Outlaws

By Kayla Chavi

Chapter 1

Rating: PG-13

Email: kaylachavi@yahoo.com

Website: http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/todream/index.htm

* * *

I was overwhelmed with the responce that I got for 'An
Angel from Hell' and want to thank everyone who emailed
me about it.  I do plan on writing a sequel, however, it
won't be nearly as long (chapter length and the numbers of
chapters.....it took way too long to write nearly 15 pages
every single time), and it won't be happening for a while.  I
have a few other stories that I'm working on first before I
do.  Again, thank you all for your support in AAFH.  I hope
you enjoy Outlaws just as much.

Just a little note, I've been told that this story is a little
unrealistic, so try not to be super dissapointed with it.  It's
in a completely different style than AAFH, but I hope you
still enjoy it ^_^

* * *

The saloon was filled with the richest men that Colorado
Springs had to offer. They had all come to hear the newest
addition to the staff sing. It was rumored that Lita Rivers
had the most beautiful voice this side of the Mississippi. 

If you were smart like Jedeite Sinclair, you listened to
rumors. Especially the ones about Serena the Bitch.
Rumors told the young marshal, that the beautiful blond
outlaw and her partner Rei Flamethrower were going to
stay at the Sweet Springs Saloon. They were going to leave
with some pretty big loot.

So here he was waiting to hear Miss Rivers sing and hoping
to catch the two biggest outlaws since Butch Cassidy and
The Sundance Kid.

The minute that he heard the young blond sing, Jedeite was
entranced. Time seemed to slow down, every single sense
was on fire.

Her voice was beautiful, soft and sultry. The sound held
him entranced and he was unable to take his attention away
from her, though for a moment he could have sworn that he
was told that Miss Rivers was a red head. He wasn’t able to
maintain that thought for very long, the blond’s voice
called his thoughts and mind back to her.

The red dress she was wearing was low cut, tight fitting
and very sexy. She moved with a predatory grace, moving
her body to the music. Her hair was held up by a single pin,
the golden blond curls framing her face, drawing attention
to her bright blue eyes. She walked through the group of
men as she sang and every once in a while she would wave
her full red skirt over them. 

The soft silk brushed over the men’s rough faces, blocking
their view of everything but the red fabric. Every so often
she would run her long beautiful fingers over their
expensive coats, teasing them. She continued to move
through the crowd making her way to the back where he
was. He sat there waiting and she met his eyes and no one
else's. 

Her blue eyes bore into his as she weaved through the men.
They looked at her longingly, growling to themselves when
they saw her destination. Of course the law man would get
the girl, he always did.

As she finished the song, the blond singer sat down on his
lap. She wrapped an arm lightly around his neck, giving
him a sultry seductive smile as she lightly ran her fingers
along his jaw and then his chest. “I hope you enjoyed the
show,” she whispered in his ear, “Marshal Sinclair.”

Jedeite frowned and looked up at her. She kissed him
gently on the lips before moving away, disappearing to the
other side of the saloon. The men of the saloon began to
move as the dreamy and whimsical atmosphere of the
music left.

Then time resumed its normal pace.

That’s when they all noticed that their guns had been lifted,
along with a great deal of their money. Jed narrowed his
eyes and stood reaching for his gun, and found that it
wasn’t there. He also noticed that his badge was missing.
He swore to himself.

A shot rang out, several of the women screamed and when
the smoke cleared, there standing was the blond. “Serena,”
Jedeite muttered glaring at her. She smiled at him again
and then took the pin out of her curls, her hair cascading
down her back.

Somehow in the few short seconds since the performance
she had changed into tight leather pants and a white button-
down, truly looking like an outlaw. Next to her was the
raven haired beauty with violet eyes.

“Rei Flamethrower and Serena the--” Jedeite started but
was interrupted by Serena.

“Uh-uh Marshal. You wouldn’t want to scandalize the
proper women of this fine establishment would you?” She
aimed her shot gun directly at him, “Now everyone, hands
where I can see them.”

Everyone complied, sometimes rumors are more powerful
then fact. No one messed with the Bitch. Rei kept her two
guns pointed at small crowd of men as Serena walked over
to Jedeite. Serena slung her gun into the holster across her
back. She stood in front of him with a smile, the look on
his face daring him to strike her.

He took that dare and tried to back hand her.

Tried, but she caught his arm and with one swift movement
flipped him over her shoulder. Jedeite crashed to the
ground, and let out a small moan as pain shot through his
body, mostly his back. He was slightly stunned but he
moved to get up. 

