Shanghai Series

Chapter 11

Roy hurried to catch up to Luscious. Luckily she only had a half hour or so lead on him. She was stopping to look for signs of Zara when he approaced.

"What are you doing here", she snapped.

"I figured you could use some help".

She looked at him like a wasp she wanted to swat away. "I guess it couldn't hurt", she decided.

"Do you know where she's headed?" he asked.

"She has family near San Joaquin but I don't know if she'd go there or not".

"Who do you think is helping her?" Luscious shook her head. Roy was asking her for answers she didn't have. "Zara used to be with Cerisola".

Roy's mouth dropped open. "What!?"

"But I don't think it's him. I don't think she'd do anything for him, but maybe someone she met back then".

 Roy couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Did she know what this guy was doing?"

"Not exactly", Luscious explained. "Zara was taken by Cerisola when she was just a girl. Devilwoman helped her get away. She's been with us ever since". She paused, thinking of the betrayal. "I never liked her, but I never thought she'd do something like this".

 Roy reached out and lightly patter her on the arm. "Come on", he urged. "We'll get her".

Luscious smiled. "You're right. We will if we get moving".

She felt a new sense of relief with Roy along. Her eyes never left him as they mounted their horses and started down the trail. It took them a day and a half to catch up to Zara. They spotted her horse tied beside another off a small dirt path. There were no signs of Zara or her companion. They quietly dismounted.

Roy motioned for Luscious to follow as he tied off his horse and started down the path. Trying their best to stay low, Roy and Luscious traced the path to a small clearing. A small cabin appeared, smoke drifting from the chimney. signalling someone was home. Luscious came up and kneeled down next to Roy as he tryed to calculate his next move.

 "Why don't you go around the back? I'll go in the front". That plan made Roy uneasy.

"Don't you think we should stick together? I mean, just to be safe, you know".

Luscious let out a sigh signalling her disdain.

"Ok. Ok", he relented. He was still talking to himself as Luscious slipped away.

 Roy made his way to the rear of the cabin. Believing the coast were clear he began to work his way the the rear entrance. He was close enought to touch it when he heard a click. It was a sound he had heard before, and he didn't like it one bit. He started to turn till a voice stopped him. "Don't move", it said. Roy froze. He had a gun in each of his hands. "Drop 'em", the voice ordered. Roy hesitated a second before letting the pearl handles drop. "Now turn around slow".

 Suddenly Roy was face to face with a gun. The barrel rested inches from his nose. At the other end was a younger Mexican man. Roy guessed he was barely eighteen. "You wanna be careful with that", Roy suggested. "It might accidentally go off".

The young man sneered, waving the gun in Roy's face. "Just shut up and get inside".

He had no choice but to oblige. Stepping into the cabin, the gunman gave him a shove. Roy stumbled. He looked up to see a familiar face appear.

 "Querida", she smiled. "I never expected you to come for me".

The young man addressed Zara. "You know him?"

Roy had to assume that Luscious hadn't been found. He tipped his head towards the young man.

"A friend of yours?" he inquired.

 "Are you jealous?" She winked at Roy. His stomach flopped.

"What do we do with him", the gunman asked. He looked at Roy with disgust. "I could shoot him".

"Shut up", Zara snapped.

 "We don't need him around". He was very angry. The veins bulged in his neck when he spoke. "We have the money. Let's kill him and get out of here".

Zara was nearly screaming inches from his face. "I'll decide what to do with him. I make the decisions". She paused, taking a few deep breaths as both men remained silent. Gathering herself up she said, "We'll tie him up for now. I need time to think".

 Roy was taken to a small room and tied to a chair. Zara and her young companion quickly left. He could hear them arguing in the other room and it worried him. One of them wanted him dead. He wondered which of them would win.

Luscious was just about to enter the cabin when she heard a man's voice. Startled, she crouched low on the porch. It was coming from the back of the house, and it wasn't Roy's. Frightened, she quickly hid out of sight. After a few minutes she heard loud voices coming from inside the cabin. She recognized one of them as Zara's. Roy was no where to be seen. That had to mean he had been found. Luscious had to come up with a plan. It looked like it was all up to here.

Roy listened to Zara and her companion's endless bickering. She was worried about Luscious and these two were giving him a headache. Finally a slamming door signalled fight over. It wasn't long before Zara entered the room. She could tell he wasn't happy to see her. It gave her a little thrill to see him tied up and helpless once more. She walked over and straddled his legs. "Just like the first time, eh querida", she said sitting down on him. He fought the urge to vomit. She stared into his face while running her fingers through his touseled hair.

"What made you come looking for me? Was it the money?" She waited for an answer but Roy just stared. "Maybe you and me can go away together. It could be good with us".

"You didn't answer my question. Who is your friend?"

Her fingers stroked his face, her lips brushed his lightly. "I knew you wanted me". She was excited by the thought.

Roy looked her in the eye. "Don't kid yourself".

