by The Neon Gang

RATING OR WARNINGS: NC-17 for the graphic description of male-male sex.

Art by Shiloh!

Note: This fic was formerly hosted at another website and was moved to blackraptor in August 2015.

Vin Tanner carefully studied the seated man as he made his way toward him. The boardwalk in front of the saloon wasn't crowded, but he still approached cautiously, slowly, trying to decide what it was that had caught his attention. It didn't take him too long to figure it out.

The heavy blanket draped over Larabee failed to hide the dejected slump of the man's shoulders, and his hat was missing, his dark blond hair hanging limp, badly in need of a wash. He needed a shave, too, given the dark shadow on his cheeks. But at least his eyes were alert, gaze sweeping over the dusty road, the shops across the street, and the people walking or riding by, as he watched the various men and women who came and went on their daily errands as dusk slowly settled over the town of Four Corners.

Getting closer, Vin could also see the fine sheen of sweat on the gunslinger's face. Fever, he guessed, but then that was to be expected. The man had been shot. Grazed, really, but the wound had been deep enough to hide the infection he was now slowly burning out of his body. Maybe if he hadn't insisted on leaving Ella's ranch-

Vin shook his head, stopping the thought before it got any further. He knew why Chris had refused to let Nathan treat him there. The house, hell, the whole damned ranch was tainted, poisoned by the madness Ella Gains had fallen into who knew how many years ago, and it clung to the place like a death shroud.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Chris sensed Vin's approach before he actually saw him, and not for the first time he marveled over the bond they shared.

When the tracker was close enough so Larabee could hear him, he said, "Chris . . . she leaked out of the landscape."

A cold chill snaked down his back, and he felt like he was being stalked by some rabid she-wolf. He looked up to meet Vin's gaze, reassuring himself that the bounty hunter was really there, watching his back.

Vin stopped when he reached the gunslinger and leaned against one of the posts that supported the overhang which protected the boardwalk from the few occasions when it actually rained. "We covered every town between here and Red Fork." He stopped and shrugged. "Sorry y' didn't shoot her when y' had the chance."

"Next time," Chris assured him without looking up at the bounty hunter.

"Yep."

Chris sighed heavily. "Buck?"

Vin shook his head, saying, "Ain't heard, but I doubt he found anymore 'n I did."

Chris reached under the blanket and pulled a letter out of his pocket, holding it up for Vin to see. "She couldn't have gotten far . . . she'll be back, sooner or later."

The bounty hunter nodded, wondering what was in the letter, and if Larabee would decide to share it with him. "Gonna have t' watch yer back, pard."

Chris snorted softly and shook his head. "I never thought. . ." He trailed off and sighed heavily. "I've wanted to understand what happened that night for so damned long . . . now I do and it still leaves me feeling empty inside."

Vin moved closer, sitting down on the rough boardwalk next to the gunslinger's chair. He glanced up at the older man and said, "Maybe y' can stop blamin' yerself now."

Chris flashed the tracker a sharp glance, but it almost immediately lost its sting. His feelings about the loss of his wife and son were one of the few subjects they had never talked about, and he didn't want to change that fact now. Still, he knew the younger man meant well.

But Vin wouldn't be put off.

"You've been thinkin' they's after you - weren't true. Nothin' y' coulda done t' change the way things went."

Chris leaned back, wanting to argue with the man, but he couldn't. He knew the truth now, and Vin was right. But he'd carried the guilt and the anger around with him for so long, he honestly wasn't sure how to give either of them up.

Not that he'd ever completely forgive himself for the death of his wife and son; he couldn't. But at least the self-loathing that had been slowly eating away at his soul was lessened now. Even Chris Larabee couldn't blame himself for the actions of a crazy woman. He knew, without a doubt, that even if he had been home that night, it wouldn't have made one bit of difference. Ella would have just had her hired killers - men like Clitus Fowler - wait until the next time he left before they came for Sarah and Adam. And he would have had to leave them. He couldn't be with Sarah every hour of every day.

But knowing the truth didn't fill the hole that still resided inside his heart, nor did it stop the hurt that ached deep in his bones, like some old war wound.

He snorted softly to himself, but it was loud enough to catch Vin's attention and the tracker looked up again, waiting to see if Chris had anymore to say.

Funny, Chris thought, the pain he'd grown so used to over the past few years had gotten a little easier to bear since he'd come to Four Corners; since he'd joined ranks with the men he now called his friends to protect the growing community . . . since he'd met Vin Tanner. The pain was still there, like a movement he kept seeing out of the corner of his eye. And no matter how fast he turned his head, he couldn't catch sight of what was out there, dogging his heels. All he could do was hope that it continued to fade.

"Y' ate yet?" Vin asked him.

Chris shook his head. "Ain't hungry."

"Keep me comp'ny?"

The gunslinger wasn't sure he was up to the short walk to the saloon, but for some reason he didn't fully understand, he didn't want to spend anymore time alone. And he couldn't think of any one else he'd rather keep company with, so he nodded.

Vin stood first, waiting closely while Chris carefully eased himself out of his chair, using the post for support. He made no offer to help the gunslinger, but his stance and his attention made it clear to Larabee that he was ready to act if it became necessary.

Chris drew the blanket a little tighter around his shoulders and took his first step in several hours. It was shaky, so the tracker reached out, pressing his hand to Chris's back to help steady him. It was a tender gesture and Chris trembled slightly, knowing he had someone in his life again who truly cared about him. It was strangely frightening and comforting at the same time, and it warmed a part of his soul he'd thought long lost.

It was the fear, however, that quickly won out.

"I'm fine," he mumbled uncomfortably, but he couldn't force himself to pull away, or shake off the touch. It felt too good and he desperately wanted the contact, even if he didn't want to appear weak in the tracker's eyes at the same time. At least he knew Vin would never say anything about it.

"Sure y' are, Cowboy," the younger man replied, "but if it's all the same t' you, I'll just walk along with ya."

"Suit yourself."

Together they made their way to the saloon, finding an empty table in a dark corner. A few minutes after they had sat down, Inez was there, setting plates of food in front of them. She left, returning a few moments later with two cups of fresh coffee.

Chris opened his mouth to ask for a whiskey, but stopped. The coffee was enough for now; he'd been drinking too much recently anyway. And Nathan had warned him about mixing the elixir he'd given him for the pain with whiskey.

They ate in silence, Vin speedily finishing off his meal while Chris picked at his.

"Ain't gonna get well that way," the tracker said softly, nodding at Chris's mostly untouched food.

Larabee looked up, anger flaring in his eyes again, only to fizzle a moment later. How long had it been since someone had tried to take care of him?

Too damned long, he decided. He just didn't quite know what to make of it.

"Don't have much of an appetite," he admitted as an apology.

"'Spect that's common, given everythin'."

Chris forced himself to eat a few bites while Vin sat and watched him. For some reason the gunslinger couldn't fathom, he didn't want to disappoint the man, and refusing to eat would do just that. He could figure that much out just by the worried look in the man's blue eyes.

And why am I so damned gratified he cares if I live or die? Chris wondered, then shook his head slightly and forced himself to concentrate on forcing a few more bites down before abandoning the food for his coffee.

While he sipped at the cooling drink, Chris wondered what it was about the tracker that had allowed Vin to sneak behind the walls Larabee had so carefully built around his soul after Sarah and Adam had died. It was almost like their friendship had happened while he wasn't looking, and he still couldn't find an answer for why he'd let the man get that close to his heart.

