The appearance of The Black Flyer, a television super hero, shakes up the city of Green Haven. A group of role playing gamers wonders why the police and the army are apparently helpless against this super hero who doesn't act like the TV original and decide to take him on themselves.
"Priscilla. Hey, Priscilla. You can stop now. He's dead."
Someone yanks my shoulder, hard too. Damn him. I open my eyes and seeing the white sheet I realise where I am. Why do I always have to zone out like that? The smell of the operating room fills my nose. I have no choice but to look at the man I am holding. Well, his hand. And that's no use any more as he's dead. "Are you okay?" It's doctor Holden's voice. I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for not entirely dislocating my shoulder, " I say as I rub my face with both hands. "I need a coffee. Or something stronger. What went wrong? And since when is the scent off-limits?"
The doc shakes his head. "Same thing as so often, he was in too late. Bar fights are mean things and people with burst-guns and rip-knives are the worst ingredients. He was on the wrong end of too many."
With a simple movement one of the nurses covers the dead man's face. "Get lost, Pris, you done four now. You guys are allowed three a day tops. Move or I kick y'out." Lorna's her name. "You were in so deep, you didn't smell the bottle."
I get up, my knees and back aching and cracking, everything popping back into place. "You guys need guys like us-" I start to lecture her but Lorna grabs me by the arm and drags me to the door. "Scoot or I'm a go kick your ass!"
Before I scoot I ask her why she's so obsessed with my butt, then I quickly leave. I know she will kick me and she kicks hard. Once outside the operating room I lean against the wall and rest my head against it. I should not have been so stupid to do four people again today. It's going to kill me but there are not many menaces. I shake my head at the stupid name but it's shorter than mental anaesthesiology assistants. "Hey, Prissa."
Tom comes walking up. Tom's alright, he's a safety guy. One of the few allowed near the operating rooms. "You look like you need some cheering up."
"I'm fine, Tom, " I lie, "did not overdo it today and only one died, so that's a good thing I guess, right? How are you and the wife and kids? No more problems with the neighbours?"
He hooks his arm around mine and with a grin he pulls me away from the wall and towards the cantina while I keep talking. I always keep talking. Tom is one of the few who never tells me to shut up and just breathe, he's not much of a talker. He pushes me onto a chair and gets coffee. "Here. Drink. This is strong, " he simply says as he puts the mug in front of me. While I try to sip the hot, black stuff he tells me about his family and that the problems with his neighbours are almost dealt with. "Just hope Josh lays low, " he ends his account. Josh is Tom's son, a bright little hothead who is always on the barricades when there is something that smells like injustice. And Josh has a nose for that. Gets him in trouble a lot because there's plenty injustice going around everywhere. "Are you out gaming or stuff again tonight?" he asks me while I burn my lip. "Ouch, damn. No, games are off tonight, it's Flyer night, remember?" I remind him. "I'm going over to Bashir's, the others are too but we're not sure if Dolores will make it. She has to work."
We're all looking forward to the new episode of the Black Flyer, a really kick-ass superhero show. Bashir has the biggest video-wall of us all so we usually horde his place. "Bashir? Is he off duty? I saw his name on the roster for night shift." Tom's eyes twinkle. That always gives him away but I decide to play. "What? Are you kidding me? We can't have Bashir on duty, we need his vid-wall!" I slam the mug down too hard, a puddle of coffee jumps from it and hits the table. And my hand. Good thing it is not that hot any more but it still burns.
"Careful, " Tom warns, well meaning and too late. "Oh well, I'm in a hospital." I shrug and wipe my hand on my green tunic. While he watches me Tom tells me that he is on dead man's shift and his wife will record the Flyer for him. "I'll probably wake up on the couch in the morning, with a sore neck, " he grins, "I plan to watch it when I get home." We laugh and talk a bit more while people walk in and out of the cantina. Most greet us, some don't. They're the pricks. Then Tom has to go back on his round so we get up. He tells me to take care while going home and warns me to eat something. I assure him that Bashir always has food around. Usually that's true. I make my way to the locker room, change, throw my green stuff in the bin for laundry and put on my coat. It's pissing down again outside, nearly always does. I can hear the rain against the windows. No need to look at it, I'll be having my share of that soon enough. Umbrella duty again, for sure. With my bag over my shoulder I make sure my knife and my stinger are in my pocket where I can get to them quickly. A girl has to be able to take care of herself, right? It's busy in the hallway where I have to go through get out. Strange too, as it is not visiting hour - oh crap, wait, it is visiting hour. My bad. Usually I'm out of here already. And I should get my butt out now or I won't make it to Bashir's in time. Chandra's on duty at the door this aftern- oh, it's near evening. "How's it going, girl? You look like shit warmed up. Overdone it again?" She's charming as ever. I shrug. "Sometimes you just go on, right?" She's often doing more than her regular shifts as well, she should know. Although standing guard duty is a bit different from what I do. Chandra nods and holds up the scanner. I show her my left wrist which has the hospital implant. She scans it so everyone knows I'm not there any more and the door opens. "Chill, girl. Sleep some, " the massive woman says as she winks. "Black Flyer tonight, " I tell her with a grin. "Oh yuck, that crap again." Chandra does not like superhero shows. She's into romance and sugar coating. I grin at the thought that we have a big strong safety-guard who's all pink and fluffy inside. "I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, " I promise her, which makes her fake a puke. I laugh as I step out and open my umbrella. Laughing relieves some of the tired tension inside me, I should do that more. Fat raindrops pound on the plastic over my head. It's warm and muggy outside. As it is dark, the LEDs in the handle of the umbrella light up and I join the crowd that is making its way down the street. On the centre part of the road the usual traffic jam is inching its way to where everyone wants to go. It'll take them a while, around this time it's madness out here, even worse than normal. I wonder how many people are driving on manual control. That usually is a good indicator for accidents, which in turn says something about the amount of work my colleagues in the General Clinic will have. This part of town is famous for its traffic. While over my head the enormous billboards show their messages and video-ads, I walk along at a crawl. My first destination is the news stand, on the corner of the road. It only takes me a few minutes, miraculously, and I slip into the narrow booth. "Ah. Hello, Mrs. Farns."