Zara slapped him. The sound echoeing in the sparse room. Her eyes blazed. "If it weren't for me you would already be dead".

Roy didn't like the sound of 'already'. "My brother doesn't like you. He thinks you are trash".

Roy's face was still stinging. "Was it his idea to take the money or your's?"

She was getting tired of his questions. "Why do you talk so much?" One hand slipped between his legs. "There are much better things we could be doing".

Roy ignored her. "Did you plan it all along or was it a last minute decision?"

She jumped up, face red. "Talk, talk, talk" she screamed. "Talk is over".

Roy sat helpless as she took a scarf from her hair and tied it firmly across his mouth. Luscious was trying to decide that to do when she heard a door slam. Shortly before that there had been more arguing from inside the cabin. She hoped Roy was ok. At the sound of footsteps, she peered up from her hiding place to see a man walking towards the dirt path. She watched as he disappeared for a few minutes. When he reappeared, he walked straight across the yard and into an old outhouse. Being careful to keep a safe distance, she made her way to the little building and squatted down beside it. She had to get this right. One wrong move and someone would end up dead. In one swift motion she jumped up and pulled open the outhouse door.

 The man inside jumped  when he saw the women standing there, he immediately threw both hands in his lap to cover himself. Before he could make a sound, Luscious cold cocked him in the temple with the butt of her gun. He went out like a light. Scrounging around she found a piece of rope. She used it to hogtie his hands and feet. His mouth was bound with his own bandana. Then she closed the door, leaving him to sleep it off.

 Zara was rubbing up against Roy, stroking and squeezing him as she moved. Her lips kissed his neck. He grunted through the gag in his mouth, moving his head away from hers. It only excited her more. She was going to have him again, no matter what.

"Looks like the gentleman isn't interested", came a voice from behind.

Zara swung around to see Luscious standing there, gun drawn. "You", she exclaimed. She turned back to Roy. "So you bring the whore with you?"

Luscious ignored her question to Roy. She had questions of her own that needed answers. "How could you stab us in the backs after what we did for you?"

 Zara jumped up, keeping her distance from Luscious and the gun. "You don't know what it's like. I had nothing. No one. I was a slave to him". She was speaking of Cerisola.

"You'd still be there is it weren't for Devilwoman. She risked her life for you, gave you a home. Didn't that mean anything to you?"

For a moment Zara seemed truly remorseful. "Of course it did. But I never asked for her help and I wasn't going back there again".

Luscious was confused. "What are you talking about?"

Zara turned slightly, not wanting to face the other woman. "I never meant for it to happen. I didn't want anyone to get hurt". She turned to Luscious, her eyes pleading. "Don't you see? I had no choice. I couldn't let him take me back?"

An alarm sounded in Luscious' mind. "Who?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Amando". She waited for a reaction. When none came she continued. "When he found me in Sacramento, he was going to take me back to Tuscon. I couldn't let that happen". She glanced at Roy, who watched helplessly from his perch. "I begged him to let me go. But there was only one way he would let me. I have him someone to take in my place".

Instantly Luscious felt her stomach drop. The room began to spin. Her voice was low, sinister. "You gave him Georgia?"

Roy didn't like where this whole conversation was going. He could feel the tension in the room like a steel weight. He was afraid of what these women were going to do next.

"You gave him Georgia" she said again. She could not wrap around the idea that she was face to face with the person who had brought all of this pain upon them. "You pretended to be a friend, when the whole time, you were just waiting for your chance to get away".

Zara was beginning to recover from her dirty confession. "You had more money than you would ever need. And the girl is gone anyway. It was just a waste of time to go on".

Luscious cocked her gun and raised it higher. Her hand shook slightly as she aimed it towards the traitor. Roy held his breath. Suddenly Zara rushed forward, tackling Luscious to the ground. her gun flew out of her hand, sailing across the floor. This wasn't a cat fight like before, it was a fight to the death. Zara held Luscious down with a knee, landing a punch square in the jaw. She was about to hit again when Luscious managed to flip her off. Luscious had the Mexican by the neck, driving her head into the floor. As Zara fought, she spied the discarded weapon. She stretched out an arm, trying to touch it with her fingers, but it was out of her reach. Zara used all of her strength to throw Luscious off. With lunge she grabbed for the weapon with Luscious right on top of her. They rolled across the floor, both of them hands on the gun. They wrestled to point it at each other.

Often the gun would be aiming straight at Roy. He tried to duck and weave, hoping it wouldn't go off. The way things were going, he might end up dead yet. Zara was beginning to get the upper hand. She got up on her knee, straddling the brunette, the gun still up for grabs. Praying with all her might, Luscious managed to elbow Zara in the stomach. She rolled sideways clutching her stomach for a moment. It was enough time for Luscious to reclaim the gun. The brunette was on her feet, gun in hand. Zara rose. She paused a split second before throwing herself at Luscious once more. Luscious squeezed the trigger. Zara stopped mid-lunge, a look of shock and surprise on her face. Then she fell to the floor with a thud.

