View Full Version : [M] Western Wanderers: Town Under Siege
Rated M for Violence
A Kris and Mr E tale.
The west has never been more dangerous, witches and demons, gun fights galore, towns under the control of criminals and that is just the start. What will happen when people learn of the Medallion of Death....
"You know you can peek right?", Jo gave a wide lustful smile.
The man beside her just nodded, his back still turned to her, still busy with cleaning up his gun.
They were both within a small room, Jo was taking a bath within a huge wooden tub. The water were most likely very hot for steams were visible all around it. she lifted up her long leg as she slowly passed her fingers on it, trying to see if it could help get the man's attention.
He was unbothered.
"Pfff", she narrowed her eyebrows with anger. If she didn't see him hang around the brothels the other day she might have thought he was seriously not into women. Or just damn shy.
That was not the case with this guy. She got up, water running down from her body and onto the floor as she marched to check herself at the big mirror by the end of the room, clearly not bothered by the fact that she was naked and there was a man in the same room. As she looked at the mirror she tried to understand what was it that might have caused him to not send hands.
"You're weird one you know", she said slowly.
"Just get dressed already and be thankful I didn't burn you at the stick until now".
She chuckled. Now she seemed to understand what was it that was bothering him. Oh well, once she will get what she hired him for they will parted ways. She just hoped this city will be their last.
***
"We gonna do it the right way, ten steps then shoot... here we go... one... two..
Joe turned around and shot and Jo couldn't hide her surprise, "That's not the way you do it", she said angrily as she watched the body of the man dropped to the ground.
Joe just smirked as if saying: 'Sorry Ma'am, wasn't going to wait up and all that shit'.
Jo twisted her mouth in annoyance but shrugged. She turned around and was about to head back into the store when the vendor rudely close the door at her face. She knocked on the wooden door few times and when no answer came about she tapped it even loader, "HI! OPEN UP!", she screamed.
"GET OUT OF HERE! I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!", came an answer.
Jo was annoyed. Didn't the two of them just saved the man's life?
She fixed her golden hair and said, "Fine, we don't need you, there's plenty of other places we can go to-!"
She watched as more doors were closed one after another, the signs of "CLOSED" clearly visible. The street was empty in no time too.
"What?! Hi! What's the big idea?!", Jo asked, her blue eyes widen in surprise.
Joe knelt beside the dead man and picked up a golden tag. He throw it at Jo who almost didn't catch it because of the surprised toss, "You gotta be kidding me", she said as she looked at the tag which was label "Sheriff". She looked up at him, half surprise, half confused seeking answers, "We're in deep shit".
Joe supposed he should look to appease her but instead just nodded. His old pistol needed a clean lest the mechanics jam as they were prone to do. He remembered trouble three years back when it jammed in the middle of a showdown, quick wit and a fast tongue got him somewhere that day. Fastest tongue he'd ever had.
It was as if Joe wasn't interested in her body – far from it (though Joe suspected that could be some wily magic on her behalf). But he had a wife and child and liked to stay faithful, Joanne didn't know that because the words refused to leave his lips. Joey had tried a few things to stop Jo from being so open in front of him, the latest entering a brothel to be 'entertained'.
He suspected that because Jo lived half her life in fear of being discovered about her witch abilities. And because of that the need to be open had arose in other ways.
"Just get dressed already and be thankful I didn't burn you at the stick until now". He said in a serious voice but inside he was quietly laughing at the contrast to his other thoughts.
~
“Listen hear Howard, you give me that money or you won't be seeing my protection no more!” Growled the man with the revolver. He had a shirt full of fist and was just about pulling the young store attendant off the ground. Howard began stuttering something about not having the weekly fee.
The door slammed open from the force of Joe's hefty boot, he had gun in hand aimed at the armed man. “Don't suppose your going to let this man go now, are ye?” Having heard the struggle outside with the witch.
“Ain't got nothing to do with you out-of-towner,” snarled the gunman, Howard stuttered out an agreement to that. But Joey would have none of it.
“I thinks it does, if he doesn't pay you he's dead. I want this man's services,” Joe reasoned, “suppose you know some honourable ways – do ya cowboy?”
~~
“Because I don't,” he whispered taking the first step before turning back and firing. Though mainly he did it this way because it would rile up Joanne some – naturally she grumbled at him. A witch knowing the ways.
Suddenly things began looking grim for the pair as all the local stores began shutting up one after the other. When the wave was complete Joe couldn't see a single place open. Something was up so he bent down over the man he shot. Didn't take him long to find the sheriff badge hidden in his pocket, Joe thought that odd because the people here obviously knew the man. Possibly didn't want to spoil the Badge with his dark-deeds? But then why do them deeds?
And why did Howard have to pay this money for protection?
“Ain't going to be learning anything new here Jo,” he said, “but I have an idea of where to search for the truth. We going to go take a little visit to the Sheriff's office.”
“You don't mean we're turning ourselves in do you?” She eyed him suspiciously.
Joe pointed to the dead man, “don't think anyone will be in, do you?”
~~
“So, there's something going on in this small town,” Joe said pushing open the door leading into the Sheriff's place. His entrance revealed a small chamber with two writing desks – one heavily used as the back wall full of paper documents and another close to the door which was pretty clean and almost unused. A barred door in the back lead to three empty cells. A few cabinets were placed about the office. “The sheriff was in on it, part of it. Must have been pretty big for him to result in getting money from the people.”
“Sometimes people get caught up in big things, whether they like it or not,” he muttered to himself walking over too the main desk. He began scanning through the top papers for anything, “Hopefully we'll find something that will determine who the Sheriff was paying the money too.”
A thought came to him then, “I should probably let you know, warn you, that I think when they see the sheriff dead …. they'll come after us. And it won't take long, they probably already know. I just thought it might be wiser coming here to learn something before we confronted them.”
Jo was not impressed. She watched as Joe scanned the room, looking for something she had no clear idea what looked like. Maybe some paper? maybe something else?
Ridicules.
She dropped herself at the chair beside the 'Clean' looking desk and watched as her 'man to hire' shuffled around the pages. While he worked she playfully picked up some stuff that were lying beside her and gazed at them because she didn't feel like doing anything. She had Joe paid to do her work for her, after all.
"Well I think you handled it well, I mean coming here and checking on our 'good' man of the law", she said while lifting beautifully crafted paper holder in the shape of a silver wolf, "But how fast do you think it will take them to realize we killed their man and get here-!"
Jo got up from her place the moment she heard knocks on the door. She looked at Joe and gave him a terrified look, "Can't be that fast right?!"
Joe lifted up his gun and turned to stand beside the door, leaning at the wooden wall, "It's a small town, rumors passed fast"
"THAT FAST?!"
"OPEN UP!", now the knockings had yelling to accompany them.
"What do we do?!", Jo asked looking at him loading his gun, "I don't wanna rot in jail!", she said, obviously annoyed about the fact they were found out so quickly. At the corner of her eyes Jo saw a picture. She lifted it up and hide in her dress's pocket along with the image of the silver wolf.
"I don't think they're going to be that nice," Joe replied lifting up a piece a paper with the sheriffs current 'rounds on it. His eyes flashed over the words and he almost swore. This wasn't good, they couldn't have pissed off anyone wore.
"I think you should get over here, right now." He order. His hands gripped the thick wooden desk and shoved it over sending the paper crashing to the ground. The air was full of activity for a few moments before things eased into quietness. Joe had pulled her down hidden in their cover and pushed the important paper into her hands. In his other hand he'd already drawn his pistol and the weapon was loaded.
