by Sarah Noffke
“No,” Dahlia says, popping into a seated position. “But you said your mother was religious.”
“Well, yeah, but we were as poor as shit,” she says with a shrug.
At this Dahlia slaps my arm again.
“Don’t slap me,” I say, my eyes still on the sentence I’ve been trying to read for ten minutes. “It’s not my fault her mum couldn’t get a better paying job.”
“Well, she had the burden of raising your child,” Dahlia says, and by the tone of her voice she’s offended.
I look up to find Adelaide with a slight smile on her face. She’s enjoying this. “I grew up in the lower class too,” I say. “It builds character. And now you’re rich. Happy? It’s bloody great being rich.”
“You’re rich actually,” Adelaide says, her eyes on the tree, an intent focus on the arrangement, like she’s trying to figure out what needs adjusting.
“Yes I am. But what’s mine is yours. That’s how this whole repugnant arrangement works, right?” I say.
“I don’t want your damn money,” Adelaide says, straightening a fake robin on a limb.
“Oh, then you just want to live with us and have us pay your way while you sketch ponies all day and hone your evil dream traveling skills? Is that it?” I say.
“Yeah, that seems about right,” Adelaide says. “Does that work?”
“Sure,” I say with an indifferent shrug. I’m pulling my book back up when my mobile rings on the tabletop.
A brief glance at the caller ID earns a long sigh from me. I consider not answering, since I’m supposed to have the week off to readjust after the move; well, and to spend dozens of hours shagging Dahlia.
“What?” I say into the phone.
“Ren, I have news,” Trey says.
“Is this about Vivian?” I say and at once notice Dahlia tense. She knows who Vivian is. Doesn’t like the way I told the story, which was matter-of-fact. “She said we were going to rule from the cliff tops. The Marilyn Monroe lookalike definitely has the hots for me.”
“Get that look off your face,” I say to Dahlia.
“Excuse me?” Trey says.
“Not you,” I say. “Although you probably have that wrinkled brow thing going on. So go ahead and get that look off your face too.”
“And no, this isn’t about Vivian. We still have the investigative reporters looking into things. I’ll let you know when I have more information,” Trey says.
“I cannot wait,” I say, my voice dead of emotion.
“This is about Adelaide actually,” Trey says, and his voice shifts. Tightens.
“Go on,” I say, my eyes flicking to the girl who has no idea her name has been mentioned, her eyes pinned on her task of decorating the tree.
“I had her blood test run,” Trey says.
“Why would you do that? I told you she didn’t want the job,” I say and Adelaide’s attention is ripped from her work. She stares at me with uncertain eyes.
“I know, but I thought that if she changed her mind, then we’d be ready to go. I kind of figured in time she’d come around,” Trey says.
“Well, maybe she will,” I say, giving Adelaide a look, the one I keep giving her when we discuss this topic and she fights me on it.
“Doesn’t matter if she does,” Trey says. “She doesn’t qualify at the current time to be an agent.”
“Wait. What?” I say, not having expected Trey to say that. “How is that even possible?”
“It’s her blood test,” he says. That’s all he says, which is insufficient.
“Why?” I say at once.
“She has a condition, and the test states that she’s had it since before you met her. Four, maybe five months,” Trey says.
“A condition,” I say, my voice suddenly higher than usual. Dahlia’s eyes are wide with worry as she listens to only my part of the conversation.
Adelaide has shuffled to put some garland back in a box, her fast hand movements making her nervousness known. Then she turns and rushes for the door.
“Yes, a condition. Ren, Adelaide is pregnant,” Trey says.
“Oh fuck,” I say, hanging up on Trey at once.
Epilogue
I’ve wondered for quite time if stupidity would be the thing that killed the human race. Now I realize how wrong the question was. Yes, being stupid could kill us. However, I never considered that it was in fact stupidity that kept us on this bloody Earth. Stupidity may just be the very reason that humans have continued to exist when we should have died out long ago. This is because stupid people are prone to breed more stupid people into this world, creating a never-ending cycle. Actually, stupid people are the ones breeding. The ones too daft to take care not to overpopulate our crowded cities and overburden our resources with babies. These babies then grow up to do the same as their parents, creating an epidemic of stupidity that can’t be erased.
And I never realized that one day I’d discover that I was one of those stupid people. I’ve bred stupidity into this world.
I’m Ren Lewis and I’m a part of the problem.
The End
Continue your journey with the Ren Series.
Grab book three, The Monster Inside the Monster.
Acknowledgements:
I have some amazing readers. I’m not just saying that. I wouldn’t. I don’t give lip service. Today a reader made me my very own personalize Pokémon card. That makes me a big deal. And then another made personalized pillow designs for me. Wait, what? I’ve dreamed about this…well, not specifically. But still to have people, real people, make memes for me and all sorts of other awesome stuff. Well it’s the things I’ve dreamed about. I wrote alone for so long and just wanted someone to care one day. Actually, I wanted a lot of someone’s to care. And now I have so many supportive and super fun readers. I’m serious when I say that you all make my day, each and every day. There’s too many awesome moments where I’m so glad I chose this profession. I love teaching, but my students don’t make GIFs for me, let’s be honest. They’re cool and all, but you all rock. So thank you.
