Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy: Book 1) (43 page)

“
You have but to utter the
one simple word and I will cease the persuasion I am so forced to
use. Simply say yes. The word was a soft whisper.

Celia grew ill.

“
Yes, you will lay with me,
yes, you will cooperate with me, and yes, and you will take me to
Red Bear. In return, I will spare your precious Mr.
Loflin.”

The sickness in the bottom of her
stomach escalated with each word and then Celia froze.

Brannon’s gaze had shifted from her to
Seth lying in the dirt and then to the poker in the
fire.

Recognizing where his plans centered,
Celia screamed, “Noooooo”

Slowly he turned and stooped to pick
the red-hot iron up. Holding it high, he examined its smoldering
red tip. Brannon paused as he considered, “Your work on my injured
comrade was quite commendable. While I do not profess to possess
the same gift that you do, I do think that I can draw the necessary
response from Mr. Loflin with your improvised surgical
tool.”

Celia couldn’t breathe. She hadn’t
realized he would be watching her work. Her concern for all wounded
had taken over and she’d closed a man’s bleeding artery by
cauterizing it with a hot poker. What could this monster be
thinking? Her mind screamed the accusation at her.

He strode toward Seth, yanking him up
by the cuff of his collar.

She saw the red welts swelling along
his temple where the gun butt had landed. Blood mixed with dirt
caked his face. His left eye was swollen shut, and his lip had a
deep cut.

Brannon welded the poker very close to
Seth’s throat. “Where would you like the first brand, my dear?” His
mouth set in a thin line when he glanced back at her.

Panic seized her in its clutches. She
could feel it’s cold fingers clawing at her skin. Groping for
courage she wasn’t sure she possessed, Celia could only stare in
horror.

One of the men holding her grabbed her
chin and held her face, “Watch now, missy. You might miss
somethin’.”

She jerked in the man’s grip. Tears
streamed down her face as she looked helplessly into those deep,
blue depths.

Each muscle in Seth’s face and neck had
gone rigid but he never took his eyes off her, never made a sound.
The tip of the rod met flesh and Seth bucked under the restraining
hands. All the color drained from his face before the crimson came
flooding back. Teeth gritted, eyes shut, face grimaced, and he
struggled with the pain, but still didn’t make a sound. Spittle ran
uncontrolled down his chin while the stench of scorching flesh hung
heavy in the air. When Brannon removed the poker, Seth slumped,
like an unconscious drunk, in a heap on the ground.

Celia bucked, kicked and jerked in the
fists that held her like steel. Surely, this lunatic wasn’t going
to go through with yet another burn. In shock, she watched as
Brannon bent to the fire. Shoving the poker into the hot embers, he
raised his head and peered at her with his cold, lifeless eyes.
Something went numb inside her. Realizing this madman would do
whatever was necessary to achieve his goal, Celia died a little
inside. She couldn’t bring herself to look at the man she loved.
Her heart was breaking. If she could have removed it and given it
to the cowboy for safekeeping, she would have. After all, she
wouldn’t need it anymore. “Yes…yes…I’ll help you. Just please
stop…stop.” she heard herself sob, but it sounded like someone else
uttering the words.

“
Nooooo!” Seth groaned. The
one agonizing word echoing around them. “Celia, for God’s sake,
don’t.”

Brannon rose slowly. The triumphant
look on his disgusting face made her want to vomit.

Handing Seth off to his men, Brannon
gave the order, “Throw him back in the pit. She may try and
resist.” Turning calmly, he strode to her side of the fire. “Well,
my dear, I do admire your devotion. It would seem you possess a
truly selfless soul. My compliments to the lady,” He bowed deeply,
his smile dripping with sarcasm. Those cold, lifeless eyes of his
held her gaze. He twisted the tip of his mustache while he appeared
to consider.

She could smell his cologne mixed with
the smoke from the fire. The combination made the bile rise higher.
Celia turned before losing her stomach on the boot of one of the
guards.

