Sometime in the early morning hours, Jess found her eyes snapping open. A moment of panic flashed through her brain, adrenaline splashed into her blood and ice formed in her gut as she felt someone up against her. She almost leaped from the bed with a scream or spun to hit whoever it was and then it all began coming back to her. The storm, the cabin, the sex! Oh god had she really? A dream perhaps? Her hand reached behind herself and she felt Raylan's body next to her and she knew it was all real.

Sitting up in bed Jess turned to look down at the man in bed with her. He looked so at peace laying there, his face calm, maybe a hint of a smile even. His body didn't seem to reflect this though. He'd made a point of his scars earlier but now she could look with more detail. The fresh stitching on his forehead from the gunshot that almost took out his brains, there was still a bandage wrapped around his chest covering the tattoo John had put on him. His one side was a mess of scar tissue, looked like shrapnel, a long scar on the leg from being shot there, a deep slash along his collar bone, a blade probably. The last she had missed before, a small one just along the his cheek bone close to his ear, the burn of a bullet. His body was a mess of bruises and cuts from these last days of fighting. Even the bandaged gunshot on his side that her uncle had patched for him. Jesus he really was as big a mess as she was. Maybe the slash marks on her face really didn't bother him. As she thought about this her fingers reached up and traced the lines along her cheeks.

Trying to shift her mind she looked at his tattoos instead, other than John's scrawl on upper chest. There was his Marine Corps symbol and creeds on one arm, the one on his back at the shoulder was the face a wolf sporting an eye patch, she giggled a bit when he turned over and she could that see he had "Made In Montana" scrawled on his ass in black lettering.

So...they'd had sex, this wasn't going to be a huge deal was it? No, only if she made it one. Just keep it casual in the morning. Fuck! What was casual about laying in bed with someone buck ass naked?! She finally decided that further thought was doing her no good and laid back down to pull the bedroll up over them both. She breathed deep and took one last smell of him before drifting off again.

When dawn broke the next morning Raylan opened his eyes slowly and looked out the window as sunlight began to pour in. He debated getting up now, start getting their gear and horses ready, and then changed his mind. He wanted to be here, still in her arms when she woke up. Jess lay on her side towards him, lost in a deep sleep. Moving one hand to her hip, Raylan began to slowly slide it along her body, going down to her thigh and then sliding back up to her ribs. Leaning in he began to kiss her cheek as she stirred, slowly coming back to reality. Her eyes eyes slowly fluttered open and for a moment when she saw him there, her body jerked in shock and then as the memory of last night came back she smiled sheepishly. Raylan pressed his lips to her and then leaned back "Morning"

Jess still couldn't believe what they'd done last night. It had been great, amazing even, but where did that side of herself come from? Almost a decade without being interested in anybody and suddenly she was just jumping into bed with this guy? "Yeah..morning" Oh god please don't make this weird Raylan.

Rolling out of bed Raylan began to dress and gave her another smile. "I'll go get started on the horses. Your clothes and stuff should be dry by now." Once he had his clthes and gunbelt on, he grabbed his rifle and headed outside. Standing on the porch he stretched and smiled to see a rainbow over the mountains following last nights dump of rain. God how could things look this beautiful in a county that was tearing itself apart? Well at least it felt fitting for today, so he began to brush and saddle the horses.

Inside the cabin, Jess put her clothes on and laced up her boots before pounding her fist on the table. Cursing under her breath, she trembled for a moment and calmed herself "Goddamn it Jess, you're a grown woman, ya fucked a guy and liked it. That's yer goddamn right so just get going." She basically kicked the door open as she walked out to join him, carrying the rest of the gear he'd left inside. "Grabbed these for ya" Setting his things on a stump she did the last of the prep on Bodecia and loaded her horses share of the Drubman guns onto the back of the saddle.

Once they were both ready they swung up onto their horses and turned back towards home. They'd gone pretty far out of their way to make sure they led the chopper way off from the Wolf's Den. Now they had a good long ride to rejoin the others.

...

