Betrayed: Days of the Rogue
By
Nicky Charles
SMASHWORDS EDITION
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PUBLISHED BY:
Nicky Charles on Smashwords
Betrayed: Days of the Rogue
Copyright © 2013 by Nicky Charles
Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed for any commercial or non-commercial use without permission from the author. Quotes used in reviews are the exception. No alteration of content is allowed. If you enjoyed this book, then encourage your friends to download their own free copy.
Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The mention of characters that originally appeared in Jan Gordon’s Life In The Shadows are used with permission and are copyrighted to her.
This book contains mature content and is intended for mature readers.
Please note that I use Canadian spelling throughout. You will see doubled letters (e.g. focussed), ou’s (e.g. colour) and ‘re’ (centre) as well as a few other differences from American spelling.
*****
Many thanks to all my readers for their support and patience. A special shout out to Janet for the amazing banners and trailers she’s created – she is such a talented ‘fan girl,’ and I am truly honoured that she spent so much time and effort promoting my books. And hugs to Jan Gordon for seeing me through yet another novel. She says she feels rather like a ‘midwife’ and I think we’d both agree this was an especially long and difficult delivery!
Betrayed: Days of the Rogue
Prologue
“Beth! Beth!” Damien screamed his mate’s name, as he pulled away from the hands that sought to restrain him and ran towards the inferno that used to be his home. The heat from the fire hit him like a tangible wall, searing his lungs, his skin, his eyes. A sane man would have stopped, but he wasn’t sane. His mate was in there. He could feel her pain; she was trapped under something, the fire was scorching her flesh... The intensity of it had him staggering, his body instinctively recoiling.
She was fighting, trying to block their mental link, trying to keep him from knowing her agony, but he wouldn’t allow it. They’d vowed to share everything; the good and the bad. He pushed back with his mind, seeking her out while he struggled to get closer. Throwing his arm over his mouth, he used his sleeve to filter the air as he forged ahead.
Behind him voices were shouting, calling his name, but he ignored them. Beth. He had to find her; had to save her. This was his fault...
Bits of burning ash, blown about by the hot air current, fell around him, stinging his skin, burning holes in his clothes. The acrid smell of smoke filled his mouth and nose. He fought to breathe, coughing as his lungs protested against the unpalatable air. Squinting, his eyes watering from the smoke, he searched frantically for an access; a window, a door, but they were totally engulfed, flames shooting out like evil entities dancing with joy at the havoc they wreaked.
There was no way in, but he didn’t care. Taking as deep a breath as possible, he prepared to rush through the wall of flame. Sirens sounded behind him. Help was on its way, but there was no time to waste. Beth needed him now. Beth and their unborn child.
Beth, I’m coming for you. Hang on my love... He sent the words out to her and got a faint reply.
I love you Damien. I’ll always love you. Never forget…love... The words faded and then...then there was nothing.
Beth? His mind searched for her frantically. Where was she? Had she passed out?
The crackling of the fire was suddenly louder, echoing in his ears as he strained to hear her voice. A strange chill settled over him, a hollow, lonely feeling.
Beth! He mentally commanded her to answer, but there was no response.
He staggered, his knees nearly buckling. Pain ripped through his chest, a searing ache made his heart lurch.
No.
It couldn’t be. Not his Beth. Not her. A spirit such as hers couldn’t die. She was gentle and sweet and kind. Tears pricked his eyes but he forced them back and shook his head.
No.
It was a trick caused by the fire, the smoke... His senses must be skewed. He looked about frantically, searching for something, an explanation, anything... She couldn’t be gone. Not his beautiful Beth. Not his mate, not his baby...
“Beth!” Her name ripped from his throat and he threw himself forward into the wall of flame.
A thin sliver of light spilled through the small gap in the curtains, piercing the darkness and announcing the rising of the full moon. It crept across the floor, touching a simple bouquet of flowers and an arrangement of get well cards before illuminating a narrow hospital bed. In it was the lone occupant of the room, draped in sheets and deathly still. The silvery light emphasized the gaunt structure of his face, the paleness of his skin, and the shadows under his eyes. Anyone passing by might have mistaken him for dead, and indeed that fate had been considered a possibility in the first few critical days.
Outside, the night was filled with excitement. Lycans hurried on their way, eager to attend celestial celebrations. Some would be small and intimate, while others were planned as more public events for young werewolves experiencing their first shift. The air seemed to tingle with a certain promise, an expectation of great things to come.
Inside, however, a different story was playing out. There was no joy, no anticipation. No quiver of exhilaration hummed in the air as the moon revealed its full glory. Instead, a dull monotony pervaded the cool, stark place, as if all personality had been stripped away leaving only a mind-numbing blandness behind. Beige walls, beige curtains, beige floors. A hard chair, a small bedside table, an IV stand holding bags of vital fluids for the sickly patient.
Beep, beep, beep...
