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

Todd took some deep breaths, swallowed, and wiped a hand over his face. “Nick, I’ve screwed this up beginning to end, and I’m sorry. They…someone, maybe Clarke, or someone else, I’m not sure, in our government seems to think your abilities are valuable because of the war. I was supposed to protect you from exactly what happened. I’m sorry. I took everything away from you, but I couldn’t let them have you.”


Before Nick could say anything, Todd was grabbing bags off the ground. “We’ve gotta get out of here. There is a town not too far. We’ll buy some horses there and meet up with Jimmy.”


“How will Jimmy know where to find us?” Nick shouldered a few of the packs and duffels. He had to jog a couple steps to catch up to Todd.


“Clarke sent word to him that you’d be confiscated by the government and I’d be drafted into the army. Jimmy will have gone to our apartment and packed the Conestoga. There’s a road that runs along the train route. He’ll be on that.”


Chapter 65