Small Town Superhero Box Set: Complete Series Read online

  The Small Town Superheroes Series

  Small Town Superhero

  Small Town Superhero II

  Small Town Superhero III

  The Silver Series

  Silver

  Black

  Crimson

  Violet

  Azure

  Hunter

  Silver Moon

  The Galdoni Series

  Galdoni

  Galdoni Book Two: Into the Fire

  Galdoni Book Three: Out of Darkness

  Keeper of the Wolves

  Stolen

  The Million Dollar Gift

  Thief Prince

  Shadows

  Mist

  When Death Loved an Angel

  Heart of the Wolf Part One

  Heart of the Wolf Part Two

  Small Town Superhero

  “Anyone who grew up in a small town or around motorcycles will love this! It has great characters and flows well with martial arts fighting and conflicts involved.”

  —Karen, Amazon Reviewer

  “Cheree Alsop has written a great book for youth and adults alike. . . Small Town Superhero had me from the first sentence through the end. I felt every sorrow, every pain, and the delight of rushing through the dark on a motorcycle. Descriptions in Small Town Superhero are so well written, the reader is immersed in the town and lives of its inhabitants.”

  —Rachel Andersen, Amazon Reviewer

  The Silver Series

  “Cheree Alsop has written Silver for the YA reader who enjoys both werewolves and coming-of-age tales. Although I don’t fall into this demographic, I still found it an entertaining read on a long plane trip! The author has put a great deal of thought into balancing a tale that could apply to any teen (death of a parent, new school, trying to find one’s place in the world) with the added spice of a youngster dealing with being exceptionally different from those around him, and knowing that puts him in danger.”

  —Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer Trilogy

  “I honestly am amazed this isn’t absolutely EVERYWHERE! Amazing book. Could NOT put it down! After reading this book, I purchased the entire series!”

  —Josephine, Amazon Reviewer

  “Great book, Cheree Alsop! The best of this kind I have read in a long time. I just hope there is more like this one.”

  —Tony Olsen

  “I couldn’t put the book down. I fell in love with the characters and how wonderfully they were written. Can’t wait to read the 2nd!”

  —Mary A. F. Hamilton

  “A page-turner that kept me wide awake and wanting more. Great characters, well written, tenderly developed, and thrilling. I loved this book, and you will too.”

  —Valerie McGilvrey

  Keeper of the Wolves

  “This is without a doubt the VERY BEST paranormal romance/adventure I have ever read and I’ve been reading these types of books for over 45 years. Excellent plot, wonderful protagonists—even the evil villains were great. I read this in one sitting on a Saturday morning when there were so many other things I should have been doing. I COULD NOT put it down! I also appreciated the author’s research and insights into the behavior of wolf packs. I will CERTAINLY read more by this author and put her on my ‘favorites’ list.”

  —N. Darisse

  “This is a novel that will emotionally cripple you. Be sure to keep a box of tissues by your side. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will fall in love with Keeper. If you loved Black Beauty as a child, then you will truly love Keeper of the Wolves as an adult. Put this on your ‘must read’ list.”

  —Fortune Ringquist

  “Cheree Alsop mastered the mind of a wolf and wrote the most amazing story I’ve read this year. Once I started, I couldn’t stop reading. Personal needs no longer existed. I turned the last page with tears streaming down my face.”

  —Rachel Andersen

  Thief Prince

  “This book was a roller coaster of emotions: tears, laughter, anger, and happiness. I absolutely fell in love with all of the characters placed throughout this story. This author knows how to paint a picture with words.”

  —Kathleen Vales

  “Awesome book! It was so action packed, I could not put it down, and it left me wanting more! It was very well written, leaving me feeling like I had a connection with the characters.”

  —M. A., Amazon Reviewer

  “I am a Cheree Alsop junkie and I have to admit, hands down, this is my FAVORITE of anything she has published. In a world separated by race, fear and power are forced to collide in order to save them all. Who better to free them of the prejudice than the loyal heart of a Duskie? Adventure, incredible amounts of imagination, and description go into this world! It is a ‘buy now and don’t leave the couch until the last chapter has reached an end’ kind of read!”

