The Fleet Read Free Page B

rising to become the queen of vampires,
a champion by her side.
    She'd blamed
Adam for every bit of it, and at times he'd blamed himself. Though
he would never admit to it.
    The thing
about soul mates is their paths continue to cross, no matter the
circumstances. And cross they did. On opposite sides of a war
between human and vampire as the fleet scrambled to assemble.
Preparing to leave for orbit.
    The horde of
undead had overrun humanity and became too powerful for even the
vampires to survive, forcing the Hunters to retreat as well.
    In doing so,
Sarah took the one thing Adam had continued to live for. His
son.
    Adam hated
himself for the fact that he continued to care for Sarah Blaine
deeply, even under the circumstances. He wanted his son back, and
that was a top priority. Deep down, however, he had remained madly
in love with the woman who had captivated his heart long ago.
    The soldiers
traveling with him were among the fleet's finest. Yet, deep down,
Adam knew they wouldn't stand a chance against the Hunters. A race
of vampires known for their brutality and lack of conscience.
    He'd have to
appeal to Sarah directly. Plead with her heart and pray that a love
which had changed both of them forever would be enough. His words
would be a far greater weapon than the revolver he'd become so
famous for.
    “You alright?”
one of the soldiers asked as the shuttle streaked by a bright
cluster of small rocks. Drifting in space and giving the look of a
cloud.
    “Yea,” Adam
replied. “Just something about traveling through space that makes
me think about everything. It's always been that way for me.”
    “Same here
buddy,” the young soldier replied. “Believe it or not, I had plans
to retire from combat and go out on my own. Maybe put together a
crew of buddies and start hauling freight commercially. Sounds
crazy.”
    “Nope,” Adam
replied, beginning to see himself in the young soldier a bit.
Remembering the time when he had the same ambitions. A moment that
would lead up to the best years of his life. “Sounds perfect.”
    “Well, it's a
pipe dream now that we're overrun and without a home.” the soldier
replied. He continued to talk, though Adam seemed to fade away from
the conversation.
    His mind had
traveled back to better times. Remembering the poker games and
nights of drinking with Dalton. Adam thought of Kelly, his pilot,
and other friends he'd lost along the way. Wondering how it had
come to this. Surrounded by strangers and missing a son. His wife
slain by the undead and a woman he once loved, now holding the keys
to the next chapter in his life.
    Nothing in his
life seemed to be the same, and Adam truly longed for those days to
return. Although he knew there was no going back.“Relax dear,
you're overreacting.” Cambria said, pressing against her lover's
shoulders in an attempt to ease them.
    “I'm telling
you,” Dalton replied as Cambria worked to calm him. “I'm not cut
out for this commander shit.”
    “I disagree.”
she said convincingly.
    “Of all the
soldiers here, I get handpicked to lead the fleet. Why? Why me?
What did I do?”
    “You make it
sound as though it's a burden.” Cambria said, walking away a bit to
collect two much needed glasses and a bottle of strong bourbon.
    “It is,”
Dalton lashed out. “It's a damn burden from the time I wake up
until the time I pass out at night. This song and dance of an
officer, it ain't me. Takes everything I have to be all proper and
fitting.”
    “Then don't be
all proper and fitting,” Cambria said, handing the commander a
stiff glass of hootch. “When I first met you, I had no idea what
you were capable of. You looked homeless.”
    “This is
supposed to make me feel better?” Dalton asked.
    “Yes,” she
replied with a grin. “Because as I quickly got to know you, I
realized you just didn't care about the opinions of others. I also
felt safe around you because I understood you had the experience of
ten men and knew how to use it. You