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  Sanctuary

  The Wanderers, Book One

  Becca Jameson

  Copyright © 2021 by Becca Jameson

  Cover Artist: OriginalSyn

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. And resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Newsletter

  About the Book

  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

  Author’s Note

  Also by Becca Jameson

  About the Author

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  About the Book

  The world is no longer a safe place, especially for women. For several decades, the birth rate of females has been declining. Militants, the government, and private citizens alike will do anything to find young women and force them into unthinkable arrangements.

  * * *

  The Wanderers are a secret underground society, born to provide sanctuary for anyone who believes in free will and democratic notions. They have grown in numbers for many years and have several compounds where their citizens live in safety.

  * * *

  After living off the grid for all of her twenty-one years, Layla’s life has been uprooted after the murder of her parents. On the run with her nineteen-year-old sister, she’s hungry, scared, and running out of time. At her lowest moment of despair, she finally finds someone who can take them to The Wanderers.

  * * *

  Layla knows how to take care of herself. She can fight. She can forage for food. She has bad-ass survival skills. But she has never been this close to anyone outside of her immediate family, especially men. So many men. She’s aware of society’s inclination towards living with multiple partners, but is she ready to enter into a polyamorous relationship herself?

  * * *

  Jay, Gatlin, Ledger, and Nile have been living as a family unit with The Wanderers for years. When Layla shows up, they practically trip over one another in an effort to woo her. She’s young and sweet and kind and all that is good in the world. Pressuring her to choose them is strictly forbidden of course. They must be patient.

  * * *

  When Layla goes missing, her men will do anything to find her before she falls into the wrong hands. Losing her is not an option. They just got her. But is she really theirs?

  Chapter 1

  “Hurry!” Layla yelled over the roaring sound of helicopter blades.

  “I’m trying. My legs are so tired.” Ariel sounded defeated. She was slowing down.

  Layla reached back to grab her sister by the hand and tugged hard, causing her to slam into Layla’s side. Layla grabbed her chin and forced her to meet her gaze, inches separating their faces. “Try harder. We can’t get caught. It’s not an option.”

  Tears formed in the corners of Ariel’s eyes, her lip quivering. “You go on. Leave me. I’ll be fine.” Her thin blond hair whipped around, obscuring her pinkened cheeks over and over, the strong wind caused by the descending helicopter.

  “No,” Layla shouted, shaking her head. “I’m not leaving you. Ever. I promised Mom and Dad I would keep you safe, and I will if I die trying.”

  “Safe?” Ariel sucking in a breath. “What does safe even look like anymore? I just want to sleep. I’m hungry and tired. Defeated. I don’t even care if they put me in one of those prison camps.” She started to pull her hand away.

  Layla gripped her tighter, shaking her head. “A prison camp would be a blessing, Ariel. If anyone catches us out here, they won’t be interested in sending you to a prison. Unless you’re in the mood to be raped, shared, impregnated against your will, forced into an arranged marriage, or more likely a combination of all of the above, we need to run. Now, let’s go.” She turned back around, gripping Ariel with all her might, praying no one in the helicopter had spotted them yet as she dragged her sister toward an overpass.

  Stumbling over crumbled concrete and rebar, praying neither of them fell and broke a bone or got stabbed by the jagged pieces of metal, she slid down a section of buckled road toward cover. Thank God for bridges. They had come in handy on more than one occasion in the last few weeks.

  Layla finally tugged Ariel the last few yards, dragging her under the cover of the overpass just as the lights from the helicopter swung past their location. The second she released Ariel’s hand, they both leaned forward, palms on their knees, gasping for oxygen.

  Ariel started coughing as she inhaled pollution and thick smoke. It took her several minutes to breathe easy.

  Layla leaned against the concrete at her back, praying no one from that helicopter jumped down to survey the area. It happened sometimes. If it happened this time, she and her sister would be toast. They didn’t have the energy left to run from militants or corrupt government soldiers.

  Just in case. To increase their chances of surviving another night on the run, Layla climbed up the gravel embankment under the bridge, shoved some brush out of the way, and ducked into a drainage pipe. “Ariel. Come.” She reached out a hand and motioned for her sister to follow. It wasn’t much, but one more level of cover. It would have to do until morning.

  Ariel took twice as long to reach her sister’s side, but she finally plopped down on her butt and leaned her head against Layla’s shoulder. “I can’t do this anymore.”

  Layla wrapped her arm around her sister’s shoulders and held her close. “I know. I know.”

  They sat in silence for a long time.

  Ariel fell asleep against Layla’s side.