Cursing her, the one so violated,
shoved her into the other man, who slapped her, sending her reeling
toward the ground. There were worst things than dying, Celia knew.
She glared at Brannon with hatred born of years of dealing with men
of his caliber. Wiping her mouth, Celia stood without saying
another word. She just stared at the hated Ranger. When she found
the means, she would end her life rather than pleasure this bastard
in any way. She didn’t look at Seth because she knew she couldn’t
go through with what she had to do, if she did. That didn’t mean,
she didn’t hear every time he yelled at her and pleaded with her to
come back.

“
Take her to my tent.”
Brannon directed his men curtly as he threw the poker back into the
campfire.

“
Celia, don’t do this,
please, don’t…”

Seth’s voice held such despair and
anguish it tore at her very soul. She closed her eyes tight against
the pain. He continued to call out to her even as the guards drug
him out of sight.

“
She goes to save you. How
courageous? Wouldn’t you agree?” Brannon’s laugh filled the
air.

Blindly, she marched ahead of Brannon’s
men toward the canvas tent. Her heart was dying with each step. Was
that Seth still pleading with her to stop? Surely, her mind played
a cruel hoax.

Chapter 13

For Love

Biting off the urge to scream, Seth
paced the pit. With his heart pounding in his chest, he went over
the possibilities. He hadn’t seen it coming - how Brannon had
gotten Celia to agree to his demands. She’d done it for him – for
him, damn it! Seth raked one hand through his blood-matted hair
before fisting both in an anguished attempt to remove the visions
of what the bastard could be doing to her at that very moment. The
darkness brought nothing but more misery. Standing in the middle of
the giant grave, Seth glanced around without seeing. He wanted to
tear the man apart and roast his corpse over a fire. Field mice
scurried for cover as he kicked at the bones and body parts before
wheeling and pacing in the opposite direction. His mind raced over
a way out. He had to find a way out!

Grapping hold of a root exposed on the
wall, Seth struggled up, but without another root, his efforts
ended in a heap on the filthy earthen floor. Snarling at the
emptiness surrounding him, Seth growled out Celia’s name. Never
before in his life had he loved someone as deeply as he loved her.
Never before had he had someone offer themselves to save his
worthless ass. It tore at his insides. He hadn’t been able to
protect her after all his vows to the contrary. No, it was she
who’d protected him, maybe with her life. If Brannon had his way,
Seth would never even have the chance to tell her what she meant to
him.

Out of the darkness enveloping
everything, a keen whistle pierced the air.

Seth went on alert. No one except
Charles used that call. Scrambling to his feet, Seth returned the
call. Soon a rope sailed over the side into the vermin infested
den. Seth didn’t need to be told what was happening. He was getting
out of hell!

Charles grabbed his oldest friend in a
mighty bear hug. “It seems I’m always getting you out of trouble,
old man,” Charles chided.

Seth smiled weakly, but didn’t miss a
beat. “Celia?”

“
Don’t worry. She’s safe and
waiting on us. By the way – Brannon’s missing four of his men at
last count.”

Seth nodded in understanding,
“Brannon?”

With a negative shake, Charles turned
more serious. “He’s fortifying himself with opium at the moment in
a tent they have set for the purpose. The only reason he’s still
alive is because he’s so well-guarded, must be twenty or thirty in
there. There’s only five of us. I didn’t figure you wanted to take
a chance on a repeat of this little dance-with-the-devil, so we
decided on escape and regrouping as a better plan.” Seth nodded
again, allowing Charles to help him to the horses.

Unable to help the groan deep in his
throat as he slid into the saddle behind her, Seth buried his head
in her hair and his hands encircled her holding on tight. He
silently thanked whatever gods there were that she was
there.

Charles grinned at Seth as he rode up.
“You’ve got your sister to thank for this little rescue,” Charles
told him. He winked at Celia. “Casey can’t keep secrets, just so
you know.” He jerked his head behind him. His lopsided grin
flashed. “It’ll be a while before Brannon is clear-headed enough to
realize what’s happened. Once he does, Ty and Hawk will be ready
with a little present of their own. According to Ty, Joseph sent
some ‘Chinese fireworks’ with him.” Charles gave a snort of
laughter. “Brannon will find his world going up in smoke when he
finally comes to. By then, maybe Cole or the cavalry will have
showed up. In the meantime, we’ll be long gone.”