Serena calmly crouched down, placing a knee in the center
of his chest and eased her weight onto him. She didn’t
weigh much but still the breath left his lungs so quickly
that he chocked on the new air coming in, in an attempt to
replace it. She took out one of her hand pistols and then
moved to crouch over him, a leg on either side of his upper
body. The gun she placed behind her back, aiming it
directly behind her and between his legs.

Jedeite paled considerably.

In her other hand she held his badge and was twirling it in
her fingers. “Congratulations Jedeite Sinclair, you’ve found
us,” she said quietly. The room laughed softly at the irony
of it, even though it was a forced laughter. Sometimes it
was better to laugh with the gunslinger and their humor
than it was to stay silent. This kind of thing kept hostages
alive. “I wish you a long, rewarding career as a stable-boy,”
she harshly kissed his forehead and stood.

Before he could move, she stood and with a swift kick, she
kicked him hard in the groin. The tall man found himself
doubled over on the floor, pain again shooting through him,
this time centered at his crotch. His gaze followed Serena
as she slowly and calmly walked back to the black haired
beauty and turned around to face the crowd. 

“I hope that you all have a very nice evening,” Rei called
out behind her as the two women left, quickly and silently.
No one even heard the horses make a single sound in the
cold desert night air. There was no pounding of hooves as
the horses raced at a gallop away from the saloon.

Jedeite managed to pulled himself off the ground and ran
outside after the two women. He swore quite profusely and
punched the wall when he saw the clouds of dust that
followed their horses.

* * *

“So after she left we went looking for the real Lita Rivers.
She was tied up in her rooms, and gagged. I’m telling you
Darien, that is the last time I untie a woman who is almost
as tall as I am.” Jedeite ran an hand through his short wavy
hair and slumped down into the chair. “Serena and Rei
took everything, including a great many guns and jewelry.
There wasn’t much left when they rode off into the desert.”

Darien Shields smiled at his friend, bent over the maps on
his desk, “I thought blonds weren’t your type,” he
commented, “You tend to go for the brunettes and black
haired girls.”

“Haven’t you been listening to a word I’ve said?” Jedeite
asked exasperated with the very tall, dark man in front of
him.

“Every single last word,” Darien said distantly and then
sighed, slumping back into his own chair. He ran a hand
through his coal black hair, his dark blue eyes very
troubled. “We’ve sent the best and most competent men
after these two. We’ve sent the most competent women
after these two,” he remarked remembering that best
female pair, Haruka and Michiru had come back severely
depressed. He was starting to get frustrated, “And every
time they return they’ve lost a badge and are lost and
humiliated.” Darien pounded his desk in frustration and
looked over the maps again.

“Hey, did I say I was humiliated? I don’t think so, I still
have my pride in tact, thank you very much, and I know
exactly where I am,” Jedeite joked, trying to get his friend
out of the slump he was in.

“You have no humility to lose,” Darien said dryly and then
sighed. He leaned back into his chair. “What am I going to
do? As the head marshal for this region I have to do
something. Serena and Rei are coming close to pushing the
wealthy into a state of bankruptcy.” 

“Like you even care about the rich and the wealthy,“
Jedeite just shook his head, pulling his hat over his face,
“Wake me when you have a solution Darien. But don’t you
dare think about sending me after them again! I want to
keep my assents thank you.”

Darien laughed and shook his head, hoping to clear it. He
just managed a bigger headache.

Even hours later all he had was a headache. Darien was
still looking at the maps. Cities that Serena and Rei had hit
were circled in red. Cities that he thought they were
targeting, were circled in green. And then the places for
possible hideouts were circled in blue. 

“There has got to be a pattern here,” he muttered, “They
can’t just be randomly hitting all of the saloons and banks.
They aren’t ghosts, so they just can’t disappear and then
reappear wherever they want to. There is a pattern. Why
aren’t I seeing it?!”

“Cause you’re too damn tired. Get some rest Darien,”
Jedeite stood up and patted his friend on the shoulder,
“Think about it tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” Darien muttered and then sighed,
“Tomorrow.” Then he opened his eyes widely and smiled.
He finally had an idea that would work. He could trap The
Bitch and Flamethrower, “I got it!”

* * *

“Okay Rei, spill it,” Serena said as they were riding across
a large expanse of prairie/desert. “What was with the
dreamy look towards Sinclair.”

Rei laughed quietly, “We grew up in the same town. I don’t
think he recognized me though, I was only fifteen when I
left.”

“That still doesn’t explain dreamy,” Serena pointed out,
tossing her blond hair over her shoulder. Ice blond could be
used to describe her hair, she decided. Serena didn’t have a
heart, she didn’t care about anything really. It was just the
adrenalin rush that she got for all of this that kept her alive. 