  —Malcay, Amazon Reviewer

  Stolen

  “This book will take your heart, make it a little bit bigger, and then fill it with love. I would recommend this book to anyone from 10-100. To put this book in words is like trying to describe love. I had just gotten it and I finished it the next day because I couldn’t put it down. If you like action, thrilling fights, and/or romance, then this is the perfect book for you.”

  —Steven L. Jagerhorn

  To my husband, Michael Alsop,

  Who shares my love of motorcycles

  and a good adventure.

  To my family for farmer values,

  The joy they bring to every day,

  And for their belief in heroes,

  Both super and in real life.

  I love you!

  A LUNCH TRAY HIT the back of my head so hard lights exploded at the edges of my vision. I turned, out for blood, but my arms were pinned behind me.

  “You dropped something,” a boy with red hair said before he shoved a hamburger patty in my mouth.

  I bit his finger and he yelled, then slugged me in the stomach. His thugs, two stocky students who looked as if they had repeated their senior year a few times, held me up with merciless grips. I searched the lunchroom for anyone willing to even the odds a bit, but students carefully avoided any outward show of attention to the fight. A teacher near the back wall glanced up and met my gaze, then lowered her eyes to the clipboard in her hands.

  So much for backup. I could handle them myself. Being the captain of the MMA team at home hadn’t come without its share of extra training. I was about to drop to my knees and punch one of my captors in the groin, then take out the knees of the other so I could focus on the redhead, when a pair of eyes met mine. Cassidy shook her head minutely, her eyebrows pinched together with worry. The realization that she didn’t want me to defend myself surprised me enough that I forgot to breathe with the redhead’s next blow to the stomach. I doubled over in pain. An elbow in the back dropped me to the floor.

  “Next time, remember that the Bullets eat first,” one of the cronies growled in my ear. He stepped on my hand when he walked past the lunch line. I stayed curled in a fetal position until I could pull in a breath. It took several more gulps to fill my lungs completely.

  I opened my eyes to see a row of feet shuffle past. Boys and girls filed by to get their food as though seeing a fellow student get beaten before lunch was a regular occurrence. A hand touched my shoulder. I sat up gingerly and Cassidy helped me to my feet. We walked slowly from the lunchroom.

  “Nice place,” I commented dryly. My stomach ached and I was glad they attacked me before lunch so I had nothing to throw up.

  “It was bound to happen,” Cassidy replied. At my sideways glance, she let out a frustrated breath. “The Bullets harass all the n
ewbies. Magnum likes to make an impression.”

  A snort of laughter escaped me. “Their gang is the Bullets and the leader goes by Magnum? That may be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  When Cassidy glanced behind us, her face carried true fear. “Shhh. They might hear you.”

  I stopped. She took a few more steps before she realized I wasn’t beside her. “Cass, what kind of a school lets a gang beat up new students?”

  Her eyes widened. She grabbed my arm and pulled me into a side hall, then looked around to make sure no one was watching.

  “This is ridic—”

  Cassidy cut me off. “Kel, you’re going to have to trust me on this. The Bullets are bad news. Stay clear of them. Don’t make eye contact, don’t laugh at them, and whatever you do, don’t fight back or you’ll make yourself a target.”

  “I’m already a target,” I replied, but my tone was tempered by the worry in her voice.

  “They’ll forget about you now that you know who’s in charge.”

  “Aren’t the teachers in charge?”

  She gave me a look as if my statement was completely ridiculous. “Seriously? Didn’t you have gangs in California?”

  It was my turn to give the “you just said something really stupid” look. “Of course. It’s California. But they were a little more creative with their names.” She dropped her gaze. I let out a loud breath and attempted to appease her. “All right, I won’t mess with the Bullets.”

