Betrayed: Days of the Rogue

(2013)



His mate killed in a horrific explosion, ex-Enforcer Damien Masterson now lives as a rogue werewolf. Grief-stricken and filled with rage, what depths will he sink to in his search for revenge? And who will be caught in the crossfire? Will it be Eve, a Fae just entering the Awakening stage? Or Rafe McRae, part empath and part wolf?

It’s been said that a rogue Enforcer is too dangerous to be allowed to roam.

A suspense-driven story of love, betrayal and revenge, Betrayed: Days of the Rogue is the sequel to Bonded.


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Excerpt:

It was near dawn when Damien finally dozed off. He’d been unable to settle, his leg ached, and the bottle of whiskey he’d bought a day ago had been the human variety, much too weak and emptied far too soon to have any great effect. It had forced him to spend much of the night reliving memories that were best forgotten.

The months after Beth died were mostly a blur. Days, then weeks, blended together in a haze of grief and pain that had been almost debilitating. Sometimes human, mostly wolf, he’d traversed the land existing without a purpose; physically alive but in all other respects dead. It hadn’t mattered if he had taken another breath or eaten another meal. There’d been no reason to live, no will to survive. At times he’d despaired, begging the fates to take him so he could be with his beloved mate.

But fate had never been that kind. It had kept him alive, placing a rabbit before him when he would have preferred to starve, having him stumble into a warm, dry den when he would have fallen asleep in a snow bank with the hope of never awakening. On the verge of total despair, fate had kicked him in the ass and forced him to carry on.

Now he was left with a numb bitterness. This was his life; his efforts to speed his exit from it were futile. For some reason he was doomed to continue to exist. At least he had a purpose now. Too bad it meant he brokered in death.

Damien leaned against the wall of the shower, his hands propped on cracked tiles as he let the water cascade over his body. The bathroom was dingy and mildewed, barely a step up from the ponds he splashed in when in his wolf form, but it didn’t really bother him. Where he slept or bathed hardly mattered anymore.

Shutting off the water, he dried off then pulled on a pair of jeans and a clean t-shirt, stuffing the dirty one his small backpack.

He picked up his wallet off the table and checked the contents. It contained the only item of importance in his life; Beth’s picture. It had taken him ages to find one since everything had been lost in the explosion. When he’d finally come across a copy of her high school yearbook in a library, he’d had her picture scanned and enlarged. Even though she’d been much younger when the photo was taken, she looked almost the same as the day he’d met her. Sweet and shy but with a streak of stubbornness evident in her determined chin.

Slowly, he stroked his finger over the curve of her cheek and whispered his message. “I’m sending you flowers for your birthday, today. White daisies. I know they’re your favourite.”

Closing his eyes, he thought of how she’d smile, her grey eyes lighting up with joy at the simple gesture, her fingers skimming over the delicate petals. Then she’d stand on her tiptoes and press a kiss to his mouth. He exhaled slowly and tried to imagine the gentle pressure, tried to bring to reality the warmth of her lips, her hands sliding up his chest, her flowery scent wrapping around him...

Of course, it didn’t work.

Beth was dead.

The flowers would be placed on her grave by some anonymous delivery man. And then they, too, would wither and die.


Author’s Note

Honestly, each book in this series seems to be increasingly difficult to write. Perhaps it’s because each story is becoming more complex with plots and subplots twisting together. Or maybe it is the returning characters all wanting their say. For whatever the reason, this story gave me more grief than all the others combined and underwent extensive revisions. Even when we thought the book was finished I added another chapter and could have continued revising but sometimes you just have to let go! The story is more than I ever expected it to be (it was supposed to be a novella) yet not quite all that I hoped (there are still parts I’m not completely pleased with). However, it’s time to send it on its way.

This story wouldn’t have been possible without the support my friends at TLS as well as Jan Gordon, who is my editor, friend, fellow author and main support in this crazy writing endeavour. I also want to thank my ARC readers (Shannon, Cheryl, Janet and Jennifer) for their honest feedback and for catching those final mistakes.

Betrayed is different than the previous Lycan stories. Jan says it’s darker and grittier than any of the others. I have to agree. In Bonded, you met the Purists and got a glimpse into the seamier side of the Lycan world. This story continues to explore the darker side of this universe and it isn’t always pretty. You’ll read about Damien and his reactions to Beth’s death and how the need for revenge…well…I won’t say any more but be prepared and don’t say I didn’t warn you!

What readers are saying...

Nicky Charles has done it again. You never quite know what twists and turns will come next in the book.

-- J.D.V. (Just Judy’s Jumbles)

Awesome, best yet! You won’t be able to put it down.

(T.M.)

I LOVED this book from the beginning to the end!

(G.B)