Skin Game Read online

  A PERMUTED PRESS BOOK

  Published at Smashwords

  ISBN: 978-1-68261-270-5

  ISBN (eBook): 978-1-68261-271-2

  Skin Game

  Skin Trade Book 3

  © 2016 by Tonia Brown All Rights Reserved

  Cover art by Jack Kaiser

  This book is a work of fiction. People, places, events, and situations are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or historical events, is purely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publisher.

  Permuted Press, LLC

  109 International Drive, Suite 300

  Franklin, TN 37067

  Published in the United States of America

  This last one is also for Edwin.

  You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Part One: Phoenix Rising

  Part Two: Our Darkest Hour

  Part Three: Gathering Storm

  Part Four: Altogether Now

  Part Five: Looking Back

  Prologue

  From the journal of Dillon Thomas, March 24th, 1885

  I am not a monster.

  It was never my intention to harm anyone. Not outright, at least. Regardless of what others think, I’ve always considered myself a good man. Misunderstood, perhaps, but a good man at heart. There might have been a certain number of, oh let us say, collateral damages. Yet I did right by my own, in spite of what my foul upbringing taught me. Sacrifices had to be made. People had to die. I am not indifferent to the loss or hurt these deaths caused. Sweeping change requires cost. Sometimes in action. Sometimes in blood. I shall forever consider myself indebted to those who paid that cost.

  If I became a monster while traveling that long and convoluted path to change, then I became the monster that Theophilus Jackson made me. It is important that everyone understands who is at fault here. Where the blame falls. On him, and him alone. Not me. Him.

  Of course, no one will see it that right away. No one understands my plan. If the historians had their way, they probably would log me as just another petty tyrant. Another crazed lunatic dictator, power hungry and blinded by ambition. Yet I was never blinded. Never touched. I’ve always been of sound mind and clear vision. And historians will never get the chance to call me anything but Master.

  Just how Theophilus Jackson calls me Master.

  They will all call me Master before this is done.

  Part One

  Phoenix Rising

  Sam

  The building burned around me, yet the heat of licking flames was nothing compared to the ache in my heart. Watching those men lead Mr. Theo out of that awful place lodged an invisible blade in my chest. The horror of it. The terror in his frosted eyes. The screams of pain when he found poor, slaughtered Buck. I never thought I would see my mentor brought so low. So broken. It was no small wonder he sacrificed himself for me, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Even if this fiery fate was not the one he bargained for, burning alive was far preferable to the alternative.

  Mr. Theo may have accidentally condemned me to death, yet I did not fault him.

  My mentor would never abandon me. He would never leave me behind of his own accord. I knew this fact as well as I knew my own name. Mr. Theo didn’t need me, not really. I wasn’t that mistaken about our relationship. Yet he did seem to want my company. I knew I reminded him of his daughter, though I thought perhaps it was something more. I thought that Mr. Theo just plain old liked me. Liked my company. Liked the burden I had become.

  I may have been a young slip of a girl, but I wasn’t stupid. I knew the trouble I caused by saddling him with my presence. To be fair, it wasn’t my fault that my body betrayed me at such a crucial juncture of our journey. It wasn’t my fault that years of abuse and mishandling had left me ruined of womanhood. Or that my guts seemed to choose such a lousy time to revolt as well. Fate, with that hand so often cruel and indifferent, drove us from our border bound flight, straight into the bosom of Convergence. Where she eventually delivered us all into the arms of our mutual enemy, Dillon Thomas.

  This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Though I learned long ago not to be surprised by such developments. Still, I couldn’t help but morn how easy it should’ve been.

  When Mr. Theo left for the north, to take care of that monstrous mystery, I busied myself with getting well. I needed to be strong for his return. I needed to heal if we were going to make the remainder of our journey east, back to the border, and back to civilization. There, we would find Jacob Bowing, and all would be put right. I was confident that this man would discover and make sense of Mortimer’s notes, then create the cure the nation so sorely needed.

  Nay, a cure the world so sorely needed.

  The week went slow, as moments of anticipation often did. I spent most of it in conversation with Miss Gill. She was a wonderful nurse. Attentive and kind, she was the type of woman I wished I could become. If my life had been different, if my path hadn’t lead me to Mr. Theo, then perhaps I could’ve become just such a woman. Strong and full of faith. I truly admired her. That was, until the doctor straightened me out on this matter.

  The afternoon before Mr. Theo’s return, Doc Bowden came at his usual early hour to check on me. I knew something was wrong almost the moment he stepped into my room. Normally, the man was jovial to the point of sickening sweetness. From his interactions with his nurse, I could tell he had quite the cantankerous side, yet he never directed it toward me. The doc always managed to greet me with a smile and joke. I appreciated his good humor, considering I missed my mentor deeply. It also felt like my insides were trying to slide through my slow-healing incision. Though, to be fair, the medicine he gave me helped a slight bit more than his kind bedside manner.

  When he entered my room, he kept his face low and hidden. I took little notice of this at first and began immediately questioning him about the day’s activities.