Thank you to my editor Christine LePorte. I think this was the rare book where you really had to give me direction. And that you did and I’m supremely happy with the edits. Here’s to number eleven.
Thank you to my cover designer Andrei Bat. Fastest cover ever. And that was even with me totally mucking up the instructions in the beginning. Good thing we can laugh about it now. Well, I’m not laughing. But go ahead, laugh at the things I do. That’s fine. You’re allowed, because you’re awesome and I love your work. Can’t wait to work on the next cover with you. And the next and the next. You get the point.
And then there’s my awesome beta reading team for this book, which makes me feel like I’m a mastermind with a cabinet who advises. I heart my beta readers for a lot of reasons. One they make me better. Two they make my books better. And three they make the world better, but I’m not sure they know this last one. It’s still true. So a huge thank you to my first chair Colleen. You may ask why she’s called that. Well she puts in the time, the effort, the awesomeness. And she sits in the first chair for that reason. Colleen is my first reader. The person who sees my books when they’re still crap. She overlooks the roughness and polishes them until they are near perfect. And she tells me things. Things that helps, like this scene blew my socks off and this one I didn’t understand. And we converse and in the process my books get better. All because this lady cares and loves me and Ren and the books that he’s in. Lol. And then there’s my other amazing beta readers. Heidi, Heidi, Kelly, and Melinda. You all gave me such fantastic input. Each different. Each helpful. And can I just say that discussing the nuances of the book with each one of you really helps my journey when creating. I don’t discount any of it. Every bit we talk about is vaulted away, analyzed and used in some regard. This is the weirdness that is me.
Thank you to Katie for checking my British vernacular. I’m not British, only obsessed with a man who is. And it’s important th
at I get him and his city spot on. Your input on the first Ren book was so helpful and since then I’ve had many a Brit tell me how accurate the book was. All thanks to you.
And a big thank you to Dominic and Maja who run the fan group on Goodreads. I know that Dominic can’t read these books yet because Ren is a filthy man. But still that kid makes each day better when he sends me an email. His support is awesome. He makes bookmarks, advertises and creates tons of threads about my books. I only wished that I would inspire someone like this one day. Now that I have, well I’m feeling like doing a cartwheel. However, I won’t because I can’t. I’m at a desk right now.
And thank you to BOD. I say it over and over and it’s never enough. You all run my parties. You all share my posts. You all buy my ebooks, then signed paperbacks and audiobooks. I’m not sure what hocus pocus surrounds BOD members, but I’ve yet to find one who isn’t amazing. Who didn’t give me amazing support. And who I don’t freaking adore. Seriously in love with this group. The ladies who run it are superb. And so grateful to Katy for running the release party for this book. You rock, but you kind of know that by now.
Thank you to my friends. Seriously, I’m the weirdest introvert most have ever met. I hate to socialize and then when I do, I’m in love with the experience. I guess it’s because I have awesome friends. You all go above and beyond to support me. Some of you read the books and love them. Some of you just support me. And then there’s a few of you who I suspect don’t care for me, but love the books. Whatevs. It all works in the end. Thank you to each and every one of you.
Thank you for entering the contest and suggesting the dark classics mentioned in this book. Stephanie, Cheryl, Elizabeth, and Katy. I love you all for so many reasons. Your comments keep me laughing and uplifted. So happy to share this book with you.
Thank you to my street team and to the main person on it. Kathy. You’re more than awesome and I love getting the notifications that you’re talking about the books.
Thank you to Stephanie, Jessica and Christopher. Wow, if it wasn’t for your major derailments on Facebook I would have written twelve more books this year. And I would be super unhappy and in need of laughter. You all rock. Thank you.
Thank you to super fans everywhere. I really can’t do this without you. Thank you to Anne, Katy, Kathy, Katie, Anna, Elizabeth, Shelah, Stephanie, Heidi, Melinda, April, Kelly, Cheryl, Vikki, Cheree, Casey, Maria, Cheryl, Belinda, Christopher, Derek, Clint, Marcus, Jamie, Tiffany, Marie, Susi, Nicole, Ashely, and many more. Love you all. I do this writing thing to keep you proud and entertained. Well, really I write just to keep Kelly entertained. The rest of you, it’s just extra that I publish these works. That’s the way it goes. You get it, I hope.
Thank you to my family. I really feel that I’m in good hands with you all. Thank you to Luke for the love and support. You rock. With a capital K.
Thank you to Lydia. You’re always my muse. The one I turn to when the plot doesn’t work. One might not think that a four year old should be helping with such things, but I know better. And you just keep getting better and better. Love you.