The rhythmic sound of monitors filled the tiny room, giving evidence that the patient in the bed was still alive, his heart beating, his lungs taking in air. That in itself was a miracle, given the extent of his injuries. Now out of a coma the question was his mental well-being. Did he have the inner strength needed to recover from the loss of his blood bonded mate, or would he be just a shell of a man staring at the world through lifeless eyes? Even worse, would the beast inside take over?
Time passed. The moon inched its way through the night sky and the intruding beam of light crept across the bedclothes until it shone on the man's face. His lashes fluttered, a faint furrow momentarily marred his brow before the features smoothed once again.
Beep, beep, beep...
The faintest of rustling sounds added itself to the electronic rhythm. The patient twitched his fingers, then his legs, perhaps responding to the moon’s silent summons. More movement, a faint groan and then his eyes snapped open. Confusion clouded his face as he stared at the ceiling before turning his head to take in his surroundings. Understanding slowly dawned and he eased himself up, the covers falling from his form. Muttered curses escaped his clenched jaw as he manoeuvred himself sideways and then lowered his limbs to the floor. One leg throbbed persistently, piercing through any remaining mental fog. Pain made his senses sharper. He looked about the room, noting the doorway, the windows and finally the air grates in the ceiling.
Beep, beep, beep…
A calculating look glinted in his eyes as he fingered the monitors taped to his chest. Rising to his feet, he swayed and clutched the back of a nearby chair before gritting his teeth and locking his
knees. It seemed as if he were searching deep inside, gathering every last ounce of strength and determination he possessed. With one last deep breath, he ruthlessly pulled out the IV and ripped the wires from his body.
Silence filled the room for a split second and that was all it took for the man to execute his plan. By the time the warning bells on the monitors had drawn the attention of the staff, he was gone.
Within minutes, alarms sounded outside as well, echoing off the cement block buildings and stretching out into the surrounding wilderness. The sound of shouting voices and pounding feet were soon added to the mix as search lights began to sweep across the darkness. A dangerous Lycan was on the loose and no effort was being spared to keep him from escaping.
Deep in the shadows, Damien leaned against the brick wall, half naked and trembling. His chest heaved as beads of sweat trickled down his muscular form and shivers wracked his limbs. The thin hospital trousers he wore dipped dangerously low on his lean hips as he wiped his damp palms. He pushed his hair from his face with a shaking hand and then twisted to peer out of his hiding spot. If anyone had been nearby they would have seen the desperate, almost feral look in his eyes and the gauntness of his face. But no one was around, at least not in this corner of the compound where large garbage bins provided small nooks in which to hide.
That had been his plan. Go where no one expected. Years of training and an innate survival instinct were coming together, guiding his thoughts and moves, making him a formidable foe. If he was cornered, he’d fight to the death but that wasn’t his goal, at least not right now.
Escape. He needed to escape. That’s all he knew, all he cared about. This place he’d found himself in was evil. Chemical smells bit at his nostrils and stole his breath. Strange restraints had been attached to his body. And pain... Everywhere there was pain. His body, his mind, his heart.
Running was the only option. While it galled him to admit it, this was not the time to make a stand and fight. His body was too weak, instinctively he knew it, but once he healed he’d be back to deal with... He frowned, unsure who the enemy was. Curling his hands into fists, he shook his head, angry with himself and his inability to think clearly.
A strange buzzing filled his ears, almost blocking out all else. He rubbed his aching temples while wondering what was wrong. Had they drugged him? Or maybe it was the adrenaline rushing through his system. Whatever the cause, his sense of reality faded in and out going from grey and fuzzy to an almost excruciatingly acute awareness.
Grimly, he gathered all his reserves of strength in preparation for flight. He had to stay focussed, to make sense of the searchlights and sirens. There’d only be one chance and he needed to pick the right moment to make his move.
Seconds ticked by as he waited and watched, noting where the searchers were, calculating the pattern and speed of the sweeping security lights. There was a minute window of opportunity when the path he wanted to take would be bathed in darkness. His muscles quivered with the need for action, but he remained hidden. Just a few more seconds and…now! In a blur of movement, he shifted forms and leapt from the shadows, speeding over the dry grass that covered the compound.
He dodged around bushes and trees, skirted a parking lot, and finally crawled under the chain link fence that separated the huddle of buildings from the miles of grass covered prairie which surrounded it. A road stretched ahead, the odour of rubber and fuel rising from the still-warm pavement. The animal side of him shied away from this sign of humanity, but his human brain knew better. His pursuers would expect him to head towards the wilderness rather than follow the highway into town. And even though it was exposed, the heavy acrid scents might help disguise his trail. Turning his back on the rolling hills, he took off running down the long, straight expanse, his black form disappearing into the darkness of the night.
