Defender of Shadows

By Anna Volk

Marcus has spent years walking in shadows and then hiding in shadows. It almost destroyed him and sent him into exile. Now, in the final book of the Shadow Series, he must step up and defend those shadows. He must learn to trust and accept help in order to receive redemption. He also must protect the woman he loves who, seemingly against all odds, loves him despite the shadows that lurk within him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DCL Publications
• Release date: Feb 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9780998562490

Book preview

Defender of Shadows

Anna Volk

DCL Publications, LLC

www.thedarkcastlelords.com

© 2018 Anna Volk

All rights reserved

First Edition February 2018

DCL Publications

1033 Plymouth Dr.

Grafton, OH 44044

ISBN 978-0-9985624-9-0

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information and storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Cover design by Lynn Hubbard

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Chapter 1

After six long years at school she was finally going home with her degree in hand. Her cell phone rang the notes of Bad Boy by Tim McGraw. She knew it was Jimmy calling. Hey bro, so am I an Aunt? Jimmy had been devastated not to be able to make her graduation yet elated because his wife Savannah had gone into labor just hours before they were due to leave for the ceremony. That’s wonderful! A baby girl! I’m on my way. I can’t wait to see everyone! Don’t be upset. I’m so happy for you and Savannah. Their courtship had not been easy but they were so happy now and after five years of marriage they finally had a little one to share their love with. I should be there in about four hours. And I have awesome news…I was offered a job at the university. She lifted her shoulder to hold her phone in place as she pulled the lever to dim her lights as she met an oncoming car.

The deer came out of nowhere. She slammed on her breaks. Oh shit! The big buck hit the bumper of her little Geo Tracker and rolled up over the hood, busting out her windshield. Oh my god! she screamed as something sharp cut her cheek. She cranked the steering wheel, a reflex action and the tiny SUV careened down through the ditch. The car bounced and tilted. God, please help me! It was like everything was in slow motion; she saw the trees in front of her, the shadows dancing eerily around her little car. The SUV bucked as it tore over rocks, limbs scraped the side of the car. She held on fiercely to the steering wheel, but still her body rocked against the door and center console. There was a terrible crunch as the vehicle crashed into a massive tree. Someone was screaming, it had to be her, but all she saw was a bright light that seemed to be moving closer to her. She tried to turn her head but pain exploded and then she saw nothing.

* * * *

Come on, Carrie. Wake up. A warm hand pressed against her forehead. Why won’t she wake up?

Jimmy, sweetheart, she’s suffered a terrible trauma. The rest is good for her. It will allow her body to heal.

We should have been there, Savannah. He sat down by the hospital bed and picked up his sister’s hand. She lay as still as death. Her skin was so pale. A big bandage covered the left side of her face and her left leg was in a cast from thigh to ankle and hung in traction.

It wouldn’t have mattered if we had gone or not… she still would have driven home. Who knew that our daughter would arrive on the very day that Carrie graduated? Savannah herself had just gotten dismissed from the hospital. She refused to stay put when her family needed her. She stood at the back of his chair and wrapped her arms around Jimmy’s neck.

He grasped her hand and kissed her knuckles. I’m sorry, Darlin’, I didn’t mean it like that. I love you and Samantha and would not change her birth for the world. He looked over at the car seat where their new born daughter lay sleeping. I’m just so damn scared."

I know you are, sweetie, but she’s going to be fine

Thanks to whomever it was that stopped. He was able give me directions to exactly where the wreck was. The doctor told me that if he hadn’t wrapped her leg, she would have bled out. The man hadn’t given his name and the paramedics said that there was no one at the scene when they arrived.

I wonder why he left the scene? Surely he knew that we would want to thank him.

I don’t know, darlin’, Jimmy ran his hands through his hair. I can’t help but think his voice sounded familiar.

* * * *

Carrie could hear them talking. She tried to open her eyes but was not able to. She felt as if her arms and legs had weights lying across them.

She’s going to have a terrible scar on her face, even with the surgery. The doc said that there was no more they could do. The cut ran from her left eye down her cheek to her jaw line. And her leg…the doctor said that she would need extensive physical therapy but even then would walk with a limp for the rest of her life. She loved to run and now that option is gone.

Yes, sweetie, but she is alive.

No thanks to that damn cracker jack car she was driving! She’s going to be pissed when she finds out it's totaled but now I’ll make sure she gets something that will be built to protect her. The little tin can of a car had been bent right around her body. They had to use the Jaws of Life to remove her from the wreckage. It’s a miracle to me that someone was able to shimmy through the wreckage and wrap her leg.

Jimmy, the deer came through her windshield. A different vehicle probably wouldn’t have made a difference.

Carrie, can you hear me? Open your eyes; you’re scaring the holy hell out of me. He stared hard at her face, waiting impatiently for any sign that she was waking up.

Again Carrie tried to open her eyes, but she was so groggy. They must be giving her sedatives because her whole body felt heavy.

It’s been three days, she should be waking up.

She’s fine. They’ve done brain scans, cat scans and blood work. You name it, they’ve done it. Everything has come back normal.

The door to her hospital room opened and Dylan Rudolph walked in. Ah, Jimmy? This package just arrived for Carrie.

Jimmy stood up and eyed the package. What is it?

I’m not sure but it has holes poked in the sides. Dylan handed the box to Jimmy.

Jimmy took it. Who’s it from?

Dylan shrugged his shoulders. The nurse said someone just delivered it and the card just reads ‘Get Well Soon’.

That’s weird. He took out his pocket knife and carefully cut through the shipping tape. He heard shuffling in the box. What the hell? He opened the flap and inside was a little fur ball with legs.

Oh, what a cutie! Savannah gasped and picked the small puppy out of the box.

Look there’s a note. Dylan grabbed the folded paper and read the message. Congratulations Sprout. I’m proud of you.

Son of A Bitch! Jimmy looked at his wife. It’s from him isn’t it?

How did he know? Savannah asked.

It was him on the phone. I knew that voice sounded familiar!

Dylan looked back and forth between the couple What the hell are you two talking about? You know who stopped and helped Carrie?

Jimmy nodded. It was Marcus Cooper.

Savannah carried the little Shih Tzu puppy over to Carrie’s hospital bed. She placed it alongside of Carrie’s neck.

Savannah, what are you doing? Get rid of that thing before she wakes up! My sister is not keeping any gifts from that man.

Look, Jimmy. She backed away from the bed and looped her finger in Jimmy’s belt loop. She leaned her body into his and whispered. Look at her face.

The small brown and black puppy snuggled against Carrie’s uninjured cheek, its little pink tongue darted out to lick Carrie’s pale skin.

Jimmy watched as a small smile flitted across his baby sister’s face. Tears fell silently; the first signs of life had just appeared. His breath hitched as he tried to keep himself from bawling like a baby in relief.

Dylan stood at the foot of the bed. Jilly had told him about the whole dirty mess with Marcus. He was glad she was home with the baby but she’d be pissed that she had missed out on the surprise. Why is Marcus sending your little sister gifts? He better have answers when he repeated tonight’s happenings to his wife or there would be hell to pay and he did not want an angry she-wolf wife on his hands.

Jimmy shook his head. "Who knows but what I do know is that the