He was tempted to hand Jo his other pistol when the door was pushed in with a loud bang. A large boom filled the room as the desk was pierced with metal. Bits splintered away from their cover but no bullet snuck through to the pair.
Joe was moving quickly, half sliding to the side of the desk but someone was waiting for him. The goon fired his deadly weapon narrowly avoiding Joe. Back in cover for a single second he turned and rose.
He let one shot off before disappearing again.
There was three of them waiting in the room but possible more outside. Joe's shot had been a little wild but he thought he his round had at least gone close.
Joe signaled to her that there was three of them.
"Just come out quick and easy, no one has to be hurt," called the one with the least angry voice, Joe assumed.
But he shook his head knowing what these men were. They weren't here to take prisoners.
"This is bad", Jo said, sliding the papers under her arms. She heard steps and knew they were moving closer. There was no time to waste.
"Tsk…", she said, "I remember you said no magic… but, you'll have to forgive me, Joe", she shoved the papers into his hands almost causing him to knock over his guns, "hold this for a moment".
She got up from her place, Joe almost kicked her legs to get her back down from fear they might shoot her. Of course, she knew that the moment she will appear before the three men, they'll do anything but killing her. Unless they were into Necrophilia.
She smiled playfully, sliding her dress a bit to show some skin from her right shoulder, "Hello boys", she winked and they obviously looked lost as to what to do next, "I bet… you're all such a FINE men…"
They started to giggled and rubbed the back of their heads. They were probably a one woman only kind of guys, married most likely. They seemed embarrassed just to actually fall into her trap, "All three of you against, lil' me?", she said with a childish tune and Joe almost slapped his head, "How about... I'll show you some magic?", she said as she continued to lower the upper part of her dressed.
They were hypnotized, their gaze frozen.
Perfect.
She lifted up her hands quickly and a strong light appeared and blind them. Jo used the time they rubbed their eyes to hint Joe to follow her outside.
Dammit! He thought angrily, he thought he'd stamped out those ideas in their previous escapade. But he'd thought that the previous time too. A weak idea came, slowly, that perhaps it was never going to happen.
Usually she said something along the lines of, "who's employing who?" With a damned smirk. He saw it in his mind now, such a pretty thing twisted and full of malice. Joe sighed. It probably wasn't that bad.
He was seriously beginning to wonder if it was worth it, traveling with a witch. But he'd said that before too.
Besides he needed the money.
"Well," Joe muttered outside more to himself than to her, "that could have been worse." At least they had left the building in tact. And not on fire.
After brushing past the goons they'd run out into the empty street, the place was like a ghost town. The wind was still, a couple of clouds had blocked out the sun's rays for the moment giving Joe dark feelings. Each step they took away from the Sheriff's place echoed around the small town. Soon those men would be able to see again and they'd come after them.
Hiding was the only option they had. Other's were probably watching their hotel rooms and their stabled horses. They didn't have any supplies to escape out into the wilderness.
"Down this way," he whispered tugging her into a narrow alleyway down the street some. Just in time too as he heard the men coming back out. Their voices muffled but he thought he heard someone say 'they can't have gone far.'
"What's the plan now?" He asked in a soft voice, "should we help the people in this town? Or should we just run from this Mafia group?
"Your Amulet is suppose to be here, right?"
Jo closed her eyes and opened them slowly, blue Lapis Azuli gems which danced at their socket, her whole expression showed uncertainty, "Frankly, I'm not so sure anymore"
She watched as Joe gave her a weird surprised look as if saying, 'If you're not sure, who is?', but before she could have answered him someone was calling them from one of the houses. A woman in her middle aged years which still held some pretty face's lines, reminder of a better years. Her dark brown hair was picked up in hair net and she barely had any makeup on her. Her dress was simple, almost the typical 'Teacher (http://www.nathanville.org.uk/wild-west-wear/wild-west-wear/images/lfhp_ladies_dress-day_1870s_yellow_l.jpg)' look.
She urged them with her right hand as her other one was holding the handle of the door, "Come along!", she said.
Jo and Joe exchanged gazed but only for a moment, knowing they don't have much of a choice. As soon as the woman closed the door they notice from the window that the tree people from before were passing beside the house (http://www.story-lovers.com/res/WILD%20WILD%20WEST/1rawhide-wild-west-town_Ful.png) they turned to hide in.
Jo took a deep breath of relief. Their troubles were far from over but she could at least continue and explain herself, "It's not exactly my Amulet... at least not yet... So it's not mine to begin it, but since I am next in line, it was obviously I could sense it. I mean... at least I could...", she bit her lips, "Either it was destroyed, which I highly doubt that... Or...", she swallowed hard. The thought alone didn't seem to ease her thoughts. She got up and walked from one side of the room to the other, looking very disturbed. She sat down, but her legs didn't stop trembling, "Among our kind... which you insist on calling witches...", she gave him annoyed look regarding that word, "I'm considered to be of a high rank yet with lower abilities. Don't get me wrong, I'll be awesome one day, but let's just say I can't do a magic showdown like you cowboys do with guns. At least not at my current levels of skills... and... Well..."
she gave him a deep, thoughtful look, the first he has ever seen from her. She was always the playful type, never taking things too seriously, but now she seemed like she was about to fall apart any movement, "I think there are warlocks at the work...", she bit her lips again, "Powerful ones... So powerful that they could block me from sensing the Amulet... But I don't know if they are here or just... left... I can't sense at all... And seriously I don't get the whole situation we run into to begin with..."
"I might... know something...", said the woman who's existence seemed to escaped the two until now. at least from Jo's. She was too disturbed to care.
"Why did you aid us?", Jo asked in a harsh tone. She knew people were not the kind to help strangers, at least not those western towns' people who feared the power of stronger people with guns.
Joe regretted he'd even asked, he didn't get this 'next in line' nonsense - shouldn't anyone being able use it. But of course there was higher levels and lower levels and whatever else - other regular people called it arrogance. Apparently, because now there was warlocks involved - he wanted to shake her but he simply gave her a stare with very thin lips. He wasn't saying anything.
Because Joe knew what was going to happen. They'd confront these Warlocks and he'd be the one getting injured or captured, or at least do all the work.
Obviously this towns person didn't like the talk of magic and warlocks and the like so she butted in before he had the chance to say a word in response. "I might... know something..." She trailed away uncertainly and Jo's reply was rather brisk.
"Quiet Joanne let her speak," he scolded, "lady do you have a name?"
"Marigold Tayler," she was pleased to see the conversation shift.
"So Ms Tayler, could you tell us what's going on here? What is the Mafia doing here?"
"Well it all started a month ago, one of the Hazel twins went out to the old mine. Said he was doing some surveying to see if there was a point in starting it up again. There had always been talk from others but it was just that, talk. So young Hazel, his brother and a few boys rode up to the mine.
"Now it hadn't been in use for a decade so they were surprised to see the entrance free of the cave-in that had close the mine in the first place. Each man had their own pistol - there had been reports of some bandits in the area for weeks - so they done drew them then.
"Something was up, they knew when they entered the mine. Their path was lit by some torches until they came to the first junction. Neither continuing pathway had been cleared so they looked around. There was some crates around so they pried the top off one.
"Inside were countless guns and ammunition. They looked in some others to find stacks of money, an unimaginable fortune. Others had.... other things in them.
"By then they had worked out what the place was being used for so they decided to hustle on out of there. But when they retreated to the entrance they noticed the goons on the move. A quick gunfight later and they had been captured.
"So they had been roped up and taken North to a fort somewhere up there. They met the leader of the men there who had a plan. So two days later young Hazel came wandering back into town half dead off no water.
