heyes
Monday, February 25, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
.jpg)
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Happy Birthday, Peter
February 24 is Peter's birthday. I made a video card for him. I hope he likes it and I hope you all do as well. I've included lots of beautiful images of spectacular nature, which I know he would love to see. And there are some pretty spectacular images of him in there too. Enjoy....
Happy Birthday, Peter. Love you, as always.
Happy Birthday, Peter. Love you, as always.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Chapter 10
She had tried to stay awake, but whatever they had drugged her with would not allow her eyes to stay open for than a couple of hours. He watched her struggle to stay awake until he finally told her to get the sleep her body so desperately needed. She made him promise that he would be here when she woke up. She slept beside him now just inside the entrance of the cave. Although it wasn't really a cave. It was a deep crevice in the side of the mountain. It was perfect for shelter with soft mossy earth beneath them and solid rock walls around and above them.
She was in a deep sleep and she was snoring ever so lightly. She would be so embarrassed if she knew she was snoring while he listening and it brought a smile to his face. He loved that she snored. It somehow made her all the more charming and sweet. She wasn't perfect, but she was perfect for him. He had never felt so connected to another soul.
She was in such a deep sleep that she hadn't even awakened when he had attempted to wash some of soot from her face, hands and arms with his dampened bandanna. It was while he bathed her arms that he noticed how much thinner she was since he had seen her that day she had come to the prison to tell him he was being released. And when he had washed her face the dark circles under her eyes were evident. He had no idea the toll this ordeal had obviously taken on her or what hell she had endured while she was practically a prisoner in that mansion. And she had endured it all so that he would be free.
They say God works in mysterious ways. He certainly believed that was true now. If things had not happened as they had and things had not fallen into perfect place, then he had no doubt he would still be in that prison. He had been planning in his head how he and Kid could escape that place, but it probably would have taken him ten years to pull it off, if he ever pulled it off. But as he thought about the long, lonely silence of that place, he doubted if he would have remained sane long enough to see any plan through. Getting out of that place was yet another miracle he had witnessed since he had known this amazing woman. God must surely be working in mysterious ways to make sure they would be together. But not because he deserved it. It was because she deserved it. She deserved all the happiness and joy that a person could stand. Why God had chosen to give him the gift of this precious woman's love he did not know. But he lifted his face towards the heavens and said a silent "thank you." It was a gift he would cherish and never take for granted.
He threw another log on the fire and lay down beside her. He spooned up next to her under the one blanket they had. The strong smell of smoke that clung to her beautiful hair filled his nostrils. He ran his hand through her glorious hair and felt the litter and debris that had fell from the burning house and onto her scalp. It was a miracle that not one of her glorious hairs had been burned. Except for a little smoke inhalation and the ill effects of the drug she'd been given, she was unscathed. He said another silent "thank you" before he followed her into a peaceful sleep.
He awoke with the dawn and cautiously stepped outside to make sure that they were still alone in their little paradise. There was no sign that anyone or anything had been near except for the evidence of rabbits who had left their foot prints in the sandy dirt at the foot of the mountain Evie now slept under. She was still snoring lightly when he stepped back inside and crouched by the fire to stir the embers back to life. Her snoring stopped and she stirred next to him. Her eyes opened and she smiled as she stretched her arm out in search of his hand. She scooted closer and took her hand then he lifted her head and laid it on his lap.
"You're here. I thought maybe I had dreamed you, but you're still here."
"Yes, I'm here. And I promise you that everyday for the rest of your life when you wake up I'll be here."
"That's all I've ever wanted."
"Even if it means leaving the states?"
"I don't care where we go. As long as your with me, I can deal with anything. I believe we are meant to be, Mr. Heyes."
"I've been thinking about that. And I believe it too. And I know God works in mysterious ways, but do you think maybe He'll give us a break now and let us enjoy being meant for each other."
"I'm so sorry I put you through all of this. But when the opportunity to get you out of prison was right there in front of me, I had to take it, no matter what the consequences. I hope you'll forgive me for not telling you what was going on from the beginning. I was just so afraid of you being sent back to that place, or worse."
"I forgive you. But only if you forgive me. I was pretty nasty to you that night I came to your room."
"You're forgiven. But you really weren't that nasty."
"Evie, I practically raped you."
"No you didn't. You can't rape someone who's willing. And believe me I was willing. And if you want to know the truth about it...I kinda liked it."
She surprised him yet again. "Did you now? Just when I think there's nothing new I can learn about you, you show me a whole new side of yourself."
"As soon as I'm feeling up to it, Mr. Heyes, I plan on showing you many sides of myself," she said flirtatiously.
"I'm going to hold you to that, Miss Webb." He kissed her forehead and inhaled the strong smell of smoke that still clung to her hair and clothes. "Are you feeling up to a bath? I got most of it off your skin but you've got soot and ashes in your hair and you need to get into some clean clothes."
She looked down to see that she was wearing only her stockings and underclothes. "You just couldn't wait to get me out of my clothes afterall, huh?" she asked playfully.
He frowned at her. "I didn't take your clothes off. You were dressed like that when I scooped you up and rode off with you." He saw the confused look on her face. "You don't remember why your clothes were taken off do you?"
"No, I don't. I still can't remember anything except blurred faces and mumbling voices. I can barely remember crawling out of the house to see you riding towards me."
"You remembered the doctor last night after something jarred your memory. Maybe that will happen again and you'll remember some more. Right now let's see if we can get you on your feet long enough to get down to the water."
The mid morning sun was a stark contrast to the cool temperatures inside the cave. Evie was glad to feel the warmth of it on her skin when she stepped from the cave entrance. Her feet were still not as steady as she would have liked and her head still ached a little but not nearly as much as last night. She leaned heavily on the strong, solid frame of the man beside her as she walked gingerly out of the cave in her stocking covered feet. For one more time in her life, she would be dead if not for Hannibal Heyes.
Once outside of the deep cleft in the mountain she looked around and was astounded by what she saw. The mountains she had seen when she and Hannibal had been traveling through he Trans Pecos of Texas were nothing like these mountains. The mountain on the eastern horizon was so high that the peak was covered by billowing clouds. It rose out of a carpet of evergreen trees that stretched westward towards them and the mountain range that rose behind them. They stood on a grass covered plateau that extended down a cascade of rolling hills until it reached the evergreen forest. The hills were dotted with multi colored wild flowers. And just below them off to her right there was a crystal blue lake that glistened like diamonds in the sunlight. It was like some kind of paradise.
