It seemed so simple, cross a train yard, hop a train and Todd and Nick would be free, on their way home to Elk's Ridge in Yellowknife. Nothing is ever simple or easy for the Ruger men, however. Captured by Vice-Chancellor Raleigh, Todd is imprisoned, leaving Nick alone and seeking a way to free his mate. Help comes from an unlikely and unexpected ally. Todd's freedom places the Rugers yet again into the Chancellor's debt. He sends them on a fact finding mission to the small village of Eldrid, the same village where Nick was raised a slave.<br><br>There they discover how past events led to their present society, the origins of sentries and slaves and what made some of them so special. They also uncover a conspiracy spear-headed by Vice-Chancellor Raleigh. An attempt at stopping him isn't as successful as they'd hoped when old enemies are confronted. The realities of war, and why some people don't survive, are hard lessons for both Todd and Nick to learn.<br><br>Through firefights, explosions and a vicious attack from a seemingly unbeatable supernatural being, one thing is reinforced over and over-the most important thing each one has is each other. Will they survive or join an ever-growing list of casualties?

Collared Souls

“There was a woman here when we arrived. She spoke to me. There were three other people, two men, and a woman. I saw her with them a few times, and she gave them something. Where are they?”


Barclay laid one hand across Todd’s upper arm, trying to move him to the side. “I don’t know what—”


“I’ve had about as much of this conspiracy crap as I can take,” Todd snapped. At the same time, Todd grabbed Barclay’s hand and pinched it until Barclay yelped. Twisting the hand in his grasp, Todd sidestepped and shoved Barclay’s arm behind the man and pushed up. “Where the hell are they?”


Todd jammed his knee against the back of Barclay’s leg, forcing Barclay to tilt backward into Todd. “Out of patience here.”


“They left…ah…the pain—I can’t—”


Shoving the man away from him and letting go at the same time, Todd growled, “Spill.”


Chapter 39