  Layla continued to stare out into the night, trying to wrap her mind around the sights and sounds of the world. This was her new reality. She’d never been this close to a city. Hell, she’d never been more than a mile from the only place she’d ever lived—off the grid where no one should have been able to find her family.

  In the distance, she could hear the constant response of gunshots, engines, and helicopters. Occasionally someone screamed. It unnerved her and made her heart beat faster.

  What she could see from her vantage point inside the drainage pipe took her breath away. The city, framed by the overpass at the top and the cement pillars at the sides, sat in ruins.

  Fire. Smoke. Destruction. It looked like a war zone. In essence, it was. The end of the world in many ways. Gone.

  Destroyed by civil war and fear.

  Even though Layla had never seen this city or any other city in person until recently, she’d seen pictures. She knew what it should have looked like, what it did look like until the slow decline began twenty years ago.

  She also knew that while this particular city they were hovering on the outskirts of was in ruins, other cities were not. Some places were owned and operated by one of two factions of the government. Some were owned by the very wealthy, places that still had every modern convenience while the world around them collapsed in ruin. r />
  There were places where people went about their daily lives as if nothing was amiss. She wondered what those places looked like. What those people believed. She wondered if there was anyone in high places who still cared about the severe income inequality or democracy or free will.

  Fear crept into her system, as it did every night in the quiet moments before she fell asleep somewhere different every day. These were the only times she permitted herself to consider that her sister was possibly right. They couldn’t run forever. Eventually, they would be caught. And then life would really be over.

  She shuddered, squeezing her eyes closed, fighting the sob that strained toward the surface. She wouldn’t let herself cry. She didn’t want to wake Ariel. And she didn’t want her sister to see her weak.

  Her mother’s last words haunted her for the millionth time. “Hold your sister close, Layla. You only have each other. Don’t give up. Ever.”

  If she had known her entire life would be tossed upside down in an instant two weeks ago, she would’ve hugged her parents tighter, stared into their eyes longer, memorized their faces better. Mourned.

  Instead, she’d been torn from the only home she’d ever known, and she’d been on the run with Ariel ever since.

  Chapter 2

  Twenty-one years ago…

  * * *

  “She’s right, Abby. We have to go.”

  Abby ran a hand through her hair, pacing back and forth in their kitchen while her husband, Greg, leaned casually against the counter, ankles crossed, waiting patiently for Abby to catch up to his way of thinking.

  Their midwife, Julie Imes, sat at the table, back straight, elbows propped on the wooden surface. “I wish there was another way, Abby. I do. If there were, I wouldn’t suggest something this radical, but you’re one of my best friends, and I have a very bad feeling about what’s coming.”

  Abby stopped pacing, set her hands on her hips, and glanced back and forth between her husband and her friend. They were ganging up on her.

  Finally, she honed in on Greg. “We’re botanists. We have immeasurable knowledge between the two of us. PhDs. We finally have tenure at the university, and you want to throw it all away and go live off the grid?”

  The crazy part was Abby knew he was right. Julie was right too. They didn’t have another option. Abby ran a hand over her growing belly and sighed, her eyes closing.

  She rarely cried. She was a strong woman. But tears escaped. “We have friends… Family…”

  Greg shoved off the edge of the counter and came to her, his arms going around her. He cupped the back of her head and pulled her against his chest. “You and this baby are my life, Abby. You rank so much higher than any friend or family. If anything ever happened to you…”

  She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, honey. That’s why we need to do this.”

  She tipped her head back. “Just leave? Not tell anyone? Not even the department head?”

  “It’s the only way, Abby.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “If we tell anyone, their lives would be in danger. Everyone will understand.”

  She sucked back a sob. “Do you think they’ll figure out why we left and forgive us?”

  He nodded. “It doesn’t take a botanist or a rocket scientist. The world is growing more dangerous by the day. I’m nervous enough about you going to and from work. You’re young and obviously fertile. I don’t trust anyone.”

  “You’re always with me, Greg. No one is going to kidnap me and yank me out of your arms.”

  He lifted a brow.

  Julie pushed to standing. “He’s right, Abby. Someone might. I know it seems far-fetched, but it’s starting to happen. And now that we know the baby is a girl…”

  Greg cleared his throat. “I won’t risk your lives another day, Abby. We’ll leave tonight.”

  “Tonight?” She gasped. “Can’t we at least…” At least what? She had no idea how to finish that sentence. Her mind was racing. They were going to do this. Leave. Tonight. Without saying a word to anyone.