The stupid automaton always says that, and it annoys me but still I come here for my news instead of getting it from a feed in the hospital. It's like the old-time news stands where people used to go for their papers and magazines. I reach inside my bag and find my tablet. I hold it up to the automaton. "The usual news, " I tell it. The 'bot raises a hand while its camera-eye scans my tab. One of its fingers extends and plugs into my tablet and a few moments later there's a beep that the download is done. "Will that be cash or credit, Mrs. Farns?"
Stupid question. It's always credit. I've never even seen cash. I roll up my sleeve and show it my bank-tattoo. The scanner-eye sweeps over it a few times. "Yeah, the tat is kind of faded, I know, " I say. It won't make a difference for the machine, it always gets it. Beep. See, there we go. No need to get that touched up. "Have a wonderful evening, Mrs. Farns!" the automaton says with its weird smile. The person who designed the face of the thing should be punished. "Yeah, you too. Go stand in the rain or something, " I tell it and stuff my tab back in the bag. Then I join the slow foot-commute again, towards the mono. That will be crowded too with this weather. -=-=-
I'm almost through the news when the monorail stops. "Sin Angeles. Final station, " a voice says, "this train will return to Ramblos Central, passing through Gypsee. Thank you for using Green Haven Public Transport."
Together with almost everyone else on board I leave the coach and open my umbrella again. Rain is less intense here but still bad enough. The crowd moves down the platform to the still broken auto-stairs. Once down these I'll get some room to move and breathe again. The clump of lit-up umbrella-handles slowly drifts apart. As I pass the big sign welcoming people to Angeles (which this area was called before the angels left) I hear someone call my name. My hand slips in my pocket to the knife as I turn. Can't be too careful around these parts. Then I see Lois trying to push her way to me. "Hey you, " I say as I hug her. "How's life?"
"Dreary and wet, " she complains as she tries to wipe her old-fashioned eye wear dry. "It is highly illogical that Bashir has most space to put everyone up. Each time I come to Sin Angeles it makes me shiver." Lois tries to keep her large umbrella everywhere, so her rather expensive clothes don't get wet. I told her too often not to wear that stuff when she comes here, she'll attract unwanted attention. "Space here is cheap, " I remind her while we start walking to Bashir's place. "Ramblos has lots of apartments that are too small for two people - and you should know. And Ramblos is too expensive for most of us."
Good thing we have umbrellas. Most people try to stay close to the buildings to stay dry. We keep to the middle of the road, in the light of the vid-boards with their advertisements. As long as you're visible no one in their right mind will try to mug you. Of course, there are lots of folks in Sin Angeles who are not in their right mind. Always a gamble in a way. But we get to the building where Bashir has his digs. It's not that far from the mono station and one of the safer areas around here. There's no front door in the building. Bashir always jokes that it is the last thing the angels took with them. We go inside and make our way to the stairs. It's only four flights up. Good thing, as the elevator was stolen long ago. Lois complains all the way up, her high-heeled shoes are not made for climbing stairs. Stupid woman, I scold her silently. You know there are stairs here, at least wear sensible shoes when you come over. We make it to the fourth and almost stumbled over Mags.
Experience a month in the life of the devil, and see that it is not all brimstone and roses. Note: this book is absolutely not fit for people who hold their religious beliefs close, and can't take a good laugh at things.
When Paul Eric Carmichael, an older British astrophysicist, meets Sandy, a young girl from the United States, his life goes overboard in more than one way. As he tries to make sense of it all, he learns things about aliens and their mysterious devices. In his work he faces challenges as well, because what are those strange flying objects that seem to be heading towards our solar system?
This is the story of the Mimosa, a black sailing ship (with red sails) that travels through space, and boldly appears where no space-faring, black sailing ship has appeared before, regardless of the colour of its sails.
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
"Who is she?" I asked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "He met her at the Alpha training camp," he said. "She is a perfect suitor for him. It snowed last night, indicating that his wolf is happy with his choice." My heart sank, and tears made their way down my cheeks. Alexander took my innocence last night, and now he is taking that thing in his office as his Luna. **** Emily never shifted on her 18th birthday and became the laughingstock of the pack. When her old crush, Alexander Black, returns from Alpha Training, she never expected him to be her mate. After a night of passionate love, Emily finds out that young Alpha Alexander has taken a chosen mate. Heartbroken and humiliated, Emily runs off and disappears from the pack. Now, five years later, Emily is a high-ranking warrior in King Alpha's army, specializing in sensitive matters. When her best friend invites her to a night of music and laughter, she never expects to run into her mate, Alexander. Will Alexander figure out it is Emily? Will he chase after her, and most of all, will Emily be able to keep her secrets safe?
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"