No, he corrected, Vin's not just my friend. He's something more than that, but damned if I know what it is.

Maybe it was the way Vin seemed to know what he was thinking, Chris decided, and had since that first moment when the gunslinger had noticed him, getting ready to go off and stop a lynching single-handed, if necessary.

Or maybe it was the way Vin always seemed to be at his side, or watching his back; doing what had to be done before he'd even been asked.

Or maybe it was the man's quiet humor, or the tender heart he kept so well concealed. There was a lot more to Vin Tanner than met the eye, and Chris suspected that he was one of the very few people who had ever been allowed a glimpse at some of those hidden depths.

But then he'd let Tanner in on some of his secrets, too. And never once had the tracker judged him, or made him feel foolish for doing so.

So he might not know why he'd let the man into his affections, but he did know the bounty hunter was his friend - for lack of a better word - and Chris felt more comfortable spending time with him than he did with anyone else, including Buck, who had been his friend for too many years to count.

He felt a wave of emotion wash over him, and dipped his head to force down another bite while he regained his composure. And he was damned glad Vin was back, even if he hadn't been able to run Ella Gains to ground.

But he knew all he had to do now was wait; she'd come back for him, and when she did he planned to put her in a shallow grave.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

They finished their second cups of coffee, Chris having managed to eat half the food on his plate in the meantime. He offered the rest to Vin with a gesture, and the tracker accepted it with a small, grateful smile.

While Vin worked on the cold food, Inez refilled their cups for a third time.

Chris watched the tracker eat, remembering once again that Vin was closer to JD's age than to his own, and he certainly ate like it. But there was nothing immature about Tanner, and very little of JD's youthfulness had survived Vin's hard childhood. Life had dealt Tanner some tough hands, but he had accepted them and moved on, something Chris wished he could do with as much grace as the tracker.

But Sarah had been more than just his wife and the mother of his son. She had been his best friend, too. She was the one who brought joy into his life, who made it all seem new and hopeful. She filled him up inside, and he was happiest when he was with her, no matter what they were doing. He'd heard Buck say once that losing her had burned the soul right out of him, and maybe the ladies' man was right. But if there was anything left of his soul, Vin Tanner was the one who had made him realize that it was still there, still alive.

That thought was quietly unsettling and he hunched his shoulders slightly.

"Feelin' poorly?" Vin asked, scattering Chris's thoughts.

Larabee looked up, meeting the younger man's gaze as he shook his head. "Just tired, I guess."

Vin nodded, pushing the empty plate away. "Gonna head up?"

Chris nodded, pushing back his chair and standing stiffly. He used the table for support until a wave of vertigo passed, then turned and headed slowly out of the saloon, down to the boarding house, and up the stairs to the small room the Judge provided for him. Vin stayed right at his elbow the entire way.

The gunslinger quashed a grin; he'd never thought of the tracker as a mother hen. And, come to think of it, Vin hadn't been that attentive when one of the others had gotten hurt. Not that he was callous or unfeeling, but he certainly didn't follow at their heels like a faithful old dog.

In his room, Chris sat down on the foot of the bed, the blanket slipping off his shoulders for the first time. He looked up. Vin showed no signs of leaving.

"I'll be fine," he assured the younger man.

Tanner nodded. "Just makin' sure y' get int' yer bed."

Chris shook his head, too tired to argue about it; besides, it made his chest warm to know the man was still worried about him. He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off. His boots, gunbelt, and pants followed, one by one. Then, dressed only in his long johns, he crawled under his blankets, his sidearm still within easy reach if he needed it.

"Get y' anything?" Vin asked him.

"Some peace and quiet," Chris growled to keep from grinning.

Tanner nodded once. "Sleep well," he said softly, then turned and left, quietly pulling the door shut behind him.

The gunslinger closed his eyes, wondering if Tanner was going to spend the whole night sitting outside his door. He considered calling him back in to bunk on the floor, but sleep too quickly carried him away.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Ella Gains was back. She was standing over him as Chris lay on the ground, clutching his bloody side. She was laughing, the piercing sound tearing strips off his soul like a whip.

He rolled from side to side, trying to make it to his feet, but he was too weak, and he angrily cursed his impotency.

She held out a picture of Sarah and Adam to him, small flames springing from the tips of her fingernails, catching the border of the photograph on fire.

He cried out as the edges curled inward, turning black and brittle. When the flames reached Sarah's image he could hear her screams, smell the stench of burning flesh, but there was nothing he could do to help her. He couldn't stop the fire. He couldn't even get up off the damned ground.

Ella dropped the burning photograph and Chris watched it fall, rocking back and forth like a feather on a soft breeze, the flames dancing higher, brighter. It landed on his chest, branding him, and he screamed, beating at the flames with his bare hands.

"You belong to me, Chris Larabee," Ella purred. "You always have, and you always will."

"No!" he cried, but his gaze was locked on his chest, on the bloody "E" that had been burned into his flesh.

"One day you'll come to love me as much as I love you, Chris."

He looked up at the woman. "Love you?" he shouted. "I hate you! You bitch!"

Ella laughed again, the sound lashing at him, making him writhe under it.

"One day you'll understand," she promised him. "I did it for us, Chris."

"You killed my wife! My son!"

"They were nothing," Ella countered, bending down next to him. She reached out and traced the raw ridge of the "E" with her fingertip, sending sparks of pain flaring through his chest. "Our love is all that matters."

Chris moaned, her touch continuing to sear into his chest, scorching his heart and turning it to ash. "No," he moaned. "No, no, no. . ."

"Yes, Chris. Yes," she hissed, her touch expanding, moving over his exposed flesh. And everywhere it fell it set him on fire. In moments he was engulfed in flames. "Love me," she commanded him.

"No!" he shrieked, trying to smother the flames with his hands, but it was impossible. He jerked and flailed as the fire danced higher.

"You will love me, Chris," she promised him, then reached out and stroked his cheek.

The fire attacked his face, and he screamed again.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Grab his feet!" Nathan ordered.

Not knowing what else to do, Vin dropped over Larabee's legs, his weight putting a stop to most of the man's fight. Moments later, Josiah was tying the gunslinger's ankles to the posts at the foot of his bed. Once he was secured, Vin climbed off the bed and stood again. He was shaking with fear, but no one noticed, too worried about what was happening to Chris, which was exactly what had him scared. He'd only heard soft moans at first, but those had quickly grown into a keening wail that had sent chills racing down his backbone. He had burst into Larabee's room, finding the man thrashing under sweat-soaked blankets. Chris was burning up with fever.

He'd dashed out to find Nathan, bringing the healer back with him at a run.

At first they had been able to quiet the gunslinger, Vin gently pushing the hair off the man's face and applying the damp cloths Nathan handed him, but the gunslinger's fever had continued to build and he had fallen back into the nightmares again.

Nathan had left Vin alone with Chris so he could go to wake the others and grab some of his things.

The rest of the peacekeepers had stumbled in, one after the other, all of them clearly worried. Soon after they had moved Larabee to Nathan's clinic, Chris began to fight back in his dreams, forcing them to tie him down to keep him from hurting himself further.

Ezra and Buck, just returned from his hunt for Ella Gains, had each grabbed one of Larabee's wrists and Nathan quickly tied them together. He roped Chris's bound hands to a large metal ring set in the wall above the bed. Nathan had put it there for folks to hang onto when he had to pull a bad tooth, but now it was proving useful for another reason.

But the gunslinger still struggled, twisting and jerking as he fought whatever demons haunted his dreams.