"No wonder you boys chose this place to hide. I've never seen any place so beautiful. This is much nicer than that dungeon in Rising Gulch. What's this place called?"
"According to the old Indian who told us about this place it's called Cave of the Crying Winds. We only came here when we needed to rest on our way back to Devil's Hole. We pulled jobs as far east as St. Louis before. You had to make sure you had places like this to get lost in so you could rest yourself and your horse when traveled that far."
"How did you ever find this place?" she asked him as they walked down the hillside towards the water.
"When I was about seventeen, before I started riding with the Plummer gang, me and Kid met this old Indian fella that every body called Snake Skin. His real name was Crying Eagle but everybody called him Snake Skin because he wore this old black hat with a snake skin band around it. He was from the Shoshone tribe. The Shoshone lived in the western half of the territory and the Cheyenne tribe lived in the east. They were bitter enemies. When he was a young warrior he went into Cheyenne territory with a raiding party. They were going to steal horses from their enemy, the Cheyenne. But when they got to the Cheyenne camp he saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He fell instantly in love with her and decided to take her away with him. So he grabbed her, put her on his pony and rode away with her. But he rode in the wrong direction and he got separated from the other Shoshone warriors. The young maiden's father and brothers were soon riding after him to save her. He was forced up into the mountains along dangerous trails to keep them from finding him and taking away his beloved. That's when he found this place. He told me and Kid about it and we just had to find out for ourselves if this place was really as beautiful as he claimed it was."
"What was her name? The Cheyenne maiden?"
"Her name was Laughing Wind."
"What a beautiful name. How ironic that her name was 'Laughing' and his was 'Crying.'"
"When he learned that her name was Laughing Wind, he knew then that the Great Spirit had led him to her that day and that she was his destiny. Because they were two halves of a whole and together they would be a complete spirit. This is why he fell instantly in love with her."
"So what happened to them? Did she fall in love with him and did they get to be together?"
"Yes, she fell in love with him."
"Because she felt the same spiritual connection that he did?"
"No. Because he refused to take her down from the mountain until she fell in love with him. That was about four months."
"What a wonderful story. I suppose he called it the Cave of the Crying Winds because it was a combination of their names. How romantic. Did they get to live happily ever after?"
"They lived in his village with his people for many years. They had five sons. But they were all killed fighting white soldiers. Laughing Wind died from grief after all of her sons were killed and Crying Eagle took up many of the white man's ways, including drowning his sorrows in the white man's fire water."
Evie stopped and looked up at him with sad eyes. "That is not the happy ending I wanted to hear."
"Sorry. What did you want me to do, make something up that wasn't the truth?"
"Yes."
He laughed out loud at her as he continued to lead her slowly toward the lake. "You're a hopeless romantic and I love that about you. But the truth is that life can be cruel sometimes. And the only thing that makes it worth the fight is having somebody you love beside you."
She wrapped her arms tighter around him as he held onto her still unsteady frame. The last two years of her life had been cruel. But she had fought to have him here beside her. And, yes, it had all been worth it.
"Are you sure you're alright to go in the water?" he asked her as she held her firmly around the waist to support her weak legs.
"I think so. I can feel the strength coming back into my legs. Which way is the town?" she asked as she swept her gaze over the gorgeous scenery.
"Culver City is that way," he pointed southward. "That's Eagle's Peak," he said pointing east. "And the mountain behind us in the west is called Table Mountain."
They reached the lake and Evie was delighted to find Odin there with a new friend of his own. "Where did she come from?" Evie asked scratching the velvet nose of the black mare.
"She followed us all the way from Cheyenne. I think she's one of the carriage horses. Somebody sure must be looking out for us, because we're probably going to need her."
"Hello, beautiful. Do you have a name?" Evie spoke to the gentle horse. "Aren't you afraid to leave them out in the open like this? What if someone spots us?"
"Sweetheart we're way up in the mountains. If you had been awake when we rode in here you'd have seen just how high. The only trail up here is a narrow ledge along the outside of a steep cliff. Nobody in their right mind would ever come up here. Unless of course you're a curious teenager with nerves of steel who's out to prove that an old Indian in town is making up stories. It really is a perfect place to get lost from everything. There's plenty of fresh water, game for hunting, wood for fire and a cave for shelter. I figure we're safe enough up here. And I'm sure Kid will figure out where I've gone. He will have to cover our tracks so it may take him a while to get here. He could be here by tonight, but by tomorrow for sure."
"I'll be glad to see him so we can find out what's going on back in Cheyenne."
"Me too. In the mean time let's get you out of those smelly clothes and wash the soot off of you."
He took his arm from around her waist and she began to lean a little, unsteady without his support. Her head still wanted to swim a little. He immediately grabbed her to keep her from faltering.
"I think you're going to have to go in the water with me. I don't know if I can stand by myself."
She didn't have to ask him twice. In a few minutes he was stripped down to his long john underwear. He, like her was now half naked. She stood like an obedient child as he began to remove her clothing. Her raised her arms above her head and pulled the chemise, stained with black, over her head. Her pantalettes were shimmied over her hips and down her thighs. She had to hold onto his shoulder to keep from falling over when he lifted each foot from the ground to remove her stockings. She stood before him, unashamed in her nakedness, trusting and loving the man who was helping her.
He was leading her into the water when she stopped him suddenly. "I hardly think this is fair. I'm completely naked and you're still wearing your long johns."
He looked sideways at her with glint of mischief in his eyes. "We wouldn't want things to be unfair now would we?" He quickly shed his white knickers and stood before in all his bare glory. "There is that better?"
"Much." She beamed into the face of the man she loved as he stood there like a Greek god holding a bar of soap.
She gasped at the cool temperature of the water. Her unsteady legs became even more unsteady on the lake's rocky bottom. She clutched at his arms as she became dizzy and started to fall.
"Whoa. Steady," he said as he came behind her and encircled her waist. She let herself lean back against his warm, supporting body. He walked his way with her deeper into the water until it was chest deep. "Now just let yourself float, rest your head on my shoulder and I'll do the rest," he instructed.
