The Ballad Of Decker Crane Ch 11

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The Ballad of Decker Crane

Harp Strathe

Chapter Eleven

(Decker)

Kay and Adya came out.

"We'll go check the fences, Decker, see what damage the wind might have done," Kay said, his hand on the girl's shoulder.

Kay had felt maybe a moment's difficulty with the small siren under his hand. He'd rolled with that punch and come up directly on his feet. Decker's eyes shifted to Adya. Her eyes were bright and alert, her manner confident.

"I'll go with them," Chione said, coming out.

"Chione," Decker said.

She looked at him, her eyes guarded, and then she relaxed and nodded, going down the stairs.

Yenna and Lily came out the door.

"We're going to check on the equipment," Yenna said. "You come with us, Bryn."

Bryn came out, and unlike Adya, she was subdued, avoiding Decker's eyes. As she passed, he reached and put his hand on her head. She looked up at him and relaxed and smiled, looking like Persya, and then she ran down the stairs like she tended to, heading for the barn.

Decker sighed. This had gone to hell so fast. He turned around and found Grace in front of him, all her doctoring confidence gone. It was still a little surprising when she spoke to him now, but evidently she thought it was important enough to hazard talking to the scary outlaw.

"Decker, I..." She paused, seeming to get her courage. "Tag. Won't it be worse for him where he lives, where the ground is so barren, like he described? Will he be all right?"

"He should be fine, as long as he was inside," Decker answered. "His cabin is reinforced and the habitats are. He knows better than to go out in a storm. I'll check on him, if you'd like."

Grace nodded, her shoulders relaxing. "All right. Thank you." She hesitated. "You'll tell him I said hello to him?"

"Sure."

She went back in. Decker walked into an empty house, Grace in the room now with Dawine and Bai. He went and looked in the kitchen, but Persya wasn't there. She'd gone into their bedroom and shut the door. He walked to it, hearing the bath running. Turning the knob, he went in.

Persya turned around, naked, the towel coming up in front of herself. She held it there, although there were all sorts of curves it couldn't contain. She was standing in the water. "I thought you were gone. I was going to take a bath," she said in a low voice. "I can do it later."

Decker thought about what he might have done, full of anger and her looking so beautiful. He shut the door behind himself and approached her, reaching and taking the towel. Her hands rose briefly and then crossed at her belly. He tipped her chin, but she was avoiding his eyes.

"Look at me, baby," he said.

Her eyes met his, hers searching. Whatever she saw, her hand went to his chest, leaning in. Those dark eyes reached right into him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she said. "I didn't want you to think that I was even more odd than I am, and I was afraid you would think I could do things I can't."

Stepping back, he pulled off his shirt and then the rest of his clothing and stepped into the water. He'd definitely become a cleaner man since he met her. He sat, his knees coming up. She sat a moment later between his legs, using the edges to get down, her butt so round and cute, and he drew her back against himself. He hadn't touched her the last couple of days because he'd been so pissed off, which should have told him something, since being pissed off wouldn't have stopped him before.

His cock was hard, his hand tracing her shoulder, her skin like velvet. Leaning her forward, he got the soap, moving her hair and beginning to wash her back, enjoying her delicate limbs. There was a bruise on her arm. He lifted it, seeing his fingers match the marks. He hadn't known he'd done that. He didn't like it when men did that kind of thing to a woman. "I shouldn't have hurt you, baby," he muttered.

"Poor Dawine, Decker."

"I know."

She turned to him in profile. "How is Bai?"

"Desperate," he answered, rinsing her with the cup. He ran his fingers down her arm and felt her shiver. Tilting her head back, reaching around, he took the cup and poured water on her hair, doing it until the silky stuff was saturated. He got the soap, beginning to move it through the strands, being gentle.

When she spoke, she sounded shy. He'd forgotten, in his anger, that she was stubborn, but she was also sweet, too. He did love sweet. He'd gotten a powerful craving for it that didn't pass.

"The brikens might reproduce," she said.

"That's true," he said, rinsing and running the heavy weight of it through his hands. He rinsed it again until it ran clean, wringing it gently like he'd seen her do and putting it over her shoulder.

Looking over her shoulder, she smiled at him, those pretty eyes."Small Banes running around."

He laughed under her, a rumble. "Little fuckers."

She was quiet again, settling back against him. "You think that we sang to you and that's why you let us stay?"

