by Jo Larue
Chance
Lost
BY
Jo LaRue
CHANCE LOST
Copyright: Jo LaRue
All Rights Reserved
ISBN: 1492333131
ISBN 13: 978-1492333135
Published: CreateSpace.com
The right of Jo LaRue to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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I dedicate this book to my mother,
Marilyn Carver, who has been my greatest
supporter, best friend, and without
whom, I would have been lost long ago.
You have always been there, even when
times were tough. I love you more than
mere words can ever express.
Prologue
1500 AD –
“Awaken now, my son, it is time for your journey to begin.”
He awakens from what feels like a dream with no memories of what has come before. He is standing in front of a man and a woman. It is his maker who is speaking to him: his mother, Lachesis, one of the three Fates.
“Your father, Zeus, and I made you because you are needed by the human world below us. There are others, similar to you, who are killing innocents. The humans cannot know Immortals exist for our own safety. Throughout time, Immortals have been slaughtered for being different. Now, because of the Crusades, a few Immortals have been taking advantage by mating with humans. Even worse, they have been killing them. If this continues, another slaughter will happen. We created you to stop it from happening yet again.”
His father spoke up then; his deep voice commanding attention. “Son, I have given you the gift of life so you can stop these foolish Immortals from bringing us attention we do not wish. I have given you a special gift, one that only you will be able to use. You have the ability to shift into any form an Immortal takes. You are our warrior, our enforcer. Your duty is to protect humans from us and keep the balance between our worlds. All Immortals will answer to you.”
His mother reached out to caress his cheek before leaving. “You will not always be the only one of your kind, my beautiful son. In the future there will be another, a mate. She will be made known to you only when the time is right. My sisters and I will be watching over you and will be there for you, should you need us. Go now my son, and be the great warrior that we know you are.”
His name is Sylas Taiken and he is The Enforcer.
Present day, 2013 –
It was always the same dream. The black leopard runs through the forest, the smell of rich brown earth thick through misty morning. It hung in the air like an intoxicating drug. It was easy to avoid trees and fallen limbs. The vision of the leopards piercing green eyes was sharp and so were his reflexes.
A sleek, black female leopard comes from the clearing. His other half, all lean muscle, and thick fur – her eyes mirrored to the green of his own. She rubbed against him, her scent lingering on his fur and vice versa. They belonged to each other, they were made for each other.
Rumbling purrs of joy from deep within their core echo through the forest as they play amongst the trees, chasing and wrestling each other down. A silver wolf comes from the brush. There’s a familiarity, a kinship, and no threat to be had. They greet, and in silent consensus, run through the thick brush, the scent of prey having found its way to their keen noses.
The pursuit doesn’t take long, not with three of them, and the deer comes down easily. They gorge themselves until their bellies can take no more, the scent of blood mixing with the earth. Sated, they make their way to the river to clean themselves, and then lay in the warm sun, relaxed in each other’s company. Dusk approaches and the wolf gets up, stretching with a yawn … his fangs sharp and bright even in the dim light. The wolf takes off into the forest, howling with his departure.
Before long it’s time for the leopards to shift back, to become their human counter parts and welcome the night by making love. The dream fades, and the fog between sleep and awake, steals the images of their human faces before they can be seen.
Chapter 1
“Hi! My name is Chance Cadens, and I’ve had a craptastic day!” She chuckled at her best friend Gus who was busy working away on a mainframe.
This was their normal way of greeting each other. Almost like being in a support group. It worked for them and that was all that mattered.
“You out, Chance?” Gus looked up and smiled while pulling some wiring loose from the servers.
“Done and shut down now, sweet cheeks! I hope your evening goes better than my day went,” Chance leaned her hip on the doorframe.
“Yeah. It was a rough one, I’m glad it’s almost over. You sticking with the company now that they’re shutting this office down?”
The company had decided to downsize. If people were sticking with the company, they were being relocated. Chance had no such desire, but because she and Gus hadn’t had time to catch up recently, she had no idea if her best friend was staying or going.
“We’re still in negotiations, but I’m thinking it won’t be an issue. It’ll give me an excuse to fly my plane more.” He pulled more wires from the server and laughed. “We haven’t talked in a while, girly. I was wondering if you’re staying around here or moving?”
Over the years, Gus had broken her out of her self-imposed shell, with his nerdy quirkiness. The man lived and breathed computers. He stood right at 6’4 and with her at 5’9” with no shoes on, Chance still had to look up at him.