She was more than happy to oblige his request. Her body was growing accustomed to the cool water and she closed her eyes as he lathered his hands with a hunk of soap he had taken out of his saddle bag. He began to massage the smokey stench from her beautiful hair. She could feel his fingers massage particles of burned debris from her scalp. She was beginning to recall now more clearly how he had scooped her up and onto Odin's back just before the veranda's roof had collapsed. She had felt her way down the grand staircase to the front door. And she seemed to remember Clayton's face as it loomed over her. But she just couldn't put her finger on the memory.
His strong yet gentle hands, lathered again, began to massage away the traces of black soot from her face that he had not seen in the dimly lit cave. She loved the feel of his fingertips on her cheeks, her eyelids, her chin and nose. The pungent stench of the smoke that had clung to her skin was beginning to disappear. He lathered her arms and her back, washing away the remains of the black smudges. This must be what Heaven felt like.
"It's a miracle you didn't get burned," he said softly against her ear before planting a gentle kiss against her bare shoulder.
"It's a miracle you were able to get to me before that roof collapsed."
"It seems that miracles follow you wherever you go. Because I've seen one miracle after another since I've known you." Her body was floating just enough so that her breasts bobbed slightly above the waters surface. Her head rested against his shoulder, giving his a perfect view of the ivory skinned, dusky tipped globes. In spite of the tepid water, he could feel his manhood twitching to life. Calm it down, Heyes. She's been through a trauma and her body needs rest. She doesn't need you groping and pawing at her. Get yourself under control. He felt his body slowly calm and old Glory went back to half mast. Now if he could just get her out of the water and into some dry clothes without old Glory flying high again. He grasped her waist and pulled her along as he started a slow walk back towards the shore.
"You're not done, are you?" she asked as her eyes opened and peered up at him.
"What do you mean?" he asked, dreading the answer, but knowing what it was going to be.
"You haven't washed all of me yet."
And just like that old Glory was at full mast again. He swallowed hard. The odd shaped hunk of soap that Kid had stuffed in his saddle bag floated nearby. Don't do it, Heyes. Don't do it. He reached for the soap and began to lather it between his hands. He let the soap drop to float once again into the waist high water. His empty and lathered hands made a slow yet deliberate trek over her shoulders then down her chest to their final destination, her buoyant, buxom breasts.
"Ummmm." She couldn't control her vocal affirmation of just how good it felt to have his hands on her body. She was being bombarded with so many different sensations. Her skin below the surface of the water was cool, but her skin above the water was warmed by the sun. The slippery, smooth wetness of his lathered hands against her breasts felt distinctly different from his whisker roughened jaw that rested against the side of her face. And the lightness of her head was vastly different from the heavy, fullness she was beginning to feel in her lower regions. She wondered if she was making him feel the same way he was making her feel. There was only one way to find out.
Her lips sought his and found them. She pulled his head down closer to deepen the kiss. He knew he shouldn't have picked up that soap. He knew this was where it would lead. Before he knew it she had flipped over in the water and was facing him, wrapping her legs around him, kissing him with feverish intensity.
She brought her hands down between their bodies and found what she sought, the evidence that his desire for her was as great as hers was for him. She looked into his soulful dark eyes and saw her passion mirrored there. But he did not move to bring their bodies together. Having her body so close to his, having that part of him so near the threshold of all her desire was making her desperate with need. She moved her hand over his hard flesh, teasing and coaxing him. Surely he would end her misery soon. But when he made no move to do so, with a boldness that she didn't know she had, she guided that engorged part of him into herself, filling the empty ache that only he could fill.
He could only stand there, bewitched by the brazen and bold beauty as she took what she wanted and needed from him. An old saying came to his mind about the perfect woman being a lady in the parlor and a whore in the bedroom. The fact that she was a lady went without saying, but he never dreamed that she would be so blatant about her need and her desire for him. He had never been in a real relationship before. He had been with plenty of women, but never for long and never for any real reason except sexual release and the occasional need for female companionship. All the stories he had heard from married men had led him to belief that most women outside of a brothel had to be coerced into even the most mundane sexual acts. And here this woman, this gorgeous, spellbinding woman, whom he loved with all of his heart, was being more brazen than any soiled dove he'd ever handed a silver dollar to. Again he wondered why God would bestow such a gift upon him. She amazed him in some new and different way everyday.
He stood as still as he could manage and let her have her way with him. He wanted her to be in control so that she could end it anytime she wanted. But it became very difficult when she squeezed her legs more tightly around him, drawing him deeper inside the hot, wet center of her body. He stood there, his feet planted firmly on the bottom of the lake and watched her face contort in expressions that resembled both pleasure and pain as she worked her self up and down upon his rigid body. She was greedy in her quest for release. And he was enraptured by the unbelievable sight of her relentless pursuit, with her head thrown back, her dark,wet hair spilling down her back to hover on the water's surface. Her movements created small ripples on the water that lapped at their skin. He struggled to keep his breathing steady as he began to feel his self control slipping away.
She didn't know what had come over her. It was as though her body's needs had overruled all rational thought and she was acting on the most basic human level. When he hadn't immediately given her what she had needed, she simply took it. He was more capable of overpowering her senses than any drug could ever be. He made her want and need like no other person or thing on this earth. When she heard his breathing begin to quicken she knew that he too was on the verge of losing the stoic control he had been displaying up until now. When he grasped her hips and took control of the deep penetrating thrusts she knew he too was on the verge of release. When hers came it was intense and she cried out as the pent up energy inside her unleashed itself in wave upon wave of satiating spasms. Her release triggered his and he wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding on as the force of it made him tremble.
He carried her from the water and collapsed on the grass with her still atop him. She rolled off him and lay beside him. They lay without speaking, looking up at the cloudless sky, both breathing heavily, their energy spent. When their breathing slowed and their bodies had calmed, he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips and kissed it. "Where did that come from?" he asked still looking skyward.
"I have no idea. Are you very disappointed in me?"
His head turned to stare at her with a look of complete disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"
She turned to see the look on his face. "You mean you're not upset that I just acted like a shameless hussy?"
He gave a deep chuckle as he rolled to his side and gathered her close to him. "Sweetheart, as long as I'm the only man you ever act that way with, I consider myself the luckiest man on earth."
