on a steel horse I ride

The cowboys mismatched gaze roved easily over his lover's figure. Risque, dressed in little more than that figure-hugging lingerie was....sinfully perfect. His tongue toyed with the tip of his fang once more, an entirely different sort of hunger settling within his loins at the sight of her. Feminine perfection. In every way. His gaze shifted downward to eye those shoes withinher hands,her suitcase all but overflowing with a variety of heels. The vast majority so hardly designed for the outdoors,much less the rugged country that surrounded them and yet- his Mistress had hardly been dissuaded. Her choices were her own. If she desired to bring heels then she would. No matter their impracticality. Risque, for several moments, seemed to consider her decisions, her glacial gaze eyeing every fine line of that fashionable footwear before reluctantly admitting that she had forgotten the mud that persisted outside. She was willing to risk those heels to the unforgiving terrain, it seemed, mud, however, an apparently different matter. The Southern cowboy was hardly surprised. His mate did not tolerate dirt in any sense. The vampiric woman seemed to reconsider her footwear choices once more as Darcy's mismatched gaze returned again to her feminine figure. It would not be terrible, perhaps, if she desired to wear only that. Those drawling words prompted her gaze to find his own, Risque insisting that were they to stay indoors then perhaps she might consent to such attire. Outdoors, however, required vastly more protection from mud- and bugs.

Her gaze seemed to linger upon his own outfit- the very kind forbidden within the walls of Syn and yet,for tonight at least, she made little comment upon it. The vampiric Queen so instead insisted she would wear that lingerie under her clothing. Hmm. How the very idea of that seemed to satisfy the Southern cowboy- at least for now. His mind was already seizing upon that possessive notion that she was his alone to enjoy. How readily he relished in the seclusion of that log cabin. There were the farm hands of course, bustling about, keeping that place running in his stead and yet the vast majority were human. Far weaker than himself. Hardly a threat to his own dominance in any sense and vastly below the very being Risque would deem worthy of her attention. There was no competition within that forest. Darcy entirely content to bask within his lover's undiluted attention. No bar, no work, no employees, no Weres. Nothing to distract Risque's attention from himself. The Ravager wholly determined to enjoy that very thing. Even if her...reluctance to embrace the outdoors was telling. Risque shifted once more, beginning to dress herself in a decidedly....languid fashion. Her every move highlighted the length of her leg, the sway of her hip and the swell of her breasts. Darcy, for several moments, fixated entirely upon her. The vampire fell for that very display as he did each and every time. Her feminine figure glided smoothly toward him then, her words a near salacious purr. She was ready. Ready for....what? How very slow the Cowboys thoughts were in that moment, Darcy nearly forced to pull his mind away from those far more intimate thoughts that had settled like a heady haze behind his eyes.

One hand reached to settle upon her hip, his lips pressing teasingly to the slope of her neck. That very act afforded him that chance to near inhale her scent and yet too- to taste her very skin before leaning away. She was...intoxicating. Darcy was forced to exhale in an effort to prompt his thoughts once more as his mismatched gaze found her own.

"Imma show yar a bunch o'tings. Reckon we'll start wit da land dough. We'll go up towards da ridge, I can show ya me beasts den, day lookin' real good dis year. Den I'll show ya couple other tings. Reckon after dat we can come back 'ere. I gotta dinner planned I tink ya'll like, Darlin'."

Risque, he suspected, would not understand the true value of those things he intended to show her and yet- they damn well meant something out here. The amount of land a rancher had, the amount of cattle, the quality of his horses. That said something. Even if Risque so hardly recognised it. Darcy distinctly...proud of what he'd built. The man was determined to show his mate all the same as he moved to lead the way from the bedroom, down those stairs and through the expansive cabin toward the front door and verandah. Seth was hitched where he had left him, the grullo stallion's ears layered back in discontent at the blue roan gelding having been hitched beside him. Darcy's head nodded to that ranch hand as he finished adjusting the roan's saddle, the man hurrying off as Darcy strode down those stairs and towards the horses. His gaze turned back to his lover then.

"Yar can ride can't ya? Reckon I read dat all dem ladies from da fancy French 'ouses was taught ta ride. I ain't got none of dem side saddles 'ere dough. Dat's alright ain't it?"

Side saddles, or so the literature said, were designed for women in dresses all the same. Risque so hardly wearing a dress. Besides, it was surely easier to ride a horse....the normal way, wasn't it? Darcy moved to easily step around those horses then, the vampire swinging effortlessly up into Seth's saddle before reaching to take the roan's bridle, keeping the gelding still for Risque to settle herself on the horse in turn.

"Dat book said ladies is supposed ta ride mares but I can't be 'avin' no mare near Set. Carries on like a fuckin' idjit if he's got dem mares around, ain't need 'im tryin' non of dat coverin' when it ain't 'is time ta be playin'."

That sentence was, perhaps, nothing short of completely foreign to the vampire woman. Darcy realized too late that his southern drawl had become all the more pronounced. His words near running together in that way of talking he'd all but managed to train himself out of over the years. That return to his own environment, it seemed, prompting that almost fierce return of language as Darcy frowned.

"Er....imma sayin Set turns a damn fool when he near dem lady 'orses."

That, Darcy decided, was sufficient explanation. Even if Risque continued to stare at him almost dubiously. The vampire waited only so long as it took Risque to mount that horse in turn. Darcy released his hold on the horse's bridle as Risque took the reins in hand.

"Day is all taught ta neck rein, so ya only need ta ride wit one 'and. Jus' press da rein into da side o 'is neck an 'e'll turn da opposite."

Darcy paused momentarily, the vampire eyeing his mate several moments longer as Risque attempted to get...comfortable atop her new steed. Darcy allowed one eye to raise upward.

"Darlin', 'ow long 'as it been since yar was on a 'orse?"

Darcy

I'm wanted, Dead or Alive