by L. S. O'Dea
“Get some sleep. Tomorrow is not going to be easy.” Dad lay back on the ground.
Hugh stared pensively into the crackling fire, the hoots and hollers of the Trackers fading in the night.
“Can you still hear them?” he asked after several moments.
“Yes,” she said. “You?”
“No. My hearing’s not as good as yours. My eyesight either. Or my strength, jumping, endurance…” He laughed, harshly. “Shall I go on expounding on the benefits of being an Almighty?”
“But you have all the power,” she said, confused at his mood.
“Somehow, that is true.” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.
She studied him covertly. She couldn’t help it; she was curious about this Almighty. He had risked his life to save hers and had been more than honorable in the rescue of all those surrounding them. He could have easily saved himself first.
“Did you know Viola?” he asked.
In all the excitement, she’d forgotten about Viola’s sacrifice. “A little. She seemed kind. She was beautiful.”
“Yes, she was.” He frowned. “And she died unnecessarily.
If Viola hadn’t taken her place it would have been her head lying on the cart.
“I’m sorry.” He turned to look at her. “In no way, did I mean that it should have been you. It shouldn’t have been anyone.” After a long pause, he continued, “It was my fault that she was there. I didn’t trust her. I thought she was working with her father.” The edges of his face hardened with anger. His visage was frightening in the glow from the firelight.
“Conguise deserves to die for what he did to his daughter,” she said.
“He didn’t know,” he said quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose and turning back toward the fire.
“How did he not know?”
“I saw him when the cloth was removed. He was as shocked as the rest of us. He probably ordered the Stocker to slaughter…her, not even taking the time to meet…well…you. Stockers can’t see or smell worth a damn.” He shook his head. “They’re even worse than Almightys.” He tossed a piece of wood into the fire. “I don’t understand why she didn’t say something.”
“Maybe, it happened too quickly.”
“I hope so.” He paused. “He ate her. He ate his own daughter.” He looked around the area. “They all did. All the Almightys ate her.”
She fought the urge to throw up. Her father ate meat sometimes. Had he eaten anyone that he’d known? Any of his children? “The secret of meat should be told. It shouldn’t be hidden. Let everyone know and make their choice.”
“I agree and I will make sure it happens.”
She believed him. Not because he was an Almighty, but because stubbornness was written into every line of his frame and face. Nothing would stop him from bringing this to light, not now. After a while she asked, “So, what happens next?”
“I have some battles to fight, but I think our tiny world is going to change drastically.” He told her about the last few days, including the test results and what else he expected to find when he was able to better study the DNA of the different classes.
“So, we are related.” She looked around. “All of us.”
“Yes,” he said. “You and I are a little closer than most.”
“Yes, Uncle.” She nudged his shoulder with hers. “I’ve never had an uncle before.” He was easy to talk to. She was happy to add him to her small family.
He smiled at her. He looked a little like Jethro when he smiled. No wonder Viola had been attracted to him. She glanced away.
Gaar was sitting by himself, studying the forest. She stood. Hugh grabbed her arm. She fought her instinct to slash at the restraint. He raised an eyebrow and she pointed to Gaar. He nodded and released her. She was going to have to straighten him out. Being her uncle didn’t give him the right to monitor her actions. She frowned at him and then walked over to Gaar, sitting down next to him.
“Little One,” he said, a small smile welcoming her.
“What do you hear?” she asked, since his senses were superior to hers.
“They are farther than before. Deeper into the forest. The other predators are scared.”
“Mirra is okay?”
He closed his eyes. “Yes. I cannot feel her as closely, but she is well.”
She laid her head on his shoulder. “She’ll come back to you. You’ve said it yourself. There is something that binds you, even stronger than a mating pair. She will mate and have little Mirras.”
He laughed out loud. “That is trouble waiting to happen.”
“Then you can find another Handler and make Mirra an auntie.” She poked him in the side.
He remained silent.
“You can find someone too, Gaar.” She looked up at him.
“Perhaps. I felt no connection to any of the other Handlers at the camp.”
“Give them time. They were born there. They don’t yet know who they are.”
He grunted.
“And even if you don’t, when Mirra births, you will be an uncle.” She smiled against his shoulder.
