Tales of Western Romance (9 page)

They rode without stopping for hours. Gray
had always taken time to rest the horses and give her a chance to
stretch her legs, get a drink, and take care of nature’s call.
After six hours, she decided the hunter was a robot or something.
He didn’t seem to need to rest, or eat, or relieve himself. He just
kept going, like the Energizer Bunny.

She would have stopped but she knew he
wouldn’t wait for her.

It was late afternoon before he halted
alongside a narrow stream to let the horses drink.

With a groan, Bonnie slid off Relámpago’s
back. Hoping her legs, which felt like rubber, would hold her, she
staggered toward the stream and buried her face in the cool water.
Never had anything tasted so good!

When Gray started to dismount, the hunter
said, “Stay put, ‘breed.”

Bonnie looked up at Gray; then, keenly aware
of the hunter’s cold brown eyes watching her every move, she
plucked the canteen from Gray’s saddle horn, carried it to the
stream and filled it with water, then carried it back to Gray.

He took it from her with a faint smile.

She stared up at him as he drank. How could
he look so calm, so unconcerned? Surely he realized the danger they
were in.

“
Mount up, woman,” the hunter growled.
“We’re leavin’.” He didn’t wait to see if she complied. Swinging
into the saddle, he clucked to his horse.

Bonnie took a moment to relieve herself, then
quickly pulled herself onto
Relámpago’s
back and hurried
after Gray.

Her back and shoulders were aching by the
time the hunter decided to make camp several hours later. She
groaned as she dismounted. She was so stiff and sore, she was
certain she would never walk normally again.

“
Undo his cuffs,” the hunter said,
handing Bonnie the key. With his rifle trained on Gray, he then
ordered her to cuff Gray’s hands behind his back. When that was
done, the hunter lashed Gray’s ankles together and secured the rope
to a tree. After that he unsaddled the horses and turned them out
to graze.

It soon became obvious to Bonnie that the
hunter had no intention of feeding her or Gray. Again conscious
that the hunter was watching her, she rummaged in Gray’s saddlebags
and pulled out several pieces of jerky and a can of peaches. She
stared at the can, wondering how she was supposed to open it
without a can opener.

Setting it aside, she went to sit beside
Gray. “Here,” she said, and held the jerky to his lips. He
hesitated a moment and she knew he was embarrassed at having to be
fed. “I know you’re hungry,” she said, “I can hear your stomach
growling.”

He glared at her, but took a bite.

Bonnie looked up, startled when the hunter
thrust the can of peaches at her.

She muttered, “thank you,” as she took it
from his hand, surprised to note the fork jutting from the can.

It wasn’t the best meal she had ever eaten,
but she was grateful for it. She offered Gray a drink from the
canteen and then quenched her own thirst. Setting the canteen
aside, she spread their blankets on the ground, then stretched out
beside Gray.

“
I’m sorry I got you into this,” he
whispered.

“
Where’s he taking us?”

“
Probably back to Lead to collect the
reward. Reckon he’ll stay for the hanging?”

“
Gray, don’t talk like
that.”

“
Sorry. Get some sleep. Gonna be
another long day in the saddle tomorrow.”

Bonnie kissed his cheek, then closed her
eyes, wondering how Gray was going to get any rest with his arms
bound behind him. But that was the least of his problems. Somehow,
they had to get away from the hunter.

She was on the brink of sleep when an idea
formed in her mind.
Relámpago
, she thought. Somehow, she had
to get Gray on the stallion’s back and hope that
Relámpago
would carry Gray away from danger. Where that would leave her, she
had no idea.

Chapter 8

Bonnie groaned. She had thought yesterday’s
journey had been difficult, but today was even worse. Again, the
bounty hunter pushed them hard, stopping only once to rest the
horses and let them drink. As if suspecting they might try to
escape, the hunter kept his hand on the rifle and a wary eye on
Gray.

Bonnie was a nervous wreck when they made
camp for the night. Time was running out. Gray had told her they
would reach Lead sometime tomorrow.

