Demons, Mercenaries, and Other Complications Chapter 8

Hello everybody! Here is Chapter 8 in my Sci Fi/Fantasy Hybrid novel Demons, Mercenaries, and Other Complications. If you want to read Chapter 9 click here. If you missed Chapter 7 click here. If you want to start at the beginning click here for Chapter 1. As always check back on my channel every Friday for more chapters in the story, and more content. Enjoy the read, and be sure to leave a like and a comment, and of course subscribe for more!

Chapter 8

Snakes and Harbingers

Snake Eyes took a huge gulp of mead. His reptilian eyes glared out from his corner booth in the cantina. The miners at the card game had lost their short term memory concerning the whole brain freeze incident, but a few of the barmaids gave him some extra space all the same.

That suited Snake’s mood just fine. Shiela wasn’t going to take any more delays, but what were they suppose to do? Aimlessly hunt the pirates in the three to four solar systems around the ambush point? He’d be an ancient lizard by the time they’d searched just one.

“Feeling a bit put out pirate?” Snake’s body morphed at the unexpected voice echoing around his dark corner. The spikes on his tail grew, and his arm transformed into a bio cannon. The bio weapon condensed particles in the air into heated projectiles capable of melting starship hulls or faces if he felt like it. That should be overkill, but something about that voice had Snake Eyes spooked.

Looking around Snake realized none of the other bar goers had heard it. Great, a metaphysical being. This could be fun, and by fun Snake meant the kind of fun you have being sucked into a Freddy versus Jason slasher flick.

The darkness started to writhe to Snake's left. Out from the disturbed atmosphere appeared a man with glowing red eyes and a striped suite.

Snake Eyes put on his best poker face keeping his bio cannon steady under the table. It didn’t attack on sight so that was good. It seemed to want to talk which was fine with Snake. He didn’t want to make a scene.

“Yeah, I am stranger. Anyone would be if they got stuck on this rock.”

“Your ship doesn’t seem to be damaged.”

“And how do you know about my ship?”

“How indeed,” a wine glass appeared on the table out of a shimmering portal in the atmosphere. It was almost as if reality had turned into an upside down pond that decided to spit the glass out from its bowels. Snake had seen a similar effect before which meant this guy wasn’t your average metaphysical.

“As I understand it pirate, you just don’t know where to fly,” red glowing eyes studied the glass for a second before a bubbling scarlet liquid filled the cup. Snake lowered his aviators to take a closer look at the man’s sharp canines. They flashed out of his mouth for half a second as the red eyed man emptied his glass.

Those fangs told a story Snake Eyes didn’t want to hear. Things were even worse than he’d thought. Even if he got out of the cantina the asteroid was just too damn small. There was no way he was going to escape a bad ass metaphysical like this. Not here anyways.

“Relax my reptilian friend. I’m here to help, for a small fee, a very small fee.”

“I knew it. You’re the devil. What do you want? Virgin’s blood for your alter oh great Lucifer? Or do you prefer Crowley?”

A single chuckle shot out from the fanged man’s mouth showing another row of razor sharp teeth. The creature’s scarlet glowing eyes lit up the smelly corner booth like twin blood moons.

The man’s whole look reminded Snake of a barracuda trying to convince the other fish that his teeth were purely defensive in nature. Snake was feeling even less comfortable with each passing second. The man turned his twin ruby eyes back to Snake making him tense.

“Do I look like I need help finding myself virgin blood pirate?”

Snake gave the pristine suite, freakish teeth, and flashing eyes another look. Yep, this man was terrifying. He made Snake feel like he was a tiny hare being eyed by a starving raptor. What’s that? You’re kidding right? Oh come on, are you that dense? A hare is a rabbit. Learn some vocabulary! And birds of prey are considered raptors. Try reading a biology book. Thanks for ruining the moment by the way. Back to Snake in the cantina.

Before Snake could answer the band started strumming a beat reminiscent of swing music. Colorful lights flashed irritating Snake’s reptilian eyes, and dragged his attention to the tiny stage surrounded by obnoxious miners.

The group of unwashed mole people were whistling and cheering at the rock girl dancer. It was the same dancer he’d seen before with her red on red pupil filled eyes and smooth obsidian colored skin.

“Reptile, I have deal for you: save the girl, and I’ll lead you to the sword you’re chasing.”

Snake’s attention snapped back to creepy shark guy who may or may not want to eat him. Should he even think of trusting this metaphysical? It didn’t seem to have any need to lie, but what did it care about a random dancer girl? That, and what was he supposed to save her from? Herpes?

Snake was about to ask when the fanged freak show disappeared. Its body fell back into a hole torn from the fabric of the universe leaving nothing behind except for an embroidered card with a simple message: “I’ll be watching Snake Eyes.”

Wasn’t that a comforting thought? Sleeping was going to be fun with those teeth on his mind. Now he was going to have nightmares about fanged clowns in suits hanging around his bunk. Thanks crazy suite guy for that image.

Snake flipped the card, and felt his mouth drop. It had a name written on the back in crimson letters: “Count Victor Lindworm, Harbinger of Lord Death the Wanderer.”

Oh great, a reaper king’s spymaster. That was just what he needed. Snake slouched in his seat, and finished his mead. Man this was not the time for him to run out of alcohol.

His eyes meandered their way through the blaring lights, grit, and tobacco filled air to the rock girl swaying to the song. Well, you don’t keep Death waiting, and live to talk about it.

Snake Eyes ordered himself another pint, and started planning his attack. He could pull off the knight in shining armor if he had to. He smiled and slithered through the crowd. It was time to mix some business with pleasure. 

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The story will continue in Chapter 9: The Name’s Ethrean

Click here for Chapter 9: The Name’s Ethrean

Click here for Chapter 7: Bone Face.

Click here for Chapter 1: Missiles and Mercenaries