Gunship - The Series

by John Davis

  He would move from table to table, a Benzan calling for him and then trading a nice leg of meat or savory cut of bread for some of the hard alcohol. He was considered to be the one waiter that everyone loved and tipped with perfectly cooked beef.

  “Little 'sumbitch eats better than I do.” Dalton said with near envy.

  “If you want I can saddle you up and let you move from table to table.” Adam said, smiling wide.

  “I hear ya. Hell, a few more stiff drinks and I might just take you up on that.” Dalton replied as he noticed Adam deep in thought.

  “My advice is just to forget about Sarah. I mean, hell, you have any idea how many women I've bed down and left sleeping? The number is staggering.” Dalton said.

  “Yes, sadly I do, we've been running together for many years. And I wasn't bedding Sarah down. Well I was, but it was because I love her.” Adam replied.

  Nearly a decade. That's the amount of time since Adam and Dalton first met, fighting side by side against the Legion. Although the first Glimmerian War was lost, they bonded well under fire and had been smuggling together every since. Brothers in every sense of the word outside of birth. Just as Dalton had a passion for booze, Adam had a passion for women.

  He was no Romeo, though he could have easily been. Adam was a man too true to his values for that kind of lifestyle, instead having the habit of throwing his heart out there far too often. He was quick to fall in love.

  Sarah was different though, and Adam knew it the moment they first locked eyes. He saw through her high profile, lavish clothes and impeccable vocabulary. He saw the true Sarah Blaine, the goodhearted woman beneath that had so long needed someone to see the true her. She had fallen for him because of that very reason. Although he was on the wrong side of things when they met, running from the law and God only knows what else, he looked at her the way she had only wished everyone saw her. They had fallen so madly, deeply in love.

  “Love. Now there's a four letter word for you right there,” Dalton said, sharply swigging several ounces of scotch. “Love is an unnecessary emotion. It's for the weak minded. Do you have any idea how many women have gotten the boot because they fell in love with ole' Dalton James?” he asked, drinking a second helping of the not so smooth scotch.

  “I'm thinking none?” Adam replied with humor, holding his hand up as if a contestant on some sad excuse for a game show.

  “Shit son, you must not know me well. There have been plenty,” Dalton replied brashly, puffing deeply on his ill constructed cigar. “But I live by the creed.” he added.

  “The creed?” Adam asked, scared by the notion of his friend standing for anything.

  “The creed. You can give a woman your liquor but you don't ever give her your heart. Ever. That's where you messed up with Sarah.” Dalton replied.

  “I didn't give her anything, she took it,” Adam responded. “That's what love is. You meet someone and they unexpectedly change your life. I loved her, hell I still love her with everything I have.” he added with conviction.

  “I agree, this scotch is easy to fall in love with.” Dalton said, drawing a strange look from Adam. Less than a second later Sasha approached their table. Her perfectly rounded hips and fur sheathed breasts were the immediate attention magnets of several men in the room, including Adam.

  “What are you guys deep in discussion about over here?” Sasha asked, smiling a bit as she sat down with the two men; her slightly curled brunette hair bouncing a bit.

  “I was just telling Adam that he needs to love. Find a good looking woman like yourself and give her his heart.” Dalton said flirtatiously as he grinned wide.

  “Your friend is right Adam, you should consider his advice.” Sasha replied. Adam continued to stare at Dalton with a ghostly look unbelief, wanting so badly to reach across the table and smack the hell out of his so called friend.

  “I mean, take Sasha for instance. She is the definition of what a woman should look like. Plus she's impressive with a weapon and mighty good to you. Better scoop her up and make her an honest woman before someone else does.” Dalton said.

  “Thank you,” Sasha said with true gratitude before turning to Dalton and noticing scotch born lust painted all over his face.

  “Well then.” she said, turning back to Adam who was still burning a hole through Dalton with a wide eyed stare.

  “Hey.” Sasha said, waiving her hands a bit to gain his attention. Adam turned to her, and though Dalton had said what he did out of lust, he was right. Sasha was woman perfected. She was not only beautiful, but treated Adam with such a level of respect. Plus the thought of her and Dalton ending up together was almost unbearable.

