Revenge (CLOSED)

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin Dublin sighed as she looked around the nearly deserted roads of Silverbend. She had come to town with one purpose. To seek revenge for her murdered husband. Four days ago, a gang of thieves had rode straight up to their small farm and began taking whatever they had wanted. Erins husband, Thomas, had tried to stop them but had received a bullet in the head for his efforts.

Erins heart ached at the thought. She and Thomas had had a marriage born of convenience, not love. Thomas had needed a wife to keep up his house, Erin had needed a way to escape her over controlling family, her father especially. Maybe Erin had not truly loved Thomas the way a woman loved her husband, but she had cared for him without a doubt.

Which brought her full circle. The law wasn't doing a damn thing to find the bandits who had killed Thomas so Erin was taking things into her own hands. She was looking for someone, anyone, who would be willing to help her revenge her husbands murder.

But only one name kept cropping up, and Erin couldnt seem to find the man. The only place she hadn't looked yet was in the local saloon. Chills ran down her spine at the thought of entering the place but she shook her head trying to dispel the thoughts.

Brushing her hands down her modest prairie dress, she took a deep breath. She took the time to run a hand through her long dark brown hair and then pushed open the saloon door, standing there to let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting.

 

[poohlive]

Colt had been sitting at this very same table playing cards for the passed 16 hours. He would occasionally look down at his pocket watch to check the time. The dim lighting of the saloon made it near impossible to tell what time it is, save for every once in a while when the door opened.

Poker was the game of choice here. Colt had been up and down throughout his stay here. At one point he had his horse on the line in a hand where he had three 7's. Lucky 7's held up against two pair. Since then Colt's luck had changed considerably. At the moment he had over 200 dollars in cash, a small stack of silver and the deed to a mine somewhere up in the northern hills.

This Jack fellow on the other side of him had been slowly grinding his teeth as the pile of money he had in front of him kept dwindling. Jack looked like a man to be reckoned with. Over 6 feet tall with a lumberjack frame, dark gnarly beard and eyes like dark nuggets of coal in the middle of his face.

Compared to Colt, who had not quite gotten to six feet tall. He had lean frame and only the coming stubble of a dirty blonde beard. Colt even wore a stylish suit with a vest, where his pocketwatch now sat, idly ticking away at the time.

"Full house," Jack said, laying down his cards. He apparently was impressed with that.

"Straight flush to the queen," Colt smiled as he lay his cards down.

Jack looked like someone just put a bee in his bonnet.

"You cheat!" He grunted as he stood up, grabbing the poker table and flinging it end over end. Colt got to his feet in a flash, his worn boots clicking against the hard wooden floorboards.

"You're drunk Jack," Probably about as drunk as Colt himself, "Go sleep off your losings."

"You're a cheat, fucking Colt."

Colt didn't enjoy that.

The door opened and for a moment the outside world could be see in all its brilliance. In walked a young girl, petite. Cute. He thought it might just be the rosy hue of the sun shining on her back though.

Still, he didn't think he'd seen a girl other than the 50 year old waitress running around this place for several days, so it might just have been Colt's bias.

"Colt, you're gonna give me my fucking money back."

Colt let his finger rest on the butt of his gun. His eyes dropped low, looking at Jack just over his brow. He had turned from a friendly gambling man, smiling at their misunderstanding into a cold blooded killer. No one called him a cheat, and no one stole his money.

"Go on, you want it, take it."

Jack drew his weapon. He had the reflexes of a newborn foal. He pulled his weapon out but his arm wavered as he brought it up and pulled back the hammer.

But he never got to shoot.

Colt moved like a snake's strike. His gun rested in the holster and then it was in his hand, the small eruption of gunfire and the billowing smoke from the nuzzle said it was all over.

Jack fell dead onto the floorboards.

"Shit Colt. Now we gotta called the sheriff."

Colt held his gun out, looking over the saloon to see if anyone else wanted to join. The only one who looked even mildly interested was the short drink of water that just came in.

Perhaps she was impressed. He might have to buy her a drink.

"You do what you need to do, Edward... it was a fair fight."

