Chapter 2

Thank you so much guest reviewers. Your input was very much appreciated. I hope you enjoy chapter 2.

Virginia City was buzzing already, even though it was still early morning. Adam and Joe reigned in beside the Sheriffs office. Inside the place was full. Towns people shouted and pushed for Sheriff Coffees attention. The Sheriff shouted over the din.

"Please, please if you'll all just take a seat in the waiting area, please."

Adam muscled into the crowd and caught his attention.

"Sheriff, I can see you got your hands full, but Joe is in real trouble here. It seems he shot a strange individual out in the bush."

"Adam, can't ye see I've only got one pair of hands. Now Charlie is out there building the scaffold as quick as he can but the waiting area is already full of people waiting to be hanged."

Adam looked at the new seating area set up for the recent influx of murderers, all neighbours of the Cartwright's.

"Now if you wanna just take a ticket we'll get Joe hanged and you'll be on your way in no time." Sheriff Coffee handed Adam a ticket and gave him a light push in the direction of the waiting area. Adam went that direction looking confused.

Sheriff Coffee smiled at Joe as he followed him.

"Don't worry Joe, I might just be able to bump you up the queue considering your pa is a long standing friend," He winked at the boy.

"Adam...I don't want to be hanged," He said as they took a seat.

"I know Joe I know." Adam said still looking confused.

"Aw don't tell me you're having one of your off days."

Adam looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"You know, one of your, I hate this western shit, I wanna do Shakespeare, days."

"No Joe, no but I will admit, I'm so much better..."

"ADAM!"

"Ok sorry, no Joe I was thinking. We don't know that you actually killed the guy do we,"

"Adam I counted eight shots. Three I shot when I was on my own and five when you came with me. Maybe I should have brought Hoss." Joe surmised as he bit at his thumb nail.

"If you brought Hoss he would be building a kennel for it out back by now."

"You think it's not human," Joe asked.

"Eight shots and it ran off like the wind, damn sure I think it's not human."

"58, number 58." Charlie called into the waiting area.

"What number are you," Adam looked down at Joe's ticket.

"61, that's fine. We have time yet to think of a plan," He nodded.

"59," Charlie called.

Joe's anxious eyes followed the old lady on sticks as she hobbled up to Charlie.

"Adam they're gonna hang me, I know it."

Adam patted his shoulder as he tried to get Sheriff Coffees attention.

"Sheriff, should there not be a trial first. Are you gonna hang all these people without a trial?"

"I ain't hanged no one yet Adam, we're still tryin to get the scaffold up and running. A trial, Adam I ain't go no time for that. All these people have come here confessin to murderin these strangers in the woods and I gots ta hang em. It's alright for you sitting there in judgement, you're not the one has ta do all the paper work."

Adam looked in disbelief at his brother as Sheriff Coffee headed into the outer office.

A lady with a list was suddenly by Adams side.

"Are you a relative or are you here to be hanged," she smiled.

"A relative, Joe here is...well ye know."

She went to Joe then. "Aww, so young." She smiled sympathetically.

"Now, young man, I won't keep you long, I just have to take a few details."She took his name, age, hight, weight, medical history and religious preference.

"Now have you been in trouble before this," she asked.

"I was in jail twice for fighting," Joe mumbled, a little embarrassed.

"Ah that should get you further up the list alright. As you can see we are running a bit behind today but we are going to get started very soon." She smiled apologetically as she headed to the next person.

"Adam, I don't want to be hanged," Joe repeated, anxiety heavy in his voice.

"Attention please, can I have your attention." Charlie stood at the doorway.

"Unfortunately the scaffold has collapsed, there were too many people on the platform. So if you'd all like to go home and come back tomorrow we would be much obliged."

A general groan went up from those seated as they got to their feet. Joe breathed a huge sigh of relief, at least he would have one day to prove his innocence.

~o~

Joe and Adam breathed in the fresh morning air glad to be out of that stuffy waiting room. Old Mrs Timmons spotted Adam and hobbled up to him.

"Adam, my have you grown, and such a handsome boy, is this Hoss?" She smiled.

