Gunslinger's Moon (27 page)

“Compensation?” another man griped.

“Higher wages and shorter work hours.” Beth exclaimed.

This went well with the crowd and a sense of excitement gripped them. Jed had started walking off as Beth spoke. Not even Obadiah noticed him stride away. But a miner did notice and he yelled, “Where are you going gunslinger?”

Jed replied, “I need a drink. I reckon you all do to.”

Swiftly, Beth took advantage of the situation. “No one will pay for his own drink tonight.”

She found the way to their hearts and an actual cheer arose. Jed moved to Boy with Ross hot on his heels. The hobbling sheriff asked, “Should we guard the cave?”

Jerking a thumb to the mining building, Jed replied, “Take out the guns and distribute them. I would place a couple of guards at the cave in, just in case.” Clicking his heels he rode away saying, “Either way it’s your job not mine. I’m retired.”

Chapter 20

The crowd made its way to the mining camp. No regard to moderation was seen. Crates of bottles were brought out and freely handed. Beer, whiskey, and anything else that wets a man’s tongue was consumed. It was quite a feat, the drinking began late in the afternoon and lasted to dusk and even further into the night. Men traveled from one tavern to the other looking for a drink and someone to listen to their story. An hour after sunset, wagons arrived from Hickory. The remaining folk had divined what had happened and brought all the booze from town. This revived everyone who had been forlorn as the liquor rapidly depleted.

The new comers were regaled with numerous ‘true’ accounts of the fight. It seemed despite the quickness of the liberation, every man had a boast about vanquishing vampires. The tales were loud and raucous and amused Jed as the gunslinger stepped past the drunken storytellers to collect another bottle of warm beer. Thanks profusely offered were thrown his way as walked past. For now he was one of the most popular men in town. Judging from the group around Ross and Obadiah they had the esteem of the community. Neither of the two were shy about their roles.

Astonishingly, Ross clapped Obadiah on the shoulder and yelled, “A toast. This young man is a true hero.”

The audience roared till they were hoarse and then drowned themselves in alcohol. Ross was a different man when drunk. That harsh scowl disappeared with his hot temper. Obadiah, clearly past his limit, tried to sip from his glass, failing and spilling it to the floor. Laughing Ross filled Obadiah’s glass. Chuckling, Jed moved on, going up the stairs, stepping over an unconscious man. He entered a room that had access to the porch wrapping around the second level. It was clear besides Beth.

Jed took the chair next to her. He tried to open the bottle but it was stuck. Taking it, Beth twisted the top effortlessly off.

“Clever girl,” Jed joked as she poured. “I wouldn’t have thought of that.”

They clinked the cups and sipped. The gunslinger felt the drink getting to him, something that Beth was unaffected by. His female companion could probably out drink any of the ten stout miners below.

“Do you think you will be staying in Hickory?” Beth asked again.

Jed had previously avoided the question by retrieving another bottle. She was determined to gain an answer. He swirled the liquor in his glass, creating a miniature whirlpool. “I don’t know. Not dying has thrown my plan into disarray. Before I left west, I told everyone I retired. Left most everything behind as I headed to San Francisco. I suppose I could always go back to it.”

Dryly, Beth retorted, “Haven’t you already unretired? Recent events seem to have proven otherwise.”

“Otherwise?” Jed puffed, “You haven’t seen me unretired.”

“Will I?”

Jed finally took another sip. “Maybe. Perhaps it is better that I stay retired.”

“Tired of the dangerous life?”

“I spent a long time thinking I was dying. I could see the end. It is different knowing you can die and knowing you will die. Now thanks to some black magic I have time to live. Not sure I want to spend that time by risking my life.”

Casually Beth offered, “You are welcome to help with the mining business.”

“Thanks, but I think it might be more dangerous.” He chuckled at the dark irony.

“You have a point,” she grudgingly admitted.

“But the first thing is to cure you. The sooner, the better.”

“Tomorrow I shall have Nadi do the ritual.”

“Good.” Jed laid his hand over Beth’s. Warmth surged from the touch, despite the deathly chill of her skin. A gunslinger with feelings for a vampire. Jed was glad he was on the other side of the country. He could only imagine what the people he knew would say. Already he was certain his father was rolling in his grave.

