river. She was nothing but skinny kid, straight limbs and a golden tangle of hair with big green eyes that smiled when she looked at him. An older couple that had lost their children in war and sickness, and was beyond the fertile time to have more, adopted her.
Bina followed Vin and Stalking-Horse everywhere they went around the village until her mother would call her back and take her task over such behavior. Both young men grew fond of her but Stalking-Horse was the first to really see the young woman she would become and want more.
Vin shied away from thoughts of the friend he'd grown with. Whom he'd learned to hunt and track at the knees of tribal warriors with. Warriors and Elders taught any that were willing to learn and as Vin turned to the wilds, honing his skills as a hunter-gatherer and tracking, Stalking-Horse had turned to Sabina.
Thinking of Bear also called forth-powerful memories as well. When he found Vin, he'd taken him and they'd stayed at the lodge of a widow woman, one that would later take Vin as her own. They fit well together; 'River Woman' who bore a deep sadness at the loss of her loved ones and respectful of his inability to tolerate emotional or physical closeness for any length of time. They had worked well together over the years that Vin was there until her death the year before he left.
Bear often came to the village, more times than not with one to three children in tow from the towns and cities he passed through. When he left, Vin would always go with him for a few days traveling further west to the mountain country. Neither man had a need for words, but one night Bear woke Vin up, yelling in his sleep.
He'd learned only bits and pieces of Bear's history, but enough to know that Bear was not his real name; it was Wade McTavish and under all the hair and beard was the pale face of an Irishman. He'd been young when he met and married his Maggie, only 20 years old and new to the America's.
Bear took his Maggie to the New Mexico territory hoping for a new life and became a respected games-man and trapper. He'd told Vin of being hurt one winter and staying with the Comanche to heal, it had taken him 6 months to get home to his wife and three children.
Vin closed his eyes and saw the grief on Bear's face as he told of coming home to an empty house and finding Maggie's grave out under a tree. He went to the closest town in search of his children only to find two had been sold up North and one dead. He never told Vin how they died and for years Vin figured that was why he would not come back into New Mexico, the memories too painful.
It was later when he was Bounty Hunting that Vin fund out why Bear stayed away from that territory. He came across a poster with the face of the man named Wade McTavish wanted for the murder of a lawman.
Vin would see Bear from time to time but never said anything to him, knowing what the man had done for Vin himself he would let the mountain man live and die with his demons. It was just before all this business with Eli Joe that he ran into him while on the trail, following Eli up into the foothills.
When Vin told him what he was doing for a living now Bear confessed his sin to him. A man that hardly ever spoke: his grief so great a burden, told Vin of the one child that died at the hands of the man who was sworn to protect him. A son thirteen years old, whose only crime was objecting to having his younger siblings sold like slaves to settlers passing on their way to California. He had died after taking a beating from the local lawman and locked in a room with no one to tend him.
Vin remembered Bear's hands closing around the memory of the man as he choked the life from him. Nothing else was ever said about that time between the two men.
Vin figured the rest out, the children, the unwanted and abused left to fend for themselves. He'd never know one child that had not come of their own free will to dwell among a people that would hold them in high regard.
The Comanche had as many children as the great spirit would gift them with and every child was a gift to them in this time where so many died.
Vin found himself in front of the livery so he took Peso in and settled him for the night.
Now he was standing looking down the long dusty street toward the saloon. Knowing that some of his friends would be there and that Sabina would be above waiting. She had bid him to come to her this night and it was a struggle within him, a rushing of his blood at what she offered but there also was the wild impulse to ride away.
He gave up the struggle when he spotted Chris coming out of the saloon and looking down his way. It was something, the way Larabee could read him, he a man that had spent most his life hiding in plain sight. He shook his head and moved to join his friend for a drink and work out what he was going to do about Sabina.
He was also a bit embarrassed to say that he'd not done his usual job of checking the outlying ranches and homesteads on his way in. Figured he'd go out again later just to check and make sure that things were ok. Yes, he'd do that and let Sabina know that he could not stay with her.
*****MAG7*****
Ezra P. Standish was not a happy man as he stood outside the saloon and watched the gentleman get in the coach, the one and same whom had just walked away with over one hundred dollars of his money.
Hands on his hips he turned toward Digger Daves needing to seek some company that might take his mind off the money he'd lost.