"He spoke his story and then spoke the terms of the Gang, we were to bundle up some of our weekly earnings - to be collected by the Sheriff and placed at the old well on the edge of town. Or our young men would be killed. We rebelled at first but they ... they brought back.... fingers..."
"You want us to put an end to this?" Joe asked.
She nodded, "we all do but they have ears everywhere. But I couldn't wait any longer.... because they have my boy." She finished sobbing. Joe nodded thinking of his own child.
Joey gave Jo a look, "What do you say, it may help us if we stop this. Not like we can do too much else otherwise."
Almost as an afterthought Marigold added, "They also have taken control of a few of our storage buildings down the other end of town."
"Perhaps we should get going there, check it out?" He asked. They couldn't stay in the building too much longer - the men would surely be checking other homes and stores by now.
Jo hushed, but she stared at Joe bitterly making sure he will get the message that she didn't like being told to shutup. She heard the story of the woman in silent afterward, still grumpy.
Mine... Things in crates... Fort in the North... Old well by the edge of town... Control over storage buildings down the other end of town...
Soon after the two were both outside and they started to run looking for another safe place to hide, or a place to start their investigation. Jo was clearly not happy about it. For all she cared the people could just die for the medallion was her first priority. Besides, there were just too many hints on where to start looking. It will take long and delay them here far more than Jo wanted to stay.
And the medallion would be even farther from her reach...
Goodness, she didn't hire Joe to do some charity works. For that she could hire a nun or a priest. And those holy people would have never told her to shutup.
Guns made people more arrogance.
The again... so did magic...
"Where do you suppose we should start looking, wiseface?", she asked, her eyes rebuking him with blue stare, "Didn't you hear the woman? They are all over the place... and frankly I don't even know if we should get ourselves into it...", she tried to calm her breathing as they ran, clearly not used for marathons or talking and running at the same time, "And why should we even care-!"
Something dropped out of Jo dress's pocket. Joe lifted up the picture and stared at it far more than he should have bothered or cared. Jo halted and turned around, standing on her toes to be high enough to look over his shoulders and to see what was in that picture she so hastily picked up but didn't bother much as to give a second look into. In the black and white frame was a woman. Jo thought she wasn't very pretty but something about her was very attractive. It might have been her happy smile or maybe the love she transmitted as she held a baby in her hands.
"Must be the sheriff's family", said Jo slowly, still not able to draw Joe's attention from the picture. When she realized there might have been something more to it she added, "You're bothered by the city's people fate, huh?", she moved her lips in annoyance, "Fine... I'll say we check the storage buildings first...", she moved ahead and started to run again, "and keep the picture if you wanna, just let's get out of here. I don't wanna be caught before we even started"
They were out in the town running from building to building, Joe thought it would be a miracle if they bad it to the buildings without being seen. He kept quiet listening to Joanne berate as they ran, Joe knew she wasn't going to be too pleased with him. Perhaps that is why he quietened her.
Joe picked up the object that had fallen from the witch, a black an white image framed in silver. The glass protecting the image had cracked from the fall but his eyes were drawn to the woman beyond. Marigold from when she was younger holding her child in hand, in his mind he placed the image to seventeen years ago and frowned. He must have stopped still in the street because Joanne turned back to him.
He kept his lips shut while she spoke and replied, "yeah let's go." He nodded for her to lead as he took one last look at the image, something wasn't right. Joe's fingers slid along the crackd glass as he put the image in his pocket .... he felt something unnatural crawl over his skin.
But he now had the feeling the buildings were a trap. It wouldn't really be so much of a miracle if they made it then..... would it. Joe thought grimly but didn't raise his concerns, if she couldn't have felt it in the room before Joanne wouldn't like him pointing it out now. Joe reasoned.
~~
They approached the building keeping close to the shadows from one of the nearby buildings. Joe could tell it was the one they were looking for because of it's remote location.
That, and the three men sitting at a table underneath the awning before the man entrance. They looked similar to the guys that had attacked them earlier in the day.
There was a couple of windows high on the walls, and he suspected there was a back way in. Joe pointed to the group of guys, "they look distracted by some gambling game."
"Thinking we should try the back entrance, what about you?"
"You do that Cowboy", Jo said sliding some strips of hair aside before fixing her appearance, "No way I'll go from behind", she winked and watched him looked back at her at disbelieve.
She hoped he will understand the hint that she will be the bait while he scans around.
She moved ahead for the group of men, slamming the door wide open. She stood there, sure and confident, rage in her eyes before she looked at the three and just… fall to the ground, crying.
"Ma'am!", all three rushed to her aid, "Ma'am, ya alright?!"
"HOW COULD HE DO THIS TO ME!", she screamed and kicked her legs, "HOW?! HOW!?"
The men looked at one another, lost for words, "Ma'am, calm down!"
"HOW CAN I BE CALM?!", she said, her dramatic acting without a blot, "HOW?! OH GOD!", she got up and walked outside, still whining like a baby, "HOW?!"
They three looked at one another and stepped outside after her. Once she made sure no one else was stepping outside, and by that she realized that they were the only ones inside she dropped herself to the ground, looking briefly between her fingers which hide her face, to make sure Joe was using the time to get inside, "HOW!", she continued to cry while the three trying to understand what she was yelling about.
Joe scowled and shook his head, "okay sounds good," he muttered under his breath. Joe knew full well Joanne was going to do whatever she wanted regardless of what he said.
After initially waiting a few moments for her distraction to set in, Jo was off running quick out of the shadows. There was a bit of open ground he had to cover but somehow no one noticed him. When he reached the side wall he knelt down low to check out for any watchers, he had a pistol in each hand when he returned to his feet. Low to the ground he scurried and peered around the wall to the back.
A fourth mafia man protected the back entrance looking tough but concerned. Tough because he carried what looked to be a shotgun, concerned because he kept taking steps toward to edge of the building. Probably wanted to know what was on over the other side. Joe waited.
His moment came when the goon had his back turned, a gunshot would alert the others so Joe held one weapon backwards and holstered the other. Joe ran at his back full speed and smashed his pistol into the man's head. It made a sickening crack but the guy only seemed to wobble a bit before he turned around.
His fist caught Joe's jaw and he staggered back a step. The strong man was reaching for his gun when Joe punch him in the gut. Growling the man sent another punch into Joe's side knocking him back a step, he kept coming again. But Joe was ready despite a few throbbing rips.
His foot moved quick trapping the large man, before his fist knocked him backward. The goon fell to the ground and tried to rise but was met with another sharp crack to the head with Joe's pistol. This time he didn't rise.
Joe checked the door and it opened to his touch, he scanned the storehouse but it appeared free of life. After dragging the man inside he pulled out his guns once more. The place was free of life, mainly had some crates along the walls. There was only one other way out. Joe locked the backdoor behind him so no one could sneak up behind - easily anyway.
Carefully he eased open the main door so no one was alerted to his arrival. Jo was still sitting there with the three men around her confused and helpless.
He cracked the closest guy in the head like he did with the big goon - this one fell down without a problem. Joe had his guns on the others before they could move for their own, "wouldn't think bout that if I were you."
"Sorry for the wait Jo, got caught up with some fool," he nodded his head back into the open door. "What do you say, get this men inside so we can't be seen?"
"I think I saw some rope if you want to tie em up."
"Wow, Joey, what happened to your face?", she said rising up from the ground. She looked at the two men who were surprised from her change of mood and only then realized it was all a trap.
"A rope huh?", she grinned, "well you sure know how I like to keep my men".