  “Well I need a couple more stiff drinks,” Dalton said, rising to his feet slowly. “How about you Sasha, need a couple of stiff ones?” Dalton asked, smiling wide as Adam immediately cast a warning stare to his friend.

  “No thanks, I'm fine.” Sasha said to Dalton as she slowly pulled her chair closer to Adam, her backside gracefully becoming one with the wooden seating beneath her.

  “I'd be inclined to agree.” Dalton replied.

  “Barkeep is liable to send you packing if you ask for any more drinks. Says he has never seen someone down so much in a single sitting.” Sasha added with a smile.

  “Is that so?” Dalton asked, turning his attention to the clean shaven bartender. “Well in that case I'm gonna go order a few more just to piss him off,” he added with a smile of his own, the large cigar saturated with both ash and saliva as Dalton chewed it slightly. “Ya'll be good.” he added, starting for the bar and turning for a moment, hidden behind Sasha's back as he did his best to mimic the two of them making love. Adam tried hard not to smile back, knowing it would give his friend's plot away.

  “So.” Sasha said, her face glowing behind a perfect smile.

  “So.” Adam replied playfully.

  “We haven't really talked about us since arriving.” Sasha said.

  “Us?” Adam asked.

  “Yea, as in you and I together in more than just a friendship fashion.” Sasha replied, still glowing but with a look of seriousness in her eyes.

  “I'm not trying to avoid the whole conversation. It's just that I don't know if I'm ready to be in another relationship. It's only been...” Adam replied before being cut off.

  “It's been nine months. Nine months Adam. At some point you have to let Sarah go,” Sasha said. “She's gone. You have a different life now and chances are you will never even see her again.” Sasha added, trying to talk some sense into Adam's reasoning.

  “Hey Adam, come check this shit out!” Dalton yelled from the bar, both of his hands holding large mugs fulled with ale.

  “I'll be back in a minute.” Adam said, eager to join Dalton and dodge the current conversation at any cost.

  “Oh you have got to be kidding me.” Sasha said under her breath as she glanced at the bar to find out why Dalton had stolen Adam.

  “Still a looker, even if she did try to lock me up.” Dalton said as Adam sat beside him and noticed Sarah Blaine on the large television behind the bar. Dalton had started to explain that she was being promoted to Colonial Commander, but his words were simply mumbled as Adam blocked everything else out and focused his attention onto the woman he had so passionately loved. The more she spoke, the more Adam was reminded of his strong love for her to this very day. Even if it was a one sided feeling, it was a feeling that he couldn't control and his heart pushed his hands to begin trembling slightly.

  Adam broke his attention from the television for a moment to casually glance across his shoulder at Sasha. His intentions were to see if he felt the same when looking at her, but his eyes were met with her own as she stared at him with discouragement. Adam of course smiled and tried to act as though his very pulse wasn't directly connected to Sarah's speech, however his head quickly turned back to watch it.

  Everything about her was as beautiful as he had remembered. Her hair sparkled with red purity and her eyes told the trut
h about the beauty of her very soul. It was a forbidden love now, but for Adam it was a love that he continued to find himself lost in.

  “I'm telling you man, between you and me, she was a catch.” Dalton said in a hushed voice.

  “A catch,” Adam replied sharply. “You think I don't know that man? I would do anything to go back to life with her, even if it did mean the Hunters on our asses,” Adam added, looking back at the television for a moment. “Besides, what happened to not ever falling in love?” Adam asked.

  “Yea, well yea,” Dalton replied, firming up on the bar stool a bit. “I'm just saying if someone was stupid enough to fall in love, which we both know they shouldn't, it should happen with a woman like that.” he added.

  “Yea, tell me something I don't know.” Adam said, once again turning to the television and watching Sarah Blaine's every movement.

  Her features were so perfect, her movements soft and her intentions true.

  “Sasha.” Dalton said a bit under his breath.

