SILENCE
A New World Series Novella
By Janelle Stalder
SILENCE
Copyright 2016 Janelle Stalder
Published 2016
Amazon Edition
Cover Design by Mae I Design and Photography
Ebook Formatting by White Hot Formatting
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This ebook is also available in print at most online retailers.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Other Titles
Quote
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
About The Author
ALSO BY JANELLE STALDER
EDEN SERIES
EDEN
(BOOK ONE)
EDEN-WEST
(BOOK TWO)
EDEN-SOUTH
(BOOK THREE)
EDEN-EAST
(BOOK FOUR)
NEW WORLD SERIES
SWITCH
(BOOK ONE)
MASKED
(BOOK TWO)
TESTED
(BOOK THREE)
BLOOMFIELD SERIES
BRUSH STROKES
SIMPLE BEGINNINGS
In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of
our friends.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
CHAPTER ONE
The Outlands, New Berlin, 2040
The second they walked up to the entrance, Pixie knew this was a bad idea. Unease slithered through her, settling in the pit of her stomach, turning it. The men looked as cold and as lifeless as their surroundings. The entrance was built into the side of a mossy hill, camouflaged amongst the rolling green countryside. It had taken them days just to locate it, and even then, they weren’t sure if they’d be allowed entrance.
As far as they knew, Trent and Phoenix had been kidnapped by human traffickers who ran an illegal fighting ring here in the outskirts of town. From what they’d been told, these fights were no laughing matter. The losers never saw the light of day again, and the winners were only to be returned to fight for their lives once more the following week. People from all around came to bet on these fights, something she still couldn’t understand. With all that was wrong with the world at this time, she would have hoped that people would have some sense of humanity left in them.
Surprisingly, the men guarding the door had listened to Garrett’s spiel, taken one look at Tyler, and opened the door, motioning them in. Pixie had wisely kept her surprise from her face, following her friends into the depths of the underground world.
Dampness seemed to stick to you as soon as you entered. There was no light to be seen, almost as though nature itself was warning you to turn back now. They followed the hallway downward until the dirt walls changed to stone ones, built by man. One could almost think they were inside a building instead of under the earth.
The man in the lead opened a door wordlessly, gesturing for them to enter first. Pixie stuck close to Garrett, just to be safe. She could sense the tension rolling off all of them, especially Missy, but didn’t make any move to console her. They needed to exude confidence if they were going to pull this off. Plus, if she was supposed to be a fighter owned by them, she wouldn’t be trying to ease her fears. Each one of them had to play a part. She could only imagine how pissed Tyler was feeling that he couldn’t just take Missy’s hand, and had to leave that gesture to Garrett.
The room they walked into was a large gym, exercise equipment on one side, with a large boxing ring in the middle. Pixie instantly zeroed in on the bright red hair currently behind the ropes. She breathed a sigh of relief to see that her friend was still alive and well. Another scan brought her to Trent, and again she thanked whatever God there was that neither of them had died in this hell-hole.
She stood there, observing the room slowly as was her habit, ignoring the conversation going on around her. Getting all of them out of there alive was her number one priority. Being below the ground was going to be a huge problem. She needed to have a closer look around and see if there was another way out besides the one they’d entered. Something told her that was the only one.
“Who’s the little one?”
Pixie’s focus snapped to the speaker instantly. She was used to being called the little one, and knew instantly he was referring to her. She’d grown up her entire life being picked on for being so tiny. But what she lacked in size, she made up for in other ways. She was quick, smart, and not afraid to blow things up. People could take that and stuff it, for all she cared.
Her eyes snagged on the man Garrett was addressing and something funny happened. All her life, Pixie was used to being silently disconnected and untouched by everything around her. Yes she was quiet, especially when compared to the other girls, but it was more than that. Her father hadn’t been an easy man to live with. He was the type of man that wanted to see his kids, not hear them – and most times not even that. Pixie was used to keeping a low profile.
In doing so, she’d also gotten used to keeping herself slightly numb to everything and everyone. Not that she didn’t love her friends, she did, but she also knew that they didn’t know her half as well as she knew them. She supposed that’s what happened when you didn’t share your thoughts and feelings with anyone, but she was comfortable that way.
Throughout her twenty years, Pixie had never felt any sort of emotional stirring when looking at another person. Everyone was the same in her eyes. Looking at the man whose blue eyes seemed to see right through her, she suddenly felt like a trapped mouse, her stomach tightening with that flight or fight sensation. It was strange and unfamiliar, and she decided that she didn’t like it at all. She wanted to look away in order to rid herself of the sensation, but she was caught in the snare he’d created with his bold stare.