About the Author
Sarah is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Vagabond Circus, Ren and Olento Research, Soul Stone Mage and Ghost Squadron series. She’s been everything from a corporate manager to a hippie. Her taste for adventure has taken her all over the world. If you can’t find her at the gym, then she’s probably at the frozen yogurt shop. If you can’t find her there then she probably doesn’t want to be found. She is a self-proclaimed hermit, with spontaneous urges to socialize during full moons and when Mercury is in retrograde. Sarah lives in Southern California with her family. To learn more about Sarah please visit: http://www.sarahnoffke.com
Join the mailing list here for freebies, updates and more! http://www.sarahnoffke.com/connect/
Check out other work by this author here.
A Dream Traveler Series: The Lucidites Series
Awoken, #1:
Around the world humans are hallucinating after sleepless nights.
In a sterile, underground institute the forecasters keep reporting the same events.
And in the backwoods of Texas, a sixteen-year-old girl is about to be caught up in a fierce, ethereal battle.
Meet Roya Stark.
She drowns every night in her dreams, spends her hours reading classic literature to avoid her family’s ridicule, and is prone to premonitions—which are becoming more frequent.
Now her dreams are filled with strangers offering to reveal what she has always wanted to know: Who is she? That’s the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. But will Roya live to regret learning the truth?
Stunned, #2
Revived, #3
A Dream Travelers Series: The Reverians
Defects, #1:
The longer we confine ourselves to a place the more it imprisons us.
All is not what it appears in the seemingly perfect community of Austin Valley.
A long-kept lie begins to unravel as an unsuspecting teenager named Em Fuller begins to learn the sinister truth of what lies beneath her town's perfect façade.
Em is a Defect--one of the unfortunate Dream Travelers not gifted with a psychic power.
Desperate to do whatever it takes to earn her gift, she endures painful daily injections along with commands from her overbearing, loveless father. One of the few bright spots in her life is the return of a friend she had thought dead—but with his return comes the knowledge of a shocking, unforgivable truth.
The society Em thought was protecting her has actually been betraying her, but she has no idea how to break away from its authority without hurting everyone she loves.
Rebels, #2
Warriors, #3
A Dream Travelers Series: Vagabond Circus
Suspended, #1:
A Man On A Mission
Dr. David Raydon, the Ringmaster, gave up his psychology practice to create Vagabond Circus. He searches for precious Dream Traveler children in orphanages and on the streets, where some live unwanted and forgotten. Vagabond Circus exists to provide the lost and lonely Dream Travelers a place to be illustrious, but it also shows the nonbelievers that there is still magic in the world. If they believe, then they care, and if they care, then they don’t destroy.
˃˃˃ Action, Depth And Plot Twists
When a stranger joins the cast of Vagabond Circus, mysterious events start happening. The once orderly grounds of the circus become riddled with hidden threats. The Ringmaster realizes that not only are his circus and its magic at risk, but also his very life.
˃˃˃ Colorful, exciting, with a dash of the promised romance, Suspended will leave you hanging in the end, anxious to read Paralyzed, book two in the series.
Paralyzed, #2
Released, #3
A Dream Traveler Series: Ren
Ren: The Man Behind the Monster, #1:
He is the most powerful man to ever live, and therefore doomed to misery.
Ren Lewis was born with the power to control minds, hypnotize others, and read thoughts. Therefore he is certain of one thing.
God made a mistake.
No one should be born with so much power.
A monster awoke in Ren the same year he received his gifts. At ten years old. A prepubescent boy with the ability to control others might merely abuse this power, but Ren allowed it to corrupt him. And since he can have and do anything he wants, Ren should be happy. However, his journey teaches him that harboring so much power doesn't bring happiness, it steals it. Once this realization sets in, Ren makes up his mind to do the one thing that can bring his tortured soul some peace.
He must kill the monster.
Ren is an addictive story of an anti-villain. This spellbinding supernatural fantasy is a must read for anyone looking for the untraditional hero.
Ren: God’s Little Monster, #2
Ren: The Monster Inside the Monster, #3
Ren: The Monster’s Adventure, #3.5
Ren: The Monster’s Death
A Dream Traveler Series: Olento Research
Alpha Wolf, #1:
Twelve Men Went Missing
Six months later they awake from drug-induced stupors to find themselves locked in a lab. On the night of a new moon, eleven of those men - possessing new gifts of speed, strength and inhuman powers - break out of their prison and race through the streets of Los Angeles. They disappear one by one into the night.
˃˃˃ Werewolves Are On The Loose
Mika Lenna - a powerful dream traveler and head of Olento Research - wants to control the world. To do that, he must create an army of assassins. Capturing the twelve men was easy, as was experimenting on them while keeping them in drug-induced stupors. But now all hell has broken loose - wolf-like men have been spotted across the nation, leaving fatal attacks in their midst. Mike must tear every city apart until his invaluable werewolves are back under his control.
˃˃˃ The Race Is On
The Lucidite Institute's main mission is to save the world from injustices. Their best agent, Adelaide Lewis, needs to find these mutated men and protect them and society, and fast. Adelaide realizes that she has to find the Alpha Wolf. Only once she's located him can she stop whoever is behind this experiment to create wild beasts out of human beings.
