Todd and Nick Ruger are on the run after narrowly escaping the war in New Colorado, where they were implicated in the assassination of Chancellor Shaffer. Todd is gravely ill and Nick has serious injuries, but that's the least of their problems. They're alone with dwindling supplies and facing the harsh winter bearing down on them far north in Yellowknife Protectorate. Just when it seems they're trapped between the proverbial rock and hard place, they are offered refuge with a doctor in the isolated town of Elk's Ridge. As they heal, they're offered a fresh start in Elk's Ridge. But just as they begin to rebuild their lives, tragedy strikes. Victor Raleigh, the new Vice-Chancellor of New Colorado, knows all about Nick's psychic abilities, and he'll settle for nothing less than total control over Nick. He's aligned himself with a vicious creature, a type of psychic vampire capable of wielding control over individuals such as Nick. When Nick is betrayed and captured, Todd sees no alternative but to head back into the war zone to rescue him. Will Nick be the same man Todd loves after Raleigh's pet psychic vampire is through with him? Can Nick accept the fact Todd can love him after what Raleigh forces him to do, or will his guilt consume and destroy him?

Chained Hearts

Riding a fresh horse and not in a wagon as he and Nick normally traveled between Jimmy’s and New Colorado City, Todd was able to leave the road and take a few shortcuts. The trip that would normally take them a leisurely two and a half or three days was cut in half.


The sentries in New Colorado City had an extensive system of hidden communication caches. In them were kept the names and locations of sentries in the city and places they often met up. Todd went straight to the nearest one as soon as he was inside the city limits. The sentry saloon was still up and functioning as a meeting place. If he couldn’t find information there, it was likely to be nonexistent.


Chapter 50