  She chose to ignore the way I mocked the title and smiled. “Promise?”

  I nodded.

  She grinned and her dimples showed. She pushed back the stray blonde strands that escaped her braid. “You’re gonna like it here. Just give it a chance.”

  “I will.”

  She pursed her lips and looked me over. “You still hungry?”

  The thought of entering the lunchroom again in time to see Magnum pick on another victim made a knot tighten in my aching stomach. “No, thank you.”

  “There are other places to eat,” she said. She pushed open a side door and I blinked at the rush of sunlight that flooded through.

  A brown-haired wisp of a girl hurried up. “You goin’ to Chaser’s?”

  Cassidy grinned. “Kel, this is Sandy. Sandy, my cousin Kelson.”

  Sandy held out her hand and I shook it. “Pleased to meet you,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot about you.” She looked at Cassidy with a grin. “You didn’t say he was cute.”

  Cassidy rolled her eyes. “You can come along or stay. Kel hasn’t been to Chaser’s, and we’ve both lost our appetite for school lunch.”

  “I know,” Sandy replied. She looked down as an embarrassed blush crept up her cheeks. “I saw.” I wondered if there was anyone at school who hadn’t seen. Sandy caught my look and gave me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t worry; we’ve all been there.”

  I frowned. “Magnum’s gang harasses girls, too?”

  Both of them nodded. Sandy swallowed as if the memory was still fresh. “They try to be fair. Girls pick on girls and the guys pick on guys.”

  “How is that fair?” I asked. Cassidy gave me a warning look and I let out a loud sigh. “Fine. Where’s this Chaser’s?”

  “This way,” Sandy replied. She skipped ahead of us up the sidewalk where several other students already walked. “Their burgers are great,” she called back over her shoulder.

  I RODE THE BUS to my aunt and uncle’s house. They owned trucks, but according to Uncle Rick, they were needed for more than sitting in a school parking lot. I missed my motorcycle. At least as a senior, I could sit in the back of the bus; Cassidy was a sophomore and had to sit amid paper airplanes and testosterone-fueled sixteen-year-olds who channeled their energy into catcalls and crude jokes.

  Her two younger brothers, Jaren and Cole, got on the bus at Sparrow Middle School. By the time we left the elementary, every seat was filled. Only the bus driver’s steely gaze could calm the chaos. One look in the mirror that hung above his seat and the entire bus would fall silent for at least ten full seconds before the cacophony started up again.

  I stared out the window at the passing fields boxed in by sagebrush-filled ditches. I didn’t know how to get out of the town of Sparrow. I couldn’t go home. Mom had made it perfectly clear I wasn’t wanted there. Dad’s family had never quite warmed up to us, so I was stuck with Aunt Lauren and Uncle Rick until Mom could stand the sight of me or they kicked me out on my own.

  I rested my head against the window and let the world outside run together in a blur. The steady hum of the tires against the road lulled the whirlwind of thoughts that swirled through my mind. I saw my sister, her hair so blonde it was almost white and her eyes the blue color of her favorite sweater she wore until there were holes in the elbows—and even then we couldn’t make her throw it away. She laughed, her dimples deep like Cassidy’s, with laugh lines at the corners of her eyes. I swore she was born with laugh lines.

  The bus hit an uneven patch of pavement, jolting me back to the present. I blinked and took a breath, pushing the thoughts down where they wouldn’t hurt so badly. Twenty minutes of relentless screams, shrieks, giggles, and the talking of pent-up, hyperactive kids later, we stopped at the dirt road that led to the Ashby house. I had never been so happy to set foot on the ground again.

  The bus pulled away in a cloud of exhaust. Cole and Jaren took off in a race to the only house at the end of the half-mile lane. Cassidy pulled out a cell phone and dialed Sandy, then proceeded to chat with her about all the things they had already talked about at school. I followed the siblings slowly down the road.

