Dark Needs (Tales of Dystopian Decadence Book 1)

by Finley Blake

  My dear Adette,

  Congratulations on a job well done. I knew the three of us could make this happen. It takes trust, you know, to see through something as delicate as assassination. Think about that as you leave our fair city – you trusted Icharus to at least get you in place to act out your revenge. I thought you were well-matched and I am sorry to see you go, as I know he is.

  I also know you’re a hardhearted girl, but maybe – someday – you will find a bit of that heart softens toward the right person. Truly, I hoped it would be Icharus. He would cherish you for the rest of your life. But I know how painful the memories must be, and he would be a constant reminder of what you lost, wouldn’t he? But what about what you might have found with him?

  I understand my students better than you thought. Don’t second-guess me again, my dear. For if I call upon you – and I shall – it will always be with good reason.

  For now, seek out whatever it is that will make you happy and know that you won’t be very far from my thoughts. I loved your mother more than you knew and I will always have your best interests at heart. So heed my advice, and make a little room in your heart for love.

  Yours truly,

  Eden St. James, Headmistress

  Epilogue

  The Canadian Free State.

  Last bastion of liberty in North America.

  I watched the bustle of activity around the base. Even though the Constitutional rebels and their Canadian allies had taken me in and given me the opportunity to be useful from the moment I’d landed, although they applauded my acts of bravery on behalf of their cause and told me I had begun a revolution, I still felt incomplete.

  Yes, I was doing the work I’d always yearned to do. Both my knowledge and my new duties served the Constitutional cause. In return, they were continuing the education my mother had courageously defied the Regime to give to me – the true history of our world before Commander Korroziya and his military rule. Now that I’d had my vengeance, I would help others get their freedom back from the tyrant who had seized all the power in our country; who had taken our way of life and destroyed it for his own egotistical ends.

  Despite the gratitude bestowed on me and the assertions that I had done something glorious, there was nothing glorious about how I felt.

  With a sigh, I dusted off my khaki cargo pants and resumed fieldstripping the machine gun. It had misfired during my morning practice. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Working on disassembling and cleaning it quickly was just as important as knowing how to shoot it in the first place, so I welcomed the work.

  I welcomed any work that took my mind off Icharus.

  Off the man I had foolishly left behind, even though…

  A shadow passed over me and then someone sat next to me on the hard, wooden bench. Sunlight glinted off the butt of the dark rifle in hands that were definitely masculine. Hands which bore a tungsten band on the right ring finger. The right hand titled just a little and I saw the gold-plated D that protruded from the top of the ring.

  I raised my eyes to his gaze, a gaze that was as unwavering as ever. “Icharus…” After speaking his name, I couldn’t seem to catch my breath. The past month had felt like an eternity of heartache, of missing him beyond reason.

  “Did you think I was going to let you have all the fun?” A playful smirk tugged at his lips.

  The only thing I could think to say was, “But you’re supposed to be in L.A.”

  “Yeah, about that.” He set the gun aside and shrugged. “It turns out undermining the Regime from within isn’t as fun or easy as you might think, especially when all you can do is think about the woman you love. Besides, their net was closing around me. Commander Korroziya’s lackeys were sniffing all around, trying to pin my father’s murder on me. So I liquidated my assets, handed everything off every penny to a worthwhile cause, and got out of town.”

  I couldn’t stop staring and I was sure my mouth was hanging open as I blinked at him like an idiot. “You love me?” I finally whispered.

  “Yeah, you know, that thing you feel for someone when you care deeply about them.” He edged closer to me on the bench. “When you can’t wait to see them or really can’t live without them.”

  “Or when you are excited to wake up next to them every morning?” My lips parted as his brushed over mine, and I let the machine gun settle on the ground at my feet.

  “So you know that feeling. I thought you did,” he murmured against my mouth, before claiming it with his.

  When we finally separated and caught our breath, I rested my forehead against his and asked, “What now?”

  “Now,” he answered, “we do what it takes to kick Regime ass together.”

  Other Books in the Series

  Tales of Dystopian Decadence, Book 1: Dark Needs

  Tales of Dystopian Decadence, Book 2: Sweet Desire (coming August 19)

  Tales of Dystopian Decadence, Book 3: Wicked Surrender (coming September 9)

  Other Books by the Author

  Geared for Lust: A Trio of Sensual Vignettes

  About the Author

  Finley has a thing for speculative erotic romance – dystopian, paranormal and more – and the characters who make reading and writing it worthwhile.

  Just a small-town girl, she is very content with a good cup of coffee and the occasional rainy day while dreaming up strange, sexy new worlds.

  Connect with her online at her website, join her mailing list for exclusive giveaways, contests, and sneak peeks, or follow her on Facebook to keep up with all her news!

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  Thank you so much for reading Dark Needs! If you enjoyed the book, please share a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Your support means the world to me!

  Finley