Colt kneeled down and picked up his winnings from the ground. He had to stoop low to get the small nuggets of silver from between the floorboards. His deed to the mine had a bloodstain on it.

Colt walked over to the bar and sat himself down.

"Whiskey," He said.

He checked his pocket watch. 18 hours. That was quite a good run.

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin stood in the doorway, a look of total disbelief on her face. That had to be the man she was looking for. He had just shot another man, point blank, over a poker game. Her heart was thundering in her chest and a light sheen of sweat broke out on her neck.

Erin eyed the man, Colt, carefully as he walked up to the bar and ordered a whiskey. He wasn't what she had expected. She had expected him to be some rough and tumble cowboy, a grimy man who wouldn't give a damn about what he was dressed in... but this man had on nice clothes... very nice clothes.

Taking a shaky breath, Erin ran her fingers through her pretty hair and stepped forward. She approached the man slowly. She had just seen what the man was capable of, and while it scared her witless, she knew that he was just who she needed to help her in seeking revenge.

Her eyes had finally adjusted to the dim lighting of the saloon and she took in the rest of her surroundings as she approached Colt. The bartender had returned to wiping the bar down with a dirty old dishrag. Another man had just left, presumably to go fetch the sheriff.

The only other occupants were two men who looked as if they couldn't even stand anymore they were so drunk, and they sat on the opposite end of the bar from Colt.

Clearing her throat softly Erin stopped, barely a foot away from Colt, close enough for him to see her pretty green eyes, and the determination that resided within them.

"Excuse me, sir... " Erin said, in a quiet but firm voice. "Are you the man everyone refers to as Colt around here?"

 

[poohlive]

Colt turned around slowly, bringing the glass of whiskey up to his lips, but not quite drinking it yet. He looked at the petite little girl who had asked for his name. He took her in like a drink of water, his eyes gliding over her curves against her dress, those soft and wavering green eyes that stared up at him without fear.

A woman.

And a darned cute one at that.

"Your grand search has ended my sweet. My name is Colt, although I seem to be at a disadvantage," He said, a smile coming to his lips as he drank his whiskey. The fire in his belly relaxed him at once. He licked his lips and put the glass back down on the counter.


"You know about me and I haven't even been able to make your acquaintance. Why don't we start again. My name is Colton Brown, but everyone calls me Colt. It is a pleasure to meet such a sweet little thing as yourself."

Colt reached out and put his hand over hers. Not quite a handshake, but a gentle touch the way a strange man is supposed to introduce himself. And they didn't make them any stranger than Colt.

She smelled of lemon and spring flowers. The exhaustion of earlier disappeared as the high heat of excitement and arousal began to make its way through his system. Colt really couldn't help that. He was... after all, only human.

"Come, let me buy you a drink. Bar keep, two more please. And whatever this young miss wants."

He eased a bar stool over so she could sit right next to him.

"First you must tell me your name, and secondly why you are in such a bad place looking for such a bad man as myself."

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin smiled as the man named Colt so smoothly introduced himself."It's a pleasure, sir" she said "My name is Erin Dublin". Colt placed his hand on hers and erin had to fight to remain focused on the reason she was there. Attraction ran through her veins at his gentle touch. She wasn't sure what it was about the man, maybe his dangerous aura, but he was intoxicating to her.

She could smell the whiskey on him but it wasn't stale like most men who drank. He was clean and seemed to keep himself well.

Erin eased herself down onto the stool next to Colt, her thigh pressed against his."Just a water please," she told the bar keep. She then turned to face Colt.

"I need your help. Well... I need help and everyone has pointed me towards you" erin said matter of factly. She told him what had happened then took a deep breath.

"Will you help me find the gang of assholes who killed my husband?" She asked, her voice steady, but her hands trembling with nerves as she waites for his answer.

 

[poohlive]

Colt ordered a few more drinks as he heard the young woman's story. He felt truly sad for her. It wasn't every day rough bandits just up and changed your entire world like that. He'd certainly seen his fair share of gunfights and spilled enough blood, but never anyone who didn't deserve it. Never anyone who didn't try and draw first.