Seth nodded and tightened his hold on
Celia. He didn’t understand half of what Charles had just said, nor
did he care. She’d said nothing, but leaned into his chest,
gripping the arms around her tight. His hand came up and feathered
along the angle of her face. So soft and smooth, Seth thought. If
Brannon had touched her, he would make sure the man’s days came to
an abrupt end. Didn’t matter to him if he was a Texas Ranger or
not.

The sun began to rise as the men from
Shooter Creek headed for safety. They said goodbye to the canyon
leading to Brannon’s stronghold as the brilliant yellow orb peeked
over the hilltops

“
Best put as many miles
between us and the bastard as we can.” Earl spit tobacco juice and
wiped his mouth with a sleeve. Closer we are to Shooter Creek land
the better off we’ll be.”

They rode all day and only stopped when
the sun disappeared and the shadows grew long. With the darkness,
only the animals were bold enough to prowl the woods. Rattlers and
lizards were everywhere and a smart man didn’t travel in the
dark.

Seth threw up a small tent Charles had
thought to bring.

“
I appreciate Charles
thinking of the tent. I could have slept under the stars though.”
Celia shrugged. “Don’t you have plans you need to discuss with he
and Jake?” she asked. “I don’t mean to keep you from what you need
to do.” She pointed toward the tent opening. I’ll be
fine.

“
Trying to get rid of me?”
Seth’s mouth creased at the corner in a careful grin. He turned
from her toward the tent entrance. “If they need me, they know
where to find me. Besides, the view in here is much more to my
liking than the one out there.”

“
I’ll take a look at that
burn.” Celia rose in the tight confine of their little world and
leaned into Seth, examining the burn running along his neck. “The
salve appears to be working.” Looking for signs of infection, she
breathed out the one word near his ear, “Healing.” Still watching
him as he shifted into the light from the fire outside the tent,
she noticed his brooding expression. “What is it, Seth?”

His jaw worked with tension, but he
remained silent.

Patiently, she waited. She had watched
him check that opening time and again all night and would have been
angered by his preoccupation with whatever was beyond the canvas
slit except he’d cocked his rifle and laid it next to the entrance.
Several times, she’s witnessed him rubbing the hilt of his gun
still strapped at his side. He expected trouble and she couldn’t
find the words to sooth his dilemma.

Reaching a hand out, Celia stroked his
arm and gently offered the suggestion, “Talk to me, Seth. We’re in
this together.”

Turning, Seth peered into her face with
more something akin to pain. “I told you not to follow me. Did he
hurt you? Did he force you?” he asked in voice gone edgy and
pained.

A moment past before Celia could catch
her breath. The concern in his voice brought goose bumps to her
flesh. “No.”

Her one simple word reply opened a
floodgate of emotion in both of them.

“
I’d planned on killing him
just because he wanted you.” Seth extended a shaky hand and traced
the outline of her face where the bruises shone in the firelight.
“Now I will kill him for hurting you. But if he’d forced you, I’d
made up my mind. There wouldn’t have been enough of him left to
feed the buzzards.” Seth slid closer in the tiny makeshift room.
“Celia…” He traced the curve of her bruised cheek before trailing
his hand along her collarbone and lower to her chest. “You hold my
heart.”

Closing her eyes in pleasure, Celia
soaked up the feelings he invoked and relished in the need igniting
inside. “You hold mine, Dark Wolf.”

“
I’ve been thinking,” he
finally said. Flicking a glance in her direction, he let his elbows
rest atop his knees. They faced each other like pilgrims in a sweat
lodge. Wearily, he dropped his head over his bent knees. “I’ve been
selfish.”

Brow furrowing, Celia wondered at his
next words. “I don’t understand.” Cocking her head she gave him a
quizzical look. “What do you mean?”