Hunted Gods: The Hidden Deities Series

By Ana Robinson

Hunted Gods is a sizzling romance with a paranormal twist full of thrills and chills.

 

Charlie, a star athlete lives in the small town of Fairview with her addict of a mother in a mold infested trailer where she counts the days, she can leave her current reality behind. She's got a soccer guaranteed scholarship and she's on her way in staring her dream life because that's all the matters, right? Everything is going to plan until she runs into Thomas, a guy that looks to be from another era and yet he seems strangely familiar if she can remember from when or where.

 

A night of ghost hunting sounds like a fun way to kickstart a Halloween weekend but Charlie and her friends quickly find that a fun night can twist into nights of horror. With an invisible timer ticking, malevolent forces advance but what could they want? With their lives on-the-line, failure to solve the mystery in time may have fatal consequences. Can they unravel the mystery on time?

 

Hunted Gods is a twisting story telling roller coaster with a steamy paranormal romance, mystery filled with thrills and chills. If you enjoy the addictive paranormal romance in Twilight, or enjoy suspenseful mysteries depicted in Supernatural, with a mix of Clash of the Titans this might be your next page turning unpredictable read.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ana Robinson
• Release date: Oct 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781735509006

Ana Robinson

Ana Robinson was born in the sunshine state of Arizona but moved to Cornhusker nation otherwise known as Nebraska at age ten where she graduated then joined the military. She is married to her best friend which happens to be her husband. Together they reside in a state made for Lover’s or otherwise known as Virginia with their three children. She believes in the importance of being a constant learner, she’s earned her associate’s in General Studies and a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, were she enrolled in every creative writing course that was possible. She is currently working on living her author dream life as a retired combat veteran.

Book preview

EvEry Step You Take

Thomas

The warm rays and the sweet honeysuckle fragrance found in Thomas’s home state of Virginia welcome him like a warm fire on a winter’s night. He glides a hand outside the open window, careful not to travel too far out, but enough that his fingers fill, grasping for the pressure from the wind as he commands the BMW forward with a nudge on the accelerator. Suspicious Minds blares out of the pricey upgraded speakers he requires in any car he purchases. Home, he’s home again! A calmness surrounds him, welcoming Thomas to a place that holds both his greatest nightmares and best memories. Removing his cool hand from the freedom of wind, Thomas plows his fingers through his greasy chocolate tendrils, ensuring his James Dean look is still somewhat present. Smiling at his deceivingly eighteen-year-old reflection, he presses the phone symbol after the song is over to call his niece to confirm his arrival.

Hello? Rachel’s voice chirps just as the last of the lyrics from the King of Rock subside.

Hey, sweetie, Thomas’s heart strings tug with love and his voice softens sounding foreign to him.

Thomas, when will you be here? I’m excited to see you. Rachel’s giggle pulls at his heartstrings and true excitement drums within his slow-beating heart.

I’ll be there tomorrow, Thomas confirms, grinning to the point that his jaw muscles spasm with overuse.

I’m glad you’re coming, you shouldn’t be alone all the time. I know best. I’m older than you, Thomas. Her lecture is revolving, and yet due to many centuries of roaming away from home, Thomas just shrugs it off. Rachel has what is now considered Down syndrome. His niece is in her later thirties, almost forties. Back in another time, Rachel would have been sent into an institution, shunned, or possibly killed at birth. Thankfully, she was born in a modern, accepting century.

Hello, Thomas, are you listening? Rachel sounds irritated which is an oddity due to her warm caring nature.

Yes, ma’am, he states in his soldier manner that lightens the mood and causes her to giggle.

I’m about to stop for gas in Fairview and stay at the local hotel. Thomas waits for Rachel’s response, which is delayed.

Are you going to go see her? Rachel’s voice is quiet, and Thomas can’t pinpoint if she’s hopeful or simply curious.

See whom? Thomas stares nervously at the little phone icon with Rachel’s name for a moment. Please forget, please don’t ask, please don’t remember. Thomas holds his breath, as anxiety interlaces with excitement and fear.

You know who, the girl you saved ten years ago. Rachel’s voice is careful, calm, and sweet, as though she’s talking to a frightened animal.