Roy watched the woman on the floor. He almost expected her to rise again, but thankfully it didn't happen. It was finally over. Luscious stood over her a moment, gun at her side. After a pause, she holstered the weapon and walked over to pull the gag from Roy's mouth.

"Look's like I got her", she said with a trace of sadness in her voice.

Softly Roy spoke, "Yeah, you did".

She untied Roy. Happily he reclaimed his prize pearl handles and followed her to the outhouse. He was amused by the sight of the man bound and gagged on the pot. Laughing, he shook his head. "You're alright", he told Luscious. Roy reached over and pulled off the bandana gag. "Where's the money?" he asked.

The young man looked at him wide eyed. "If I tell you, you let me go, right? You won't kill me?"

"Right", Roy replied.

"Ok", he said excitedly. "I'll tell you. It's in the cabin, in the pantry. It's all there".

Roy smiled. "Well, thank you very much". He started to close the door.

"Wait", the man pleaded. "You said you would let me go".

Roy paused a second, thinking about it. "No. I was referring to the second question; that I wouldn't kill you. I never answered the first".

Roy closed the door. The man was still begging for help as Roy, Luscious and the money, rode away. Roy was very impressed by the way Luscious handled herself back at the cabin. And he was grateful to her, for most likely, saving her life. She wasn't like most women had met. None of them were. This had been a whole new experience for Roy.

They rode at a steady gallop the remainder of the day. Tuscon was a long way off, and Roy was worried about the time they had spent tracking down Zara and the money. He hoped it wouldn't come back to bite them in the ass. If they were really lucky, Devilwoman would already have gotten Georgia back.

At dark they stopped for the night among some trees. They made a small campfire to keep them warm. Neither of them had much of an appetite so they retired to their bedrolls after dinner. Roy was glad to stretch out and rest, his body ached from head to toe. He longed for a hot bath and a warm bed. But tonight the ground would have to do.

Luscious stared up at the stars listening to the steady rhythm of Roy's breathing. She was exhausted from the ordeal at the cabin but she couldn't sleep. No matter which way she turned, she couldn't get comfortable. Roy was having trouble sleeping too. He figured he was too wound up to sleep. Suddenly he noticed Luscious sit up on her bedroll. He watched silently as she lifted her shirt. A large bruise was already forming on her side.

 "Oh my God", Roy said, startling her. He was getting up to come closer. "Let me see that".

She sat still as he lifted the shirt, examining the spot for himself. His fingers touched lightly, causing her to wince. It was a strange mixture of pleasure and pain. His hands moved to her neck. The imprints of Zara's hands at bruised the soft skin. He traced his hands along her neck. His eyes showed such concern. "Does that hurt too?" he asked.

She found it hard to speak. "A little", was all she could manage.

His closeness to her, the feel of his fingers on her skin, all conspired to overwhelm her. She was hungry for him. Without thinking she found his mouth. She pressed hard, pulling herself against him with such force. Her tongue probed his mouth, teasing him playfully. She bit his lip and he gave a little cry, but soon he was kissing her harder, deeper. She wanted more.

As Roy watched she quickly began to unfasten his trousers. Roy gave a shudder as her bare fingers touched his skin. Little Roy was beginning to wake. She slid her trousers off, throwing them out of the way. She took him in her mouth, her hands cupping him underneath. He moaned as she squeezed, her mouth sliding up and down his growing shaft. Roy grimaced, a groan escaped his lips. He couldn't stand it anymore. He reached down to push her away, but that only made her more determined. He writhed, hips coming off the ground, to thrust into her mouth. He felt out of control. Luscious watched him, head thrown back, lips apart. His chest heaved up and down. It urged her to suck harder. Her hands squeezed harder, forcing him to make almost animal-like sounds. She began to taste a sweet warmth in her mouth. Then Roy's body shuddered and convulsed. He exploded into her mouth with a groan. She fought to swallow every sweet drop until there was no more. Then Roy lay quiet, trying to catch his breath.

Luscious was pleased with herself. She climbed up Roy's body on hands and knees. Looking into his face she saw an embarrassed smile escape his lips. He looked so delicious laying there, top half covered, lower half exposed.

"You like that?" Luscious teased.

Roy smiled in that cute little boy way.

"Good", she said, taking off his shirt. "Cause I'm just getting warmed up".

 Luscious began to remove her own clothes. Roy reached up to help as she pulled off her blouse, exposing large full breasts. His hands cupped them. Luscious arched her back. Roy's hands were so soft and warm. Not like a cowboy's should be. Their fingers worked together to remove or pants and undergarments. Roy's hands took hold of her hips, running his fingers along the curves to the fullness of her buttocks. He guided her until she was straddling his head. She let out a moan as his tongue licked her womaness. His touch sent shivers up her body. Her legs tightened against his cheeks. She was nearly cutting off his air, but he liked the way he was making her feel. His tongue moved rapidly. The harder she rocked, the faster his tongue urged. Finally she was ready for him. She slid down his body, licking him as she went. She found him hard and ready for her. He lifted his head and watched as she came down on him, forcing him deep inside. His hands cupped her buttocks as she worked him back and forth, circling her hips. Roy raised his hips to meet her, thrusting deeper and harder. It made her ride him harder too. He began to pant and moan, joining the high pitched sounds coming from her.