"That is a mighty sad story, miss. I am sorry for your loss," Colt put his hand on her knee, a comforting touch. It was not much comfort to her that he let it linger there far longer than he should have.

He pulled it back reluctantly, "So everyone told you I might be able to help you?"

Why would people go and say a thing like that? Colt had a good many rumors running around with his name, but savior to damsels in distress had hardly been one of them. He didn't think of himself much as a hero, just a gambler who did not always get lady luck on his side.

Perhaps they thought a young thing such as this with soft eyes and a sad story might pull at his heartstrings. He admit that it did, but it still didn't make him no hero.

"You should come to bed with me," Colt finished the last of his whiskey and lay a silver nugget down on the bar as payment. He jumped off his stool and took hold of Erin's hand.

"We're dealing with things not quite legal here, you see. I imagine this talk should be done somewhere more private. Besides I ain't slept in nearly a day so I need to rest my feet up some."

He nodded upstairs. He had a nice room with a bed waiting. It was calling to him.

Colt smiled as he leaned in, taking in Erin's scent and wishing he weren't as much of a gentleman, " I promise to remain a gentleman... for as long as I can."

He gave her a wink and headed upstairs.

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

That touch on her leg sent electricity simmering through Erins veins and she sucked in a deep breath. Then she was taken aback when he asked her to come to bed with him. Normally she would have walked away right then and there. But she needed this man. She needed him to help her badly. He turned and walked away before she could speak.

With a nervous glance around Erin noted that no one was paying attention and then with a huff followed Colt upstairs. She saw Colt entering his room just ahead of her and followed.

"Mr. Brown, I don't know what kind of woman you think I am but I.. I don't sleep around" Erin said as she entered his room. For the first time that night her nerves were showing, her voice trembled as she spoke. Of course she wouldn't tell colt that not only did she not sleep around, she had NEVER slept with a man, not even her husband. Their relationship had not been that way.

"I.. I just need your help, sir. You seem to be the only one who would be willing to help me".

 

[poohlive]

As Erin marched into his room, her head already filled with wild ideas, Colt closed the door after her. She stood there in his room, and she looked like she might just shake the whole building down. He imagined while her voice sounded brave, any minute she would just scream and run from this place as if the devil were after her panties.

"Oh come now, Miss Dublin. I may be many things, but I wouldn't entice a woman simply because she is desperate for help. There are easier ways to get a woman to bed."

The room he rented had a simple home style to it. A double bed sat next to a window with fresh sheets and a floral pattern that reminded Colt of spring. There was a place to wash up and a small table in the corner for company. The room felt cramped with the both of them standing together, but Colt imagined it would feel much more cozy when he got off his feet.

He poured out some water into the wash bin and began to scrub his face. The days long run of cards was catching up to him. Colt could feel a tired yanking on the back of his eyes like a young child crying for milk.

He sat on the bed and began taking off his boots.

"You're talking about hiring a gun for murder, plain and simple. I imagine such dealings need to be spoken of in private. But if you'd rather go downstairs and tell everyone your business, that's fine with me."

The cowboy stretched and felt a delicious pop in the back of his neck. It hurt and relaxed him at the same time. He lay down, taking off his hat and putting it on his chest.

"Although, I do admit you are quite easy on the eyes..." His playful smile never quite left him. He imagined it never would.

"So, is there any reward for bringing your late husband's murderers to justice, Miss Dublin?"

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin felt the tension ease out of her body as Colt assured her he didnt expect her to hop into the bed with him. She relaxed a bit, and her body quit trembling quite so bad. She watched, rather intently, as he poured some water and began to wash his face and neck.

Her eyes tracked the movement of small water drops as they trailed down his skin from his forehead all the way down to his chest. She watched as he took off his boots and made himself comfortable on his bed. The entire time she felt an attraction pulling deep within her body. She had to ignore that attraction though, she had to make sure this man knew that she was serious.

Then he mentioned the word murder and Erin's face paled. All of the color ran from his face and throat and she swallowed hard. Her heart was knocking against her rib cage so hard she knew he had to have heard it- it seemed so loud.

