Valerie’s Elites: Age of Expansion - A Kurtherian Gambit Series Read online

  CONTENTS

  LMBPN Publishing

  Dedication

  Legal

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Author Notes - Justin Sloan

  Author Notes - PT Hylton

  Author Notes - Michael Anderle

  Other Books by Justin Sloan

  Other Books by PT Hylton

  Other Books by Michael Anderle

  Michael Anderle Social

  VALERIE’S ELITES

  Valerie’s Elites Book 1

  By Justin Sloan, PT Hylton and Michael Anderle

  A part of

  The Kurtherian Gambit Universe

  Written and Created

  by Michael Anderle

  DEDICATION

  To Ugulay, Verona and Brendan Sloan

  -Justin

  To Kim

  -P.T.

  To Family, Friends and

  Those Who Love

  To Read.

  May We All Enjoy Grace

  To Live the Life We Are

  Called.

  - Michael

  VALERIE’S ELITES

  Team Includes

  JIT Beta Readers - From all of us, our deepest gratitude!

  Larry Omans

  Micky Cocker

  Kelly O’Donnell

  Kimberly Boyer

  Sarah Weir

  Paul Westman

  John Ashmore

  Joshua Ahles

  Peter Manis

  Mike Pendergrass

  Veronica Torres

  Tim Bischoff

  If we missed anyone, please let us know!

  VALERIE’S ELITES (this book) is a work of fiction.

  All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

  Copyright © 2017 Justin Sloan, PT Hylton, Michael T. Anderle and Craig Martelle

  Cover by Andrew Dobell, www.creativeedgestudios.co.uk

  Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

  LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  LMBPN Publishing

  PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy

  Las Vegas, NV 89109

  First US edition, December 2017

  The Kurtherian Gambit (and what happens within / characters / situations / worlds) are copyright © 2015 - 2017 by Michael T. Anderle.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Space: The Singlaxian Grandeur

  The Singlaxian Grandeur touched down on the first planet in the Vurugu system, an uncharted habitable sector at the edge of the known universe. All atmospheric tests were nominal, and with only the slightest trepidation Valerie hit the button to open the ship’s doors.

  Her first breath of air on this planet brought back memories of the mountains around the fjords back on Earth—cleaner than anything she had experienced until that point, and this had it beat. It carried an interesting scent, like cinnamon.

  Not that she was from the fjords. No, she had been born in Old France, before moving to what had once been America and helping to reestablish New York. She had worked hard to bring peace to her corner of Earth, and now the universe called to her.

  This was the first planet she had been on out here, her first step toward accomplishing her mission for the Etheric Federation. The legendary vampire Michael had made her a Justice Enforcer on Earth, one of his own, and when the time came he had asked her to join Colonel Terry Henry Walton and Bad Company. Her first assignment was to take a small team to this system and collect intel, the ultimate goal being to ensure that the inhabitants of this system joined the Etheric Federation in its war against any race that would see the people of Earth or other innocent races harmed.

  They had landed in a secluded area under the cover of trees unlike anything she had ever seen. In a sense the leaves reminded her of umbrellas, spreading in every direction from upturned branches covered in blood-red bark. Since the leaves dripped a sap-like substance she decided to call this the “Bleeding Woods,” an all-too-appropriate name for the landing spot of two former vampires and their team.

  Former vampires, in her mind, because it was hard to think of them as such anymore. There was a time when both Valerie and Robin would have avoided the sun and drunk blood to stay energized, but such requirements had vanished. Michael had changed Valerie with his blood, and Robin had been given fancy Etheric Federation Pod-doc upgrades.

  When Valerie stepped onto the alien soil she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. Her whole life had been spent on Earth, but she’d left it behind to join the fight. To ensure Earth was safe.

  Only problem was, she didn’t know where to start. They had the intel file Colonel Walton had given her and she could call him whenever she wanted—in theory—but that wasn’t exactly her style. She didn’t want to be the one who started the first mission of her new job by calling the boss to ask for direction.

  Valerie resolved to get this done on her own. Her team may not have had fancy Jean Duke Specials, and their ship may not have been the most advanced in the Etheric Federation, but the team had grit. And with the types of jobs they’d be tackling, grit was the most important thing.

  “Is it safe?” A head popped out of the doorway, a man with a flat nose and beady eyes. Bob. She still wasn’t sure what to think about him. “I mean, for us…non-vampires.”

  “I’ve explained this. I’m not technically a—”

  “Yeah, yeah, not really a vampire. Except that you have drunk blood using your fangs before to sustain your lifeforce, correct? And you weren’t able to go into the sun.”