They were moving in a frenzy. Then Roy grabbed her and flipped her over so he could be on top. He thrust faster and harder. Luscious wrapped her legs around his hips. They pressed upwards, meeting his every thrust. She felt the passion inside overwhelming her she thought she would die if it couldn't be released. Roy's body met her's with such force that they were moving off the blanket and not even realizing it. It seemed to go on forever, two bodies lost in passion, striving towards on solitary goal. Roy let out an "Oh God", as he finally lost control. Luscious let out a cry as he filled her with his sweet warmth. Their bodies shuddered together with the intensity of the final act. Completely spent, they lie together in each other's arms, feeling each other's bodies until they fell asleep.

Chapter 12

Roy and Luscious awoke the next morning naked on Roy's blanket. In the light of day things were very different. They quickly dressed without speaking. Roy had willingly made love to Luscious the night before, but now his thoughts were again on Devilwoman and Bob. He felt a pang of guilt.

"What am I doing" he asked himself. Roy would have to put those thoughts away. Luscious was ready to go. It would take the three more days to reach Tuscon. The news would not be good.

Roy and Luscious arrived in Tucson with no idea how to find Devilwoman and Bob. They figured the best place to look was the hotel. After giving the desk clerk a description of the woman, they found the room they were staying in. They knocked and waited. No answer. They knocked again. Finally a crack appeared in the door. Roy caught a glimpse of Bob's face. When she recognized him, she threw the door open and leaped in his arms. Her arms and legs wrapped around him, her face buried in his shoulder.

"I thought I'd never see you again".

Roy exchanged an uneasy glance with Luscious. Bob was crying, her body racked with sobs. Something terrible was wrong.

Luscious helped to usher Roy into the room, the crying girl still clinging to him. She shut the door. "Bob?" she said, laying a hand on her back. "What happened?"

The girl was having a difficult time speaking. "They took her", Luscious heard her say through the sobbing. "They took her".

"What do you mean? Who took her?"

Luscious felt a knot in her stomach. Roy was confused. He looked from Luscious to Bob. "Who are you talking about, Bob? Is it Devilwoman?"

Bob tried to look at Roy. For a split second their eyes met. "My mother. They took my mother".

 Roy felt his legs go out from under him. He slid to the edge of the bed. "Your mother?" It hit him all at once. He thought he would be sick.

 Luscious was ignoring Roy. She needed answers from Bob. "Tell me exactly what happened".

Bob turned to face her. "She was trying to find out where Georgia was. Next thing I know, some men grabbed her and took her away". She began crying anew.

Roy looked at the devastated girl. All he could do was pat her on the back and think, "I should have been here".

Luscious had been silent, lost in thought. Roy could imagine what was going on in her mind. "We have to find her", she decided.

Roy was thinking the same think but they didn't have a clue where to start. He felt so helpless. "This is my fault".

Luscious was devastated. She couldn't bring herself to look at Roy again. He knew exactly how she felt. There was plenty of blame to go around. Roy left the women at the hotel so he could ask around town. He figured it'd be easier for him to get the information alone, and he knew just who to ask.

The saloon girls took note of Roy the minute he walked him. They hurried over to flirt and offer their services. If you wanted the good ones, you had to act fast. He ordered whiskey and took a table, inviting a few of the girl's to join him. When he felt they had all become comfortable with one another, he began asking questions. "What do you know about Amando Cerisola?" One of the girls quickly got up to leave. Roy thought she seemed a little nervous. Another of them leaned over and whispered in his ear.

"If you want to know about Amando, then talk to Charlotte".

Roy walked to the end of a long hall. He was upstairs, above the saloon. A tall, dark woman eyed him from a doorway.

"Well come on in, sugar", she cooed from the doorway. "I'm gonna catch my death of cold out here". The door closed as he stepped. She came around him and gestured towards the bed. "What's your pleasure, sugar?" Roy blushed. That didn't happen often.

 "I'm sorry but I just need some information".

Charlotte eyed him cautiously as she sat herself in an easy chair. "It'll still cost you, I'm afraid".

"I'll pay you whatever you want if you can tell me how to find Amando Cerisola".

She gave a snort and slapped a long, bare leg. "Hell sugar. I'll pay you if you promise to hurt him when you find him".

Roy relaxed upon hearing her words. He was finally getting a break, and soon, he hoped to have Devilwoman too.

Chapter 13

Thanks to Charlotte, Roy and Luscious knew where to find Cerisola's Tuscon ranch. Much to Bob's dismay, she would have to stay behind. She begged Roy to take her along but he couldn't risk losing someone else, especially Devilwoman's daughter. He wanted her safe at the hotel. Roy rode off with the girls words in his ear. "Please bring my mother back".