The ride passed quietly for the first hour and a bit. Not an uncomfortable silence, just like neither had anything to say. They had a goal, both knew it and the route back, that just left the doing. A couple times each of them had thought about starting some conversation and then passed on it. Things were fine for now, the day was beautiful, why fuck a perfectly good quiet ride?

They'd just topped a ridge line when they heard a load animal cry, like something suffering. Both grabbed for their weapons out of reactions and then realized the sounds they were hearing were coming from far off. They rode to where they could look down into the lands below and left their mounts ground tied back in the trees. Raylan brought his pair of binoculars and as he took the covers off he grumbled "The Fang Center" Lifting the glasses to his eyes he began to scan the buildings below.

The Fang Center had opened over 50 years ago and back then the intentions less than pure. The owners basically building a shitty zoo and paying trappers to capture wild animals for them to pen up and charge tourists to look at em. Less than ideal living conditions for said animals to boot. It wasn't until the some years back when a new owner took over that the place changed. Gone was the hiring of capture hunters and multiple animals forced into tight quarters for life. The reopened pavilion served as a recuse and rehabilitation center for sick and injured critters. 2 pens had become one in many areas to allow the animals more space, more enclosures were added on, and better food and treatment for the animals. The goal was now to take animals found in need of help and get them back on track till they could be released into the wild once more. They still had overhead of course so people could still pay to come in and look at the animals but it was all better run now.

Of course the crown jewel of the center was Cheeseburger, the resident bear. Weighing in at 1200 pounds the big grizzly bear was a fan favorite of the location, partially due to his lifetime commitment there. Originally orphaned as a cub he'd been brought to the center back before it changed hands. Cheeseburger had indeed enjoyed his namesake snack, problem was his feeders didn't take into account the bad idea of doing this, often encouraging guests to buy a burger from the snack stand and toss it to him and poor Cheeseburger may have been the first griz to ever be diagnosed with diabetes from over consuming those beef patties with cheese. So he now was a permanent fixture to the Fang Center. As docile and goofy as he was huge the old bear enjoyed attention. Not a kid who grew up in this county didn't know and love the big animal. And right now he was the most probable source of that sound they heard.

As Raylan glassed the center through his binocular he could see a bunch of peggies milling around the place. No doubt Jacob had plans to use the animals kept there as fodder for his "experiments". Raylan lowered his binoculars and handed them over to Jess as he cussed "Sick fucks". Going back to his horse he stripped off his hat and heavy coat before taking up his bow.

Jess had a chance to take a good long look at what was going on before she turned back and saw Raylan getting ready "You mean to go in there?"

Nocking an arrow to his bow string, the deputy looked up at her "Damn right, ya wanna come along? I may be a hunter but I ain't 'bout to stand by and let those asshole abuse and torture them animals."

With a grin forming on her face, Jess pulled her hood back and began tying back her hair "Care to play a little game? I think you know it, it's called Who's The Better Killer?" Getting her bow ready and checking that her knives were set.

"Your favorite if I remember" Raylan let out a slight chuckle and the two bumped fists before making their way down towards the buildings. Both figures ghosted through the trees, blending into cover and shadow. The first two sentries never had a chance before arrows sailed from the tree line and cut them both down. Huntress and deputy dashed across the open ground slammed their back against the wall. Exchanging hand signals they each took off in different directions.

Raylan took the curve at full speed tackling his first target from behind and sinking his knife blade deep. Around the other side Jess slid in and took out her opponent at the ankle with her kukri, sending them to the ground where she swiped at their throat and showered the dirt in blood. And so the killing went on, both man and woman working their way through their side of the pavilion and leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. While Raylan favored the step by step methods of attack he'd been taught with MCMAP, Jess came at her opponents like a feral beast, with claws of steel.

As the deputy finally found himself close to Cheeseburger's enclosure he could see the bear had been forced into a small pen at the back where a 2 men poked at him with sharpened sticks and cattle prods. Setting his bow down, Raylan slipped his tomahawk and knife free and slipped up behind them. Neither man ever had a chance to scream. As he peered into the cage he saw the poor old bear was breathing hard and worked up. "Ain't right what they been doin' old man. Want some pay back?" With that he pulled the deadbolt on the cage door and let it swing open as he climbed onto the shed roof "I'll cover ya".

