Duty Bound (Shades of Gray Civil War Serial Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  OTHER BOOKS BY JESSICA JAMES

  WOMEN’S FICTION

  LACEWOOD

  AWARD-WINNING SUSPENSE

  DEADLINE (Book 1 Phantom Force Tactical)

  FINE LINE (Book 2 Phantom Force Tactical)

  FRONT LINE (Book 3 Phantom Force Tactical)

  PRESIDENTIAL ADVANTAGE

  MEANT TO BE: A Novel of Honor and Duty

  AWARD-WINNING HISTORICAL FICTION:

  THE LION OF THE SOUTH

  NOBLE CAUSE (Book 1 Heroes Through History)

  (An alternative ending to Shades of Gray)

  ABOVE AND BEYOND (Book 2 Heroes Through History)

  LIBERTY AND DESTINY (Book 3 Heroes Through History)

  NEW IN 2021

  SHADES OF GRAY COMPLETE SERIAL TRILOGY (June 29)

  Or order individually:

  Vol. 1: DUTY BOUND (June 1)

  Vol. 2: HONOR BOUND (June 8)

  Vol. 3: GLORY BOUND (June 15)

  Print Volume will be released June 29.

  DUTY BOUND (Vol. 1 Shades of Gray Trilogy)

  Copyright 2021 by Jessica James

  jessicajamesbooks.com

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

  This is a work of fiction. Characters, names, locations, and events are all products of the author’s imagination. Any similarities to actual events or real persons are completely coincidental.

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

  The Shades of Gray Civil War Trilogy was previously published as Shades of Gray, and later released as Noble Cause with a happily-ever-after ending. It has been revised, expanded and enhanced for this edition.

  Table of Contents

  Shades of Gray Poem

  Volume 1

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Other Books By Jessica James

  Connect

  Lacewood

  Shades of Gray

  The trees stand drab and dreary,

  Ominous clouds hide the sun away.

  Smoke cloaks the distant farmland

  Where dying soldiers lay.

  It seems there is no color;

  Nature is void of Spring’s display.

  On this stark and somber battlefield,

  There are only shades of gray.

  – Jessica James

  Volume 1 Duty Bound

  “We had, I was satisfied, sacred principles to maintain and rights to defend, for which we were duty bound to do our best, even if we perished in the endeavor.”

  – Robert E. Lee

  Prologue

  From out of a mist-filled meadow the horse and rider appeared, looking more like shadowy figures of the spectral world than anything of flesh and blood. Indeed the vision they created looked like one from hell, as lightning flashed in brilliant bolts of blazing fury, illuminating the mist around them in an eerie shroud of light.

  The charger, black as night and massive in size, could well have been from Satan’s own stable, so swiftly and silently did he move through the swirling vapor. Galloping with neck outstretched and tail sailing behind like a banner, the daunting steed flew across the field like a soaring dragon, steam bursting from his nostrils at every stride. The mystifying appearance he projected was matched only by the unearthly image upon his back, who appeared to relish the cross-country race with the wind and the challenge of outrunning the pelting rain sweeping up the valley behind them.

  Reaching a canopy of trees just as the first drops of rain began to fall, the horse slowed to a walk by some unseen command, then stopped completely and reared as the rider gave a long, sweeping wave to an unseen foe.

  Within the span of a heartbeat they both vanished from sight, the fog and falling rain masking the direction of their escape.

  Chapter 1

  But one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.

  – Abraham Lincoln

  Northern Virginia

  1862

  A piercing bugle blast preceded the sound of galloping horses by mere seconds. Confederate cavalry Captain Alexander Hunter tore his eyes away from the horse and rider he pursued and focused on the Federal cavalry unit that had appeared out of nowhere to pursue him.

  Blast it. Tricked again.

  This was not the first time the large black steed with its agile rider had been spotted in advance of a Union assault—but Hunter swore today would be the last. Signaling his men to scatter, he spurred his mount toward the forest where his foe had disappeared. His band of warriors took off in every direction, their escape aided by a roiling mass of dark-bellied clouds that launched their own assault.

  With the storm as an ally, Hunter knew the Federal cavalry would not sustain the chase. He didn’t worry about his men who were familiar enough with the land to evade the enemy no matter the weather. He only cared to find the Yank who’d led him into the trap so the rascal could be punished.

  Punished severely.

  Hunter lowered his hand to one of the revolvers on his hip as he entered the dimly lit forest. Damn that scoundrel. The timely arrival of Union reinforcements over the past few months could no longer be considered a mere coincidence. It was time for this cunning adversary to pay for the disruptions he’d caused.