Hank Rogers stumbled, each step felt like it shifted on the ground as he walked. Belching, he intently focused on his footwork. Strangely, the more he tried to focus the worse the spinning was. Hank never had been so completely drunk. His bulging belly prevented him from seeing his feet stumble. Groaning, he stopped and leaned against a wall.

Needing to take a piss, he decided it was pointless going to the outhouse. A hand pressed against the back of the saloon, Hank unzipped his pants. Fumbling, he began urinating. He sighed at the release. A growing uneasiness touched him. Mumbling, he looked behind. Nothing was moving in the night and the only thing he could hear was the loud ruckus from the saloons. Ignoring the sudden chill, Hank bent down to pull his trousers up. They had slipped after his sudden turn.

Something gripped the back of his neck. He panicked, shouting. After several hours of singing his voice was hoarse. He flailed wildly, trying to break free. The grip was iron strong, pushing his head to the side, revealing his thick throat. Out of the corner of his eye, Hank saw a pale, white like a ghost, man and two sharp delicate teeth plunge down.

Blood filled his throat and he was unable to scream. Not that he would have had been heard. Another round of raucous singing arose. Passing by him were many more staggering vampires. It took a moment, but finally one man saw the approaching horde. He rubbed his eyes and nearly fell over, before giving a shout ruined by a hiccup. Few heard the warning. Jed and Beth were facing the opposite direction, their backs turned to the enemy.

The vampires split, heading for the two saloon entrances. Beth frowned, her enhanced hearing picked up something. Standing she turned, glancing over the railing. She saw the vampires mounting the wooden platform.

Jed grabbed her, pulling her down. He hissed, “How did he escape?”

“We have to warn everyone!” she replied.

They hurried inside and rushed down the stairs. Jed roared over the merriment, “To arms!”

A crowd of dumb looks raised to him. Just then the swivel doors swung open and a pale vampire walked through. Jed drew and fired, his Colt on target. Six bullets flew as true as can be. The bullets did little effect on the vampire, however, the startled men followed the shots. An uproar began and they all rushed for the guns as more creatures entered. Shotguns and revolvers had been carelessly discarded. Men rushed for the nearest weapon. Vampires grappled with the nearest men, overpowering them and plunging their incisors into the sweet aphrodisiac flowing in their veins.

Jed was about to rush down and fight when the last vampire entered. It was a young handsome face with dark brooding features. Belatedly, Jed recognized Douglas. Not old and withered. Now young and slim. He was still short, yet somehow he had managed to control his aging.

The vampire’s gaze searched the saloon, indifferent to the shooting and struggles. His eyes moved up, seeing Jed. Face contorting in rage, Douglas screamed, “JEDIDIAH!”

The gunslinger did the only sensible thing. 180 degrees hard about and run. Beth tailed as Douglas leapt over melee and onto the stairs in a single bound. The pair ran into a room. Standing and fighting now would be a hopeless and futile endeavor. Almost pushing Beth, Jed said, “Ladies first.”

Frowning, she ran straight into the window. Glass shattered as she crashed. By the time she landed on the ground any minor cuts she received were healed. Moments later Jed followed her lead. Beth jumped and caught him, saving Jed from a hard landing. Gripping her hand he led them immediately away.

It was extraordinary how fast sobriety could arrive. Obadiah had his hands wrapped around the throat of a vampire. Its mouth was open as it tried to push past his hold. The creature was ridiculously strong and Obadiah’s arms were burning. He stared at the soulless eyes. The pupil was unnaturally small for the night, narrow and focused completely on its quarry. Perhaps it was the look or the sudden physical exertion but Obadiah’s stomach tumbled and twisted. Ross came to the rescue, knocking the vampire off with a murderous blow. Swiftly, Obadiah leapt to his feet. Ross fired several times, the bullets uselessly striking the fallen creature.

Attempting to create a weapon, Obadiah kicked at a chair. The vampire began standing. Obadiah managed to break off a leg. He sank the improvised stake into its heart. It crumpled. Breathing hard, Obadiah backed away. Then he vomited, spilling every last drop in his stomach. All over the saloon there was fighting. Many men had escaped leaving friends to the horrors. It was also time for Obadiah to leave.

“We need to regroup.” He told Ross groaning.

The sheriff was more than willing. Some of the vampires were looking decidedly less pale and their movements were less rigid, more fluid. Rushing out the front door, Ross slipped on the sleek floor. Obadiah helped him up from the blood. They exited.

