Authors: Eric Barkett
Kicking a stool in an attempt to stop it, which the werewolf contemptuously knocked aside, he swung over a couch as two hands crashed down, smashing the furniture in half. It took a bullet in the shoulder and then one in the leg. The heavy impact of the Kruger caused the beast to stumble. Jed rolled past, the chambers of his guns low on ammo. Jed hopped to the door, blocking its retreat. The werewolf straightened up, growling annoyed. There was only one way left. Up.
Taking the stairs two at a time Jed flew to the second floor. Not far ahead the werewolf soared out the window to crash into the neighboring house. First Jed vaulted over the bed and then taking his last step on the edge of the window sill hurled himself in the air.
He aimed for the same hole Hudson had created. However, the werewolf did not leave a large opening and a torn wooden beam struck him in the hip. Salvaging his awkward land he rolled to his knees. Hudson obviously had not expected him to jump through the window and had already left the room.
Anxious hairs stood on the nape of his neck. Checking his back, Jed saw the other werewolf jump. Easily it made the jump, landing like a cat on its feet. The wounds inflicted moments ago were healed. By the subconscious count Jed kept track of, his guns had a total of three shots. It would be close. A glass jar sailed through the air and broke on the beast, spreading a mysterious substance. Standing in the hallway was Nadi.
“Fire,” she cried.
The werewolf stepped forward and Jed took the shot. The lead bullet mixed with the strange concoction. Flames exploded in a furious rage on the fur, instantly consuming the whole body. The werewolf wailed like a dumb animal. However, the cry ended in a roar. Its human savagery made it stumble forward, determined to kill Jed in its last few moments. Grabbing a chair the gunslinger swung hard at the fiery monster. Again it stumbled and fell out the hole. Whatever was in the jar did not stop burning in the rain. The flames grew in the rain, incinerating the creature.
There was not time for breaths. A loud ruckus came from downstairs. There was snarling and howls. Furniture was breaking in a tremendous battle. Jed raced to the stairs, unloading and reloading. Oddly Nadi tried to stop him, grabbing his arm and shouting no. Breaking free Jed flew to ground level, almost missing the stair steps.
Fully loaded he spun the Kruger’s cylinder, drawing the hammer back. A battlefield met him on the main flow. Hudson was grappling with a women. It was Beth, to Jed’s shock! Before he could react anything the werewolf threw her against the wall. It rushed in for the kill but Beth ducked under swiping claws and gave a massive uppercut to its jaw followed by the sound of breaking bones. Claws raked her skin. Ignoring the pain she threw a left, shattering several bones of its ribcage.
It snapped at her and she brought her arm up in defense. The terrific power of its jaws snapped her forearm. She hissed revealing two sharp incisors framing her front teeth. Nails from her free hand clawed the beast to no avail.
Jed snapped out of his revelry and fired the Kruger. The shots distracted Hudson and it released the grip on Beth. She grabbed one of its arm, both of hers were completely healed, and broke the bone. She didn’t stop twisting the bones back. Howling in pain, the werewolf could not escape the leverage. Releasing it, she sent a knee smashing its face.
It was done. Groaning dreadfully, Hudson began transforming. Beth looked up. Her eyes glowed like stars and her face was unnaturally pale, reflecting moonlight that was not there. For a moment the clatter of rain was the only noise.
“You aren’t human,” Jed snarled, stating the obvious.
Beth blinked and her unnatural features vanished. She was merely a beautiful lady. “Jed calm down. No need to do anything hasty.”
Jed had the Kruger pointed at her. Wishing it was filled with silver bullets. “Beth,” he said evenly, “I’ve half a mind to shoot you.”
Creeping footsteps came from behind. Jed swung the Colt to the sneaking butler. In his hands were some kind of blunt object.
“Henry I told you to stay put,” Beth said disapprovingly.
The old butler stepped back. He was not used to fighting and the unnatural aim of Jed was disconcerting. Without a glance the gunslinger had pointed the Colt right at him.
“He is your slave I take it,” Jed accused. It would not be the first man enslaved by a vampire’s unnatural charm.