Later, lying beside Gray, Bonnie wondered
when the bounty hunter slept. She hadn’t slept well the night
before. Every time she woke, the hunter had been awake, sitting by
the fire, his rifle across his knees.

He was sitting there now, staring into the
fire.

She stared at him for a long time. He never
moved. Was he asleep? Was it possible to sleep sitting up?

Heart-pounding, she sat up slowly.

The hunter didn’t move.

She took a deep breath. If he said anything,
she would say she had to relieve herself.

“
Bonnie.” Gray’s whisper stopped her in
her tracks. “Where are you going?”

“
Shh.”

On tiptoe, she moved into the darkness
searching for a rock or a tree branch. Just when she was losing
hope, she found a good-sized rock. Taking a deep breath, she picked
it up. Now, for the hard part. She’d never done violence in her
life. Step by slow step, she crept up behind the hunter. Lifted her
arm. And brought the rock down on his head.

He toppled sideways without a sound.

With hands that trembled, she reached into
his pocket for the handcuff key, then hurried back to Gray.

“
You damn fool,” he hissed.

“
Shut up and hold still.”

“
I am holding still. You’re the one
shaking.”

It took three tries before she managed to get
the key in the lock. As soon as his hands were free, Gray untied
his ankles and stood. “Get the horses. I’ll get the rifle.”

With a nod, she picked up the bridles and
hurried to where the horses were gathered.

She had just slipped the bridle over
Relámpago’s head when a shot rang out. A moment later, Gray was
beside her. Wordlessly, he vaulted onto the stallion’s bare back,
hauled her up behind him, and slammed his heels into the stallion’s
sides.

With a snort, the stallion broke into a run
as another shot rang out in the night.

Bonnie glanced over her shoulder. The bay
mare, the colt, and the hunter’s horse were strung out behind them.
In the faint light of the camp fire, she saw the hunter sighting
down the barrel of the rifle.

“
Hurry!”

She buried her face in Gray’s back, flinched
as another gunshot broke the stillness of the night.

When she risked another glance over her
shoulder, all she saw was darkness.

“
We made it.” She pressed her cheek
against Gray’s back as relief flowed through her. “Gray, we made
it.”

He grunted softly. It was then she felt the
wetness seeping through his shirt beneath her hand. “Gray? Is
that…are you bleeding?”

“
Yeah. He got me…with that last
shot.”

She went cold all over. Gray had been shot
and they were miles from help of any kind.

Why wasn’t he stopping? They had to…to…do
something about the bleeding. What, she didn’t know.

She wrapped her arms tighter around Gray as
he slumped over the stallion’s neck.

“
Relámpago!
” she hollered.
“Whoa!” She clung to Gray, certain he’d break his neck if he fell
off when the horse was going so fast.

Thunder echoed overhead and she glanced
upward. The sky, clear just a moment ago, was suddenly dark,
shutting out both moon and stars. A brisk wind sprang up. A bolt of
lightning split the night, triggering a memory of another night.
Only it had been raining then.

She closed her eyes, her arms tight around
Gray. “Home,
Relámpago.
” She whispered the words like a
prayer. “Please take us home.”

The word
home
seemed to echo through
the night.

When
Relámpago
came to a halt, Bonnie
opened her eyes. Closed them. Opened them again. And practically
fell off the stallion’s back when she realized they were in front
of her cabin at Collin’s Dude Ranch.

Clinging to Gray, she started to holler for
help, then quickly closed her mouth, her mind whirling with
questions for which she had no answer. They were back in her time.
How could she explain Gray’s presence? The fact that he’d been
shot? That he had no driver’s license? No identification of any
kind? No medical insurance?

He stirred, then sat upright. “What
happened?”

“
Relámpago
brought us
home.”

“
Home?”

“
We’re back in my time.”

Gray blinked several times, then glanced at
his surroundings ~ several small log cabins stood in a row. To his
left, a larger building was silhouetted in the moonlight. The air
smelled of grass and hay and horses. “This is where you live?”