I don’t know. Thomas glares at the icon and runs a nervous hand through his hair. It’s been so long, and he doubts she still lives in the trailer.

Thomas, you’re not a monster, you’re good. You saved her and then stayed away. Forget it. Just come stay in the local hotel here. The lightness from her tone gives away her knowledge that he would never stay in that bedbug-infested motel.

I’ll see you tomorrow, is all he can force himself to say.

A sign for Fairview comes then goes, just as the last ten years seeped past him like sand running through his fingers. Five minutes later, a welcome sign meets his eye. He should’ve stayed in Richmond, but a relenting curiosity wouldn’t let him stay away. Thomas promises himself he’ll only check to ensure she’s okay. Hell, she might not live there any longer.

The town is small, but is filled with the essential amenities, which include a Seven O’ Ten gas station.

Thomas tries to avoid looking across the street to where he broke a rule, a rule that has kept him alive: Don’t kill a human being unless absolutely necessary and if you do, don’t leave witnesses. He tries to quench his cravings with animals, raw meat, but at time the taste for humans hits him. It’s only for bad people like murders or rapist. However, that night he couldn’t stop it.

The entrance to the shabby trailer park taunts him, making him scowl then turn away from the sight as he stops in front of one of the fuel pumps. The window reflects a young teen with tan skin dressed in old greaser attire: jeans, white T-shirt, black leather jacket, and black work boots.

His dark, almost black hair shines with grease, combed up on the sides with curls brought forward. Thomas keeps it shorter now to blend with this time, but overall, it’s the same look that keeps the ladies’ attention and gets death glares from guys. This doesn’t bother Thomas. He’s never bothered with relationships due to his aging problem and that he’s stayed on a constant move.

Then somehow, he finds himself staring at that damned trailer park entrance, and only the sound of dripping catches his attention as gas begins to flow out of the gas pump onto the ground. Luckily, he catches it before there’s a fuel disaster.

Damn it all! He hurriedly cleans the small mess and grabs the receipt that slips from the pump. Thomas jumps in his car and then nothing. His body refuses to drive to the hotel. No, he just sits there staring at the entrance until a honking car pulls him out of his daze. Cursing, he pulls out of the way toward the small cemetery that lies next to the trailer park. What a perfect location for a trailer park.

Finding a spot in the empty parking lot, he slowly unfolds from the car. Staring at the darkening sky, he frowns.

He begins to walk, looking down at the gravel, feeling foolish for allowing himself to walk to the place or the girl who could incriminate him. Grumbling, Thomas has just turned onto the sidewalk in the direction of the trailer entrance when something slams into him.

Swearing, he surprisingly flies backward as gravel burns into his skin, making him hiss. Thomas stands on weak legs and lifts his throbbing palms to visually assess the damage. He stops when he hears her voice.

I’m sorry, I didn’t see you turn into me until it was too late. Are you okay? A beautiful, tanned, and sweaty blonde with smooth flawless skin stands in front of him, frowning at his clutched hands. Oh gosh, you’re bleeding. Come with me, she demands, and runs off toward the trailer park entrance.

Shock and a feeling of dread enters him as he follows the girl, who is around his human age. Her brilliant, sea-green eyes are what frighten him the most. His body moves, ignoring his demand to leave as he finds his footing and jogs behind her. Damn it! What am I doing? His body ignores him and follows her to the trailer where he last saw that young girl. Shit! It is her.

The girl turns to ensure he’s following her as she rummages through her IPog’s plastic case that has a hidden pouch that holds a shiny silver key, no doubt to the trailer.

Thomas assesses the girl’s old Metallica T-shirt, which she’s cut the sleeves off of and made into a tank with long revealing holes. His mouth slackens at the view of her sports bra underneath. A heat sneaks into his cheeks causing his face to glow red and burn with embarrassment, trying to divert his attention he stares at the ground. Then her tanned legs catch his attention, and he mentally curses, looking around the shitty trailer park instead.

Come in, the girl beckons, but then stops, searching his face curiously. She flinches as she notices the lodged flecks of gravel in his palms, which are already healing. Shit, he needs to get the gravel out before it heals inside his skin.

