From The Ashes (After The Burn Series)

From the Ashes

After the Burn Series

B
y Shyla Colt

Published by
Hot Ink Press

An Imprint of

Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing

This Book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

©Text Copyright 2014 Shyla Colt

Cover By Riley Steel

Edited By
Elizabeth A. Lance

All rights reserved

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events, or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.

To my SPN fam. Family doesn’t always mean blood. Thank you for always sticking by me.

Chapter One

Devon Brown walked the perimeter of the dust laden gas station with broken windows and a sagging red awning. On the outskirts of town, the gray building we
nt unnoticed by most.
Traffic this far away from the revived area of the city where they lived and worked in, remained scarce. But she still took extreme caution making her way to the run down gas station that sat on the outskirts of the city limits.

Three months into this new place
, she fit in well. She didn’t want to upset the balance she’d found. Her eyes scanned the barren landscape. The chilly air carried the promise of winter. Frost formed in the mornings. It wouldn’t be long before they saw their first snow and this trek would become more difficult.

Her mind shifted to her new housemate, David. Due to his presence
, she hadn’t risked a full bath in a week. Hiding her secret got tricky with the young boy struck by hero worship dogging her every step. Privacy disappeared in this new society where the main goal was to live. Still, she enjoyed the jovial brunette. In his early twenties, he’d adjusted to life after the plague ten years prior, a lot easier than those who’d had a lifetime of normalcy. His optimistic countenance presented a pleasant change from the doom and gloom, survival of the fittest jungle the world had become.

As a
n only child, she’d lost her entire family when her folks fell victim to the mysterious strain of flu that crept into the population and never left. The souped up version of the Influenza took millions to their graves, and tossed the world into chaos. Raised on the good book, she’d thought it’d been the end of days.
If only I’d been so lucky.

Satisfied the integrity of the place held, she walked over to the bathroom door. The door creaked from disuse and she stepped inside, swiftly shutting the door behind her. A huge sigh of relief escaped her lungs, and she locked the door. For a short time, the burden of pretending to be something she wasn’t
, lifted off her drooping shoulders. The daughter of a Forest Ranger she knew how to survive. So, when women became the new currency she’d lopped off her shoulder length black locks, lowered her voice and peddled her skills as Devon Brown, the man.

She removed her book bag off her shoulders, placed it on the ground, and pulled out her necessary items, placing them on the counter she’d personally cleansed weeks ago. Prepped, she shrugged out of her flannel and stripped down to her underwear, bra and bindings. When her
Double D’s became a feature that could endanger her freedom she’d said goodbye to femininity. She unwrapped the ace bandage and sucked in a deep breath of freedom. The uncomfortable feeling of being held tight never fully dissipated. Clad in skivvies, she turned on the faucet full force and picked up a bar of homemade soap and washcloth.

 
She plunged her hand beneath the icy spray and built up a lather, flinching when she ran the soapy cloth over her torso. Her teeth chattered as she rinsed the material out and moved down her legs, saving her private area for last. Sure, a vagina didn’t shrink like a penis, but the chill damn near burned. She pushed down the tighty whiteys she’d pilfered from the store, and ran the soft cloth across her center. The door swung open in mid swipe with a loud bang. Blinding light flooded the dimly light room.

Her jaw dropped and her mind short circuited, refusing to process properly. Micah filled the door frame with his broad shoulders.
A villainous smirk spread across his thin lips. The lust visible in his dark blue eyes made her stomach lurch.

 
“I knew there was something off about you.”

She yanked up her underwear.
He gave her a slow once over. Her skin crawled. The man rubbed her the wrong way. Rough, crude, and manipulative, Micah screamed untrustworthy.

“What are you going to do?”
She covered her breasts and shifted her weight, taking an aggressive stance. If she had to go down, it’d be fighting.

