by Cherie Marks
Also by Cherie Marks
The Fae Next Door
The Vampire Next Door
Lost in New Falls
Into the Fire
Wicked Jackal (Woodland Creek Series)
Thief of Sanguardia (Skeleton Key Series)
Wicked Is As Wicked Does (Magic & Mayhem Kindle World)
Lost in Christmas (Also in Romancing the Holidays Box Set)
And writing as C. C. Marks
Edge of Mercy
Heart of Mercy
End of Mercy
Range of Mercy
Mercy
Shadow of Ruin
by
Cherie Marks
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.
Shadow of Ruin
COPYRIGHT© 2016 by Cherie Marks
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Cover art by Shoutlines Design and Rachel Mizer
Find other the Complex stories here: https://thecomplex.info/
Contact Information: [email protected]
For more interesting reads, visit the author at http://www.authorcheriemarks.com
Published in the United States of America by Cherie Marks
License Notes
Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review and encourage your friends to download their own copy, where they can also discover works by Cherie Marks.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the sleep-deprived who push farther on less than the recommended number of hours, the perseverers in their day job while moonlighting as writers, the dreamers who always look to the next horizon no matter how much it stretches your soul until it feels like you’ll snap if you don’t get there. These are my kind of people, and I hope we never change.
Acknowledgments
No one helps me more than my editor Teresa M., and the many writer types and family members who let me bounce ideas off them about imaginary worlds and people that I talk about as if they were all too real (because they are in my mind).
Thank you again, Scarlett Dawn. You’ve pushed me as a writer in ways I can’t express. I hope I didn’t cause you too much stress with my version of ADHD. I promise I appreciate everything you’ve done to create such amazing projects and bring together such amazing writers. I’m humbled to be a part of it.
Table of Contents
Shadow of Ruin, Chapter 1
The Complex Book Series
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More about Cherie Marks
Other Books by Cherie Marks
From the shadowed booth in the back of the bar, Zaira Kohl watched the crush of beings gyrating against each other on the dance floor. As a popular stop on the way to multiple star systems, Graefen’s Bar and Cantina hosted any and all sorts of creatures, and tonight wasn’t an exception.
She stared at a couple of squeakers sitting at the bar, talking in a high-pitched language she didn’t understand, but she liked the sleek look of their gray skin, and it was obvious that on whichever planet they originated, rodents had become the dominant species and evolved into a higher intelligence. And that wasn’t a lone example. Though Zaira was from Wreston, where humans were generally accepted as the most evolved animals, she’d met multiple species throughout the galaxies, and though most of Wreston’s inhabitants still lived in denial that interactions with Metas, or beings from other planets, were inevitable, she was quite aware that humans weren’t alone in the universe. Far from it.
And that was a good thing for Zaira. It opened up vastly more opportunities for business—a whole universe’s worth of clients. Zaira specialized in retrieving items that were impossible to get, and she was so good at what she did that she was in demand. As such, she could dictate most of the details about an assignment, including where the initial meeting would take place. This place was ideal because it provided a crowd to get lost in if things weren’t going well. Not to mention, if a client decide to follow Zaira’s ship, a Freeder 3500, it would be nearly impossible with all the multiple star systems within an easy hyperspeed jump in any direction.
She’d never met a client yet who made her feel like running, but she’d been taught by the best, and any retriever worth her designer salt would have her exit planned before she even walked through the door. This job was no different. She’d scouted the quickest way out the first time she’d met with a client here a couple years ago. And, even now, as she waited to meet with a potential client, she’d set everything up in her favor.
This booth in the back gave the perfect vantage point of the front door. It was also right by the kitchen entrance, a way out if she didn’t like the look of whoever walked in. And not taking any chances, she had a colleague at the bar, waiting for her signal if she needed him. It was always good to have back-up, and Jace Walker was exactly the guy to call when you needed some muscle. He was a six-four cyborg, who took shit from no one, and she’d known him since they’d been after the same religious relic from a planet in the Lophac system. In the end, she’d drop-kicked him over a cliff, and she’d gotten the small statue of a long-forgotten goddess and given it to the client. To be fair, it was only a thirty-foot drop off the cliff, so she’d honestly taken it easy on him, and he seemed to realize it. Rather than get pissed off, the perfectly healthy cyborg and she’d met up for a meal. They’d quickly realized they’d never be anything more than friends, but it had become one of Zaira’s longest relationships—not counting the mentor that had practically raised her from a young girl and taught her everything she needed to know to make a living. Selky Terrelton was the one person in all of the worlds that she trusted completely. She was the only one on which Zaira could always count. A wisp of nostalgia blew through Zaira. She truly missed Selky, but life had taken them in different directions. She shook off her revelry and reminded herself once more that she needed to live in the present. The past only held pain for her and the future hadn’t happened yet. Here and now had to be her focus.
