Innocence Lost (Broken Series #2)

By M. L. Stephens

Claire lived and died one hundred years ago, only she doesn't remember that life. She only remembers her current life and the love that she lost just days before.

As the evil from a forgotten past seeks to destroy her, she must struggle to remember the knowledge of her ancestors and fight to save the people she loves most...including herself. Can she discover the truth of her past in time and correct the mistakes she made, or will she succumb to the man that created her?

Two lives. Two pasts. One way out!

• Language: English
• Publisher: M. L. Stephens
• Release date: Mar 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301522774

M. L. Stephens

I have an unshakable fetish for a good mystery and anything paranormal, along with an insatiable appetite for coffee and travel. When I'm not reading the novels of so many great authors, I'm creating stories of my own. My family keeps me grounded, my pets keep me jumping, my friends keep me focused, and I do it all in Texas!

Book preview

Innocence Lost

Broken Series Book #2

By M. L. Stephens

Copyright 2012 by M.L. Stephens

Smashwords Edition

Dedication

To my readers who asked for more! This is for you!

Acknowledgements

If not for Kevin B's honesty, this story might not exist.

As always, to my family and friends for their unrelenting support!

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Epilogue

Connect with the author

Prologue

I'd grown accustomed to hospitals. Until recently, I'd been the patient. Now I was finding out that the chair next to a hospital bed could be just as agonizing as the bed itself.

Chad and Darius both tried to convince me to take time away, but I refused to leave Ella's side. Thanks to Chad's nurturing ways, I had plenty to eat, along with clean clothes and toiletries, making it possible for me to stay with her around the clock. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Darius was vigilant with the doctors and nurses, making sure Ella had everything he deemed necessary to keep her comfortable.

Ella's condition stabilized shortly after she arrived, but she hadn't been coherent enough to speak until now.

Get me a nurse! Ella groaned. Cantankerousness was a good sign of recovery as far as I was concerned.

Jumping up, Darius went in search of help. Ella's orneriness was back with a vengeance, and far be it from us to ignore a command.

I rushed to her side, ready to offer what little service I could to keep her comfortable. Unfortunately, fluffing her pillow or pouring glasses of water was the extent of what I was able to offer at that moment.

Stop it, child. I'm not a complete invalid yet. Just because I'm dying, doesn't mean I can't move.

I know you can move, but that doesn't mean I can't help, I said, fluffing the pillows behind her.

Leave me alone.

Grinning, I stepped back. Well that's fine with me, Ms. Smarty Pants. You can do it yourself, but if I were you, I'd milk the sick cow for all it's worth. You only get to die once, ya know? The least you could do is let me feel like I'm doing something nice before you go.

I might be dying, but dying isn't dead. So until then, I'll fluff my own damn pillows, she retorted. The hoot of her cynical rebuttal was music to my ears.

Darius walked in on the heels of Ella's nurse. Yes, Ms. Ella? The young male nurse asked.

Tell the doctor I'm quite ready to leave. I will not die in this godforsaken place. I can do that at home surrounded by my own things and in my own bed.

The nurse touched her arm and smiled. I'll let him know. In the meantime, is there anything I can get for you? Are you in pain?

I don’t have time for pain young man. In fact, I don't have time for much of anything, now do I? Tell the doctor I'm ready to leave. If he doesn't give me release papers to sign within the next two hours, I'll walk out of here on my own. I've got a multitude of things that require my attention, and I can't do them from here.

Yes ma'am, I'll let him know.

Kudos to the nurse, I thought. Given Ella's unwillingness to be a proper patient, he'd handled her better than I would have.

As soon as he left, I slumped into the chair and laughed. It was good to have my Ella back, even if it was for just a brief period of time.

What are you gawking at, child? Ella burned a hole through my head with her stare.

I'm laughing at you. Chad and I can handle the store, so if that's what you're worried about, don't.

I'm not worried about the store.

Coughs racked Ella's frail body. Once they passed, Chad picked up the water cup, held the straw in place, and lifted it to her lips. We waited, trying to hide our concern as she took several long draws from it. When Ella moved her head to the side to signal she was finished, Chad placed the cup back on the hospital tray.

Tell her, she said to Darius, still biting back coughs.

I glanced over at the man that had proven to be a dear friend to Ella during her hospital stay.