  “Good morning, Doc,” I said. “What do we have planned for this morning? A walk around the courtyard perhaps? A turn in the garden? Maybe a game of croquette with the maids?” I giggled.

  He did not. I saw then that his usual grin was forced. As if he had stubbed his toe and was trying his best to pretend he meant to do so.

  “What’s wrong, Doctor—” I started.

  “Hush, child,” he said over me. “You’ll speak when spoken too. Got it?”

  In all the time I had spent at Convergence, never had he raised a word at me, or cut me short, or ever treated me rude. Yet here he was scolding me as if I were some errant child. His eyes, though, told a different story. He all but begged my assistance with those old, gray eyes. Begged my silence. My obedience. The incongruity was not lost on me. I nodded and held my tongue, awaiting further instructions.

  He made his way to my bedside, his stump clacking with a serious tone against the wooden floorboards. His eyes never strayed from mine. Bowden lowered himself onto the bed and began his usual inspection of my wellbeing. It was then I caught movement at the door. Gill stood in the sliver of space, watching us with interest.

  “I can handle this, Gill,” Bowden said in a raised, gruff voice. “Don’t need you to stand over me while I work.” Keeping his pitiful eyes locked onto mine, he continued to poke and prod at my body. “Go on. Git.”

  “Grumpy old goat,” Gill said with a chuckle, then shut the door. Her footsteps, hesitant at first, finally faded down the length of the hallway.

&
nbsp; Once she was gone, Bowden let out a deep breath I hadn’t even realized he had been holding. I took his wrinkled hand into mine as his rheumy eyes welled with tears, unsure what grief could befall such a hardened old man that he would weep at any bedside, much less mine.

  “Doc?” I said.

  “I don’t have much time,” he said, “so listen carefully and do not make a sound, no matter what I say. Do you understand?”

  I nodded.

  He stared harder at me, as if his eyes could communicate everything lying on his troubled mind. “No matter what I say, you will not make a peep. Do you get me, girly?”

  I nodded again, wise enough not to open my mouth in response.

  He continued his terror filled stare a few quiet moments. “I have dreadful news. I wished I didn’t have to share it with you. I wished things could be different.” He reached up and rand a hand across my hair, then cupped my cheek.

  I furrowed my brow, more confused than ever. Then he said five words that nearly brought a scream to my lips.

  “Dillon is coming for you.”

  I recoiled in horror, whimpering a bit, my nostrils flaring and my eyes widening in utter panic.

  “Hush,” he warned. “Hush now. If she hears you cry out, it will be the end.”

  Cocking my head, I questioned him with my eyes.

  “I know,” he said. “You thought him dead. I hoped such was true, but alas, the devil makes fools of us all while we dance to his damned tune. It seems he survived your little raid on his town, and now he wants his revenge.”

  “How—” was all I could get out before Bowden scooped his big hand over my face. To my dismay, his hand trembled. By God in Heaven, his hand quivered and quaked with fear.

  “Listen to me,” he said. “David, that little snot nosed brat, came crawling back on his knees. I foolishly allowed him inside the gate. I thought…” Bowden looked every one of his years as he sighed heavily. “I thought he learned his lesson. I thought he was reticent. He was not. Quite the opposite, in fact.”

  Bowden paused again, nearly shuddering as he released my mouth and gathered his thoughts.

  “He is working with Dillon?” I said in a soft whisper.

  The doc nodded. “Him and…him and Gill.”

  I gasped, uncontrollably. Bowden hushed me before I could add further comments. Not Miss Gill. She was so kind. So gentle. I had spent the last week making fast friends with her, and formed the kind of bond I had only dreamed of while in the bordello back east. I actually looked up to her. I wanted to be her. Now, I wanted to vomit.

  “I overheard the talking in the stables about an hour ago,” he said. His eyes turned away again, unable to face me, or anyone, with such a painful truth. “I’ve never felt so betrayed. I took her in. I gave her a safe home. Both of them.” Bowden cleared his throat as he visibly choked down his sorrow. “Nothing can be done about that now. Dillon is on his way. He is due to arrive this very afternoon.”

  Tear rose to my eyes as I stared at him. This was it, then. After everything we I had been through, for it to end so abruptly seemed cruel. No! It couldn’t end like this. Not when so much counted on us reaching the border and finding Mortimer’s contact.

  “I have to get out of here,” I whispered.

  Bowden didn’t seem to hear me. “I truly regret not sending you north with your boss man. He never should’ve come back to this.”

  “Dillon will wait for Mr. Theo to return. Won’t he?”

  “He will. And he will definitely kill Theo. No doubt about that.”

  The words gutted me. The terrible idea that Dillon would reclaim me was horrible enough. Combine this with the certain death of my mentor and the end of our important mission, and I nearly wailed aloud in grief. I repressed this urge, instead uttering, “Then all is lost.”