The entrance door opened, Zaira sat up straighter as she caught a glimpse of two long, blue trench coats with the insignia of the Stralleter family featured prominently on the side pockets. The Stralleters were the ruling class of a small, mostly inhospitable planet in a star system about which Zaira had only ever read. She hadn’t been impressed, and it would seem neither were these Metas because rumor was they’d been trying to take over another planet for years, one they could enforce their own values upon.
As a matter a fact, she was actually surprised they’d even agreed to meet with her. Their culture oppressed women with archaic beliefs about a male-dominated government and lack of pain-relief for childbirth. No, thank you. At any rate, Zaira was surprised they’d trust an assignment like this to a woman. Yet, as they spotted her and approached the table, they gave her a closed-mouth smile in greeting.
They took a seat on the other side of the booth, and up close, she noticed their skin had a slight blue tinge, and their black eyes were slightly beady with an intelligent cunning that put Zaira’s nerves on edge.
The one on the left was shorter than she—as most people she met were—and he had only wisps
of white hair on his blue-ish head. He spoke first. “Hello, Miss Kohl. We’re so glad you agreed to meet with us. You come highly recommended.”
This she knew. She’d worked hard the past couple of years to build a good reputation, mostly because since her last relationship ended in disaster, she didn’t want to put her energy into anything else. Seemed to be working for her, and satisfied clients continued to pass her name to the next inquirer. Business was good, and Zaira wanted it to stay that way.
“What exactly is it that you need me to do?”
The other man sat slightly taller than his friend and leaned forward slightly with a closed-mouth grin before saying, “Right to the point. I find this refreshing.”
“Yes, I’m sure, but I can’t do anything until I know the details. The sooner you give those deets, the sooner I can get started.”
The first guy spoke again. “We need your special skills, Miss Kohl. We need an item retrieved from a place that is almost impossible to get into and even harder to get out of.”
“First of all, stop calling me Miss Kohl. Most clients just call me Z. Second of all, this sounds like a job I like to say no to.”
“Perhaps I should give you all the specifics. I’ve heard you thrive on a challenge.”
Zaira shrugged one shoulder. “Very few jobs have been a real challenge.”
“Then, this is exactly what you need. Have you heard of the Complex?”
Every muscle in Zaira’s body tensed. “You mean that monstrosity the Ama Seldova built on Lorn to try to bring peace between Humans and Metas?”
“Um…yes…I guess you are familiar with it. Tomorrow, Humans and Metas will enter the Complex to live for two and half years. We want you to be one of them. We’ve already made all of the arrangements. Your contact inside will assist you in any way necessary. I don’t know how you can’t say yes.”
Zaira took a slow sip of the brown liquor she ordered every time she came here. It was smooth and immediately spread warmth throughout her body, but it never dulled her senses completely. Right now, she needed to keep her wits about her. Something about these two didn’t inspire good feelings in her.
Maybe it was the glimpses of needle-like teeth as they spoke or maybe it was the tension building around the event they’d mentioned. Humans and Metas were about to be thrown together in some great experiment that was supposed to result in a happier, more peaceful universe. Yet, Zaira knew that all the atrocities committed by both sides wouldn’t be easily forgotten, and it was going to take much more than close quarters to eliminate the differences that drove the bloody wars between Humans and Metas in the not so distant past. She wanted nothing to do with the Complex or anything it was supposed to represent. Zaira’s interactions with Metas were strictly business now, and it was how she wanted it to stay. At the end of the day, she could only be concerned with herself, her business, and nothing else.
“Well, fellas, appreciate the offer. I really do, but I’m going to have to decline this job. This one seems a little too long-term for me. Come see me when you have a weekend job. That’s more my style.”
“What if we offered 200,000 S-CO? It is the payment for completing your stay in the Complex, plus a bonus from the Stralleter family to show our appreciation for your service.”
Zaira’s jaw dropped. The amount was more than she would earn for the next four years or more, and it was hard to pass up. How could she? It would be enough to buy herself a nice-sized dwelling in almost any star system she wanted, not that she had any in particular in mind, but the fact that she’d have choices beyond the next job made her heart pound.
“I can see we’ve peaked your interest.”
“I’m listening. For that kind of money, what exactly are you expecting me to do?”
He pulled something from a pocket inside his coat and laid it on the table. It was a communication device and with a few taps on the screen, he finally pushed the device across the table so that Zaira could see what he was talking about.