  “No, I said tell me something I...” Adam said, cutting his words short as Sasha took a seat right beside him. Adam glanced over at his sorry excuse of a wingman for a moment, nodding his head as if to ask Dalton to leave them be.

  “Well, I best be going to check on Whiskey.” Dalton said standing up and tipping his head slightly to the Benzan beauty, only to moments later mock a session of intimacy behind her back. Again Adam gazed at him, stone faced and tight lipped, turning his attention to Sasha.

  She sat there, smiling back although it was obvious that she was truly worlds away in thought.

  “Listen. I don't want you to think I'm avoiding the conversation that we both know needs to happen. It's just that I feel something very strong for you and it scares the hell out of me.” Adam said.

  “You do? So just to clarify, this feeling isn't one sided?” Sasha asked.

  “Of course not,” Adam said, smiling. “For God's sake I pulled a gun on my wife to be just to get you to safety.” he added.

  It was the truth. Adam did in fact have feelings for Sasha. Strong feelings. But they were cloudy at best, and he was doing everything he could to figure them out; in need of more time to do so.

  “So where do we go from here Adam Michaels?” Sasha asked.

  “That's the big question,” he replied. “I just need some time to think things over and clear my head. Ya know? Spend time getting to know you without bullets flying at me.” he added, bringing instant giggles to Sasha's face.

  “You truly are amazing Adam. Take all of the time you need then and just know that as a Benzan I can't guarantee it will be done without bullets flying at you.” she replied, causing Adam to ease up and laugh a bit.

  “Things will work out for us in the end. Right now I just want to live free and do it with you in my life.” Adam said, smiling at her as he held her hand a bit.

  Was he starting to fall for Sasha? The thought had entered his mind more than once. He knew without a doubt that she truly was in love with him and he didn't have to become someone else to earn it. But what about Sarah Blaine? He simply couldn't ignore the feeling he had been instantly overcome with as he watched her on television only moments before. He couldn't breathe, it felt as though he would die if he couldn't hold her in his arms once again and that wasn't fair to Sasha. She deserved the best man he could be, and that wouldn't be something he could offer until his heart was completely free.

  “Well, looks like we're needed.” Dalton said, regretful that he would have to leave perfectly good drink behind and turning up his mug to finish as much as possible before approaching their table once again.

  Adam turned to see Kraid enter the building, he was the man in charge and it showed. Every single Benzan falling silent as he entered under the guard of two heavily armed warriors, not that he needed it. His legend of ending lives was one of great lore, the very broadsword sheathed to his back had sent a hundred or more Hunters back to the hell that they had been spawned from. He casually glanced across at Sasha, nodding slightly as his curly black hair shifted with ease. As he turned to exit back into the unforgiving peace of the falling snow, he pointed to a table near the entrance and motioned them along as well. Both men stood up slowly, their posture firm as fur covered their otherwise striped dress suits of black silk.

  “Time to put together a rescue plan.” Adam said under his breath as they all stood to their feet slowly before following Kraid.

  “About fucking time.” Dalton replied with the smell of must tainted whiskey on his breath as both men waited for Sasha to lead the way.

  “Let's go meet the man.” she said with a calm resolve as the three walked out into the serene blanket of white. They had been among the Benzans nearly nine months now, and although Adam and Dalton had both caught sight of Kraid in the past, neither man had actually spoken to him.

  Dalton stopped for a moment, slapping his leg and giving a curl of the lip with a whistle quickly following. Seconds later the clanging of bottles could be heard as Whiskey sprinted out into the snow, running just a bit to the side as the weight of empty bottles in the saddle pushed onto him.

  “Poor 'sumbitch done got vertigo from carrying all this alcohol,” Dalton said jokingly as he laughed alone and knelt down to pet his most loyal of friends. “Oh hell no, is this mustard?” he added, rubbing his fingers harshly across the mutt's back to remove a small mustard stain. “Oh hell fucking no.” Dalton added, glancing gratingly back into the door of the lodge and secretly wishing he knew the identity of the condiment perpetrator.

  “Come forth!” Victoria shouted as she sat in the large throne chair sculpted of rock and gold.