“Honey you know what I’m going to do.” An evil sneer twisted his Cupid ’s bow lips into something evil. “But I’ll be kinder than most, and keep you for myself instead of sharing you around. Pussy is power, and yours is untapped.”

She balled her fists. “I have rights, and I’m an asset. Not like the others.”

He laughed. “Won’t matter, Now put your clothes on. Don’t want to get jumped for my new pieces of ass before I can take it out for a spin. We’re going to see the Harts.”

Her panic spiked. Cole and Cain ran the tiny town with an iron fist. After they accepted her into their fold, and placed her in charge of overseeing water purification, she did everything possible to gain their trust, and stay well under their radar. The chiseled faced, hard bodied brothers were straight shooters. They didn’t stand for deceit, cheating, or withholding. Ex bar owners with numerous run-ins with the law, the two possessed a dangerous edge that made her tread lightly. Her knees wobbled, and she leaned against the sink to stay upright. The cool porcelain grounded her. Brought her back to reality.

“I’d leave you to change, but I know how wily you are, and let’s face it. I’m enjoying the view. It’s been a long time since I saw a woman as good looking as you. No bruises, dead eyes, or sloppiness.” He licked his lips. “We’re going to have fun. I never had a chocolate cupcake before. Do you have a creamy center?” His boots thudded against the faded white tiles as he stalked over and paused a few inches away.

“You look so soft.” He trailed a finger down her face, and she jerked turning her face from his caress.

“Don’t touch me.” She barred her teeth.

“Time to get acclimated to it, sweetheart.”
He moved his hand to grip her breast, and she smacked it away.

“Nothing’s been decided, and I swear to you. If you try to claim me, it’ll be the last thing you do.”
 
I didn’t fight tooth and nail all this time to end up some sex toy to this sadistic fuck.

“It’s the new world order. Your opinions don’t matter for shit, sweetheart.”

“I live by my own set of rules.” She balled her hands into fists, drawing strength from her anger.

“Maybe when you were thought to be a man.”

“Always.” She narrowed her eyes.

“We’ll see.”

She huffed, and pulled on her clothing, head held high. After starring death in the face, she’d be damned if she fell to pieces over this spineless piece of maggot shit.

***

Footsteps paused outside the office door. Cole looked up at his brother, Cain and frowned. People knew not to bother them when they had the door closed, unless it was a real emergency. Inventory had become a monster in its own right. Without groceries stores and malls, shopping was a hell of a lot different. More hunting, gathering, and hand-making items, so they tried to keep on top of it

“What now?” Cole pushed the ledger
aside and scowled. Cain shrugged his massive shoulders and shook his head. Nothing shocked them anymore. The shit they’d lived through came straight out of a horror movie : bodies being burned in the streets in mass graves like they’d gone back to the dark ages, looting, riots, and savagery.

A heavy handed knock sounded
. Cain pushed his chair to the edge of the desk, turning sideways to face the door, with his back to the wall. Cole pulled his 45. out of the drawer, cocked it and aimed. One could never be too careful.

“Come in,
” Cole said.

The door opened
, and Cole frowned. Micah stood with his hand wrapped tight around Devon’s arm. The aggression didn’t sit well. He liked the wiry guy. Devon kept to himself, did the work expected, and more if need be. More importantly, he and Cain actually trusted him, a rarity for him and his brother.

“What the hell’s going on, Micah?”

Micah shoved Devon onto the ground. “Devon’s got something to tell you.”

Cole glanced at Cain. His brother’s jaw had turned to granite, and fire flickered in the depths of his amber eyes.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Cain’s voice held steel and grit. He liked Devon too. Maybe even felt a bit protective of the man.

“Tell them.” Micah shoved Devon forward, and he placed a hand on the ground to keep from face planting.

“What do you want me to say? You piece of shit.” The hatred in Devon’s words Stunned Cole.

Micah grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked. Buttons flew
, and Cole set his gun down and stood. “What the fuck are you doing! None of that shit in here.”