Cerisola had a large, heavily guarded ranch outside of town. There was nothing they could do but ride straight in. Roy was terrified as they approached the front gate. This was his one ond only chance to make things right. The women, and their lives, depended on him. He spurred his horse through the gate. The sentry announced approaching riders, stirring the armed men. By the time Roy and Luscious reached the house, the were surrounded. One of the men came forward.

"You're a long way from town", he said suspiciously. He took a glance at Luscious.

"We're looking for a couple of friends", Roy answered.

"Well this ain't no hotel". He laughed and several behind him joined in.

"We know they're here and we have money". The men stopped laughing. The spokesman eyed Roy warily.

 "Looks like you've got a fine lookin' woman there. What'd ya need with another one?"

Roy didn't like the way the man was eyeing Luscious. She was feeling uneasy too. Roy was trying to keep himself between Luscious and the men. The spokesman walked closer to Roy, putting his hand on the horse's head.

 "Why don't you come down and we'll talk". Motioning towards Luscious he said, "You too".

Roy didn't like the tone of his voice. A second man approached Luscious, reaching up for her horse's reins.

"I'll stay where I am, thanks". She pulled her reins up tight. Her horse began to pace around.

"Awwww. Come on, sweetie. Come on down". The man tryed to grab her foot. She kicked him, causing him to fall back.

 Roy used his horse as a shield. "Leave her alone", he demanded. His horse began to panic. It began to jump up, knocking some of the men down. Roy knew he couldn't hold them forever. "Go!" Roy screamed. "Get out of here!"

 Luscious looked towards Roy. He was being dragged off his horse and wrestled to the ground. She spurred her horse and fled. A few of the men tried to grab the horse, but she was too fast. She kept her head as low as she could when the sound of shots rang out. She rode as fast as she could and did not stop until she was back in Tuscon.

Roy had been driven to his knees. He could only watch helplessly as Luscious disappeared across the desert floor. He tried to get up, but a boot in his back forced him down. The spokesman came around to face Roy again.

"That one would have brought in a nice price. Yes sir. Young and pretty. A man could get a lot of use outta that". His words burned in Roy's ears. The man laughed and spit on the ground. "You been takin' some of that for yourself?" Roy wanted to kill him.

"Go to hell", he managed to say.

The men laughed again. The spokesman motioned to the two holding Roy. "Bring him in".

They led Roy into the house. It was dark and cool inside. The spokesman disappeared for a minute before reappearing with a well-dressed Mexican man. He eyed Roy with interest. "My men tell me you want to buy something from me".

 "A woman", Roy answered. "You took her from Tuscon".

Cerisola thought a moment. "Oh yes. The redhead". He turned to Roy. "She's not for sale".

Roy's face lit up. "Why not?" C

erisola turned, furious. "Because she's mine!" His face was red. "She owes me. And I will make her pay".

Roy saw the hate in Cerisola's eyes. He worried about what the man had done to Devilwoman already. "Get him out of here", the Mexican ordered as he left the room.

Roy was dumped in what he thought was an old root cellar. It was damp and dark, the only light coming in streaks through the wooden slat door above. He had no idea how long he was in there. His days and nights ran together. There were some raw potatoes and turnips, but no water. He began to feel sick and weak. One day he woke to the sound of wagons and shouting. He couldn't tell what was going on, but he guessed the men were moving the captives. He sat on the root cellar steps, trying to see through the slats, but he couldn't tell what was going on. After a while Roy heard the wagons moving. He listened as the sounds moved further and further away. His heart sank. If Devilwoman and Georgia were with them, they were gone for good. He went back to his seat on the dirt floor. He had been left there to die.

Shots sounded. Roy's eyes flew open. He had been asleep, nearly unconscious. Some of the shots sounded close, others far off. There was yelling and running, then the sound of riders. Everything was confusing. "Who was shooting" he wondered. "And at whom?" Roy was about to try peeking out again when a bullet hit the cellar door. He jumped back, ducking his head. "Maybe not", he thought crawling to the back of the cellar. Whoever was shooting were getting too close. He sat still, listening as the shots became more sporadic. Eventually they ceased entirely. The sounds of horses approaching told him to try looking out again. As he put an eye to one of the slats, he heard "check over there". Roy thought for a minute. They must be looking for the women.

"Hey!" He was yelling and banging his fists on the cellar door. "Hey! I'm in here!" He banged as hard as he could. It seemed like forever before someone lifted open the old wooden door. Roy peered up. The sunlight hurt his eyes. He blinked through the burning and tearing. A hand reached in and pulled him out. Roy looked around to see a half dozen men with badges looking at him.

 "Who are you?" a mustached man asked.

"Roy. Roy O'Bannon". The man came to attention.

"Roy O'Bannon?" He turned and called to someone Roy couldn't see. "Hey, he's over here".

Roy watched as a familiar face appeared. He gave a tired smile. Luscious stepped forward to give him a big hug.