Icey, cold, cruel, and impersonal. All of these words
described her perfectly. Rei teased her that she just needed
a man in her life, Serena argued that men were all stupid
anyway and that she did not need a man.

Rei would just roll her eyes and say that she needed the
right man. Serena would stick her tongue out at her friend
and say that she was warm enough for the two of them, and
would she please refrain from seeing her ‘men’ in every
city that they went through.

Serena just sighed knowing that if she wasn’t careful the
argument would come up again. So she just resituated the
black leather cowboy hat and shifted on the black stallion
she was riding.

Rei grinned, “He and my brother were best friends before
he died. The joke was that Jedeite was going to be the one
who took me from childhood to womanhood. But things
changed before he got the chance.”

“You and your jaded past,” Serena teased and then her eye
was caught by something in the distance. “What’s that?”
she asked Rei, before Flamethrower could start the ages old
argument, pointing along one of the ridges that ended in a
long drop gorge.

Rei squinted her eyes and looked closely, “Four riders,
sun’s glinting off of the saddle bags and the riders. I’d
guess law enforcement.” She looked over at Serena who
was grinning, “You can’t be serious Sere! That’s two
against one odds.”

“Perfect,” she said with a cold glint her eyes, “Just the way
I like it.”

“You’re impossible. This is suicide, we’re gonna get
ourselves killed one of these days.”

“Come on Rei! It’ll be fun,” Serena urged her horse to a
gallop, “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“Where it belongs! Sane and in my head!” Rei sighed and
spurred her dune colored stallion after Serena’s, I’m gonna
kill you if we die,” she said with mock seriousness.

“You always say that,” the blond girl teased as they got
closer to the group of men, “And we always come out on
top.”

Rei smiled slyly, “Well I do, I’m not so sure about stone
cold bitch over there,” she teased and Serena rolled her
eyes, dropping the reins of her horse, guiding it with her
knees and she took the shot gun out of its holster on her
back. Rei just shook her head and pulled out one of her
pistols. “Let’s do this right,” she said, “calmly and
professionally.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

* * *

“This is suicide,” Nephrite, one of the younger deputies
muttered, keeping a watchful eye on the prisoner.

“Shut up,” barked Alan, another Head Marshal, “If
everything we know about the Bitch and Flamethrower is
correct, they won’t leave a fellow bandit to Justice,” he
leered and kicked the prisoner in the gut. 

The man fell to his knees and choked back a cry. He
struggled for a moment, twisting the ties that bound his
hands in front of him. Jedeite looked at Alan concerned,
“That’s no way to treat a prisoner,” he said cooly and the
bound man spit at Alan with contempt. Alan just kicked
him gut, causing the prisoner to moan.

“Now that wasn’t very gentlemanly,” a cool voice said and
Alan heard the click of a shot gun from behind him. “I’ve
always heard that the officers of the law were upstanding
citizens, not cruel torturers.” 

“Go to hell, bitch,” Alan hissed and then stumbled slightly
as the back of the shot gun impacted with the back of his
skull. He fell to the ground swearing.

“I don’t suggest you move,” Serena said coldly, placing a
spurred boot in the center of his back. She calmly aimed
the shot gun at his head. She looked up at Jedeite and
smiled, “Hello again Marshal Sinclair.”

“Nice to see you again Serena,” he said dryly and stiffened
at the press of a pistol muzzle in the small of his back,
“You too Rei.”

“Hey Jed,” she said sweetly and Serena rolled her eyes,
“Now on the horse, you and your younger comrade,” Rei
moved away slightly so they could comply with her wishes.
Nephrite followed her orders immediately, very nervous.

Jadeite contemplated trying to reach for his guns, but gave
up on the idea for two reasons. One: Rei had already lifted
them, without his knowledge, and two: he hadn’t seen her
in so long, it would be much more fun to kiss her. Besides
if he was going to be humiliated by her, maybe he could
return the favor.

Which he did, he grabbed her forcefully and kissed her
hard and long before pushing her way and quickly climbing
on the horse. Indignant, Rei smacked the two horses on the
rear, sending them to a gallop back to Colorado Springs.
Serena just laughed and then kicked Alan over so that his
back was on the ground.

He looked up at her angrily and tried to move. In a quick
movement, Serena had him pinned to the ground as she
squatted over him. “Next time, don’t try to set me up in a
trap I can see right through,” she said quietly. “And don’t
use a fellow outlaw to do it either. It’s not manly.” 

And with that she rapped the butt of her shot gun on his
temple, knocking him out. Her nimble fingers lifted his
badge off and went into her vest pocket. She turned her
attention to the man that they had just haphazardly rescued.