Nathan stood, barking out orders. "Josiah, bring up some water; half a barrel. Buck, go to the bathhouse and fetch some towels - a big stack. Vin, go see if Mrs. Travis has any of that fever powder left that I gave her for Billy. Hurry, y'all!"

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The next twenty-four hours passed in a fog of worry and fear for the six men who watched over Chris Larabee.

JD and Ezra dipped towels into the cool water and then wrung them out halfway before replacing the ones already draped over the gunslinger's body, hopefully keeping his fever in check.

Every hour Nathan forced a glass of water down Chris's throat, with help from Buck and Vin, one of them holding Larabee's head still, the other holding his nose closed so he'd open his mouth. And, every two hours the healer added some salicylic powder and Indian herbs to the liquid. Vin could only imagine what the foul-smelling concoction tasted like, but he didn't care, not as long as it helped Chris.

The man's delirium lasted nearly half that time, but then his fever started to abate and he became more cooperative, even if he didn't seem cognizant of where he was, or who was caring for him.

Nathan untied Chris when the fight finally left him, the fever leaving him too weak to continue the struggle.

"How much longer?" Buck asked, scrubbing his hand over his face. He was tired, just like the others, and scared.

Nathan shrugged and shook his head. "Not sure. Not long now, I hope."

"Sure is a lot quieter," Vin remarked, his expression worried, but the depth of his fear well buried now.

"Fever's goin' down. Soon as it breaks, he's gonna sleep for a good long spell," Nathan explained. "That'll be a good sign."

"Should we change the towels again?" JD asked, then yawned widely.

"No," Nathan said, "I wanna see if the fever's gonna climb." He glanced around at the worn, haggard faces of his friends. "Look, why don't y'all get some sleep. The worst is past now."

The six men exchanged glances, then Vin said, "Think I'll stay a mite longer."

"I will as well," Josiah added.

Buck hesitated, then nodded. "We'll come spell you boys in a few hours. Guess that'd be 'bout breakfast time now," he said, then headed for the door, JD and Ezra following.

When they were gone, Nathan gently shook Chris's shoulders. The man's eyes opened, but they were glassy and unfocused. Still, he was aware enough to let them help him out of bed so they could swap the mattress and bedding for something dry. That done, Nathan turned his attention to talking Chris through exchanging his wet long johns for dry ones, but he was too weak to do it himself and Vin stepped up to help him. Then they got him back into bed.

The healer dropped into his chair, positioned next to the bed, and quickly checked the gunslinger again.

"Fever's broke," he announced tiredly, a smile lifting the worst of the fatigue from his face. "He's sleepin' now."

Vin stepped up nest to Nathan and rested his hand on the man's shoulder, giving it a grateful squeeze. "Y' oughta get some sleep, Nate. I'll give a holler if anything changes."

The black man considered the offer for a moment, then nodded. "Been a long couple'a days, what with that baby comin' early, then this. You be sure to wake me if he starts frettin' again."

Vin nodded, taking the seat Nathan vacated when he stood and stretched before heading for the door. He paused there, looking back at Chris for a long moment. "Think he'll just sleep for a while now."

"Get some rest, Nathan," Josiah urged. "We'll keep a close eye on him."

With a nod, the healer turned and left, shuffling off down the hall to his own room.

Vin reached out and pressed his hand to Chris's forehead. "Does feel cooler."

Josiah nodded. "He's a fighter. He'll be fine."

The two men sat, talking quietly through the night to keep themselves awake, Vin enjoying the stories the older man shared from his time with a Cherokee holy man. He even shared a few of his own with the preacher.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

It was just after dawn when Chris finally awoke. He groaned after trying to sit up without thinking, and pressed his hand against the fresh bandage tied along his ribs. Glancing around, he spotted Vin and Josiah, both of their chins resting on their chests as they slept. He shook his head.

"Hey," he called, surprised by how weak he sounded.

Vin's head snapped up and he was instantly on his feet and moving to Chris's bedside. "Y' feelin' okay there, Cowboy?"

Chris tried to sit up again and this time he made it, with the tracker's help. "What're you and Josiah doin' here?"

Vin grinned. "Been watching y' sleep, mostly."

Chris reached up to scratch his cheek, noting the beard growth. "Just how long have I been sleeping?"

Vin thought for a moment, then said, "Damn near thirty-six hours."

"Two days?"

The younger man nodded. "Had a helluva fever fer a day, then slept the better part of the next."

"Guess that's why I'm in the clinic."

"Yup."

"Damn." With a grunt Chris pushed to his feet and staggered to the corner where Nathan kept a chamber pot, sighing as he relieved himself. When he was done he shuffled slowly back to the bed and sat down.

"Well, the prodigal son finally returns," Josiah said.

Chris could hear the man's smile in his tone and glanced over his shoulder to meet Josiah's gaze. "Appreciate the help."

Josiah shrugged a single shoulder.

"The others were all here, too," Vin said. "Nathan-"

The door to the room opened and the black man stepped inside as if he'd been summoned. His eyes rounded when he saw Chris awake and sitting up, but he smiled and crossed to him, immediately beginning an examination.

Chris endured the scrutiny, knowing he must have been pretty damned sick to lose two days.

"Fever's still gone," Nathan informed them. "And that wound's draining real good now, but you're gonna need t' rest for a couple'a more days."

Chris nodded, knowing he was too weak to do anything more - at the moment.

"I don't know about you, brothers," Josiah said to the other two, "but I'm hungry."

Vin nodded.

"Sounds good," Chris said, moving to get up again.

"Oh no you don't," Nathan said, one hand enough to keep the gunslinger on the bed. "You stay here."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Sitting around one of the larger tables in the saloon, six of the peacekeepers enjoyed a hot breakfast. Nathan had refused to let Chris join them, but the gunslinger had only agreed to stay in bed when a bad case of vertigo hit him after he'd stood for a second time, planning to follow the three men down for a meal.

Vin promised to bring him back a plate after they got him back into bed.

Chris grumbled something under his breath, but it was too late. They were gone and he was flat on his back - again.

"You boys best get some sleep," Buck said, nodding at Vin and Josiah, who were eating in-between wide yawns.

Nathan nodded his agreement. "I'll take that food up for Chris. Wanna get some tea into him, too."

The two men nodded.

"Somebody best stay with Larabee today," Vin said, "or he'll climb outta that bed quick as a scalded cat."

"I'll keep him where he belongs," Buck promised. "Even if I have to tie him down again."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Working together, the six peacekeepers were able to keep Chris in bed for a day, but then he turned stubborn the next morning and Nathan relented, helping him downstairs to eat breakfast with the rest of them. The meal finished, Chris headed outside to a chair someone had left sitting outside the saloon.

He eased himself down, content to just watch the comings and goings around him. Over the course of the day each of the others spent some time sitting beside him in silence, or talking to him quietly, if he wasn't too tired.

Chris drifted off a couple of times that day, finding his blanket draped over his shoulders when he woke the first time. He wasn't sure who had fetched it for him, but he suspected it was Vin. The tracker always seemed to be somewhere close by, even if it was one of the others who were sitting with him.

Knowing Vin was near made it easier for him to relax, and Chris allowed himself to enjoy the forced inaction as much as he could.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The next two days followed the same pattern, but that was all Chris could take. He wanted to do something, and the only thing he needed to do was find Ella Gains, so the fourth morning, after breakfast, he walked down to the livery and fetched his horse, leading it back to the saloon where he had a drink before heading out to leave.

