by Justin Sloan
Seeing this, the Prince appeared even more enraged. He hefted up the second rail gun and, with incredible effort, sent shots with both, first at Valerie and then Robin. Forced to dive for cover, since she was still feeling the pain from the last time one of those shots connected, she glanced around for a way out of this that didn’t involve getting shot.
Not far off was a dead pirate with throwing knives. She had become quite skilled with knifes, so turned to make a dash for it when the sun hit some exposed skin where she had been shot. A new wave of pain went over her, and she trembled, turning around and holding the spot, trying to cover it. The skin had already started growing back, but that also left her vulnerable to the sun.
Valerie must’ve seen this, because she shouted, “Hang tight!” and a second later, the Prince went flying through the air, screaming.
He landed with a thud, and now it was Robin’s turn. She kept her exposed side to the ground, pulling the fabric of her torn clothes as tight as she could, which wasn’t much because of the Kevlar layer over most of it. Reaching the dead pirate, she tore his coat from him, quickly tied it around herself so that she was covered, and then spun back to see the Prince had recovered and was aiming in at Valerie. She saw him, too, and was ready to act, but Robin made the first move. The first knife left her fingers as if it were a part of her, simply moving away temporarily. It flew with speed and accuracy, connecting with him square in the hand that held the gun. When it fell, it sent a blast out that nearly hit Valerie, and she shouted, “Watch it!”
“Sorry, but watch this one,” Robin said, flicking out another knife so that it connected with the Prince’s eye.
He shouted in pain, screaming, reaching for a pistol tucked into the back of his exuberant coat. But, before he could reach it, Valerie said, “Oh, you like that? How about a bit of teamwork.”
She darted forward, almost quicker than Robin could even see, and landed with a flying kick that connected with the hilt of the knife. The knife went clean through the Prince’s head and came out the other side, and then he collapsed.
Just then, the second enemy blimp burst into flame, and cheering arose from the line of slaves who had joined Robin’s side. She turned, beaming, totally ignoring the itch of pain that remained from where she’d been hit with the blaster and then by the cutlass.
They had done it. Not only that, they had their own little army to invade Toro with.
They all stood, watching the place burn to the ground, and she felt this was a new beginning. One forged from flame, and one that could only end in chaos.
She was looking forward to the fight of taking Toro down, now that she’d tasted the thrill of it. Or maybe her excitement just had to do with the fresh blood she had consumed. Either way, she smiled at Valerie and, when the woman walked up to her, she took her in her arms and pulled her in until their lips were pressed firmly together.
When Valerie pulled back in shock, they stared at each other for a moment, and then Robin pulled her in. This time they didn’t hold back… well, on the kissing anyway. There were way too many men and women watching and cheering for it to be more than that.
Epilogue
Slaver’s Peak
By the time the blimp had landed and the fires had burned to ash, Valerie and Robin had settled everyone down and briefed them on the plan.
“Go if you have a home to return to,” Valerie had said, “or join us in taking down the bastards who tried to take away your freedom.”
All had stayed, all ready to exact their revenge. To have their justice.
Valerie hailed Martha, and the groups made their way to the blimps. There was this ship, the others that the Prince had taken over, and several more. Certainly enough to invade Toro.
“Let’s get to it then,” Valerie said, and everyone boarded.
When Martha had them in the air, ready to follow one of the fighters who claimed he knew the way, she smiled to Valerie and Robin.
“Why don’t you two go get some rest, I know you need it.”
Valerie smiled. “I’ll be fine.”
Martha chuckled, and said, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” Robin added, the corner of her mouth going up. “Are you sure.”
Valerie blushed, then nodded to Martha and followed Robin to the stairs that led below deck. Here she took her by the wrist.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “I mean, about all this? About that kiss.”
Robin bit her lip, hand taking Valerie’s side and pulling her close. “We don’t know what’s about to happen, but I know this—I’m either about to be reunited with my parents, or I’ll be dead. Either way, I think some well earned rest with you is the perfect way to spend however long it takes for us to get there.”
Valerie let out the breath she’d been holding, hoping Robin would say something like this, then allowed the younger woman to lead her by the wrist down and into the small room toward the back of the ship.
It was dark, but that didn’t stop Valerie from being able to see as the younger vampire slipped out of her clothes and then turned, fully exposed, and motioned her forward. Valerie’s heart beat faster than any vampire’s should have been able to, and then she slipped out of her pirate dress, took the woman in her arms, and felt her tongue brush gently across her own.
