Escape

by L. S. O'Dea

  She retracted her claws, peeking around Randy’s back. “Troy, don’t do this.”

  Troy smirked as Randy pulled her out from behind him.

  She struggled but he was too strong. “Randy, please don’t listen to him.”

  Randy bent to examine her hands. “I don’t see anything.”

  She had to stop Troy. Randy and Clarabelle couldn’t see her teeth and claws. They wouldn’t understand. “I’m not the only one with secrets.”

  Troy’s eyes narrowed for a second and then his expression eased. “There are more involved than just us.” He tapped his finger against his chin. “Why are you the way you are? Is there an explanation or are you just a freak of nature?”

  Her shoulders sagged. He was right. She couldn’t do it. As long as she kept her mouth shut, her mom and Remy would be safe, at least until they were taken.

  “She’s not a freak.” Randy put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back against his chest.

  Her throat tightened. Finally, one of them was on her side but it wouldn’t last.

  “Really? Look at her teeth.” Troy’s eyes gleamed in triumph.

  There was nothing she could do to hide her teeth. They didn’t retract. Randy turned her head and carefully lifted her lips. His eyes widened and he shoved her away from him.

  “What is it?” asked Clarabelle, moving closer to Randy.

  Troy grabbed Trinity’s arm and yanked her to him. “She’s a mutation. A freak. And worse, she’s dangerous.” He spun her around and grabbed her hand, pushing in on the palm.

  She strained to keep her claws retracted, but once he found the right spot there would be nothing she could do. On the third attempt, her claws popped out.

  “She’s a predator,” gasped Clarabelle.

  “I am not.” Mirra was a predator. A predator with teeth and claws fashioned for puncturing and tearing. Teeth and claws similar to hers.

  “Yes, she is.” Troy turned her back around, removing his hand so her claws retracted.

  Randy and Clarabelle’s eyes were wide with fright and suddenly, it was clear. She would never belong here. They’d never give her a chance. No matter what she did, she’d never get past a Producer’s fear.

  “She’ll kill us all in our sleep,” whispered Clarabelle.

  Her jaw dropped open. “I wouldn’t do that. I’ve never hurt anyone.” An image of the Guard who she’d stabbed flashed through her mind but that didn’t count. That had been self-defense.

  “We need to take her to my dad,” said Clarabelle, her voice filled with contempt.

  “Yes, Bell definitely needs to be involved. Randy, tie her feet.” Troy moved one of his hands to his side.

  “Please, Randy, don’t. He’ll kill you if you get close. He’s already killed Hector and Hap.” She looked at Clarabelle. “Go get your dad and check it out. They’re in Hector’s section.”

  Troy covered her mouth with his hand. “You can’t trust a predator. She’ll tear your throat out while she’s lying to you.”

  She grunted and tried to catch Randy’s eye, to plead with him to believe her, but he refused to look at her. He bent and tied her feet together. As he started to stand, Troy’s club flashed through the air and Randy’s head snapped to the side. Randy fell, blood trickling from his temple. Troy raised his hand again. Randy was still breathing. She had to do something. She threw her head back, hitting Troy in the chin. He grunted and stumbled backward, losing his hold on her. She hopped forward, but with her feet and hands tied she wasn’t going to get far. Clarabelle stood frozen, her face pale and eyes wide.

  “Run,” she said.

  Clarabelle turned to flee. Troy lifted Trinity over his head, throwing her through the air. She cringed. This is going to hurt. She hit Clarabelle in the back and they fell. Troy shoved her off the other girl and brought his club down on Clarabelle’s skull with a sickening thud. He walked over to Randy who was crawling away. She began to frantically claw through her ties.

  He shook his head, dragging Randy over by Clarabelle. “They’ll blame you. I’ll make sure of it.” He stopped, panting a bit. “This boy’s heavy.” He picked up a large stone. “This is your fault.”

  He was right. If they hadn’t heard her, they’d still be alive. Randy turned his head. Their eyes met and held. He was scared and confused. She worked harder on her ropes, knowing it was too late. Troy raised his arm, stone in hand and brought it down hard on Randy’s skull. Blood and brain splattered across her face. She gritted her teeth and continued to saw at her ties. She could be sick later. One rope slipped free. Only two more to go.