  Guiding his mare through the underbrush and around fallen trees, Hunter soon lost hope of finding his antagonist in the dense foliage. The rider had a habit of appearing, only to disappear into thin air. Even today when he’d thought the elusive character was within his grasp, Hunter had instead found himself in another trap.

  The distinctive sound of a rambling creek replaced the hushed patter of rain, pulling Hunter from his thoughts. “How about a drink, ol’ girl?” He urged his mare forward, leaning low over the saddle to avoid tree limbs, and then jerked on the reins at the sight of a youth crouched on the opposite bank gulping water by the handful. Hunter’s gaze shifted to the horse hungrily grazing on green shoots at the brook’s grassy edge. Enormous and coal black, its chest glistened and frothe
d from being ridden hard.

  Hunter reached for his revolver and blinked to make sure the fading daylight was not playing tricks on his vision. At this distance, the enemy scout was smaller and younger than he expected. He cocked his weapon and shouted across the fast-moving stream, “Don’t move!”

  Startled, the youth stood and challenged him. “What do you want?” he asked, holding nothing but dripping water.

  Hunter’s confusion intensified as he stared at his opponent. Dressed in an oversized coat, slouch hat pulled low, and baggy trousers, the boy looked harmless enough. Can this really be the Union scout I’ve been chasing?

  One more glance at the horse answered his question. Few such horses existed in this part of the country, certainly none of such quality that had not already been confiscated by one or the other of the armies. This was no guiltless civilian. This was a Yankee. And a cunning one at that.

  “I think you know what I want. It appears we’ve spent the last week watching each other, and we still have not been properly introduced.”

  Hunter urged his mare down the steep bank to a sandbar, but hesitated. The creek was not wide, but the swift-running current and slippery rocks made fording here treacherous.

  “If I may offer you some advice, sir?” The youth stood calmly by the water’s edge. “This is not a safe place to cross. If you go right down there—”

  He pointed helpfully downstream, but Hunter interrupted. “Thank you for the suggestion…” He urged his horse forward into the ice-cold water as he talked. “But I’ll not leave here without the scoundrel who’s been reporting my movements to the enemy.”

  Hunter attempted to keep his eye on the youth while guiding his mount through the maze of rocks in the streambed. About halfway across, he saw the boy bolt to his grazing horse and gather the reins. Reacting instinctively Hunter fired a shot, causing his mare to lose her footing and plunge to her knees.

  The panicked animal struggled a moment before bounding up with a great surge of strength, knocking him off balance. As Hunter tried to regain control, the mare lunged again, this time unseating him and sending him sailing backward.

  Hunter felt himself falling, seemingly in slow motion, until there came a skull-cracking thud and a blinding flash of light.

  Then nothing.

  Chapter 2

  Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy, if possible.

  – Confederate General ‘Stonewall’ Jackson

  Andrea Evans waited breathlessly, fearing a trick, but the red froth swirling around the rebel’s head convinced her that his injury was serious. Jumping into the water, she grabbed him beneath his arms and backed toward the bank, slipping, falling, and spitting mouthfuls of water as she fought the current. By the time she dragged him onto land, her legs trembled from exhaustion and her lungs screamed for air.

  “Darn it, I told you not to cross there.” Leaning down to get a closer look at his injury, she clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering. “N-n-ow what am I supposed to do with you?”

  Without warning the man’s eyes flew open, and his hands grabbed her arms like a pair of steel vises. “The question is, what am I going to do with you?”

  He rolled her onto her back and straddled her, pinning her to the ground with the strength of an angry bull. He did not speak; his eyes did the talking—and what they said drove through Andrea like a ramrod.

  “I should have left you to drown,” she said, regretting her impulsive decision to rescue him.

  “But lucky for me, you did not.”

  As the soldier scrutinized her face, Andrea began to kick, push, and squirm beneath him in a violent but futile attempt to escape. Heaving with one last powerful effort that failed to produce any result, Andrea resigned herself to her fate. She took a deep breath and looked up into eyes that suddenly appeared glazed and unfocused. She felt his grip loosen, watched him blink and sway before groaning and collapsing to one side.

  Andrea remained on her back for only a moment, sucking in air and listening to the chaotic pounding of her heart. Then she rolled out of his grasp and stared at the unconscious form.

  She knew, even without an introduction, that this was the notorious Captain Hunter. His reputation as a cavalry commander was legendary, and his ability to keep the Federal army in a continuous state of panic was renowned.

  Even unconscious he appeared a formidable image of strength and power, making Andrea fear that the muscular frame beside her would rebound with the force and vitality for which he was so well known. She crawled another arm’s length away, but not before catching a glimpse of the gash on his head, still seeping blood.