Having already reclaimed his box he climbed to the top of the animal enclosure fences and found himself a perch. Down below Cheeseburger moved up behind a pair of unsuspecting peggies. One thing anyone who'd ever been near a wild bear knew, those big animals could still walk as silent as ghosts. Teeth and claws tore into the men as they screamed out. Another came to see what was happening and before he could raise his rifle to shoot, one of Raylan's arrows caught him in the throat.

Jess heard the bear as it began to rip into men and grinned. So, Raylan had set the big fella loose huh? Time to take advantage of the chaos. Now anyone who knew the bear was loose was so focused on trying to avoid it they were blundering right into her blades and arrows.

Cheeseburger had never raised tooth or claw to a human before, a true gentle giant, but now freed he sought revenge on the one who'd tortured and abused him these last days. Giant powerful paws swiped at men, the claws on them like bowie knives.

As Raylan entered the main office he found one peggy trying to figure out how the tranquilizer rifle worked. The deputy saved him any further stress by splitting his head with a tomahawk blow. He was just about to leave when he heard a muffled cry coming from inside the closet. Opening it with weapons ready he was surprised to find the owner Wade laying tied up within. "The hell?"

Once he was cut loose Wade began to babble like mad "Where'd you come from!? What's going on round here?! Is Cheeseburger ok?! I heard some awful sounds!"

Holding up one hand to stop the man's tirade the deputy sighed "Deputy Raylan White, Sheriff's Department. Clearing out the assholes who took your place from ya. And Cheeseburger has been helping" Outside there was a bloodcurdling scream muffled by the sounds of an animal roar and the human voice was cut off. When they stepped out into the open the ground was littered with bodies and old Cheeseburger stood over one licking the sore spot on his battered diabetic body.

Wade was only glad to see his big furry pal and disregarding the blood on his animals muzzle he ran over and wrapped his arms around the big griz's neck "Oh Cheeseburger! you're ok huh boy? Well don't you worry none I ain't gonna let em take ya again. Who wants a salmon huh?"

The deputy found Jess nearby, pulling one of her arrows from a cultist's stomach "Quite a move turnin' that big critter loose. He did a heap of damage alright"

Once he had moseyed back and found Wade feeding a whole fresh salmon to the big bear, Raylan cleared his throat. "Think you and Cheeseburger here can hide up in the hills for now? there's some civillians down at the lumber mill. Ain't too far, short walk for you 2. They might be a tad nervous with him around but it's better than spending time with any damn peggy."

"Sure man, we can get there easy peasy. I wanna thank you both again. Cheeseburger and I will load up some salmon for him and take off. Thank ya again to both of ya" He waved as he went into the cooler to grab some more fish for the bear and the insulin shots the big animal now required.

With man and bear handled Raylan decided to inspect a large truck he'd seen parked outside. The old flat bed was loaded with several drums. The smell coming off of em alone made the deputy dizzy. "Fuck is this shit?" he muttered holding a bandanna over his mouth and nose.

"Bliss" Jess said from behind him "The cult's own rape your brain drug. They use it on people, and animals. Fucking savages, like the world needed more drugs" With a rag held over her face she crept in close to the truck and used her dagger to slash a fuel line letting gas pour out onto the ground. She dipped her rag in the fuel several times before retreating a good ways back. "Got a light?"

More than happy to lend his lighter to the cause, Raylan held it out, allowing her to take it. Once she had lit the gas soaked rag she threw the burning cloth on the ground. the puddle of flammable liquid coming from the truck was growing bigger by the moment and spreading close to the flames. "Time to go" Raylan commented as he and Jess made for the trees, spotting Wade and Cheeseburger taking off themselves.