They lay, naked and unashamed, like Adam and Eve in their own private Eden, letting their wet skin dry in the sun.
The crowd began to disperse. The governor stepped down from the soapbox and leaned in close to his body guard, Bartholomew. "Find them before any of these stupid hayseeds. I don't plan to pay out a dime. I want them dead and I want the girl returned to me. And make sure she knows how to keep her mouth shut."
Bartholomew simply nodded his understanding and went in search of a horse.
She awoke to a sight more beautiful than anything she could have dreamed. Her beloved Hannibal sitting by fire with his back against the wall of the cave. His perfect profile was bathed in the amber glow of the fire light. He was gazing up at the starlit sky. "A penny for your thoughts," she said quietly.
He turned his shining eyes and smiling lips towards her. "I was just thinking about how simple life seemed when we were out in the wilderness of Texas."
"I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to wake up and see your face. I'm so glad you're here."
"I'll always be here. I told you, everyday for the rest of your life, when you wake up, I'll be here."
"What if I get up on the wrong side of the bed?"
"I'll be here."
"What if I'm cranky and moody and I bite your head off at every little thing?"
"I'll still be here."
"What about when I'm old and gray and my shoulders are slumped and I can't get around very well?"
"I'll just have to carry you around, I guess. No matter what I'll always be here." He stretched out beside her on the blanket. "I love you with everything I've got. I hope you know that."
"I wouldn't have made it through the past two years if I didn't believe that."
"Sure you would have. You're the strongest woman I know."
"I'm strong because of you and your love. How is it possible that you can be the source of all my strength and at the same time be my greatest weakness. I love you more than my next breath."
He was overwhelmed by her. By her beauty, her strength, her spirit, her love. He would never let anything or anyone separate them again.
"Tomorrow when Kid gets here, I want you to know that nothing he tells us will make me leave you or send you away. Whatever happens, we're in it together."
"I wouldn't have it any other way. But just to make sure, I want you to hold up your right hand and swear on the life of our unborn children that you will never ever leave me again for any reason."
"I swear on our unborn children," he said as he lifted his right hand and put his left hand over his heart. His gaze narrowed and he looked st her thoughtfully. "Just how many children were you figuring on anyway?"
"Oh, five or six at least."
"Wow. I guess we should plan on getting started then as soon as possible." He grasped her hips, tightly clothed in an extra pair of his pants. "You shouldn't have any trouble bringing plenty of healthy babies into the world."
The smile on her face faded and she sat up quickly. "Oh, God, I remember."
"You remember what?"
"Why I didn't have any clothes on."
"Why?"
"He was going to..." she didn't want to say it out loud.
"To what?"
"The doctor said I was healthy and should be able to bring a fine child into the world. I think Clayton was going to...." she just couldn't finish it, but he knew what she meant. She began to tremble at the thought of the man who was supposed to be her father-in-law, doing something so lascivious and wrong. "That's how the house caught fire. I tried to hit him over the head with a candlestick and the candle fell to the floor and caught the drapes on fire. He left me there to go save his roses."
He gathered her close to him and held her shaking body. "It's alright. You never have to see him again. He will never touch you again, I promise."
It was in that moment that he truly understand the saying, "God works .in mysterious ways." If that house had not caught fire, Clayton Ramsey would have forced himself on Evie. If Clayton Ramsey had not been more worried about his roses than he was a living human being, he probably would have carried her out of the burning mansion and Heyes would never have been able to save her from that bastards clutches. The thought of that lecherous old man trying to molest her and then leaving her in a burning house made him more angry than he had ever been. But right now he needed to be strong for her and he needed to be level headed and calm. So he swallowed that anger and let it settle deep down inside. That is where the dark being inside of him found it and held on to it.
She was in a deep sleep and she was snoring ever so lightly. She would be so embarrassed if she knew she was snoring while he listening and it brought a smile to his face. He loved that she snored. It somehow made her all the more charming and sweet. She wasn't perfect, but she was perfect for him. He had never felt so connected to another soul.
She was in such a deep sleep that she hadn't even awakened when he had attempted to wash some of soot from her face, hands and arms with his dampened bandanna. It was while he bathed her arms that he noticed how much thinner she was since he had seen her that day she had come to the prison to tell him he was being released. And when he had washed her face the dark circles under her eyes were evident. He had no idea the toll this ordeal had obviously taken on her or what hell she had endured while she was practically a prisoner in that mansion. And she had endured it all so that he would be free.
They say God works in mysterious ways. He certainly believed that was true now. If things had not happened as they had and things had not fallen into perfect place, then he had no doubt he would still be in that prison. He had been planning in his head how he and Kid could escape that place, but it probably would have taken him ten years to pull it off, if he ever pulled it off. But as he thought about the long, lonely silence of that place, he doubted if he would have remained sane long enough to see any plan through. Getting out of that place was yet another miracle he had witnessed since he had known this amazing woman. God must surely be working in mysterious ways to make sure they would be together. But not because he deserved it. It was because she deserved it. She deserved all the happiness and joy that a person could stand. Why God had chosen to give him the gift of this precious woman's love he did not know. But he lifted his face towards the heavens and said a silent "thank you." It was a gift he would cherish and never take for granted.
He threw another log on the fire and lay down beside her. He spooned up next to her under the one blanket they had. The strong smell of smoke that clung to her beautiful hair filled his nostrils. He ran his hand through her glorious hair and felt the litter and debris that had fell from the burning house and onto her scalp. It was a miracle that not one of her glorious hairs had been burned. Except for a little smoke inhalation and the ill effects of the drug she'd been given, she was unscathed. He said another silent "thank you" before he followed her into a peaceful sleep.
He awoke with the dawn and cautiously stepped outside to make sure that they were still alone in their little paradise. There was no sign that anyone or anything had been near except for the evidence of rabbits who had left their foot prints in the sandy dirt at the foot of the mountain Evie now slept under. She was still snoring lightly when he stepped back inside and crouched by the fire to stir the embers back to life. Her snoring stopped and she stirred next to him. Her eyes opened and she smiled as she stretched her arm out in search of his hand. She scooted closer and took her hand then he lifted her head and laid it on his lap.
"You're here. I thought maybe I had dreamed you, but you're still here."
