Immortalis: TERRAN EXODUS: EDEN V, #1

By Gayla Drummond

As the first human to be infected by a Lykanos in thousands of years, Tilly is an anomaly. Being cast out from the village of her birth makes her an Outsider. Learning to be a researcher is her refuge.

Until there's a murder at her old home. She accepts a place on the team investigating the crime armed with the knowledge that everything she was brought up to believe is a lie—but even that doesn't make her return any easier.

Faced with the past, she must come to terms with her future while helping to hunt the murderer before more die.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katarr Kanticles Press
• Release date: Oct 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536561975

Gayla Drummond

Author and rescue advocate. Metal Dog. Adopt, don't shop!

Book preview

Chapter One

Tilly. The sound of my name pulled me from the doze I’d fallen into. I blinked, lifted my head, and discovered Commander Lenox at the opposite side of the table. My guardian was a tall man, and he smiled down at me.

Yes, sir? Wisps of hair had escaped my braid. I sat up straight, while attempting to smooth the wisps back into order. It was odd for him to come to the university, so his presence indicated something important.

I have a case that requires a trip out of the city. I’d appreciate your assistance with it, if you feel able.

He wanted me to aid him? After all he’d done for me, there was only one appropriate response. "Of course, sir.’’

Don’t agree until you’ve heard the rest. It’s a murder case, and the victim was discovered near your former home. Lenox pulled out a chair and sat. I’ll be taking my full team.

Which meant Taren would be going. Oh.

You were born and raised there, and your expertise on the inhabitants and their culture may be useful. He tilted his head, the white hairs scattered through dark brown catching the light. Unless being there will be too painful?

For a year or two after the attack, I’d wanted nothing more than to return home. But the past couldn’t be changed, and I wasn’t who I’d been. I don’t know. I’m an Outsider now.

He nodded. And you’ve learned a lot since leaving there.

Oh, I had. The largest benefit from the attack had been realizing that I wasn’t expected to be just an industrious wife and mother—or either of those things at all. Not only had I been encouraged to pursue anything I wished, but learning itself was considered a worthwhile profession. Yes. It would be interesting to observe them, knowing what I do now.

What about being in close proximity to Taren?

Dr. Melchoir thinks we should begin interacting more often.

But what do you think?

I trust her judgment. And not my own. My mistakes in judgment had resulted in the attack, changing not only my life, but the lives of others. I was an anomaly: the first human in thousands of years to be bitten and infected by a Lykanos. The first Lykanos in that same amount of time who’d been changed, not born.

I’d ruined Taren’s life in the process, drawing him into a mate bonding as he’d helped me through the change fever.

The Lykanos had long evolved past infecting others to increase their numbers. Mate bonding was equally archaic. Then I’d happened, a sixteen-year-old girl rebelling against my people’s rules and sneaking out into the forest to meet my betrothed. Instead, I’d met a Lykanos who’d been ill and insane. He’d attacked me, and my betrothed had saved me. Ezekiel had saved me a second time, a few days later, by bringing Taren to the village to rescue me from the Elders. They’d decided that I was possessed when the fever began.

I shivered, rubbing my wrists as they began to hurt, which they always did when I remembered what the Elders had done to me.

Lenox didn’t remark on it. I know he’d enjoy an opportunity to spend time with you, and that he’ll respect your boundaries.

Lowering my head, I laid my hands in my lap. Yes, sir.

My guardian leaned forward, and I reluctantly met his eyes. You don’t have to go, Tilly. If you’re not ready, that’s understandable.

Dr. Melchoir had been suggesting it was time to move forward. It’s been four years, sir. I’ve wallowed enough.

You haven’t been wallowing. You needed time to come to terms with everything. And if you need more time, it’s yours.

Thank you, but I’m ready to try another step now. I hoped the doctor was right.

He studied me for a few seconds before nodding. ‘‘All right, we’re leaving in the morning. You’ll need to pack."

I nodded in agreement and began to gather my things.

***

We arrived at the airfield before sunrise. I felt out of place, though Agent Bath’s presence kept me from being the sole woman present. She wore pants, like the men, but I hadn’t overcome my upbringing enough to do the same. I liked her, and hoped to one day have the confidence she did.

Tilly, I’m glad you’re coming with us. I’m tired of being on my own with the boys.

I returned her smile, and felt a hastily quelled surge of excitement that wasn’t mine. Taren appeared in the hatchway of our transport ship, directly behind her. He stepped out and down, nodding politely while edging past us. I stood there, smile frozen, and fought the urge to run and hide.

Let’s go aboard. I like your dress. Is it new? Agent Bath moved, linking her arm through mine. She was human, one of two on the team, and wore her blonde hair in a tight braid. Pine green is a good color for you. Wouldn’t work on me.

It wouldn’t? My mouth was dry, making it difficult to respond. She led me onto the transport as I tried to find my calm.

No, I’m too pale for bold and dark colors. They wash me out. We were inside, and she gently squeezed my arm. All right now?

I’m sorry? Had my fear shown?

You seemed a bit shaky. Happens to me too, when I have to crawl out of bed this early. Coffee?

Relieved, I nodded. Yes, please.

Galley’s in back. You ever been on a ship? She winced. You have. That was incredibly dumb of me.

I don’t remember it, so this is the first time to me.

Right. I’ll show you around.

There wasn’t much to the ship. From nose to tail, there was the flight cabin, a seating area for passengers, the hatchway and a corridor leading back. To either side of the corridor was first the galley, with the facilities, or head as she explained they were called on ships, across from it. Past those were Medical and a lab. The corridor terminated at the cargo hold, which had an outer hatch that opened and lowered to become a ramp. A ladder to one side of the inner cargo door led down to the engine compartment.

