Chapter 3

 

"I gotta tie you up."

 

"What's happening here? Why do you guys have my Miriam?"

 

"Goddam it Doc? Stop asking so many dumb questions? Can't you see when you got  GOT?"

 

I'm alone still at the damn brothel. From what I can tell Pepper is in business with Mooney's gang. She had been a while. Seemed like just my luck I stumbled upon the wrong sanctuary.  She's still here now. Her, Luke and her other workers are entertaining Mooney's gang in the barn area. That's where the outlaws were set up.

 

"She never loved me..."

 

"She isn't your Miriam. She's Miriam Mooney. She's not married to you legally dummy because she's already married."

 

My heart sinks.  Miriam was always the most beautiful woman in town back east.  When we were first dating, guys would come by the house challenging me to a fight for her over and over back in those days.  Of course, I never took it. Miriam never seemed to be a show boat. Who liked brawn and muscles? Miriam wanted her a man with brains. That's what I thought.  I guess I was wrong. It was all a plot for her to get with a goddamn Ahuli.

 

Any Ahuli who could hex a goddam bullet.

 

"No way."

 

"Sorry to tell ya kid. Your Miriam is actually married to outlaw Shannon Wildfire Mooney."

 

"Oh shit."



"Oh shit's right.  He sent his wife to ya to get your secrets.  All of em. We almost got em too but us poking around in Ahuli territory woke up some bad spirit.  Some bad spirit that don't want to be messed with."



My heart stops.  They'd gone poking around Ahuli burial grounds looking for a map to treasure.  Idiots. They were goddam idiots.  

 

"You goddamn fools!   The Sea Dog killed my entire tribe to keep his treasure a secret.  You think he wouldn't wake up? Huh! Idiots! He don't die. He don't goddamn die."



Poor Kid.  I outta kiss him.  He was beautiful but dull as all rocks.    If he thought for half a moment that I could make bullets to kill the thing known as the Sea Dog then he had another thing coming.

 

I finish my earlier thought because he's ignoring me, "I can hex bullets to hit a fucking target.  I can't kill the Unkillable."




He looks me up and down as though he knows I'm making sense.   I don't know what the hell these fucking Mooneys have been drinking but they were playing with some dark magic.  If the look on my face didn't light a fire under Kid's ass I don't know what would. 

 

"I'll talk to Mooney...once we get him back."



"Huh?"  I'm confused.

 

Where the hell had he gone that we needed to get him back?



"Oh didn't I mention?" Kid Maverick asks me, "Now that you are part of Mooney's gang your first mission is for you to make us some of those true bullets."



"First---I'm not part of Mooney's Gang."



"C`mon---"



"Secondly---I can't make those bullets.  And third---goddamn it. Where the HELL is Mooney, Kid?  Stop PISSIN' a roun' the pole!"

 

He finally stops, turns around and does the weirdest thing.  Kid kisses me. Smack right dab in the middle of my lips. I hate that I like it.  I hate that I even lick my lips without knowing. He notices and his smile gets wider.  He grabs a long haul of my ass while pulling me close.

"I'm gonna take you into some danger, city slicker."




Danger?  Danger. 

What he doesn't tell me is that Mooney got arrested trying to rob a bank while he was leading a very angry but slow moving Sea Dog out East so he could circle around and meet us out west.   Only problem is he gets back to Dark Spire and everyone's gone chasing me...the last Ahuli. Apparently he must thought it was a good idea to rob a bank while his gang tracked me down.  Sounds like he's  all balls and no brains.


So Shannon Wildfire Mooney takes one pistol and one bandana to rob the bank in up in Bodie, which was about a days ride from Dark Spire.   He nearly gets away with it too if it weren't for him getting sidetracked by the famous Bodie Chinatown saloons and its saloon hall gals.  He gets drunk tells a whore his secret. The whore tries to rob him and he shoots up the place. That's when he gets caught by the marshall. Not just any marshall, but Marshall Heck "Hanging Judge" Matthews. Famous in these parts for being judge, jury and executioner all in one. 