***
Few minutes later and the trio were tied, the fainted guy leaning his head against one of them, despite the fact he clearly showed he was uncomfortable with it. Jo smirked, "Adorable", she said.
She looked at the room they were now in, pretty simple, like all the places they'd been around in town, "So what are we looking for?", she asked.
"The other guy got worse," he said.
"Only too well," Joe replied with a wink. "I don't want all of the details this time, okay?" He joked.
~~
Joe gave a quick look out the only window but they seemed pretty isolated for the minute, "I dunno, something to lead to the maine hideout I guess." He pried the top off a wooden box to check inside but was met with only some guns they had been storing.
"Best be quick, think they'll be trouble coming if someone notices the guards missing."
Quickly he worked out there was nothing of value - to their goal - to be found in the crates so he moved toward a little desk he noticed when he arrived. Some rough looking scribbles had been written on most of the paper. Almost as if the person didn't know how to write. "I can't seem to find anything over here.... I'll keep looking but..."
Then he had an idea, "perhaps you could use your skills of ..... um ... persuasion to get the information out of them?"
Joe would have never thought to even think of asking that question at the start of their time together. But times change.
Jo smiled widely at Joe's offer. Sure, it wasn't something to be proud at, but just the fact he asked her to do something he seemed to have trouble with, made her happy behind words. And for what she planned she won't be needing her magical skills, just her feminine's touch.
She walked for the trio tied man and stared at them with great interest, trying to pick the right victim. One she considered to be cute (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004890/), the other adorable (http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4060714496/tt0926123) and the third... well... "Misc (http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4278818304/tt0926123)".
Perfect.
She ordered Joe to knock them all down with his gun.
***
Said chosen man, awakened to find himself tied again, but alone; The other two were not with him.
"Hello", said Jo from across the room with the most sexy low voice she could master.
He looked up at her and steams of excitement already covered the giant lenses of his glasses, "Ma'am", he uttered and shivered.
She chuckled and turned to walk for his direction, her butt swaying masterfully with each movement of her long curved legs (she pulled up her dress previously to make sure some skin was visible).
To his excitement she turned to sit at his laps as she crossed those marvelous legs on him before she turned to hug him deeply. He felt the weight of her breasts just below his face. He shivered some more, "I think you've got what I want... Hon..."
He seemed to be lost for words. When Jo realized he was going to keep being silent she leaned slowly, a mischievous smile upon her face as she stretch her hands to both sizes, allowing her dress cleavage to widen slightly, "You bore me", she yawned as she bent over, the line of her breasts ever so visible.
She looked up only to see sweat gathering on his face. She reached up a long nailed finger and moved it gently across his cheek and over his lips, "Won't you tell me...?", she asked in a sweet tempting tune and moved herself closer to his ear, whispering, "Please...?", she licked his ear as she reached her hand and rubbed his leg.
***
Some moments later Jo walked outside, a victorious smile upon her face, "I've got a name and an address", she said, "Jonathan Carswell".
She looked around and pointed ahead at the distance, "He said we should start there. He was very terrified to say anything else... I wonder what we might pick up there?..."
Joey had pried from the desk a small map of the surrounding areas. "Let's go find this Mr. Carswell then..." He said looking down at his map, to the north he found the mine location and then beyond that an old ghost town. Population zero it read.
"Looks like that mine Marigold spoke of is one the way, doesn't look to be a big town after that either. Might be able to sneak in."
In the distance he saw some dust clouds approaching, people riding hard across the land. Coming directly for them. Joey ducked down low, pulling Jo down with him. He pointed them out before stepping backwards. After sneaking around the corner of the building he pulled out his pistols. They didn't have to wait long for the riders to arrive, the heavy footsteps of the horses stopping outside the storehouse.
He counted five people dismount, "Oi, you lot? Hey! Anyone around!" When there was no reply the speaker turned to his group, "weapons, spread out." The others who were finished tying the reins to a post complied quickly.
A few barged in through the main door leaving one by the horse. The last went around the other side.
Joey held a finger to his lips before gesturing they sneak over to the horses. He rushed across. The man beside the horses had enough time to get his weapon up before Joey charged at him.
He fired but his shot was wild and aimed into the air. Joe wrestled with him for the gun and cried out, "untie us some of those horses! We don't have long until the others come!"
Suddenly the gun was out of the mans hand and flying through the air. It landed in the heavy earth with a thud. They both looked at it for a moment then Joe slung the gunman to the ground. He heard a gunshot and something whooshed by his face. Joe turned quick and returned the shot. But likewise hi shot was wide and hit the building.
He slung himself up onto the closest horse and fired roughly at the door where the other three were coming back.
"Let's go!" He cried to Joanne
Jo wasn't ready for this. Everything was happening all so fast that the latest events have left her terribly confused. One fight led to another and she wasn't ready for this. She liked action mostly in stories, not in real life... Unless she was in bed with a handsome man that is.
And she sure wasn't made for hard work and labor like all the things she had been put up until lately.
She frowned as she reached for the horses while Joe tried his best to fend against the men.
Were she not afraid of those men herself she might have spit at Joe's orders and walked away from it all. But they will hunt her down and finish her off without even a tear of a sweat.
The horse, as she expected, resisted her touch the moment she reached her hands for the reins, "Easy boy!", she called and the horse kicked her. she fall backward and felt the iron impact of its horseshoe upon her stomach. She was sure there was now a nice red wound under her dress. Getting up, somewhat slowly, she felt the rage increasing and the veins appearing on her forehead, about to explode from over rush of blood.
"I'll show you who's the boss, babe", she said and dashed, jumping as she sent her hands below her. Wind increased under her palms, making her hover a bit until she landed right above the saddle. The horse tried to reject her, but she held into his neck and sent waves of electricity into him, weak ones, but enough to give him a bit of a shock. The horse halted.
"That's better", she descended and turned to free him, having no trouble now.
***
Jo and Joe rode for what seemed to her like forever, which was actually 15 mins or so. They reached the said mine around twilight; It was already too dark now to explore the place. The city Joe saw in the map was very close to the mine, "Should we see ourselves into the mine, or head for the city first?", she asked, knowing that she wouldn't want to hang around a mine at night if not needed to.
She heard a lot of storied about hunted mine to give her a scare for a life.
Then again, hunted ghost town at night was just as scary.
choices, choices...
"Probably be safer if we stay in the mine tonight, horses probably tired ya think?" He patted the one he had been riding but it shied away from his touch. "Wonder why those men didn't follow us out. Not that I mind, pretty tiring day."
"Mines are probably a lot nicer that ghost towns too. Okay, maybe just barely." He added swinging down. There was a couple of old lanterns near the entrance. A couple seemed to work so Joey grabbed the brightest one and lit up the entrance. It seemed pretty safe from his first couple of steps in. "Seems alright Jo," he said, "wonder if we'll see anyone, however." It looked like there had been people there recently.
In the first chamber they came to there seemed to be a small little room to one side. He opened up the old wooden door and some dust wandered out as if it hadn't been opened in years. "We could stay in here, it's a bit small but it'll probably get cold later and we don't have any blankets."
There was a desk in one corner but there was nothing in it and the cupboard along the wall only had old dusty books. It was all pretty cramped together with just enough room for them both to lie on their backs. There was one chair, "don't think it would be to safe headin' further in, ya know? You could take a seat if you want, I'll see what I can nearby. Maybe a blanket or something."
So Joe went of taking one the lanterns with him. It wasn't long before he found where the Mafia guys had been storing there stuff. A couple of guns and boxes were about. It looked like some guys had to leave in a hurry so a few things were lying about.