"Yes, I'm here. And I promise you that everyday for the rest of your life when you wake up I'll be here."
"That's all I've ever wanted."
"Even if it means leaving the states?"
"I don't care where we go. As long as your with me, I can deal with anything. I believe we are meant to be, Mr. Heyes."
"I've been thinking about that. And I believe it too. And I know God works in mysterious ways, but do you think maybe He'll give us a break now and let us enjoy being meant for each other."
"I'm so sorry I put you through all of this. But when the opportunity to get you out of prison was right there in front of me, I had to take it, no matter what the consequences. I hope you'll forgive me for not telling you what was going on from the beginning. I was just so afraid of you being sent back to that place, or worse."
"I forgive you. But only if you forgive me. I was pretty nasty to you that night I came to your room."
"You're forgiven. But you really weren't that nasty."
"Evie, I practically raped you."
"No you didn't. You can't rape someone who's willing. And believe me I was willing. And if you want to know the truth about it...I kinda liked it."
She surprised him yet again. "Did you now? Just when I think there's nothing new I can learn about you, you show me a whole new side of yourself."
"As soon as I'm feeling up to it, Mr. Heyes, I plan on showing you many sides of myself," she said flirtatiously.
"I'm going to hold you to that, Miss Webb." He kissed her forehead and inhaled the strong smell of smoke that still clung to her hair and clothes. "Are you feeling up to a bath? I got most of it off your skin but you've got soot and ashes in your hair and you need to get into some clean clothes."
She looked down to see that she was wearing only her stockings and underclothes. "You just couldn't wait to get me out of my clothes afterall, huh?" she asked playfully.
He frowned at her. "I didn't take your clothes off. You were dressed like that when I scooped you up and rode off with you." He saw the confused look on her face. "You don't remember why your clothes were taken off do you?"
"No, I don't. I still can't remember anything except blurred faces and mumbling voices. I can barely remember crawling out of the house to see you riding towards me."
"You remembered the doctor last night after something jarred your memory. Maybe that will happen again and you'll remember some more. Right now let's see if we can get you on your feet long enough to get down to the water."
The mid morning sun was a stark contrast to the cool temperatures inside the cave. Evie was glad to feel the warmth of it on her skin when she stepped from the cave entrance. Her feet were still not as steady as she would have liked and her head still ached a little but not nearly as much as last night. She leaned heavily on the strong, solid frame of the man beside her as she walked gingerly out of the cave in her stocking covered feet. For one more time in her life, she would be dead if not for Hannibal Heyes.
Once outside of the deep cleft in the mountain she looked around and was astounded by what she saw. The mountains she had seen when she and Hannibal had been traveling through he Trans Pecos of Texas were nothing like these mountains. The mountain on the eastern horizon was so high that the peak was covered by billowing clouds. It rose out of a carpet of evergreen trees that stretched westward towards them and the mountain range that rose behind them. They stood on a grass covered plateau that extended down a cascade of rolling hills until it reached the evergreen forest. The hills were dotted with multi colored wild flowers. And just below them off to her right there was a crystal blue lake that glistened like diamonds in the sunlight. It was like some kind of paradise.
"No wonder you boys chose this place to hide. I've never seen any place so beautiful. This is much nicer than that dungeon in Rising Gulch. What's this place called?"
"According to the old Indian who told us about this place it's called Cave of the Crying Winds. We only came here when we needed to rest on our way back to Devil's Hole. We pulled jobs as far east as St. Louis before. You had to make sure you had places like this to get lost in so you could rest yourself and your horse when traveled that far."
"How did you ever find this place?" she asked him as they walked down the hillside towards the water.
"When I was about seventeen, before I started riding with the Plummer gang, me and Kid met this old Indian fella that every body called Snake Skin. His real name was Crying Eagle but everybody called him Snake Skin because he wore this old black hat with a snake skin band around it. He was from the Shoshone tribe. The Shoshone lived in the western half of the territory and the Cheyenne tribe lived in the east. They were bitter enemies. When he was a young warrior he went into Cheyenne territory with a raiding party. They were going to steal horses from their enemy, the Cheyenne. But when they got to the Cheyenne camp he saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He fell instantly in love with her and decided to take her away with him. So he grabbed her, put her on his pony and rode away with her. But he rode in the wrong direction and he got separated from the other Shoshone warriors. The young maiden's father and brothers were soon riding after him to save her. He was forced up into the mountains along dangerous trails to keep them from finding him and taking away his beloved. That's when he found this place. He told me and Kid about it and we just had to find out for ourselves if this place was really as beautiful as he claimed it was."
"What was her name? The Cheyenne maiden?"
"Her name was Laughing Wind."
"What a beautiful name. How ironic that her name was 'Laughing' and his was 'Crying.'"
"When he learned that her name was Laughing Wind, he knew then that the Great Spirit had led him to her that day and that she was his destiny. Because they were two halves of a whole and together they would be a complete spirit. This is why he fell instantly in love with her."
"So what happened to them? Did she fall in love with him and did they get to be together?"
"Yes, she fell in love with him."
"Because she felt the same spiritual connection that he did?"
"No. Because he refused to take her down from the mountain until she fell in love with him. That was about four months."
"What a wonderful story. I suppose he called it the Cave of the Crying Winds because it was a combination of their names. How romantic. Did they get to live happily ever after?"
"They lived in his village with his people for many years. They had five sons. But they were all killed fighting white soldiers. Laughing Wind died from grief after all of her sons were killed and Crying Eagle took up many of the white man's ways, including drowning his sorrows in the white man's fire water."
Evie stopped and looked up at him with sad eyes. "That is not the happy ending I wanted to hear."
"Sorry. What did you want me to do, make something up that wasn't the truth?"
"Yes."
He laughed out loud at her as he continued to lead her slowly toward the lake. "You're a hopeless romantic and I love that about you. But the truth is that life can be cruel sometimes. And the only thing that makes it worth the fight is having somebody you love beside you."
She wrapped her arms tighter around him as he held onto her still unsteady frame. The last two years of her life had been cruel. But she had fought to have him here beside her. And, yes, it had all been worth it.
"Are you sure you're alright to go in the water?" he asked her as she held her firmly around the waist to support her weak legs.
"I think so. I can feel the strength coming back into my legs. Which way is the town?" she asked as she swept her gaze over the gorgeous scenery.
