He pulls her close, and this time she doesn't resist. He begins rubbing her arms and draws her to the couch to sit down.
“When my father found the gold vein, he thought that if he shared in the profit with the town that we could grow as a community. He was like you,” she laughs a sorrow filled laugh, “with his dreams for the people and the land.” Dalton gets up and pours her a whiskey.
“Drink this.” He says, shoving it at her. She shoots it back quickly and coughs before continuing. The whiskey burns and warms her from the inside.
“It was never enough, Eustace wanted the mine for himself. They killed Jim after they found out that I married him. When I refused his attention, he killed my father.” She looks at him and takes a deep breath. “Dalton I wasn't convinced that it was true, I mean, who would kill an entire family? Until Jim's funeral.” She gets up and walks away pacing once more. Should she tell him the rest? The need to share her burden weighs on her soul.
“Dalton, there’s more. I…, I have a gift, passed down from the females in my family. I can read intentions, thoughts and see the future. When he met me at Jim’s casket, I spread out my mind for the first time and the images flooded in so fast and vivid that I saw everything as though I were present. I watched,” she sobs out, “Oh, God, I watched as they killed my family and it was too much, I lost my baby girl.”
He is stunned into silence as she weeps into her handkerchief. Unable to resist, he steps to her and pulls her into his chest to soothe her. His brain is whirling through the past few days and all they have experienced and been through.
“Of course! That's how you knew I was going to have problems with the Daniel brothers? The hotel and at the bank, you knew just what to say to get them to listen. Cassandra, that's amazing!” he says with a laugh.
“Amazing!” Lifting her tear-stained face, she stares at him. “It's a curse, Dalton. All my life they told me to hide it, block it, and I did.” She yells, “Until I didn't!” Angrily, she jumps up and wipes her cheeks.
“I swore they would pay Dalton and I spent two years planning my revenge. When they came for me, after my father's funeral, I was ready for them. Six men came, and I lured them inside. I used dynamite and blew the house and mine to hell. I killed them, Dalton. I killed all of them, and I am not sorry!” Silence follows her exclamation.
“Of course you aren’t! Why should you be?” he asks incredulously.
“What?” she whispers.
“Cassandra, they took everything from you. I would have done the same, if not worse.” He snaps out.
“You don’t hate me?”
“What for? For defending yourself? For taking what your father worked for and for starting over? Would it have been better if you had let them kill you? My God, Cassie, you have survived a nightmare, and you still have a kind and giving heart. You have nothing to be forgiven for!” he growls.
“I, but I killed…” she starts to say.
“So have I. I've done things to protect my family. We live on a ranch in the roughest, toughest terrain there is. If the Indians don't kill us, then the poverty will. I grew up rich in cattle, but poor in worldly goods. The land feeds the cattle Cassie, but the people can't move it or sell the heads. That means we have beef to eat, but nothing else as far as goods. Things people need to survive. To keep the land, my Grandfather had to homestead it by fighting off Indians, claim jumpers and raise a family. I swore I would make sure that my family would have a better future.”
“But the difference is that you succeeded, Dalton. I did not save them. Since I began using my gifts, my abilities are growing. Dalton, I'm having visions, and I can't control them. I am working with Monsieur Constant, he says that they will peak and then I will better understand them. Only it isn't over for me Dalton.”
“What do you mean, it’s not over?”
“I had a vision of Eustace, and I think he is alive. He said he was coming for me, Dalton. Once we are on the train, we will separate, and I will leave you to your life.” She walks to the fireplace and stares into the flames. “I won't have any more deaths on my conscience.”
“Like hell, you're leaving me!” he enunciates in a deadly calm voice. “I have only just found you, and I will not let you face those monsters alone again.”
When she turns to face him, she's shocked to find him so close. “Dalton, you don't know what you are up against. They are animals!”
“Let them come, Cassie! They have underestimated you once before, and this time when they come, we will be ready for them. This time they will not be fighting a terrified young woman!”
“I love that you want to protect me, but I have made up my mind, Dalton.” When she tries to pass him, he grabs her arm.
“Not so fast. Cassie.” Surprise registers on her face. When her eyes meet his, she recognizes the reflection of her desire in his. “I have a terrible need to touch you.”
Slowly he tugs her into his arms and one hand cups her neck. Hot breath brushes her face, her temples, and the curve of her neck as his mouth traces its way down nipping and sucking softly.
She moans, and he smiles when her lips part as he kisses the corner of her mouth tenderly. He nibbles