"Look what I found," he said a bit later walking back into their little room. He held a big blanket and a couple of old dusty bottles. "You seem to be a pretty classy woman, so I thought you may like this old wine I found back there. Couldn't find glasses sorry."
Dark mines at night or ghost towns. This was supposed to be a Western not a horror movie.
Jo shivered as she summoned magic into the palms of her hands. She touched the ground and a very small spring appeared. The horses gladly joined together to drink and Jo rubbed her stomach, the place where she had been hit, feeling the pain from before. In a sense she felt like the damn animal didn't deserve this treat, but she didn't feel like putting much of a protest now.
Joe led the way using the lanterns he found and Jo followed without much of a word.
"Seems alright Jo," Joe said, "wonder if we'll see anyone, however."
Jo hoped they wouldn't be so lucky. After all that happened she certainly needed her rest.
Once inside they found a nice small room and Joe suggested that she sat in the chair that was there while he lurks around and she took the invitation. He returned soon after with a bottle of wine but without glasses.
She liked the fact he called her classy. She gave him a warm smile as she got up and turned to stand beside him, "I don't mind drinking from the same bottle", she winked the moment he turned for her direction, "Unless you have a thing against something which is passing from one mouth to another".
Without letting him even make his mind she grabbed the bottle and drank slowly, letting the tip reach her mouth in the most sexiest way she could, even letting some red liquid linger across her lustful pinkish lips and down her chin, neck and right into the cleavage of her dress. She drank her fill and when she was done she lowered the bottle as blue icy eyes turned to stare at him as she passed the bottle to him with a wicked smile.
She then licked her lips slowly.
"Unless you have a thing against something which is passing from one mouth to another". Before he could reply she had the bottle in her mouth.
"Probably a lot nicer than some of the things we've shared, right?" He said with a smile watching her drink. A small stream of the dark red liquid left her mouth, trailing along Joanne's body. He knew she wanted him to watch it, he thought he probably shouldn't. But he did.
Why did she have to be so god damn attractive?
Jo gave him a smile, one of those ones he wasn't quite sure he liked or not. Joey took the body just simply so he'd stop staring.
The wine was strong, too strong for his parched mouth and it just about burnt his mouth as it tingled into life. Joey just about choked on the bottle before settling into a few quiet gulps. He lowered the bottle.
"Well, you did that with far more elegance."
"Experience hon", she told him slowly, "Nothing too fancy but that".
She drank some more, feeling how the light mood taking over her. The rough day, the evil men, the mission... everything seemed so meaningless now. It was just her, the wine and her cowboy... In a small chamber.
Which was... Kinda... Hot one...?!
Jo waved on herself as she felt her body burn. Was it the quick gulping? was it something else?!
A smile spread on her face without known reason and she felt herself dozy and weak, as if she lost control over her body. Her face blushed too and she felt her cheeks burning.
She trembled as she tried to stay steady on both feet.
That didn't happen....
She fall right on top Joe who in turn fall right into the ground unable to hold both of their weights. She didn't know why, but she burst into a crazy laughter. She took the bottle from him and drank some more. She tried to get up only to land back on him. She giggled as she gave up and turned to look at Joe from above.
They crashed to the ground together and Joe didn't know what was what for a moment, only that she was on top of him. And that somehow the wine hadn't spilt all over them. Then he heard her laughter and Joey had to smile and chuckle along.
He struggled for a moment but Jo also tried to rise so they came back together. His arms went up around Jo's waist to keep her from hitting the hard wood. They were pretty close to one another now, closer than ever before. Joe hadn't been this close to anyone since his wife had...
But he didn't want to think of that, because his heart was racing. And it wasn't because of the wine he knew. The young wit- women was there, they had been a part of so much that day - most of it his fault.
He wanted to wrestle free and say, "We should get some sleep."
But Joe didn't because she was so close and he was staring into her eyes. And that small trickle of red wine somehow made it impossible to look away from her body.
As their eyes met, and the wine was already clouding her mind, the only thing Jo could feel is the lust that overtook her. To be honest, as much as she was sexually teasing everyone, she never truly gave her heart to a man before. Her little romance experiences had no love in them, but with Joe it was something out of this world. It was exciting and needed which made her heart sore just being next to him, but she never let him know, because she wasn't sure this guy was able to express his feeling, not that she knew any better... But still...
She pressed herself closer, leaning on her hands, "Is that a gun in your pocket or you are just happy to see me?", She hissed, and moved closer for his lips, her hands finding his and nailing him down to the ground, preventing his hands from moving or trying to push her away.
She felt the heat and the desire and she knew both of them wanted this, even if they were sure it was going to disturbed their long term employ- worker relationship from this point onward.
In fact, just being so close like that had already shock the balance....
Might as always just go with it, or regret it.
She leaned in and kissed him slowly, her meaty lips hitting his dry, somewhat rough skin. It was cute, really, a friendly gesture more than a lover kissing, she pulled a bit as she at least allowed him some breathing and the choice of rather wanting to continue this or not.
Joe didn't bother with a reply, she already knew what it was - or she could use her imagination to do so. Besides he'd taken his guns off earlier.
Her arms pinned him down but Joe had no desire to move from his position, he would have worked to get her closer. It surprised Joe how much he wanted her now, after weeks of excuses to himself and the trouble he'd gone to push her away.
But the way that Joanne's short hair framed her perfect face as she looked down over him in the flickering lantern light. It filled his body with anticipation and shock, and lust and his heart quickened further.
But there was also a growing dread, a fear that this could just be another game.
Joe raised his head up slowly as she pulled in close. It was a soft sweet kiss, that had forever changed their relationship. It happened so slowly in his mind but when she broke away it seemed so quick. Joe breathed in quick and he caught her eyes once more, there was only one thing he wanted right now and he hoped his eyes could convey that. Because he couldn't find the words and didn't want to try.
Slowly, he slipped one hand free of her slackened grasp and pulled her closer until their lips met once more.
At last!
She felt her heart racing within her chest and butterflies dancing crazily. All her self confidence was lost at that moment as her passion was taking over. It was like that only at this moment that she had finally realized there was no turning back now for he was not going to pull back.
It scared her yet also excited her and she enjoyed the hand which rested upon her lower back as she was brought closer to him.
This kiss was much better than their first. It made her feel alive like never before and cold feel her body burning and heating without stopping. Her free hand, which no longer held his, turned to land on his cheek and strike him gently as she hoped to linger on to him just like that.
She pushed him backward, his head and upper body now completely resting on the ground while she continued to kiss him, still above him as she leaned on closer, almost resting above him. It felt wonderful to her and she didn't wish to get up from there.
An hour later and they lay wrapped together, their naked skin touching underneath the think blanket. Tangled they gazed into each other's eyes, not speaking simply enjoying the moment together.
Joe's breath was slow. He'd denied himself to even think about Joanne in any such manner for a long time but now... When they had met, Joe had been drawn to her nature - so outgoing and different to everyone he'd ever known. Not that he ever said that to her, even he himself had tried to ignore it.
He wanted the moment to last when everything was right and there was nothing holding them back from being together. He didn't want to speak because he knew he would say something stupid and wrong that would wreck everything. He'd done that before.
But he did want to tell her things.
About why he agreed to come with her when all the others were turning her down. There was more to him than needing the money. The rest was painful to even think of right now.
He stayed quiet, the silence was too nice for him to ruin.
Jo enjoyed the touch of his chest against her cheek as she leaned her head on his body. He was warm and gentle and wonderful. He took deep breaths and she felt his chest rising up and down as he exhaled.
