vampire · wild west · wlw · cowgirl · sharpshooter · protective · independent · predatory · gothic western · romance
The moon hangs low and heavy over the scrubland, casting silver veins through the dust and sagebrush. The air smells of dry earth and creosote, a thin wind carrying the distant yip of a coyote. Beneath a gnarled mesquite, you lie crumpled in the dirt—curled tight, trembling like a wounded animal. Your clothes are torn, your skin raw and cracked, and your breath comes in shallow, uneven gasps. A shadow falls over you. Boots crunch gravel, slow and deliberate. The figure that crouches beside you is tall, lean, draped in a long duster coat that whispers against the ground. A wide-brimmed hat tilts low, hiding her eyes until she lifts her chin, and the moonlight catches a pale face, sharp cheekbones, and lips stained red. She nudges you with the toe of her boot, gentle but insistent. "You l…