  “All is not lost,” Bowden said in a sharp whisper. “You are a strong young woman. You can survive this. I know it seems a fate worse than death, but from what I have seen, you have been through far worse, girly. Don’t go soft now. Don’t let Dillon break you.”

  I looked up to Bowden, grateful for his confidence, yet sick from the weight of my desperate secret. “You don’t understand. If we can’t get back east, the world will never recover. Of course, that’s Dillon’s plan, isn’t it? If he can’t have it, no one can.”

  Bowden narrowed his gray eyes at me. “Have what?”

  I was shocked. “Mr. Theo didn’t tell you?”

  “About what?”

  “There’s a cure.”

  The doctor blinked in disbelief for a moment. “Excuse me?”

  “I know it is hard to believe, but there is a cure. That’s why we need to get back to the border. I have a name of someone back east that can help create it. But without our prompting, he will never know it even exists.”

  Bowden let out a huff of breath and just stared at me, saying nothing.

  “You have to believe me,” I said.

  “I have no reason not to,” Bowden said. “Theo hinted at just such a thing, but I thought surely he was touched. Been on the road far too long. No wonder he was so hot to get back east. That man never relishes a trip to the border, much less crossing it.” For the first time since he entered the room, he smiled at me with genuine joy, delight touching his eyes. “A cure? Really?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  His smiled faded, and with it, the joy and delight melted away. “And now Dillon. Son of a bitch.” Bowden chewed his lower lip in thought.

  “You see why I have to get away from here.”

  “I do, but I don’t see how. David is looking for any reason to prove himself to his master, and your execution would please that little brat to no end. If you run from this place, he will kill you. If I try to smuggle you out, he will kill you. If you so much as act slightly different from any normal day, he will kill you. He will kill you because he can’t kill me.”

  I closed my eyes. I wished I could close out this situation as easily as I closed out the light and the sorry sight of the sad doctor.

  “But,” he said, pausing a moment.

  Looking up again, I saw a spark on him. A gleam in his eye. “What?”

  “I think I can protect you and try to find you a widow of escape later, if you follow my instructions very carefully. Are you willing to do that?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He patted my arm. “Good girl. This won’t be easy. For either of us. I can’t even believe I am saying this. When he arrives, you must let him take you.” Bowden stopped here, as if expecting me to protest.

  I did not.

  “Good,” he said with another genuine grin. “After Theo’s story about you, I knew you could do what needed to be done.”

  I could only wonder what Mr. Theo had told this man about me. The truth, I was certain. It was difficult for me to feel betrayed by this, as I owed my mentor so much, as well as I owed the doctor.

  “Here is my idea,” Bowden said, finally getting down to the point. “From here on out, I want you to pretend as though I have given you a huge dose of morphine. You must act drugged to the gills, little lady. I will try to protect you as best I can until I can find a suitable moment for your escape later. But until then, you are going to have to feign unconsciousness.”

  “I can manage that,” I said.

  “You might find yourself in a bad way considering I am cutting you cold from the medicine. Can you handle that?”

  In my time at the bordello, I had seen the effects of morphine addiction on many a young lady. Hooked on the drug by their clientele, then strung along with hopes and promises and the occasional dose, they became willing slaves for just a single taste of it. I had witnessed the withdrawals from such a thing too. It wasn’t pretty, but considering I hadn’t been on it long, I felt like it was something I could handle.

  “I will be all righ
t,” I said. “This isn’t my first surgery. I’ve come down from it before.”

  “Of course you have,” he said. “You’ve seen far too much for a young woman your age.”

  “I must ask that you must make me a promise.”

  “Anything, within reason. This old man can only do so much.”

  “If I can’t get away in due course, if I can’t get to the border, you must.”

  Bowden shook his head. “I won’t leave you.”

  “You must. If I am unable to escape in a few days, maximum, you have to leave me and head straight for the border. Look for a man named Jacob Bowing. He is a friend of Mortimer Tinsdale, a scientist from New York City.” I sighed and corrected myself. “He was a scientist.”

  “Was?”

  “Tinsdale is gone now. Dillon killed him.”

  “This man knew a cure and Dillon killed him? I am not surprised. That blasted nephew of mine is a moron.”

  It was my turned to blink in surprise. Nephew? Doc Bowden was Dillon’s uncle. I didn’t have time to dwell on such matters. “You must promise me you will carry on and find this man.”

  “What makes you think Dillon will just let me leave?”

  “Because you said so yourself,” I said. “David won’t kill you. Dillon won’t either. No one will touch you. You’re far too valuable. I am just a spent penny. But you, you’re a gold dollar, doc.” I grinned.

  Bowden pressed his lips together in mock disgust. “You’ve been hanging around the men for far too long.”

  “Still visiting?” Gill said as she pushed into the room. “I hope Vincent isn’t boring you with his old war stories.”

  Every ounce of my being rose up in defiance against her, but I put my foot on the throat of my anger and pressed down hard. I smiled, weakly. “Not as such, ma’am.”

  “I’ve actually been sitting with her until the morphine takes hold,” he said.