Chapter 36 – Curiouser and Curiouser
The sun had just peeked over the edge of the earth when Alex took a moment to enjoy the stillness of the coming morning. Sunrises always stirred her more then sunsets. The coming morning symbolized future and hope. It was a day yet unmarred by life and its tragic events. Anything was possible. Any amount of goodness and purity could still take place.
Sunsets, she found, had the opposite affect. When she watched the setting sun she felt only sadness. Any hope she had felt at the beginning of the day was now squashed, broken, and bleeding out its final life force in shades of orange, pink and purple across the sky.
She had just finished securing John's rooms against any further interference from Malachi. For extra protection she left small piles of the herbs hidden beneath the drapes and behind the furniture near the all the bedroom doors. She turned away from the coming day to look at the naked man she left sleeping soundly in bed. She had been very lucky he had not been killed or turned. Just the thought alone was enough to send fresh tears to her eyes. Thank God Angel had managed to talk him into changing rooms.
Sleep had been short and hard coming. John had managed to keep her very distracted during most of the evening. When she woke early she found he was sleeping deeply and knew it was time she perform her protection spell. Now that her task was complete she would meet Angel and Spike to go over the survey maps. It was time to get back on track and stop fucking around, literally.
Alexis walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. Immediately, Doc began to stir, somehow sensing her nearness. In another moment he would be awake and ruin her plans for the day. Gently, she reached out her hand and caressed his forehead. "Sleep love, for just a little while longer." She said as she lightly brushed against his mind. His breathing changed to a deeper, slower rhythm as he drifted soundly back to sleep. She leaned in and kissed his mouth gently before she rose from the bed.
Excerpt from Alex's Journal September 1881 (Day 17 – Early Morning)
After a tragedy of errors I hope I'm finally back on track. Angel and Spike arrived two days ago. Already Angel's sharp mind and determined attitude have lifted my spirits. At his request, Spike has procured a survey map of the mines in the area. We will systematically mark each mine I have sterilized to see which ones remain a hazard and to see if we can ascertain if there is a pattern to Malachi's movements.
Since we strongly suspect the vampires may be nesting somewhere on or near the Clanton ranch, we hope the maps will reveal possible caves or locations of mines that I am unaware of.
Last night was my first sighting of Malachi since my arrival to this time. He has attacked Doc again. Fortunately, he was at the Oriental when Malachi broke into his room. Mal was pissed when he found the room empty. He torn the bedding to shreds and pinned the last photo taken of us together to Doc's closet door. Another warning for me, I guess. As Malachi was leaving Doc's room I was approaching and saw him jump down from the second floor. I gave chase but he got away.
Doc continues to slowly uncover my truth. I should walk away from him and not look back but find I am unable to. Last night he proposed marriage. He'll never know how much his offer cut me to the deepest part of my soul. I can't help but think how quickly he will regret his desire for me when he finds out I've been lying to him the entire time.
"Are you sure you remembered every mine site you sterilized?" Angel asked for the third time.
"Like I said before, since I don't see as well in the dark as you do, this is the best I can remember. I tried to search in an East to West pattern, but I might have gotten turned around once or twice."
They had been studying the map for hours. Earlier, Alex had taken the time to go back to the Oriental to retrieve the rest of her belongings. She would stay at the hotel from now on. On her way she had stopped at the butchers to get Angel and Spike something to sustain them and when she was settled back in their room she ordered room service for herself. Now that she had eaten she felt much better.
"Alex, I don't see any pattern here at all. Whatever Malachi is doing it makes no sense to me." Angel stood and stretched his back to ease the tension from leaning over the table.
"Well, we know he is turning every cowboy and outlaw he finds into vampires. How he is managing to keep them all hidden and under control is beyond me." She took another sip of her coffee as she enjoyed the hot brew and the strength it was giving her.
"What about the Clanton ranch, don't you think we should look into those rocky areas marked on the map?" Spike asked. "Could be a cave or the like that would offer them protection from the sun. If I was trying to hide from a Slayer, that would be the place I'd pick."
"It would have to be an awful big cave, but we can check it out as soon as the sunsets." Angel said without looking up from studying the map.
"Where you going, Pet?" Spike saw Alex root through her pile of clothes before she walked toward the hotel room door. She was wearing her dungarees and flannel shirt and cowhide coat. In her hand she carried her weapon bag and vest.
"I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I'll go ahead. You two can catch up later."
"You'll be seen." Angel scolded.
"Not me. A boy will be seen." She waved a large brimmed hat over her head as she continued her march towards the door. "I'll be disguise as a boy, snoop around a little and then I'll come back. I also need to stop at the church to see Father Martin."