"Chris, you just askin' to die, pard?" Buck stormed as he followed him outside. Standing on the edge of the boardwalk, his hands balled into fists and resting on his hips, the man looked ready to fight.

Larabee ignored his long-time friend and checked his cinch. When he was done, he climbed onto his gelding and readied the reins in his hands. "I'm fine, Buck."

"Like hell you are!" Wilmington replied, his eyes flashing.

Nathan stepped off the boardwalk and took hold of the horse's bridle. "You open up that wound again, you might-"

"I'll be careful," Chris assured the healer. "Besides, it's damn-near healed."

"Chris, if Ella Gains finds you out at that cabin-" Buck started, but the gunslinger cut him off before he could go over the same argument he'd already heard inside the saloon.

"Then I'll shoot the goddamn bitch like I should've, and be done with it."

"Man just wants t' spend some time alone," Vin said quietly before Ezra, JD, or Josiah could enter the argument. He didn't look up at Larabee, concentrating on running the blade of his knife along the edge of the whetstone he was holding.

"Just take care, ya hear?" Nathan said, letting go of the gelding's bridle and stepping back into the shade of the covered boardwalk.

Buck cursed softly, then sapped his hat against his thigh, but he didn't say anything more.

"I'll see you boys in a few days," Chris told them, then reined the gelding into the street and headed out of town.

When he was well out of earshot, Vin looked up, tilting his hat back so he could watch Larabee. "I'll give him an hour, then head out."

Buck nodded and grinned. "Think he bought it?"

"It did appear so," Ezra said, shaking his head. "Mr. Wilmington, you could have had a successful career in the theater. Your performance was positively . . . inspiring."

Buck's eyes rounded and he snorted, saying, "Hell, I was expectin' him to do this two days ago. Must be growing some common sense in his old age."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Vin caught up to Chris a lot faster than he'd expected. Larabee was moving slowly, and he wasn't headed for his cabin.

The tracker guessed Red Rock might be the man's true destination. He'd heard about the new whorehouse there, just like others had. Larabee was probably planning on asking around about Ella Gains. Or maybe he was planning a trip back to her ranch to look for some clue as to where she might hole up.

It didn't really matter where Larabee was headed, Vin had promised the others that he'd keep an eye on the man until he returned to Four Corners, and that was exactly what he planned to do.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Chris guided his gelding through the late afternoon heat, wind and dust performing a steady dance on the well-worn trail. His senses were tuned to the repetitive clop of his horse's hooves, but his eyes were focused on the distance.

Somewhere out there was Red Rock.

He hadn't slept in seventeen hours, and had originally planned not to stop until he reached Ella's ranch, but his side ached when he pushed his horse past a walk, so he'd set a slow pace. Some time before dark the trail had begun to bend and blur in his mind and eyes, but he knew Red Rock was directly ahead on the trail, no way he could miss it. He would stop there for the rest of the night, maybe the next day, too, then go on.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

A couple hours later Chris stopped at the Red Rock livery, turning his horse over to the sleepy young man who worked there. He'd had to rouse the boy from his bed in the loft, and gave him an extra dollar for his effort. That done, Larabee headed straight for the new brothel standing at the edge of town.

Bright lights shone from the windows and music greeted him on the night air. Inside he let a pretty blonde take his arm.

"What're you lookin' for, Cowboy?" she purred.

"Bath," Chris said, "and a hot meal. But first, some sleep. Just sleep."

She smiled. "Well, then, you just come with me, Mister. My name's Violet, what's yours?"

"Call me Chris."

"All right, Chris, let's get you a room so you can get some sleep. You do look tuckered. Maybe tomorrow I can help you with that bath?"

He grunted noncommittally as she took his arm and led him upstairs and to a room.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The following morning Chris headed downstairs a couple of hours after dawn. He asked the older man standing behind the bar where he could get a bath, and the old-timer pointed to a door with a sign hanging on it that read "baths 50¢".

Larabee walked over, knocked, and when there was no response, he opened the door and walked in.

The room was empty, but there were two tubs already filled. Steam rose from both and he was mildly surprised to find that the water was still clean. Obviously no one else had made it up yet.

Chris took off his clothes, then folded and set them on a small stool next to the tub. He hung his gunbelt on a peg next to the tub, put there so anyone who wanted to could have his gun within easy reach while he bathed. Then he slipped into the inviting warmth.

The water made his side sting, but he ignored it, letting the heat do its work on his trail-weary muscles. When he was done, he climbed out and wrapped a towel from the shelf above the tub around his midsection, then grabbed his gun and headed for the privy at the rear of the building.

He relieved himself, then returned to dress, tossing the towel into an already half-full basket sitting near the rear door. He stopped when he reached the tub again, his eyes widening when he saw who was sitting in the water.

"You followed me?" he hissed, slipping his gun back into its holster. He was actually surprised he wasn't mad. In fact, he was happy to see the man, and even happier to see what had captured his attention.

Vin nodded, his gaze locked on Larabee's cock, then he shook his head and glanced up, meeting the gunslinger's eyes. His cheeks were red, his gaze wanting.

Chris felt a rush of heat surge over his skin. No woman had ever looked at him like that - none except Sarah, anyway. And damned if Tanner didn't look good himself, sitting in that water, his wet hair slicked back off his handsome, boyish face, beads of liquid clinging to the light dusting of hair on his chest.

Without knowing how, Chris knew the tracker wanted him, and, to his surprise, he found he wanted the younger man as well.

A silent question passed between them, just as it had when they'd first met. And Chris knew that the answer was, once again, "yes."

Larabee reached down and cupped himself, and even as his hand began to fill with his own enlargement, his brain reminded him that he'd never been with a man, never even considered it until this very moment. And a part of him wanted to stop, arguing that it wasn't natural; he wasn't a sodomite. But another part didn't care. He had been attracted to this man since the moment he'd first laid eyes on him, although not exactly like this. He'd heard and seen enough over the years to have an idea what two men could do, but was that what he wanted from Vin?

Tanner's gaze was on him again, watching Chris's growth while he shifted anxiously in the tub. Then his tongue darted out to wet his suddenly dry lips and Chris's feet were moving before he had a chance to think, to reconsider, guiding him closer to the invitation shining in the younger man's eyes.

The gunslinger stopped at the edge of the tub, his now-hard cock pointing straight at Vin's mouth.

The tracker leaned forward, Chris's cock passing between the tracker's lips and down his waiting throat.

Chris seldom masturbated, and it had been a long time since his last screw, so the man's warm, moist mouth felt like heaven to his aching cock. He began to move, in and out of the willing orifice, realizing just how much he liked the intimate contact. He shifted his feet and his balance to allow for a smooth, rhythmic motion.

The door squeaked open and Chris turned just far enough so that he could aim his gun at the whore who was peeking in. All she saw was the weapon and a flash of long, wet dark blond hair. Guessing it was Molly, getting an early start on the day, she smiled and stepped back, pulling the door closed behind her.

Chris turned back, sinking into the warmth again. All thoughts and cares evaporated from his mind as he quickly became totally absorbed in the pleasure Vin was visiting on him, igniting every sensitive inch of his cock.

The otherwise empty room echoed with an occasional soft moan when Chris pushed himself deeper into Vin's throat. The heat was intense, and the pressure building up in him was almost at the breaking point. Vin must have sensed that, because he closed his mouth, shielding his teeth with his lips and tightening his hold on Chris's cock while moving his tongue up and down the sensitive underside of the shaft and around the leaking head.