His hands were tied in front of him. That cause her to
narrow her eyes, only an idiot tied a man’s hand in front of
him, it was too easy for them to escape. She knelt down in
front of him and lifted the battered man’s head, holding
him by the chin.

And found herself lost in the most beautiful dark blue eyes
she had even seen in her life. The man had coal black hair
that was a messy tumble. There was a scar running slanted
from the bottom of his forehead, across the bridge of his
nose, and ending towards the middle of his cheek. Instead
of making him unattractive, it did the complete opposite. 

For the first time in her eighteen years, Serena didn’t feel
so cold toward the whole male race. In fact she felt rather
warm and there was a tingly sensation in the pit of her
stomach that left her very confused. She closed her eyes
and shook her head to clear it.

“So you’re the Bitch,” the man said calmly still trying the
keep her gaze. 

No one had told him that Serena was beautiful, all the
description on her was blond and blue eyed. Her would
have to correct that when he got back. Golden-hair-that-
gleams-in-the-sunlight-and-aqua-marine-eyes-as-calm-as-
the-sea, was more like it.

Serena smiled slightly, “The one and only. And who do I
have the pleasure of saving?”

“Darien.” She kept his gaze and she knew in an instant that
there was something about this man that bothered her. His
eyes spoke to her of anger, frustration, and determination.
Darien wasn’t used to anyone saying no to him, woman or
man. 

“No last name?” she raised an eyebrow, she was going to
have to see about the whole saying no thing. Darien was
going to have one hell of a surprise if he thought that he
was going to get to her. 

She knew that’s exactly why he was here, to get to her. It
didn’t matter if the marshals had used him to draw her out.
This was personal, he wanted to say that he had tamed the
Bitch. 

Too bad that he didn’t know what happened to the last man
who had tried to tame her. Immediately she shoved
Diamond out of her thoughts, the dead bastard didn’t
deserve any of her time.

“What can I say, my parents didn’t raise me right.” He
lifted an eyebrow, “Now are you going to keep me tied up
forever?”

“Very tempting,” Rei murmured and Serena sent her
poisonous glare.

“Lighten up Sere!” Rei sighed melodramatically, causing
Serena to shake her head and smile slightly.

Serena turned her attention back to Darien as she rolled her
eyes at Rei, “Sorry Darien, but this is where we part
company. We don’t take on extra baggage.”

Darien raised an eyebrow, “You’re gonna leave me here
with Bumbling Idiot?”

Serena grinned and threw a knife a little ways away, “I
suggest you cut yourself free and run,” she said and Rei
gave her a disapproving stare that changed to one of worry
when she saw a dust cloud coming up in the distance. 

“Serena!” she said and Serena whipped around.

“Damn it!” Serena hissed and then picked up her knife.
From the time it took Darien to meet her eyes again she
was swearing quite profusely. “It looks like you’re coming
with us Darien.” she swung up into her saddle and then
offered her hand to the tied up man.

He looked at her confused but took her hand and swung up
behind her, moving his arms over her head and then around
her waist, his wrists still tied. Serena spurred her horse into
a gallop, Rei right next to her as they rode away. 

After only riding for a few minutes, Serena was glad that
she was skilled enough to stay a horse even when she was
unconscious, for having Darien right behind her was
causing her senses and mind to blur.

He was a hard warm presence at her back and if she let
herself lean back into it, it was wonderfully comfortable
and relaxing. DAMN IT WAKE UP! she screamed at
herself, you don’t even know him!

Darien felt Serena stiffen several times during the racing
ride. He could almost feel her relaxing and leaning into him
when she would realize what was happening, that when she
would sharply sit up, trying to ignore the fact that his arms
were lightly around her waist, his forearms resting on her
upper thighs. Darien was wishing that Serena wouldn’t be
so cold and just give in, it was much more comfortable for
him anyway.

Besides from the way that she was looking at him from
before, she had misread him. She thought that he wanted to
tame her. Realistically all he wanted to do was bring her to
Justice. That had nothing to do with taming and control.
This was cunning. He had to lead her to Denver where the
final trap had been laid.

But right now, he had to settle with the fact that her blond
hair was whipping his face like silk. He got frustrated with
it after a while and then placing his chin on top of her head.
“Finally,” he muttered and kept a hold on her when Serena
tried to force herself away. “Stop,” Darien said irritably,
“You’re hair is lethal in the wind. It won’t kill you to sit
like this.”

She made a sound of disgust and complied, slightly miffed
that Darien was forcing her to lean back into him, not that
she minded the feeling, she just didn’t want to act like....act
like....like a girl. She grimaced at the thought of the sluts
that she had met in her lifetime.

