Devils on Horseback: Nate (14 page)

“Elisa?”

When no one responded, he went toward the sound and found Midnight, riderless. Nate’s stomach flipped and the feeling of dread slammed into him even harder. No way she’d let her horse be alone in the field at night. Too many predators, two legged and four legged.

He sidled up to Midnight and grabbed his reins. The black horse shied a bit, but quieted after hearing Nate’s soothing voice. The reins felt sticky in his hands and when he pulled them up to examine them, his worst fears bloomed.

They smelled of blood.

With a pounding heart, he slid off Bonne Chance and did a quick search of the immediate area. No body, thank God. He did see slight foot impressions in the wet grass leading toward the house. Too small to be a man’s. That meant she walked to the house. He whooshed out a sigh of relief.

Nate took both horses by the reins and walked carefully, keeping his eyes and ears open. The only sounds were made by crickets and frogs, with an occasional bat. If Elisa had left her horse out unattended, covered in blood, then everything was amiss.

The horses followed behind him without putting up a fuss. When he made it to the front of the house, he tied them to the cottonwood tree.

The house appeared dark except for a flicker in the window from what he assumed was the remains of the fire in the fireplace. He wasn’t sure if he should walk in, but figured his safest choice was to knock. Elisa might shoot if he just walked in the door. Hysterical laughter bubbled at the thought. He hoped like hell she was able to hold a gun and shoot him.

He rapped lightly on the door. “Elisa?”

Several agonizing moments passed that allowed Nate to count his breaths and his heartbeats—the heart was definitely winning that race. The door swung open and a shotgun greeted him.

“Elisa, it’s me.”

The clatter of the gun on the floor surprised him, but when she launched herself into his arms, he was overjoyed. He held her tight, thanking his Maker over and over for keeping her safe. When he’d found the blood, the horse, he’d thought the worst. Nate had lost so much in the last five years that losing her would damn near kill him.

His brain tried to wander off into what he’d do when their job was finished, but he closed it off with a snap. No need to borrow trouble, they already had buckets of it. He stepped into the house and closed the door.

“What’s wrong, honey? I found Midnight—”

“Shit! I left him up there. Oh God, I didn’t—”

“It’s all right. I brought him home safely. He’s tied up with Bonne Chance outside.” He stroked her back, grateful to have her wrapped around him like a baby possum.

“Thank you, Nate.”

Was she crying? Elisa was
crying
? His panic returned tenfold. “Elisa, tell me what’s wrong.”

Elisa told him in halting speech that her father and the cattle had been slaughtered in the grazing field. Left to die in the sweet grass, held by the moonlight and dew. Nate understood her agony all too well and held her tightly, grieving right along with her. Losing his father had almost destroyed him, he didn’t want that to happen to her too.

“Ah, Elisa, I’m so sorry. So sorry.” He sat on the sofa and cradled her on his lap.

“Are you and your friends really going to help us?”

Daniel’s raspy voice startled Nate. He should have realized the two of them would be holed up together.

“Yes, we are. We made a promise to Elisa that carries to you as well. O’Shea is into some dirty dealings and we are committed to stopping him.” Nate felt certain every word was the truth. There was nothing worse than a bully, except maybe one who used illegal means to gain what he wanted.

“All of you?”

“Yes, all of us.” He held out his hand in the semi-darkness. “Nathaniel Marchand. You can call me Nate.”

A moment passed, then two, until finally the boy shook his hand, showing a surprisingly strong grip for a young teenager. Calluses spoke as loudly as the trembling. He was a boy trying to be a man in a situation that would test anyone’s mettle.

“Daniel Taggert. I suppose you realize you’re holding my sister like a newborn babe. I should take offense at that, sir.” His voice held no rancor, just exhaustion, anger and a touch of fear.

“Shut up, Daniel.” Elisa laid her head on Nate’s shoulder.

“You two should try to get some sleep. I’ll keep watch until dawn.”

Daniel grunted and snatched the quilt from the back of the sofa. “I’m keeping my eye on you, Georgia man.” He threw himself into the overstuffed chair on the other side of the fireplace. Within minutes, he closed his eyes.