 "I thought you could use a little help". Roy chuckled. Once again Luscious had saved his life.

 "We've got to stop meeting like this". They held each other tight until the deputy spoke.

 "Do you know where they took the women?" he asked.

Roy let go of Luscious. "All I heard were the wagon's leaving".

"Do you know how long ago?"

Roy thought about it. Time was hard to gauge. "I'd say two to three hours, but I'm not really sure".

The deputy called to his men. "They're heading for Mexico. Everybody saddle up".

There was a flurry of activity as the lawmen rounded up their horses. "You two can stay here if you like", came the deputy.

Roy exchanged glances with Luscious. He knew her answer. "Not a chance" he said. "Not a chance".

Chapter 14

The posse made good time trying to catch up with the wagons. Though they had a good head start, they would have some rough canyons to navigate which wouldn't be easy for the wagons. This would give the posse some time to catch up. Roy was thankful that he and Luscious had some help. He was feeling terrible after nearly starving to death. There was no way they could handle Cerisola and his men alone. They followed the deputy and his men through the rugged terrain. Even as dark came they continued to move. Every second counted as they neared the Mexican border. Time was running out.

Just when it seemed they would have to quit for the night, the deputy came to halt with his hand in the air. In the distance a fire could be seen. It was less than a few miles away. They had caught up to the outlaws. Quickly they pulled their horses back along the canyon walls. The cover of darkness had most likely kept them from being detected. They would have to formulate a plan quickly. Daylight would come in a few hours leaving no chance of surprise.

After much discussion the posse began moving closer to the outlaw camp. It had been decided that the men would split up into small groups. Under the cover of darkness they would move in and surround the enemy camp. When daylight came, they would be able to subdue the outlaws easily. Roy thought it was a good plan, but he worried about the woman. He didn't want any of them getting caught in the crossfire; especially a certain redhead. He prayed silently as he moved in behind the deputy's men. He was sure whether there was a God or a heaven, but he figured it sure couldn't hurt to try. The entire posse was exhausted. They had rode non-stop to catch up to the wagons. There were a few short hours to catch a nap before the sun came up, then the movements in the outlaw camp got their full attention.

Roy watched men begin to move around the camp. He saw some of the women sitting by a wagon. They were huddled together. He couldn't tell if Devilwoman were one of them or not and he had no idea what Georgia looked like. The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention. He was ready to get this over with. As planned, the deputy signaled ready with one shot. With it an outlaw fell. The others joined in, trying for as many of the outlaws as they could. The men in the camp scurried for shelter like rats. Some of them fired back. The women screamed.

At the sound of the first shot Luscious began to move in behind the wagons. She had a gun and a knife. While the men were busy fighting, she began cutting the women loose. Roy got off some good shots. He even managed to hit one of the outlaws. He was trying to move in a little closer when he saw a man emerge from a small tent with a woman in tow. She was being dragged on the ground, kicking and screaming.

Devilwoman wasn't going with Cerisola easily. With the first group of women free, Luscious instructed them to move quickly to the cover of the canyons. "Stay down", she warned them.

They began to move single file away from the camp as Luscious moved to the second group. Cerisola reached the horses. He yanked on the redheads arm. "Get on!" he yelled.

"No!" She pulled away. This was her only chance to get away. She tried to run and Cerisola grabbed her by the hair, pulled her back. Grabbing her around the waist, he tried to throw her into the saddle himself, but she thrashed her legs, kicking, until he dropped her. She hit the ground with a thud.

Furious with her, the Mexican kicked her in the side. She cried out in pain. "Get up", he demanded. She remained still until he kicked again, this time in her back. The impact drove her into the dirt. The pain began to consume her, yet she refused to give in. Cerisola was about to deliver another blow when a voice interrupted.

 "That's enough!" Cerisola spun around to see Roy. The Mexican glared, his lip curled in a snarl. "Move away from her", Roy demanded.

Devilwoman was still lying on the ground. Cerisola glanced at her as he kept an eye on Roy. "You won't kill me", he said. "I'm unarmed".

Roy noticed he had no weapon. He had been caught with his pants down, so to speak. "Fine", Roy replied. "Then you just stay where you are".

Luscious was freeing the last group of women when she came upon the little rehead. Georgia was scared, but unharmed. With her hands free, she threw her arms around the brunette's neck. "I knew you'd come". She cried in her arms. Luscious wanted to get the girls safely away.

"Follow me", she said, taking Georgia's hand. "Stay low and move fast". Forming a human chain the girls headed away to freedom.