"Culver City is that way," he pointed southward. "That's Eagle's Peak," he said pointing east. "And the mountain behind us in the west is called Table Mountain."
They reached the lake and Evie was delighted to find Odin there with a new friend of his own. "Where did she come from?" Evie asked scratching the velvet nose of the black mare.
"She followed us all the way from Cheyenne. I think she's one of the carriage horses. Somebody sure must be looking out for us, because we're probably going to need her."
"Hello, beautiful. Do you have a name?" Evie spoke to the gentle horse. "Aren't you afraid to leave them out in the open like this? What if someone spots us?"
"Sweetheart we're way up in the mountains. If you had been awake when we rode in here you'd have seen just how high. The only trail up here is a narrow ledge along the outside of a steep cliff. Nobody in their right mind would ever come up here. Unless of course you're a curious teenager with nerves of steel who's out to prove that an old Indian in town is making up stories. It really is a perfect place to get lost from everything. There's plenty of fresh water, game for hunting, wood for fire and a cave for shelter. I figure we're safe enough up here. And I'm sure Kid will figure out where I've gone. He will have to cover our tracks so it may take him a while to get here. He could be here by tonight, but by tomorrow for sure."
"I'll be glad to see him so we can find out what's going on back in Cheyenne."
"Me too. In the mean time let's get you out of those smelly clothes and wash the soot off of you."
He took his arm from around her waist and she began to lean a little, unsteady without his support. Her head still wanted to swim a little. He immediately grabbed her to keep her from faltering.
"I think you're going to have to go in the water with me. I don't know if I can stand by myself."
She didn't have to ask him twice. In a few minutes he was stripped down to his long john underwear. He, like her was now half naked. She stood like an obedient child as he began to remove her clothing. Her raised her arms above her head and pulled the chemise, stained with black, over her head. Her pantalettes were shimmied over her hips and down her thighs. She had to hold onto his shoulder to keep from falling over when he lifted each foot from the ground to remove her stockings. She stood before him, unashamed in her nakedness, trusting and loving the man who was helping her.
He was leading her into the water when she stopped him suddenly. "I hardly think this is fair. I'm completely naked and you're still wearing your long johns."
He looked sideways at her with glint of mischief in his eyes. "We wouldn't want things to be unfair now would we?" He quickly shed his white knickers and stood before in all his bare glory. "There is that better?"
"Much." She beamed into the face of the man she loved as he stood there like a Greek god holding a bar of soap.
She gasped at the cool temperature of the water. Her unsteady legs became even more unsteady on the lake's rocky bottom. She clutched at his arms as she became dizzy and started to fall.
"Whoa. Steady," he said as he came behind her and encircled her waist. She let herself lean back against his warm, supporting body. He walked his way with her deeper into the water until it was chest deep. "Now just let yourself float, rest your head on my shoulder and I'll do the rest," he instructed.
She was more than happy to oblige his request. Her body was growing accustomed to the cool water and she closed her eyes as he lathered his hands with a hunk of soap he had taken out of his saddle bag. He began to massage the smokey stench from her beautiful hair. She could feel his fingers massage particles of burned debris from her scalp. She was beginning to recall now more clearly how he had scooped her up and onto Odin's back just before the veranda's roof had collapsed. She had felt her way down the grand staircase to the front door. And she seemed to remember Clayton's face as it loomed over her. But she just couldn't put her finger on the memory.
His strong yet gentle hands, lathered again, began to massage away the traces of black soot from her face that he had not seen in the dimly lit cave. She loved the feel of his fingertips on her cheeks, her eyelids, her chin and nose. The pungent stench of the smoke that had clung to her skin was beginning to disappear. He lathered her arms and her back, washing away the remains of the black smudges. This must be what Heaven felt like.
"It's a miracle you didn't get burned," he said softly against her ear before planting a gentle kiss against her bare shoulder.
"It's a miracle you were able to get to me before that roof collapsed."
"It seems that miracles follow you wherever you go. Because I've seen one miracle after another since I've known you." Her body was floating just enough so that her breasts bobbed slightly above the waters surface. Her head rested against his shoulder, giving his a perfect view of the ivory skinned, dusky tipped globes. In spite of the tepid water, he could feel his manhood twitching to life. Calm it down, Heyes. She's been through a trauma and her body needs rest. She doesn't need you groping and pawing at her. Get yourself under control. He felt his body slowly calm and old Glory went back to half mast. Now if he could just get her out of the water and into some dry clothes without old Glory flying high again. He grasped her waist and pulled her along as he started a slow walk back towards the shore.
"You're not done, are you?" she asked as her eyes opened and peered up at him.
"What do you mean?" he asked, dreading the answer, but knowing what it was going to be.
"You haven't washed all of me yet."
And just like that old Glory was at full mast again. He swallowed hard. The odd shaped hunk of soap that Kid had stuffed in his saddle bag floated nearby. Don't do it, Heyes. Don't do it. He reached for the soap and began to lather it between his hands. He let the soap drop to float once again into the waist high water. His empty and lathered hands made a slow yet deliberate trek over her shoulders then down her chest to their final destination, her buoyant, buxom breasts.
"Ummmm." She couldn't control her vocal affirmation of just how good it felt to have his hands on her body. She was being bombarded with so many different sensations. Her skin below the surface of the water was cool, but her skin above the water was warmed by the sun. The slippery, smooth wetness of his lathered hands against her breasts felt distinctly different from his whisker roughened jaw that rested against the side of her face. And the lightness of her head was vastly different from the heavy, fullness she was beginning to feel in her lower regions. She wondered if she was making him feel the same way he was making her feel. There was only one way to find out.
Her lips sought his and found them. She pulled his head down closer to deepen the kiss. He knew he shouldn't have picked up that soap. He knew this was where it would lead. Before he knew it she had flipped over in the water and was facing him, wrapping her legs around him, kissing him with feverish intensity.
She brought her hands down between their bodies and found what she sought, the evidence that his desire for her was as great as hers was for him. She looked into his soulful dark eyes and saw her passion mirrored there. But he did not move to bring their bodies together. Having her body so close to his, having that part of him so near the threshold of all her desire was making her desperate with need. She moved her hand over his hard flesh, teasing and coaxing him. Surely he would end her misery soon. But when he made no move to do so, with a boldness that she didn't know she had, she guided that engorged part of him into herself, filling the empty ache that only he could fill.