  The Hunter Queen had been awakened following the killing of so many of her species at the hands of the Benzan Mafia. Garrison, the highest ranking of the surviving Hunters from the second battle of Glimmeria approached nervously, kneeling as low as his trembling body would allow.

  “RISE! Tell me of your failures!” Victoria shouted, standing quickly to walk down and face the unfortunate survivor.

  “My...my queen,” the Hunter said shakily. “The Benzans ambushed our ships and hunted us on the surface...” he added before his words were cut short.

  “You survive to tell of this story while Anwick lays on a stone slab in the next room,” Victoria said angrily. “We are the most feared race in the Skyla System. Do you know why that is?” she asked with focus.

  “No my lady.” the Hunter replied out of necessity.

  “Because we always get retribution against those who have betrayed us. Always. You and the other survivors have betrayed me by not fighting to the death to save the life of Anwick.” Victoria said before turning to walk back to her throne chair and once again be seated.

  “Take him!” Victoria commanded as two Hunter Elites walked into the throne room. They were a rare sight, even for the fearless members of the Hunter race. The elites were more like knights, outfitted with thick black armor and the pupil free eyes of a demon.

  They were a rare sight because there were so few of them, only the finest mortal warriors earning the right to immortality. It didn't take many. One Hunter Elite had the abilities of an entire room full of his standard kin, and they were heartless. Much more heartless. They would slaughter an entire room full of their own kind in order to kill someone who posed a threat to their queen. It was their sole purpose to protect the queen, a job they did well. And at this very moment they followed a direct order from the one who commanded them, dragging the doomed Hunter into a room filled with the rest of what few survivors had returned from Glimmeria.

  “Please my queen, I beg of you!” Garrison yelled as he tried unsuccessfully to escape the grasp of an elite before resorting to grasping for what little texture the stone wall provided. His large Vampiric fingernails dug into the wall, but the sheer strength of the elites continued forward; splintering the doomed Hunter's nails as one of the elites pulled a longsword of grey and black. As the door of thick rock and worthy steel shut tightly, scr
eams of her own race began to filter throughout the throne room, a slaughter of cowards the source.

  Not so long from now, his flesh along with the flesh of others slain would become feast for the queen and her most loyal. Tissue tasted the same once applied to the burning of flame, no matter human or otherwise. Cindered meat was the preferred dish of Hunters, and if their hunger grew enough, the source of meat was of no concern. They had their fair share of enslaved humans for the very reason of food, though the occasional failures of a Hunter would bring the queen to the point of no mercy. They indeed feasted on their own kind.

  After only a couple of minutes the screams halted, the sound of razor edged blades chopping flesh were all that remained. The door opened once more, creaking heavily as the two Hunter Elites emerged to bow before their queen; covered in both blood and loyalty.

  “Rise my warriors. It is retribution against the Benzans that I now seek. Gather our most battle tested soldiers and see to it personally that not a single Benzan heartbeat sees another sunrise.” Victoria said confidently.

  “Yes my queen.” one of the elites responded, his voice deep and mighty as if he were a God of battle.

  Both knights stood firmly and walked away, blood dripping from their armor and forming the path taken on the harsh stone floor of the Hunter fortress.

  As the large monsters of flesh walked slowly through the halls of the Hunter compound, the elites soon slowed their pace as they approached a large metal door. It was thick steel, both gothic designs and Hunter text forged into the face of it. As the door made a low grinding noise against the rock mounting, both elites approached their military leader. Vladris. He was one of the few Hunters to claim stake on a hell hound, a dog born again into the ranks of the undead.

  They mutated a bit differently during the turning process, of course, and their skin became thick. Almost leather-like with rising patched across their backs. It gave the look of thorns for eyes that knew no better. The hell hound slowly turned as the Hunters approached, recognizing them a bit while showing his teeth in protection of his master. Its teeth were thick, although needle-like and nearly alive with hunger. Its eyes subtly glowing of crimson red as it made a strange noise of warning. Hell hounds were not to be trifled with. An ability to end lives with ease behind their shard filled smile and eyes of fury.