“This is the Shadow Crystal.” I glanced at the screen and took a look at what he was talking about. It was an onyx colored, heart-shaped diamond about the size of the fist holding it. “Don’t be fooled by its appearance, it can shift in shape and even turn to dust. It is one of our people’s most sacred artifacts, and it was stolen from us by one of our longtime enemies—the vampiric demons of Creda. It is our understanding that one of the crown princes has taken the crystal off Creda and, in a gesture of goodwill, is moving into the Complex tomorrow.” He swiped the screen and a picture of a male appeared.
Zaira stopped breathing at the sight of the familiar face. He was a gorgeous as she remembered. His skin was mocha color with the slightest reddish tinge. With high cheekbones, a long, straight nose, and full lips, he looked like he could sale a financially strapped space runner the most expensive ship in the galaxy. Hair dark as sin and eyes the color of gold, his features were striking. She knew this Meta all too well. She hadn’t realized he was a crown prince of the vampiric demons from Creda. He must be though if they were showing his picture to her. And he must be the mark holding the Shadow Crystal. Too bad.
“You need me to return the crystal to you? From this guy?”
“This is Ryder Vinchen, and he is the thief who stole the crystal from its rightful owners.”
She thought his wording was strange, and she’d never known Ryder to be a thief. When she’d known him, he’d been all but perfect, except for one thing that she didn’t like to think about anymore. It had been two years since she’d last seen him, and she never thought of him…well, mostly never.
She just had one more question, “If I get it, how will I get it to you? Unless you want to wait two and a half years?”
“As I said, we have one of our people on the inside. He’ll approach you when the time is right, and once you have the crystal, he’ll use his connections to smuggle it out.”
“But then, I’m stuck in the Complex with a vampiric demon…” Ryder, “who will no doubt want revenge until the release date.”
The one who had yet to speak, cleared his throat and said, “We are offering a large sum as compensation. If I’m not mistaken it far surpasses your usual fee.”
“That’s another thing. How can I be assured that you will indeed pay me once you have the crystal? I mean, I’m going to be stuck in limbo for a time. What’s to stop you from taking the jewel and running without paying? Not like I’ll be able to stop you. I’ll be too busy avoiding the vengeance of the dempire.” Freaking Ryder!
The leader of the two spoke again. “You’ll get half the money up front, and the other half will be wired into your bank account once our contact has possession of the Shadow Crystal. The money will be in your control before the jewel even leaves the planet’s surface. Perhaps you could use some of it to bribe your way out?”
Zaira was beyond tempted. This offer was huge, and if she did the job just right, she’d be able to get the object without detection. Ryder would never even know what happened until she was long gone. Yet, two and a half years was a lot of time to lose. She’d worked hard to get where she was in her business, and she was afraid an almost three-year hiatus would set her back tremendously. The compensation they offered was significant, but her reputation would take a hit, too. It might give her competition a chance to move in and take her clients. It was too much to sacrifice, and a hastily bribed exit was far from guaranteed. What would Selky do?
She’d turn the job down. Zaira was sure of it. It was clear. She couldn’t throw away all that she’d built for one big payday.
“Look, I can recommend some other retrievers for you to contact, but after considering all you have to say, I’m just going to be honest. Though the sum of your payment is tempting, I can’t be gone from the game that long, and I can’t rely on a shady, under-the-table exodus that might be impossible once I’m there. I’m going to have to turn you down.” And turn down the chance to see Ryder once more. Her heart would thank her, no doubt.
&nb
sp; A look passed between the two of them before they met her gaze once more and nodded in unison. “Of course. We’re disappointed, but we understand.”
They stood awkwardly and straightened their coats. With one last nod in her direction, they turned toward the same door through which they’d entered.
“Did you want a list of recommended retrievers?”
Once more, the leader looked at her and gave a thin smile. “That won’t be necessary. We’ll find another way to get what we want.” And with that, they walked away without another glance back.
Zaira finished her drink and left the booth to sit on a stool beside Jace.
“What’s it going to be this time?”
“Not doing it. They need someone to go inside the Complex. You know I always need an exit strategy. That’s got zero chance of escape. I got better things to do than play nice with the evil-looking Metas.”
“So, maybe you’re not a workaholic after all.”
She laughed lightly and rolled her eyes. “Just not a fool.” And not in a rush to test the strength of her resolve when it came to resisting a vampiric demon named Ryder.
“What’s your plan now?”
Zaira eyed him up and down. “You propositioning me?”
Now it was his turn to laugh. “Nah. I know better than to go down that dead end. Just wondering if you’re going to see Selky any time soon.”
Guilt creeped over her. “I can’t. Not yet. I need to find a way to make things right between us before I go back.”
“And what if you can’t find a way?”
Zaira shrugged, giving Jace a grim shake of her head. “Then, I find a way to live with my shame.”
Zaira worked quickly to get the ship ready. There was nothing more to do here, and she really didn’t like sticking around in one place too long. At least until she found…the one.