The light was terribly gloomy, but they enjoyed this comfort of intimacy as they lied there without moving or speaking. Jo herself didn't know much what to say and she felt that Joe felt the same... Being silent was probably the best option they had to preserve this moment. She smiled but she wasn't sure if he could seen her doing so.
What will she do from there onward?
She enjoyed teasing him so much and now it felt like she was going to be very depending on him, needing him. Will she really be able to force him do as she pleases from now on, even if she pays him?
That was the last of her worries to be honest. Mostly, her romances will ended after nights such as this. Her men living her crying and regretting the deed of false love. Will he let her go too?
There was just too much worries for her little head to dwell in right now so she choose instead to just snuggle against him and fall asleep, knowing she was going to have the best dreams in her life.
***
Rays of light pierce through cracks in the room and Jo slowly got up, feeling headache of terrible hang over. Looking down she noticed the naked body of Joe who stayed right under her this whole time. She blushed and kissed his chest.
She then slowly got up, trying her best not to awaken her cowboy as she started to dress up.
He woke with a shiver, the blanket they had shared had been pushed back revealing his chest to the cold damp air in the abandoned mine. Joey pushed himself up and caught the sight of her sitting in their lone chair. Her hair ruffled from the night. "Morning," he said.
The blanket fell from him as he stood learning him naked in front of her. "Is it my turn to parade in front of you?" He asked jokingly thinking of Joanne's previous morning bath. He had to walk passed her to pick up his own gear huddled in the back corner.
He dressed quick simply because it was too cold in there to do otherwise. He stood before her ready and waiting, with his gun belts on for the upcoming showdown.
"Ready to save a town?" He asked, "one step closer to getting out of here and toward that Amulet. And other stuff." He didn't think he'd need to explain what that meant.
She whistled at the sight of his body as she leaned her head on her hands which in turn were placed on the back rest of the chair which was faced to him. It was like watching a striper show, only in reverse, and she enjoyed every moment of it.
Once he was all dressed up she got up from her chair and stretched, the smile never leaving her face.
"Ready to save a town? One step closer to getting out of here and toward that Amulet. And other stuff."
She nodded. Sure it felt terribly nice in here, but they had a job to do. walking outside she felt the rays of the sun hitting her eyes that were too used to the darkness which blinded her shortly. The clean air outside the mine was, however, refreshing and welcomed.
They released their horses and Jo was surprised to find out that Joe helped her getting up on her own horse. She blushed terribly, for the first time having no witty comment answer to it. She just felt somewhat embarrassed.
They rode for the town nearby for what seemed like 25 mins. The name "ghost town" fitted it. No one appeared to be around and the houses were somewhat ruined.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Ghost_town_-_Jerome,_Arizona.jpg
They hid behind a rise so that no one could see them approach, there wasn't much to the place. Long ago left alone in a wreck for the conditions to destroy. No more than ten buildings were built in the small town, the largest an unused tavern that had taken the most of the beatings over the years. The cowboy looked for signs of life or something to mark the building the men were using for their business. But from the distance Joe couldn't spot which one they had been using.
"Bastards have covered their tracks pretty well," he said, "can you see anything Jo?"
There was ample cover for them if they wanted to approach, rises and falls in the earth, a few fences and stone walls and a couple of tin sheds. All ready to be used. And the sun was still stuck behind the hills at the towns back so they were in the shadows.
"Reckon they'd be in the big building, myself," pointing to the Ghost Town Tavern. "Nice and big for storage. How about you?"
The place felt... strange... maybe it was because Jo find it hard to pick anything with her magical abilities. They stalked as best as they could. Hiding and looking up every once in a while.
It was then that Joe decided on approaching the said big building.
"I don't like this, Joe", Jo said. She closed her eyes and opened them too quickly, "I don't sense anything around here... I don't know... We need to handle it carefully".
She started to walk for the building slowly, "So what exactly are we looking for? The missing kids? The bad guys? Something else?... Can we even handle them on our own?!"
"Something to end this." He said ominously.
No one approached them, they didn't see anyway but Joe was still cautious as he walked. Silently he stepped up the three stairs to the main building careful to not make a sound. The doors pushed inward so he only rested his hand on the handle, steadily it swung inward. In the narrow gap he put one of his guns and pried the door open with it.
Joe watched the room from behind his weapon, ready to fire if needed. But it seemed free, there was a staircase but it seemed to be empty. Joe shrugged to her and took a step inside.
The floorboard squeaked as his foot hit it.
A piano began to play, a soft note at first before building into a sorrowful tune. Joe traced the noise to the back corner all in darkness. It was then he saw a figure movement slightly. The song played for several moments before a sharp note was struck.
The figure rose, a large coat covering most of it's body. "I told you to leave me alone." It's voice wasn't natural, it was full of malice from the coldest of days.
He began to walk over in slow deliberate steps. Joe recoiled as the man hit sunlight revealing a face without flesh, a face made of bones with eyes that moved and teeth that chattered. The skeleton man stopped, "you ain't one of mine... who are you?" Joe saw his hands moving quick to his side where an old rifle waited.
"Jo! He's a bloody walking dead man!" He cried and fired a single shot as he moved back through the entrance.
Looking at this rotting man made Jo realized two things; The medallion was nearby and that human was foolishly enough to get himself involved with it.
His appearance would explain the fact she couldn't sense anything around here and the fact everything was dead.
She felt no pity for the said man, in fact she was somewhat disgusted. Not because of the sickening look of this monstrous being, but rather because of the fact he probably sold his very soul to get himself more power. Humans with no magical potential shouldn't be handling the medallion on their own.
She tried to recall of the day she lost her necklace. She didn't saw the people clearly, but knew there were two of them that stole the jewel from her and none of them suffered the loss of flesh, which meant that the medallion was stolen by warlocks... Or maybe there was more to it....
When a human holds the medallion, nothing bad happens to him at first; in fact he gets more powerful and some even gain magical abilities or just natural talents, like music aptitude.
However, when the medallion is far from his reach, his human body cannot handle the loss of power, and the humanic normal, magicless vessel that he is, cannot handle the stream of powers without the mediator which is the jewel, or just any magical or powered up item to be used as a catalyst. The flesh and skin is degenerate and peeled off, bones break, teeth drop offs and the rest of the limbs turned to follow as long as time goes by without immediate magical treatment or the restore of the medallion.
Some said that even the very human's soul itself is lost forever, making this the ultimate tool of the devil. People of all ages and times tried to destroy said object that nobody knew of its origin or creator. All that tried suffered a terrible death, or just failed miserably, mainly because evil hearted ones always wanted to have their hands on said item.
It was then entrusted with Jo's clan: "The twin silver moons", where it was said to be protected by the most powerful of mages. Jo never realized why they choose her as an hire and not her older cousin for example, who was much more powerful and respected than her. As much as she hated to admit, among her clan she was considered a disgrace. Not only have her powers awaken late of age, but she had such a low control over them that she was placed with a seal, so she could never cry out for her most powerful spells. Considering her age and the basic skills she WAS allowed to use, she was pretty weak, compared to other witches and warlocks.
So why her father choose her?
She, who was nothing but a mistress child, not even a real noble. She who had always acted her way, so shamelessly and dishonoring. She caused her old man so much troubles, but he always took the blame upon himself and never pointed a finger at her. He was there, comforting and loving, even when everyone called her names and laughed at her.
She wanted to believe that he just wanted to test her with this task, despite others thinking it was just his nice way to get rid of her. Regardless, she couldn't have failed him. That is why she was so willing to go to the end of the earth to pursue said item, despite the hardship and the fact she knew very little of the outside world.