“
No.” She slid over
Relámpago’s
rump and moved up beside Gray. “This is the dude ranch I told you
about. Can you walk? We need to get you inside and stop the
bleeding.”

With a nod, he slid off the stallion’s back
then stood beside the horse, one hand braced on the stallion’s
neck.

Bonnie slid her arm around Gray’s waist. Side
by side, they staggered to the front door. Thankfully, it was
unlocked. She opened the door, only then wondering if Mrs. Collin’s
had rented it to someone else in her absence.

It took some maneuvering, but she finally got
him into the bedroom. Propping him against the door jamb, she
pulled the covers from the bed, spread a towel over the sheet, then
eased him onto the mattress.

She hesitated a moment before pulling his
sodden shirt from his trousers.

“
It’s not as bad as it looks,” Gray
said.

“
It’s not?” It looked bad to her. There
was blood everywhere.

“
The bullet just grazed me.”

“
What should I do?”

“
Wash away the blood, pour some whiskey
on it, then bandage me up.”

Whiskey? Where was she going to get whiskey?
The strongest thing she had was a bottle of aspirin.

She’d worry about that part later. Right now,
she had to get the bleeding stopped.

She filled a pan with hot water, found a wash
cloth and another clean towel, and returned to Gray. Trying not to
gag, she washed the blood from his side, revealing a shallow,
ragged gash where the bullet had plowed through his flesh.
Fortunately, she didn’t think it needed stitching. When the wound
was clean, she doused it with water, then tore a pillow case into
strips and wrapped it tightly around Gray’s waist. When that was
done, she offered him four aspirin for the pain, pulled off his
boots, socks, and jeans, and covered him with the blanket.

He murmured, “thank you,” and was asleep
before she could respond.

She stood staring down at him a moment,
thinking how remarkable it was that they had made it back to her
time. Bending down, she brushed a lock of hair from his brow,
kissed his cheek, and then smiled. She had come to South Dakota
looking for a real cowboy and found an Indian instead.

Chapter 9

Gray woke with a groan, his hand
automatically straying toward the ache in his side. He frowned when
he felt the bandage swathed around his middle. What the hell? And
then he remembered. He’d been shot escaping the bounty hunter.

Ignoring the pain in his side, he bolted
upright. Where was Bonnie? Surely she hadn’t gone off and left him
here alone? He was about to swing his legs over the side of the bed
when she entered the room, a tray in her hands.

“
Good morning.” She placed the tray on
the table beside the bed, then laid her hand on his forehead. “How
are you feeling?”

“
Sore as hell.”

“
I’m not surprised.” She pulled a
bottle from the pocket of her apron, opened it and shook some pills
into her hand. “Here,” she said, offering him the pills and a glass
of water.

“
What is this?”

“
Aspirin. It’s all I’ve got for the
pain. Are you hungry?” She gestured at the tray. “I made bacon and
eggs and coffee.

“
Thanks.”

She sat on the edge of the bed while he ate.
Earlier, she had gone up to the main house where she had learned
that the Collins’ had sent a search party out to look for her but,
due to the storm, her tracks had washed out. Another search party
had left this morning, and were still out. Surprisingly, she
discovered that time in the past and time in the present were not
the same, and while she had been in the past for several days, she
had only been missing for two days here.

“
I’m going to tell Mrs. Collin’s that
you’re my husband, and that you arrived late last
night.”

Gray nodded.

“
We’ve been married for a year and we
live in California.”

He nodded again.

“
If anyone asks, you train horses for a
living. I bought you a change of clothes. They’re in the closet.”
She chewed on her thumbnail. “Say something.”

He finished the last of his eggs, then wiped
his mouth. “You’re a good cook.”

“
Gray…”

“
What do you want me to say? I’m
obliged to you for taking care of me.”

“
What are you thinking? I mean, you’re
in the future. Are you, I don’t know, scared? Worried?”