She has a beach house on the gulf coast. Ella wants to spend her last days there. She'd like for you and Chad to come with us so she can teach you about your past.

I didn't know you had a house on the beach! I exclaimed.

And why would you? Ella joked. If you'd have shown up years ago, I'd have had more time to tell you these things.

Well, I didn't show up years ago. I showed up now. No need to complain about what can't be changed. Proud of myself for coming up with that retort, I mentally patted myself on the back.

Now you're beginning to talk like a true— Another fit of coughs ravaged her before she could finish the sentence.

Like a true what, Ella? I asked when the coughs passed.

Waving me off in her familiar way, she feigned tiredness, and lay back on her pillows. You're beginning to talk like a smart woman instead of a wayward child, that's all.

Maybe you're rubbing off on me. I loved trying to make her tight lips curl into a smile.

It's about time. Go get your things packed. When the doctor releases me from this wretched institution of illness and disease, I'm taking you home.

You have family waiting for you there? She'd never mentioned a family, but nothing about this woman would surprise me, so I asked.

The only family I've got is in this room. It's just the two of us, child. We're all that's left of our family.

Chapter 1

When Darius told me about Ella's beach house on the Gulf Coast and asked Chad and I to spend Ella's last days with her there, I naturally envisioned taking Ella for long leisurely walks on a beautiful sandy beach, reading to her, and drinking coffee on the porch while admiring the sunset and absorbing any pearls of wisdom that she cared to share. What I didn't picture was cypress trees covered in Spanish moss, long obscure roads and driveways filled with treacherous potholes, an antique wood burning stove, or an expanse of woods just out the back door.

Ella's beach house turned out to be a cabin in the Louisiana bayou close to Lake Pontchartrain, and it wasn't really all that far from the outskirts of New Orleans where we'd just been.

The cabin was large enough to accommodate the four of us, but still small enough to be manageable. The original part of the house was crafted from logs and plaster. I imagined the logs had been harvested a hundred years ago from the surrounding woods. The long, covered cowboy porch was well worn from years of use and added to the overall curb appeal. Not that this piece of property had an actual curb, but still, it was nice. A bathroom had been added to the main part of the house, replacing the dilapidated outhouse that sat just a few hundred feet from the back door. Modern plumbing and electricity had also been added. Relieved that I wouldn't have to utilize the outhouse or swim in the dangerous waters of the bayou to bathe, I sent a brief prayer into the universe, thanking whoever was listening.

The outdated rustic furniture and large stone fireplace complimented the interior, making it cozy and comfortable; perfect for long winter nights. The living/dining/kitchen area was one large room, and the entire cabin sat on a concrete slab covered by beautiful old rugs. There wasn't a television, land line phone, or computer to be found in the place, which I found refreshing. Ella's cabin was truly an escape from the technological world and I loved it.

I've never seen anything like this before, Ella. I feel like I've stepped back in time, I commented joyfully, still marveling at the wood burning cook stove.

You have, my dear. This was my grandmother's home, then my mother's, then mine, and now yours. Darius carefully supported Ella as she lowered herself to the couch.

It's amazing. I just love these floors. Easy clean up! I wasn't lying when I said it was amazing. I couldn't actually see myself living here on a full time basis, but occasional camping trips in the future would not be out of the question. It was rustic, simplistic, and outdated—but cozy. That's the best to way to describe Ella's cabin.

Yeah, well, they were dirt floors until I had the concrete poured in. The place was falling apart by the time it was left to me, so I did what I could with what I had, which wasn't all that much.

Chad, who was making himself busy building a fire to ward off the chill of the winter air, chimed in, Give yourself credit, Ella. It's still standing and so are you. I love it! This is my idea of a sanctuary. No ghosts, no television, and no neighbors! It's perfect! I can't imagine what it must have been like growing up here!

Ella looked around, trying to see things through our eyes. It wasn't half bad I guess, but everything good comes with its fair share of bad.

Darius, who was standing behind the couch, gently patted Ella on the shoulder. That simple, loving gesture made me think of Mason. Before his death, he'd been one of the driving forces in my life that had been unbreakable, unwavering, and strong. Jade had been the other. Now that both of them were gone, I was a lost soul trying to find my way alone in the world. I reluctantly pushed the memories of Mason and Jade aside so I could focus on Ella and Darius.