He could only stand there, bewitched by the brazen and bold beauty as she took what she wanted and needed from him. An old saying came to his mind about the perfect woman being a lady in the parlor and a whore in the bedroom. The fact that she was a lady went without saying, but he never dreamed that she would be so blatant about her need and her desire for him. He had never been in a real relationship before. He had been with plenty of women, but never for long and never for any real reason except sexual release and the occasional need for female companionship. All the stories he had heard from married men had led him to belief that most women outside of a brothel had to be coerced into even the most mundane sexual acts. And here this woman, this gorgeous, spellbinding woman, whom he loved with all of his heart, was being more brazen than any soiled dove he'd ever handed a silver dollar to. Again he wondered why God would bestow such a gift upon him. She amazed him in some new and different way everyday.
He stood as still as he could manage and let her have her way with him. He wanted her to be in control so that she could end it anytime she wanted. But it became very difficult when she squeezed her legs more tightly around him, drawing him deeper inside the hot, wet center of her body. He stood there, his feet planted firmly on the bottom of the lake and watched her face contort in expressions that resembled both pleasure and pain as she worked her self up and down upon his rigid body. She was greedy in her quest for release. And he was enraptured by the unbelievable sight of her relentless pursuit, with her head thrown back, her dark,wet hair spilling down her back to hover on the water's surface. Her movements created small ripples on the water that lapped at their skin. He struggled to keep his breathing steady as he began to feel his self control slipping away.
She didn't know what had come over her. It was as though her body's needs had overruled all rational thought and she was acting on the most basic human level. When he hadn't immediately given her what she had needed, she simply took it. He was more capable of overpowering her senses than any drug could ever be. He made her want and need like no other person or thing on this earth. When she heard his breathing begin to quicken she knew that he too was on the verge of losing the stoic control he had been displaying up until now. When he grasped her hips and took control of the deep penetrating thrusts she knew he too was on the verge of release. When hers came it was intense and she cried out as the pent up energy inside her unleashed itself in wave upon wave of satiating spasms. Her release triggered his and he wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding on as the force of it made him tremble.
He carried her from the water and collapsed on the grass with her still atop him. She rolled off him and lay beside him. They lay without speaking, looking up at the cloudless sky, both breathing heavily, their energy spent. When their breathing slowed and their bodies had calmed, he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips and kissed it. "Where did that come from?" he asked still looking skyward.
"I have no idea. Are you very disappointed in me?"
His head turned to stare at her with a look of complete disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"
She turned to see the look on his face. "You mean you're not upset that I just acted like a shameless hussy?"
He gave a deep chuckle as he rolled to his side and gathered her close to him. "Sweetheart, as long as I'm the only man you ever act that way with, I consider myself the luckiest man on earth."
They lay, naked and unashamed, like Adam and Eve in their own private Eden, letting their wet skin dry in the sun.
~*~
"Yes, my dear friends, it's true. The outlaw, Hannibal Heyes, has kidnapped my daughter-in-law after he maliciously set fire to the governor's mansion." Clayton Ramsey stood upon a soapbox in the center of downtown Cheyenne to address the crowd that had gathered there. "Apparently, unknown to me and my son, she was once involved with this outlaw. Had I known of her ties to the criminal, I never would have allowed my son to marry her. And I certainly wouldn't have pardoned him of his crimes. It was under the ruse of being a tender hearted humanitarian that she admonished me to set those two thieves free. And of course being the fair man that I am, I agreed. But I can't hold her responsible for this latest atrocity. Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry alone are responsible. My daughter-in-law is very much committed to my son and must be found. He is absolutely heartbroken at the disappearance of his dear wife. I am offering a $10,000 dollar reward for her safe return and the capture of both outlaws."
"Which way was they headed?" one member of the crowd shouted.
"Some of my men saw them ride north. But they escaped one a single horse. They can't be making very good time. A good tracker should be able to pick up their trail with ease and find them without much effort."
"We'll catch them two heathens for you, Governor," was heard from the crowd.
"And we'll bring that gal back unharmed," came another reply.
"Thank you. Thank you, all my good friends and fellow citizens for your loyalty and your support. I only hope this tragedy won't destroy my hopes of one day being your president."
The crowd began to disperse. The governor stepped down from the soapbox and leaned in close to his body guard, Bartholomew. "Find them before any of these stupid hayseeds. I don't plan to pay out a dime. I want them dead and I want the girl returned to me. And make sure she knows how to keep her mouth shut."
Bartholomew simply nodded his understanding and went in search of a horse.
~*~
Kid was growing weary. But he had made it to the foot of the mountain by nightfall. He would have to wait until morning to travel up the tricky, narrow ledge to the sanctuary above. He had been following Heyes's trail since yesterday. He knew exactly where his partner was headed once he had started tracking him. He stopped every few miles to cover their tracks or double back and zig zag back across his own tracks to lead anyone who might be following him away from the north bound trail that he and Heyes had taken. If he hadn't been stopping to cover their tracks he would have already made it to the Cave of the Crying Winds.
The morning should shed some light not only on the day but on the situation he and his partner now found themselves in. He didn't know how they managed it, but they always seemed to get into trouble that wasn't even of their own making. He prayed this would be the last time. He had too much to live for and too much life to look forward to now to think about living life as a fugitive. He hated to think about it, but there was a real possibility that he and Heyes would have to part ways this time. He had never been without Heyes in his life, except for the two years his partner had ridden with the Plummer gang at the beginning of his career. And he couldn't really conceive of life without him, but if he had to give up his partner to keep his daughter in his life, then just like his gun, he would give him up. He closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep. His last thought before he drifted off was that life was so unfair. He didn't ask a lot from life, just a chance to be a good husband and father, but at the same time keep his best friend.
~*~
She awoke to a sight more beautiful than anything she could have dreamed. Her beloved Hannibal sitting by fire with his back against the wall of the cave. His perfect profile was bathed in the amber glow of the fire light. He was gazing up at the starlit sky. "A penny for your thoughts," she said quietly.
He turned his shining eyes and smiling lips towards her. "I was just thinking about how simple life seemed when we were out in the wilderness of Texas."