"I... they murdered m-my husband" Erin stuttered, feeling ashamed of how fearful her voice sounded. "I don't feel that what I am asking is murder. I prefer to think of it as revenge" she stated but then shrugged, gaining back some of her strong will.

"Of course, I know the law will consider it murder... but its something that has to be done" she stated firmly.

Colt asked of a reward and Erin took a deep breath. She had considered this. That smile was disarming, Erin felt herself wanting to melt as she looked at it. Instead, she shifted her focus to the window behind the bed.

"I don't have a lot to offer, Mr. Brown. My husband left me with a lot of debt and not much to do about it, but I have managed to scrape together a small sum to be paid if you will help me". She then told Colt the amount and waited for him to laugh in her face and throw her out of his room. It truly was a pitiful amount to offer when she was asking the man to murder other men.

 

[poohlive]

Colt opened his eyes to look at the young Erin Dublin. She had the look of some cornered rabbit with a wolf about to pounce on her. He hoped she didn't think of him as a wolf. She barely knew him. Most women didn't think such feral thoughts of him until after he had slept with them.

"You think you can buy me for that price?"

She wanted to buy a hired gun, but she had no money. She might be able to buy a bounty hunter at that price, but only if there was already a reward out for the gang. As far as Colt knew, there was no such reward though.

A delicious idea ran through Colt's head.

"There are certainly other ways to pay for such services, Miss Dublin."

Colt laid his hat down on the bed next to him. He looked at this young woman, clutching herself in his room. He began to slowly unbutton his shirt, one at a time slipping off and revealing his broad chest.

"I'm sure we can come to some agreement."

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erins eyes flashed as Colt began to unbutton his shirt. Her mouth went dry at the sight of all of that toned flesh. Erin scowled at Colt.

"Sir I don't have anything else to pay with and if you are suggesting what I believe you are... well I'm afraid this won't work. I will have to find someone else" she said."My body is not for sale. Or trade, or whatever you would like to call it. Once again, thats not the type of girl I am".

With that said Erin spun on her heel and walked out of his room. Her hands were shaking again and she was afraid she had just ruined her last chance of getting someone to help her. Suddenly her knees felt weak. She leaned back against the wall separating his room from the hall and slid down until she was sitting with her arms on her bent knees, her head resting in her hands. Sighing she wondered what to do now.

 

[poohlive]

Colt couldn't help but laugh as soon as the door closed. The look on her face was absolutely priceless. A few buttons coming undone and she looked about ready to burst. He wondered what she might have done if he took off his pants.

If he didn't know any better, he would have sworn she was a virgin. She did say it was a marriage of convenience more than passion, perhaps the young thing didn't know much about the vices of flesh. No wonder she felt so ready to run away.

It was her first touch of temptation.

Colt thought of running after her, telling her he just did it for a laugh, but she must have been long gone by now. Poor thing, so determined for revenge. He didn't think he ever had such conviction as her.

It was an admirable trait, even in a woman.

He heard the sound of a dull thump come from the near wall. The soft murmur certainly sounded like Miss Dublin. She must have collapsed out there under the pressure of such temptation.

He knocked on the wall.

"Forgive an old man his practical joke. I just wanted to have a little fun. Your body and your flesh are yours to keep. Perhaps they didn't tell you about me. You should have asked around. I'm as dirty as they come, but my bark is much worse than my bite."

It was as much of an apology as he had given out to anyone in the last year.

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin heard the knock on the wall and then the muffled voice. She listened intently and then stood up and entered his room again, her arms folded below her breasts, unknowingly thrusting them upwards.

"I'm sorry for walking out. Noone informed me about your ways. I'm can handle that... I just need to know if you will help or not. If not I need to move on and find someone who will. I can't waste my time". Her voice had taken on a pleading tone now and she resented it. his broad chest was still exposed and she had to fight to keep her eyes away from it.

"Will you help me for what I can pay or not?" Her green eyes were intent as she focused on his face, now scrubbed free and clean.