Darius had been there for her, had been her rock, ready to help conquer the world until she'd pushed him away after their daughter had died. During the years without him, Ella had come to depend on the mind numbing effects of alcohol to mask the pain and sorrow of her loss. Now that she was dying, he was back to offer her the love and strength she had so readily tossed aside so many years ago. He was an incredible friend to her and I admired him deeply for his strong devotion. I found myself wondering if I was destined to grow old without love, or if I'd find someone who would care for and support me the way Darius did Ella. I caught myself staring longingly at the two of them, wishing I had someone to lean on during the hard times. I quickly turned away before embarrassing myself. My time here was about Ella, not me.

Across the room, Chad was staring at me the way I'd been staring at Ella. His eyes echoed the same tender sentiment that I felt. I couldn't help but wonder if he could read minds. Darius had remarked that he had special talents. I knew he could see ghosts and conscious energy, but no one had mentioned whether or not he had acquired any psychic abilities or telepathic skills. The thought of it gave me goose bumps. I was thinking that it might be best to keep away from him just in case he could read minds. The kiss we'd almost shared was still fresh in my mind and I wasn't ready to deal with that Pandora's Box just yet. I headed toward the door. I'm going to take a look around.

Wait! I'll go with you. Chad shuffled to the door, eager to escort me around.

It's getting dark, so don't wander too far. If you get lost in the bayou, it's likely they'll never find your body, Darius warned.

He's right about that, you know. Once the bayou decides it wants you, there's no way out. It'd be best to wait until daylight, Ella said.

Sounds like a reasonable argument. I don't think either of us is interested in being swallowed by swamp creatures, Chad retorted.

Wide eyed, I nodded in agreement.

Wise choice, Ella mumbled.

Darius is taking me to my room so I can lie down now, but you two go ahead and make yourselves at home, Ella directed. The drive had taken its toll on her feeble body. Darius walked around the couch to help her stand.

Chad and I offered to unload the SUV while Darius assisted Ella to her room.

I'm not sure how this is going to work, I announced as we hauled the luggage into the cabin.

What do you mean? Chad asked innocently, peering between the luggage and me.

Positioning the last two suitcases next to the door that was Darius and Ella's bedroom, I made my way back to the center of the dining area. An oversized wooden table with matching wood benches ran the length of it, reminding me of an old western I had seen as a child. It was easy to imagine a large family gathered around it for dinner as they talked about the day and enjoyed a blazing fire in the massive hearth.

You know exactly what I mean. There are only two bedrooms. I'm assuming Darius will bunk with Ella, but what about us? Surely she wasn't expecting us to sleep in the same bed?

The smirk on Chad's face indicated that he was amused by Ella's overt attempt at matchmaking. No need to panic. I'll take the couch. You can have the room.

Are you sure? I asked, grateful that he was being a gentleman and at the same time partially deflated that he hadn't insisted on sharing.

Picking up a sheet, blanket, and pillow that he'd brought along, Chad crossed the room and claimed his new sleeping quarters. "I wouldn't have it any other way. The worn out springs in this old couch have got to be better than someone snoring in your ear."

I don't snore!

Chad's laughter filled the cabin as he stretched a sheet over the couch. You do snore.

So do you. I accused petulantly.

I never claimed otherwise, he teased. I stared, silently daring him to look my way so he could see the daggers I was visually casting in his direction.

With hands on hips, he surveyed his handwork. Appearing pleased, he nodded in approval. I stood my ground, waiting for him to look up, but he continued to ignore me. Without warning, Chad eased his shirt over his head. If I'd been staring before, I was definitely ogling now.

I started to turn away, but the sight of hardened abs and a flat torso held my attention. It was an optical treat I wanted to savor. It'd been ages since I'd seen a live, flesh and blood man naked. What are you doing? The amber glow from the fireplace cast a warm light on his skin. The vision was ethereal.

I'm getting ready for bed, he smirked. His low rider jeans revealed the cut of muscle just above the pant line. My eyes soaked up the image of succulent male flesh. Frozen in place, I watched as his hands slowly unbuckled his belt and found the single button that held the fabric in place. His fingers tugged at the button, threatening to reveal what lie beneath, but he paused before offering more. You're welcome to join me.

My eyes darted away from the enticing image