A few miles into the journey, his muscles began to protest. The days of illness and immobility had taken their toll and his stamina was depleted. His right back leg throbbed; he could feel the newly formed tissues that covered his wound tearing open, blood trickling out and matting his fur, yet he didn’t dare slow down. Mile after mile he raced along the deserted road, the full moon lighting his way. For some unknown reason, he detected no sound of pursuit but didn’t pause or wonder why. A strange compulsion was driving him onward even though his body screamed for mercy.
Finally, the lights of civilization began to glimmer ahead. Only then did he lessen his pace. His sides heaved as his lungs sought to pull in oxygen to feed his starving system. Heavy pants escaped his muzzle, his throat was parched and the need for water was strong. But even more powerful was the pull of his heart. It ached as if a chunk had been ripped out, the flesh still quivering and dripping blood.
There was something here that he needed. It had him veering off the road and trotting towards a small group of houses, instinctively turning corners, left then right, then left again.
He paused near the base of a large tree. It was an unusually still evening for a suburban neighbourhood; no chirping crickets or distant drone of traffic broke the almost sepulchre silence. A quick glance about revealed that the nearby streetlamp was burnt out, and the surrounding houses were dark as well. It was as if he were the only creature left on the planet.
Before him a vacant lot was eerily illuminated by the cool glow of the moon. A few straggly shrubs graced the perimeter while overgrown grass encircled what had once been a house, though that was difficult to see given what remained: bits of twisted metal, a few stalwart struts, the concrete outline of a basement. Seeing them made his chest tighten but he forced himself to keep looking. There were the charred remnants of a stove and fridge, a set of coils from a mattress...
A vision flashed before his eyes. A young woman laughing as she stood by the stove preparing a meal; the same woman lying on the bed, her eyes filled with passion. His heart began to pound heavily and he walked forward, not seeing the dew that sparkled like diamonds in the moonlight as if nature was trying to hide the grimness of the scene Step by step he moved closer to the remains of what had once been a home...his home. His vision blurred and he blinked, fighting back tears.
Tentatively, he stretched out his neck and nudged a charred bit of wood with his muzzle. It teetered, precariously balanced on a cement block. He held his breath, his gaze fixed on the wooden scrap somehow feeling that the outcome of its battle with gravity was a reflection of his own life. Even as he willed it not to fall, it gave in to the inevitable. The chunk of wood toppled over and struck the ground, crumbling into tiny splitters surrounded by a small poof of dust, all traces of its existence forever erased.
He jerked his head back. Memories assaulted him like shrapnel pummelling his very being. His body began to shake as mental anguish wracked him.
No.
He didn’t want to remember this, couldn’t bear to recall what had once been here. This had been his home, the life he’d been building with his mate and unborn child. Now, all that had made life worth living lay in the ashes before him. Had they even found her body?
Throwing back his head, he prepared to howl his misery only to stop at the sound of an approaching car.
Headlights cut a swath across the lot and briefly illuminated him in a blue tinged light. He froze until the sound of screeching tires had him pivoting on his hind legs and sprinting across the yard.
“There he is!”
“Stop!” A familiar voice had him faltering. “Damien, stop!”
“I’ll get him, sir.” Another voice spoke and was immediately followed by the sound of gun fire.
A bullet ripped into the ground to his left and Damien jerked aside as bits of dirt and grass exploded into the air, stinging his flank and spurring him into even faster movement.
“What the hell did you do that for?”
“He’s a rogue, Reno. Regulations state—”
“Fuck regulations!”
Behind him there was more swearing, the sound of flesh hitting flesh, a grunt o
f pain, but he didn’t stop. In survival mode he fled the scene, running down alleyways, zigzagging through the sleeping town.
Directly ahead of him a train was blocking his path. It was just leaving the station, barely moving as the engines strained to pull the heavy load. A cunning, more human than animal, had him leaping into the open doors of a box car and crouching in the shadows. As the train began to pick up speed, he peered out watching the streetlights and houses flash by. There was a tugging in the region of his heart, a sense of loss and pain, as if he was leaving something important behind, but he pushed such thoughts away.
His human half sighed. Tired and broken, the will to be in control faded. All his life he’d battled to keep the animal in control but now...now he conceded. Without regret he allowed his wolf to push to the foreground, and his humanity subsided into unconsciousness.
Chapter 1
Eighteen months later…
A twig snapped behind her and Eve spun around, heart pounding, muscles tensed ready to defend herself. She narrowed her eyes, her gaze darting left to right, searching among the greyish brown tree trunks for whatever had caused the twig to break. There was no sign of movement, though. In fact, the woods were unusually still and silent, only the sound of her own harsh breathing filling her ears.
She waited a beat before straightening from the half crouch she’d instinctively gone into. Blowing out a long slow breath, she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans and rolled her tense shoulders. For the last half hour she’d had the uncomfortable feeling that she was being followed. It was nonsense, of course, the season being too early and the location too remote for tourists. The local population wouldn’t be hiking this area either, since it was private property. No, the chances of someone being here were slim.