The trailer is surprisingly clean, and the scent of bleach and pine lingers.

Please sit. The girl points at one of the chairs and he sits.

She comes back with tweezers, a plate, and peroxide. Sorry about that. She smiles at him shyly and his heart jumps. Frowning, she looks at him. I’ve never seen you before. Are you new?

Yes, I’m staying at the hotel until I find a place, Thomas yammers, frowning in confusion.

What’s your name? The girl’s face looks serious as she grabs his hand and begins plucking out gravel.

Thomas flinches occasionally, cursing his lack of pain tolerance. He’s rarely hurt, not since he was younger. Now he avoids living, so pain and getting hurt rarely occur.

As the girl plucks out the rest of the gravel, she smiles. This might hurt a bit. Then she quickly pours the peroxide, which causes burning, then nothing but a raw ache that will be gone in an hour or less.

Thomas smiles. Thanks. What’s your name?

Charlie. The girl stands, plate in hand, and begins to clean up the small mess of blood with gloved hands. He wonders how he missed the gloved hands. Thomas officially knows this is the girl from ten years ago, but she’s not a child any longer. She’s a woman, and for once he’s happy that he might’ve given her a chance.

Thank you for patching me up. Thomas sounds nervous and notices a slight shake in his hands.

Charlie is gorgeous and he’s never reacted over a girl like this.

I’ll leave you alone now. Sorry I interrupted your jog. He starts visually assessing her clothes and sweaty face.

I just finished running. Charlie smiles. I was just running to the convenience store to buy cold water in a bottle. The water in here is drinkable, but I felt like having a bottled water for some reason. Frowning, Charlie crosses her arms then looks to him expectantly, and he realizes she’s waiting for him to leave.

Oh, ah, sorry. Thomas moves to the door then stops. Would you by chance like to hang out one day? Thomas can’t believe he just asked her that.

Charlie stops and eyes Thomas suspiciously, then responds with, I don’t date, sorry. By this time, Thomas finds himself outside the trailer and the door slams in his face.

At Last

Charlie

The room swims and seems to close in on her as a panic attack threatens to overtake every breath, each breath feels labored. A fight or flight triggers, urging Charlie to run as she finishes the dishes and cleans the counters. No one’s home as usual. Fuck it, she’s going for a quick run. Turning toward her clean, tiny room, Charlie dashes in dresses, grabs her iPog, then flies out of the trailer locking the door behind her. The distance around the cemetery is about two miles. The sun is at the perfect location and the weather is surprisingly nice, considering it’s the last day of October, Halloween is one of her all-time favorite holidays to celebrate.

The weather can vary at this time in Virginia. A slight bite in the wind makes the temperature of the run exactly right. Sweat pours down her face, and Charlie enjoys the heaviness of her legs as exhaustion settles. She looks at her watch. She’ll need to get ready for the ghost hunt that starts in a few hours, so she sprints the last half mile back to the trailer. A thirst slams into her as she unlocks the door. Moving to the refrigerator, she opens it in search of a water bottle. What? No water? Damn it! Slamming the refrigerator door shut with a frown, she remembers that two dollars still linger in her purse.

Smiling with bills in hand, Charlie starts jogging toward the crosswalk between the trailer park and the cemetery parking entrance. Her happiness is smashed as she runs into a large, hard object. Her daydreams fade and she’s back into the real world. Had she run into a wall somehow? Regaining her balance, Charlie looks up and finds a guy from another time. Seeing him makes her wish she lived in the ’50s or ’60s when hot greasers were around. Charlie takes in his greased, brown-black hair, but his eyes, dark chocolate and glittering, are what catch her attention. He apologizes to her, but she’s in shock as she notices that she knocked him down and his palms are bleeding due to her carelessness.

Before she can think of the danger, Charlie invites the hot guy to the trailer. When sense finally hits her, she decides he looks harmless enough. Nerves stoke her veins the entire time she cleans his palms. Charlie is used to guys, but this guy unnerves her with a look. Butterflies wriggle in her normally unaffected stomach, but outwardly Charlie manages to remain cool and collected.

