Kitty lay there, beneath Jude Bonner. His muscular body taking what it wanted. She swallowed hard, and her throat constricted slightly. Her heart was pounding against her chest as he continued. She was aware of him speaking to her, but she could not hear the words he spoke.

Matt gently laid his hand against her cheek. 'God how she loved the feel of his bare skin against hers.' His chest rippling with muscles, his tapered waist and strong thighs. She looked into his deep blue eyes, and offered her warmth to him. She would give him anything he asked of her, anything.

As he thrust deeper and harder into her willing body she closed her eyes and let her body feel all of him. Slipping her hand behind his neck, she pulled his mouth to hers. Her tongue mating with his as their bodies mated. It was different, it wasn't the same, his mouth was hard and angry. His body pounding relentlessly into hers and somewhere in her fog induced brain she heard his voice again, but it couldn't be. It wasn't Matt's voice. It wasn't the voice of the only man she had truly loved. Something gripped her about the throat again, this time it was fear. "No!" It came out weak, but still she tried to push him off of her. Jude Bonner realized that she must have been thinking of that big Marshall of hers. This angered him deep inside. His belly began to burn with loathing. "No, stop it!" She cried weakly again. This time he laughed at her as he clamped his hand down over her mouth and continued to take her. "You..should…have…been mine!" He cried out as he came inside of her. Looking down at her, he saw the tears flowing, but she did not look away, she looked at him and he pulled his hand free from her mouth. "You could be my woman."

Her voice was shaky, but she spoke nonetheless. "I'd rather be dead than to have to live with you. I'd rather be dead." She cried. "You aren't a man, you're a coward."

"A coward?" he spat out angrily. He sat up, and suddenly he slapped her across the face. "Bitch!" He yelled. But Kitty did not respond to his angry words, or to the slap across the face. "I'll show you a coward. You ain't nothin' but the leavings of my men." He said getting off of the cot and grabbing her by the throat. He pulls her to her feet and drags her over to the table. Using his free hand, he wipes the table clean. Then slams her face down onto the table. "I'll show you what a coward is, Woman."

Kitty knew he was going to rape her again. She cried as she waited for him to penetrate her. Suddenly she felt him at a place no lover had ever been. Trying to sit up, she began to fight. "N-no! No! don't, pleeease!" She begged, but he ignored her cries and pushed his way inside. "Noooooo! Noooooooo! Stoppppp," She screamed herself hoarse, but he ignored her and continued.

Jude grabbed her long hair and pulled on it as he continued to pump inside of her. It was a tightness he had never known and it excited him all the more. She whimpered as he continued to pound into her and the tears continued. He was unyielding, and there wasn't an inch on her body that did not hurt.

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Matt smiled at Kitty as she sat in the cool stream, naked. She was bathing after that long ride from the Danbey ranch. They had enjoyed an early supper with Rachel and Kieran Danbey and on the return trip, they found the trail to be dusty. Kitty insisted on stopping and cleaning up a bit before continuing, so it was no surprise to Matt, when she steered him in the direction of their favorite spot.

Her red hair was piled up on her head and held daintily in place by a few carefully placed hair pins. Matt smiled at her as he watched her wash the dust from her creamy skin. The water droplets making their way down her back, and back into the stream. His mouth watered and he imagined licking the water from her bare shoulders. He was suddenly brought out of his musings when he heard her speak his name. She was no longer sitting in the stream, but standing before him, buck-naked. "You know, you could be arrested standing here like that."

"Oh?" She asked stepping closer to him. "What for?"

"I believe it's something about being indecent." He said swallowing hard as her delicate hands slid up his chest.

"Oh, well, I guess I should just go get dressed!" She said as she began to walk around him. Matt grabbed her arm and pulled her back against his chest. He slid his arms around her waist and over her hips, up her belly and to her chest to cup the heavy globes.

"I love the way you smell, woman. The way your skin tastes after a warm bath. The way it tastes after making love. In fact, I love the taste of your skin when we're making love. I'm a hungry man, Kitty, hungry for your body, for the taste of your skin. Hungry to feel you beneath me." His hands slid down her belly and to her thighs than to her hips.

"Oh no. I'm not lying in the mud this time. You are!" She said as she turned to face him and saw the look of shock on his face. He laughed, when she shoved him back and he stumbled and fell to the ground. He watched as she stepped over his hips and stood there looking down at him. Matt laid back in the sand as Kitty straddled his hips. Smiling as she slid up his chest and bent to kiss him vigorously on the mouth. He was so lost in her kiss that he hadn't realized that she had released him from his britches and he was just moments away from heaven. "Oh." Was all he said as he moved into her. He was fascinated by the way her long red hair fell over her shoulders, creating a blanket of fire covering her large breast. He loved to see her like this, so alive and uninhibited. She was the most incredible lover he had ever known. She gave everything of herself and demanded the same in return. Her body had brought him to such pleasures, that he couldn't think straight at times. Just the smell of her perfume, the hint of a smile in her eyes would bring him back to the nights they had so often shared. Her body moved above his and she was in complete control of this situation, which to him, was quite erotic. To see her with her head thrown back, her hips moving up and down as though she were riding her horse, he was helpless to resist her. He sat up slightly, his mouth attacking her erect nipples and she cried out from the sheer pleasure of it. Matt held her hips tightly, he could feel her body trembling as she began to fall over the edge. And then, they were both there, seeking each others mouths to subdue their passion filled cries.

Matt's chest burned as he longed for her. His body sitting upright, the moment her cries echoed in his dream. Again, he dreamed of his beautiful Kathleen. How he loved her, how he would still love her for the rest of their days. He had to get to her. Make Jude Bonner give up his crazy idea. Killing Kitty, would not bring his brother, Virgil back. He had to get to Dodge. He had to get to Kitty.