Rei saw what was happening and grinned to herself. So
Serena wasn’t as cold as she claimed, it just took the right
man, just like she had been saying all of these years.
Though Serena did have great taste, Darien was extremely
handsome, even with the scar. 

But, she smiled to herself, Darien was not as handsome as
Jedeite.

They rode long into the night and Darien must have fallen
asleep, for his head had moved from the top of Serena’s
head to her shoulder. She found it hard to concentrate when
his warm breath was washing over her neck and down into
her shirt.

He jolted awake when they came to a rocky trail that led
down into a canyon. He raised an eyebrow, this was one of
the hiding places that he had predicted, but not the first that
he thought that she would have chosen. They continued
until they were deep into the canyon, making many twists
and turns that Darien was soon lost.

Then suddenly they stopped at the entrance to a cave. Rei
dismounted and began to led her horse in, disappearing.
Serena tried to dismount, but found it very difficult with
Darien’s arms around her waist. She sighed. “Let go.”

“No.” Darien grinned, “If I let go I can’t guarantee that
you’ll let me hold you ever again.”

“That’s right because you won’t be. Now let go.” She
shifted so that she was half turned around and was looking
up at him. He just smiled and then got a mischievous look
in his eyes.

“What will you give me?” Darien raised an eyebrow, “I’m
a thief, what do I get out of this if I let you go?”

She rolled her eyes and then a small smile played on the
corners of her mouth, “What do you want? If I can give it
to you, I will,” her eyes widened slightly when she saw him
look over her body, “With in reason,” she added hastily.

Darien smiled, “A kiss.”

“You’re out of your mind,” she said and threw them both
from the saddle and into a tangle of arms and legs in the
dirt.

Darien yelped, but kept his hold on her waist. Serena
winced as she hit her head on Darien’s chest. Unfortunately
she had just put them into a worst situation then before.
Darien was on his back, with her on his chest, her back to
him and his arms were tightly wrapped around her waist.

“Darien,” she said very calmly, so calmly that Darien knew
that something was wrong, “If you don’t let go of me, I can
promise you that you will wake up tomorrow without your
assets.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he said just as calmly, sitting up with
her.

“I have before.”

This caused Darien to pale. So the rumors were true. “You
truly are a bitch, Serena.” 

“I try,” she said dryly, “now, if you please.”

Darien sighed and lifted his arms, allowing her to break
away from him. She turned to face him, lifting an eyebrow,
she offered her hand to him. He stared at it, and her for a
long moment before taking and letting her help him stand.

She turned around and led him into the cave which was
more like a good home than a dark cave. It was well lighted
and there were two beds, a small stove, a well and what
looked like a good amount of food and supplies.

Then he saw the jewels, the nice furniture, and the money
and his eyes widened. But he hid his surprise well as Rei
sat him down at a small table. When she tried to cut his
bonds Serena objected.

“We can’t trust him.”

“Sere, he’s not going to be able to get anywhere, we took
the long way just so he would feel lost and neither of the
horses will take him without one of us to say so. He doesn’t
know where the guns are, and ours are on our bodies. We’ll
be fine.”

Serena made a sound of disgust but Rei cut the rope and
Darien breathed a sigh of relief. His men were good, the
knots had been very real and very close to cutting off all
circulation in his hands. He massaged his wrists and then
began to eat.

Once he was finally full he noticed that Serena had set up a
bed on the floor between the two real beds. Rei had already
dropped off to sleep, but Serena was sitting on the other,
wearing only one of her older shirts that didn’t do much to
cover her.

It came down to her thighs. Barely. She hadn’t button the
two top ones, showing a small amount of cleavage. She
was sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, looking
down at the quilt on her bed, a haunted distant look in her
eyes.

After a long moment and Darien had climbed into the bed
that she had made for him, she looked down at him, “I’m a
light sleeper, I’ll know if you try to leave,” she said simply
as she laid down, pulling the blankets up to her chin and
closing her eyes.

“I wouldn’t dare,” he said quietly and she just smiled and
soon was asleep. Darien watched her for a long time. 

He had gotten in way over his head, he was supposed to
lead this beautiful and intelligent women to her
imprisonment and eventual death. Slowly she was
becoming human and he didn’t even know her yet.

He wasn’t supposed to think of her as human. She was
supposed to be a monster, evil, a demon for being a woman
in a man’s profession. 

He wasn’t supposed to find her attractive and on the verge
of something that he couldn‘t quite name. Besides, he
didn’t believe in that kind of shit anyway. Love didn’t
exist. Lust did and you can always count on lust.

Even if the female was an amazingly attractive stone cold
bitch.

Damn it, what had he gotten himself into?