Surprisingly, Charlie answers all the guy’s questions, but before he leaves, he asks her out. Charlie is so nervous; she tells him that she doesn’t date. It’s the truth, but that’s a rude way to end a friendly enough conversation. Then she slams the door in his face. The action has her blushing in embarrassment. Dating in this shitty small town is a waste of time. She has plans, goals to meet. Meeting him was just a fluke and a coincidence. Charlie wipes at her itchy skin due to the dried sweat and makes her way into the bathroom to take a quick shower, then she must finish the remaining chores.

Fully dressed in normal clothes, she’s wearing a pair of worn, black, perforated jeans, her White Zombie T-shirt, and black look-alike Converse sneakers. She daydreams of the near future. Her birthday is in a few weeks, she’ll be turning eighteen two days away from Thanksgiving, and she’s a freaking senior in high school! She sweeps the worn tiles in the trailer. Her next thoughts include college acceptance letters, planning her week in studies, and thoughts of soccer practice. Charlie sweeps a pile of dust into the dustpan and decides to mop again due to the tracked mud and dirt. After she dumps the dirt into the only small white trash can, she fills the bucket with water and adds the pine cleaner. She mops the kitchen then the bathroom but stops as an underlying smell of mildew meets her nostrils. Charlie swears mold is growing between the aluminum and cheap wooden boards. Charlie curses and then dumps the remaining cleaner down the toilet. The sound of ringing makes her jump as the silence of the trailer is disturbed. Charlie walks unenthusiastically to the home phone, picking up on the third ring.

Sara’s bubbly chirp brings a smile to her dreary mood. Hey Charlie, what’cha doing?

I’m cleaning this darn mold-infested trailer. Irritation makes her voice sound brisk and Charlie scowls at the walls, visualizing the mold.

Charlie, give yourself a break, you’re always busy cleaning or acting serious all the time. Act like a teenager, Sara scolds while still trying to keep the conversation light. Charlie smiles at the phone imaging Sara’s seriously frowning heart shaped glaring face. She’s known Sara since they were in the second grade. Sometimes Sara seemed older than her own years by watching out for Charlie when Charlie’s mother fell short. Charlie spent many nights at Sara’s house and considered Sara’s family her own.

Stop worrying, Sara. You understand I can take care of myself. I have for years now. Charlie laughs in a sardonic manner.

You shouldn’t have to, though, and you know you can always stay with us. You shouldn’t have to pick your mom from the bar nightly, Sara lectures Charlie.

Normally she would feel embarrassed, but it was Sara. Only Sara knew all of Charlie’s secrets, minus the one dealing with Tom, one of many of Keli’s boyfriends, but the only one who’d tried to, well to sexually hurt her. Charlie still remembers that night and the boy who stopped the prick’s ass. Thank goodness for that guy.

Something from that night nags at her, but she tucks the memory away like a book then slams the door and locks it for another time.

Thanks, Sara. Are you guys leaving for the cemetery soon? Charlie looks at the clock that now reads 8:00 p.m.

Yes, that’s why I’m calling. Do you want us to stop by and grab you?

Sara, I literally live next to the cemetery. Charlie points in the direction of the cemetery as though it’s visible to Sara.

I know, but what if someone tries to hurt you or grab you? Sara’s worries annoy Charlie.

Charlie rolls her eyes. No one is going to try to grab me. I’ll see you there in an hour.

Okay, well, please let me know if you change your mind. Sara sounds annoyed as well. Smiling, Charlie thanks Sara and hangs up.

Charlie realizes she hasn’t eaten anything, so she makes herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat. The wheat part is to acknowledge that she added a healthy option to all the sugar in the jelly but at least the peanut butter is a healthy fat. She loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Charlie finds her earbuds sitting on the old, peeling kitchen table. She places the buds in her ears, listening to her usual ’80s soundtrack. Annoyance simmers in her stomach. Everyone knows her mother as the town drunk. In fact, at this moment her mother is there in the bar drinking away her father’s compensation money instead of buying groceries or spending time with her only daughter!