They were not the only ones. Right in the middle of the street was a vampire and a man. The man was dead. In his fingertips was a shotgun. Tentatively, Obadiah reached for it. Busy feeding the vampire ignored him. He checked to see if it was loaded. Both barrels held a shell. Placing it against the vampire’s head, he pulled both triggers. Brains and skull fragments erupted. Kicking the body aside, Obadiah searched the man for more shells.

“Where do you think Jed is?” Ross asked, a gun in hand.

“No idea.” Obadiah found several shells and reloaded.

Then a great voice called out. “Bring me the gunslinger. Kill any in your way.”

Obadiah swallowed, tasting bile. “But we really need to find him. Let’s go.”

The vampires were obeying, exiting the saloons in droves, one of which had gotten ablaze. Some had a spring in their step, recently fed from fresh blood. The new sheriff and young gunslinger ran to the cover of the miners’ tents, scattered across the wide area. Many others were doing the same thing, running in any and every direction. The two men scrambled behind one tent.

“We need a plan,” Ross whispered. “Running around and frolicking like we are in the prairie is going to get us killed.”

Obadiah cursed under his breath. “Jed could be anywhere.” There was a gunshot, heaving a sprout of dirt by his knee. A man was wildly firing his Colt at an approaching vampire. The beast was halfway from a starved creature to a well fed man. It jogged haphazardly to the man, tackling him.

Instinctively, Obadiah ran by to dispatch the vampire. This vampire heard his running footsteps and it leapt to him as he closed in. He fired the shotgun in reaction, missing. The vampire grasped the shotgun, tugging it from Obadiah. Fiercely he held on, refusing to let go. Twisting and jerking the weapon, Obadiah barely hung on as he was thrown around. Ross rushed over, seeking a clear shot.

Angrily he yelled, “Get out of the way Obadiah!”

He complied releasing the gun before his arms were torn off. Once the world stopped spinning Obadiah tripped and fell to the ground. Ross fired getting off a few shots until the vampire sprung towards him. Obadiah drew both handguns and fired. Arching its back, the bullets sank deep. Ross pushed it from himself. Then the attacked miner swung a shovel, using the flat side. After a couple of pummels, he used the shovel’s edge to try decapitation.

Obadiah grabbed his arm. “Davy?” he queried. It was Davy, the miner who had alerted them of the missing graves.

He swallowed heavily. “Obadiah. Oh thank goodness I found you.”

“Stay with me.” Obadiah reached for the shotgun.

“I will take that.” Nadi emerged from the shadows. Grateful to see another friendly face he handed over the remaining shells he had scoured. Obadiah gazed over his small group.

They began moving once more, keeping low under cover of the tents. Shots, screams, both were a constant backdrop as they moved. There was not much of a plan for where to go, as long as it was away from the vampires. Keeping in the lead, Obadiah strayed farther from the others, scouting best he could. He swung his Colt. Another gun, much larger, intercepted to block his barrel.

“Easy Obadiah,” Jed whispered.

His partner sighed in relief. “Shoot, am I glad to see you. I was getting worried. I have Ross, Nadi and Davey with me.”

“Davy?”

“Yeah, the guy who showed us the missing graves.”

Beth appeared from the shadows in one of the tents. “Is she okay?”

Obadiah nodded. “We are all fine. Luckily.” He waved behind him so the others could hurry up. “Okay Jed, what’s the plan?”

Waiting until the others arrived, the gunslinger explained, “We need to find my horse. The only way to stop Douglas is with silver bullets and plain old fashioned stakes to the heart. I only have one silver bullet. However, I do have a flintlock loaded with a silver ball. It is in my saddlebags.”

“Flintlock? You have a flintlock?” Ross muttered in disbelief. “Could you even hit with something like that?”

“Don’t worry about me missing. Worry getting me to the horse. If we get spotted, then Douglas won’t be long coming.”

“So where is the horse?” Ross asked expectantly.

The sheriff had a way of getting beneath his skin. Jed rubbed his eyes, calming down. “I left it at the saloon. Unless it broke free, it should be there.”

“Should…” Ross harrumphed.

Jed said to Nadi, “What about you? Got any more magic?”

She held up the shotgun. “Only if this qualifies.”

It didn’t. Regardless it was time to move. “We need to get going.” Jed led the way with Beth by his side.