"What for?" Spike asked
She stopped halfway out the door and looked back at him with smug look on her face. "It's been three days since my last confession, silly. I need to be shrived before I patrol."
"Hey, what do we do if sleeping beauty shows up and is pissed off?" Spike called back.
"Offer him a drink and tell him I went to confession." She replied with a smile as she closed the door behind her.
Father Martin was very glad to see Alex as he rushed to greet her when she walked through the front doors of the church. "I've been worried, sick. Where have you been?"
"Sorry Father. As you know my friends are here, and well, we've been busy reorganizing our efforts."
"Any success?"
"Yes and no." When the priest looked confused she quickly explained about Malachi's destruction of Doc's room and her efforts to insert protective barriers around her new friends.
"Father did you take care of John Behan?"
Unconsciously he made a face before he answered. "Yes. Javier and I gave him a Christian burial. Poor soul." He made the sign of the cross and said a quick prayer.
"Are the others here yet?" She asked eagerly.
"No, I'm afraid not." He noticed she looked worried. "Come, Alex you can fill me in on the details while I listen to your confession.
The confession turned into a full-blown mass. Father Martin insisted on giving her the full Catholic protection mojo that included incense, Latin prayer, and a Holy water bath.
"Now you can go to the ranch to investigate. I dare say the Archangels themselves will protect you."
"Thank you, Father." She knelt at his feet and kissed his hand.
"Is there anything else I can do, Alex?"
"There is something. Can you run an errand for me? I haven't had the opportunity to look in on the oriental women I rescued. I also wanted to give the Li family some more money for the any medical expense."
"Of course." He replied.
"Give them this, and tell them I hope to see them soon." She handed him two hundred dollars.
The Priest looked with amazement at the large amount of money. "Do I dare ask where you found this?"
She had just finished tucking her hair under her hat. "I borrowed it from a friend. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll recoup his loses in another poker game tonight." She replied with a devilish smile as she walked to the door.
"Won't he be mad when he finds this money missing?"
"Oh, I'm counting on it." She called as she passed out the door.
The ride to the Clanton ranch proved to be uneventful. When she was insight of the property she dismounted and walked her horse through the thick pine trees that covered the ranch on three sides. Behind the ranch on the remaining side, she could see the beginning of the deep rocky terrain Spike had pointed out. It rose steeply to a high mountain that provided a beautiful backdrop for the ranch. Picturesque would be an appropriate term.
Since there was still a few hours of sunlight, she felt it was safe enough to circle the property on horseback and see if there was anything Angel and Spike had missed during the course of the night.
As she investigated the property, she saw tracks in the ground of multiple horses and wagons coming and going. The dead cows Angel had seen were gone and replaced by live ones.
They've been feeding on cows and had taken great care to cover up the evidence of their meals. I wonder why?
She started in the direction that Wyatt and Doc had been hiding the night she killed Ike. As she rode passed the spot of Ike's demise, she noticed someone had placed a bunch of wildflowers on the ground. Obviously, someone notice Ike was missing, most likely his brother, Billy. She remembered Ike's peculiar laugh as he hee-hawed at her through a mound of mashed potatoes and felt a sharp pang of regret.
She continued her search to the far side of the barn and corral, at times riding slowly before stopping her horse to continue on foot. She saw very little that gave her any encouragement, until she passed the back of the barn.
Alex knew it wasn't unusual for barns to have doors at both ends. It made it easier for a team of horses hitched to a wagon to be led into a barn and once the wagon was unloaded the team could be ridden straight out the back. What captured her attention on the back wall of the Clanton barn was the freshly cut doors and well oiled hinges. As if the Clantons had just recently decided to create the opening.
The doors were tightly closed with no means of viewing the inside. She didn't really want to walk in a dark barn that was possibly concealing a nest of vampires without Angel and Spike's help but there was one unanswered question she needed to investigate.
Slowly she rode to view the front of the barn, which would let the animals out to graze in the corrals. Just as she thought the hinges on those doors were weathered and worn. Which meant the back door had just been created. She moved once more around back to get another look and as she approached she noticed a fine path of stones and pebbles that led in a trail from the barn to the woods beyond.
"Curiouser and Curiouser." She muttered to herself as she rode the horse further into the woods.
Doc woke from his sleep slowly as he stretched out his long legs and rolled over in the bed where he continued to doze lightly, half awake and yet still half asleep. He loved waking up like this, the feel of sleep's gently push as it held him down, coaxing him and enticing him to give up his will and drift deeper into ether. The bed was almost too comfortable and inviting to rise from just yet, and for once his body was totally relaxed and completely free of pain.
