Hunter's Moon (Hunter Family Saga; Half-Moon Ranch 1) (33 page)

The day passed slowly for Hall. As it got later in the
afternoon and still no one showed up at the cabin,
he began to wonder if anyone really lived there at all.
Gun in hand, he left his hiding place and made his
way on foot down to the cabin. He looked in a
window to make certain there was no one inside,
then let himself in.

He stood just inside the door, looking around.
There was no doubt that someone lived there. The
place was too clean to have been abandoned. He
holstered his gun as he moved farther in and closed
the door behind him. Whoever lived here wasn't
home now, so he slowly and methodically made his
way through the house, searching for some clue that
would prove this truly was Crystal's home-that he
was in the right place.

Hall went into the bedroom and paused to look at
the bed. It had not been made, and he wondered if
Crystal had been the last one sleeping in it.

An evil sneer curved his mouth. He imagined her
lying there, waiting for him, wanting him,
welcoming him, instead of fighting him.

He went to the small bureau and opened the
drawer to go through the clothing, wanting proof
that this was Crystal's home.

He found the proof he'd wanted in the bottom
drawer. There, folded carefully, was her red satin
gown, the same gown she'd been wearing at the
saloon in Long Horn that fateful night.

Hall picked up the dress and ran his hands over it,
caressing it. It was as sleek and soft as he'd believed it
would be.

He felt triumphant. All his hard work had finally
paid off. He had found her!

Hall started from the bedroom, the red dress
still in hand. It was then that he caught sight of
himself in the mirror over the washstand. He
stared at his hated visage, seeing the horrible scars
she'd inflicted upon him. The rage he'd kept
tempered for a time now flared back to full life. In
one powerful move, he tore the red dress apart and
threw it on the floor.

Hall only regretted that Crystal hadn't been
wearing it.

He wanted to get his hands on her. He grew
aroused as he imagined what he would do to her. He was going to teach her a lesson she would never
forget.

Brent had dropped off Abby and picked up Hank at
the main house. They were drawing close to the
cabin when Brent noticed that a post was down on
the far side of the pasture.

"We'd better fix it now. I don't want to risk losing
any stock," Brent told Hank.

Will it take you very long?" Crystal asked.

"No, we should be done in a few minutes," Brent
assured her. "Just leave the team tied up out front
and don't try to carry anything heavy inside. I'll take
care of it when I get there."

Crystal drove on alone. It was still daylight, so she
wasn't concerned about returning to the cabin by
herself, and Brent and Hank would be close behind
her. She was getting tired, though. The thought of a
quiet evening alone with Brent held great appeal.

Hall was still in the bedroom when he heard the
sound of the buckboard coming up the road. For a
moment panic threatened. He wanted to flee the
house-to make a run for the cover of the treesbut he controlled the urge.

He told himself to wait. He had the element of
surprise on his side. The thought made him smile.

When he drew his gun, his touch upon it was
almost a caress.

Hall had hoped to trap Crystal alone, but now it no longer mattered. If she did have her husband
with her, he would simply shoot him first, and then
have his way with Crystal. He had waited too long
for this moment to care about anything but revenge.

Hall went to stand to the side of one of the front
windows. He stayed out of sight as he tried to get a
look at who was driving up. He held himself in tense
expectation as he waited for the buckboard to come
into view. When it finally did, elation unlike
anything he'd ever experienced before surged
through him.

It was Crystal. And she was alone.

Hall didn't know where Brent Hunter was, and
he didn't care. All that mattered was that Crystal
would be walking right into his trap, just as he'd
always hoped she would.

He moved carefully to hide behind the door. The
moment she came into the house, she would be his.
She would be helpless before him-his to do with as
he pleased.

Crystal reined in and climbed down to tie up the
team. She was carrying her purse as she opened the
door and stepped inside.

Hall attacked so quickly that Crystal had no time
to scream or react. With savage intent, he grabbed
her from behind and clamped his hand tightly over
her mouth.

"I've got you now, bitch!" He laughed in her ear.

Crystal fought back as best she could, struggling
desperately against his brutal hold. Though Brent would come soon, she feared it wouldn't be soon
enough. Her only hope was to get her gun from her
purse.

Hall kicked the door shut, then dragged her
farther into the room as she continued to kick and
twist and try to break free of him.

"You can fight all you want, but this time you're
not getting away from me. You're mine."

Crystal had thought she'd experienced terror
before, but nothing compared to the cold chill that
filled her soul now. As hard as she was fighting him,
she still couldn't get a hand into her purse. She tried
to swing at him, but he pinned her arms and then
yanked the purse from her hand and tossed it aside.

Her gun was her only hope! Crystal knew it was
up to her to save herself. She pretended to faint,
praying that her limpness would cause Hall to ease
his grip on her. Only then would she be able to tear
herself away from him long enough to get to her
gun.

Hall was surprised when Crystal suddenly
collapsed against him, but he was also glad. He
hadn't thought she was the fainting type, but if she
wasn't fighting him, he could enjoy himself with her
more. His hold on her slipped a little as he struggled
to lift her deadweight.

