Title----Kiss of Death

Author----Winnie

Rating---T---language and violence

Disclaimers-----I do not own mag7 or the characters. This is a work of fiction in the hopes of keeping the seven riding forever.

Comments-----Thanks to Kay for asking me to write a story for the zine...it just didn't want to quit. Thanks as always to Marti and Antoinette for the wonderful beta job. You guys have been great. Feedback is welcome, flames are quickly extinguished.

Prologue---

Buck smiled as he saw the beautiful redhead walking toward him. They'd been seeing each other for a month now and tonight would be something special. Angela Tate was twenty-two, fully developed in all the right places, with green eyes flecked with gold. Tonight they were meeting Chris Larabee for dinner and Buck was going to ask her to marry him. His stomach was in knots as she closed the short distance and he picked her up in his arms.

"Oh, Buck, I missed you so much."

"Angela, it's only been four hours," he said as he breathed against her neck.

"I know, Buck, but every minute I have to spend away from you is agonizing. I want to be with you all the time."

"Me too, Darlin'. So are you ready to meet Chris?"

"I don't know, Buck, I'd rather just spend time with you...alone...if you know what I mean."

"Oh, I do, Darlin', but I really want you to meet Chris. He's my best friend..."

"I thought I was your best friend?"

"You are...my best lady friend...there's a big difference. Come on we'll have dinner with Chris and then we'll make our way out to Lover's Landing," Wilmington suggested seductively. They'd been there several times, but hadn't made love and Buck knew he wouldn't make that kind of advance on her until she made the first move.

"All right, but after dinner you're all mine," Angela told him as she allowed him to kiss her passionately.

"Angela, I'm already yours," Wilmington said, as they linked arms and strode towards the Midfield Hotel and Restaurant.

Midfield was a fair sized town for the Midwest and the restaurant and hotel were well known across the territory as being one of the best west of Boston. The jail was situated at the south end of the town, the livery across from the jail, and a fair sized mercantile was situated in the center of the north side of the street. There was a small church that was always packed to capacity for Sunday service and it also served as a place for town meetings. There was a telegraph and post office in the building next to the hotel and a boarding house was set to the right of the telegraph office.

Buck smiled as he pushed open the door to the restaurant and spotted his friend seated at a table near the window. The sun glinted off the blond head and he could tell Chris had taken a bath and cleaned himself up for this meeting. The gentle ladies man was proud of the woman holding his arm and he wanted Larabee to like her. A slight tug on his arm stopped his forward momentum and he turned to look at his beautiful companion.

"What's wrong, Angela?"

"Are you sure you want me to meet him, Buck, he looks kind of scary?"

"That's just Chris, Honey. He's kind of rough around the edges being from Indiana and all, but don't let that fool you. He's a good friend and he knows how much I care for you. You'll like him and he'll like you, but don't you go falling in love with him or I just might get ugly."

"Oh, Buck, how could I fall in love with anyone when they disappear as soon as I see you?" Angela asked coyly.

"Now that's music to my ears. So, do you think you can face him?"

"As long as you hold me tight," the woman said and gripped his arm before they walked towards the man seated at the table.

Chris had noticed them as soon as they entered the restaurant, but did not let on that he'd seen them. Angela Tate was even more beautiful than Buck had described and Chris thought she was someone he might have taken a chance on if his friend had not already laid claim to her. He saw the duo stop and the redhead turn towards Wilmington and briefly wondered what she was saying. Something about her movements spoke of a seduction and Chris wondered if she was as innocent as Wilmington believed her to be. He stood up as the two people began moving towards his table once more.

"Chris, I'd like you to meet Angela Tate, the most beautiful enchantress in the territory."

"Pleased to meet you, Ma'am," Larabee said as he tipped his hat and held the chair for her.

"Oh my, thank you. Buck told me you were well mannered, but I think he was wrong. I think, Mr. Larabee, that you are a charmer."

"Hey, you ol' war dog, that's my girl you're sparking there."

"I'm not sparking her, Buck, but only because she's your date. Would you like a glass of wine, Miss. Tate?"

"Yes, please, Mr. Larabee."

"Call me Chris..."

"Only if you call me Angela."

"Done," Chris said and sat down. He motioned for the waiter to come over and ordered a glass of red wine for the young woman and whiskey for himself and Buck. The waiter brought menus before leaving to get the drinks.

"Chris, Buck tells me you want to breed stallions," Angela said, blushing as she realized what she'd said.

"Well, yes, I guess you could say that. Horses are beautiful animals and if treated properly they can be a man's best friend," Larabee told her.

"Me and Chris are thinking about starting a place just north of here. Figure we'd start off with a couple of purebreds and work our way from there."

"Oh, that sounds so exciting. What about a house?" Angela asked as the waiter returned with their drinks.

"We've already started building one, but it's going to be small to start with," Wilmington explained. "We're going to need a big barn to stable the horses and then we'll need to finish the corral before we concentrate on the house, but it'll be big enough for our needs."

"Sure will," Larabee agreed. He had a feeling Wilmington was leading up to something and sat back to let the other man talk.

"Angela," Wilmington said, reaching for the white-gloved hand.

"Yes, Buck."

"Will you," the mustached man sank to one knee and took her hands in his as he looked into her green alluring eyes, "marry me?"

"Oh, Buck, I...I..."

"Please, Darlin', there's no one I'd rather spend my life with and I promise to do everything in my power to make you happy and give you the world on a gold platter if that's what it'll take," Wilmington told her.

"Oh, Buck, I don't know what to say..."

"I think you'd best say yes before Buck stops breathing for good," Larabee said, a slight smile gracing his handsome features.

"Yes, Buck, oh yes," she said and laughed as he stood up, whooped loudly, threw his hat in the air, and finally picked her up in his strong arms. "She said yes!"

The small crowd in the restaurant had been quietly watching the three people by the window and smiled as the man made his announcement. The promise of happiness hung in the air, but there was also a harbinger of regret lurking nearby.