A/N Thought I'd post the next chapter as I see it is needed. For Tauna (; It is my last chapter I have written for now but a future chapter for down the road. Thanks to all reading and reviewing.

Chapter 25 : The Killing Kiss

Heath ran his fingers along Audra's jaw then down the length of her neck. She had fallen asleep shortly after crawling in bed next to him. He closed his eyes as he pulled back his long fingers from her. He swallowed audibly fighting of the demons that were beginning to take control over him. What man wouldn't have to fight off those type demons when a beautiful woman lay in his arms? Audra possessed not just any normal beauty but beauty that rivaled any female he had ever seen. But this wasn't any female. This was Audra Barkley a girl supposed to be his sister. Yet, she wasn't by blood. That's not how the family saw it though. If he were a Barkley, and he was, he had to see her as the rest of the Barkleys did. Audra had to be his sister no matter if they had different mothers and different fathers.

Heath had tried desperately to put away the nagging demons of temptation he'd began to experience on this trip with her. It was supposed to be a simple get away to gather Rose's things from the train depot as well as meet the Cartwrights. No secret would be revealed. It was supposed to be a get away to help Audra clear her mind of all that had happened. A simple trip. Now, the trip had turned into something far more dangerous and far less simple.

However, that danger wasn't only the threat of the Johnson boys. No, the danger was the threat the feelings of Heath's of his "sister". He cursed under his breath as he tried to roll from her. He placed his arm over his eyes as he tried to think of anything but the sweet smell of Audra's perfume. He hadn't slept a wink since Audra had made her way into his bed. He knew she was just frightened of not only the Johnson brothers but also the place he had pulled her into. No place for a lady of such caliber as Miss Audra Barkley should be submitted to the sin of such a place. Yet, he had done just that. Heath didn't think her crawling next to him was anything but an innocent way of squelching her fears. Fears of the unknown around her.

Audra had heard the loud saloon music, the sounds of drunken men, the girls bringing some of the men back to their rooms. She had felt uneasy from all that she wasn't accustomed to. She wasn't accustomed to and needed not to be now. However, the girl had got them in a state of danger with her innocence of the world around. Her lack of knowledge of rough men, who would take what they wanted from a girl. Audra had done it before when she set out to tempt him in the hotel to prove he wasn't her brother. Heath had no problem with that temptation. There was none as he thought she was his sister then. However, that was when men similar to the likes of Johnsons had tried to take what they wanted from Audra. She was naive then as well.

"Boy howdy, you have no idea of life, little sist..." Heath paused with the word sister at the tip of his tongue. Audra was right to ask him not to use it any longer. It was a lie he was telling himself and her.

Audra's blue eyes slowly opened to stare into Heath's azure eyes. He smiled crookedly at her as she tried to gain her bearings . "Heath, is it morning?"

"Right close." Heath said as he pushed some blonde tendrils of hair from her face. His thumb guiltily played on her thick strawberry colored lips.

Audra allowed her eyes to close with a flutter at the feel of Heath's thumb brazenly caressing her lips. When he pulled away, she licked her lips longing for something that frightened her. She knew he saw her reaction. Thus, he sat up abruptly. It was at that very moment that Audra realized her stupidity in what she must have done to the man by lying in his bed. Heath wasn't her brother. He was a man and she was in his bed. Sleeping beside a man not related to her, Audra was appalled at herself. She tried to tell herself it was innocent. Yet, she knew better. She wanted to be in Heath's arms. She wanted to feel what it was like to lie next to his strong muscular body. She wanted to be held by him in a not so innocent manner. Audra realized at that moment how very childish she had been with not only crawling in bed with Heath but also the whole trip.

Audra wanted to apologize and try to explain. How do you explain to a man that you were attracted to him if that man was supposed to be thought of as her brother? What if he thought she was crazy and disgusting for thinking such thoughts of him? How do you explain to a man that you were playing childish games wanting to keep other females at bay, who were in the house and who could offer Heath more of themselves than she could? Audra wanted to scream at herself for being so ignorant about life. More so, she wanted to scream at herself for tempting Heath on purpose to keep the other females away. Suddenly she realized one certainty about herself compared to Heath. She was being a naive child while she was dealing with an experienced man.

"We need to get movin'." Heath said trying to ignore the sexual tension that was building between the two. It wasn't right lying in bed with a lady such as Audra. No matter how innocent it had began. "The Johnsons are bound to have settled down not thinking of you being in here."

Before Audra could answer, Sally barged through the door. She glanced at the couple on the bed not caring either way. After all, she had witnessed too much immoral acts to feel the two fully clothed people was improper. However, she caught on quickly to how both their cheeks burned red with shame.

"You best be getting your gun, Heath." Sally warned as she helped pull Audra to a standing position. "Candy informed me that Lila told Jacob Johnson where you were. Seems the girl has her tail in a bind since you done ignored her intentions on you long ago. Lila got real jealous of Audra when she saw you bringing her in this place. You know how the girl has always wanted you for more than you were willing to offer. Perhaps, even as a young colt, you shouldn't have rode that mare."