"I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to wake up and see your face. I'm so glad you're here."
"I'll always be here. I told you, everyday for the rest of your life, when you wake up, I'll be here."
"What if I get up on the wrong side of the bed?"
"I'll be here."
"What if I'm cranky and moody and I bite your head off at every little thing?"
"I'll still be here."
"What about when I'm old and gray and my shoulders are slumped and I can't get around very well?"
"I'll just have to carry you around, I guess. No matter what I'll always be here." He stretched out beside her on the blanket. "I love you with everything I've got. I hope you know that."
"I wouldn't have made it through the past two years if I didn't believe that."
"Sure you would have. You're the strongest woman I know."
"I'm strong because of you and your love. How is it possible that you can be the source of all my strength and at the same time be my greatest weakness. I love you more than my next breath."
He was overwhelmed by her. By her beauty, her strength, her spirit, her love. He would never let anything or anyone separate them again.
"Tomorrow when Kid gets here, I want you to know that nothing he tells us will make me leave you or send you away. Whatever happens, we're in it together."
"I wouldn't have it any other way. But just to make sure, I want you to hold up your right hand and swear on the life of our unborn children that you will never ever leave me again for any reason."
"I swear on our unborn children," he said as he lifted his right hand and put his left hand over his heart. His gaze narrowed and he looked st her thoughtfully. "Just how many children were you figuring on anyway?"
"Oh, five or six at least."
"Wow. I guess we should plan on getting started then as soon as possible." He grasped her hips, tightly clothed in an extra pair of his pants. "You shouldn't have any trouble bringing plenty of healthy babies into the world."
The smile on her face faded and she sat up quickly. "Oh, God, I remember."
"You remember what?"
"Why I didn't have any clothes on."
"Why?"
"He was going to..." she didn't want to say it out loud.
"To what?"
"The doctor said I was healthy and should be able to bring a fine child into the world. I think Clayton was going to...." she just couldn't finish it, but he knew what she meant. She began to tremble at the thought of the man who was supposed to be her father-in-law, doing something so lascivious and wrong. "That's how the house caught fire. I tried to hit him over the head with a candlestick and the candle fell to the floor and caught the drapes on fire. He left me there to go save his roses."
He gathered her close to him and held her shaking body. "It's alright. You never have to see him again. He will never touch you again, I promise."
It was in that moment that he truly understand the saying, "God works .in mysterious ways." If that house had not caught fire, Clayton Ramsey would have forced himself on Evie. If Clayton Ramsey had not been more worried about his roses than he was a living human being, he probably would have carried her out of the burning mansion and Heyes would never have been able to save her from that bastards clutches. The thought of that lecherous old man trying to molest her and then leaving her in a burning house made him more angry than he had ever been. But right now he needed to be strong for her and he needed to be level headed and calm. So he swallowed that anger and let it settle deep down inside. That is where the dark being inside of him found it and held on to it.
Soundtrack for Chapter 10
Chapter 10 is almost ready. Enjoy this beautiful song, "I Will Be Here" by Steven Curtis Chapman.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
More Beautiful Vidcaps
Ben's not too bad either.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Some video captures I made of our cowboys
From"The Reformation of Harry Briscoe." One of my top ten favorite episodes for obvious reasons....THE CHAPS!!! I wonder if they knew how devastating they looked in those things. I have never seen any one fill out a pair of chaps as well as these two cowboys do.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Karen's Favorites ~ Scenes for the Series
One of the finest moments in television history....Heyes and Curry in their chaps, lying on their bellies. I never get tired of watching this one.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Karen's Favorite's ~ Scenes from the Show
One of my favorites, and I'm sure a favorite of all us Petey/Heyes girls....by the way, if the music annoys you, just click the pause button at the bottom of the page and it will stop. :')
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
What the heck is wrong with people?
In case nobody has caught on yet, I'll say it one more time loud and clear....I'm obsessed with Peter Deuel. And naturally like anybody who has an overwhelming affection for someone, I want to talk about that someone, share thoughts about that someone and have conversations with other people who also share that same affection and obsession. I had no idea there were so many out there just like me who still loved and appreciated this beautiful man until I started this blog and made some like minded friends. This introduced me to the world of Pete Duel fandom. While on the whole it has been great fun and it has been a tremendous outlet for expressing things I can't express to others who just wouldn't understand my preoccupation with a man who's been dead more than 40 years, I can also sadly say that it has afforded me the unpleasant opportunity to see grown women, much older than my 46 years in most cases, act like jealous school girls vying for the attention of the cutest boy in school. And quite frankly, I'm tired of it. I am embarrassed and ashamed at some of the behavior I have witnessed of late. Especially in light of the fact that someone who knew Peter in life, someone who graciously agreed to share memories of Pete with us had to witness it as well. Sometimes I regret ever venturing past this blog and getting involved with any of it. But I wouldn't have met some of the wonderful people who aren't acting like jealous, petty children either. So the good out weighs the bad. I don't understand why some people feel that they have to be the first one or the only one who shares a picture or contacts a friend of Peter's and if they aren't the first one then they have to be jealous and do what ever they can to upstage the other person. It's ridiculous and it's destructive. With that said I will now say this...I am going to take a break from facebook groups for a while. I will still continue to post occasionally on my Evangeline page, but I need to stay away from the other two pages I am a member of for right now. When these kind of episodes occur it disturbs me and it somehow damages the special bond I feel with this lovely, special man's spirit. And that is something I simply cannot allow. He is my inspiration and my muse. So if you don't see me around facebook groups for a while, you know the reason. But don't worry, I'll be lurking.
Now on to something fun and happy.....
As you can see, Peter insisted on taking me for a drive to calm my nerves. He's so thoughtful and sweet like that. Don't we look cute together. I hope everybody gets over the hump today and slides easily into the end of the week and right on into a great weekend.
Peace, love and dimpled smiles to you all,
Karen :')
as always, love you Peter
Now on to something fun and happy.....
As you can see, Peter insisted on taking me for a drive to calm my nerves. He's so thoughtful and sweet like that. Don't we look cute together. I hope everybody gets over the hump today and slides easily into the end of the week and right on into a great weekend.
Peace, love and dimpled smiles to you all,
Karen :')
as always, love you Peter
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)