Chris stepped up his motion, poking in and out of his friend's mouth, going deeper and deeper with each thrust. The gentle moan of before turned into a deep, guttural sound as he slammed himself against the back of Vin's mouth and down his throat. He wondered briefly what it would feel like to bury his member up to his balls in the tracker's ass - a man's ass, his brain reminded him, but it just didn't seem to matter anymore.

Reaching his limit, his composure shattered. Chris thought he screamed deep down inside, but the sound escaped his lips and vibrated around the deserted room as his cock emptied on a downward stroke. Vin held firm as Chris impaled him, burying himself deep in his throat. The gunslinger couldn't move as he unloaded what felt like a river of himself into the man's mouth.

Vin met his intensity, massaging up and down the length of Chris's cock with his inner cheeks and tongue as Larabee came, and came.

As the flow ebbed, and the onslaught subsided, Vin lessened his suction grip and gently suckled the man's remaining seed free. The action was soothing and comforting and Chris shuddered with a deep satisfaction. He didn't want to withdraw, even though he had nothing more to give and his formerly rigid cock now simply hung, full and heavy, enjoying the man's continuing attention. And Vin didn't encourage his departure. In fact, he seemed disappointed that the encounter was at an end and lingered, softly cleaning and soothing Chris's member as it slowly receded to a withdrawn state.

Finally, Chris sat down on the small stool next to the tub. His first instinct was to dress and leave - quickly. He needed some time to evaluate how he really felt about this, about Vin. But, in truth, the mere fact that he'd enjoyed himself so much was probably his only real concern. No whore had ever given him a time so good it had made him scream. For that, if nothing more, he could at least be civil and say thank you, then send Vin back to Four Corners.

He looked over at the tracker, suddenly lost in the man's blue eyes. Chris shivered when a pulse of desire struck his groin.

"So, y' mad at me?" Vin asked with a small smile - half-sad, half-hopeful.

"Mad?" Chris echoed, confused about what exactly the tracker was talking about.

"'Bout me followin' ya," the younger man clarified.

Larabee grinned, not convinced that was what Vin had been really getting at. "No . . . guess not," he admitted, then added, "'bout anything."

"Glad t' hear it."

Chris climbed into the second tub and washed himself, then dressed while Vin finished his own bath and dressed as well. They headed into the brothel's dining room, eating a large breakfast before joining in on one of the poker games that had gotten started, playing the entire day. Each man doubled the money in his pockets, having picked up more than a few tricks from Ezra along the way.

As dusk approached, they returned to the dining room for a meal before taking a room upstairs. Several of the "ladies" offered to warm their beds, but they gently turned the offers away.

In their room, they undressed in silence, then climbed into one of the beds.

Another threshold, the gunslinger thought. He'd never slept in a bed with another man before. His sense of logic told him that it wasn't any different than when he spent the night with a woman. And had he been aware, Chris would have been surprised by how quickly he fell into a deep, rest-filled sleep.

Vin was somewhat surprised when he heard Larabee's breath almost immediately even out, but he was pleased nonetheless. He knew Chris needed the rest, and maybe, just maybe, come morning, he could talk the man into letting him ride along to wherever it was the gunslinger was headed. He was pretty sure the Gain's Ranch was the man's destination, but he didn't want to ask. If Chris tried to send him back to Four Corners, he'd just have to follow him and make sure he didn't get caught.

He snuggled against the man's back, enjoying the warmth and the companionship. He'd been worried all day that Chris might decide that what had happened had been wrong and send him on his way. But that hadn't happened, and the tracker had been pleasantly surprised when Chris asked for a single room for the two of them. That he'd climbed into his bed without an invitation reassured Vin that he wasn't going to chased off, at least not until the morning, and only then because Chris wanted to do this alone.

He smiled, remembering the feel of Chris's cock in his mouth as he closed his eyes.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

A soft groan woke Vin. Lying next to the man who had been haunting his dreams since they'd met, the tracker wondered what it was that had possessed him earlier. Not that he regretted it, not for a moment, and Chris had certainly seemed to enjoy it. But given some time to think about it, Vin was beginning to feel that it might have been a mistake.

He sighed softly. Thinking about the encounter was only making him hard - again - and he pushed the images away and willed himself back to sleep. But sleep was elusive, the fear niggling him.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Sometime in the pre-dawn hours, Chris rolled off his back and onto his left side, draping his right arm across Vin's midsection and drawing the tracker closer to him. His hand, palm open, rested flat against the man's stomach.

Vin's eyes opened, but he didn't dare move, nor did he offer any resistance. His composure, however, was nearly shattered when Chris placed his lips gently against the back of his neck as he pulled him closer, fitting his ass snugly against Chris's groin. The gunslinger's breath was warm against Vin's neck and it sent shivers racing down his back and caused his ass to twitch and tremble.

He peered at the small table next to the bed, and the fancy bottle of oil that was sitting there. If things went the way he hoped they would, it was within easy reach, just like the ladies would have wanted it. But that was more dream than reality, and he knew it, so Vin closed his eyes and just enjoyed the closeness. Being cradled in Chris's arms was more than he'd ever dreamed he'd get.

Larabee's arm hung over him, successfully pinning his own arm to his side. And with his butt pressed against the gunslinger's crotch, he could tell that his own cock wasn't the only one in the bed that was filling. Chris was developing one hell of a hard-on. Maybe he wanted to explore some more, but needed a little help to do so?

Vin slowly freed his pinned arm to reach around to Chris. Each movement and adjustment caused his ass to rub against the gunslinger's crotch, and the effect was fast becoming more and more obvious. In fact, he couldn't miss the erection poking him in the lower back. He reached out, grabbing the bottle of oil and quickly poured some into his palm. Then Vin gently pushed himself forward enough to slide his hand down between his ass and Chris's protruding cock.

His hands trembling, but steady on the mark, he guided the swollen member to his eager ass. His fingers gently stroked, coating the head and shaft with oil and precome, which was oozing from the man's slit.

As a surgeon gently guides his knife, Vin placed the tip of Chris's slicked cock head over the entrance to his ass and gently impaled himself on it. Inch by inch, his ass opened and swallowed the man's member. Vin's warm inner walls enveloped the shaft and caressed it as it slid deeper and deeper inside of him. Chris was larger than Vin had anticipated, and he had to stop several times to control his breathing, and himself. It felt like the man's prick was extending up through his guts and into his stomach.

It was then that Chris's composure shattered for a second time. The gunslinger tightened his grip on Vin's stomach and pulled him into his arms. Simultaneously, he flexed his hips and shoved the remaining third of his cock into Vin's unsuspecting ass. His shaft explored the uncharted regions until only his balls remained outside the hot, tight hole.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

In his dream, Chris nestled comfortably with a nameless, faceless whore. He realized where he really was when Vin gently lifted his arm. He must have rolled over and cuddled his new bunkmate to him while he'd slept. Making matters worse, he had awakened Vin with a raging hard-on stabbing him in the back.

The proper thing to do, he decided, would be to casually roll over onto his other side, but he couldn't do that comfortably, still too sore from the gunshot wound. And before he could come up with something else, Vin reached back and began to gently stroke slicked fingers over his hard cock, spreading oil all over the head and shaft. To pull away now would be awkward. Besides, it felt good, so very good, and he was getting harder and harder as the massage continued. So Chris closed his eyes and relaxed next to the warm body giving him so much pleasure.