The man was perfection at first glance, but while he had all the looks of an angel, she could see the cold, calculation in his eyes that spoke volumes, telling her he was anything but. He held himself in a way that made her think perhaps he, too, kept a large part of himself hidden away from the world. She wouldn’t be surprised, considering he ran fights to the death.
The realization of just who she was looking at helped to slightly ease her initial discomfort, rebuilding her carefully constructed walls of indifference. But those walls suddenly didn’t seem so sturdy under his gaze, and Pixie didn’t know what to make of it.
“My wife?” She distantly heard Garrett ask. Everything suddenly sounded muffled to her, as though she were wrapped in a bubble, separated fro
m the others.
“No, the other one,” the man replied, never taking his eyes from hers.
“Oh, her,” Garrett said, glancing at her. “She’s a prospect. For now, she helps with training until I can figure out if she’s good enough to pull in some cash herself.”
The man’s eyes slowly dropped down the length of her body, following each curve as though it were a physical caress. Pixie had to fight the shiver that threatened to roll through her. What the hell was wrong with her? This man was evil incarnate, and she was acting like some love-struck school girl. “Seems a bit small for a fighter.”
Those words seemed to snap her out of her daze immediately. Narrowing her eyes at him, she swore she’d show him just how fierce she could be, despite her size. Who was this guy to make such a judgement without even seeing what she could do? As a matter of fact, she was one of the best fighters out of all the Archers. She was fast, and her boney hands hurt – or so Sam always complained. She wasn’t some little, helpless child!
Garrett laughed. “Don’t be deceived. She’s fast. Sometimes that’s all that matters, as your girl up there can attest to.”
Pixie felt grateful toward Garrett for the first time since she’d met him. She looked over at him, to see him watching her with a strange look. She raised one eyebrow, as if to say “what?” Garrett looked away, confronting the other man again. She wished she had listened and heard what his damn name was, but she’d missed it during her appraisal of the room.
They continued their conversation as Pixie looked down at the floor, trying her best to regain some focus. The last thing she needed was to be off her game while down here. They were literally sitting ducks and couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.
All of a sudden, Garrett motioned to her to follow him out of the room, and she complied, not looking back at either Phoenix or Trent. She didn’t want to give away the fact that she knew them, and somehow she knew that the man in charge was carefully watching her every move. She couldn’t quite figure out why, but the hairs on the back of her neck told her she was right. It was as though her entire body was now connected to him, aware of his glance even with her back turned.
***
They were brought down winding halls that felt maze-like. Most people would probably have got lost, but Pixie wasn’t most people. Keeping a mental map of every twist and turn they made, she followed the group into a small, yet cozy room. It was simply furnished, and if you hadn’t known any better, you wouldn’t have thought it was underground. While there weren’t any windows, the furnishings were all well maintained and were nicer than anything she’d ever owned.
A large bed, larger than any Pixie had ever seen, sat against one wall. Its fluffy white coverings made her think of a big cloud. If she were alone, she’d be tempted to run and jump on it, just to see how soft it really was. On the opposite wall was a beautiful vanity, with an antique chair sitting in front of it made out of dark wood and a deep red fabric seat. She could only imagine sitting there as some high-born lady, putting on her make-up and gold.
Another dresser sat against the wall, while two large chairs and a small loveseat sat before a roaring fire. Pixie squinted at the flames, her eyes wandering up to the ceiling, wondering where it might be exhausted to. She made a point to remember to look into that.
“I hope everything meets with your satisfaction,” he said, entering the room behind them. Pixie kept her back to him, uncomfortable with their close proximity now.
Garrett let out a low whistle, taking in their surroundings with an appreciative gaze. She wondered if he was truly impressed or just putting on a show for their host, as planned.
“This will suit us just fine,” he said, smiling at the man. His head swiveled back and forth then, his brows furrowing in confusion. “There’s only one bed though. Where do my fighters sleep?”
Pixie looked over her shoulder to see the man, Bastian, as Missy had informed her discreetly, raise his eyebrows at Garrett’s question.
“Not that I see anything wrong with them on the floor,” he quickly added. “But with such high stakes on the line, I wouldn’t want either of them getting a sore back…or something.”
Pixie rolled her eyes.
“Fighters are all kept in the cellblocks,” Bastian answered. He turned and looked at the two guards that had followed them in, motioning toward Tyler. “Take him to the men’s block.”
“Both of us, boss?” one asked.
She looked back at Bastian again to see him nod. “I’ll take care of the girl,” he said.