"I don't care, Persya," he answered, nuzzling her. Reaching with his hand, he pulled the stopper, the water beginning to drain. Inhaling, his hand caressing the soft skin under her breast, the plump swell. He watched over her shoulder as her nipples tightened. Fuck, he couldn't believe he'd put this on the line, having her soft and willing. Bai had to be at least contemplating eating his pistol right about now. Decker's hand slipped into the water, which was still going out, caressing her inner thigh. He cupped her pussy. "Did you like it when I took my belt to you?"

She never disappointed him, her pussy contracting against his palm and her breath catching. "Is it because I'm a consort?"

He scoffed. "Lots of women and men like it."

Her shoulders relaxed. "Oh. I didn't realize. Do you like it?"

"Not for myself, baby."

"You want to do it to me again?"

"Soon, or something like it," he said, slowly squeezing her nipple. He went to the other. "Are you scared?"

Shivering, she offered them. "A little, maybe."

"Good," he said, putting the stopper back in the bath before all the water was gone. He got her up on her knees and put her hands on the edge. Getting on his own knees behind her, he nudged, tilting her. She was still a little bruised on her butt. Not much. He hadn't whupped her hard, but she was a little thing. His breathing was fast. "Your ass is so sweet. I liked watching you get red and hearing your cries behind the gag, seeing your cunt swell open. But most of all, I just liked whipping you."

He entered her and she was already slippery for him, Decker going steadily and not stopping. He grunted when he reached the limit, her round ass seated on his hips, the water up to her thighs. He put his hands on either side of hers, beginning to thrust.

"I'm going to whip your tits soon," he told her, sliding in and out of her. "And make you come. You're so sensitive there, Persya."

She cried out when he said that, arching, exciting him more. He could see her cunt, visible because of the way she jutted for him. His fingers went seeking under her, his breath hot in her ear, nipping as he tugged on her clitoris. She had too many nerves there, his fingers seeking each side and moving fast. He shifted his fingers and squeezed, peeling back the hood. It would hurt.

Sounding surprised, she cried out and came as he tugged her clit all through it, feeling her on his cock, squeezing him. Withdrawing his fingers when she was done, he stabilized her hips with his hands and thrust through her climax, steady and deep, his breathing ragged. "Such a good girl."

She made a helpless sound, going limp as he thrust faster, spreading and giving him more. Persya knew, now, not to try to draw away when he did this after she'd come. She kept herself available to him. She'd ended up on the floor a few times with her face to the side and her ass in the air.

He grunted. "Did that hurt? Did you like that?" he said, his thrusts harsh now.

She whined, sending him somewhere else. Pulling out of her, he got hold of her and picked her up, putting her on her back on the bed. It was time. He was certainly ready. He got his cock wet, her pussy giving him plenty, but he had oil, too, if he needed it.

"Did your health class tell you about butt sex?" he said, bringing her knees up and leaning on them, lining himself up.

"What?" she panted. "No."

"It's where I fuck your ass." He slipped a finger into her tight little hole, teasing her, her slick making him pop in and out a little. "People do it all the time. You won't be injured by it." He pushed into her deeper, her slick dripping onto his finger. He wasn't going to need the oil. He put a second finger in, going nice and slow.

"I--" she said, her eyes wide, fighting him a little and squirming. "Nobody said anything about that."

He nudged with his cock, sinking in a little and coming out, rocking. The next time he did it, she stayed still and he went deeper, watching her face. Going slow was key, he figured. Whores did this and expected it, but she was a virgin here. "That's good." He went deeper, waiting and then slipping in more. She was tight, the ring caressing his cock. He had been looking forward to this, and now it was here.

She began to pant, her hand going to his chest. "Wait."

He let her knees unfold, her ass available to his cock because he was deep enough in her, his hips still rocking. Her legs were spread. He reached and touched her nipple, squeezing rhythmically.

She shook her head, but it was an uncertain movement. When he reached for the other and did the same, she went still, her eyes unfocusing. His cock was making progress. Reaching down, he dug in with his thumb, moving back and forth, long swipes, finding it and rubbing her clitoris.

Her ass contracted around him. There she was. Those knees came up higher on their own as he thrust in, still rocking. Almost there. She hitched and he returned his fingers to her nipples.

After that, it was just riding her ass and pinching her nipples, sharp thrusts, her knees up entirely. He was grunting. Angling his hand, he curled his fingers into her cunt, the motions sharp. "Time to come," he said, thrusting deeply into her.