“Sorry about the no talk, Gus. Been sort of busy. To answer your question… Yes, and no. Long story, but I’ll be calling you soon to help me set up my own system. I haven’t told anyone here, but I bought some property up near the state border a few weeks ago and I’m planning on going totally self-sufficient up there. Think you can handle the job, Gus?”
“What do you mean by self-sufficient exactly? Where is this place and should I be worried about you being alone?” Gus gave Chance his complete attention. Self-sufficient could mean a lot of different things, but knowing her, this might be something for him to worry about. Gus sat on his stool, crossed his arms over his chest, and frowned at her.
“Like I said, long story, but I promise to fill you in soon, Gus. Just be looking for my call in a few weeks. Besides, you know I can’t go long without texting my BFF” She handed him an envelope prepared the night before. In it was a check written out to him for five thousand and a list of what she was looking for.
“That should give you enough to start and if you need more, well, you know how to reach me. If I don’t answer, it means I’m out of cell range, but I promise to call back as soon as I can. I’m sorry this is all mystery filled, but everything will make more sense when we have time to talk.”
Gus looked up at her after looking in the envelope, “Chance, this is a lot of money. Are you sure this is what you want and can you even afford it?
You really are starting to worry me.”
Taking Gus’ hands in hers, Chance pulled him into a sisterly hug. Lowering to a near whisper, she replied “Let’s just say I got lucky with some numbers on a lotto draw recently. That check in your hand is just a drop in the bucket. This is between you and me and no one else. Gus, you are the only person I trust at the moment to do what I need done. I promise, I will explain later, but not here and not now. Text you soon. Take care of you, okay?” Giving him another hug, she turned to leave. Secrecy was not a strong point with her, but necessary right now. Gus wouldn’t fail her.
Walking out of the building for the last time was freeing. Looking up at the blue Georgia sky, she laughed. A huge weight came off her shoulders and, for once, she actually felt like celebrating. Her new, midnight blue Wrangler 4x4, sat calling her name. It was her only extravagance until buying the property in north Georgia, and couldn’t wait to give it some major trail time.
The jeep unlocked with a beep. Chance threw her shoes in the back, pulled the top back, and got into the driver’s seat. The engine started smoothly. She lowered all the windows, put her thick black hair into a braid, cranked the stereo, and left the parking lot. Wind from the road could turn even the silkiest hair into a rats nest and tonight was not a night for fighting with her mane over who was dominate. Tonight was a night to get her groove on and it was past time to get moving on just that very thing.
Chance arrived home to her modest three-bedroom ranch shortly after six. Friday traffic in the Atlanta suburbs has always been a nightmare for the traffic squeamish and she definitely despised it. It was another reason to move out to the middle of nowhere. No more noise, no more nosy neighbors, and no more drama.
The mailbox was full of nothing but junk, per usual. Chance went inside, tossed it on the table by the door, and stripped off her work clothes. Those, along with her other ones would be boxed up and donated. From now on it would be jeans, t-shirts and/or her beloved bike leathers. She was a biker at heart and a country girl down to the depths of her soul.
There was a new biker bar on the other side of town and she was interested enough to check it out. If it were a true biker hangout it would be equipped with pool tables. One of her ex-foster dads was a beer drinking pool hustler. Chance learned quickly, and her foster dad saw an opportunity in her youthful face. Part of her education was learning how to play other people. It wasn’t enough to just play the game. Before long her skills were honed, and Chance learned how easy it was not to starve. Darts were a strong bet as well… and most biker bars contained one or the other, if not both.
Standing in her bedroom, she studied the reflection in the mirror. This was a daily ritual. Chance could never understand what it was about her body that made men faun. The girl in the mirror was 5’9”, with not much fat, but still curvy. Thick, jet-black hair that fell below her butt when loose and dark green eyes were the only things she could see that might make a man interested. All she saw was butt and boobs, which she hated. She had golden skin and a classic rounded face with high cheekbones. The latter was still a mystery she vowed to research in the future. Removing the rubber band from her braid to run her fingers through the strands, she sighed and gave in. A hot shower beckoned and it was a call not to be ignored.
While standing under the relaxing spray of the showerhead, she reflected on her past. Chance never enjoyed much of a normal life. Her parents gave her up when she was a baby and she spent all of her young life in foster homes. Her foster parents over the years either used her like a slave to do their cleaning or they were abusive, mostly the latter. Thankfully her virtue was still intact, due to a lot of kicking, biting, scratching, and a down right refusal to be used. More than once she was called a hellcat bitch on steroids, and she wore it like a badge.
As soon as she was able, she got a job, started paying her own way, found an efficiency apartment, and went through the courts to be emancipated from the court and foster care system. It wasn’t easy but it taught her to be tough and streetwise.