Then Obadiah made his entrance before she could answer. The red haired youth, one arm pressed to his side, was pale faced and brimming with anger. Taking a remarkable fast stock of the situation he pointed his revolver at Beth also. “What’s happening?”
“She’s a vampire,” Jed said harshly.
“Don’t move gunslinger.” On the stairs Nadi was holding a little doll and a long needle directly above the heart. Delicately she pressed the needle against the doll. Obadiah trained his gun on her now.
Jed felt a slight prickling on his chest. “Where’d you get my hair?”
“I bribed the barber,” she said smugly.
Trying to avoid any escalation, Beth calmly said, “I can explain.”
She tensed as if she would move. Jed threatened with a lie, “These are silver, Beth.”
She stopped. “I haven’t harmed anyone.” She promised.
It was a standoff, which could escalate any moment. Frankly, it was a strange one. There was a hostile butler, a voodoo witch doctor, a wounded apprentice, a peaceful vampire, and a steely eyed gunslinger. Oddly enough, it was not the strangest standoff he had been in, but Jed hoped this didn’t end the same way.
Jed lowered his guns and then fired. No one reacted because the bullet hit Hudson. Fortunately for him, it was only a lead bullet causing minor pain. He had been crawling away and was in the dining room. Bitterly he cursed.
Jed’s jaw was set and hard. “Later,” He said to Beth. “Later we will talk.” She nodded. “Obadiah guard the door and make sure no one comes in. Including the sheriff.”
The gunslinger approached the bare Hudson writhing on the floor. The bullet in his back was healing slowly and already stopped bleeding. Jed had to admit Hudson could take a beating, which spoke to the longevity of the time since he had first been cursed.
“My entrails, huh.” Jed teasingly reminded, kicking Hudson over to his back.
Almost too tired to gaze up at the gunslinger, Hudson glared balefully. “Maybe I won’t but someone else will. When he gets here, he will finish you off. If you last that long.”
“Aren’t you the King of the Hunt?” Hudson did not respond, instead he closed his eyes. “Shame I was hoping to end this tonight.” Jed stomped Hudson’s hand and his eyes flashed open, flashing with burning fury. “Don’t play shy now. Tell me who your boss is.”
“Go to hell.” Hudson murmured.
“As soon as I’m finished with you mutts.”
Bile from his lungs made Jed cough. It lasted awhile and Jed couldn’t do anything else as he hacked away. Wiping his hand across his mouth as the coughs subsided, Jed could see Hudson enjoy his suffering. Annoyed, Jed sent a bullet to his kneecap. Marginally less severe for a part werewolf, it still stung like crazy.
Gritting his teeth Hudson mumbled dozens of curses in a sort of mantra. “He’ll get you. The King of the Hunt will devour your body whole. He will dine on your organs as you watch.”
“Do any of your threats not involve your stomach? Tell you what.” Jed withdrew a silver bullet. He placed the tip of it on Hudson’s knee wound. Immediately the blood sizzled as the silver was touched it. It did not truly burn despite the noise, but the blood wetted and unclotted, able to flow freely. Hudson scurried away, still surprisingly agile. Wiping the bullet clean, Jed placed the round in the gun.
He continued, “If you don’t tell me what I want then I will stick one of these in your leg. Not enough to kill you I reckon. Perchance you won’t walk for a couple of weeks though, if ever. Then I’ll ask again and if you don’t tell me again, then I will place one in your arm.”
“Then I will got to Valhalla,” Hudson blustered. His pronounced Adam’s apple trembled as he swallowed.
“Valhalla will wait.” Jed placed the barrel against the knee. “I won’t.”
Everything, no matter who or what, had a fear. A mind numbing fear that conquered any attempts to brave it. Most people never discovered theirs. Fewer knew what it was and even less ever face it. Hudson had shown he was not the bravest of werewolves when alone and the dread of silver was his worst nightmare.
Breathing hard he said, “All right I will tell you. It doesn’t matter anyway, you cannot stop him.”
“Who?”
“Bjorn, damn you! Bjorn is the King of the Hunt.” Hudson closed his eyes.
