Divided Loyalties-epub Read Free

her no doubt.
    She pressed her head against the glass again and watched trees, the occasional car, and the asphalt race by. Well, she had asked for an out. She just hoped she live through it to finally have a normal life with Brenna and Bryce.
    Her eyes lids felt heavy, and finally she lost the fight to keep them open and submitted to sleep. She’d figure out her escape plan later.
    Christa opened her eyes just as the Range Rover pulled to a stop. Sitting up, she pulled on the door handle. Locked. Of course.
    Her captor opened his door then grabbed her hand to tug her across the seat. She yanked her hand from his. “I’m capable to getting out by myself.”
    His lips twitched before he turned from her to get out of the vehicle. However, he didn’t go far. He waited outside the SUV. She scowled at him as she slid across the backseat. She hopped out and sidestepped him when he reached out to her. To her relief, he let it go and didn’t touch her.
    That only made her suspicious of him. Was he experiencing remorse about holding her prisoner? She hoped he did.
    Jerk.
    “Where are we?” she asked as she scanned her surroundings. It appeared to be, or at least had been at one time, a town or small community hidden in the mountains. Debris littered the cobblestone streets and overgrown yards where most the houses sat, either burned to the ground or looked as though a very large truck had driven through them. “What happened here?”
    “Rogues.” The gruff reply was all she got before he gestured to her to start walking.
    “Rogues? As in shifters gone rogue?”
    He grunted then said, “You ask too many questions, human.”
    She whirled around, and her breath caught. He was beautiful, but she’d noticed that in the car. Well, beautiful for a man. Under the full moon’s light, she could make out his handsome features. High cheekbones, full, kissable lips. She wondered if he’d let her bite his lower lip…
    Whoa. She really needed to get a grip on her hormones. She turned away from him. Insanity sure settled in fast. Or was it the fact that she hadn’t had a lover in…how long? Oh hell, she was domed.
    He growled low as if knowing where her head was and, none too gently, grabbed her upper arm and pulled her to one of the few houses that looked livable. Once inside, darkness enveloped her, and she started to panic. It became hard to breathe, and her skin tightened. She hated the dark. It was the only time she was completely vulnerable. Things happened in the dark; people became monsters in the dark.
    The man pulled her to him, and she screamed and slapped at his chest.
    “Christa!” He gripped her face in his hands and held her steady. “Open your eyes.”
    They were open, weren’t they?
    “Come on.” His voice was softer, soothing.
    She calmed a bit, gripped his wrists where his hands still held her face, and opened her eyes. The room was filled in a soft glow of candlelight. She met his green gaze and lowered her shoulders.
    “Sorry. I haven’t had an attack in years.” Not since she started training for Shield—because she knew how to kill an attacker.
    Only now she felt weak for the first time since that horrid day that changed her life forever. Then her sister’s death had pushed her to stop the monsters once and for all.
    She stepped back, breaking all contact with the man to peer around the room. It had furniture, although it was dirty, mostly from sitting for so long unused. There were broken lamps on the floor and overturned tables. It looked as if there had been a fight or someone had robbed the place.
    From what little she could see outside, with the partially torn-down buildings, she’d say the small neighborhood had been attacked. By who she wasn’t sure. Shield hadn’t had OPs in the mountains until Vance came on board and started talking about Ashwood.
    Yet, this place looked as though it had been abandoned for some time.
    “There won’t be any running water or electricity until the