  “We can’t, Abby,” Greg whispered. “We can’t tell anyone. I hate that Julie knows.”

  Julie set her hand on Abby’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about me. Hell, it was mostly my idea.”

  Greg released Abby to grab Julie’s elbow and pull her in for a hug. “Our disappearance endangers you.”

  Julie shook her head. “I don’t have the foggiest clue where you’re going.” She held up her hand. “And don’t tell me. Not a word. All I know is that you own property somewhere. I don’t know what direction or even what state. Make sure you leave no trace of where you might be in this house and go.”

  Abby started crying as she grabbed Julie and held her tight. “How the hell am I supposed to give birth without you?”

  “Greg can do it. I’ve taught him everything he needs to know. You’ll be fine.” Abby wished she felt half as confident as Julie sounded. Julie gave one more squeeze and then backed up and collected her things. “I better go. Be safe.”

  Abby pursed her lips, fighting back the urge to cry harder as Julie rushed toward the front of the house and out the door.

  The sound of the door closing made Abby flinch. She met Greg’s gaze. “We’re really going to do this? Pack up our things and move to a cabin in the woods totally off the grid?”

  “Yep. If there were another way to ensure you and the baby could be safe, I would never suggest this, but it’s time.” He set his hands on her hips. “Maybe it won’t be forever. Maybe the world will straighten itself out and we’ll be able to return.”

  Maybe not…

  Chapter 3

  Present day…

  * * *

  “Hey.”

  The soft feminine voice made Layla jerk out of a deep sleep. She gasped as she met the gaze of a woman squatting so close to her that she could reach out and touch her.

  Ariel awoke seconds later, her arms wrapping around Layla’s body, holding her tight.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” the woman said. She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m not sure how long you’ve been huddled there, but the sun’s about to come up. Do you have someplace you can go? Are you headed somewhere?”

  Layla stared at the woman for a moment. She was only a few years older than Layla, but looked far more equipped for living on the run. She had long blond hair like Ariel pulled back in a French braid, and she was wearing a leather vest, jeans, and sturdy boots. “We’re fine, but thanks,” Layla told her. She needed to be careful. It was dangerous to trust anyone.

  Ariel gasped and turned her head to stare at Layla. “Who’s fine?” she asked sarcastically.

  “Shh,” Layla admonished, giving her sister a squeeze.

  The woman smiled. “I’m Maya. I can’t blame you for being skeptical. Hell, everyone is nervous these days. How could we not be?” Maya glanced around and then back at Layla and Ariel. “Listen, I’ve been following you for a few days. I know you’re on the run. I bet you’re running out of supplies and have no place to go. I can take you somewhere safe. I promise. I belong to a group. We live off the grid. We protect each other.”

  Layla licked her lips. She was unnerved by the thought that Maya had tracked them without her knowledge. She and Ariel had been on the move for two weeks. They hadn’t spoken to a soul in that time. They’d mostly moved in the night, dodging the search lights as they made their way West. She swallowed. “Why were you following us?”

  “Always have to be careful. I don’t trust anyone until I vet them. You could have been placed as bait to lure people in.”

  “Lure us in to what?” Ariel asked, her voice rising.

  “The list is long.” Maya glanced back and forth between them.

  Layla had no doubt they both had wide eyes. She hated feeling weak because in many ways she was not. But she and Ariel had very little useful street knowledge. “We’re looking for some people,” she told Maya, ke
eping it vague.

  Maya continued to smile warmly. “Maybe you’ve been looking for my people.” She lifted a brow, though it was hard to tell. Her eyebrows were as blond as her hair. With her brown leather and several weapons, she looked like a warrior, and Layla had no doubt she was. Can she be trusted though?

  Layla glanced at Ariel, wondering if she should take a risk here. The truth was, the two of them were running out of resources and time. They wouldn’t survive much longer on their own without help. She drew in a slow breath and glanced back at Maya. “Do you know a woman named Julie?”

  Maya’s smile grew. “I do. She’s a member of my group.”

  Layla narrowed her eyes. “You could just be saying that, of course. Besides, there are thousands of people named Julie.”

  Maya nodded. “This is true. Tell me something about Julie.”

  Layla shook her head. “You tell me something about her.” She was shaking with nerves, praying Maya could be their salvation.

  Maya cocked her head to one side, thinking. “She likes babies.”

  Ariel gasped and jerked in Layla’s arms. “It’s her,” she whispered.

  Layla stared at Maya, hardly willing to let herself believe this woman might be the answer to their prayers.

  “Your turn,” Maya said. “What do you know about Julie?”