And now Mooney's about to be executed by the hanging judge

 

And our mission, that Kid gets such a hard on about?



We have to stop Shannon Mooney's execution.

 

~





"Hot dang it, looks dat deer's ass. What do ya figure Mooney will trade me fir it."

 

I feel speckles of dust in my eyes as the wagon I'm in joustles with extra weight add to it.  I'd been on it alone this long fingering at some bullets Kid Maverick gave me. My feet are tied up and I'd fallen asleep in the wagon. It takes a moment to come to well enough to see three men looking  in on me...with Kid Maverick being one of em.

 

Kid twists his goatee, "That one there ain't for sale. That there is the Indian he wanted."

 

"Don't look like much of an Indian."

 

"Goddamn Judd, you think all natives walk around naked with feathers on?"

 

The man Maverick was talking to winces.  Judd. I'd seen him several times so he feels like he knows me well enough to give me a familiar wink.  I wink back. His face was filthy but he wasn't an ugly man. In fact perhaps behind all of that filth he may have been attractive.  

 

"Just don't seem all that wild is all. Figure we ain't have to tie him up is all."

 

 

"He's a goddamn prisoner."

 

"He ain't gonna run, Maverick."

 

He seems to be taking pity on me. I don't expect him to stick up to a big man like Maverick but he does.  The man if anything is fitter looking than I expected. His face tells of a lean body beneath his outlaw leather garb and his expression is serious but not unkind. He has that salt 'n' pepper look to his hair, against his still youthful skin. I perk up just a bit.  It's better than catnip to me.

 

He looks down at me noticing I'm making the bullets, "Well would you look a' here. Sleeping beauty woke up from his slumber to make us some bullets.  How does that work?"



"I don't  know.  I keep telling them I don't know what I'm doing here."



For a moment I think I'm finally talking sense to someone.  I think these outlaws finally get me. What the hell? Judd looks at me, curiously.  Then he looks at the Chinaman who is quietly cleaning a rifle not too far away. They both seem confused.  Good. Great. We're getting somewhere.  

 

But then they look at Kidd.  Kidd gives me a look, "Look'a here season salt.  You goin' to figure out how to make those there magic bullets or you'll get a real bullet right in the head."



"Won't be by you,"  Judd states.

 

"Won't have to be by me," Kidd spits back without skipping a beat, "Miriam finds out we fail she won't want her fake ex-husband hanging round here.  She'll for sure----hey. Hold on. What do you mean it won't be by me?"



"You're all soft on him," Judd mocks Kidd.

I watch Kidd blush a little bit.  It's cute. I join in mocking him, "You're all SOFFFFFT on me."

 

 "I WILL SHOOT YOU!" Kidd barks.

He hops in my direction, draws his gun and almost lights up my head with it.  At this point, I've almost pissed myself. Whatever humor we were having amongst the group is dead. The Chinaman goes back to cleaning his gun, Judd goes back to looking at my ass and I go back to fingering bullets. 

After a second of Judd realizing Kid wasn't letting up  his intimidation he sighs, "C`mon, leave sleeping beauty alone.  We finally got someone here that Mooney isn't fucking crazy for."


I don't know what he means but it's effective in it takes Maverick off me and siks him on Judd.  Judd gets a couple uppercuts to the ribs and begs for mercy. I notice how sexy both the guys look rolling around there.  I almost forget about the blessed bullets and think about shooting a different type of bullet from a different type of gun.

 

Lordy, muscles and raw wrestling.  They are grabbing each other's asses through tight trousers. Judd looked like his britches were just about saddle worn through, but that didn't seem to matter.  They don't care about dirt and grime. They don't care about playing dirty.  I see Judd take a whole crotch grab at Maverick who pulls away and levels Judd with a boot to the face.

