Eternal Refuge
Annabelle McInnes
www.escapepublishing.com.au
Eternal Refuge
Annabelle McInnes
They fight for their survival, they fight for their love, and they fight for the human race.
Euan left his home whole, only to return broken, battered, and partially blind. He has endured the torments inflicted upon him by monster and man, but they are nothing compared to the consequences of betraying Nick and Kira. Incapacitated, he has no choice but to concede leadership to the man he considered his enemy, and is powerless as the distance between him and those he loves deepens and grows.
But his recovery time is short lived. The commander of destruction still lurks in the shadows, determined to dominate and control what is left of the human race. The final battle is upon them. They need a champion, a hero for humanity. There is nowhere left to run, and there is only one person who can provide the ultimate catalyst for change: A little blonde sun-sprite, with crystal blue eyes.
About the author
From the age of sixteen, Annabelle lived in a youth refuge while she remained committed to her education. She spent two years within a section of humanity that society overlooks. Her experiences are the foundations that drive her stories and her characters. They fight for their freedoms, have courage in the face of adversity and will ultimately, always aspire for greatness. Annabelle is privileged to spend her time writing with a backdrop of Canberra’s iconic landmarks and admiring its distinct and captivating change of seasons. Outside of her love for reading, she spends every free moment with her husband, son and her poodle named Serendipity. She drinks her whisky neat and is known to scour the local markets in an attempt to find the best blue cheese available. Follow Annabelle on Instagram @annabellemcinnes, Facebook @authorannabellemcinnes and twitter @akmcinnes. Sign up to her newsletter at www.annabellemcinnes.com and be a part of the journey.
Acknowledgements
No book is without struggle. This one was particularly hard. I had to say goodbye to characters that have been with me for years, characters that I adore and that I have grown to love. But no tale is without end and no life is lived forever. So, thank you, Euan, Nick, and Kira. Your love was inspirational. You taught me about myself. Though you will no longer be with me, I will never forget you and the journey you took me on.
Thank you to Damian McInnes for your insights into survivalist skills and your patience with my constant questions. Thank you to my editor Kate Cuthbert and the team at Escape Publishing for their ongoing magnificent work. Thank you to author Renee Dahlia who has offered ongoing support for the Trilogy. Thank you to all my friends who have provided encouragement, sung my praises, bought books and told their friends. Your unwavering praise is always treasured.
To my husband. A constant source of inspiration. Songs are sung and stories are told about men like you. You are, and always will be, my hero.
Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgements
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
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
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Chapter 1
Euan
Humanity needed a hero. But they would find no saviour in Euan.
The steel was cold beneath his fingers. He squeezed the rung of the ladder and the chill bit into his palms. He tilted his neck to look up. The open portal above him was the gateway to paradise, to fresh air and open space. Kira’s head peeked over the lip of the gaping exit and the impossible living fairy consumed his diminished vision. Her blue eyes glinted with adoration and pride, and her lips quirked when he glared at her for too long.
‘Do you need help?’ she asked.
He huffed and shook his head. It was bitterness that clipped his words. ‘Been in bed for long enough, sweetheart. Done waiting, done healing. If I can piss on my own, I don’t need help to climb a ladder.’
He held in the smirk when she sighed in mock exasperation.
One foot. Two. He pulled himself onto the base of the ladder and hissed through his teeth at the pain. Each foot was bound beneath his socks, so there was little risk of further injury, but the skin remained tender, fragile. The discomfort sliced up from the healing skin, through his calves and into the base of his spine.
He paused, breathed. ‘You say a word, and I will tan that pretty ass.’
‘You’ll have to catch it first,’ she said with a smile in her voice.
He answered her taunt with a low chuckle. ‘You’d like it if I gave it a try.’
Kira’s tone was serious when she replied, ‘I would.’
Four steps and his hands followed. The ache in his shoulder increased as it took on more of his weight. He blinked, and only one eye responded. The bandages were tight around his head and his hearing was muffled. His feet stung as if the stones still tore at his skin, as if the flames still licked at his bones. Rodger and his parasites had taken so much from him. Stripped him of not just the flesh from his body, but also his agility, his dexterity.
‘About to leave this fucking bunker and I can’t hear, can’t see, can’t fucking run—’
‘You’re almost there,’ she interjected to distract him.
It worked, as it always did. She was a witch that wove a spell of enchantment, a netting that drew him to her call. It had been her words that had brought him from the temptation of death to the disaster that was his corporal self. But if she was in the realm of the living, Euan would be too.
He moved to place his palm against another cold rung. Kira’s assessment from above was like a balm to his flaming skin. She filtered the shroud of despondency that clouded his thoughts. Under