Heat infused her cheeks at the thought of being alone with him. She instantly looked to Missy, the panic probably plain to see in her eyes. Missy understood. Neither of them was overly fond of men. While Pixie hadn’t had anything as tragic happen to her as what had happened to Missy, she was still wary of the opposite sex. She was little, and often times that made people think of her as weak.
Besides, she didn’t trust Sebastian Black. The fact that they were all being separated didn’t bode well, in her opinion.
“Can’t she stay here with us,” Missy spoke up, for the first time. “She’s not actually fighting
– at least not yet. I’d rather have her here with me.”
Those damn eyebrows of his rose again, looking from Missy to Garrett, as though he was surprised that the woman had even spoken. It made Pixie want to throw something at him. Clenching her fists, she turned her back to him again, lest the urge to do so grew too strong, and she end up getting herself killed on the first day.
“Rules are rules, I’m afraid, sweetheart,” Garrett said awkwardly. “I’m sure she’ll be just fine.” He looked to Pixie, a clear question in his eyes. While she really didn’t want to go, she also didn’t want them worrying about her the whole time. Taking a deep breath, she gave him a subtle nod to say she’d be okay, and left it at that.
“Good. I’m glad that’s settled,” Bastian said, clapping his hands loudly, causing her to jump at the unexpected sound. “We’ll leave you two to get settled then. There will be a fight tomorrow night that I’m sure you’ll love. I’ll make sure to have two seats in the front row reserved for you.”
She distantly heard Garrett mumble his thanks, but at that point her mind was too focused on the feeling of the hand that had suddenly wrapped itself around her upper arm. While his grip was firm, he didn’t hurt her as he led her out of the room back into the hall. The door to Missy and Garrett’s room slammed shut behind them, as though sealing her fate.
She didn’t know yet just how true that was.
CHAPTER TWO
They walked down the hall in silence, his hand still burning through the thin fabric of her shirt into her bare skin. She kept her head down, while still taking note of where they were for future reference. If she thought that Bastian would attempt some sort of conversation on this little walk, she was wrong. He was as silent as she. And surprisingly, it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was as though they were both more comfortable without conversation, whereas most people tended to fill any silence with useless babble.
“Hey there, Mr. Black,” came a voice suddenly.
Pixie looked up through her lashes at the two people walking toward them. One was a bald, chubby, ruddy faced man, whose smile was so wide she could see the gold caps in his teeth. The woman with him was tall and willowy, her face painted heavily with make-up, and her hair styled to perfection. A long, red dress draped down her body, clinging to her in a way that Pixie assumed men liked.
Looking down at her plain, black tights, and long sleeved t-shirt, she could see why most guys would look right past her. Not that her clothes weren’t also tight, it was just that she didn’t have much to show off, the way the other woman had. And why was she even comparing herself to this woman? She glanced up at the beautiful man beside her, and instantly blamed him. Men that looked like Bastian Black made girls act stupidly. That was the only explanation for her current sudden case of idiocy. Looking at him, it was hard to remember he was
a lowlife, scumbag.
“Mr. Coiffer,” Bastian greeted back. Pixie eyed him again, hearing a tinge of irritation in his response. Something told her Mr. Black was not a fan of the bald man.
“My wife and I are so excited to see tomorrow’s fight,” he said, stopping in front of them. Black pulled her to a halt just beside him, keeping his hand on her arm. Looking up, she noticed the woman frown at the point where they were connected, looking back and forth between them. From the way she was eye-fucking Bastian, Pixie would bet there was something more exciting than a fight that Mr. Coiffer’s wife wanted. That bothered her for some reason, making Pixie glare back at the woman when their eyes finally met.
“Good to hear, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. If you’ll excuse us,” he replied, tightening his hold slightly as he started to leave, moving around the two of them.
“Your girl there is tiny. Is she a fighter?”
“I am not his girl,” Pixie said instantly, the words flying from her lips before she could even think about it. The hall went deadly quiet. She looked at Bastian, to see him staring at her, his face unreadable. She stared back, not knowing what else to do. Normally she didn’t speak up that way, but her reaction had come without warning. They seemed to be challenging one another in front of this other couple. What the challenge was, Pixie couldn’t be certain. She also couldn’t decide who had won when he finally looked away.
“She is indeed – a fighter,” he answered, pausing. Meeting her gaze again, she saw something flicker in the deep depths of blue there. Whatever it was, she didn’t think it boded well for her. “Not mine though, no. I was just about to take her to the ring, to see just how good of a fighter she is.”
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