“I can’t sleep, Nate. I…I need to get clean.”

Nate hadn’t mentioned the smell of blood because truth be told, he’d become immune to it. It used to make his nose wrinkle and his stomach clench. Now it was like any other smell on Earth…normal. He understood how she felt though.

The first time he’d killed a man in combat, the Yankee’s wound sprayed blood like a gushing fountain. Nate was covered in it and spent hours in the creek scrubbing himself raw. He could still remember how the hot splash of the crimson liquid felt and the way it dripped down his hands.

“Let’s get you a bath then.”

Together they heated water on the stove by lamplight. Two buckets of hot, one of cold, then repeated it until the wooden tub was full. Wisps of steam rose from the clean water, beckoning like a siren. Nate started to leave the kitchen but she stopped him.

“Help me.”

He didn’t expect Elisa said that very often and he accepted her request with the honor it was due. He removed her clothes, which were crusted and caked with blood and dirt. After setting them aside, he picked her up and lowered her into the bath, careful not to splash the floor. She looked up at him with the saddest blue eyes he’d ever seen.

“He was my da.”

“Yes, he was. No matter what any papers say, he raised you, loved you, and that makes him your father.” He cupped her cheek. “Love is all that’s important.”

Their gazes locked in a moment frozen in time. Nate knew it was the wrong time for confessions but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

“You’re confused, hurt and shaken by all that happened yesterday, and I don’t want to make it harder for you. I just wanted to let you know”—he stopped and used both hands to cradle her heart-shaped face—“that I love you.”

She blinked fast, her expression registering surprise and a smidge of fright.

“I don’t expect you to answer me in kind, sweet Elisa. I just…wanted you to know that you weren’t alone, that you do have someone who loves you.” He kissed her lightly.

“Even if my father is a monster?” she whispered.

“Even if your father was Lucifer himself. It wouldn’t change how I feel, honey. For the first time in my life, I’m in love.” His hands shook with the force of his feelings for Elisa, as if his body didn’t know what to do with so much emotion. He felt full, more than that,
overfull
.

Elisa kept silent, a first for the outspoken woman. Her eyes, however, spoke volumes. She needed him and Nate was too much of a gentleman to say no. He took the soap and a rag, dipping them in the warm water, his hand brushing the side of one full breast. His body wanted to jump in with her, but his heart knew it wasn’t the right time. Now was her time to heal, to come to terms with everything that had happened that day.

Ignoring what he was washing off, Nate bathed her as he would a child, with care, compassion and gentleness. He massaged the soap into her scalp, using his fingertips to make her sigh in pleasure. The sound went straight to his heart.

He rinsed her hair several times, making sure every bit of soap was out and the auburn strands were squeaky clean.

“What will I do without him, Nate?”

They were the first words she’d whispered since he started bathing her. He poured warm water over her shoulders.

“Survive. Just as you’ve been doing. He raised you to be a strong woman, a strong person, Elisa. You’ll make him proud.”

Her breath hitched. “I feel so lost.”

Nate plucked her out of the tub and swaddled her in a linen cloth. After she was dry, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. She didn’t put up a fight or yell at him or even curse, so unlike the termagant he’d grown to love.

Her bedroom lay shrouded in shadows. Memories of the last time he was there assaulted him. He pushed the memories aside to make room for comforting. After tucking her into bed, he shucked his boots and clothing and joined her. Her warm, pliant body fit next to his like she was made to be there.

Nate knew the others wouldn’t worry about him. He held her the rest of the night, keeping watch when she could not.

Chapter Twelve

Elisa woke with the first pink rays of the sun. Her bed felt too small, confining, as if something was holding her down. She wiggled and someone groaned beside her.

Holy shit.

She wasn’t alone in the bed. The last day’s events rushed at her like a brush fire, leaving her winded and scorched. Her entire world had turned upside down in the space of one day. She’d fallen apart too. Her, Elisa of the stiff back and ready gun, had melted into a puddle of tears. Nate had wiped the tears and taken care of her.

He’d also told her he loved her. Her heart thumped like a herd of stampeding cattle.
Nate loved her
.