Damn, she wished this ride would take forever, but she knew it couldn’t. In the meantime, she was damn sure going to make every second count.
Author Notes - Justin Sloan
Written July 3, 2017
All I can say right now is WOW. I just finished writing this book and my book 2 in the Age of Magic books (Shades of Dark), and ran off to finish reading PT Hylton's Age of Magic book, Storm Raiders. I love what we're doing in this universe, and reading the reviews I am super thrilled to see that you all do too.
I also read the The Dark Night and was excited to see that, not only is it an awesome story (my new favorite of the KGU?), but it had pirates! And... pirates are what made up a lot of Born into Flames, as you know. I was about half way through writing when I picked up Michael’s book, and it was encouraging to see how he had approached it and how the audience was gobbling it up.
What I attempted to do here was show another part of this future / post apocalyptic world, one where a group of people looked for a way to survive and found it in reverting to the old ways -- piracy. As you saw in Justice is Calling and the pirates there, these pirates can range from deadly scary to pretty much ridiculous and silly. That's what I want to do in these books. I want some characters that you think 'DAMN!' about, and others that make you giggle (or chuckle or at least give it a half-smile).
I hope we've accomplished that here! As I write this, I'm at the stage where now Michael is going to run his magic fingers across the keyboard and add some sparks of amazingness, so what you all get will likely be even better than what I envisioned. But I'd love to hear from you, because book 6 is ALREADY underway, and you probably have some opinions on the matter. We'd love to hear them in either email or, especially if they are simply kind words, in the reviews for this book.
Going forward: The way we have it now, book 6 will be the end of this arc, and then another arc begins. I have lots of cool ways this all could go, and ideas for spinoff characters, if we ever wanted to go that route.
Craig Martelle and I are outlining a cool spinoff novel that takes some of our stories and puts them tighter and that will lead to some of the most amazing next arcs you've ever seen (okay, wishful thinking on my part. Or... hopeful thinking). Regardless, I'll have a blast doing it, and I know many of you and know that you'll be right there at our sides for the ride.
Until then, thank you as always - you all make this dream a reality! Without you reading the books I couldn't be doing this full-time, and without your emails and Facebook messages to tell me how much you love the books, I'd probably lose myself in the depths of reading negative reviews.
On the note of children - we just found out we're having our third! That was alway
s our goal, so we're beyond excited. Of course, that means I have to write extra hard and fast before February, knowing I'll be out of commission for at least a few days when the baby comes. Luckily our other two kids are in daycare, or I would be in trouble!
More to come on that, and more books soon too! Like I mentioned above, Shades of Dark will be hitting the shelves shortly, if not by the time you finish reading this one. The Age of Magic is going in some great directions, and I think you'll love that series. Some people have felt the series in general is darker, or that it kind of destroys everything we've built here (by what it says happened to the world in the distant future), but I would argue that and say - keep reading and you'll see. Big plans ahead!
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
Written July 7th, 2017
I will not weep, I will not weep…
First, THANK YOU for not only reading this book, but for reading all of the way to the END (and my Author Notes.)
Justin mentioned it before, but I’ll reiterate. The Kurtherian Gambit fanbase has provided him an opportunity to try full time writing.
Until he didn’t…then he did, again. More to come about that comment.
You see, RIGHT after Justin quit his previous full time job (and wrote the author notes for our last book with Valerie) his dream job came calling, with their hat in their hand.
Or rather, with the salary he wanted the first time they talked and he couldn’t take the job.
For any creative, you have certain stories, or characters you might LOVE to work with and this company was offering that to Justin.
And like the little bastards (sorry, like the little tempters) they were, they enticed him to come work full time on their project.
Then, reality set in.
I understood Justin’s desire to work on their property (I don’t know if I’m at liberty to say who it was… but it might have been someone in the Marvel, DC, Star Wars,
The problem was Justin had already tasted freedom…Sorry, he had already tasted the ability to write on his own work during the day and had lived the dream for a little while before the fall…Err, before the additional opportunity to experience working in a well known and (kinda) life long dream job.
He found out the grass wasn’t greener…
Justin found out that his heart was back at home, working full time on his own stories and now? Now he is #WritingLikeASonofaBitch and I am having to work to make sure his output is fed (covers, editors, JIT teams, audio).
Personally, it is a really cool feeling to me that just eight (8) short months after our first book came out, that we (you, me, TKG etc.) played some part in his professional life.
I guess since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to be ‘special’ in some way. In my teen’s, it was thinking I could be a rock star, up on stage.