Upon asking for help, no one agreed to follow, no matter how much gold she promised. She found herself weeping outside when it was Joe that suggested his hand and a nice smelling handkerchief for her to whip off her tears. She smiled so widely, and from that day onward she swore never to cry in front of him, but rather act as proudly and as strongly as she could.
It was great traveling with him because... up until now... no one have treated her the same way he did. He didn't ask question about her past and just accepted her the way she was.
She straighten up her gaze, summoning flames to her hands as she turned to look again at this skeleton man. Despite his advanced disintegrating, he was still very dangerous.
"Be careful, Joe", Jo said with a low voice as she tried to hide her fears, "He's been infected with the medallion. He's not an easy foe. Be careful not to touch him too, or make any physical contact with him. I can't explain how, but to other humans, a touch with that thing can be contagious... You saw yourself... There is no one alive outside...".
She tried to pull Joe with her back into the doorway, "Bullets... don't work on him... In fact not even woods, iron or any other metal... Only holy water or.... Silver...". The best idea was to get away, but she knew Joey was too stubborn and might try to fight the thing off, just to protect anyone else who might be 'wise' enough to try the same and challenge the fiend.
But she knew there was no way for them to leave even if they could... They needed information, which, so it seemed, only this man could provide.
Without even understanding what she was doing, she subconsciously reached her hands into her pocket, feeling the silver idol of the wolf inside. Her eyes widen with a surprise as she recalled of the little object made of silver and an idea popped into her mind.
"Try to make him busy... to buy me some time... I've got an idea...", she smiled as she tried her best to whisper to Joe her plan, "We can't let him run freely like that. Other humans must never know of the secrets of the medallion. He might tell us more of the children or about the ones that took my pendent..."
Still holding the little idol in her hands she began to chant, hoping Joe will start to question the skeleton man, and just in case she started to ask him herself, "You! What happened to you?! Are you by any chance related to someone named "Jonathan Carswell"?! Do you know where the missing children are?! And most importantly, who let you to touch the medallion?!"
She fired her question, one after another, trying to buy time for her and Joe.
"Yeah, yeah, I can see that," he grunted looking at the useless hole his bullet made, if he just hit the right spot perhaps. Maybe if he took out the monster's eyes it wouldn't be able to see them. Joe aimed but he felt a strong tug and his shot went wild as the witch pulled him outside.
"Distracting is what I do best..." he muttered retreating from the building.
"You! What happened to you?!" The walking dead man ignored the question as he emerged from the tavern building his eyes were on the one that had shot at him. Slowly he reached for his weapon when Joanne's second question struck him, "Are you by any chance related to someone named "Jonathan Carswell"?!" He growled and turned toward her, he heard her chants below the questions now.
"They said 'Jonathan', the called me 'Jonathan, I am 'Jonathan," he said as if he didn't fully remember, "I am The Carswell!" He screamed at her rising his hand with the rifle.
"Dammit!" Growled Joe and he fired once more calling the beast back to him. The bullet hit below the right eye and ricochet off the bone. Carswell slowly turned back toward Joey - he could now see how far he was gone, no longer human was the truth of it. Jonathan's brain no longer worked properly and perhaps it was only out of sheer hate and spite that kept him on his feet.
"Do you know where the missing children are?!"
"They are gone.... only way to sustain.... sent men to get more days ago."
Bloody hell! The men in the town must have abandoned him, did that creep back in the warehouse beat Jo in their 'game'? Did he send us out here to die? Explains why they never decided to follow their own horses, and why his own didn't want to come back this way. Joe thought wildly as he took steps backward from the lumbering skeleton.
"And most importantly, who let you to touch the medallion?!"
"Those Monsters!" He growled, "promised power, promised wealth, promised respect. Gave me death!" Carswell could have said more beyond this point but Joey didn't hear over the rifle shot. The shot should have gone wide the way he was waving his gun about but it didn't. What followed was the shatter of glass.
Blood came quick and he fell to one knee. One revolver lost in the shrubbery with his hand covering the wound. It was coming out so quick and the pain was immense. Joe was sure he cried out but he couldn't think on anything. Suddenly something loomed above him and suddenly Joe could hear with great clarity. The soft dirt crumbling underneath feet made of bone, the soft hum of magic holding together a dead body, the roar as something lifted him from his crouch.
Joe cried out in pain as he was lifted off his feet, Jonathan Carswell was a huge man standing a full head above Joe. Dizzy he stared back into the skeleton's face. Beneath the man's hat he looked into dark eyes. There was a great deal of sadness in them as if the man knew what he was doing but couldn't stop his own actions. There was a strange sense of fury there too, and only now that his bony fingers ran down Joe's cheek could he fully reveal what happened.
"They brought with them secrets, one an impure man and the other a seductress woman," whispered Jonathan, "an enchanter who took control of my body and whispered the lies into my mind. For a single moment I held the Jewel in my hand before the two of them left. I ordered my men, to purchase a train ticket for each of them - at great expense for they wished to cross over the Wasteland."
"My men... I've killed them all..." He croaked. "Follow those two.... kill them.... for me..." His finger left Joe's cheek and the monster returned free of the humanity inside the cowboy.
Joe was suddenly aware once more of the blood gushing from his wound. A sharp fist smashed into his ribs and he felt something break within. He slumped forward without resistance, broken and beaten. Carswell looked down at him for a moment before throwing Joe away.
From the ground he looked up as the creature turned. Jo was still chanting, creating their silver bullet. But she wouldn't have time, he would get there before then. Dammit. He tried to rise but he didn't have the strength.
Dammit, going to let another person die.
Inside his shirt pocket he felt flames burst into life, burning through his shirt and scorching his chest. Half his shirt was gone in unnatural smoke before the picture frame fell free. Smashed glass filled the frame with each crack ran a thin line of his blood making a mosaic of the image beyond. Marigold and her family were on fire and their image was disappearing. Through the glassy eyes full of tears he watched as the frame melted when the picture was no more. The glass dissolved leading only a puddle of silver in the dirt.
Something urged him to reach out and touch it. Despite the pain he rolled over so his hand dipped into the substance. Nothing happened at first.
But then, all of a sudden, his chest felt at ease. His broken ribs healed and his organs healed.
-Wipe the ointment over your wound- Spoke a voice in his head, there was a compelling in the voice and he did as instructed. -That is the best I can do, your body should heal in time as long as your aren't pushed to that limit again.-
-He touched you, I have stopped the process for now but eventually it will start again. It will kill you in time. Stay with her, she may one day be able to completely fix you.-
-But you must stand now. Or she will die and the amulet will be lost-
The voice faded away and Joe opened his eyes, he didn't know how long they had been closed but it had felt like a long time. Jonathan was still walking toward Joanne.
Grunting, his body was as stiff as the time he fell from his horse and couldn't rise from his aching back. But this time, Joe had to get up. Dammit. He could only manage to one knee. "Hey!" He snarled lifting his fallen revolver from the dirt. He shot once.
It took a moment but Jonathan's hat fell from his head. And then the skeleton began to turn back toward him. Joe slowly pulled himself to his feet.
There was no way he could survive another attack, or another bullet. He just hoped Joanne would finish he spell in time.
Joe also hoped she'd pick up the gun this time because he couldn't fire accurately. One was in his hand, the other in-between Joanne and Jonathan.
Don't touch him!
She screamed.
At least she hoped she could scream that.
The moment the fiend touched Joe everything was lost. His fate was sealed, he was as good as dead.
The town's folks, the poor children... and now Joe...