What did that mean? That he wanted to marry her? Maybe he just said it because she needed to hear kind words. She dismissed that idea immediately. Nate wasn’t that kind of man. He was too honorable for certain.

So he really did love her. A quiver worked its way up from her belly to her chin at the possibility of this amazing, smart, beautiful man loving her.

Of course he picked that moment to open his dark eyes, while she was being a crybaby. Again.

“Are you feeling better?”

She pursed her lips and willed away the damn quiver. “Don’t know yet. I need to get up though. Daylight’s already wasting.”

Elisa jumped out of bed, belatedly realizing she was buck naked. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back into the bed until she spooned against him. His firm, rough body warmed hers and every inch of her skin jumped to life. Instead of being annoyed, she was aroused.

Apparently so was he.

“Nate, what are you doing?”

“Enjoying the last five minutes of being with the woman of my heart.” His nose nudged her neck, raising goose bumps in its wake. “Before the second day of hell begins.”

They shouldn’t, really, but Elisa had a hard time convincing her body and heart what her head knew. She pulled away an inch, but the first touch of his hand on her breast sent her right back into his arms.

“I need…something, but I don’t know what.” Frustrated and annoyed with herself, Elisa pushed her bottom against his rigid erection.

Nate reached around and plucked at her nipples while he rubbed his erection in the liquid proof of her arousal. Within moments, she panted with need. Nate must’ve known what she needed and she gladly followed his lead.

He lifted her leg and entered her in one swift thrust, burying his pulsing staff deep. So deep. The pulse of pleasure radiated out from her core to the sensitized nubs of her breasts.

“Yes…”

Elisa let him take the lead, receiving everything he gave her. Quick, powerful, hungry. It was a mating, primal and elemental. She closed her eyes and simply let everything wash over, through and around her.

“Elisa,” he whispered just before he bit her earlobe.

His hand crept down to her nubbin and he squeezed it between thumb and forefinger. Elisa almost shot off the bed as her body exploded in rhapsody. Tingles and sparks of pure pleasure traveled like fireflies all over her. She clenched around him until he shouted her name and pumped into her so fast and hard, she reached another peak.

She saw tiny stars behind her eyelids as she bucked and twisted in his grasp. His strong hands held her back against him and he spilled his seed into her welcoming body.

After a minute of heavy breathing, he kissed her cheek and whispered, “I do love you, Elisa.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to hold onto the feeling. Being with him, hearing him tell her he loved her. It would have to be enough.

Elisa knew it would be a dark day. The clouds were already gathering and they weren’t in the sky. The few precious moments she spent in Nate’s arms would give her the strength she needed to confront her father and avenge her da.

Nate, Daniel and Elisa carried her father’s body home wrapped in a sheet. The cattle stayed where they died, since there was no time to do anything with them. The carrion would eat well for quite some time.

Daniel and Nate dug the grave next to Elisa’s mother’s final resting place behind the house. Elisa washed her father’s body then dressed him in his best clothes. As she combed his hair, her tears bathed him in grief.

Without a coffin, the best they could do was wrap him in the wedding quilt Elisa’s grandmother had made, and lay Sean Taggert to rest beside his beloved wife.

Nate said a blessing over the grave while Elisa held back the sobs that threatened to burst from her. Daniel watched dry-eyed, eyes full of hurt and fury.

“Goodbye, Da. I love you.” Elisa threw a handful of dirt over him, her heart a painful mess of agony.

Daniel and Nate filled in the grave while Elisa watched, clutching her father’s hat. She still couldn’t believe he was gone. Nate put his arm around her, the smell of man and sweat drifting by her nose.

“I’m going to go wash up, then we can talk about what to do.”

“Good idea.” She wrinkled her nose. “Even I can smell you and I’ve been crying for hours.”

He chucked her on the chin and kissed her softly. “I love you, Elisa Taggert.”

Daniel stomped off and Elisa knelt next to the grave. Content to sit for a while and say goodbye to her da.

“I ain’t going.” Daniel sat with his arms folded across his chest, a mulish expression on his face.