Huffing, Charlie dives into her sandwich and tries to concentrate on the music. Then the boy pops up in her mind and she imagines dancing with him to the song Sweet Dreams in an ’80s fashion with her wearing some revealing garb and him looking hot in his normal attire. She pictures him chasing her, wanting her. Then she brings the daydream to a screeching stop, like a record being stopped midway. What the fuck? She tries to shake sense into herself, but heat from the daydream has her cheeks pink and adds a radiance to her golden features.

Others have it worse than she does, but Charlie can’t help the bitterness that strikes her every night alone in this trailer park. At least when she’s off to college on the soccer scholarship, she’ll have a roommate to keep her company. Charlie doesn’t need the soccer scholarship; in fact, she’s a straight A student. She could qualify for a scholarship due to her academics alone, but she loves the sport.

She waits for the clock to hit 8:40 before she stands, washes her plate, and then leaves for the cemetery, locking the door behind her.

The night is clear of clouds and the stars are visible. The coolness of the October air turns her cheeks pink. As Charlie reaches the cemetery parking lot, she notices Kohl’s jeep. A smile tugs on her face as she moves closer to her friends. This was going to be an epic night! The crew made a list of equipment they would need for the ghost hunting Hallows Eve event. Justin, a new kid from school, is setting up the cameras he borrowed from his own father who is a paranormal investigator. Sara and Kohl brought the camcorders. Juan brought a voice recorder, and so did she, due to her extremely broke status she couldn’t afford to bring anything more than that.

Her mother spent her money on drinking and drugs, so Charlie worked to keep the electric and water bills paid.

Charlie cooked, cleaned, and worked part-time. Lucky for her, part of her father’s pension paid for the taxes on the lot and federal tax. The trailer had been purchased with cash by her mother when they first moved to this town, before the alcohol abuse got bad.

Charlie shakes her head, trying to let go of all the mood-altering thoughts that threaten to hinder the fun. The chill in the air seems cooler here in the cemetery and she notices that an odd fog seems to drift around, although the walk over conveyed only clearness.

The air seems to thicken, and Charlie starts to feel odd. She feels as though she’s being watched.

Do you feel like someone’s watching us? Charlie conveys her concern in a question softly to Sara.

Sara nods then murmurs, Uh-huh.

The group splits in pairs and Charlie goes with another best friend, Juan. Juan’s dark Latin features don’t assist in the darkness, but luckily, he’s wearing a white T-shirt that stands out slightly in the dark. Juan carries one of the video cameras and she’s assigned the voice recorder.

How are you doing tonight, Charlie? Juan asks as they wait for the signal to begin recording.

I’m good. Charlie smiles at his T-shirt since she can’t see him, but just the outline of him. How’s your family doing? Charlie adds guiltily remembering the recent tragic loss of Juan’s younger sister. She keeps telling herself that she needs to go visit, but with college prepping, schoolwork, work, and keeping up with the house, she doesn’t have time to socialize with anyone except via an occasional phone call.

A sound of a twig breaking startles both Charlie and Juan as they search the darkness.

I have a bad feeling about this, Juan murmurs with only a hint of a Spanish accent. Charlie can see movement as Juan’s hand moves, and she guesses he’s crossing himself, for he’s a faithful Catholic. Charlie moves closer to Juan and places her arm around his. He smells like sandalwood and freshness, his go-to cologne.

Okay, we’re good to go on my end! Justin yells from near the Jeep.

Then Sara yells, Let’s start the footage! Move to your assigned areas and we’ll meet back in thirty minutes. Is everyone ready?

Yes, we’re ready! Juan yells, but Charlie can hear a slight tremor in his voice, as the uneasiness is obviously affecting him as well.

Juan, maybe we should go home, Charlie whispers, tightening her hold on him.

Juan laughs in a forced manner. We’ll be okay, Charlie. Come on, let’s start. He pulls his arm from her, leaving her cold and feeling spooked. Nodding, Charlie turns on her recorder and follows Juan’s white T-shirt. It’s stupid to feel spooked. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? Flinching, she silently chastises herself for saying stupid things like that.

Juan starts asking questions like, Is there anyone here? Then silence. Does anyone want to talk? The silence is overwhelming because