 

It's all amazing.

 

"Sleeping beauty getting an eyeful?" Judd asks.

 

"I'm only watching because you two are being ridiculously immature."



Kid, noticing I'm watching gets uncomfortable and stands.  He shoots me a nasty look. I reply with a horrified one. Maybe he wants to act tougher on me with the others around.  I don't know. Either way I didn't understand why I couldn't at least be removed from my restraints.  

 

Judd gets real close.  Real close when Kid walks away.  He stands over me, "Sleeping beauty,  you ready for this shootout? I bet you get real horny when you're in danger.  I bet if I keep you safe you're going to give me all that wet ass."

Sleeping beauty finds him interesting. Even more so when he winks at me a bit. He introduces himself formally as Judd "the Joker Poland. He tells me his business title is a `Member of Mooney's gang.'  If I weren't tied up perhaps this wouldn't be such an intimidating moment. I give him a smile which seems to surprise him.

At this point, that didn't sound too bad of an idea.  Judd was definitely a man my taste.

 

 

"Sir can you release me? These ropes are too tight."

 

"You won't run?"

 

"Got a deal."

 

He bites his lip. Though I'd have made the deal if he'd looked like a fermenting potato, it just makes things more pleasant that he is so inviting to look at, to flirt with.

 

"Leave him," another voice states, "He's good at that. Can get ya lookin in those temptress eyes of his and he'll get ya to walk wit a hard on into hell."

 

It's coming from Maverick.

 

This horse's ass was SERIOUS!  He'd been serious this whole time.  This is really what he thought of me.  I'm steaming and he notices because he smirks.  The road is dusty and Maverick's lost him a shirt. The town is getting crowded now. A good hanging was something to see.  A few other prisoners have already been executed.  Maverick has a monocular to see in the distance. He peers out magnifying it a few times. 

 

"Why did you take your shirt off?" I ask, "This time of the day, you'll get burned."

 

 

He is fanning himself hot all of a sudden. I think it's normal but he looked flushed. Remarkably attractive with cascading ab muscles but in the end he was still flushed. He's coughing wildly.

 

I start asking if he's ok. Nothing though. When he's close enough I even reach out despite my restraints. He pushes me away harshly like I'm bothering him.


"Don't  pay attention to what I'm doing!"



"It's not like I can move..."



He keeps parading around half naked.  Then Judd joins him. Judd loses his shirt and underalls too.  I think he wants to confront Maverick but he wants to show that he too has a nice body.  Perfect. As though hating the man without having to stare at his hard, wild life brick statue of a physique. Not even the glistening sweat down his muscles, not his gallivant perfect expression can make me dislike the man any less.

 

"I'm letting him go. He's a goddamn doctor for god sakes Maverick. Look at him. We ought to just let him go. No such thing as a hex witch..."

 

"Fine let him go.  But if these bullets don't work it'll be your ass Samuels."

 

I finally get released as man walks towards the lake area where we've been hiding.  I'm shocked when he sees the outlaws and doesn't freak out. They know him!  I realize that after he makes his rounds and shakes my hand. When he opened his mouth it was with a New York accent and the hand he offered to shake was manicured to perfection, the skin softer than a baby.  I reciprocated, but never would I trust a man so perfect, as far as I was concerned the more perfect the image the greater the danger underneath.  

 

"This here's Tennessee Yant. Our lawyer."

 

Whole gang's here I guess, save the boss himself. Yant doesn't look like he fits in. Besides the fact he would be the least interesting to see butt naked and wrestling Yant also didn't seem like he was capable of firing a weapon. Nonetheless he has on him a double barrel shotgun and seems to know how to hold it good.

 

"It's important to remember, I am man of the law.  I keep you boys in touch with the lawful side of things. Therefore, I don't see why I need be out here gunslinging like I'm a young buck of 25.."