  Closing her eyes, Andrea tried to quell the chill of fear inching its way up her spine. She wasn’t sure which she dreaded most—the thought that he might be dead or the fact that he might suddenly awake. Although death had surrounded her for months, she never anticipated actually being the cause of it.

  A shout from the other side of the steam jolted Andrea from her thoughts. She chastised herself for losing another opportunity to escape.

  “The gunshot came from over here.” The voice was loud and carried a distinct Southern drawl. It was followed by torch light reflecting off the leaves.

  “Over here! I see the Cap’n’s horse,” another voice shouted.

  Andrea saw the large gray horse ambling along the stream’s bank a few dozen yards away. With no sign of her own horse, she crawled into the darkness, hoping the soldiers were too busy searching for their leader to hear her movements.

  “I think I see him!”

  Light flooded the area and the sound of horses splashing across the creek downstream sent a new sense of terror up Andrea’s spine. She decided it was time to run, and run she did, cutting away from the bank and into the temporary safety of the trees. More concerned with speed now than caution, she sprinted through the woods, pushing blindly through the profuse underbrush into the awful blackness beyond.

  It seemed that even the trees were conspiring to stop her as they reached out with spear-like branches to snag her clothes and hold her captive in their grasp. Long, prickly limbs appeared out of nowhere to tear at her clothes and lacerate her skin. She whimpered at their savagery, but fear of capture inspired her legs to move faster.

  When her ankle twisted on a fallen limb, Andrea plummeted to the ground—but only for a moment. She scrambled to her feet, or tried to anyway, half-crawling, half-running a few steps until a tangle of vines obstructed her. Disengaging herself with frenzied urgency, she ran again, but only a short distance more. She could go no farther, certain her lungs would burst from the exertion, or the pain in her ankle would cause her to collapse.

  Andrea leaned against a tree, clenching the spasm in her side as she tried to gulp in air quietly. When a twig snapped, she froze. Just my imagination. She let her breath out slowly, and reached out for the solid trunk of the tree to support her trembling legs. Or maybe a fox or a deer?

  Standing still as the leaves around her, Andrea grimaced as something warm trickled down her cheek and into her mouth. The metallic taste of blood gave her the urge to spit, but she swallowed instead when another noise came, closer still than the last.

  Holding her breath, Andrea clutched a nearby vine with shaking hands. Someone is coming. She listened to the sound of footsteps shuffling through underbrush and struggled to locate the source.

  The rustling stopped.

  Andrea crouched low and waited, her heart pounding like a locomotive in her ears. Instinctively, she reached into her boot for a derringer, but realized it was useless, soaked from her swim. Confound it. Her only other weapon, a Colt .44, was still on her saddle.

  The words of Colonel Jonathan Jordan suddenly raced into her mind: War is no game.

  Those were the last words he had spoken to her before she left with his dispatch two days earlier, with direct orders not to delay. Those were the same three words he spoke every time he saw her.

  Andrea closed her eyes while fighting the hope
lessness consuming her. When she opened them, the veil of clouds began to part, throwing a sharp beam of light through the dense canopy above. Andrea held her breath and peered around the tree, spotting the outline of the supposed predator. Her heart lurched at the sight of the four-legged creature, all but invisible in the darkness.

  “Justus,” she whispered, as he took the remaining steps toward her.

  Mounting her horse soundlessly, she did not take time to contemplate the close bond they shared or the significance of his name: Just us. She urged him forward and prayed they had time to escape the danger surrounding them.

  Chapter 3

  The patriot volunteer, fighting for country and his rights, makes the most reliable soldier on earth.

  – Confederate General ‘Stonewall’ Jackson

  A pounding headache woke Hunter just after dawn. For a split second he believed he had foolishly indulged in some of his men’s bad whiskey before retiring the night before. But pressing his fingertips to the back of his head, he realized his mistake. A bump the size of a lead ball caused him to wince and swear simultaneously.

  Hunter took a deep breath and struggled to sit up, his skull throbbing in perfect tempo with his heart. He collapsed against the pillow and flung his arm across his eyes to escape the penetrating rays of the sun pouring in through an open window. Hazy images of the Yank he had chased drifted into his mind like clouds scudding across the sky. But when he tried to concentrate, they dispersed and dissolved into an unrecognizable haze.

  Falling back into a restless slumber, Hunter floated down a river of dreams. Water swirled around him, lulling him into a sleep from which he feared he might never rise. But as he seemingly drifted away, hands reached for him and dragged him toward the bank. The water and the person seemed to be in a duel over his body, each pulling in opposite directions. After a long struggle, the current lost its battle and Hunter lay on the riverbank, safe from the water’s grip. He opened his eyes and reached up to touch the face of his rescuer leaning over him—