Roy was concerned that Devilwoman hadn't moved. He reached her and knelt down. Brushing the hair from her face he saw she was badly bruised. Her lips were swollen and bleeding. An indescribable anger rose inside of Roy. He started to speak her name. Without warning Cerisola was on him, driving a knife into his back. Roy fell over, rolling on the ground in agony. Cerisola towered over him. He kicked dirt at Roy and began to reach for the unconscious woman. Roy kicked with all his might, sending Cerisola's feet out from under him. He landed flat on his back. As Roy threw himself on top of him, Cerisola weilded the knife. Roy managed to grab hold of the man's wrist as he fell. The two were locked in a death struggle over the weapon. They rolled around in the dirt, tumbling over each other, neither losing their grip on the knife. The Mexican was strong. Roy fought with everything inside him; not just for himself, but for the women too. Cerisola, feeling his strength wane, spit in Roy's eye. Temporarily blinding him, he took advantage of Roy's moment of weakness by gaining a better hold on the knife. Cerisola turned the knife to Roy's stomach.

Roy could see Devilwoman, lying broken on the ground, in the crazy Mexican's eyes. With every ounce of energy he could muster, Roy shoved hard, driving the knife into Cerisola. He heard the sound of the knife hitting bone before seeing Cerisola's face, frozen in a state of surprise. Roy barely managed to wiggle out from under the Mexican, when he fell over dead. Roy hurried over to Devilwoman. He carefully lifted her head up, craddling it in his arms. She didn't move. Bending down he listened for her breathing. "Thank God she's still alive".

As carefully as he could, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the protection of the canyon. Most of Cerisola's men had been killed. The few that weren't surrendered to the posse. They were hanged later that day. Luscious and the women were safe. Only two of the lawmen had been killed. All in all, luck had been on their side.

Roy approached the group with Devilwoman still in his arms. Several of the girls quickly made a place for him to lay her.

Luscious and a young redheaded girl rushed forward as he kneeled down. "Momma! Momma!" the girl cried. She laid her head on her chest, wrapping her arms around her. Luscious put her arms around the girl telling her it would be alright. Roy stared at the girl with disbelief. Luscious caught a glimpse of his expression. She took the girl by the shoulders and straightened her up to face Roy.

 "Roy, this is Georgia", she explained. Roy continued to look at the girl. He was speechless. "Georgia, this is Mr. O'Bannon. He came to help us get you back".

The girl reached out her hand to Roy. He saw a familiarity in her blue eyes. "Thank you, Mr. O'Bannon, for helping my momma and me".

He took her hand. His voice was soft and quiet. "Your welcome". Roy let go of the girls hand and stood up to leave. Luscious noticed something odd in his demeanor. She followed him as he walked out into the open, away from everyone else. Suddenly he turned. "Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't you tell me?" He was hurt and confused. He felt like he had purposely been left out of the loop.

Luscious tried to explain. "I don't know why. There just never seemed to be a right time".

"Right time?" Roy was flabbergasted. "How about back in California, at the farmhouse? How about Tuscon? How about any one of the billion times we were on the road?"

 "Roy, we didn't mean to keep anything from you. Honest". She put a hand on his back when she spoke. Feeling something strange, she pulled her arm back. Her fingers were covered in blood. Roy had been so concerned with Devilwoman that he forgot about the knife wound Cerisola had given him. She rushed him over to where Devilwoman lay. The deputy and his man brought some first aid supplies so that the woman could clean and dress the wound. Roy thought it hurt a little, but not as much as his heart right now.

 The next morning the deputy and his men were ready to escort the ladies home. They were rested and refreshed. Roy had slept next to Devilwoman, who was still in and out of consciousness. He was afraid the trip would be too much for her, so he had made a decision of his own. They would stay behind until she was well enough to travel. Luscious and Georgia didn't want to leave her behind. "We'll stay with you", Luscious offered. But Roy thought it best they get back to Tuscon. Bob would be waiting for news.

 In the end the women relented. The men made sure Roy had a few supplies and there was plenty of fresh water from the Santa Cruz River. Nature has already provided them with shade and protection from the elements. Roy assured them that they would be alright.

Later Roy watched as the wagons disappeared into the distance before returning to his primitive camp. On the comfort of his bedroll he watched Devilwoman sleep. There was so much wanted to say to her, but it would have to wait. Roy lay back and closed his eyes, allowing the much needed sleep to come.

Chapter 15

Devilwoman rarely opened her eyes the first few days. When she did, Roy offered her sips of water before she drifted off again. Roy rarely left her side, except to get fresh water from the river. One afternoon he returned from the river to find her sitting up. She smiled when she saw him.

"Hello sleepyhead", Roy whispered.

Her eyelids were heavy. "Are the girls alright?"

Roy smiled. "They're fine, don't worry". He took her hands in his. "You, on the other hand, are not so good".

Devilwoman tried to laugh, but her face hurt. She grimaced. Roy got down and put his arms around her. She laid her head against his chest. She felt safe in his arms. Soon she was asleep again, dreaming of Roy and her comfy bed back home.

Slowly Devilwoman began to heal. She started getting up and moving around, trying to work the soreness out of her muscles. She and Roy would take walks; short ones at first but they got progressively longer. One evening they walked down to the river. Both of them took off their shoes and splashed around, laughing and playing like kids. Later they sat in the grass as the evening breeze blew in.

 "Why didn't you tell me Bob and Georgia were your daughters before?"