Yet, in spite of the temptation to surrender to his contentment he felt something was missing. The hard ridge pressed between his stomach and the soft cotton sheets on the bed reminded him. Unconsciously, he shifted his hips against the mattress as he remembered. Alex. He had been so out of control last night. Mad as hell one minute and the next burning to be inside her. How could it be possible to be so angry with someone and yet still crave their touch? But that is exactly what he felt when he threw her bodily against the door.
More awake then asleep now, he wondered if she would still be angry with him this morning. He hoped not, it would be a shame to waste this rock-hard erection he had. He reached out with one hand toward the other side of the bed firmly believing he would feel her soft warm skin with the tips of his fingers. He even envisioned spooning her against his body and perhaps drifting back to sleep, but reality ruptured his dreams when his hand met empty air.
His head snapped up, as he anxiously looked across the vacant bed before sitting up and looking around the room only to find it empty as well. He reached for his pocket watch that was sitting on the nightstand. It was almost 2 o'clock. He had slept most of the day away.
"Alex?" He called as a sense of foreboding coursed through his body .
No answer.
Perhaps she was in the bath. He grabbed his robe as he climbed out of bed and punched his arms through the sleeves. Without knocking first, he threw open the bathroom door and found nothing.
A string of curses rushed out of his mouth as he walked back through his room and into the adjoining room he had secured for her. It was also empty and showed no sign she had even entered the room. He cursed louder this time as he walked back into his bath and began to prepare for a very aggravating day.
Thirty minutes later he stood outside her cousin's hotel room door. If Alex had been there she would have been very impressed by the swift manner in which he had bathed and dressed. Although, half his clothes were still unbuttoned, his gun holster was not secured, and his cravat dangled loosely around his neck when he began to pound on the door.
A squeaky falsetto voice sang sweetly from the other side. "Who is it?"
"It's me." He growled.
"Me who?" It sang back.
Doc clenched his teeth as he seethed. "I'll give you two clues. My first clue will be to shoot out the lock on this fucking door if you don't open it immediately!"
He heard the lock spring and the door opened abruptly to reveal Spike standing shirtless, in his bare feet, and smoking a cigarette. "What's your second clue?" He sang in his mock female voice again only this time Doc could see the bold cocky smile he wore.
Spike was not surprised when he opened the door and found Alex's lover in a bad mood. However, he was taken back by the degree of that anger when Doc's hand whipped out to momentarily rest on the ivory handle of his gun as he glared back.
"You Southerners don't have much sense of humor do you?" Spike surmised in his normal voice this time. He stepped away from the doorway to allow the other man access to the room.
"Is she…?" Doc started to ask but Spike interrupted him.
"No, she's not, Mate. Came and went hours ago." He felt a moment of pity at the exasperated look on the gambler's face. "Why don't you sit down for a spell and have some coffee. Perhaps she'll be back soon." He motioned him toward the small settee and table that held a fresh tray of coffee and breakfast cake. "I've ordered a proper spread."
At a loss to know what to do next, Doc sat down and watched Spike pour him a cup of coffee. "Where's your other cousin?" He asked as he sipped the hot beverage.
"He's in the loo." When Doc looked confused Spike clarified. "Sorry. Bath." Then he proceeded to stretch out in the chair with both legs extended and one arm tossed over the back as he studied the other man's partially dressed attire and grim expression. "Driving you to distraction is she?"
"In a word." Doc sighed as he began to roll a smoke.
"Women tend to do that to a man, especially when they get under your skin."
Grudgingly, Doc gave him a small smile as he sealed the paper with the tip of his tongue.
"It'll be worth it though, if things work out right in the end. I'm told you intend to marry the girl?"
He scoffed and then lit his cigarette. "She refused me."
"Did she now?" Spike was surprised. "No matter. I wouldn't take it to heart. They never say what they really mean anyway. Always so damn contrary. Say one thing, yet do another." He heard Doc grunt with agreement as he leaned over to pick up his cup. "Keeps the juices flowing though, don't it?" Spike offered as his face lit with a sly smirk.
Doc couldn't help but laugh at the other man's sharp perspective and the plain manner of his speech. "Do you know a thing or two about the fairer sex, Mr. Montgomery?"
"I go by Spike. You might call it a family nickname." He clarified before taking another deep pull from his smoke. "I've had my fair share. Some of them have even been pleasant." He felt a small measure of satisfaction when he coaxed another smile from Doc. "Alex is exceptional, though. Women like her don't come your way but once in a lifetime. Unfortunately for me, I've already had mine." He leaned over and snubbed out his cigarette.