  “Shut up,” she replied, turning again to analyze their surroundings. She heard a shuffling noise among the trees.

  “I’m just saying… Once a vampire, always a vampire, right?” He stepped through the door and joined Valerie, Robin following close behind.

  She severely wanted to punch Bob right now, but he’d been modified in the Pod-doc too. While on Earth only vampires and Weres could use the power she now understood to be Etheric energy, but up here she had to get used to other people being enhanced.

&
nbsp; If she punched him it probably wouldn’t hurt nearly as much as she would want it to, so she opted to ignore the man. It was her fault, after all—his being here. He had been released from his service as the Pod technician on the other ship, so when Valerie picked her team—dubbed “Valerie’s Elites”—she figured she’d give him a second chance. The idea made sense if she ignored what a dick he was, focusing instead on his technical knowhow.

  But he was still talking, even though she kept ignoring him.

  That was the problem with dicks. They keep pounding relentlessly away. Would he ever give up? Finally she turned and pushed fear, one of the talents she possessed but he lacked. It was enough to make his eyes go wide and his jaw clench shut.

  Not enough to make him shit himself, though she would have to consider that next time. This, along with being able to read emotions like an aura, separated her from the rest of them. Even Robin, who had received many modifications, didn’t have any abilities like that yet.

  The timing was perfect too, because the shuffling in the trees came again, along with a stronger scent of incense as red dust flew past. Her best guess was it came from the trees, and could be rubbed off.

  She held up a hand for the others to stay put and be quiet. A yelp came from the direction where she guessed her enemy was—if it was an enemy.

  Valerie crouched as she ran, then unslung her rifle and knelt next to one of the thicker trees. Instantly a puff of grey spores flew up around her, and she cursed under her breath. It was too late—whatever had made the noise spotted her and charged.

  It appeared at first to be a rhino, but then she saw it was a large bipedal figure covered in thick slabs of rock.

  She braced herself, and as it collided she rolled back and kicked upward, sending it over her shoulder. Normally that would have sent a full-grown man sailing, but given his weight this male kind of flopped over and landed with a thud.

  Two more of them appeared and charged her, and Robin leaped through the air to tackle one. It braced itself, and she hit it with an oomph before falling onto her butt.

  Damn. She knew that Robin was stronger than most vampires—or former vampires. That meant these aliens were tough.

  “What are they?” one of the aliens said to another.

  “Monsters, or maybe demons,” the third said, doing his best to stand but flailing like a turtle.

  Valerie and the rest of her team had had a chip implanted that translated most languages, and apparently this one was included.

  “More like emissaries,” Valerie stated, glad to find her chip translating. “We’re not here to fight you.”

  One of them turned to her with a look of defiance, then positioned himself like a bull about to charge.

  She lifted her rifle and aimed at him—it had to be a male with that attitude. “I don’t think I made myself clear. We’ve just arrived, and we’re looking for a contest of champions. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? I’m told it’s called the Kost Games.”

  At the name, the aliens’ postures instantly got less aggressive and they looked at her with wide, intrigued eyes.

  “Outsiders call it the Kost Games.” the lead one said. “Here we call it by its true name. The Damu Michezo. You… You think you can compete in the Damu Michezo?”

  Valerie had to laugh. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine.”

  The alien cracked his neck, pounded on his stone carapace, and said, “Show me.”

  “What?”

  “You beat me, I’ll point you in the right direction. In fact, there was a shuttle headed for the planet it’s held on not long ago. You might still be able to catch it, or at least chase it down and follow it. Are you up to it?”

  Robin smiled at Valerie, then shrugged and took a step back.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” Valerie warned. “I mean it.”

  He scoffed. “I’ll tell you a little secret about Qwaza…no one has ever hurt me. You? I won’t worry. Come.”

  Valerie tossed her rifle to Robin, and then her sword. She heard pounding and she turned back to see Qwaza charging damn fast. Valerie had fought her fair share of vampires and Weres on Earth, so she was used to speed. With a quick sidestep, she brought around her leg to sweep him. What she hadn’t counted on was his next move, which involved a fast sideways roll to compensate for her new location. He came up like a boulder, unraveling as he regained his footing, and slammed his forehead right into hers.

  Red spots filled her vision, and it wasn’t only because her eyes had started to glow red. That fucking hurt!

  When Qwaza next moved, Valerie didn’t take any chances. She dodged to the left and tried pushing fear, only nothing happened. The alien kept charging forward, and she realized that it wasn’t putting off an emotional aura that she could sense—another difference from back home.

