Immortality is never guaranteed...
Title: Retribution
Author: K.A. Salidas
Series: Chronicles of the Uprising #5
Genre: Dystopian
BOOK 1 PERMA-FREE
Immortality is never guaranteed...
As much as she dreams of a simpler existence, blood and violence are Mira’s way of life. Former gladiator turned freedom fighter; she’s carved a trail from New Haven to Caldera Grove and back, freeing her people, the vampires, from enslavement by the humans.
But with victory almost within reach, a new and powerful enemy emerges. One who’ll be satisfied with nothing less than complete subjugation—or destruction—of all supernatural beings.
With a secret army of his own, he’s more than prepared for any resistance Mira and her patchy rebel forces can offer, and demands their immediate surrender.
Never one to back away from a fight, Mira believes she’s ready for anything. But with the battle lines drawn she will be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Kill or be killed.
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“You know what your problem is?” Justine taunted, twisting her blades around in her hands and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Mira reset, watching her opponent, anticipating the attack that would come. “Enlighten me.”
Justine ducked low and swiped at Mira’s stomach. The blade failed to meet its mark by scant inches. “You’re a great big baby.”
“Funny.”
Justine deflected Mira’s responding swipe of the sword and reset again for her next attack. “It wasn’t a joke.”
“Did you come here just to piss me off?”
“I came to see if it was worth sticking around.”
“What?”
“You know, when I saw you, the great savior, as I entered New Haven, I was proud. I remembered that weak, pathetic little girl running away from mommy and daddy. She never should have survived.”
“But I did.”
“Yes…but how? Because this person I see here, she’s not a survivor. She’s still that weak little girl.”
“I’ll show you weak.” She backed Justine almost to the edge of the arena with a fury of wild swings.
“Oh, so you do have some balls.” Having hit the far wall, Justine ducked and pivoted around Mira’s blade coming out behind her and slid her knife around to Mira’s neck. She whispered in her ear, “C’mon then, warrior. Fight back like you mean it.”
Justine wasn’t looking for a sparring match. It seemed all she cared to do this evening was pissing Mira off, and she’d done just that. “I’m tired. We’re done here.”
Justine laughed. “Tired? You’re tired? For sixty years, I’ve done one thing. The one thing I told you to do. You’re tired. Then go off and die, because you don’t deserve to survive.”
“I did not earn my reputation for nothing.”
“But you’re still not the true warrior I’d expected.”
Mira took in a deep breath, feeling the edge of the blade against her throat. “Sorry to disappoint.”
“How can you be so pathetic?” Justine released Mira with a shove.
“Excuse me?”
“You have it all, princess. You’re the savior. You’ve got adoring fans, freedom, and the love of a very hot wolfman, and still you’re moping about. Oh, poor you.”
“You call worrying over the survival of the people I just freed, moping?”
“Yeah, because you’re pissing time away in meetings instead of just fixing the problem. You know as well as I do that the only way to kill a beast is to cut off the head.”
“It’s not as simple as that. Or were you not paying attention in the meeting?”
“Yeah, I heard a lot of whining and crying over people who might die. Just fucking do something.”
“I can’t risk the lives of innocents.”
“You’re already doing it by doing nothing. Get out there and fix it.”
Justine, as usual, had hit the root of the problem. But it was precisely that which had them all stalled in committee.
“You’ve got problems. We’ve all got problems. Everyone wants to live their happy little life, but right now, it’s not an option. Suck it up, princess. Do something about it.”
“I am doing something.” What more did she expect? Mira had said her piece in the meetings and had been overshadowed by Lucian and Stryker’s plan. All she could do was hold tight.
“No, you’re wasting time waiting for others to do things. Story of your life. You want to be this independent person, in control, and all the while, you’re letting others decide what happens in your life. I’ll bet you haven’t even taken that wolf of yours to bed. You’re waiting until he forces you past your extremely obvious intimacy issues.”
“That’s none of your concern.”
Justine was dangerously close to crossing the line. Mira tightened her grip on the sword.
“Or how about the human who’s pining away for you.”
“Again, none of your concern.” Mira’s voice became dangerously quiet. She was moments from losing her patience.
“Well, if you won’t take him, I will.”
“Have the human.” Mira snorted. That will be the day!
“And I’ll take your wolf, too. I’d give him more than enough reason to leave your crybaby ass behind.”
“You go too far.”
Justine threw the dagger in her left hand, burying it deep into Mira’s chest. “So teach me a lesson, great warrior.”
Mira fell to her knees with a groan, pawing at her chest to remove the blade.
“How ever did you survive?” Justine spat . “Maybe I will just take that wolfman as my prize for killing you.”
OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES
Book 1 FREE
Book 2
Book 3
Book 4
Katie Salidas, author of the Immortalis series (Urban Fantasy) and the award winning Chronicles of the Uprising (Dystopian) is a Jill of all Trades. She’s a Super Woman endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of other mortals. Katie can get the munchkins off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons; put hot food on the table, assist with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, she still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.
And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…
Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother to three, Wife to one, and slave to the craft of writing, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.
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