Her eyes got heavy, shaking her head.

He brought her back. "Look at me when you come with my cock in your ass."

Her body relaxed and she met his eyes, making a sound that went all through him, needy and obscene. Then she went rigid, writhing, his thumb riding her clit. His hips were pounding into her.

The pleasure was fast and complete, Decker trying to hold off. It was no use, so he went with it and came hard, first stabbing and then holding there, emptying. "Fuck." He strangled the word.

Yes, that had been nice, on top of some other nice things, now that he wasn't wrapped up in being pissed at her. Panting, he pulled out gently, in increments, Persya hitching, and then he went and ran more hot water into the bath.

It was good he did. In not too long, she got a look on her face and rose and did one of those sweet little bouncing jiggle-runs she did that set him off, one foot and the other going in, but her knees trying to stay together, so she had to hold her hands out to balance. Turning around, more jiggling, she sat down with her knees still together, which didn't work, unbalancing at the last moment and landing on her bottom, not looking at him.

Decker burst into laughter, unable to stop and not caring to anyway.

Her mouth fell open, looking at him. "I don't see what's so funny."

"How could you?" he said, holding his stomach, which after a time was all relaxed. He hadn't ever laughed so much as he did with her, wiping his eyes. "Oh, fuck. That was beautiful."

"Don't laugh at me, Decker."

"How can I help it?" he said, gesturing, still chuckling. "I wish I'd gotten that on record so I could watch it over again."

"Go hump a briken," she shot.

Decker went still, staring at her, his smile fading and the silence sharp in the room. Her chin raised, that stubborn look. He snorted laughter and came and got her, pulling her out of the tub and tossing her on the bed on her back over her protests. He was on top of her, her body still wet and her hair trapped.

He pinned her hands, grinning down, feeling a little bit too much for her right now. "You did not just tell me to go fuck a briken."

"I did," she said.

Releasing her and leaning down, he kissed her, taking his time. Persya's arms came up around his neck, all soft and yielding warmth, because Persya liked to be kissed. He could do all sorts of things to her if he kissed her, especially if he took his time. And he didn't mind.

#

It was barely a week of getting comfortably back to where they'd been before things had fucked up. That was when the next thing happened.

"Decker," a voice said, a woman's voice. A tense voice.

Decker grabbed his radio. "What's up, Chione?"

"I'm by Blind Six. I've got someone here. A stranger."

Decker began walking toward his horse, seeing Chione in his mind. Dark skin and dark eyes, long black hair, a tall woman. She'd wanted to patrol, and he'd let her, relying on the perimeter alarms to alert him if someone came onto his property, and they had failed him.

Whatever her fire, she was still most likely smaller than the man she would be facing, a delicate beauty like all of them. "Are you all right?"

There was a small silence. "I think so. He gave me his gun when I...I have his gun."

She'd sung it from him, she meant. That was good. "Stay there and out of his hands," Decker said, swinging into the saddle. "Keep your distance. If he moves, shoot him in the chest. You don't want to miss. Tell that fucker if he hurts you, I'll kill him slow with my knife."

"I think he heard you." Her voice wavered a little.

"Hang on, sweetheart." Decker changed channels. "Decker here. Blind Six. Chione has got a stranger."

"Bai here. There wasn't any perimeter alert."

"I know," Decker said. "I'm closest."

"I'm on my way," Kay said.

"Stay there, Bai," Decker said. "Kay and I will get her."

Bai spent most of his time at the house with Dawine, her eyes still bandaged.

Chione wasn't far and it didn't take Decker long to reach her. He saw her standing by her horse, Decker's breath releasing. She was holding her gun on the stranger. Decker threw himself off and went to her.

"I'm fine, Decker," Chione said, taking off her hat and wiping her forehead. She handed him the guy's gun. "He just surprised me."

"Fuck," the newcomer muttered, staring at her.

Decker turned and looked at him, his eyes narrowing. Kay came riding up from the south, Adya in her spot.

"Who is he, Kay?" Adya said as Kay got the horse stopped. "Should we shoot him?"

"Do you have a gun?" Kay said to Adya, dismounting.

Adya twisted and launched herself, landing on her feet in front of him, a small puff of dust. "You said I'm not old enough to judge. That's why I'm asking you."

"Sometimes you have to wait to know, crazy."