  Troy turned Clarabelle over and patted her cheek. “Stupid, stupid girl.”

  “Please, don’t,” muttered Clarabelle.

  He smashed her face with the rock. Once. Twice. Three times. Trinity looked away and stopped counting. After several moments, it grew quiet except for Troy’s labored breathing.

  He wiped the blood off his face. “You really hated Clarabelle. I don’t blame you. She wasn’t very nice.”

  He picked her up and moved quickly across the camp, no longer dragging her. Soon, they were in Bell’s section. Bell wasn’t a fool but he had no idea that Troy was nuts. She had to warn him. Troy stopped at the fence, laying her on the ground.

  “Bell, Troy’s crazy. He’s killed Hector and Hap. Get help,” she yelled.

  Troy slapped her upside the head, hard. Blood filled her mouth and she rolled to the side, vomiting up the bread that she’d eaten. Troy held on to her legs as he backed under the chain link and then yanked her through. He tossed her over his shoulder and headed into the woods. She held still so that she didn’t draw attention to the ropes around her wrists. She was almost through the second tie. She had to get a few more minutes alone.

  “You don’t have to kill me. Let me go. I’ll leave and never come back.”

  He paused and then shook his head. “I can’t take that chance, not now that so many are dead.”

  And whose fault is that? “Remy will never forgive you.”

  “He’ll never know that I was involved.” He stopped and gently sat her on the ground. “You’re not going to believe me, but I am sorry about this. You brought it on yourself though, sneaking out on my watch. I could have lost my position.” He grabbed her hair, holding her in place.

  “Please, just let me go.” She frantically sliced at the rope around her wrists. She wasn’t ready to die.

  He raised his club. This was it. The end. She shut her eyes. At least, she’d saved Travis and the others. Something large hit her on the shoulder, knocking her over. Then there was a scream. Her eyes flew open as she was lifted off the ground and pulled into a fierce hug.

  “Little One, what have you gotten yourself into this time?” Gaar cut though her restraints with his knife.

  “How...how did you know where...”

  “Please. We followed you. Did you really think you could sneak away? I told Mirra to let you go or you’d just leave the next time our backs were turned.”

  She glanced down at her feet. Her plan had been a disaster, but she’d do it all over again if there was a chance to save her mom.

  “Good thing you yelled. We thought you were still in your house.” He scratched his head. “You must have left when we were arguing. Mirra wanted to storm the camp and drag you out.” His lips twitched. “Maybe, I should’ve let her.”

  There was another gurgling scream. She tried to turn toward the sounds of death but he pulled her close and held her head firmly against his chest.

  “You don’t want to see that.”

  She inhaled deeply, the smell of smoke and trees filling her lungs. She relaxed for a moment, fighting the tears. Once she started, she wouldn’t be able to stop. After a few moments she pulled back a little from his hug. “I need to see.”

  He loosened his hold. She turned. Mirra’s eyes burned bright in her bloody face as she fed on Troy. She’d never see her parents again. Her mom would be killed and her dad, even if his device were
removed, wouldn’t find her in the forest. These two were her family now.

  Thanks for reading Lake of Sins: Escape. I hope you enjoyed the story.

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  Also, check out the sneak peek at the next book in the Lake of Sins Series – Secrets In Blood and an excerpt from Chimera Chronicles: Rise of the River Man. Both follow the Characters section on the next page.

  Characters

  Adam: A young, male Producer. Trinity’s younger brother who was taken when he was three for a “Special List”

  Almightys: The ruling class. They are between five and six feet tall. Generally, have dark hair and white skin.

  Bell: A Lead Producer. He is Benedictine’s favorite and therefore holds much authority in camp. He is the father of Clarabelle and Mirabelle.

  Benedictine Remore: A middle aged, male Almighty. He runs the Producer encampment where Trinity lives and the Handler and Tracker camps. He is married to Martha and the father to Jethro and Kim.

  Bradley: A male Almighty. Assisted Gaar and Mirra with serum.

  Buster: An old, male Producer who was retired. Taught Millie and Trinity about medicinal herbs.

