Todd Ruger is a sentry, a very good one, some might say the best. He was eleven when he and Nick were bound as master and slave. Todd spent the years Nick lived in the slave village waiting for the day Nick could leave and they’d be together, bit by bit building a life for both of them. He took his role of master seriously. It was his responsibility to provide for Nick, protect him and along the way he learned to love him. Todd loved Nick deeply and completely. They were more than a pair of sentries. Todd and Nick were friends, lovers, mates.<br><br>Eighteen months ago, Nick left the small village where he’d spent his entire life being raised and trained as a slave. Blessed with a unique skill set, Nick became a sentry. He took his place beside his master, Todd Ruger, defending society against the many paranormal threats that abound. They became more than master and slave, they became mates. Nick had found a home with Todd and together they became a family. Eventually, Nick’s special abilities and skills attract the attention of the second most powerful man in New Colorado Protectorate’s government, Vice Chancellor Clarke. Or, maybe certain people knew of Nick all along and just now had cause to use him. He believes Nick might be the answer to explaining Chancellor Shaffer’s sudden, unusual behavior.<br><br>Forced to go undercover the Chancellor’s Estate, Todd and Nick discover an ancient and deadly creature preying on residents of the estate. The same creature that is radically effecting Chancellor Shaffer. A creature only Nick can see in its true form. It hunts using specialized skills and has Todd and Nick in its crosshairs. Even if they defeat the creature and survive, they still face the possibility of being torn from each other when their lives are thrown into chaos by the thing they’re hunting.

Together Bound

Witze saw dozens of tiny red pinprick marks covering the man’s skin. “It did that to you?”


Todd nodded. “When it decided to become me.”


“Are you all right? Both of you?” Witze looked first at Todd, then around him to the boy.


“How do I know you are really not it?”


“I can tell the difference and see it in its true form,” Nick said softly, shrugging slightly. “I can see evil creatures, sometimes see it in humans.”


“This…uh…this came for you this morning.” Witze picked up the box and held it out. It was sort of a stupid thing to do and say, but he needed time to collect his thoughts. Besides, he really wanted to see what was in it and why it was so important as to be delivered by special courier and not the regular mail system.


Todd stepped forward and took the box and stared down at it, rubbing his thumbs gently over the wrapping.


“Todd.” The boy’s voice was so soft it was more of an exhale.


Chapter 58