"What happened?" Doc asked.
He shrugged. "We had our season, then it ended. Some things aren't meant to last and some things are. It's learning to recognize the difference that can drive you mad."
Doc nodded thoughtfully. "Where's Alex, now?"
Spike chuckled softly. "She knew you'd be knocking on our door eventually. I was to offer you a drink and tell you she went to confession. Don't worry, she'll be back." Just as he finished his explanation Angel walked out of the bathroom wearing only a towel.
"I thought I heard voices." He nodded a greeting to Doc before he walked over to the closet to retrieve a fresh set of clothing.
"Our future family member came looking for Alexis. Not exactly what you'd call a surprise."
Angel turned to look at Spike, paused for a moment as he considered what to say, before shaking his head and turned away again.
Doc watched the two men in silence. There was something strange going on but he could quite figure it out. He highly suspected that a silent form of communication was being exchanged.
"Did you two work out your differences?" Angel asked.
"Not to my satisfaction." Doc replied dryly.
"How about hers, Mate? You know ladies always come first." Spike smirked.
"Shut up William." Angel threatened.
Despite his sour mood, Doc found Spike's cocky attitude and dry humor refreshing. It seemed to him he had finally found a kindred spirit. But he had had enough chitchat for one morning. "Obviously, I am interrupting your routine. If you should see Alexis before I do, please let her know I was asking for her."
As he rose from the sofa and began to walk to the door he noticed for the first time the tattoo on Angel's back. Setting aside his manners he pointed at the other man. "I've just noticed your tattoo, Angel. Perhaps you could tell me if this is a family tradition. I've observed Alex is also marked, but on the insides of her arms. Why is this?"
Angel narrowed his eyes at Doc. "That is a question she will have to answer." His tone of voice left no doubt that the topic of Alex and her tattoos would not be addressed by him.
"I see." He turned to Spike and continued his train of thought. "And you Spike, are you similarly marked as well?"
Spike gave Angel a devilish grin before turning to Doc and saying, "Not me. I was brought up right and proper."
Doc looked back and forth at the two men. "I'm curious, you don't look like brothers. I see no family resemblance at all."
Spike jerked his thumb in Angel's direction and said with a straight face, "Oh, he's adopted."
Doc studied them both for a moment longer, and then sighed with frustration. "Thank you for the coffee. I will be at the Oriental, if she wishes to know where I am. Why don't you both stop by when you're free?" Then he turned and walked out the door.
Spike stared at the closed door for several moments before declaring, "It seems our little girl has got him hanging by his…. Well, you know what I mean."
"And you're not helping the situation." Angel snapped.
"I'm not hurting it either."
"Did he say anything important?" Angel asked.
Spike shook his head. "He's too chewed up to say anything worth while. You know, I feel kind of sorry for him."
Doc returned to his room to finish dressing and to leave a note for Alex before he went to the Oriental. When he opened the door to his room he noticed for the first time the strong aroma of lavender lingering in the air. He was puzzled as to why he had not noticed it before. It couldn't have been Alex's perfume because her overnight stay in his room had been unplanned, so she hadn't brought any personal possessions with her.
He walked over to open a window to allow a little air into the room and that's when he noticed several specks of bluish leaf on the floor by the drapery. Kneeling to take a better look, he pushed back the curtains and found a substantial amount of dried herbs in a small pile carefully hidden behind the folds of material. He pinched a small amount and brought it up to his nose. It was a mixture of lavender and sage.
Doc had no doubt who had deposited the herbs in his room. What he didn't know was why Alex had done it. What was the purpose? If the objective was to fragrant the room, then why bother to hide it? He retrieved the travel bag that contained his dental equipment and pulled out a small glass vial. He scraped a substantial amount of the herb into the vial, sealed it with a cork and then placed it carefully into his vest pocket.
For the next twenty minutes he looked in every nook and cranny in his room and hers. Altogether, he found ten piles of the herb mixture carefully hidden from view but placed at strategic positions, namely, near all the possible entrances into both rooms. Is this why she had purchased such a large amount of the herbs from the Miller's store? But this wasn't the only incidence in which she had used them. There was also the encounter with Behan and his violent reaction when Alex had tossed a cluster at him. At the time he had thought he had imagined the small column of smoke rising from the spot where the herbs landed on the sheriff's body. He wondered now if he had seen some kind of chemical reaction in conjunction with Behan's odd behavior.
Doc was careful to not disturb the piles she had placed about their rooms, somehow sensing how important it was that they remain. He also wanted the element of surprise when he got the opportunity to ask Alex why she had done such a strange thing. Just let her try to explain her way out of this mess.