by C. R. Jane
February 3, 2017 was when the world fell apart. It was done quietly. Everyone went to sleep the night before and woke up to an entirely different world. The churches had declared that they were messengers sent from God to warn us to change before the last days, but I was pretty sure they were the gods themselves. They told us they had come from a planet called Vepar and that they wished for everything to continue as before, but everything was different.
The first thing to change was the required Registration. For some reason only the women of the world were forced to register every 6 months. The Vepar wanted to know our names, ages, relationship status, and pregnancy history. Every woman was put on a mandatory special form of birth control that we were told was much healthier than the options we had available to us before. I would never admit it, but there were no terrible side effects with their birth control and it was the only thing that I could say they had made better for us.
The next change was a mandatory “clean living” mandate. All food that was processed, fried, or had any chemical in it besides healthy oils was removed as an option. No longer could I pick up a hamburger or a pizza anywhere. Instead, I could have lentils or cauliflower pasta, or something equally disgusting. Everyone was required to enter a gym for an hour a day and we were scanned as we arrived to keep track. The bastards of course didn’t make anything that was mandatory free so my already thinly stretched budget was now non-existent. I had been pulling double shifts at the diner for a year now, which in my opinion should have covered my hour of exercise, but I was barely surviving.
“Hellooo?” said Cherry impatiently, annoyed that I wasn’t paying attention to her.
“Sorry, just a little tired. Of course, I’m still in for tonight. You only turn 23 once,” I tell her, the thin thread of exhaustion evident in my voice. She pretends not to notice and stands up abruptly. “I’ve got to hit the gym and then start getting ready,” she tells me, kissing me on both cheeks like she’s some kind of fancy European instead of from Brooklyn and walking out the door without another word. As I stand up, I realize that she forgot to pay for her fries. There goes my ability to eat at all this week, I think wryly to myself, not able to muster annoyance at my best friend due to my exhaustion.
“Your break should have ended five minutes ago,” barks Greg as he emerges from the back. I manage to not roll my eyes as I pick up Cherry’s empty fry tray and move to throw it away. It wasn’t as if the diner was currently empty or that I hadn’t taken a break all day. My mind conjured up a million different things I would say to Greg if I was a little braver and if I actually had other options for a job. I grabbed a rag and started wiping down the already spotless table, my mind full of a million places I would rather be.
I was dragging my feet by the time I finished even though we had hardly had any customers that afternoon. I didn’t bother to say goodbye to Greg as I pushed out the front door and into the chilled air. October in New York was a glorious thing but all I could think about was how my heating bill was about to spike. I wondered how long I could survive a New York winter with just blankets. Maybe I could start sleeping in the gym locker rooms on particularly cold nights? My membership was practically as expensive as a one bedroom loft.
Walking down the sidewalk, I couldn’t help but notice all the advertisements featuring various Vepar. Another reason that they were considered Gods? Their otherworldly attractiveness. They were built and shaped just like us, but somehow they were more. Their skin was more perfect, their eye color was more intense, their hair color sparkled in the sun, their bodies were shaped like action heroes. Everything about them screamed that they were the pinnacle of what every human since the beginning of time had yearned to achieve. They were sexy bastards and it was unfair they got to be biologically more advanced on top of all the other ways they had us beat. An ad flashed across a screen and I got caught on the sidewalk, unable to take my eyes off the Vepar there. He was beautiful. Even my hatred for their kind and the havoc they had thrust on my life couldn’t prevent me from admitting that.
Just then a woman walked by wearing a perfume that my mother had always worn and whatever spell I was under had broken. Nothing, not even a ridiculously sexy face, could make me forget that the Vepar were responsible for the fact that I had been alone in the world for three years because of them.
So many people, in particular females, disappeared when the Vepar turned up on Earth. The aliens insisted they came in peace, as cliche as that sounded, and had never harmed anyone that we knew of. But the speculations spread, especially after our loved ones continued to vanish. Sometimes it felt like the rest of us were waiting for our number to be picked like a lottery, except this wasn’t the kind of prize anyone would want to win. Lots of people insisted they were preparing us to breed with them, which I couldn’t dismiss when we knew so little about their race. The majority of speculators insisted they readied for a complete takeover of our planet, along with eliminating us. Wasn’t that what invaders did?
I hurried along the sidewalk, tucking my handbag under my armpit, dodging a young couple who stopped in the middle of the path to chat. People flowed in and out of stores, chatting, laughing, many wearing gym gear. I squeezed in my hourly workout in the mornings because I couldn’t think of anything worse than a spin class or doing weights after a long day at work.
I swung down an alley, leaving behind the hustle and bustle and bright lights, instead passing trash cans and the rear of the Italian restaurant that filled up my apartment with the most delicious aromas. Shadows crowded in around me, and I pushed into a jog, surprising myself at how much lighter and agile I felt since starting my gym workouts. Didn’t make me like the Vepar though because I missed my burgers and fries.