  Butch: A male Lead Producer. Replaces Bell on duty in the guard shack. Is the assigned mate to Tulip.

  Casper: An elderly, male Guard. Belongs to Benedictine. Works with Jackson.

  Carla: A female Guard. Belongs to Benedictine. Works with Jackson.

  Christian: Brother to Harold, husband to Heather and father to Theresa in the story told by Jethro about the Lake of Sins. Also the name given to the River-Man by Trinity.

  Chubs: A Guard. Belongs to Benedictine. Works at the Tracker camp.

  Clarabelle: A female, teenage Producer. Bell’s daughter and Mirabelle’s sister.

  Cold Creepers: Reptilian-like creatures, about three feet tall and over six feet long, walk on all fours. They are green, gray or brown in color. They generally hunt in packs.

  Exhibit: Place where Producers are taken once they are paired to mate, so that they see the dangerous creatures in the forest.

  Forest Witch: An old, female Almighty who lives in the forest and takes in strays.

  Gaar: A male Handler. He is the bonded pair to Mirra. See Handler.

  Guards: Belong to the Almightys. They hunt for the Almightys and protect the Almightys. They vary in size and hair color. Their eyes are usually brown. The males generally wear facial hair.

  Great Death: The illness that swept over the earth, killing most humans, all domestic animals and all wild animals larger than a wild turkey.

  Grunts: Are large and strong. They are bigger than Producers. They walk on all fours and do not speak. Their purpose is to haul things for the Almightys.

  Handler: Predators that bond and help to control Trackers. They are between five and six feet tall but are extremely wide and muscular. They have long arms. See Gaar.

  Hap: A male Lead Producer. Hector’s son.

  Harold: Brother to Christian in story told by Jethro about the Lake of Sins.

  Heather: Wife to Christian in story told by Jethro about the Lake of Sins.

  Hector: A Lead Producer. The section of the fence that he watches borders Troy’s section. Hap’s father. Hector is very diligent in his duties.

  Hester: A female Producer.

  House Servants: Belong to Almightys. They manage the households and businesses of the Almightys. They are slender in build and short, between four and five feet tall. They have fangs and claws and their eyes are a vibrant hue.

  Hugh Truent: A male Almighty. The youngest Almighty to ever be bestowed the title of High. Son of Sarah. Invented the new updated tracking device.

  Jackson: A male Guard. He is the lead Guard to Benedictine. He is also called the hairless Guard because he wears no facial hair. He used to be assigned to protect Benedictine’s daughter Kim.

  Jeremiah: A teenage, male Producer at the Finishing Camp.

  Jethro Remore: A teenage, male Almighty. Son of Benedictine and Martha. Brother to Kim. Befriends Trinity at the Lake of Sins.

  Jimmy Smedly: A teenage, male Almighty. A friend of Jethro’s.

  Kim Remore: An Almighty. Benedictine and Martha’s daughter and Jethro’s sister.

  Lead Producers: A title given to a small set of Producers. They are allowed to carry a club and they interact with Benedictine. They also guard the perimeter of the camp from dangers.

  Maple: An elderly, female Producer who was retired. Was kind to Trinity.

  Millie: A Producer. Trinity’s mother. She is the assigned mate to Remy, but actually breeds with Tim.

  Mirabelle: A teenage, female Producer. Was on the Harvest List last year. Daughter of Bell and sister to Clarabelle. She has one leg shorter than the other.

  Mirra: A female Tracker. The bonded pair to Gaar. She is brindle with yellow eyes and large teeth. See Tracker.

  Nirankan: A male Tracker. Russet colored. Wild born.

  Parra: A male Tracker. He’s white and brown. Wild born.

  Mrs. Smedly: A female Almighty. Jimmy’s mother.

  Producers: Large boned and strong. They stand between six and eight feet tall. They usually have dark hair and brown eyes. They work in the fields and produce all the food for the other classes.

  Randy: A male, teenage Producer. Used to be friends with Trinity but now hangs around Clarabelle.

  Remy: A Producer. Millie’s sanctioned mate. He is gay and is Troy’s partner.