“And not to a man who’s not willing,” Cain said.

“Wait until you see this snake in the grass for what she is,” Micah said.

“The hell you say?” Cole drew his eyebrows together.

With the flannel hanging by a thread, the gap in the red and black cloth revealed a black bra filled to the brim with creamy caramel colored breasts. His jaw hung open, and he turned to Cain, who wore a similar expression.

“You’re a girl?” Cole said, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry…you can understand why I kept it from you.”

“Is your name even Devon?” Cain’s world were so bitter they could curdle milk.

“Yes.”
She
nodded, looking into their eyes. Regret and fear shone bright.

Normally he’d want to rip her head off, but this had been a lie to survive. Cole pursed his lips. If he did nothing he’d look weak, and he couldn’t have that.

“What are you going to do about this disrespect? She lies to your face, stays under your roof under false pretenses. She knew the rules when she joined.” The glee in Micha’s face as he spewed words like bullets he aimed to mow them down with.

“I’m assuming you have something in mind?” Cain said dryly.

“I want her. I need a woman
, and she’s too pure to be given to the masses. At least at first.”

“Kill me if you want, beat me up, toss me out of town. But don’t hand me over to him to be some sort of living blow up doll. I managed to keep this to myself al
l these years to avoid this. I understand doing what you have to. Please, one survivor to another grant me that.” She stared him in his eyes, a fearless being, wrapped in what appeared to be an impressive form.

Cole locked eyes with Cain. He could see the gears in his brother’s head turning.

“Shut up, bitch.” Micah shoved her, and Devon turned growling as she barred her teeth.

“I swear
I’ll kill you before you put your hands on me.”

The fierceness of this lioness made his dick hard and garnered his respect. She was
proficient at what she did, and he couldn’t stomach the thought of caging something so brave with a coward who had a pension for abuse. Every woman Micah took on had turned into a broken shell, hallowed out, dead-eyed, and useless.

“No
, we need to handle this ourselves,” Cain said, meeting his gaze.

Cole fought down a smile as his message came in loud and clear. He wanted to keep Devon.

“Yeah, this is an in house problem. While we appreciate your passion for her slight, she’s too valuable to make her start living on her back. But don’t worry.” Cole stood up and pried her shirt open, running his hand down the ample curves barely supported by her black bra. She gasped, and he smiled. The breathy sound did more than any of the fake purrs he got from the woman who made a living lying in bed, or the ones out to latch on to his power. He had nothing against women. Not the way some towns did. If they could make their way and be useful, he’d allow them to set the terms.

“She’ll suffer. Won’t she Cain?”

“Oh yes, she’ll know her place, and who she belongs to.”

Her chest heaved. If
he wasn’t mistaken, she liked it. He heard Cain stand behind him, and glanced over his shoulder. Cain walked toward them, eyes trained on Devon.

“We’d like to begin our questioning now, Micah. You’re dismissed.
” Cain waved toward the door, gaze locked on Devon’s. The intensity in the air filled the room with electricity.

“But I-
”

Cole frowned. “You questioning us
, Micah, have something to say? Want to try to make a play for power?” He’d been watching the shifty bastard for the past six months. Micah thought himself better than everyone.

“N-no.” Micah held up his hands. “All yours.” He backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“You really need to keep an eye on him,” Cain said.

“All ready on it little brother,
” Cole said. “Now, what are we going to do with you Ms. Devon Brown?”

“I can disappear. Starting over doesn’t bother me.”

Cain chuckled. “You’re mistaken. I think what he meant to say was, what should we do first?”

“You’re smart, strong, sexy as hell, and resourceful. The perfect woman
for us.”

“
F-For us?” Her lower lip trembled.

“Oh yes we have a very particular set of qualifications you’ll learn all about, Isn’t that right, Cain?”

“That’s right.” Cain ran a hand through her silky hair. “How could we have missed this.” He trailed his fingers down her face. “She’s so feminine.”