She wanted to cry but she promised herself never to in front of him. She just continued to focus on her spell, feeling how the silver idol is reformed into something else.
She felt the present of Carswell as he approached her, but she remained unbothered. At lease she will die along with Joe... But she will take that THING to hell with her if she could.
The spell was done and she felt the weight of two silver bullets in her hands.
She opened her eyes to see the scenario in front of her. She couldn't spot Joe, but she felt a little change around her, magical type of change. Paying little attention to it, she looked around again and noticed Joe's gun not far from her. Quickly she dashed for the thing and picked it up, while quickly inserting one of the bullets inside.
"THIS IS FOR JOE, YOU BASTARD!", she aimed carefully and shot.
She missed.
Quickly she insert the next bullet into the hand gun, but the fiend just slammed at her, making her lose her grip over it and the gun was sent flying across the room, away from her, with the precious bullet inside.
She looked up with horror at the fiend. She won't be infected by his touch like Joe, but he was still powerful enough to kill her. Her eyes widen as she waited for her death, and hoped it will be a fast one without much of a pain.
"Come on!" He croaked, "No! Come for me!" His voice was weak and the dead man wasn't interested in him any longer. "Don't," he said as it descended toward Joanne. Slowly he took a step toward them, even though he knew he couldn't help.
Bang! The shot went off and for a moment he rejoiced but then Joe realised something was wrong because Jonathan was still moving toward Jo. He saw the fiend crash into her and the gun fling from her hands.
The gun landed no more than ten steps away.
Joanne was pushed to the side and the fiend was quickly followed ready to attack and brake her like it had done him.
"No, not again!" He screamed, more at himself than anything, something to push himself onward. Joe wouldn't be too late this time, he was not ready to lose another person he loved to a monster. This would not end the same way as the death of his child.
Suddenly he was running, though his legs couldn't cooperate properly and he was exhausted. And he had tears streaming down his face, his memories mixed with the present and he saw himself carrying her bloody, bruised body through the rain.
Joe fell beside his gun and lifted it up aiming for the dead man's head, "Hit dammit..." He sobbed. And he shot the second silver bullet.
Jo felt the grip of the fiend across her neck, her hands twisted as she tried to grasp for air.
Damn... damn it all...
Her vision was turning blurry. She knew that if Joe was dead that she wanted to go with him, but it was so painful to die.
And then, when everything seemed lost... another gunshot was heard.
Her eyes widen up. It could only mean one thing....
"You're alive!", she smiled widely as she spotted Joe on the ground, his wounds were healing too. She paid little attention to it at first, being more nervous about the monster that groaned and swirled, trembling as it tried to keep himself steady.
Slowly the silver'd effect took over and his entire body simply collapsed to the ground and crumble to ashes, his last words carried by the wind: "Tell Marigold... I'm sorry....".
It was over.
The first thing Jo did was to dash for Joe and crouched down beside him. Thinking that his wounds were too serious and she might hurt him if she hugged him, she just stayed a little away from him as she wiped away any treacherous tears that might slip on her face, "How?!", she sobbed, "How?!"
She felt his wounds recovering, but the infection was still there. It will burst out one of these days. She knew she needed to find someone to cure him before that.
"Here cowboy, use my hands", She helped him to get up and leaned his arm over her shoulders as she pulled him outside of the building.
"We need to tell Marigold the awful news about the children... and probably about the fate of her husband too.... I also suspect that the bad guys are no longer in town..."
"Thanks," he replied as she helped him up, they staggered to the door because his legs could barely hold him up. "I don't think we'll ever see Marigold, something tells me she's already moved on. Left like the bandits. She saved me twice over."
"We could probably just return to the town, gather our stuff and some supplies then leave." Joe no longer cared about this place, the damned area had already cost them so much already. He just wanted to leave.
"His bony hands had you by the neck," he whispered as they reached the doorstep. He couldn't go much further yet so he leaned up against the door frame. Joe could seen the red markings of a hand there, he looked at the markings now and more tears left his eyes. He turned away and rested his head on the door frame. The wood was a cold comfort, amongst the dead feeling inside.
Joe gave one sharp sob before looking at the ground.
Joanne helped him outside not long after that and set him down not to far from where their horses still stood. Somehow they hadn't run or broke free from terror and they also knew the danger had passed. His back was too post and his hand played in the dirt. Jo sat next to him.
"Do you think there would be any food about here?" He asked quietly, "don't think I could make the journey back otherwise."
He should feel ecstatic, overjoyed, happy that they survived - happy that she was alive. But he didn't feel at all. He felt hollow inside.
Joe felt dead.
"Just... just stay here...", Jo said and lifted up his hands with her own shaking hands. She kissed his hands and took one of his two pistols, opened one of his hands, and closed the thing with it, "You hold on to this... You better not be dead when I come back".
She took the other one just to make Joe eased about the fact that he was leaving her alone with the task of going back to town. Otherwise he probably wouldn't have allowed her to go back. But she promised herself not to use it, seeing enough death for one day.
***
She rode back to town, all the while she thought about all that Joe said and how he looked. She never knew how painful it was for him to experience this.
But...
Maybe it was not just the pain of death that the creature inflected on him. She heard those tales about people having flashbacks of events, seeing their life passing before their eyes before dying.
Maybe Joe experience this? Maybe he saw something that he never wished to see again in his life...
She reached for the streets and looked all around for Marigold, who, as Joe anticipated, wasn't at her house anymore. In fact, no one knew who this woman was.
She sighed. She hoped to at least have the lady's help since the two of them hadn't had much of coins to spend and she needed to save whatever that had on her.
"Hi, Ma'am", she heard a voice which was oh so familiar to her. Looking around she recognized the merchant that was robbed the day the two of them got into town.
"You are... Howard", Jo said slowly but before she could say anything else, the man just shoved a bag to her which was big but it looked like she could carry it on her small back.
"Take it!", He urged her.
She narrowed her eyes, her blue orbs lighting with a spark of suspicion in them.
"Don't worry, I don't plot anything. A woman came by earlier. She paid for that and said it was all over.... That the bad guys are gone... I... I also wish to apologize... about my behavior earlier... You two saved my life... I shouldn't have treat you like I did".
Jo nodded and twisted her mouth, "It's... all right old man... Thanks".
"Speaking of which, where is the young man-"
"He's around!", Jo said at once, not letting him having the slight chance to think that she was alone.
"Lucky bastard he is", he chuckled, "You take good care of him, aye?"
Jo nodded.
"Good, Good. That woman. Said her name was "Marigold". She said it will take you two days ride to next town if you still heading west. She said make sure to head out only once you are fully restored. Dangers await ahead".
Jo nodded again. She was about to leave when the old man uttered something slowly, more to himself than for her to hear, "You know... I have this feeling... that I should have known this woman... This... "Marigold"... I think... I should know her... or that I knew her for a long time... But... Something about me also tells me to forget..."
Jo smiled, "Then forget".
And with that she rode back for Joe.
***
It took her a while to get back and the first thing she did was to hand him the water bottle which was inside the bag. Looks like they were set for the next coming days. There was even some cloths inside too and even a soap.
"I want to ask... about what happened to you... But I get the feeling that now is not the time for any questions...", Jo said slowly as she tended his wounds, "But you will tell me, okay?", she asked but it was more as if she stated a fact.
"We will continue, okay? I got to find this medallion... And what's more... We need to find a necromancer to treat you. Miraculously you survived death, but the infection is still within you", she picked up his hands and kissed them, "Don't worry cowboy, I won't let you die so soon", she smiled.
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