"But you're inclined to, I can tell."

"I do tend that way," Kay admitted.

"I'm Cabot," the newcomer said, his face wary. He was a young man with long sandy hair and a tan face, strong and closed features. "I came to Sur two cycles ago from Pimpton. I heard you were looking for someone permanent at Briken Ranch."

"Pimpton is almost mid-system," Kay said. "What do you want out here?"

"Like I said, I'm looking for work. I didn't take the gun from the woman. I didn't rape her. I could have done both."

It was a good thing Chione could do what she could do. Decker turned to look at her. "What happened, Chione?"

Chione answered after a moment, her cheeks getting pink, showing on her high cheeks, her warm skin getting a glow. "I was coming down the trail between the rocks and he was just there. He already had his gun out. I pulled mine and he tossed his to me. I admit that I...Decker, I helped that a little."

"Well, you use what you have on hand," Decker said, not sorry for it in this circumstance.

"What?" the stranger said.

"You'll ride with me again for a time, Chione," Kay said. "There are things I can show you so you don't get surprised." He turned to Cabot. "You were lying in wait for her?"

Cabot shook his head, gesturing at her. "I heard her horse while I was taking a leak. I pulled my gun because I knew I was going to surprise whoever it was and it seemed prudent. She was fast and alert. I was just faster. I gave it to her, like she said"

"You're on foot?"

"I don't have a horse. I need work."

Kay was studying him. "Why'd you come here to Sur with nothing?"

Cabot's jaw jumped. "I got into some trouble while on Pimpton and had to go in a hurry. This was where the transport I boarded was going, so this is where I ended up. I heard in town you were looking for someone. I saw the land. I have some experience with big animals and I was curious about the brikens. I didn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. It was just bad luck and some assholes."

"Those can go together sometimes," Kay said, surprisingly amiable.

"How did you evade our perimeter alarms?" Decker said.

Cabot hesitated. "I knew what to look for."

"Did you disable them?"

"I put them back when I was done. They're on."

"You're a thief?"

Cabot's jaw jumped, his eyes darting to Chione. He released his breath. "I have been."

"What were you going to steal?"

"I wasn't. Like I said, I heard you were looking for someone permanent to help work the ranch."

Kay looked at Adya. "Well, crazy? Should I shoot him?"

Adya eyed Cabot. "He seems fine to me, Kay, but you better watch him, just in case."

"I just might give you a gun soon, girl," Kay said.

"It wasn't my intention to shame you, Chione," Cabot said to her, his eyes having left her maybe once or twice.

"Don't talk to her until I know you better," Decker said, turning the horse's head and watching as the man's face got tight, his eyes darting to Decker. Yes, this one was hot. Decker didn't know what he was going to do with him yet. Feed him to Bane, maybe. He didn't need another man around the ranch and Decker knew a fellow ne'er do well when he met one. A kindred spirit, right there.

When they arrived home, they dismounted and washed up. Walking to the stairs, Bryn came out the door and down them, launching herself. Decker caught her, the girl clinging to him.

"Who is that, Decker?" she said, looking at Cabot. "Is he going to live with us?"

Decker shifted her, going up the stairs. "Well, he's going to eat with us, at least."

When they got inside, Decker set Bryn down, who ran into the kitchen. The women weren't evident, and then Persya came out of their room, walking to him. Decker's eyes swept her. He didn't understand how she just kept getting prettier.

Cabot saw her, his brows going up. Kay was standing, Adya mimicking his stance in front of him, her legs planted, both of them with the same expression. Grace came out the way she did, reading, and sat at the table with her tablet book, Cabot's eyes following her.

"That's Grace," Decker said.

Grace looked up, blinking, seeing the new man and going still. She looked down sharply, back at her book, turning her shoulder a little. Grace had been waiting for Tag to show up, and she was getting quieter and more absorbed in her work the longer it took Tag to see reason.

"Adya and Kay you've met. Persya," Decker said to Cabot, introducing them. "Persya's mine."

A kitchen door opened again and Lily came out.

"That's Lily," Decker said. "She's Yenna's, and that's Yenna behind her. Chione you've met. Here's Bryn again."

The other door opened and Bai came out, leading Dawine. He'd persuaded her out. Her eyes were still covered. Nobody said anything as she sat, Bai sitting next to her. Her hand looked for her napkin, her fingers shaking. He supplied it.