At the back of the apartment, I grabbed an upside milk crate tucked near the wall and set it beneath the metal ladder just out of reach. I climbed up and seized the base, then pulled it down. I made my way up, and once I reached the metal platform of the winding stairs, I kept going upward to the third floor. A cool breeze fluttered under my ponytail, cooling my nape, bringing with it a tomato and garlic smell from across the alley, enticing a growl from my stomach.
I avoided the front entrance since I was behind on my rental payments and the landlord lived on the ground floor. Like a hawk, he watched everyone who came and went, and I hoped to buy myself a few more days before I paid him.
At the window, I jiggled the wooden frame at the corner and it gave way, so I dragged it up and climbed inside. Shutting it behind me, I locked it and switched on the light.
A studio apartment was all I needed, the bed on one end, and the kitchen and small table on the other. The walls remained bare as I’d been on the hunt at flea markets for the right images to hang. I toed off my shoes, kicking them aside, and walked across the cushioned new rug the color of the brightest sky. A neighbor held a sale and he sold it to me for five dollars. A bargain.
I made my way to the fridge as I unzipped my dress and shuffled it down my arms and stepped out of it. I tossed the uniform on the table, then reached into the fridge for the spinach and feta quiche and juice I had in there.The chef at work snuck me leftovers a few days ago after hours. And as part of the healthy living instigation, every morning, free fruit was made available by vendors on the sidewalk, all covered by the Vepar to encourage a healthy breakfast. The food went fast, so every morning at six a.m., I was down there, waiting for my small bag of goodies.
By the time I finished dinner, I jumped into the shower and got dressed for the night. I spun in front of the mirror in my black dress. Spaghetti straps, the fabric cinched at my waist, and the skirt flowed in waves, falling mid-thigh. Yep, looked stunning. I finished drying and styling my hair, long dark locks reaching half way down my back. I parted it at the side and sprayed the ends that seemed to have a natural curl. I grabbed the mascara when a knock came at the door.
Was that my landlord? Oh please don’t let it be him.
The knock came again, and I exhaled the breath I�
��d been holding onto. I moved to the door, avoiding the wooden floorboards that creaked, and peered through the peep-hole.
Cherry stood there, wearing a grumpy expression, blowing a breath of air upward, pushing the blonde strands falling over her eyes.
In haste, I unlocked the door and pulled it open.
“About time.” She rolled her eyes, and strolled inside wearing a red shiny dress with the deepest neckline, falling to her stomach. The side split on her skirt flashed her thigh with each step, along with her black knee-high boots. She twirled on the spot. “What do you think? Found it at a new boutique store that specializes in dresses which mirror those worn by Hollywood stars.”
I closed the door and turned to face my friend. “It’s gorgeous, and so sexy.”
“Exactly what I’m going for. And you look so cute, babe. We’re doing to have a blast for your birthday. Pick up some guys.” She winked, and her attention fell to my bare feet, then she furrowed her brow.
“Give me two secs and I’ll be ready.” I rushed to the bathroom, applied my make-up quickly and stepped into my black heels. We left my apartment, out the front way, after Cherry’s protest on using the fire exit. And it must have been my lucky day when my landlord didn’t make a show. Cherry called an Uber and by the time we reached the club, I’d forgotten about my crappy day. I was ready to get drunk and party.
We stepped out on the sidewalk in front of a building that must have once been a warehouse. The brick walls had all been painted black, along with the double doors. Golden words sat over the entrance on a plaque. The Garage.
A bouncer stood outside, decked in black.
Cherry grabbed me by the elbow and walked me closer. “Everyone’s going to this club. It’s hot!”
The bouncer studied us for the longest pause. I reached into my handbag for my ID when he opened the door, and I offered him a smile. An explosion of music poured out of the establishment, a deep, fast beat.
Cherry dragged me inside, giggling and pushing aside the black curtains in the entryway. We entered the nightclub.
The music vibrated around us, the floor beneath my feet bounced with each beat, and my stomach swirled with excitement. The black theme continued inside, a circular bar with blue lights surrounding the dance floor. Overhead there was a second floor, and people were hanging by the railing, looking down at the dance floor. Wall to wall people dancing, no room for much else. Beaming lights sailed overhead, while the DJ stood in a cage elevated over the dancefloor.
“Wow. This is fantastic!” I couldn't stop grinning, and Cherry squeezed my hand.
“Told you.” She pulled me into the crowds, bodies squished up against me, my feet trampled on a couple of times, but who cared.
“We need drinks,” I called out to her, trying to be loud enough to get past the noise, and she glanced back, nodding.
By the time we reached the bar, we found a small open space to breath. “This place is insane.” I glanced around, the place filled to the brim with what seemed like a million people. I couldn’t wait to get out on the dancefloor.
Cherry said something, but I didn’t hear her because my gaze had settled on three men sitting at the end of the bar, one of them sizing me up. All high cheekbones, he wore a mischievous grin. Except, I’d seen him before, and I wracked my brain, when it finally hit me. I’d seen him on a billboard in the streets.
I gasped and rocked on my heels, grasping Cherry’s arm. Panic dug its claws into my chest. “Did you know, there’re Vepar here!”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “Of course. “It’s a Vepar nightclub.”
