Homeless and hiding from his mother's abusive boyfriend, Davie -- along with his friend Grey -- accept an offer to move to a safe haven called the Encampment. Owned by Slade, and overseen by Maddox, and Ran, it's a well-protected site in the mountains for endangered street kids. Among the present residents is the very taciturn loner, Vin. To everyone's surprise, Davie and Vin become friends of a sort.<br><br>Soon after arriving, Davie discovers there is more to the Encampment than it appears at first glance when Ran, with Vin's help, begins training him in various forms of self-defense.<br><br>Davie finds out why when Slade sends him and Vin on an assignment to stop a vicious gang of slavers preying on homeless teens. From there things get interesting, to say the least, as the two young men try to survive while dealing with their growing attraction for each other.

The Encampment

Davie wanted to tell Vin to ease it back a notch. He’s right, though. Just because we’re homeless doesn’t mean we’re not as good as them.With that in mind, he slid his arm around Vin’s waist.


“Trying to one-up me?” Vin asked, his lips quirking up in a brief grin.


“Nope. Doing that would involve…umm…never mind. There’s pissing people off and then there’s really pissing them off.”


Vin cocked an eyebrow. “Like if we kissed?”


“Davie, never, ever dare me.” Vin pulled him around to face him then dropped a swift kiss on his lips.


“Is that the best…?” Davie asked, shocked that Vin had kissed him—and excited as well, much to his dismay.


Vin’s reply was to do it again, only slower, before letting him go with a laconic, “Better?”


Refusing to be intimidated, if that’s what Vin was going for, Davie replied, “For now.”


Chapter 25