 

He's maybe 20 years added to 25 but still a good looking guy. Clearly he's married and I wonder if his wife lives here in the rowdy town of Bodie. She had to know she was married to a lowdown criminal. Wonder if it gave her any pause, but with few rights of her own, I suppose it really doesn't matter.

 

"We just need ya to pick up Pepper and her hustlers. They are giving us a distraction," Kid explains ,"See it's started."

 

He hands his spy glass to Yant who nods approvingly when he sees through it.

 

Then right before he gives the monocular back there is a pause, "And if the Sea Dog shows up?

 

The mention of the Sea dogs shakes us up. Even the most laid back of us are all of a sudden desperate to know if that were a possibility.

 

It isn't until we hear the loud horns that we know it is.

 

"It's him!" Maverick yells, "Let's go! Now"

 

I don't know how I am added to the melee but I am. I charge forward.  There are big boots that make a rhythmical noise against the causeway leading from the lake . I turn to my right and see Judd, finally serious, solid and regular like a soldier. His face was stern, yet peaceful as he swung the gun from his shoulder. Smooth metal glimmered. Callused fingers wiped its surface, feeling the cold.

 

"Bullet!"  Kid demands of me.

 

I think of telling him they are not ready. No chance. Bullets ring out from Judd who slides across the floor. Then there was the Chinaman disappearing like a shadow in the shadiest areas of town. Had he abandoned us?

 

"Here!"

 

I throw him anything. No point in a real bullet now. When he gets it he shoots. I'm so nervous I don't look. 

 

After a second he offers his hands and his tone seems positive, "That's what I'm talking about!  Give me more of that there Ahuli magic, Samuels."

 

Idiot . It was luck or worse skill.  I had to figure it out before he realized I was bullshitting.

 

That's when I remember. I did know a secret.

 

"Tell me a secret," I tell him.

 

"What?" He seems annoyed, "I need bullets."

 

Down in the townsquare Mooney was about to get hung. Guards knew they were under attack. There was one dead hangman but every guard seemed ready to take up his mantle.

 

"I need a secret. That's how the bullets work. You tell me a secret. The better the secret the better the hex."

 

"That's it?"

 

"That's it."

 

He nods and does exactly what I ask him to. He leans in real close to me making sure no one else hears. There is a rushed tone to him so honestly I'm sure he didn't have to think hard about it. 

 

This has to be a good one.

 

"I'm having an affair with Shannon Mooney."

 

Fuck! My heart gets so heavy at that moment.

 

The bullet gets heavy in my hand.

 

"I know the name of the bullet...". I state.

 

I lean in and whisper the name of the bullet to the metal attached. This act is an Ahuli ritual tying a dead soul to the bullet. Some Ahuli believed those souls were ghosts. I knew better. This was demonology, demon magic but so ancient that it had another connotation. The hex.

 

By tying the soul to the bullet you gave the soul purpose.  An empty vessel destined to kill. The soul now has been cursed and the bullet has been hexed.

 

He licks at the wind.

 

Kid looks so sexy at this moment I want to declare to the world he'd given me his cock last.  People would talk about this day and I just wanted it to be recorded for posterity.

 

Bang! When he fires, he stood off from the banks of the lake, no wind, no waves. His muscular upper-body stretched backwards and then suddenly sprung forward. 

Judd brings Kid's Horse to him.  He looks down at me and licks his lips one last time for good measure. Then he's off. He had multiple guns. One of them he he empties quicker than drunks leaving church after Sunday worship.  After the gun empties he keeps going with another. 

 

Down in the valley I see Mooney's rope has broken. The outlaw begins to rampage, ripping and roaring knowing help was coming. And sure enough help was coming on a dark horse that came down like black lightning from the hills. 

 

Kid Maverick.

 

He'd be a legend for that shit and no need to know it was a blessed bullet that gave him that moment.