Then it happened, and it took all the control he had to refrain from screaming a second time. His cock head was suddenly enveloped in a hot, wet canal whose walls seemed to come alive around him. It was as if a tight glove of warm water was being wrapped around his shaft, fingers along the tunnel caressing his cock head with just the right amount of pressure. He became lightheaded and was very grateful that he was lying down. He also became so sexually charged that he couldn't hold still a moment longer.

His right hand tightened against Vin's stomach and he pulled the man closer to him. He planted his feet against the bottom of the bed and drove the rest of his cock forward, embedding it deep inside Vin's ass.

The realization that he was once again crossing a major threshold didn't occur to him. An animalistic hunger had been awakened in him and it had taken over.

He withdrew his cock three-quarters of the way out and then plunged it home again with the artistry of a fencer thrusting with his sword. Chris did it again . . . and again . . . and each time he seemed to reach a new height of pleasure.

He rolled his weight forward, pinning Vin beneath him on the bed.

Once over on his stomach, Chris placed his legs between Vin's without a word. And without withdrawing his cock in the slightest, he used his legs to spread Vin's as wide as he could before he plowed his cock deep into the tracker's bowels, winning a low, needful whimper in reply.

He leaned forward and nibbled on Vin's ear, then kissed along the side of the tracker's face and the back of his neck while sliding his rock-hard cock in and out of Vin's ass with long, powerful strokes. From time to time he slowed his pace, withdrew his cock until only the head remained buried between Vin's cheeks, then slowly slid up the man's chute while reaching underneath and lifting Vin's ass up to meet his strokes. But he soon quickened his pace again, deepening his penetrations.

As the point of no return neared, Chris reached under Vin's arms with both hands and firmly gripped the tracker's shoulders, shoving Vin farther into the corner while pulling himself farther up on the inside of him. Vin's noises were no longer limited to occasional restrained murmurs. He couldn't form words, but he made loud, throaty sounds, pleading for Chris to continue like a starved man might beg for food.

The pleas spurred Chris to new heights as his passion took on a life of its own. He continued to ride the sweet ass so eagerly offered to him, feeling such complete satisfaction that he couldn't have stopped even if he had wanted to, and he most certainly did not want to.

Chris felt his cock turn harder as Vin cooed and cheered him on as he pushed his ass up to meet the strokes, completely surrendering to the onslaught.

And then Vin cried out as he came without ever having touched his own cock. Chris thought that alone would push him over the edge, but he tightened his grip on Vin's shoulders and brought his hips higher up on Vin's ass, allowing him to push in even deeper.

He placed his mouth next to Vin's ear and whispered as his lips brushed over it, "I'm gonna give ya my seed, pard. Do ya want it?"

Vin was as close to an euphoric ecstasy as he'd ever gotten, thanks to Chris's large cock and his energetic style of fucking. The tracker was sure he'd found heaven, so when Chris asked him if he wanted his seed, he realized just how much he didn't want the moment to end.

"Do ya want it?" Chris repeated, not missing a stroke as he intensified his action, shoving his cock in and out of Vin's ass.

"No," Tanner whispered through his tear-covered lips, "not yet . . . don't wanna stop just yet."

Chris was surprised by the answer, but it had no effect on his physical need. He was on the brink of shooting his load into Vin's tender ass, and nothing short of death was going to prevent that from happening.

"Sorry, pard," Larabee whispered. "You're so damn hot, so tight, I can't hold back!" He shoved his face deep into the pillow beside Vin's head as his hips buried his cock to the hilt up the man's ass.

Vin yelled again as he felt the boiling-hot seed flood his intestines and Chris cried out into the pillow with him, his body jerking violently as it emptied itself.

Afterward, Chris's body hung limply over Vin's for what seemed like an eternity. Neither of them moved, even long after their breathing had returned to normal and Chris's cock had receded, withdrawing itself from Vin's ass.

When they finally shifted, they curled into each other's arms, and with no idea what to say, they lay silently until they surrendered to sleep, both men drifting into a deep slumber.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The second time Vin woke that day, it was to the feel of Chris's hands on his chest, caressing him. Then those hands glided over his skin while the gunslinger kissed softly along his collarbones before his mouth closed over one of Vin's nipples, sucking it to hardness as he rubbed his tongue over the sensitive peak again and again. The second nub received the same treatment before Chris moved up and straddled Vin.

Chris pressed his lips against Vin's, his tongue sliding into the tracker's waiting, wanting mouth. Vin's nearly-rigid cock was trapped beneath Chris's body, and the gunslinger's was pressed against Vin's abdomen, creating a delicious friction as their tongues parried.

When they were forced to part for air, Chris moved again, spreading Vin's legs and moving to kneel between them. Hunching over the tracker's body, he brought his lips to the hard, hairy surface of Vin's belly, kissing and licking the soft curves created by the taut muscles that lay beneath the man's skin.

As his mouth moved lower, traveling toward Vin's cock, he took the rigid shaft in his hand, stroking it gently and admiring the size. Hesitantly, he brought his tongue to it, licking across the stretched foreskin. The taste of the man sent an explosion of desire through Chris's groin and he opened his mouth and guided Vin's cock between his lips, just like Vin had done for him in the bathhouse. The turgid flesh filled his mouth. He could taste Vin's precome and savored its salty flavor.

He took as much of Vin's cock as he was able, stopping only when he thought it was about to catch in his throat. He started to suck it, trying to mimic the same actions Vin had used on him.

If Chris's lack of experience was hindering Vin's enjoyment, the tracker gave no indication, moaning and sighing without pause.

Chris took the man's shaft in his hand, moving his fist up and down as he sucked on the head. Vin's body began quaking, every muscle contracting as his pleasure rapidly intensified. Chris cupped the man's balls, carefully holding the two swollen orbs. His hand moved down farther, his fingers slipping into the sweaty, still oil-slicked crevice of Vin's ass, dragging an index finger over the tender pucker. Tanner trembled hard in barely controlled ecstasy.

"Vin."

The blue eyes opened.

"Show me what it's like."

The tracker held his gaze for a moment and then offered a single nod. He moved, taking over, pulling the pillows down to the middle of the bed and having Chris lay belly-down on top of them. He leaned against Chris's back, and the gunslinger found that he enjoyed the weight of the man's chest, pressing against his shoulder blades, and the feel of his cock, resting against the curve of his ass.

Vin pressed himself harder against Chris's back, his cock grinding between the gunslinger's butt cheeks. He placed his lips against the side of Chris's neck, taking tiny bites.

Chris moaned and rubbed his ass back against Vin.

The tracker reached under the older man, finding his stiff, throbbing cock, and taking him in hand.

Chris closed his eyes while Vin delicately handled his member, tracing the hard veins and caressing the swollen head. Then he was exploring, his hands moving over Chris's back, kissing along the valley between the man's shoulder blades, gnawing at the small of his back. He grabbed Chris's ass and pried his cheeks apart, exposing the tight hole. He touched the pucker.

Chris was unprepared for the detonation of pleasure Vin's touch elicited and he cried out in surprise. Bending forward, he pressed his ass back, wanting Vin to poke his finger inside.

Vin paused, reaching for the oil. He dribbled some into Chris's crack, then pulled his cheeks open again. He stabbed at Chris's ass, sinking his finger halfway past the tightly clenched muscle.

The pleasure the twisting, thrusting finger created made Chris's balls churn and his cock began to quiver, a tiny thread of precome oozing free.

Vin stroked Chris's cheeks as he worked in a second finger, causing Chris to shiver and groan.

