Sanctuary: Delos Series, Book 9 Read online

  Sanctuary

  By Lindsay McKenna

  Praise for Lindsay McKenna

  “A treasure of a book . . . highly recommended reading that everyone will enjoy and learn from.”

  —Chief Michael Jaco, US Navy SEAL, retired, on Breaking Point

  “Readers will root for this complex heroine, scarred both inside and out, and hope she finds peace with her steadfast and loving hero. Rife with realistic conflict and spiced with danger, this is a worthy page-turner.”

  —BookPage.com on Taking Fire

  March 2015 Top Pick in Romance

  “. . . is fast-paced romantic suspense that renders a beautiful love story, start to finish. McKenna’s writing is flawless, and her story line fully absorbing. More, please.”

  —Annalisa Pesek, Library Journal on Taking Fire

  “Ms. McKenna masterfully blends the two different paces to convey a beautiful saga about love, trust, patience and having faith in each other.”

  —Fresh Fiction on Never Surrender

  “Genuine and moving, this romantic story set in the complex world of military ops grabs at the heart.”

  —RT Book Reviews on Risk Taker

  “McKenna does a beautiful job of illustrating difficult topics through the development of well-formed, sympathetic characters.”

  —Publisher’s Weekly (starred review) on Wolf Haven

  One of the Best Books of 2014, Publisher’s Weekly

  “McKenna delivers a story that is raw and heartfelt. The relationship between Kell and Leah is both passionate and tender. Kell is the hero every woman wants, and McKenna employs skill and empathy to craft a physically and emotionally abused character in Leah. Using tension and steady pacing, McKenna is adept at expressing growing, tender love in the midst of high stakes danger.”

  —RT Book Reviews on Taking Fire

  “Her military background lends authenticity to this outstanding tale, and readers will fall in love with the upstanding hero and his fierce determination to save the woman he loves.

  —Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Never Surrender

  One of the Best Books of 2014, Publisher’s Weekly

  “Readers will find this addition to the Shadow Warriors series full of intensity and action-packed romance. There is great chemistry between the characters and tremendous realism, making Breaking Point a great read.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “This sequel to Risk Taker is an action-packed, compelling story, and the sizzling chemistry between Ethan and Sarah makes this a good read.”

  —RT Book Reviews on Degree of Risk

  “McKenna elicits tears, laughter, fist-pumping triumph, and most all, a desire for the next tale in this powerful series.”

  —Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Running Fire

  “McKenna’s military experience shines through in this moving tale . . . McKenna (High Country Rebel) skillfully takes readers on an emotional journey into modern warfare and two people’s hearts.”

  —Publisher’s Weekly on Down Range

  “Lindsay McKenna has proven that she knows what she’s doing when it comes to these military action/romance books.”

  —Terry Lynn, Amazon on Zone of Fire.

  “At no time do you want to put your book down and come back to it later! Last Chance is a well written, fast paced, short (remember that) story that will please any military romance reader!”

  —LBDDiaries, Amazon on Last Chance.

  Available from

  Lindsay McKenna

  Blue Turtle Publishing

  DELOS

  Last Chance, prologue novella to Nowhere to Hide

  Nowhere to Hide, Book 1

  Tangled Pursuit, Book 2

  Forged in Fire, Book 3

  2016

  Broken Dreams, Book 4

  Blind Sided, BN2

  Secret Dream, B1B novella, epilogue to Nowhere to Hide

  Hold On, Book 5

  Hold Me, 5B1, sequel to Hold On

  Unbound Pursuit, 2B1 novella, epilogue to Tangled Pursuit

  Secrets, 2B2 novella, sequel to Unbound Pursuit, 2B1

  2017

  Snowflake’s Gift, Book 6

  Never Enough, 3B1, novella, sequel to Forged in Fire

  Dream of Me, 4B1, novella, sequel to Broken Dreams

  Trapped, Book 7

  Taking a Chance 7B1, novella, sequel to Trapped

  The Hidden Heart, 7B2, novella, sequel to Taking A Chance

  2018

  Boxcar Christmas, Book 8

  Sanctuary, Book 9

  Harlequin/HQN/Harlequin Romantic Suspense

  SHADOW WARRIORS

  Danger Close

  Down Range

  Risk Taker

  Degree of Risk

  Breaking Point

  Never Surrender

  Zone of Fire

  Taking Fire

  On Fire

  Running Fire

  THE WYOMING SERIES

  Shadows From The Past

  Deadly Identity

  Deadly Silence

  The Last Cowboy

  The Wrangler

  The Defender

  The Loner

  High Country Rebel

  Wolf Haven

  Night Hawk

  Out Rider

  WIND RIVER VALLEY SERIES, Kensington

  2016

  Wind River Wrangler

  Wind River Rancher

  2017

  Wind River Cowboy

  Christmas with my Cowboy

  Wrangler’s Challenge

  Sanctuary

  Copyright © 2018 by Nauman Living Trust

  ISBN: 978-1-929977-59-8

  Kindle Edition

  Excerpt from Dangerous

  Copyright © 2018 by Nauman Living Trust

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Blue Turtle Publishing, PO Box 2513, Cottonwood, AZ 86326 USA

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

  This edition published by arrangement with Blue Turtle Publishing

  www.lindsaymckenna.com

  Dedication

  To my wonderful readers who inspire me to continue telling wonderful, heart-warming stories for them. You rock!

