Only 06 - Winter Fire

instantly.
    â€œHe’s out cold.”
    â€œDo you think he’s singing hymns to you?” she retorted. “Case is hurting, even if he isn’t wide awake.”
    â€œYou bet,” Ute said. “If he was awake, he wouldn’t make nary a sound.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Conner asked.
    â€œI seen him in Spanish Church. Calm and steady like. Hate to get on his bad side.”
    Conner finished turning Case. Gently.
    A bullet bulged just beneath the skin of his muscular thigh.
    â€œTold ya,” Lola said.
    Sarah didn’t say anything. She simply picked up the clean scalpel, took a hidden breath, and told herself that it was a haunch of venison she was slicing.
    One swift cut was all it took. The bullet popped free and rolled onto the hard-packed dirt that was the cabin’s only floor.
    Conner retrieved the lead with a casual motion that was both quick and oddly coltish. He was still getting used to his own rapidly changing body.
    â€œHere you go,” he said, tossing the bullet toward Ute. “One more round for the melting pot.”
    Ute caught the lead, grunted, and stuffed it into his pocket.
    â€œToo bad he didn’t pick up the brass, too,” Conner added. “We’re short on cases.”
    â€œFor heaven’s sake,” Sarah said. “Only an idiot would bleed to death picking up brass.”
    â€œOnly an idiot would get shot up in the first place,” her brother retorted.
    â€œBoy,” Ute said, “you ain’t no damned fool so don’t go to acting like one. This here hombre drew on two Culpeppers. He walked away. They didn’t.”
    Sarah’s hands stilled.
    â€œWhat?” she said.
    â€œCulpeppers,” Ute repeated. “Reginald and Quincy.”
    â€œWell, the devil will have two more souls for supper,” Lola said. “Can’t say as I’m sorry.”
    Ute grunted.
    â€œWe better be ready for visitors,” the old outlaw said calmly. “Beaver won’t last two breaths once Ab starts questioning him.”
    Sarah turned quickly and stared at Ute.
    He shrugged. “I tried to brush out the tracks, but Casewas bleeding real bad. I hear them Culpeppers are right fine sign cutters. They’ll know he’s here.”
    Lola muttered something under her breath that Sarah hoped her brother didn’t overhear.
    â€œSufficient unto the day are the troubles thereof,” she said briskly. “Do we have bullets?”
    â€œYes’m,” Ute said.
    â€œEnough?”
    â€œMore than we have guns to shoot ’em.”
    â€œYou take the first watch on the rim.”
    Ute was gone before the words left her mouth.
    â€œConner,” Sarah said, “you take the next. I’ll—”
    â€œYou’ll stay put and tend this here hombre,” Lola interrupted. “I don’t have your soft touch, and he needs it. I’ll do your turn up on the rim.”
    â€œBut your hip—”
    â€œIt’s just fine,” Lola interrupted again. “Start patching this boy up ’fore he bleeds to death.”
    Sarah didn’t argue any longer. She threaded a special needle with fine silk and went to work stitching up the cut she had made in Case’s skin.
    The hair on his thighs was as black and silky as the thread she used. His skin was warm, surprisingly smooth, supple as fine leather.
    â€œTurn him onto his back,” she said.
    Her voice was husky, almost breathless. Hastily she cleared her throat.
    Conner gave her an odd look before he bent and rolled Case over onto his back.
    â€œYour sheets are bloody now,” he said.
    â€œAin’t the first time,” Lola muttered.
    â€œWhat?” he asked.
    â€œA woman’s monthlies, boy. Use your head for something more than a hatrack.”
    Spots of red burned on Conner’s cheeks but he bit his tongue. He had learned not to get into slanging matcheswith Big Lola. She knew the kind of words that could singe stone.
    And when provoked, she used them.
    Sarah ducked her head to hide her smile at her brother’s chagrin. Lola was as hard and blunt as a stone ax, but she wasn’t cruel. She simply had no patience for thick-skulled male foolishness.
    Nor did Sarah.
    Quickly she folded clean cloth into a pad and pressed it over the wound. When she applied more force, Case groaned. She bit her lower lip and kept on pressing down.
    After a time she cautiously lifted a corner of the