  He was fast, and apparently immune to her special abilities. That meant she would have to take him down the old-fashioned way, with a straight-up butt-kicking. He plowed into her again, but this time she went with it as her martial arts training back in Old France had taught her. Using her opponent’s strength against him, she twisted his arm behind him and slammed him headfirst into the nearest tree. The trunk cracked, dangerously close to snapping in half.

  It wasn’t like she was trying to kill him, but she also wasn’t about to let this guy win—not when her mission depended on it. Without hesitation, she kicked out his leg so that he plowed into the ground head-first.

  He growled, trying to spin and get to her, but she was too fast. In the time it took him to maneuver around her she had delivered two knees to his side and then abdomen, an elbow to the temple, and an uppercut to his jaw.

  Qwaza stumbled back, looked like he might charge again…and then collapsed onto his butt.

  Valerie started to raise her fist in victory, but the alien pulled something sharp from within his carapace—a stone knife. He was up and slashing before Valerie had time to fully process it, and one slash caught her across the cheek. She slammed her forearm into the back of his wrist, knocking the knife from his hand, and then delivered a roundhouse kick so powerful that it cracked Qwaza’s carapace and sent him reeling backwards.

  “Nobody gets away with that,” Qwaza shouted, but his eyes darted to his companions, worry creasing his hard skin. “Get her!”

  The others started to move, but Robin stepped up beside Valerie.

  “Well, that escalated,” Valerie said with a chuckle. “Back to our old ways so soon.”

  “Hey, at least it was your fault, not mine.” Robin winked, hands raised in fists.

  PHWOOT! A round from a firearm slammed into the tree right next to Qwaza’s head and an instant later Qwaza and the other aliens went to their knees, heads down in supplication.

  “What’s gotten you so riled up?” a male asked, stepping into the clearing. He was short with grey skin, and held a pistol at the ready. His body armor shot out in sharp angles, each point glimmering in the hazy light. His skin wasn’t actually grey, Valerie realized, but covered in tattoos.

  “Master Platu, we have a visitor,” Qwaza said, motioning to Valerie with his head still bowed. “She says she’s here for the Damu Michezo.”

  “Is that so?” Platu stepped forward, analyzing the grey blood streaked across Qwaza’s cheek and the crack in his carapace. “Looks like she dealt you some damage. Might be worth betting on, then.”

  Qwaza grumbled but nodded, bringing his head up to stare at her in confusion. He must’ve noticed the way her cheek had healed from his cut. “She can certainly hold her own.”

  Platu beamed at Valerie. “Not everyone can enter the Damu Michezo, only those with an invitation. That said, you seem resourceful. What if I told you I know someone who can help? I’ve never seen your kind, but if you’re here to fight, I’m sure you’ll blend in.”

  “What do you mean?” Valerie asked, finally lowering her guard.

  “The Damu Michezo is a contest among alien races,” he explained. “Of course, the winner is almo
st always from the same planet, which only fuels the passion with which other planets send their fighters. It’s a bloodbath, one I’d advise you to stay clear of.”

  “I can’t do that,” she replied.

  He nodded. “I thought as much, which is why I’m going to arrange to place a bet on you. Not to win, but to make it at least a few levels toward the top.”

  “Thank you?”

  “No, thank you. If you fight down there half as well as you did just now, you’ll double my earnings for the month.”

  “Qwaza mentioned a shuttle?” Robin interjected.

  “Ah, right.” Platu signaled to Qwaza. “Up with you. Who flew out today?”

  “Some of the tourists, a male from the—”

  “No, fool. The pilot. My Skulla pilot. Which one?”

  “My apologies.” He glanced at one of his companions, and only by the tone of her voice did Valerie realize it was a female when she spoke.

  “The one you told to never set foot here again,” the female said to Platu. “I think his name was Deleck. Said something about him sleeping with—”

  “That’ll do,” he interrupted, turning a slighter darker shade under the tattoos. “There you have it. You find this Deleck on his shuttle and you’ve found your way to the infamous Damu Michezo, and likely your death.”

  “How exactly are we supposed to find the shuttle?” Robin asked, glancing at the sky. “There’s a lot of area up there in which to look for a shuttle, and I don’t think we have time to dawdle.”

  “Quite right, quite right. You’ll have to fly fast if you want to catch them. They left not so long ago.” Platu smiled and took his rifle, starting to draw in the red dirt that had settled around the cracked tree. “This is us,” he drew a circle, “and this was their trajectory.” Now pointing at the system’s star, he told them, “Head in that direction at a slight angle to the left and you’ll be on track, more or less.”

  “More or less,” Valerie repeated, her stomach already knotting. She hated the idea of not reaching the contest in time, therefore failing in her first mission. She had never failed before, however, so she took a deep breath and pulled her thoughts together, blocking out the bad.