  Dear Reader,

  One of the joys of owning my own publishing company and creating the Delos Series, allows me to roam free as a writer to tell my stories for you. I can remember when my editor at a traditional publisher would tell me that I should never set a book in Africa, that it would result in “lowered sales.”

  I would like to think that if the hero and heroine and their challenges are powerful and riveting, it doesn’t matter where a book is set. I love to write about areas that many of my readers would never travel to. For example, I’ve spent a lot of time in Peru, a very out-of-the-way country. And I’ve set many books from that area as a result.

  And sometimes, I want to write about places that are on my bucket list, like Africa. This continent is over flowing with potential stories. And to prove that point, I set Sanctuary, Book 8 of the Delos Series, in Khartoum, Sudan, Africa. I spent a year in research on this country, its history, its people, traditions, religions and customs. I had so much material that I deci
ded to write Book 9, Dangerous, at Port Sudan, on the Red Sea.

  The history of Sudan, of the Nile splitting and becoming the White and Blue Nile, is romantic, but also saw the rise and fall of Egypt and other ancient historical countries as well. My readers know well that I love to share tidbits of truth about a people, a country, in hopes that you will not only be entertained by a great love story with a happy ending, but that you’ll come away with actual knowledge of the people and land.

  Be prepared for a wild ride created out of the wonderful woven history and landscape of the Sudan. If Sanctuary leaves you with warm fuzzies, please think about writing a review on it for me. Reviews are VERY important and helpful in bringing new readers to my series. If you would love to review but never have, just get a hold of me at [email protected] and I’ll send you my little article on how to write a dynamite review! Thank you!

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Praise for Lindsay McKenna

  Available from Lindsay McKenna

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Dear Reader

  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

  Excerpt from Dangerous by Lindsay McKenna

  The Books of Delos

  Everything Delos!

  CHAPTER 1

  August

  Nolan Steele had a feeling his life was about to change and that made him damned uncomfortable. Being ex–Delta Force and thirty years old, doing mostly long-term undercover work in Africa, he’d learned a long time ago to listen to his gut. It had already saved his life more than once. He sat down in the mission planning room at Artemis in Alexandria, Virginia, the secret in-house security home for Delos Charities.

  He looked around the large room at the two flat-screen TVs on two cream-colored walls, an oval tiger-maple table with ten comfortable black leather chairs surrounding it. He was the first to arrive for the 0900 meeting with Wyatt Lockwood, head of missions for the security company. A male assistant brought Nolan a cup of black coffee and assured him that everyone would be there shortly.

  Nolan was eager to see Wyatt in person once again. He knew Wyatt from his Afghanistan days early in his career, and he knew Matt Culver, whose family owned the top-secret security company, even better. Matt, like Nolan, had been Delta Force, and there was always a tight bond between the brothers.

  Culver’s call to him from his home in Alexandria was intriguing. Nolan had had no idea this state-of-the-art security firm even existed because Matt had never talked about it. Obviously, it was off the radar, but since Nolan had top-secret clearance while in the Army, he was still surprised he didn’t know about Artemis. The Delos Charities’ security firm had gone dark in the secret world of shadow warriors. Nolan believed that was a wise choice nowadays since terrorists of every stripe were trying to locate such companies and destroy them.

  Artemis was well hidden within a nineteenth-century, three-story farmhouse just outside Alexandria. It was surrounded by a working hydroponics farm from what he could tell as he drove in this morning. Anyone passing along on the rural country road would never suspect it was one of the most electronically advanced security companies in the world.

  Matt Culver entered the room, a big, welcoming grin on his face and Nolan smiled in return. It was great to see his friend again.

  “Hey, Nolan, good to see you.” Matt came around the table.

  Standing, Nolan shook his hand and they slapped one another on the back. “Same here, brother.” He looked at the papers and files tucked beneath Matt’s left arm. “This looks pretty serious. Do you have a situation here?”

  “We do,” Matt said. He sat down next to Nolan, handing him a mission brief. “Wyatt, Cav, and my sister Alexa are coming in shortly to assist in the briefing.” He walked down to the end of the room and poured himself some coffee from a silver coffee station.

  “This is quite a place,” Nolan murmured, noticing the latest high-tech electronics.

  “We’re up to speed,” Matt told him, sitting down beside him, sipping his coffee. “We’re in the process of a massive expansion and assembling the right people for positions that need to be filled at Artemis. It’s an ongoing process. My big sister, Tal, is CEO and runs the place.” He grimaced. “I don’t envy her. It’s a tough job.”