 

[poohlive]

"I suppose you'll find out about me soon enough," He grinned a cheshire cat grin and lay back down on the bed. He kept his shirt unbuttoned though, although his time for steamy looks and threatening glances had passed. The poor thing might jump right out of her skin if he kept pressing for more of her.

Instead he just decided he'd had enough fun at her expense for one day.

"You can leave half the money on the desk there," He said, "I will come to claim the rest once the job is done."

He yawned, stretching, his frame rising above the bed as Colt tightened all his muscles at once. He idly scratched at something along his stomach, dark brown eyes burning into hers.

"You want any momentos from the man what killed your husband? Their guns or hankerchiefs or somethin?"

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin's eyes tracked his movements as he idly scratched his taut stomach, and as he stretched and moved around. What was it with her and her attraction to this man?

"You'll do it?" Erin asked, her lush lips spreading to reveal a beautiful white smile that brought a lot of men to a stop in their tracks.

She immediately reached into her dress pocket and laid half of her money on the table. Then Colt spoke again and Erin looked at him wide eyed. She shook her head no.

"Whatever I decide I want I will get for myself. I'm coming with you." Her voice was hard and her body tense as she said it, her green eyes snapping fiercely with a hidden temper. A temper that had a tendency of rearing its ugly head especially when he was passionate about something- and she was definitely passionate about seeing her husband's murder revenged.

"I want to see these men who killed my husband so brutally, and I want to make sure that they pay".

 

[poohlive]

At first Colt laughed, thinking this little slip of a girl had made some joke at his expense. He could just imagine playing babysitting to a young thing such as herself as he want galloping around the countryside in search of bandits.

The passion in those green eyes of hers told him it was no joke though. Just as sure as she had come here to ask him to be her cowboy, she had thought she would be coming along.

"No," He said, it was the first time he had not been cordial to the young girl.

"Miss Dublin, there ain't no room for a naive young girl on this rodeo. It's bad enough you ask me to help you do this, but now I'm supposed to watch out for you as well."

He had to talk her out of this.

"You even know what you're getting into? I imagine those pretty eyes of yours and that sweet smile open a lot of doors, but you go into a camp filled with bandits, you know what they're gonna do to you? Kill you... if you're lucky. They'll do much worse things to you if you're not."

Her chaste appearance seemed important to her, perhaps the thought of a lonely prairie night with numerous men looking at her body the way Colt looked at it now might change her mind. A wild ravenous look down her form, craving her flesh, simply waiting to tear the clothes from her body and ravish her without care.

"You even know how to fire a gun Miss Dublin?"

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin tossed her hair over her shoulder and her eyes sparked with a fire deep inside. "I am not as dumb and naive as you seem to think I am, Mr. Brown. I am well aware of what I am getting myself into, and I also know that there are at least five of these men who raided my house. Can you handle five men all by yourself? Not that I'm doubting your abilities, I just find it hard to believe that any man could handle them by himself... my husband sure couldn't".

Erin straightened herself to her full 5'2".

She ignored the way he looked at her body. He was probably testing her again. She took a step forward until her legs touched the bed where he lay.

"I was taught to shoot a gun as a child, and I have done so often ever since. I even have my own that my late husband left behind when he was killed. I will be going with you, Mr. Brown. I won't have it any other way. You won't have to protect me or worry about me. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself just fine, thanks".

 

[poohlive]

"You can handle yourself just fine?" Colt took that as a personal challenge. This girl had been in near tears running out of his room at the very sight of naked skin, and now she's ready to take on the whole gang by herself.

He grabbed her by the hips, and threw her onto the bed beside him. In a smooth motion he climbed on top of her and grabbed her hands. He held her down, watching her struggle.

"You can still handle yourself?" He said, amused with himself. He didn't think it would take him this short a time to get her in bed with him.

He enjoyed the smoothness of her dress, how it moved under both of them. The fire in her eyes made them sparkle like cut emeralds, and her hair hung about her, almost wavering in the rage she now felt.

His open shirt hung loosely around him, revealing nothing.

He leaned down, taking in her scent. Down at the bar he had only gotten a whiff, but now he seemed to be drowning in her. He was inches from her now, such pale skin. He didn't know if the anger made her blush bright red or the shame of it all, but it drove him wild.

