Dancing with the Devil

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Audrey cleansed the blood from her skin in the tiny waterhole they'd happened across. The moonlight shone off the muddy water which wasn't fit for drinking but was her only option for cleansing Ance and Irish's blood from her body. 

Both men were patched up and currently resting beside a small fire. Audrey settled down on her haunches beside the water and let her mind wander. Being held prisoner in that tiny, dark room with little food, little water and constant fear for her daughter, Ance and herself had certainly taken a toll on her. She felt drained both physically and emotionally. Add to that the fact that Audrey had helped kill someone, had watched Ance shoot seven dying men pointblank in their heads and had him act less than enthusiastic with her declaration of love, and Audrey was simply ready to crawl under a rock and sleep for years before ever showing herself again. 

Audrey wasn't foolish. She knew that those men had to die. If one or more of them had recovered from their injuries, they would have surely come back after Ance or Audrey, putting Penelope in danger. It wasn't the fact that Ance killed the men that had her stomach feeling a bit shaky, it was the fact that he hadn't acted even the smallest bit bothered by the task. The man had acted as if he were doing something as simple as watering flowers each time he'd pulled the trigger. 

She let out a sigh as she glanced up at the night sky. She wasn't sure what had possessed her to admit that she loved Ance. She did love him. He was the first man to make his way into her heart since Alexander had been murdered. She knew a life with Ance would be difficult. She had no false hopes or expectations that he would settle down on the ranch and be a constant feature. She expected he would come and go as he pleased and only be around when it suited him. 

Could she do that? Could she be an outlaw's mistress? Would he truly be faithful while he was away and could she, despite all her big talk, truly handle a relationship such as that? 

"You need sleep, Audrey," Ance's deep, gravely voice gently floated over her and Audrey knew the answer to her unspoken question was yes. To be with Ance, to be near him even only temporarily and sporadically, was worth any separation in between. The man was worth it. 

"So do you," Audrey replied as she looked over her should to see him standing there, his weight resting on his good leg and blood covering his tattered shirt and pants. "And it isn't right that you can walk so quietly and sneak up on me even with bullet wounds." 

"I didn't sneak," Ance countered. He slowly lowered himself to sitting beside her with his wounded left leg stuck out. "You were just too lost in thoughts to hear me." 

Silence fell for a moment but it wasn't uncomfortable. Audrey wanted closeness and so she reached out her hand and touched Ance's. She was happily surprised when he entwined his fingers with hers and rubbed her wrist with his thumb. "I like being in the open like this," Audrey whispered. "It's nice to breathe fresh air after so long in that prison." 

Ance's grip on her tightened fractionally. "I'm sorry they got you, Audrey. I should have been paying enough attention to realize he was tracking us." 

"Don't blame yourself, Ance," Audrey scolded. "Penelope and I kept her plenty distracted I'm sure. You weren't used to traveling with company." 

Ance grinned a devilish grin that stole her breath. "It wasn't Penny that had me distracted, whiskey lady." 

Audrey felt her core tighten and tremble as Ance gazed at her hungrily and stroked her wrist. Now was not the time for such things and so she quickly averted her gaze and focused her attention on the water. "I want to get back to Penelope as quick as possible but there is something I'd like to do first."