The saloon owner. The Germanic bartender who had always appeared friendly and peaceful. Jed had never seen him break up a fight in his saloon. The imposing physique of his body was countered by an affable personality.
Jed remembered what Bjorn had said before he left. He whispered the words aloud, “I am collecting the rest of my family.”
He sighed, prompting Hudson to laugh. “I told you,” he sneered. “You are doomed.”
“You thought the same thing,” Jed reminded him. “I’m not scared of mutts.”
“You should be. Even so it does not matter. If he does not kill you, then they will.”
Jed looked at Beth sitting in the living room on a partially destroyed couch. “You’re talking about Beth.”
“And the other vampires.”
“They are…”
“I’d like to see you fight them.” Hudson said gleefully. “I know Douglas is one of them and his second man, Jonathon Reed. The rest are just ‘innocent’ miners, I’m sure.” He snickered with sarcasm.
The gunslinger wordlessly tapped the iron barrel against his leg. “You’re a lucky man,” Jed said with feeling. “You get to live for now.” That being said, Jed knocked him over the head.
Hudson cursed, almost foaming at the mouth. “What was that for?”
“So you don’t get any ideas. Stand up.” With his attempt to knock Hudson out failed, Jed marched him to the door. Outside rain crashed furiously. Sheriff Carter was soaking in the rain with his deputy. The look on Ross clearly indicated he was not happy soaking.
“Sheriff,” Jed said. “I’d like you to throw Hudson in a cell. If he transforms then riddle him with bullets. Don’t feed or water him.”
Carter paled at the prospect while Ross eagerly took ahold of the prisoner and marched him to the cell. “Is it finally finished?” Carter pleaded.
“For tonight,” Jed answered. Forlornly, the sheriff walked away.
Also outside were the bank guards. They had been the ones who rode in. Jed nodded to them, giving strict orders to make sure all the beasts were dead. He would speak with them later.
Taking Obadiah inside he met Nadi and asked her to bandage his apprentice. After a moment the witch doctor nodded. As he left, Jed whispered to Obadiah, “Stay vigilant.”
That left Jed alone with Beth. She had sent away Henry earlier. Calmly she sat in her ruined couch, only in her night clothes. A sight he would have been more than happy to see her in under completely different circumstances.
“No games,” Jed stated. “Get some clothes on and we’ll talk.”
Beth nodded and went to her room leaving Jed time to think. Vampires could seduce men and women, amplifying the gravity of their personality to make their target enamored. Similar to a succubus, though not as powerful in that respect. Jed was worried she had done that to him. However, he decided he would have known for sure had she tried. Experience went a long ways. He almost fell asleep waiting for her to come back. The night’s excitement taking its toll. Modestly dressed she was ready to talk.
“Are you the only one?” Jed asked.
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.
“This is not the time to lie. Hudson tattled about you…and your friends.”
Beth frowned. “Very well. There are several others of us. Mind you we have not done anything wrong.”
Jed snorted, “Really.”
“We are trying to make a home, Jed. None of us chose to become vampires.” She spoke earnestly and leaned forward, brilliant green eyes shining with resolve. “And we don’t want to spend the rest of our lives running, always in fear of being hunted. Ed Miller already had a mining company before he was infected. He found Douglas and my husband. He told us about his dream: to find a town, isolated from most civilization and live there peacefully. Jed, believe me when I say we do not attack men in their sleep. No one has been drained or sucked dry. Until the werewolves showed up, everything was peaceful.”
“As nice as that sounds,” Jed said, “you still need blood.”
Beth sat back. “True. But, there is a way that does not require us to be savages about it. We pay people for blood. It is only a few trusted people. For instance, my butler Henry is one. He donates some and I mix it with animal blood. Though it tastes disgusting, it works. We can control our urges.”
“What about being in the sun? I have never met vampires able to do that.”
“Nadi brews a potion. Every day we drink it and it protects us against the sun. It is still uncomfortable to be outside. A small price, though, to pay for not burning.”
“You expect me to believe this? That you are peaceful vampires, not seeking to harm anyone?” Jed rebuked.