Anyway, spandex aside, it didn’t happen. Not only because I couldn’t carry a tune if it came with a handle, but I didn’t have a clue how to even TRY to do it when I was younger.
Naive was my middle name… As I think about it, Ignorant was a possible second middle name. Michael Ignorantly-Naive Anderle…That was me.
Sorry, I digressed off into Rock Star land a moment.
The core of wanting to be a rock star was the desire to feel important in some way. As I grew older, wiser, and found out what really makes me tick more understanding has occurred. I realize I love being a part of the success (not necessarily financial, although that is cool) of those around me.
Meaning, I enjoy knowing that Death Becomes Her has meaning beyond the story. That book, and the effort to write it culminated in affected a man’s life I did not know at the time. When I wrote it, I didn’t know anything about Indie Publishing, Indie Author’s (other than those I read ALL THE DAMN TIME) and never expected to get to know so many of you, the fans.
Before I tear up here (I am writing this author note in a public place, so sitting here weeping isn’t high on my social activities I care to accomplish today) let me say thank you one more time.
Because you care, and you read, and you share - Justin M. Sloan’s life has been changed along with his wife, and children.
Readers helping readers and authors.
I think maybe this is what publishing should have always been about. So, to those Publishers who have fucked up authors for decades with your crap marketing, horrible advances, and God knows what else?
Here is our middle-finger waving in your direction.
To those Publishers who have helped authors live and thrive and grow their stories and share them with fans young and old, here and abroad?
Here is my heart felt appreciation even though the story of YOUR support to those authors may never have been told.
We, the readers and the fans of Kurtherian Gambit SALUTE you!
Michael (tearing up like a man who can sometimes be emotional) Anderle
Michael Anderle
Kurtherian Gambit Series Titles Include:
First Arc
Death Becomes Her (01) - Queen Bitch (02) - Love Lost (03) - Bite This (04)
Never Forsaken (05) - Under My Heel (06) Kneel Or Die (07)
Second Arc
We Will Build (08) - It’s Hell To Choose (09) - Release The Dogs of War (10)
Sued For Peace (11) - We Have Contact (12) - My Ride is a Bitch (13)
Don’t Cross This Line (14)
Third Arc (Due 2017)
Never Submit (15) - Never Surrender (16) - Forever Defend (17)
Might Makes Right (18) - Ahead Full (19) - Capture Death (20)
Life Goes On (21)
**New Series**
The Second Dark Ages
The Dark Messiah (01)
The Dark Knight (02)
The Boris Chronicles
* With Paul C. Middleton *
Evacuation
Retaliation
Revelation
Restitution 2017
Reclaiming Honor
* With JUSTIN SLOAN *
Justice Is Calling (01)
Claimed By Honor (02)
Judgement Has Fallen (03)
Angel of Reckoning (04)
Born Into Flames (05)
The Etheric Academy
* With TS PAUL *
ALPHA CLASS (01)
ALPHA CLASS - Engineering (02)
ALPHA CLASS (03) Coming soon
Terry Henry “TH” Walton Chronicles
* With CRAIG MARTELLE *
Nomad Found (01)
Nomad Redeemed (02)
Nomad Unleashed (03)
Nomad Supreme (04)
Nomad’s Fury (05)
Nomad’s Justice (06)
Nomad Avenged (07)
Nomad Mortis (08)
Trials and Tribulations
* With Natalie Grey *
Risk Be Damned (01)
Damned to Hell (02)
Hell’s Worst Nightmare (03) coming soon
The Ascension Myth
* With Ell Leigh Clarke *
Awakened (01)
Activated (02)
Called (03)
The Age of Magic
The Rise of Magic
* With CM Raymond / LE Barbant *
Restrictions (01)
Reawakening (02)
Rebellion (03)
Revolution (04)
The Hidden Magic Chronicles
* With Justin Sloan *
Shades of Light (01)
Storms of Magic
*With PT Hylton*
Storms Raiders (01)
SHORT STORIES
Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 01 (7.5)
You Don’t Mess with John’s Cousin
Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 02 (9.5)
Bitch’s Night Out
/> Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 02 (13.25)
With Natalie Grey
Bellatrix
AudioBooks
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL LMPBN BOOKS ON AUDIBLE
Available at Audible.com and iTunes
The Kurtherian Gambit
Death Becomes Her - Available Now
Queen Bitch – Available Now
Love Lost – Available Now
Bite This - Available Now
Never Forsaken - Available Now
Under My Heel - Available Now
Reclaiming Honor Series
Justice Is Calling
Claimed By Honor
Judgment Has Fallen
Angel of Reckoning