Upon entering he saw Buck already seated at a table with a pump blond on his lap with his mustached face burred in her neck. He shook his head as he passed by and moved up to the bar.
'One beer, my good man.'
He felt a warm hand run up his arm just as he was going to take a drink and turned to see who dare lay hands on him. He came face to face with a petite brunette wearing a long blood red skirt with no bustle and a starkly white corset that pushed her breasts out the top to the point that her nipples were playing peek-a-boo with him.
Ezra loved bright colors and succulent pink flesh and he was suddenly very hungry for what was being offered to him in so blatant an invitation. It would be positively unmanly to turn down, so he flashed her a wide gin and offered her his arm.
Carina loved the smell of the man on her arm; the spicy scent of his cologne filled her senses. Maybe she could work a deal with this one if he treated her right. She would become his mistress keeping all other men from her body. She would pleasure him this night like no one ever had.
Ezra smelled the clean scent of the woman at his side, liking the fact that it was early enough that he was most likely the first one to her bed. He patted his pocket with his left hand feeling the little tin box that carried the condoms that were special made and purchased from back east.
He would not perish in this backwater town from some nefarious disease that he himself had purchased. He glanced over at the woman and for a brief moment wished he had wealth enough to keep someone like her just for his pleasure.
'Carina'
He stopped to look at her, 'Excuse me?' not understanding what she was talking about with that one word.
She smiled a wicked little smile, 'Carina is my name, and I want you to know it as you cry out your pleasure this night.'
Ezra swallowed hard and then grinned flashing his gold tooth, 'Lead on my dear lady, lead on.'
*****MAG7*****
Chris saw him standing in front of the livery, just standing there like he couldn't make a decision to go or stay. It was then that he let himself be seen by stepping out, letting Vin know that someone was there waiting for him and would not let him hide.
Never needing words between them, the blond passed the bottle of rotgut over to the tracker and they sat in companionable silence until the loud voice of Buck broke the silence.
'Oh boy!' Chris grinned over at his friend as Buck came into site.
He was singing and stumbling down the boardwalk arms thrown wide and bowing at everyone he met on his way to Chris and Vin.
They could hear him as he approached:
When the blackbird in the spring, on the willow tree,
Sat and rocked, I heard him sing, singing Aura Lea
Aura Lea, Aura Lea, maid of golden hair;
Sunshine came along with thee, and swallows in the air.Vin actually laughed out loud as the big man came along side Chris and draped his arm over the black clad shoulders and continued to sing as he grabbed the bottle out of Chris's hands.
Aura Lea, Aura Lea, maid of golden hair;
Sunshine came along with thee, and swallows in the air.
In thy blush the rose was born, music when you spake,
Through thine azure eye the morn, sparkling seemed to break.
Aura Lea, Aura Lea, bird of crimson wing,
Never song have sung to me, as in that sweet spring.Vin continued to grin as Buck was thrown off of the other man, the grin dropped when Buck headed his way still signing. >
Aura Lea! The bird may flee, the willow's golden hair
Swing through winter fitfully, on the stormy air.
Yet if thy blue eyes I see, gloom will soon depart;
For to me, sweet Aura Lea is sunshine through the heart.Stumbling up off the windowsill he was perched on, he backed away as Buck came at him with a big silly grin on his face.
When the mistletoe was green, midst the winter's snows,
Sunshine in thy face was seen, kissing lips of rose.
Aura Lea, Aura Lea, take my golden ring;
Love and light return with thee, and swallows with the spring.Buck took a deep bow when the song came to an end and then jerked upright spinning around so fast he almost fell when he heard clapping coming from around him.
Vin looked over toward the saloon doors and saw Sabina standing there with Inez a bright smile on her face. When their eyes met he moved toward her as if pulled by her will alone.
*****MAG7*****
Vin stood just inside Sabina's room above the saloon, his hat turning in his hands as he watched it instead of her.
When Vin had come up to her down in the saloon, she'd turned when he reached her and knew that he followed as she went up the stairs. Now she stood on the other side of the bed one knee resting on the soft mattress to support her weight and the other hand holding onto the protruding post of the footboard.
Waiting and wanting, needing him. But afraid to move to close and too fast for fear that he would bolt out the door, so much was he on the razor edge of flight.