  Alfalfa swayed in the fields on either side of the dirt path. Barbed-wire fences boxed rectangles of the waist-high hay. Purple flowers peeked out among the dark-green leaves and bees buzzed happily from flower to flower. Similar fields stretched in each direction to the base of the dark-blue mountains in the distance. The unbroken expanse made me feel strangely claustrophobic.

  I was used to business buildings, industrial towers, apartments, shopping complexes, and department stores crowding out the sky wherever I looked. Sidewalks and pavement dominated while well-manicured patches of grass and trees gave relief to the concrete architecture. I grew up dodging strangers and avoiding bicycles, not moseying along a dirt road in fresh air and sunshine. It should have been blissful; instead, I felt further from home than ever.

  A bell tolled, its ringing loud and clear in the crisp evening. “Gotta go,” Cassidy said to Sandy. She hung up the phone and called over her shoulder, “Better hurry; it’s time to work.”

  “Work?” I asked, surprised. “We just got done with school.”

  She threw me a sympathetic smile and began to jog. I shook my head and ran to catch up to her. “So you go to school all day, then work at the farm until what—six or seven?”

  She laughed. “Until it’s too dark to see the rows,” she replied. “Farming’s not a nine-to-five. You’ll see.”

  When we reached the house, I threw my backpack with hers in the mudroom, then crossed the hall to the kitchen. She grabbed two apples from a bowl on the counter and tossed one to me, then we followed the boys to the backyard.

  Uncle Rick was waiting near his blue truck. His eyes narrowed slightly as if he had forgotten I existed and had only now remembered the bother of his sister-in-law’s son who had been thrust upon them without warning. “Cole, Jaren, go with Parker to tend the cows. Give the second herd an extra ration of barley; they’re looking a bit skinny.” Cole saluted his dad like a soldier before both boys jumped into the back of a faded red pickup. The boy at the wheel looked barely old enough to drive. I wondered why the Ashbys let their kids ride in the bed where there weren’t any seatbelts.

  “Cass, you’re moving bales; rain’s comin’ and we need them stacked.”

  Cassidy stuffed a straw cowboy hat on her head and climbed into the back of her dad’s dark-blue flatbed truck.

  “What about me?” I asked when Uncle Rick turned away.

&
nbsp; He glanced back. “Can you do anything?”

  My fingers curled into fists at his tone. I gritted my teeth before I said anything that would destroy the only home I had left. “If you show me,” I said in carefully spaced words.

  He shook his head. “I don’t have time to be teachin’ a city boy when there’s rain comin’. You shouldn’t be here anyway; you should be back with Sarah.”

  Angry tears stung my eyes at his statement. The words escaped me before I could stop them. “You don’t think I’d rather be home with Mom? I know she’s alone, and I know all she thinks about is Zoey. She doesn’t want me there because I remind her of what happened.” I was shouting, but couldn’t stop. It was the first time I had said my sister’s name aloud since it happened. I blinked quickly to keep the tears from falling and disgracing me further. “That’s all I think about too. I need to keep busy and there’s nothing out here. I’ve got to do something.”

  My chest rose and fell with the exertion of my words. I dropped my eyes, aware of what I had just said. I fought to control my breathing. I loosened my fingers, ignoring how badly I wanted to hit something.

  “We could use some help haulin’.”

  I glanced up to find Uncle Rick watching me. “What?” I asked.

  “The Crosby boys are rippin’ the back nine and we’ve got bales on Creek Field that need haulin’ to the Quonset before rain sets in.”

  I wasn’t sure if his words were English. “I have no idea what you just said,” I replied.

  Cassidy giggled from the back of the truck. Her father shot her a look and she dropped her eyes, but the grin didn’t leave her face.

  Uncle Rick let out a sigh. “Just get in.”

  I climbed in next to Cassidy, and Uncle Rick gave a whistle. A black-and-white dog shot out from the corner of the red barn and leaped onto the back of the truck with us. It settled in the middle of the bed as if it rode there all the time.