He laughed again, tension broken for the moment. “I’ll be Uncle Gaar-Mine.”
She giggled and they fell into a companionable silence. She stared at Hugh, her uncle, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he gazed at the fire, anger and determination hardening his features. He had many burdens for one so young. He couldn’t be more than thirty, and he’d lost his mother, his mate, his house and his Guard Buddy all because she’d escaped. Yet, he was preparing to battle society over everything that they believed, everything that the Almightys found sacred, to restore right to their world and to let everyone know that the ones they suppressed were not so distant cousins.
She looked over at Jethro as he slept. His dark hair lying against his slightly tanned features. Would he be angry with her again tomorrow, still blame her or would he blame himself? That would be harder for him to overcome. He had held her close, cherished her. What did that mean?
She sighed. Her father was right. A mating between classes was not easy and not fair to the offspring. Just look at her and her siblings. Things had worked out okay for her, but the others were all dead. Is that what she wanted?
Jethro’s eyes met hers through the darkness. He was awake. Could he see her? The fire lit the night, but he was an Almighty. She smiled shyly at him. He continued to stare in her direction, no change on his features. She glanced around to see if anyone was watching and then waved. He closed his eyes. He couldn’t see her. Had he been looking for her? Did it matter? Here, in the darkness in the wild, she was happy. She looked at Jackson sleeping near Kim. If she could, she would choose another road, but if not, she would dig up happiness wherever she could. She shut her eyes and drifted off to the soft snores of Gaar and the lone howls of a Tracker.
Thanks for reading Lake of Sins: Secrets In Blood. 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 – Hangman’s Army and an excerpt from Conguise 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 whe
n he was three for a special “List”
Almighty’s: The ruling class. They are between five and six feet tall. Generally, have dark hair and white skin.
Avions: Small, winged creatures about the size of a loaf of bread. They have feathers and beak but can speak. They are typically very gossipy.
Barney: An elderly, male House Servant. He works for Professor Conguise
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 lived and the Handler and Tracker camps. Wife Martha. He is the father to Jethro and Kim.
Birchwood: Birdie’s real name. See also Birdie.
Birdie: A male Avion with brownish-gray feathers. See also Birchwood.
Buddy: An elderly, male Guard. He belongs to Hugh Truent. He has salt and pepper hair, a beard and is about five foot tall. He was bred for protection, not speed and is solid muscle.
Casper: An elderly, male Guard. Belongs to Benedictine. Works with Jackson.
Carla: A female Guard. Belongs to Benedictine. Works with Jackson.
Christian: The name given to the River-Man by Trinity.
Chubs: A Guard. Belongs to Benedictine. Works at the Tracker camp.
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.
Emmanuel: A male Handler. Not wild born.
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 also 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.
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 also Gaar.
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 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. Sister is Kim. Befriends Trinity at the Lake of Sins.
Jorge: An elderly, male Guard. He belongs to Professor Conguise.
Kalper, Dr.: An Almighty. He is Sarah Truent’s doctor.
King, Dr.: An Almighty. He is Hugh Truent’s family doctor.
Kim Remore: An Almighty. Benedictine’s daughter and Jethro’s sister.
Laddie: An older, male Guard. Belongs to Professor Conguise. He is a large protection Guard.
Lead Producers: A title given to a small set of Proudcers. They are allowed to carry a club and they have interaction with Benedictine. They also guard the perimeter of the camp from dangers.
Little Sarah: A middle-aged, female Almighty. Daughter of Sarah Truent and sister to Hugh Truent.
Martha Remore: A middle-aged, female Almighty. Mother to Jethro and Kim. Wife of Benedictine.
Matilda: House Servant. Works for Conguise. Barney’s mate.
Millie: A Producer. Trinity’s mother. She is the assigned mate to Remy, but actually breeds with Tim.
Mirabelle: A teenage, female Producer. 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 also Tracker.
Nirankan: A male Tracker. Russet colored. Wild born.
Parker, Ms.: A middle aged, female Almighty. Nurse by profession. Works for Professor Conguise.
Parra: A male Tracker. He’s white and brown. Wild born.
Petarvarius: A male Handler. Wild born.
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.
Reese: A young, female Guard. She belongs to Hugh Truent. She has long, brown hair and is short and thin. She is a cross between a hunting Guard and something else.
