by D. D. Miers
Lester and Winnie were drunk off their asses and so were the other patrons. They wouldn't have the slightest recollection of what happened by the time tomorrow morning’s hangover set in. Aside from wounded pride, no real harm had been done.
A hand softly tapped my shoulder, and I turned from my sister. The meek redhead who’d been seconds from getting her face pummeled stood and squeezed between two stocky bikers to reach me. “Thank you,” she said, her eyes glazed over in some kind of heroic appreciation for what I'd just done.
I hated when this happened. Why did humans always get the wrong idea?
"Don't thank me. I didn't do it for you." I grabbed her jacket off the counter and tossed it into her arms. The leather cuffs smacked her in the face. "Move on."
Her mouth hung slack as she froze in place. Perhaps she expected to hear an apology for my abrasive behavior—which wasn’t going to happen. I stood there, returning her stare with one of my own, until she shook her head and left.
I’m not a dick. Honestly. But I don't have time to be anyone’s hero. My job is to save my sisters from this life. No more. No less.
So far, I'd been able to buy Jade and Violet time. Time to live freely without being held to Bastian's constant call. I'd been doing his dirty work for the last five years, but I know their time is wearing thin. Soon, he'll summon them, just as he did me. Not something I wanted for them, or would allow to happen.
As Bastian returned to my thoughts, so did Lila. She slid into the newly vacant seat in front of me. A humorous smile lingered on her lips from watching my altercation.
"Ivy." She lifted Lester’s abandoned glass of clear liquid and tossed it back with ease. "Bastian wishes to see you."
"Of course he does."
Bastian, my supernatural sovereign, and the ever-constant pain in my ass, had a penchant for choosing the worst times to call on me. Fight nights were the only time I made any real money. Unlike some people, I needed to work.
"He does know I can't just leave at the drop of a hat, right?"
She raised her eyebrows, giving me a look which said, “Are we really arguing about this again?”
Sometimes it was months, others weeks, but his relentless call came no matter what. The pattern, always the same. Show up at the most inconvenient time, demand my presence with no explanation, and expect unquestioning obedience. I wanted to argue. To say no and screw you, but no wasn't an option.
Stubborn as I may be, even I had to accept the immovable nature of his majesty’s rules.
I wiped the sticky remnants of a margarita from the counter. "I'll be there when my shift ends."
"The car’s waiting outside." She threw down a twenty and stood. "You've got five minutes."
I watched her disappear through the crowd like a ghost shifting through the mist. As quickly as she'd arrived, she’d vanished.
I spun around and faced the liquor just as Porter sidled up beside me. "You all right?"
“Yeah.” I smiled and leaned against the counter. “It’s time again.”
“Damn, I hoped you’d get a longer break.”
“Me, too.”
Porter knew our circumstances. He'd always protected us, helped us, but there were limits to how far his generosity could go. He'd offered us jobs, a small rental house, and a car. Even more, he offered us security. Something we'd never had. But he also knew when Bastian came calling, you had no choice but to answer.
As far as I understood, Bastian was the top of the supernaturals, at least for our area. Who knew where he stood in the larger scheme of things. Of course I didn’t care. I wasn’t interested in getting to know any more of these assholes than I had to.
“You’d better get to it then. He doesn’t like to wait.” Porter ushered me off, and I slipped into the back office to grab my keys and wallet.
On the way, I stopped in the hallway, my gaze captured by the orange-tinged profile reflected in the mirror. Bastian’s experiment had left me the same as before—and yet completely altered. I placed my palms flat against the glass and studied the woman staring back at me. I looked harmless enough but, as they say, looks can be deceiving.
She—it—stirred in there. Somewhere deep inside of me.
I continued to regard my face, searching for the creature I’d become. The creature Bastian had made me. He tried often to soften my feelings and turn my hatred of this new world into acceptance, but I couldn’t be swayed. In my mind, none of the supernaturals were innocent. Their entire world was responsible for our predicament. They robbed my sisters and me of a future. Of normal lives. Relationships. Children.
Humans were the puppets. The pets of the otherworld. Bastian kept waiting for me to see and accept it, but I couldn’t. No matter how long ago we'd lost our humanity, I'd never side with these creatures. Even if it cost me my life.
Continue Reading Ivy’s story in Gravestones & Wicked Bones here!
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Graceley & Dee
Also By Graceley Knox & D.D. Miers
The Kresova Vampire Harems: Aurora (Written with D.D. Miers)
1. Thirst
2. Tempt
3. Turn
Aurora Books 1-3
The Kresova Vampire Harems: Lyra (Written with D.D. Miers)
4. Favor
5. Fury
The Girl, Vampire Series
1. Girl, Bitten
2. Girl, Forsaken
3. Girl, Immortal
The Half-Blood Huntress Chronicles
Prequel: Deck the Demons (Exclusively in Such Violent Delights)
1. Curse of Iron
2. Heir of Storm
3. Master of Magic
4. Reign of Rebels
5. War of Thrones (Coming June 1st!)
The Shadow Creatures Series
1. Gravestones & Wicked Bones
2. Cursed Moons & Ancient Runes (Coming 2019!)
How to Be A Necromancer
1. Grave Promise
2. Grave Debt
3. Grave Mistake
4. Grave Magic
5. Grave Chance (Coming Soon!)
Alana Creed: Timejumper
1. Fae Kissed
By Graceley Knox
The Wicked Kingdoms Series:
1. Mark of Truth
2. Crown of Betrayal
3. Throne of Secrets
3.5. Yuletide Revelry (A Wicked Kingdoms Christmas Short)
4. Castle of Illusions
The Dragon Stone Saga:
Kiss of Frost
Up in Smoke (Coming Soon)
Shake the Ground (Coming Soon)
By D.D. Miers
The Relic Keeper Series
1.Dark Summoner
2.Dark Illusions
3.Dark Secrets (Coming Soon!)
4.Dark Destiny (Coming Soon!)
Standalones:
City of Shadows: The Dark Fae Hollows
Wicked: The Isa Fae
Slayer in Lace
About the Authors
USA Today bestselling authors, Graceley Knox and D.D. Miers may be long-lost sisters, but their moms continue to deny it. They are most definitely the co-writers of the Kresova Vampire Harem series, as well as a multitude of other upcoming projects they can't wait to share with readers.
Together they tend to share the same brain, finish each other's thoughts, laugh way too hard at inappropriate comments, drink enough coffee to qualify for an intervention, and talk about their fur babies. When they're not chatting, which is always, they can be found all over soci
al media hanging out with their author friends and readers!
Visit them at www.knoxandmiers.com
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