  River-People: Fish-like creatures. Can live in or out of water, but prefer to be in the water. They can breathe both above and below water. They have scales for skin, sharp teeth. Hunt from below the water and drag their prey under to drown it. Also called Fish-Men. See Christian.

  Sarah Truent: An elderly, female Almighty. Mother to Hugh and owner of Tim.

  Sikka: A female Tracker. She is black and gray. She is wild born.

  Stuart: A male Producer. Has been chosen to stay in camp but has not been assigned a mate. Brother to Travis.

  Tammie: A teenage, female Producer at the Finishing Camp.

  Theresa: Daughter of Christian and Heather in story told by Jethro about the Lake of Sins.

  Timothy (Tim): House Servant. Trinity’s father. Millie, a Producer is his mate. He belongs to Sarah, an Almighty.

  Tina: A female Producer. Troy’s assigned mate.

  Titus: A Lead Producer. The section of the fence that he watches borders Troy’s section on the opposite side as Hector’s. Titus drinks a lot.

  Tracker: A predator. Bonds with a Handler. Stands around ten to twelve-feet tall on its back legs. Can travel on all fours or on two legs. Covered in soft fur which varies in color. Has long sharp claws and teeth. Can find (track) anything. See Mirra.

  Travis: A male, teenage Producer. Was on the Harvest List last year. Trinity’s only friend.

  Trinity: A Producer and a House Servant. Daughter of Millie and Tim.

  Trip: A Guard. Belongs to Benedictine. Lead Producer of the Guards at the Tracker camp.

  Troy: A male Lead Producer. He is Remy’s partner. His assigned mate is Tina.

  Trunk: Large male Producer. Tends to be violent.

  Tulip: A female Producer. Assigned mate is Lead Producer Butch.

  Secrets In Blood: Book 2 in the Lake of Sins Series.

  CHAPTER 1

  “WHERE’S YOUR MOTHER?” asked Gaar.

  Trinity shook her head. Leaving her mom at the encampment had been the hardest thing that she’d ever done, but she’d had
no choice. The Almightys had implanted tracking devices inside all adult Producers. It would lead the Almightys right to them. So, she’d left her mom behind to be slaughtered and eaten.

  She had to focus on something else or the tears would come. She turned her head and stared at the carnage that had once been Troy. Mirra must not be very hungry because she was digging through his carcass looking for the choice parts and tossing aside the rest.

  “We need to leave. The Almightys will send their Guards soon. Something like this”—Gaar pointed at the body—“will not stay a secret for very long.”

  Neither would the four dead Producers inside the camp, but she wasn’t ready to talk about that either. Those deaths were her fault. If she hadn’t left or hadn’t come back, they’d all still be alive.

  “Mirra, you need to go back the way we came and cover our scent. When you get to the Finishing Camp, get rid of those bodies,” he said.

  “Mirra free Nirankan and others,” said Mirra.

  “Not yet.” Gaar’s voice was harsh, commanding.

  The Tracker looked at him and snarled. He stood straighter and bared his teeth. Mirra slowly lowered her lips, a low growl rumbling through her chest.

  “Soon.” His voice was softer now. “Little One and I need to lead the Guards in the other direction. Find us when you’re done and we’ll drop Little One off at the Finishing Camp. Then, we’ll free the Trackers. I promise.”

  Mirra hissed.

  “We have to keep Little One safe, right?” His black eyes gleamed. “If you bump into any Guards near the camp, kill them.”

  Mirra smiled, her teeth white in her bloody face, and darted off into the brush. Trinity followed Gaar in the opposite direction.

  “She’s getting harder to control,” she said. “Maybe, you should give her the serum.”

  “Can’t. She needs to be strong. This journey is not going to be easy.”

  All because of her. Sure, she’d helped them locate others of their kind, but other-than-that she’d been nothing but trouble. They now had a group of teenage Producers to lead through the forest and they were going to be hunted by the Almightys’ Guards, a lot of them. With five dead Producers, Benedictine, the Almighty who ran their camp, would send out all of his Guards. He wouldn’t let that much meat go to waste without someone paying for it. Her lip curled. That was all the Producers were to them, meat. The Almightys and the Guards were her enemies and she needed to remember that.