Remy: A Producer. Millie’s sanctioned mate. He is gay and is currently Troy’s lover.
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 also: Christian.
Sarah Truent: An elderly, female Almighty. Mother to Hugh and Little Sarah and owner of Tim.
Scar: An older, female Guard. Belongs to Professor Conguise. She is a protection Guard.
Seepie: A Handler.
Sikka: A female Tracker. She is black and gray. She is wild born.
Stockers: Short and stout, long muscular arms, usually bald and they are mostly blind with a poor sense of smell, but their hearing is excellent. They are ill tempered and violent.
Sue: An older, female Guard. She belongs to Hugh Truent. She has long legs. She is a hunting Guard.
Tammie: A teenage, female Producer at the Finishing Camp.
Timothy (Tim): House Servant. Trinity’s father. Millie, a Producer is his mate. He belongs to Sarah, an Almighty.
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 also Mirra.
Travis: A male, teenage Producer. Trinity’s only friend in the camp.
Trinity: A Producer and a House Servant. Daughter of Millie and Tim.
Troy: A male Lead Producer. He is Remy’s lover.
Viola: a female Almighty. Daughter of Professor Peter Conguise and live-in girlfriend of Hugh Truent. She is a scientist and a lifelong friend to Kim Remore.
Wickerwood: A male Almighty. Scientist. One of the five who are aware of Gaar and Mirra’s existence.
Other Books By L. S. O’Dea
CHAPTER 1: Hugh
HUGH PULLED THE THREADBARE blanket tighter around his shoulders as he shuffled back and forth in the darkness of his cell. It was getting colder every night and that meant the day of his execution was drawing near. He slid down the concrete wall to the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees. He—High Hugh Truent, the prodigy, the rising star, the Almighty who was supposed to change the world—was a naïve, arrogant fool who’d accomplished nothing but destruction. His mother was dead. His Guards and House Servants were dead or on the run and Viola…
He closed his eyes and she was there, smiling up at him from his bed, and then her mouth opened on a silent scream as her head rolled to the floor. His eyes flew open and he stared into the darkness. Of all the crimes that’d been piled on his shoulders, her death was the one that kept him awake at night.
The lights flickered to life. It was morning. One day closer to his execution. In jail, time almost stood still. His four years here seemed like a lifetime, but the betrayal by his friend Jason, the Supreme Almighty, burned like it’d happened yesterday. He’d trusted Jason with his reports and they’d disappeared as if made from smoke. Conguise’s lab had been clean. The only evidence that had remained had convicted him. He’d
declared that the classes were genetically similar but without proof that was treason and treason was punishable by death.
Years ago, he’d come to terms with his fate even though it was based on lies. It was the truth that was hard to accept. He’d become the failure that his father had predicted. He’d never make Conguise pay for what the professor had done to Scar and the other Guards. He’d never bring to light the secret of meat and the genetic similarities between the classes. He’d never do anything except die a traitor’s death. His body left hanging in the Central Commons until it rotted and fell to the ground, serving as a reminder to all of what not to do and who not to become.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway and stopped in front of his cell. It was too early for breakfast. Solitude was bad, but this would be worse. It always was. He stood, his muscles aching from the cold, hard floor. A key scraped in the lock and the bean slot slid open but instead of food there was a clean uniform and shackles.
“Change your clothes,” said the Guard from outside the door.
“Why are they a different color?” He wasn’t due for new clothes yet and these were black not orange like he’d worn since he’d been incarcerated.
“Just do what you’re told,” said the Guard.
His hand trembled above the tray. In here, change was never good. “Why didn’t they give me these yesterday when I had my bath?”
“Do I have to come in there?” The Guard jangled the keys.
“No. No. I’m changing.” He didn’t want to make the Guard angry. Besides his bath, the only other place he was taken was to the basement. Some of the Guards liked to brighten their day by beating the prisoners. He smirked as he put on the clean uniform. He’d be in the best shape of his life for his execution. He exercised every day—the stronger he was the easier it was to withstand the beatings—and he hadn’t had a drink in over three years. He’d said he was going to quit, and he had. One goal accomplished. Hurray, for him.
“Don’t forget the restraints,” said the Guard.