Chance met a woman, Sensei Kiku, who owned a Dojo just down the road from the diner where she worked after school let out. She was abused in her young life as well, and knew and felt the symptoms herself. Back then, Chance would not look anyone in the eye and would flinch when anyone would try to touch her. Sensei offered her free classes in exchange for helping her with clean up, keeping her books and a promise she would finish high school. That was 9 years and a fourth degree black belt ago.
Chance turned her thoughts over to Gus. Knowing he wanted them to be more than friends kept her at bay. She loved him, but not in the way he deserved. Friends were all she could ever see them as. Chance wanted more, needed more than this bare existence. She needed family and someone who took her breath away with a glance. Being in her mid-twenties and alone was no longer tolerable. It was time to trust and let down the walls that shielded her heart. Gus simply was not the gateway to that path.
Finished with her shower, and stepping to her closet, Chance pulled her black leathers out. Taking a moment to breathe in the scent, she was reminded of sitting in the Jeep for the first time. It was a new car smell and delicious in an odd sort of way.
Yep, tonight was a leather night. Pulling her favorite low-slung pants on was almost orgasmic, especially since she decided to go commando tonight and feel the leather everywhere. Next came a leather bustier that didn’t quite make it to her waist. This allowed her to show off a crystal belly ring… always an eye catcher, especially when trying to distract male pool players.
Chance put on the barest makeup possible, a bit of mascara and blush to boost her complexion. Shoes were always last. These boots were made for her and contained steel toes, hidden pockets, and a hidden switchblade in the toe if needed.
When it came to protecting herself, Chance preferred to use body and hands. Since she was a fourth degree black belt, weapons were mostly unnecessary, but she was registered to carry as well. Under normal circumstances she would not take weapons with her, but when it came to gambling, biker bars, and past experience… well, a girl just had to be extra careful. Chance slipped an extra switchblade in her left boot and a .22 in her right. Grabbing her pool stick case and long black leather duster, she headed out to the garage to the other baby.
It was a gift from a biker friend she’d saved in a bar fight two years ago and it was the best gift ever received. All chrome, and all hers. The Harley-Davidson Sportster gleamed in greeting when she flicked on the light switch. Hey baby, ready to go have some fun? She crooned while braiding her hair again.
Putting the cue case in one of the sidesaddles, Chance donned her coat, helmet, and stepped over the seat. Pressing the garage door opener on her key chain, she cranked it, relishing the feeling of power and the low rumble. A girl could almost get off just riding one of these bad boys down the road! As soon as the door was open, the kickstand was up and she was out for a night of fun on the town.
Chapter 2
Sylas pulled into the parking lot of The Den Bar & Grill. It wasn’t much to look at, but it belonged to his best friend, Jack. Neon lights in the windows blinked invitations of cold beer and pool tables to anyone passing by. The bar touted some of the best food in town and business was steadily growing since it opened.
Jack was a shifter Sylas knew from long ago. Even in past times it was hard to find friends that were trustworthy. On more than one occasion, Jack proved he was worthy of the title. Sylas was in a funk and Jack was the one person he knew who could brighten his day without even trying. Five hundred years of waiting on a mate was taking its toll.
The Fates created him to keep balance between humans and the Immortals. The only one who could shift into any species on the planet that he wanted. His primary animal was a black leopard and where he felt most at home, even over his human form. Being immortal, lonely and bored, well, that was never a good combination.
The Fates threw another wrench into things before he even got started looking for this mysterious mate. H
e needed to be her first if she was to become his true mate. If anyone else got to her before he did, the deal was off; no mate and she would only be able to shift into her original primary animal. The Fates could be real bitches when they wanted to be. The only other person that knew about his problem was the man he was here to see. After Sylas saved his ass twice in the past, Jack promised to always have his back, and he meant it.
Balance was all that mattered to the Fates. The scales between order and chaos could easily be tipped, and when Sylas slacked, they had no problem reminding him of his job. It was hard to keep the world balanced when he couldn’t do it for himself. He slammed the kickstand down a bit too hard, and had to lean over to see if he damaged his Harley.
A distraction was needed, but he was second-guessing whether this was the place to get it. Right when he thought better of being there, Jack stepped outside the bar. He noticed Sylas right off and was walking his way. Leave now and piss off one bad ass puma? Think I will stay, he told himself, standing to greet his best bud.
“Hey, Sy! Glad you could make it, man.” Jack reached out for a fist bump. “The place is rockin’, but not too crowded. I had to come out for some fresh air.”
