Free Tales of Western Romance by Madeline Baker

can.
    It wasn’t the best meal she had ever eaten,
but she was grateful for it. She offered Gray a drink from the
canteen and then quenched her own thirst. Setting the canteen
aside, she spread their blankets on the ground, then stretched out
beside Gray.
    “ I’m sorry I got you into this,” he
whispered.
    “ Where’s he taking us?”
    “ Probably back to Lead to collect the
reward. Reckon he’ll stay for the hanging?”
    “ Gray, don’t talk like
that.”
    “ Sorry. Get some sleep. Gonna be
another long day in the saddle tomorrow.”
    Bonnie kissed his cheek, then closed her
eyes, wondering how Gray was going to get any rest with his arms
bound behind him. But that was the least of his problems. Somehow,
they had to get away from the hunter.
    She was on the brink of sleep when an idea
formed in her mind. Relámpago , she thought. Somehow, she had
to get Gray on the stallion’s back and hope that Relámpago would carry Gray away from danger. Where that would leave her, she
had no idea.

Chapter 8
     
    Bonnie groaned. She had thought yesterday’s
journey had been difficult, but today was even worse. Again, the
bounty hunter pushed them hard, stopping only once to rest the
horses and let them drink. As if suspecting they might try to
escape, the hunter kept his hand on the rifle and a wary eye on
Gray.
    Bonnie was a nervous wreck when they made
camp for the night. Time was running out. Gray had told her they
would reach Lead sometime tomorrow.
    Later, lying beside Gray, Bonnie wondered
when the bounty hunter slept. She hadn’t slept well the night
before. Every time she woke, the hunter had been awake, sitting by
the fire, his rifle across his knees.
    He was sitting there now, staring into the
fire.
    She stared at him for a long time. He never
moved. Was he asleep? Was it possible to sleep sitting up?
    Heart-pounding, she sat up slowly.
    The hunter didn’t move.
    She took a deep breath. If he said anything,
she would say she had to relieve herself.
    “ Bonnie.” Gray’s whisper stopped her in
her tracks. “Where are you going?”
    “ Shh.”
    On tiptoe, she moved into the darkness
searching for a rock or a tree branch. Just when she was losing
hope, she found a good-sized rock. Taking a deep breath, she picked
it up. Now, for the hard part. She’d never done violence in her
life. Step by slow step, she crept up behind the hunter. Lifted her
arm. And brought the rock down on his head.
    He toppled sideways without a sound.
    With hands that trembled, she reached into
his pocket for the handcuff key, then hurried back to Gray.
    “ You damn fool,” he hissed.
    “ Shut up and hold still.”
    “ I am holding still. You’re the one
shaking.”
    It took three tries before she managed to get
the key in the lock. As soon as his hands were free, Gray untied
his ankles and stood. “Get the horses. I’ll get the rifle.”
    With a nod, she picked up the bridles and
hurried to where the horses were gathered.
    She had just slipped the bridle over
Relámpago’s head when a shot rang out. A moment later, Gray was
beside her. Wordlessly, he vaulted onto the stallion’s bare back,
hauled her up behind him, and slammed his heels into the stallion’s
sides.
    With a snort, the stallion broke into a run
as another shot rang out in the night.
    Bonnie glanced over her shoulder. The bay
mare, the colt, and the hunter’s horse were strung out behind them.
In the faint light of the camp fire, she saw the hunter sighting
down the barrel of the rifle.
    “ Hurry!”
    She buried her face in Gray’s back, flinched
as another gunshot broke the stillness of the night.
    When she risked another glance over her
shoulder, all she saw was darkness.
    “ We made it.” She pressed her cheek
against Gray’s back as relief flowed through her. “Gray, we made
it.”
    He grunted softly. It was then she felt the
wetness seeping through his shirt beneath her hand. “Gray? Is
that…are you bleeding?”
    “ Yeah. He got me…with that