The flames finally reached the rag as they made it back to the horses. Fire spread across the ground and reached the truck. With only fumes left inside the gas tank it blew hard belching even more flamed that soon had the truck afire and burning the drums of fowl liquid with it. The wind carrying the fumes back towards the section of valley still under peggy control.

Lemons ahead

Back at the horses, Raylan began securing his bow to Ace's saddle once again. "Well, I'd say that went pretty good. Wasn't keepin' an exact score so can't who won our..mmmmfff!" His words cut off when he turned and found himself being pounced by Jess, her lips mashing against his in a brutal kiss. She pressed so hard against him his lips hurt and when she did break apart she bit at his lips. Her fingernails clawed at his neck and sides as they stumbled backwards into a a tree.

Pulling her away from him, Raylan barked "Ease up!".

Her only response was to grab at his arms and snarl back with a grin "Make me bitch!"

Normally he wouldn't have thought to get so rough but present situation seemed to dictate, so Raylan wrapped his leg around hers and jerked her off balance. Getting a hold of Jess by her wrist he spun her arm up behind her back into a lock and then slammed her belly down on a log.

Her legs still scrambled for traction as she tried to free her arm and clawed at him with the loose one "Bastard!" Spitting the word out she snarled.

Reaching beneath her, Raylan undid the woman's belt and yanked it free of her pant loops. It was a good heavy canvas belt, with the double prongs and holes. Grasping her free arm, he held them together and lashed the belt around her forearms.

Jess shot back a look with a new kind of fire in her eyes, looking to tease at him "You gonna take the fuckin' kid gloves off anytime? Pansy?"

Ready to play her game, Raylan grabbed the top of her jeans and yanked them down to her ankles, leaving them bunched up above her combat boots, making kicking that much harder for her. His knees drove her legs apart and she let out a silent cry as his cock filled her from behind. His hand grabbed hold of her loose ponytail, seizing it like a handle as he began to drive his hips against her ass with fast strokes. "Wanna play rough? Alright we'll play rough" His hand coming down to spank her ass as he said this.

Writhing beneath her strong lover, Jess could not believe how euphoric she felt. Where had she even gotten the idea to do come at him that way? Why did she behave like that? And why was this feeling so damn good? For the first time in a long time, Jess Black was not in control and it felt good, and somehow, safe.

Feeling his blood boiling as endorphins pumped through his system, Raylan showed no signs of letting up now. Between pulling on her hair and slapping her bare ass red, the deputy knew they were both pumped on adrenaline, riding a survivors euphoria. And to hell with anything else.

This went on until Jess felt her body go rigid and she cried out, shaking all over as her climax washed through her body. The sensation of her tightening up around him combined with the sounds she made was enough to drive Raylan over the edge right behind her. Jess could feel the warmth of his seed inside her. They lay together, panting with him on her back, catching their breath and regaining their senses.

When he finally lifted himself up, Raylan undid the belt holding her wrists and pulled her on top of him in the leaves, his arm wrapped around her stomach. His first words being a simple question "didn't hurt ya did I?"

Shaking her head Jess petted his cheek "Only in the good ways. I'm sorry, I..I don't know what came over me. I didn't hurt you did I?"

Drawing a deep breath Raylan hugged her tighter "Naw, nothin' bad. Just got a reaction outta me. That the idea?"

A short nod from Jess as she was quiet for a minute "Never did anything like that before, dunno why I did it"

"Well if the urge hits ya again. I won't complain" Raylan laughed a bit as he gave her one more squeeze.

Finally Jess found the energy to sit up and faced him "We should get goin'. we are so fuckin' overdue"

They dressed and shared one last, more tender kiss before they knocked the dirt and leaves off each other and remounted for the ride to Wolf's Den.

Well folks this chapter was a long time coming. As I've mentioned my issues before I won't list them again but I hope in the new year I'll be able to relax and let myself write more as it's a good outlet. I don't intend to make sex scenes a regular thing every chapter back to back but this was an idea I had toyed with for sometime and decided to see how it came out. I hope some of you will enjoy this spicy bit and those who are not into the rougher stuff well please don't judge us who are.