"No Mrs Timmons, this is my younger brother Joe."

"Oh a fine boy, have you brought him to town for ice cream?" She nodded.

"No Mrs Timmons, he murdered someone in cold blood last night so I brought him to be hanged. But the scaffold has collapsed so we have to come back tomorrow."

"Oh never mind," she smiled "well I have to be going now, good bye Adam dear."

She reached up to give him a little kiss. Adam bent down, giving her a warm hug.

The kiss sort of went on for a bit. After a minute Joe looked away.

"Well good bye now." Mrs Timmons hobbled away.

Adam looked a little green.

"That's kiss went on a bit, didn't it." Joe said, grimacing.

Adam could only nod.

"Did I see her use her tongue?"

"Shut up Joe, shut up," Adam went quickly to his horse trying to dispel a recent memory.

"No I'm sorry Adam, I just thought I saw..."

"Get on your horse Joe."

~o~

Back at the ranch Hoss was busy chopping wood. Sweat glistened on his neck as he worked, his sleeves rolled up and his shirt open revealing his large well toned chest. He stopped for a minute as the two rode up.

"Well so nice of you two to make it back here, meanwhile I'm doing all the work," he said breathing hard.

"Sorry Hoss, is Pa about."

"Yeah, he's in the house, they didn't hang him then?" He asked, wiping sweat from his neck and face.

"Nah, tomorrow." Joe answered as he passed him.

Ben got up as the three entered the house.

"Son, I'm so glad you're still alive," Ben hugged him.

"Yeah Pa, I'm still here," Joe nodded taking comfort in the embrace.

Adam looked a little confused. Couldn't Ben have come with them, no?

"Oh son, if I lost you, I don't know what I'd do." Ben began to sob.

That night Adam sat on his bed thinking over the day's events. They decided to hire a top lawyer for Joe and insist that a trial date be set.

Adam and Hoss were going to head out at dawn and search for the creature Joe shot. So all bases were covered for now. Adams heavy lids were beginning to droop and the book he was reading slid from his hand. He considered getting undressed and getting under the covers.

In a minute, he told himself as his eyes began to close.

~o~

They suddenly snapped open again as to his left he could hear scratching. A mouse maybe, louder scratching, a rat?. The handle on his door began to slowly turn. Adam got sitting up. Feeling rigid with tension, his hand slid to the bed side locker and to the gun hidden underneath. Never taking his eyes from the door his fingers encircled the gun as he waited hearing his ragged breath thick in his ears. The door swung open and she stood there bathed in light. She wore nothing but a sheer white gown. Her hair was a mass of spiky curls piled high on her head. But her face. It was pale and gaunt. She hissed at him with desire and her teeth were brilliant sharp points, long and vicious looking. Adam got to his feet as she entered, the door closing of its own volition behind her. She hissed through her teeth again as her long fingers wrapped themselves about his neck. She was cold as ice and smelt of rotten flesh. Her whole being spoke of an evil that was so dreadful, so vile it made Adams skin crawl. But then it was Saturday night and he wasn't likely to get a better offer. He took her mouth in a deep and demanding kiss. She submitted completely to the kiss allowing Adams tongue to probe her mouth fully. Eventually they broke away from each other.

She hissed again, her voice breathless with desire as she went to unbuckle his belt.

"I want you, I want you now," she whispered as she worked.

"I want to take you over and over."

"I'm going to take you in my..."

"Stop," Adam told her.

She immediately took her hands away and looked up at him.

"No, don't stop what you're doing just stop with the running commentary." Adam told her, trying to recover his breath.

"We're trying to avoid an M rating here,"

She smiled in acknowledgement as she again worked at his belt.

~o~

Joe lurched forward, his eyes scanning the room for possible threat. He heard it again. He sprang from his bed and hurried out to the corridor.

In panic he threw open his oldest brothers door.

"Awwww Adam," Joe tried to cover his eyes from the worst of it.

Laura Dayton and now this. Adam was a good looking guy. What was wrong with him. Jesus. Joe left for his own room wondering if it was possible to unsee something, erase it totally from memory.