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Nothing, she had ever endured in her life, had made her ready for pain she felt now. It hurt to breathe, to move, to even think. Every inch of her body, was battered and bruised and violated by Jude Bonner and his men. 'Today is….Monday, no Tuesday, yes…..Tuesday….Sam needs to set out the books….I need to work on the books….' These thoughts were her only comfort. 'Matt will be here soon….We'll go home and I can work on the books….get the new shipment inventoried…..I hope he gets here soon…..Everything, hurts so.' She thought as she laid there on the cot, covered only by the woolen blanket.

Jude entered the tent, holding some of her clothing, that had been lost around the camp. She looked so tiny lying in that bed, that he stopped for a moment to see if she really was there. Leaning down on the floor, he picked up the last pieces to her outfit, her undergarments. He sat everything on the table and looked over at her. "The men are mostly passed out, or halfway, you can get dressed in private." He stated calmly to her. He turned, then stopped. "I'll be standing out front till you're done." He said without even looking back at her.

Kitty slowly sat up after he had left the tent. Her body ached from head to toe. As she slowly stood up, she pulled the blanket closer and the room began to spin. Grabbing hold of the table, she steadied herself. When the room stopped spinning, she slowly gathered her things and began to dress. She didn't know what time it was, except that it would be morning very soon. 'Yes, it's Tuesday,' she thought. 'I have to do inventory today. I have to pay Sam.'

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The ride to Dodge was long and arduous, especially for Kitty, who did not know the extent of her injuries, only that her insides burned as though they were on fire. Even though the bleeding had stopped, the pain did not. She could only guess that she had internal damage. She prayed that she would die. Each step the horse took, each jostle on the saddle brought a new wave of pain.

As she waited with Duffy at the end of Front street, she could feel her consciousness slipping. Twice he had to push her back up on the horse. And twice she pushed him away, when his attempt to keep her upright, had become more than just a helpful hand, especially when his hand slipped into her blouse, grabbing her breast and squeezing it brutally. He then saw the signal and jerked her horse behind his. She felt as though she were going to pass out, but she had to hold on. She was so close to home, she couldn't let go now. She had to get back to Dodge. 'Just hold on a little longer.' She kept telling herself.

Duffy reached up and pulled her off of her horse. He regretted only one thing, having to give her back. He looked at her as she stumbled towards the Long Branch and finally mounted his horse. She had fire in her, the likes of none he had ever seen. No woman stood up to Jude for that long. Most of them just gave him what he wanted, when he wanted. But this Marshall's woman, she was different. She was like no other. He regretted having to give her back. He would gladly pay again, to be with her one last time.

Kitty slowly walked towards the Long Branch. She could see the sidewalk to the Long Branch within reach, yet it felt like miles. She couldn't stand up right, the pain was beyond her threshold. She couldn't stand the pain. Wanted it to go away. There was a burning in her belly and with each step, it was getting worse. As she reached up for the post, she stepped up onto the sidewalk. She wanted the pain to stop, it was all she could think about. Then she became vaguely aware of Jude Bonner speaking, when suddenly, there was no noise, nothing, only a searing, burning pain in her back with a force that spun her around. The last thing she was aware of, was hitting the ground, the air being ripped from her body. And then bliss. Unadulterated bliss.

An abyss of darkness engulfed her body. She floated high above the pain. There was nothing, but the faint cries and murmurs around her. 'SSSshhhh!' she heard her mind trying to tell them to be quiet. Let her sleep. There was no pain here, just let her sleep. She was so tired. She heard doc, cry. And somewhere in her unconscious state she could see the tears falling from his cheek. 'It's okay, doc, I'm home now. I'm safe. It's okay.' She tried to tell him, but the words would not come. Nor could she move to tell him. And then, there was nothing. No noise, no pain, nothing.

Jude Bonner watched in amazement, as her body spun around, and her skirt flew up about her like the pedals of a flower. And her hair, her red locks cascaded around her face and shoulders. It seemed odd to him, that she moved in slow motion. That the bullet left his gun, a wisp of smoke trailing behind it, then piercing her body, as though it were taking it's time entering her middle back. And then she lay on the ground, dead. 'What a waste of a woman.' He thought to himself. 'You could have been my woman.' He pulled back on the reins of his horse and the Dog Soldiers left Dodge.

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Doc could not hold back his fear. Lying on the ground was the woman whom he had grown to love and cherish as though she were his daughter. She had beaten him repeatedly at checkers and even gone up against him in a game of billiards. They had dined together so many times, at least one meal a day, was shared, like family. He gathered his thoughts and looked down at her. 'You can't die, Kitty, I won't let you.' He thought to himself.

Sam and another man began to lift her up to carry her to Doc's office. "Gently!" Doc said. Sam gently allowed Derrick Thompkins to take her in his arms and slowly head to Docs. Matt was the biggest man in Dodge, and Derrick ran a close second. Standing 6'5" weight 230 lbs, he was definitely a big man. And Kitty looked like a doll in his arms.

'No. No don't move. It hurts. PLEASE STOP! Why won't you listen to me, please God, make him stop!' Her mind screamed, but still no words were uttered from her lips. She became aware of gentle hands on her body, removing her clothing, then gently squeezing her limbs, checking for broken bones. 'None there, Doc.' She thought, until he hit the ribs. "Ummmm." She moaned in pain. 'If they weren't broken, they sure as hell were badly bruise.'

"Kitty, it's Doc. You're safe, honey. I'm gonna take care of you and you're gonna be just fine." He said gently touching the side of her face. Kitty slowly opened her eyes, but she couldn't see him, her vision blurred and then she was unconscious. Doc leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. He then went to work.

to be continued……