Perhaps he would steal a kiss after all.

His lips almost touched hers when someone knocked on the door.

"You got company Colt."

Colt growled, looking up at the door, still holding onto Miss Brown on his bed.

"I'm a little busy at the moment."

"Two guys say they're Jack's brothers. They are really interested in making your acquaintance."

Colt looked down at Emily, "Brothers?"

The moment seemed forgotten now. He might have played for her a bit more, maybe even stolen a kiss, but instead he simply let her go. He stood up and began buttoning his shirt.

"Guess we're going to find out whether you know how to shoot or not," He said, reaching underneat the bed to grab his satchel. It had some rations, ammunition, and a few other things of vital importance.

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin was outraged when Colt threw her to the bed. She wasn't scared, just pissed. She bucked beneath and fought with all of her strength. She managed to het her wrist free long enough to rake a nail down his arm, leaving an angry scratch. She was prepared for more when suddenly there was a knock on the door. Colt had been leaning in close and she had been prepared to bite, but suddenly he was off her, buttoning his shirt and saying he would see if she were able to shoot. Erins pulse was going wild.

Jack was the man Colt had shot. these were his brothers. Oh hell they were gonna be pissed. Without a second thought Erin glanced around the room for a weapon.

"Colt!" she said urgently."I.. I need a gun!" She would prove herself to him.

 

[poohlive]

Colt looked down at his arm and then over at her. The girl did have passion. He wondered what it would be like to tame someone like her. Those were thoughts to help keep him warm on cold and lonely nights, certainly not for time like right now.

"Thought you said you had a gun Miss Dublin," He smiled at her, handing her his own Peacemaker. He had no doubt this woman could take whatever rage was inside of her right now and point it to the two brothers downstairs.

Unless she thought of just shooting him here and now. Colt paused for a moment, seeing her with the gun in hand.

"I'll go first," He said, "You stay right behind me."

He pulled the satchel over his head, grabbed his hat off of the bed and knelt down next to the door. He paused, looking back over at Emily. At least she knew how to hold a gun. That was something.

And she hadn't shot him yet.

All sorts of things were looking up for Colt this day.

The scratch her got began to burn, but he couldn't think about that now.

He opened the door.

Gunfire erupted in the old saloon.

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

"I left it at the livery, I didn't believe I'd need it yet" Erin stated about her gun. She took his gun in her hand and tested the weight. It was a bit heavier than hers but she could handle it. She held it comfortably waiting for Colt to make the next move.

Erin watched as he crouched down, her eyes going to the bleeding scratch on his arm and she smiled smugly. He knelt down, and she plastered herself to the wall. As soon as the door was opened, gunfire erupted.

A small gasp escaped Erin's mouth at the speed it all happened but she stuck to Colt like glue, not even daring to back down now. This man was willing to be hung for murder for her... the least she could do was help defend him from the two brothers of an idiot downstairs.

 

[poohlive]

Jack's brothers downstairs looked like they were just waiting for Colt to come out. They were firing before he even left his room. Up on the second floor with a balcony, it was a harder target to hit if he just stayed low.

Bent down he waddled his way out to the hallway, leaning up against the wall much like she had been doing a few minutes earlier.

He fired his gun twice, watching the two men downstairs take cover beyond the bar. The bar itself stood empty now. People had either ducked or found an exit out of here quick as they could.

"You done killed our brother," Came a low growl downstairs. It sounded like they were reloading. Great, that's just what he needed, giving them a chance to reload and fire again.

"It was a fair fight," Colt responded, moving towards the stairs. There was only one stairway down to the main floor. The front door wasn't too far away from it, but they would be sitting ducks against the brothers. There was no real way out without shooting.

Colt looked over at Erin an amusing look on his face, "Tell them it was a fair fight."

She looked scared but determined. She held the gun in her hand. He didn't think she'd ever fired it on a living being before. She was the kind of person who practiced with tin cans and thought of herself as a sharp shooter. Until one of her bullets actually killed a man though, he didn't think he could trust her in a fight.