Crystal saw her opportunity and took it. As Hall
tried to take her up in his arms, she tore herself from
him with all the force she could muster.

Her plan worked-for a moment.

She managed to break free, but Hall was too
quick for her. He was right there behind her. He
gave a maniacal laugh as he grabbed her savagely by
one arm and spun her around.

"You ain't getting away from me!"

Hall backhanded her fiercely and laughed again
when she cried out in pain.

"Did that hurt? Good!"

He slapped her another time, liking the fear he
was seeing in her eyes.

"I'm glad it hurts. I want you to know exactly
what real pain is-what it feels like to have your face
cut like mine was. You're going to be real pretty
when I get done with you."

Unable to wait any longer to begin his torture, he
pushed her to the floor and pinned her there with
his body.

"You're not repaying your brother's debt to me
this time, Crystal, honey. This time you're paying
your own debt."

"No! Let me go! I don't owe you anything.
Brent's coming. He'll be here soon, and he's got
other men with him."

At that moment Hall didn't care if the sheriff and
an entire posse showed up. He had Crystal right
where he wanted her-beneath him and helpless.

"I'll be gone long before anybody comes to save
you." He leered down at her, enjoying her struggles,
enjoying her terror. He took both of her wrists in
one hand and drew them up above her head. With his free hand he grabbed the neckline of her day
gown and ripped it forcefully downward.

Crystal screamed at his attack. She didn't know
how close Brent was, but she hoped he might be able
to hear her.

"You can yell all you want, but there's nobody
around who cares." He chuckled. The power he had
over her made him feel invincible. Heat settled in his
loins. He groped Crystal as she twisted and bucked
beneath him.

"No! Let me go!"

He paid her no mind. He was intent only on
his own pleasure, his own need. Reaching down,
he pulled up her skirt and tore at her
underclothes.

Crystal was kicking at him as best she could, but
her efforts did little to deter him. She could see her
purse on the floor, but it was too far away to reach.
She would never be able to get to it in time to get
her derringer. His hands upon her were viler than
anything she'd ever known. Tears blurred her vision
as she continued her struggle to save herself.

Brent!

She needed him desperately. He had saved her
before. Surely Brent would save her again.

But Hall kept on with his attack, ripping her
clothing, fondling her.

Crystal was shocked when suddenly he released
her hands. Any thought that she was being freed
vanished when she saw that he had let her go only so he could unbuckle his gun belt and free himself
from his pants.

"You can't do this! I'm pregnant!" Terror seized
her at the thought of what was to come.

She had to save herself? But how?!

Hall only laughed again at her fear as he tossed his
gun belt aside and opened his pants. "And whose
little bastard are you having?"

In a frenzy, Crystal attacked. She clawed at his
already scarred face, drawing blood.

He let out a scream of pain as he stopped what
he'd been doing and drew back to hit her again.

Crystal saw her chance. His gun belt was within
reach, and she grabbed for it.

The sound of a gunshot split the quiet of the
afternoon.

Brent and Hank were riding in when they heard
it.

"Crystal!"

Instant terror pounded through Brent. It couldn't
be... Not again...

"Dear God! No!" The words were torn from him
as he spurred Storm to a full gallop and charged
toward the cabin, leaving Hank to follow.

Memories haunted Brent as he raced on. Was
Crystal all right? Would he reach her in time? He
hadn't been able to save his mother. Could he save
Crystal?

Brent drew his gun, ready for trouble. He was
furious with himself for having allowed Crystal to go on alone. He should have stayed with her.

Brent didn't think about the possibility of any
danger to himself as he rode up to the cabin. He was
thinking only of Crystal.

Brent threw himself from Storm as he reined in
and then made a run for the front door.

Hall had been stunned when Crystal made the
grab for his gun. He thought he'd beaten her enough
that she wouldn't fight him anymore, but he'd been
wrong. As she'd tried to take aim at him, he'd
knocked the gun from her grasp and then slapped
her again as fury raged within him. Now he grabbed
her by the shoulders, giving her a violent shake.

It was then that Hall heard the riders coming in.

"It's Brent!" Crystal cried out in joy. He had
come for her! She began to fight Hall even harder.

He snarled in outrage. Keeping a tight hold on
her, he dragged her along as he tried to get his
gun.

"Brent!" Crystal kept struggling, wanting to stop
Hall from reaching the gun, but he was too strong
for her.

Hall's hand closed on the weapon just as Brent
reached the porch and kicked in the door. Hall
stood, holding Crystal as best he could as he tried to
take aim.

Brent charged inside the cabin, gun in hand.
Driven by fear and desperation, he was going to save
Crystal or die trying.

Brent had feared he would find Hall standing over Crystal's body. He had feared he would face the
same horror he'd discovered ten years ago. He had
feared he would be too late.

As he came through the door, the sight of Crystal
alive and fighting fiercely to free herself gave him
hope.

Hall realized he was caught in a deadly situation.
He shoved Crystal away from him as he lifted his
gun to shoot Brent.

But Brent reacted first. He got off a shot at Hall
the instant he knew Crystal was out of the line of
fire.