Elisa leaned over at the table toward him. “Yes, you are.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.”

He stood and Elisa realized just how tall her brother had become. That didn’t mean anything other than he looked down at her. His skinny, lanky body needed another sixty pounds to fill out, and the two whiskers sat lonely on his chin. Deep in his eyes, she saw the grief that she was sure reflected in her own. She understood why he wanted to stay with her, but she couldn’t bear, could not allow the one piece of family she had left to be taken away. O’Shea already had too much to do with the first nineteen years of her life. It was time that she made the choices, not him.

“Daniel, Nate and his friends are going to help us. We’re going to make O’Shea pay for what he did, but I can’t do this if I’m worried about you.”

“I can use a rifle. You know I can. You’ve taken me hunting before. Elisa, please don’t make me go.” He switched back and forth between man and boy so quickly, she had trouble keeping up.

“You’re going to ride Thunder into town, find Sarah at the saloon, you know she was Mama’s friend, and you’re going to stay with her.” Elisa kept her voice firm. She didn’t think it was possible to have a dozen emotions pass over someone’s face at once, but Daniel did it.

“You don’t think I’m man enough to fight,” he accused.

Elisa blew out a breath and frowned. “That’s not what I said. I need you to be safe. There’s going to be killing today, Daniel. I didn’t say you couldn’t do it, I don’t want you to do it.”

Daniel opened his mouth to protest yet again when Nate’s voice cut through the argument. “When I went to war, I was eighteen years old. I’d been hunting too. I knew how to use a rifle, I even knew how to use a pistol. I could take one apart, put it back together, keep it clean and well oiled. I knew everything there was to know about hunting and guns.”

Elisa turned, chilled by the haunted sound behind Nate’s words.

“The first time I killed a man, I realized it wasn’t like killing a deer. He was running towards me, not much older than I was. There was a lot of yelling and screaming, cannons firing everywhere, smoke and the sounds of men dying. And all I could see was this young man coming toward me. He raised his rifle but before he could get off a shot, I shot him. His head exploded like an old pumpkin somebody had thrown at the barn wall. It was hot and wet and it landed all over me. His eyes were blue and the very last thing that they saw was me pulling the trigger.” Nate looked down at his hands as if he could still see the horror that had covered them.

Elisa wanted to touch him, comfort him, do something other than stand there like a fool, but she didn’t. Nate had to finish what he needed to say.

“If I had to do it all over again to defend my honor, yes. To kill a man even once to protect myself, to protect those I love, yes. But I’m going to tell you one thing, Daniel. I couldn’t have done it at fourteen because no matter how much you think you’re ready, you’re not. I had four years on you and it very nearly destroyed me.” His dark gaze bore into the younger man’s. “Let her protect you, that’s her job. She made a promise to your father. Don’t make her break it.”

The air hung heavy and still in the small cabin. Daniel stared wide-eyed at Nate. Elisa wondered where the gentleman went who had made sweet love to her earlier that morning. In his place was a man who had seen the bowels of hell and returned. She knew at that moment that Nate was more than just in her heart, his soul touched hers. A soul that he had just bared to save her brother.

“I’ll go.” Daniel finally looked resigned to missing the confrontation with O’Shea.

Elisa hugged him briefly. “Thank you. Now you need to get going just as quick as you can.”

After a tasteless breakfast of hardtack and coffee, Daniel seemed ready to go. He hadn’t protested leaving again. Elisa reminded herself that she had to thank Nate later for what he’d done. He hadn’t needed to reveal so much about his experiences, but he had just the same, to save her brother. They checked around the house, peering out the windows to make sure no one was waiting out there to ambush them. When Nate determined all was clear, they went outside and repeated the procedure until they were sure it was safe.

Daniel grudgingly saddled his horse. Elisa couldn’t stop herself from hugging him again. Deep inside she hoped it wasn’t for the last time.

“Be careful.” Daniel glanced at Nate. “I don’t know if I trust him.”

“I do.” Elisa was positive of that, a fact that surprised her. “I’ll come for you after this is over.”

“If you’re still alive, you will.” His young eyes couldn’t conceal the fear of losing her too.