  “What do you do, then?” Nolan asked. Matt was wearing a bright red T-shirt, jeans, and work boots. The last time Nolan had seen him, which was over two years ago, Matt had worn a beard, but now he was clean-shaven.

  “I run the KNR—kidnapping and ransom—division of the Safe House Foundation. It’s one of three branches that Delos created, and we maintain it around the world. My sister, Alexa, is the director of the Safe House branch. On certain types of mission planning, she’s our go-to person and is up-to-speed on everything.”

  “Which means there must be a situation or I wouldn’t be here, I assume?” Nolan asked, more curious than ever to learn why he’d been brought here.

  Matt gave him a sly look, his gold-brown eyes glinting. “Right on, pardner. How are you doing, by the way? I heard you just got off an Ethiopian operation for the NSC, National Security Agency.”

  “Yeah,” he said. Nolan couldn’t say much because in their business, everything was classified.

  “Successful?”

  “It was, ultimately.”

  That told Matt a lot. He nodded, and then saw his sister Alexa, looking winded, dash into the room. He smiled. His type-A fraternal twin sister wore her red hair up in a bright pink plastic clip, making her look more like a Virginia farm gal than a top security executive. Right now, the East Coast was in the midst of the dog days of summer to everyone’s continued discomfort.

  “Am I late?” she asked, breathless, placing her electronic tablet on the table opposite the two men.

  “Nope, you’re right on time,” Matt assured her, looking at the clock on the wall. “Meet Nolan Steele, Alexa. Nolan, this is my kid sister, Alexa.”

  Smiling warmly, Alexa reached across the table, shaking his hand after he stood up. “Oh, sit, Nolan. I love it when a man is a gentleman. But around here, it’s a lost art,” she chuckled.

  Releasing her hand, Nolan nodded. “Nice to meet you, and yeah, I’m like your brother here—a throwback to the Neanderthal age.” He liked her warmth and sincerity. Her hair made her look a little on the wild side, but hell, red-haired women were always only half-tamed, anyway. Nolan smiled to himself as he sat down.

  “I’m here,” Wyatt Lockwood greeted them in his deep Texas drawl, entering.

  “Me too,” Cav Jordan called, right on Wyatt’s heels. He turned and pressed a button to close and lock the secure door.

  Nolan watched Wyatt sit at the head of the planning table, with Cav on his left, Matt on his right, and Alexa across from him. Matt introduced Nolan to everyone in the room and handshakes were given.

  Wyatt stood at the end of the table, half of it comprised of a surface computer built into it. He tapped the touchscreen, turning it on, both wall screens lighting up with photos and intel. “Did Alexa give you the mission brief electronically, Nolan?”

  “Yes,” he said, opening up his tablet.

  “Okay,” Wyatt said. “The people we have assembled here are directly connected with Mission 025. Your mission, Nolan.” He tapped on a recording device. “And by the way, we record everything here.”

  Shrugging, Nolan said, “Fine by me,” and then gave Matt a
crooked grin. “I have nothing to hide.”

  That brought a collective round of laughter at the table, since they had all been in black ops and had secrets they’d take to their graves. Alexa wrinkled her nose and smiled, shaking her head.

  “Yeah,” Wyatt said. “You’re about as transparent as granite. We all know that.” He touched a key and gestured toward the wall screens. “Okay, I’m gonna roll with this mission. Keep your questions until I’m done. I want to give you an overview and then we’ll get down to specifics later.”

  Nodding, Nolan appreciated the Texan’s easygoing, yet organized, approach to presenting a mission briefing. “Go for it,” he said, pulling a stylus from his pocket. The mission would automatically be transferred to his tablet so he could follow along.

  “We just received a report from Kitra in Sudan. Kitra, which is Arabic for ‘abundance,’ is a Delos Safe House Foundation charity village. It sits about twenty miles southwest of Khartoum, in the desert of central Sudan.”

  Nolan studied the map of Sudan up on one of the screens; he was already very familiar with the area because he’d been part of an operation in Khartoum two years ago.

  “Ayman Taban, our security chief at Kitra, sent us a report that got our immediate attention last week. One of his staff, who protects Kitra from being robbed by hungry, unemployed Sudanese, spotted Enver Uzan in the slums of Khartoum five days ago.”

  Nolan saw a color photo of Uzan appear on the screen. The al-Qaeda operator was dressed in typical Pakistani battle garb, the AK-47 butt resting against his hip. The word “black” immediately sprang to mind, from his obsidian eyes to his black beard and the long, greasy hair draping his narrow shoulders. His expression was angry, his eyes glaring.

  “Uzan is an officer in the Pakistan Army, but in reality,” Wyatt said, “he works as a captain for the Pakistani billionaire, Zakir Sharan. He’s sent on a variety of missions to get Sharan’s dirty work done.”