"Sh...oot." Heath stated trying to keep from using foul language around Audra.

She had already heard too much about his past with Lila. He was far from in love with the saloon girl but when a girl offers her services free to a boy of seventeen, well a boy takes her up on it. How was he to know that Lila would lay claim to him after? That only was evident when another girl of the house offered the same services and Heath didn't shrug off her advances either. Lila and that girl had themselves a real cat fight over him. Heath became a stagecoach driver the next day to get away from the quarreling girls and to not cause more unrest in Sally's house.

He pulled on his boots before standing and retrieving a gun belt.

"I know you're fast, boy." Sally watched as Heath checked his revolver for bullets. "But even with a full cartridge, there's six of them. Two in the saloon and four out back. I've done saddled your horse. Had one of the girls retrieve your belongings from the hotel. The horse is out back in the shadows of the alley. But don't know how you're going to get away easily."

"Can your girls help me with a distraction?" Heath asked as he grabbed Audra's arm.

Audra once again allowed the guilt to take over. She held her breath trying to think of a way to help. After all, she had put both she and Heath in danger.

"Sure. What do you have in mind?" Sally walked behind them as Heath peeked out of the door to the back alley. He had to step over a few men, who had passed out drunk or were in a sleep due to being tired from their nightly excursions.

Heath noted the four Johnsons hiding in wait for him. Heath then walked to the door leading into the saloon. The other two Johnsons were readying themselves for the battle. Lila was propped up against the bar looking smug at the boys. Heath quickly jutted his hand through his blond hair.

"Lila won't be working here anymore." Sally added even if it was little conciliation to Heath or Audra.

"What do we do, Heath?" Audra bit her lip as she stared at Heath with trust in her eyes.

"You have to blend in with the other girls, Audra." Heath stated apologetically. "You got to get rid of that fancy dress."

"Do you have something I can put on, Sally?" Audra turned willing to do anything to better the situation.

"We don't have time for that, Sweetie." Sally sighed hating the next statement to come from her mouth. She knew Audra didn't deserve to be done as requested. But it may just save her life. "You need to strip to your underwear."

"Heath?" Audra turned as tears brimmed her eyes.

Heath nodded as he took Audra's hand. He squeezed it. "I'm sorry."

"No. I am for getting us into this." Audra said as she pulled off the dress quickly feeling a rush of shame of standing in her thin undergarments. She looked at Sally realizing how wrong she had been to judge her. Had she been so spoiled and protected that she had come to thinking she was better than others? She realized she had been.

She squeezed Sally's hand in a silent act of asking for forgiveness. "Thank you so much, Miss Sally."

Sally nodded her understanding. The young lady had finally seen the dire situation and the reality of life even if it was a little.

Heath didn't look at Audra. He'd had enough temptation already to contend with. He had to keep his mind clear so he could get through the battle to come.

"She's still too lady like." Candy messed up Audra's hair then grabbed the fancy dress and shoving it into a trunk. "Her face is just too soft and pretty."

"We don't have time to paint her up." Sally glanced at Heath. "Audra still looks like a rose among all of us thorns."

"Here they come!" A saloon girl, who had been peering out the door, cried out just before two of the Johnson boys barged through the door.

"Scream like banshees when the shooting starts, girls." Heath stated with a cool reserve. He pulled Audra around to face him. "I'm sorry, Audra."

"For what?" She barely allowed the words to escape her lips when Heath's lips were on hers in a heated kiss. They both leaned into the kiss more than Heath had planned.

The two Johnsons came through the door with barrels held high as they tried to look around for Audra and the man, who had fought them off the previous day. They were both there according to Lila.

They ignored the kissing cowboy and the saloon girl in the throws of a passionate kiss at first. Then Heath suddenly pushed Audra aside as the boys turned back around. Two shots rang out. Two shots hit the targets with precision.

The kiss was used as a distraction to gain the upper hand on the boys. Audra touched her burning lips realizing what Heath had done. She drew in a deep breath as she felt Heath grab her around the waist. He practically picked her up as he moved her to a safer position. The firing of the guns immediately caused Sally's girls to start screaming as the two Johnson boys lay dead at their feet.

The back door burst open as the other Johnsons hustled through. In the pandemonium, Heath pulled Audra past some of the hysterical girls. He then made his way out the back door quickly as the boys checked on their dead brothers. None noticing that Audra was the lady they were looking for until Jacob Johnson saw Heath and Audra retreat out of the back door toward the alley.

"They're gettin' away!" He yelled trying to make his voice louder than the cries of the saloon girls. He stepped out and shot in the direction of Heath trying to make the escape.

Sally picked up a vase knocking the younger of the Johnsons out before he told of the escaping couple. She watched as Heath mounted his horse effortlessly not even using the stirrups. He pulled Audra up in front of him as they rode off with a thunder. Heath's arm was once again wrapped protectively around Audra.