 

~~~~~~~

 

 I'm back at the barn attached to  Dark Spire's livery. Judd comes up to check in on me. He doesn't have to tell me that Maverick rescued Mooney, or about his own heroic riding and shooting, but I don't shut him up when he keeps me company.

 

I go out to relieve myself. The night was long. I'd just been involved in a shoot out and I was bone tired from the tension of rescuing Mooney.   Out of nowhere I see the Chinaman returning. He doesn't say howdy to me. He doesn't even seem to realize I'm there at first.

 

The man walked right next to me, three day stubble and a neat pressed suit, the kind you only see on high priced lawyers. He turns to me.

 

"We haven't been properly introduced. Season Samuel."

 

I offer him my hand but instead of taking it, I see his manhood in his hand and he looks over at me taking me in with a single sweep, his black eyes settling on nothing, and he is as expressionless as when he entered the barn.  

 

Finally I admit, "Must be lonely out here for a man like you..."

 

He lifted his head, the sight of his dark, disheveled hair, slanted focused eyes glinting with longing in the lamp light, the gorgeous spread of his shoulders, tapering down to the narrow thrust of his hips, made my hormones ache deep in my belly.  His cock was a vibrant shade of brown. Long thick and quite something to look at.

 

"I can help you if you want."

 

I'd like to say this was all about Maverick and his secret but it wasn't. Something had woken up in me. A sexuality that I hadn't realized before. It may have been something about being around so many attractive outlaws.

 

And this Chinaman...he was just as intriguing as Maverick to me.

 

"I'll help you."

 

I offer him again. He doesn't move. Doesn't show signs of wanting it when I go behind a barn wall. I see a knot hole in the wood and on impulse I bend down and press my lips against the hole.

 

A few seconds later reluctantly I taste the Chinamans cock up against my lips. It's salty raw and smells like man. The funk of it all turns me. There's something so damn powerful about a man being pleased after a long day on the frontier.

 

And then when we finally are getting into the rhythm the Chinaman stops.

 

And does the weirdest thing.

 

He's praying.

 

I swear he's praying and I don't hear the words but I know a prayer when I see one. 

 

"What the——"  I start out.

 

We are distracted. It's Maverick coming out of the barn and screaming out , "Doc!!!!"

 

The Chinaman leaves first giving me the strangest look when he leaves. It's the kind of look that tells me he may not have been as excited about what just happened as I was.

 

But he was so damn attractive.

 

As I walk past Maverick he stops me, "The two of you weren't..."

 

"Weren't what?"

 

"You know—-" he states, "Nah not the Chinaman."

 

Maverick settles with a smile as though happy with himself. He tried to make more conversation strangely enough. He tends to do that when no one is around. It pisses him off when I walk away uninterested.

 

The night is more of the same. Maverick and Mooney are clearly close and it doesn't seem to be a damn secret. Even with his wife here now it seemed like everyone including Miriam had an idea of what Shannon Mooney did with Maverick on the road.

 

"You comin up later?"  I hear Mooney ask Maverick.

 

"I was supposed to help the Doc with that thing—you, remember Doc?"

 

Maverick gives me a look. One of those looks he sneaks when no ones looking.

 

"Nah," I respond, "I don't need your help. I asked the Chinaman."

 

Mav swallows hard.  If it weren't clear enough what I meant I smile over at the Chinaman.  Maverick makes some comment about the Chinaman not knowing a lick of English. I make some comment about the Chinaman being the most devilishly handsome outlaw in Mooney's gang.  It pisses Maverick off. He insults me and throws something my way that hits me in the face. Wasn't even sure what it was but I don't expect any better from the likes of Kid Maverick.  

 

Hours pass and Liquor has a bunch of them acting up. By now Mooney has his hand grappling on Miriam's Breast while his other hand pawed at the front side of Kid Maverick's bulge.

 

They disappear for a while and we all know what is about to happen. I drink deeply irritated by Maverick treating me this way and somewhat intrigued by the Chinaman. I look over at Judd.

 