She hesitated before answering. "I don't know". She looked at him as she spoke. "After we became close, I guess I was afraid".

 "Afraid? Why?" He was confused.

She laughed nervously. "I guess I was afraid you wouldn't want some old woman with children tying you down".

He put his arms around her. His lips touched her cheek. "What happened to Bob and Georgia's dad?" Roy felt her pull away a little.

"Cerisola's men killed him".

Roy's mouth dropped open. "Oh my God". The pain in her face was clear. "I'm so sorry".

She leaned against him again, wanting to feel his warmth. "It was such a long time ago", she began. Devilwoman had met and married a man named Tom McCall. He had inherited land from his family. The happy couple settled into their home and started a family right away. Roberta, or Bob, was first. Two years later came Georgia. Their ranch was isolated from everyone. Tom had taught Devilwoman how to shoot, in case something happened while he was away. She became a very good shot with a rifle. One night after dinner, while Tom was away on a cattle drive, Devilwoman heard a noise outside the house. She went to see what it was and a man grabbed her. She was put in a wagon and taken to Cerisola. That's when she met Zara. Devilwoman was kept with the other women who were going to be sold in Mexico. Zara was Cerisola's personal slave and Devilwoman felt sorry for her. The girl would bring the woman food once a day. Devilwoman used this time to talk to the girl and get information about Cerisola and his plans for the women.

When it came time for Cerisola to move the women to Mexico, Devilwoman ready to make her break. Zara managed to loosen the ropes on Devilwoman's hands before she was taken to the wagons. When they stopped for the night, Devilwoman waited till the men were asleep. Then she and Zara took two horses and snuck out of camp. A couple of Cerisola's men followed, but they had to give up. The couldn't risk losing a wagon load of profit because of two women. But Cerisola was furious that Zara was gone. Devilwoman made it home with Zara in tow. When Tom found out what had happened, he rounded up some men to go after Cerisola and his gang. But Tom never returned. She was told the men were outgunned, they never stood a chance.

Roy sat quietly. He couldn't believe how much this one woman had been through. He also knew why Cerisola was determined to keep Devilwoman. He wanted to make her pay for taking Zara from him. She would take her place.

"My Tom was a good man", she said. "Like you, Roy".

Roy blushed. She put her head on his shoulder, her lips brushing his cheek. He looked at her swollen lips. Then his fingers touched them, tracing their contours. As he did, her lips parted. He brought his lips down to meet hers. She closed her eyes, reveling in the taste, as he lowered her to the ground and swept her away.

They were finally on their way home. Devilwoman was getting back to normal. She felt refreshed but was also eager to see her daughters. The rode from sun up to dusk everyday, stopping to stretch of give the horses a rest; sometimes just to hold each other a little while. Up in the Sierra Nevada's they came across a hot springs and made camp for the night.

Devilwoman was the first to test the water. Roy watched as she slowly undressed. She beckoned Roy to join her as she slipped into the warm water. He stripped off his clothes, leaving them in a bundle on his bedroll. Standing naked at the edge of the springs, he stuck his toes in to test the temperature.

"OOoooo....". His lips pursed. He wore only a devilish smile.

 "Are you coming in or are you going to stand there shriveling up?"

Roy looked down a minute and raised his eyebrows. "It is chilly". He took Devilwoman's hand as he stepped into the water. Their lips came together in a tender kiss. Roy slipped backwards, his head disappearing under the water. Devilwoman watched as he reappeared, batting his eyes. She laughed.

"Come here you", he said grabbing her around the waist. He pulled her on top of him, and this time, they both went under. When they came up, their lips were locked together. They splashed around in the warmth, taunting and teasing each other, laughing like kids. They played and touched and kissed. Their play became passion, the teasing became longing. He entered her in the hot springs, the warm water rushing over them, until the the passion burst inside.

Later, they lay naked on a blanket by the fire. They had climbed out of the water and ran through the cold night air. The fire, and each others bodies, warmed them up. Alone in the woods the cares of the world seemed light years away. Here it was just the two of them and they felt free to be honest with one another. Devilwoman played with a damp curl on Roy's neck. He could hear the beating of her heart as she lay next to him.

"Roy? What do we do now?"

His face scrunched up. "What do you mean?" He didn't understand what she was asking.

"I mean what happens to us now?"

Roy wanted to tread lightly. "What do you want to happen?"

She looked at him, with his deep blue eyes, and innocent face. "You could stay awhile". She had put it out there but feared his reaction.

"I could?" he asked. "I mean, you want me to stay?"

She couldn't hide what she was feeling. "I know you make me feel things I never thought I would. You gave me my life back".

Roy was looking into her eyes. "I have to admit, I feel the same way". He put a hand on her neck, drawing her closer. " I promise you one thing...", he began.

Devilwoman put a finger to his lips. "No promises. We'll take it one day at a time". They made love again and well into the next day; no promises, no regrets. Neither of them knew where they were heading, but they would start over together with a clean slate.