The tracker's touch was delicate at first, but encouraged by Chris's responses, he carefully stretched the tender opening, becoming more and more aroused by the gunslinger's enthusiastic reactions. Each time Chris moaned or sighed, Vin pressed his fingers in deeper and he was soon working the tight hole with long, sensual strokes.

"Vin," Chris groaned.

The tracker pulled his fingers free and reached for the bottle of oil, pouring some into his hand and rubbing it over his own rock-hard cock. When he was done, he poured more onto the pulsing sphincter, then slipped his middle finger inside the man again.

"Hurry," Chris gasped.

"Gotta get you good 'n' ready," Vin whispered, slowly pressing his finger in deeper.

Chris closed his eyes, moaning softly when a second and finally a third finger digit were added back inside his body. He writhed, trying to impale himself, but the fingers were suddenly gone.

The gunslinger's desire was far greater than his apprehension as he looked back to watch Vin coat his cock in even more oil. The tracker's poker was thick and long, and he wondered briefly how it could possibly fit inside his body.

Vin took hold of the base of his cock and guided the head to the slick opening of Chris's ass. He nudged the tight hole teasingly, then began to press against it harder, slowly increasing the pressure until he forced the pucker open and he slipped inside.

Second thoughts immediately ran through Chris's mind even as Vin carefully entered him.

"Easy, pard," Vin cooed, stroking Chris's trembling back. "Relax."

Larabee tried to do as he'd been told, and a few moments later he felt his muscles loosen. And, as soon as that happened, Vin pressed in deeper, the head of his prick striking the gunslinger's hidden pleasure source.

Chris cried out and jerked his hips back, sinking the tracker in deeper.

Vin began to thrust slowly and carefully into him, his stiff prick massaging Chris's prostrate.

Pain immediately disappeared, burned away by the intense pleasure that threatened to overwhelm the gunslinger. Chris's hips pumped against the pillows, his thrusts timed to meet Vin's, helping to force the man deeper inside his chute.

The tracker pulled Chris's ass cheeks apart, allowing him to probe the man deeper.

Chris groaned, his head arching back, his fingers curling tightly into the bedsheets. "Vin," he hissed, lifting his hips and shoving himself back harder, wanting the man to plunge deeper.

Vin hunched over the blond's back, forcing his hand under Chris's hips to grab his straining, rigid cock. He wrapped his oil-covered hand around the shaft, jacking the man as he continued to plow into his ass.

Each well-timed stroke into his chute and pull on his cock, caused a minor explosion of euphoria to erupt in Chris's body. He began to tremble, his senses overwhelmed by the twin pleasurable sensations. He tried to hold back, but his efforts were too little and too late. Vin had aroused him to such a degree that his body, unable to take anymore, succumbed. Every muscle tensed as Chris's cock fired its hot, thick load, which soaked into the pillows.

Feeling the seed shooting through his fingers increased Vin's arousal. He started driving into Chris's ass with no restraint, his cock hammering in and out of the man like a locomotive on full throttle. He let out a harsh, guttural groan as he made his final thrust into the tight, hot ass, his own seed flooding into the man's passage.

Gasping for breath, Vin fell forward on top of Chris. They lay together, their bodies sweaty and sticky. The room was light now, the sun finally risen.

After several minutes Vin moved off Chris, then quickly checked to make sure he hadn't hurt the man.

"I'm fine," Chris drawled, rolling over onto his back. He looked up at the tracker, realizing for the first time that some of the emptiness in his heart was gone.

Vin offered him a small, almost shy smile. "Y' sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." He waited for a moment, still catching his breath, then he said, "Guess you plan on coming with me."

"Ella's ranch?"

Chris nodded.

"Reckon so. If y' want the comp'ny."

The gunslinger nodded. "I do."

"Sure yer up t' this?"

Chris hesitated before answering. He knew Vin wasn't talking about his physical health. "I think so. Something I've gotta do."

Vin nodded. "I best send a telegraph to the others; tell 'em where yer goin'."

Chris nodded. He didn't like having to share his business with the others, but they were his friends, and they would worry. Besides, he didn't want them to come looking for him and Vin, not if he wanted to spend some more time like this with the man before they got back to Four Corners.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The two peacekeepers headed out after a long bath and a large meal. The whores eyed them until they left, but Larabee didn't care.

Let 'em think whatever they want, he decided. He was happy for the first time in nearly four years, and as far as he was concerned, that was all that mattered.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

A few hours later, Chris glanced over at Vin, who rode alongside him. The tracker was looking off, automatically scanning the countryside for any dangers. The reality of what he was feeling flashed though Chris's mind like a burst of lightning: he loved Tanner.

Larabee shook his head. It seemed impossible, but he knew it was true. And he couldn't help but wonder if Vin shared his feelings. But why else would the tracker have loved him as he had? He was no Nancy-boy. He sighed. Maybe he could work up the courage before they got back to Four Corners to ask the man.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Riding up to Ella Gains' ranch house sent a chill racing down Chris's back and his fingers tightened automatically on the reins. It took all the gunslinger's will to climb down off his gelding, and he was shaking with fury by the time he reached the front door.

Vin was right beside him, though, and they entered the house together. It was dark inside, dust floating thick in the air where a single shaft of sunlight streamed past the closed curtains.

The tracker crossed the room and opened the drapes, letting the light inside. He shivered, the skin at the back of his neck prickling, but he shook the feeling off, his attention returning to Larabee, who was staring at a painting of Ella that hung on the wall.

"You bitch!" Chris snarled. "Goddamned cunt! Why?" he yelled. "Why, damn you?"

"Ain't no answer, Chris," Vin said softly, reaching out to rest his hand on the man's shoulder. "She was actin' like a woman all possessed."

Chris looked down at the man, some of the anger draining out of him. He nodded. That was true enough.

Without another word they began a thorough search of each room of the big house, ending up in Ella's upstairs bedroom.

Before he joined Larabee, Vin examined the small room at the end of the upstairs hall for the first time. It was filled with bits and pieces of Larabee's life, and a few other men's as well. Looking at the photos and mementos made him feel like spiders were crawling over his bare skin, or some ghost was watching him, and he quickly backed out of the suddenly too-small space. He joined Chris in Ella's bedroom.

"Nothing," Chris hissed softly, glancing around the room again, finally stopping at the bed. He stared at it. He had actually made love to the bitch in that bed, but remembering their lovemaking almost made him sick to his stomach. Then, with a suddenness that almost made his head swim, he was hard. But it wasn't due to the memory of Ella Gains, or even his wife. It was the man standing at his back. He turned and started undressing.

Vin's eyes widened slightly, but he caught on quickly enough and started pulling off his own clothes as well.

They met in the middle of the room. Vin dropped to his knees in front of Larabee before the gunslinger could ask what he was going to do. The tracker's mouth fit around Chris's cock like it had been made just for him.

Larabee gasped when Vin's lips wrapped around his swollen head, his tongue sliding under his foreskin to tease at the slit he found buried there. His knees trembled and he leaned forward just far enough to brace his hands on the tracker's shoulders.

After a few moments, Vin released the man and stood. He guided Chris to the bed and knelt between his legs again. He sucked the cock back into his mouth, enjoying the tight fit. Chris moaned softly, his hands coming up to clench at the younger man's hair.

"Damnation," Chris hissed, "you're gonna spoil me, Vin."

Vin started bobbing the cock in and out of his throat, and before long Chris was shoving against his face. When the gunslinger's stomach muscles started to tighten up, he stopped abruptly.