"So the Chinaman is Sun Song?"

 

"Yep doesn't know a lick of English but good to look at. Tell ya what, that thing they say about Chinamen: not true."

 

He motions a good length with his arms in regards to Sun Song. I'd seen after the melee a bit of what Sun Song had done. He's single-handedly stopped anyone from interfering with the rescue. The man was like an ancient ninja.

 

"You sure he can't speak English..."

 

I could have sworn he was praying in English. It was as though he was trying ward off his own demons. 

 

"Not a lick. Been with us for years. Saved Mooney's life once and since then he's been with us."

 

We'd been gossiping up here for some time when we get a knock on the door. It's Luke. The innboy.

 

"They are ready for ya..."

 

He gives me and Judd a look. I think he may be assuming something is happening between us just by how quickly he shuts the door.

 

We are all taken to a different area, separated from Pepper and her hussies.  The whole gang is down there. I almost feel drunker with the smell of gin as I get down to the saloon.

 

Miriam of all people greets me first giving me a soft innocent smile and a little leg to dazzle, "Oh look at us. Back together again. How've you been my favorite Season?"

 

I roll my eyes. All talk. Miriam was a dazzling woman. The most beautiful in the room by far. And I don't think either Pepper or any of her girls would disagree.

 

"Miriam please..." Luke states, "I just wanna get him where they told me to get him."

 

Luke gives her the look I'd seen many fellas give her before. A look of complete worriedness. She could definitely stress a fella. I was used to this particular woman though. 

 

I walk in the room. The outlaws look at me. I'd been talking mostly to Judd all night. Mooney said he needed to relax before he properly met me. Perhaps he'd gotten a bit of the Maverick in him and now felt social.  I look at the outlaws. Handsome, and beautiful all of them—-including Yant who seemed to have a deep seated meanstreak despite his educated speech and manners. Ain't no one stuck out quite like Shannon Mooney though.

 

His boots greet me before he does. Loud and aggressive. He's thin not nearly as full as most other men but his height makes up for that. He has a lean body. His hair was tied into a ponytail, blonde at the roots and the tips were orange sunset locks,capturing the light in vibrant ruby hues; flowing in gentle,warm curls of lava to his mid-back. His lips were slim and tight but still quite noticeable.  When he approaches me he takes note to lean back due to his height.

 

"Shannon Mooney..."

 

 

He offers his hand.

 

"How kind of you to introduce yourself after you've manipulated my wife and kidnapped me."

 

Kid Maverick gives me a look. A firm hard shake. Might not wanna go around making this fella mad. Yet there it is. If he thought for a second Miriam would get away with pulling the Okie-doke on me he had another thing coming.

 

"Way I reckon..." he spits, twice turns to his gang and spits a third time harder than the others, "We got us a common enemy. That undying gunslinger find us ain't much surviving for anyone. How bout we be friends?"

 

As if I had a choice.

 

Shannon smiles, "I thought so. Pepper get the horses ready. And a wagon. We need transporting some bullets. Put that Sea Dog away and get his treasure."

 

He starts walking away, proud of himself. He was just as awful as I thought he was grabbing up on Miriam and tonguing her down like she's some common whore. And then he turns to me and winks. He's enjoying it all.

 

"You not gonna tell him your limits with bullets?" Maverick asks

 

"No. It'll be okay."

 

I couldn't make the kind of bullets Mooney wanted but it was good for now that he thought I could. He would kill me if he didn't need me perhaps and for now he needed me.

 

As far as these bullets Mooney and his whole gang were dead men walking.

 

The Sea Dog would kill them all. Even if Mooney has an army of men with blessed bullets it wouldn't matter.

 

See you cant kill the Sea Dog.

 

You can't kill someone whose already dead...

 

"Maverick he's a vampire."

 

Kid Maverick nods, "I know. Why do you think I'm here?  Mooney wants his pride and I want mine.