He fired off another round at the bar, inching towards the stairs.

"You gotta cover me," He said, pointing at the stairs, "Keep them down. If they start shooting I'm a dead man."

Before she could react he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"For luck," He ran downstairs.

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin's mind was racing as Colt fired off a few shots and she watched the men dive for cover. She had to help Colt. Just then he spoke, and leaned in kissing her cheek for good luck. Erin grinned despite the dire situation. The man was incorrigible.

She watched as Colt started to dash down the stairs. One of the men downstairs peeked over the bar. Instantly Erin had an idea.

"Hey Mister!" she called out, loudly but in a beautiful voice. The ogre downstairs turned and looked up with a confused look on his face. She figured he always had that look.

"Mister, I so desperately need to get out of here, but I can't come down these stairs with you firing shots off. Please sir, would you let me come down before you continue firing rounds at that horrible man?"

She hoped Colt would understand what she was doing. He was halfway down the stairs, and the dumb ass behind the bar was still staring at Erin, looking as if he was about to start drooling any moment.

Just then the brother popped up.

"YOU IDIOT SHE'S WITH THE GUY!" and with that the man leveled his gun at Colt. Erin didn't hesitate.

She aimed her gun at the smarter of the two and squeezed off a round. The bullet hit its target. The gun clattered out of the man's hand onto the ground and he howled in pain as blood blossomed along his hand. Not a life threatening shot by any means, but it did its job.

"HEY!" bellowed the idiot. Erin watched as the stupid man's gun swung in her direction, and with a squeak she dove to the floor, just as a shot rang out again.

 

[poohlive]

By the time Colt hit the bottom of the stairs, he saw one of the Jake brothers cursing and the other aiming for Erin. One round shot off just as she hit the floor. He didn't know if she took the bullet or not.

Colt raised his gun to eye level and pointed it at both of them.

"Drop it," He said, his voice losing its usual charm. It was cold and efficient now. His eyes menacing. His smile gone.

One brother looked down at his weapon. It lay miles away at his feet. He thought about it, but just stayed where he was. The other didn't look smart enough to make the decision of whether or not to end this fight, but luckily his brother made it for him.

"Damnit Earl, put the gun down."

Colt nodded, "Listen to your brother, Earl."

The gun laid down on the bar counter top, and both brothers raised their hands. Colt enjoyed that. His usual charm came back instantly.

"Like I said, fair fight," He reached over to grab the gun from the counter, putting it in his own satchel.

"You two feel I did something wrong, go talk to the sheriff. At the moment I got a husband to avenge."

Both men gave him a very odd look when he said that. Colt didn't bother with it though, instead looking up to the top railing.

"Miss Dublin, you doing all right? We need to be going. Tell me you're still in one piece and get yourself down here. I do believe we've outstayed our welcome."

He hoped she was all right. Damnit all if she didn't hold her own now. It would be impossible to tell her she couldn't come along at this point. Looks like Colt just became an honest to goodness babysitter.

All thanks to the Jake Brothers.

 

[twelvegaugegirl1989]

Erin heard Colt's voice and peeked over the railing. "I'm OK" she said with a smile. She stood then, on admittedly shaky knees, and bounded down the stairs.She sauntered up to Colt's side, her arm brushing his, and she looked at the men.

"Fair fight, boys" she said smiling. "Mr. Earl, Mr. Ogre" she said, using her nickname for the other man. With a nod she then walked out of the door, her hips swishing beneath her dress. "Coming Mr. Brown?" she called over her shoulder.

Once outside she took a deep breath to calm her shaky nerves. She turned, crossing her arms beneath her breasts again. When Colt came out she raised an eyebrow.

"Convinced?" she asked him, her chin raised with pride, a small smile playing along her lips although she tried to hold it in. She held Colt's gun out in her small hand, handing it back to him and allowing the self-satisfied smile cross her lips.

"Maybe it was your good luck kiss", she said with a wink. "Now since I dont care if you want me to or not, Im gonna go fetch my horse, unless you'd be gallant enough to give me a ride to the livery so I dont have to walk" she quirked a finely shaped eyebrow at him in question.