“I promise, Daniel. You’ll see me again. I will come for you.”

He nodded and scrambled onto his horse, then leveled a surprisingly mature glare at Nate. “You keep her safe, Marchand, or you’ll answer to me.”

“Don’t worry, Daniel, I promise to. I’ll keep her safe.” Nate sounded as if he was making an oath.

Daniel accepted that oath with a handshake. As he rode off into the morning, Nate met Elisa’s gaze.

“Are you ready?”

She harrumphed. “No. Yes.”

A smile teased the corner of his mouth. “Let’s go round up the Devils.”

* * * * *

Elisa and Nate rode side by side without speaking. His entire body hummed with the anticipation of battle, as it had a hundred times before. It was a state of mind that Nate had to achieve or risk mistakes in his actions. Control was important and it began with his mind, then his body and the actions followed.

The day had dawned bright and sunny, but clouds arrived to cover the sky. A silent omen that Nate didn’t need. The horses’ hooves sounded stilted in the morning air. There wasn’t even a hint of a breeze and the stickiness felt cloying.

Nate kept glancing at Elisa until she finally snapped at him.

“Why do you keep staring at me?”

Embarrassed, he tried to think of a good reason, other than the truth. “Well, I, ah… Oh, hell, I’m just making sure you’re ready, Elisa. You’ve never been in a situation like this and I’m concerned.”

“Don’t worry about me, Frenchie. I’m cocked and ready,” she snarled. “Do you think I will fall to pieces like some ninny like I did yesterday?”

Far from it. He was afraid she’d get lost in the intensity.

“No, I don’t think you’ll fall to pieces.”

“Then shut up about it and stop staring.”

Nate kept his thoughts to himself but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t worry. Elisa had suffered too many shocks the last two days. Anybody, much less a nineteen-year-old woman, would be shaken by what she’d had to endure. His respect for Elisa had grown with each passing second.

“We’re here.”

His contemplation was cut short by Elisa’s announcement. Nate was surprised to find them at the Devils’ camp already. Everything had been packed up and the only thing waiting for them was the men and their horses. They were good at covering their tracks.

Gideon spoke first. “Everything all right?” His gaze probed the still pale Elisa, who sported smudges under her eyes.

“No, but we’re going to make it all right. O’Shea’s men murdered Elisa’s father and their herd last night.” Nate’s fists clenched just thinking about the sheer brutality of the crime.

Gasps of surprise met his pronouncement. Every one of his friends looked shocked then angry and better yet, determined.

“Needs to have his balls cut off.” Lee did not offer an apology for his language to Elisa. Nate actually agreed with the sentiment so he kept his mouth shut.

“Holy God,” Gideon exclaimed. “Miss Taggert, I’m so sorry for your loss. Please accept our condolences on such a senseless thing.” He was nothing if not a true southern gentleman.

Elisa didn’t bat an eyelash. “Thank you. I appreciate y’all helping us.”

“Is this going to change our plans?” Nate looked at Zeke then Gideon.

“Not really, although we won’t have to worry about watching the cattle. You have any other family?” Zeke asked Elisa.

A shadow passed through her eyes. “Not to speak of. Just my brother and me.”

Zeke nodded. “He head off to town?”

Nate sighed. “With a bit of coercion.”

“So all we need to do now is bait the trap and wait for the rat to show up.” Zeke handed Elisa a piece of paper. “Here’s the note we wrote up to give to O’Shea.”

She scanned the paper and Nate realized she had no trouble reading. Interesting for a rancher’s daughter in small-town Texas. He was glad of it though—no one could take advantage of her because she couldn’t read.

“You really think he’ll come?” She handed the letter back to Zeke.

“I’m counting on it. If there’s one thing O’Shea wants, it’s his money’s worth. Let’s head over to your place now. Nate’s going to deliver the note to O’Shea.” Gideon glanced at Nate.

Nate had forgotten that part of their plan. He was afraid his self-control would be stretched to its limit by seeing the bastard who’d done so much killing. He’d be wise to keep his thoughts to himself, and perhaps he could convince himself of that before he made it out there.