Vin finally looked up at Sabina, standing with the soft light from the oil lamp spilling over her. He stepped toward her wanting to explain, needing her to understand that this was not about her but him.
She came to him in his moment of indecision, walked up to him and led him unresisting to the bed where she pushed him until he sat on the edge while she moved between his legs. She took his hat and pulled him against her delighting him with the fragrance of her young, supple body.
He knew he needed to speak to try to tell her, 'Bina' her name a soft rasp on his lips. 'I can't be what ya need. Too many….' she interrupted him.
'Be what I need right now, Vin, and tomorrow will take care of itself.' She cupped his cheeks and lifted his head as she angled her lips over his.
'Be with me now.' She breathed against his lips.
He could not ignore her plea. His body was already pulsing where she pressed against him. He undressed her as she stood there between his legs and as the last layers of her clothing dropped away, he allowed her to take his from him, leaving them both naked and heated as they pressed together.
Vin was a generous lover and he was well matched in Sabina this night. He lay her down amidst the Dutch Doll quilt arranging the pillows to support her head as he came down beside her. Rough callused hands gentle as they moved over her, soft lips on his neck nibbling a trail to his mouth.
He was gentle when he finally pulled her under him and she opened to receive him. He arched over her taking the hard tip of her breast into his mouth and moving his lower body against her in slow easy thrusts. His thoughts only on how perfectly she fit him, her soft hands pressed low on his back trying to urge him deeper and faster.
Sabina's head was thrown back, her breathing hard, she pushed her heels against the mattress pushing up against him in her urgency. When he didn't follow the urging of her body, she reached up wrapping one hand around his neck and pulled herself up to fuse her mouth to his.
Tongues darted together, but still he held back showing the true measure of his control until she bit softly at his jaw line and moved down his neck biting and sucking as her lower body pushed harder against him.
He finally gave in to the demands of both their bodies; pulling out of her and coming to his knees.
She watched him as he pulled her closer to him and then moved her legs until they were straight up his chest. He leaned in as he readjusted her and entered her in one hard deep thrust that made them both lose their breath.
Vin leaned up over her, causing her legs to open and allowed him access to her with his fingers, although by the way she was moving under him, he wasn't to sure she need the extra stimulation.
All thought fled as he moved against her groaning when he felt her contract and ripple around him where he was deep inside of her. He dropped her legs from his shoulders and sank deeply into her as he caught her cry of release in an open mouth kiss.
Bodies shuddering and trembling but he was not done. Although she was limp with satisfaction, he was still hard with need.
Sabina stirred and looked up into his eyes, feeling him still hard and deep within her, she pulled him down to her and he stirred the fire within her yet again.
Later Sabina lay holding the pillow where his head rested for so brief a time. They'd made love again after that first time and he'd held her until he thought she was asleep.
She watched him dress in the soft glow of moonlight that came through the window. Admiring the long lean body kissed by the summer sun hips narrow leading up to wide shoulders. She saw the scars; the light marks on his back and buttocks, light and faded but still there. The more recent bullet wounds and the thin slash where a knife had slid across his skin. She ached for him in that moment knowing the scars told a silent history of pain and abuse, giving her a brief insight into why he always held him self so aloft.
She had closed her eyes when he started to turn to her, kept them closed in feigned sleep as he placed a kiss on her forehead before he silently left the room.
Now she lay wide-awake in the bed where he has loved her so passionately and held her so tenderly. For the first time since she'd come to Four Corners she truly wondered if she could capture the heart of a man so wild and free. A soft sigh escaped her as she dropped off in slumber with the thought of him.
*****MAG7*****
Vin sat out on the rooftop of the Grain Exchange and watched the street below him, checking for signs of anyone or anything amiss.
When he'd left Sabina and came down into the saloon it was to find Chris still there with a bottle and an extra glass.
The blond told him the judge was due in tomorrow and they were to meet with him later in the afternoon. Vin knew that he's gotten the information from Mary and briefly wondered at why it was all about.
The End
Song Credit: "Aura Lea" Words by W.W. Fosdick Music by G.R. Poulton - popular during the Civil War period
To be continued with #3 in the series "Home Fires" called "Passions Promise"
Comments to: JDockery@aol.com