Staring down at the man, Chris whimpered, "Why- Why'd you stop?"

Vin grinned. "Lie back, Cowboy," he said, the promise clear in his tone.

Chris did as he'd been told while Vin grabbed his jacket, feeling around in the pocket until he found the bottle of oil he'd taken from the brothel room. Climbing back onto the bed, he rubbed some of the liquid onto Chris's straining cock.

The gunslinger's eyes rounded when Vin centered himself with the man's cock head right under his hole. Larabee reached down and grabbed the base of his shaft, then waited to see what Vin would do next.

The tracker braced himself, then shoved down hard, Chris's cock popping inside his body.

Larabee arched his chest up, but forced his hips to remain still, letting Vin push himself down on his throbbing prick. And Vin continued to press until his ass ground against Chris's legs.

"How's that feel?" the tracker asked, his voice a gasp of pleasure.

"Damn, Vin," Larabee replied, "that feels good . . . so damned good." He reached out, his hands on either side of the tracker's waist and gave a little buck of his hips.

"Mmm," was the hungry reply as Vin slipped his hand back and took hold of Chris's balls, sliding them around his slick fingers.

Larabee threw his head back and bucked up again, harder this time.

"Gonna ride y' hard t' the finish line, pard," Vin growled, spreading his legs a little more. He braced his hands and pumped up and down several times before he had to stop. Leaning back, he groaned, "So good."

Chris took the opportunity to drive his hips up, hitting Vin's joy-spot dead on. The tracker's response was immediate; he bucked up and down like he was riding an unbroken range pony.

"Vin!" Chris cried.

Tanner feel the gunslinger's cock thicken deep inside of him and knew Larabee was going to shoot soon. Slipping his hand back down between Chris's legs, he shoved his oil-coated finger into the gunslinger's tight hole. Chris's eyes popped open and he gasped.

Grinning at the man, Vin shoved his finger in deeper, Chris pushing down to take it. Larabee's balls jerked away from Vin's hand, tightening around his cock and a moment later the tracker felt the hot seed flooding into his chute.

Vin shoved backward, taking Larabee as deeply as he could, and Chris bucked up to meet him.

Pushing another finger inside his ass, Vin fucked Chris, enjoying the result - the man shot three loads deep into his guts, then lay back with a loud sigh and stared up at him wide-eyed.

Vin pulled his fingers out, feeling him quiver. But instead of climbing off, he leaned forward onto the man's chest. Chris jerked when Vin's tongue connected with one of his hard nubs, then sucked on it.

Larabee wriggled under him and Vin pulled on the nipple with his teeth.

"Gonna get me hard again, pard," Chris gasped.

"What d'ya think 'm doin' it fer?" Vin asked. "Y' get on top this time, you'll likely get me t' shoot without havin' t' touch m' prick."

Chris glanced at the man's cock, bouncing against the tracker's belly, then met his gaze. He smiled. "I can do that."

Reaching out, Chris wrapped his hand around Vin's cock, pulling on it as his own began to harden again, still buried inside the tracker's body. "I never bedded a woman who made me feel like this," Larabee said softly, his hands tugging, pulling, making Vin jerk and twist to the rhythm he set.

"Damn it, Chris," Vin moaned, "I need t' get fucked. Get on top an' ride, Cowboy."

It took some doing, Larabee more than reluctant to break the intimate contact they shared, but he finally maneuvered around so Vin was lying under him, the tracker's legs over his shoulders after Chris had slapped some oil onto his own cock.

Chris tried a soft, gentle shove, but that didn't breach the man's barrier.

Vin thrust his hips up. "Fuck me, damn it!"

Chris's eyes widened and he realized what the tracker wanted. With a low growl, he grabbed the younger man's wrists, pinning them down with one hand for a brief moment. Then he leaned onto the man, his hips driving forward like a locomotive.

For a moment Vin had to fight to catch his breath, but then he was panting and gasping as Chris rode into him with wild abandon. His head rolled back and forth, urging him to go faster.

Chris drove into the tight passage again and again, burning out the memories of the last time he had lain in this bed, burning out the emptiness he had cradled in his heart for so long.

Vin felt his balls begin to churn, his belly quivering as his hips jerked frantically to meet Chris. Then fire shot out of his cock, spewing all over his chest. A second round hit Chris on the chin and the gunslinger looked down, startled for a moment. Then, seeing that Vin was coming, he pounded into the man even harder.

The tracker could feel Larabee's cock getting ready to unload again even as his own continued to shoot seed over both of their chests and bellies.

Chris grabbed Vin's ass, hauling him down and holding him tight against him. The tracker couldn't move an inch - not that he wanted to - as Chris thrust harder and faster until Vin's cock was bouncing on his abdomen and he was whimpering, come still oozing out of his slit to pool on his belly.

Chris starting shooting his own load, filling Vin's ass with so much seed that the tracker could feel it leaking out every time the gunslinger shoved inside, his balls slapping Vin's ass with every thrust.

All the tracker could do was grunt softly as he laid, eyes closed and body trembling. He felt like he was about to pass out, the pleasure was so overwhelming. He finally opened his eyes when Chris started kissing him.

Larabee stopped, looking down at Vin for a moment, then leaned over and kissed him again. He reached up, cupping Tanner's jaw and prompting him to open his mouth so he could enter.

Their tongues greeted each other like two old friends.

Vin closed his eyes and melted into the feeling, shoving his own tongue against the gunslinger's, his arms going around Chris's waist.

When Larabee surfaced for air, he grinned down at Vin. "Best damned screw I've ever had," he breathed. "Damned if you aren't something else, Vin Tanner."

The tracker grinned back.

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Inside the small dressing room, just off the bedroom, two eyes watched the two men. They narrowed dangerously.

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"Let's get the hell outta here," Chris said, finally breaking contact with Vin.

The tracker nodded.

They cleaned up and then left the house, mounted and rode out. Chris paused, looking back over his shoulder for one final look at the ranch house. He sighed.

"Y' all right?" Vin asked him quietly.

Chris turned, meeting the tracker's worried gaze. A moment later, he said, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm all right."

Vin studied Larabee's eyes, looking for any sign that the man was lying to him and finding none. "Y' don't gotta go lookin' fer her," he added.

Chris nodded. "I know. She's not gonna let this lie."

"Bit off more 'n she can chew this time."

Larabee grinned. "I'm countin' on that." He dipped his head, looking up at the tracker, a little embarrassed. "There's a couple of towns between here and Four Corners. I'm thinking I might like to stop along the way; save my strength on the way back."

The corners of Vin's mouth twitched. "Don't rightly know 'bout savin' yer strength, but a soft bed's a huckleberry above a persimmon when it comes t' sleepin' on the ground - 'specially if yer hurtin' some."

Chris smiled and shook his head. "Come on, we should make it to Darcy's Branch before it's dark." He turned and sent his gelding into a slow canter, carrying him away from the house, Vin at his side.

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Ella Gains pulled back the curtains at her second story bedroom window, watching the two men ride off. The air still reeked of their love-making.

Her face twisted into a mask of raging hatred. "You're mine, Chris Larabee. Mine. I killed your bitch and her pup, and I'll kill your damned Nancy-boy, too." She let the curtains fall back into place.

Turning, she walked to the bed and laid down. Closing her eyes, she sniffed the air and reached down to pleasure herself, her mind filled with the images she had witnessed earlier. . . .

Continues in Part 2 of the Ashes Trilogy: Return to the Ashes…

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