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Read on for a look at my upcoming book, Queen of the Thieves…
Queen of the Thieves
When the Royals came, Haven’s world fell, and her family was taken in the night, leaving her all alone. To survive this new world without protection, Haven could no longer be the scared young girl that she had been for so many years. Death was imminent unless she found a way to become the queen of the thieves. But the shadows have eyes and they’re watching her. Always there. Terrifying wolves that are waiting for the right time to strike. But can Haven find her strength before it’s too late? Can she truly uncover where she belongs?
“It was the possibility of darkness that made the day seem so bright.”
― Stephen King, Wolves of the Calla
Prologue
They wait for us when it’s dark.
The thieves used to own the night. It was when we blended into the shadows and made our fortunes. The time when we were magic. But that was before...
17
Chapter 1
(4 years ago)
I open my eyes and find myself staring into the flames of a blazing campfire just a few feet away from me. The smell of it is strangely cloying and sweet, and for a second, I struggle to remember if this is what a campfire is supposed to smell like. Actually, I’m struggling to remember anything at all at the moment I realize.
Feeling stiff and uncomfortable, I look down, seeing that I’m tied to a wooden seat, my arms bound behind me. Someone has covered me with a blanket and I attempt to shrug it off, the roaring fire doing a good enough job of keeping me warm. My head hurts like someone hit me over the head with a rock, so I’m not able to get my bearings right away.
I just watch the fire dance and cast menacing shadows all around it. Looking up where the smoke from the fire unfurls into the heavens above, I can’t see a single star. The sky is heavy with clouds and it matches the mood of the night perfectly. My brain is trying to make sense of everything that’s going on, but I’m struggling to connect how I ended up in this chair. However, I hit my head, it really did a good job of scattering my brain.
“Is she awake?” a somewhat familiar voice asks from somewhere on the other side of the fire. I recognize the voice, but I can’t quite place it. My heart kicks up a notch, though. My eyes are having trouble focusing so I have to strain to see past the flickering flames to try and find the owner of the voice I just heard. I stop before finding him, because the shooting pains in my head prevent me.
I take a few slow, deep breaths, waiting for the voice to speak again, so I’ll know who it is. He doesn’t speak right away, but I hear the murmur of other voices rise above the sound of the crackling wood and the crickets in the forest behind me. Somehow, it’s comforting to hear there are other people around, to know I’m not alone with the mysterious voice.
“Who’s there?” I finally ask, a slow terror starting to build inside of me as tiny inklings of how I got here start to filter into my aching head.
“You should know,” comes the same voice. “Weren’t you the one who came to us?”
This doesn’t seem like a helpful response since my brain seems incapable of thought. It’s also not the most appropriate time for trying to play games with me, but I guess whoever the voice belongs to is probably the person who tied me to this chair... so he’s not exactly sane.
I have to see his face. I have to know what is going on here. Slowly, I attempt to try and stand, hoisting the chair behind me and causing sharp pain to rise up in my arms since they’re situated at such an awkward angle behind me. Lifting my head, it spins wildly, and I don’t even believe what I’m seeing is real. Scattered in front of me are at least fifty men. They are all seated here and there, quietly watching me. I sit back down in shock.
They’re so still, that they practically resemble statues. The only thing separating them from stone is the fact that they’re all observing me with the utmost interest. Almost like they’ve never seen a girl before. Sitting near the middle of them is obviously this group’s leader although there isn’t one thing that specifically tells me that is the case. What leads me to this conclusion is that he’s by far the fiercest looking man of the bunch, reeking with authority and an unmatched savagery that has me shaking. He has unruly red hair and grey eyes that are cold and flinty. I quickly avert my gaze from him and focus my attention o
n the others.
My breath falters a bit when it sees the man sitting next to the leader. This man’s face stands out among the others with its masculine lines and striking contours, making me think that even the heavens would be jealous of his beauty. His stunning blue eyes are focused on me, but unlike the monster next to him, this man’s eyes are kind and a bit sorrowful if I’m reading them right, like he pities me.
Dragging my eyes away from the beautiful man, I examine the rest of the men watching me. It’s clear by the way they all hold themselves that they belong to each other, that they’re a team, a band of brothers.
“Are any of your memories coming back little girl?” asks the leader.
He’s enjoying this game so much that the dread that has been building inside of me grows even stronger. I can tell that this man only truly enjoys things that are awful. I can see the tension in the others, and it lessens my anxiety a little bit to realize that perhaps the rest of the group is not as terrible as the man talking to me.
Mr. Blue Eyes hisses out his breath. “Darius,” he chides in an annoyed tone. This draws the attention of the leader, I’m assuming named Darius, for a moment. I’m grateful for the reprieve and the knowledge of the leader’s name as it gives me a second to regain my composure.
My memories take this moment to come back to me and I gasp as I realize just where I am and what I’ve done. I stupidly came to seek asylum or membership in the most notorious gang of thieves in Amaris. I can’t think of a single reason why I ever thought this was a good idea, but desperation will make you do crazy things and I had been the definition of desperate when I decided to make my way here.