The men were loading containers and luggage. Dr. Weston, a slightly built man with curly black hair, was the other human. The rest were Lykanos, and the full team numbered seven. Or eight, with my inclusion.

Agent Bath led the way back to the galley. We’ll be in the air twelve hours, chasing the sun. I hate changing time zones; always confuses me. I think that means we’ll arrive mid-morning there.

There aren’t any rooms. Where will we sleep? The village had a guest house, but I doubted the Elders would allow Outsiders to stay there.

We’ll set up camp using collapsible housing domes. You and I will share one. There’s a larger one that’ll serve for meals and meetings. She tapped a request for two coffees, and the auto chef began to hum. We’ll have a tiny village of our own while we’re there.

The auto chef chimed and its server door slid open, revealing two cups of lightly steaming coffee. Four years of living with advanced technology and this experience hadn’t yet become commonplace to me. My favorite piece of tech was my data tablet, safely stowed in the small messenger pack I carried. Everyone had a data tablet, because they were versatile, necessary devices.

Mine was a gift from Lenox, which he’d given to me before I’d been released from the hospital, and it had been the gateway to my new life.

I’ll warn you now, she said while handing me one of the cups. I’m the messy roommate.

That’s fine. Thank you. I’d never shared living space with someone messy. A place for everything, and everything in its place when not in use was what I’d been taught. Living with Lenox hadn’t changed that. Ex-military, he preferred an uncluttered, neat home.

Lift-off in ten, someone called out.

Drink up, Agent Bath said, and I obeyed.

Chapter Two

The passenger seating was arranged in two rows of six, each row against opposing walls. I sat between Lenox and Bath, attempting to concentrate on my current research assignment. I was a licensed research assistant with Eden V’s most prestigious university, Celthame. I loved my job, because all it required was a thirst for knowledge and the ability to write concise reports. It was amazing to earn my way by satisfying other people’s curiosity on varied subjects.

My clients were people too busy to do their own research. Or, in Lenox’s opinion, too lazy and undisciplined. I didn’t care either way, since it meant spending my time quietly learning all manner of things.

I was aware of Taren’s infrequent glances though he sat a few seats down on the other side. The mate bonding had forged an emotional connection between us. He’d proven better at muting it, but close proximity made that difficult.

He was tall like my guardian, broad-shouldered and trim-waisted. His eyes were gray green, and his hair golden blonde. I knew he was a kind, honorable man because he’d rescued me and devoted days to supporting and encouraging me through the change fever.

I owed him my life, and had repaid him by destroying his. Because of me, he’d lost the woman he loved. Mate bonding had locked him into a relationship with a terrified teenager who knew nothing about the world beyond her small village. A child ripped away from family and friends, suffering pure agony as her body was made over into something new.

Even now, his voice could pull forth my memories of that pain, causing involuntary shudders. Taren knew that, as he also saw Dr. Melchoir regularly, since he was the first Lykanos in so long to have been subjected to mate bonding. He hadn’t spoken within my hearing since my arrival at the airfield.

No one blamed me. That had been made clear multiple times. All of it was pure chance, from my attacker becoming infectious to the change fever instigating the mate bonding.

Yet it was my fault. None of it would’ve happened if I’d obeyed my people’s rules. I’d been a rebellious, selfish girl who’d delighted in her ability to lead a boy so far astray.

I never disobeyed now. If Taren were to stand and tell me to throw myself from the hatch, I would obey. He deserved to be rid of me, and death was the only way it would happen.

Tilly? Lenox touched my hand. I blinked, realizing that Taren and I were staring at each other, and everyone else was silently pretending not to notice. I blushed and looked down at my tablet, wondering how long we’d stared.

Taren left his seat and went to the head. Part of me longed to follow him, but I suppressed it. That part wasn’t Tilly, Lenox’s ward, or even Matilda Hewette, the girl I’d once been. No, that part was the beast, my Lykanos counterpart that I tried to keep firmly locked away because she frightened me.

I’m fine, sir.

Lenox patted my hand and stood. I’m ready for a bite. Do you want anything?

No, thank you. No one followed him to the galley, and I realized he’d likely speak to Taren when the other exited the head.

My suspicion proved correct, but one of them closed the galley door to prevent eavesdropping.

***

The rest of the flight passed without incident, and I was able to complete and send my final report before we landed. Garrick, the pilot, set the ship down at the east end of the village, on the commons. Lenox and Taren went to meet the two-man greeting committee that approached as we disembarked.

Everyone else began unloading and setting up camp. Feeling useless, I walked around the ship to survey the forest. The village, fields, and pastures had been carved out of the forest centuries before. While standing there, I wondered if I were the only person from the village who knew we weren’t on Terra, humanity’s ancient birthplace. That had been the first lie I’d learned about, but I’d discovered many others my people had been taught to believe and pass on, generation after generation.

The forest covered a third of Eden V’s largest continent, and had been the first settlement area of choice for the Flock—God’s Faithful Flock of True Believers, as my people called themselves. The rest of Eden V’s population called them isolationists, if they had reason to think of them at all.

I had loved the forest once, playing Hide and Seek there as a child. Later, it was where Ezekiel and I had met privately, after having been informed of our betrothal. So many happy memories, now irrevocably tainted by fear, pain, and blood. Scanning the tree line, I found the tree lightning had split. It marked the path to the Grandmother Tree, our secret meeting place and the scene of the attack.

For a moment, the