The Uninvited (The Julianna Rae Chronicles Book 1) by Aral Bereux Page A
Authors: Aral Bereux
Ads: Link
NOT WEST thickly written. Nothing more, nothing less; she turned it over to look at the other side.
‘Hun, he’s calling!’
She looked up, stunned at her name yelled from the long corridor.
‘Sure thing,’ she said. ‘Be right out.’
She tucked the note between the comms. Once the night was done she’d move them into her back pocket. It was too risky in a bag in case of looters. She reluctantly pushed the warm clothes she had dressed in over her head and followed the girl out to the space behind the curtains, tying her mask into place. Boss man waited for her, not looking pleased.
She held out her arms while glitter dust sprinkled over her from a height. Her boss flicked more across her breasts and adjusted her so they sat perky.
‘Tape please!’ he yelled, and she rolled her eyes.
A young boy with no bloodlines ran to his aid, holding the tape. Hands skimmed under her top and the stretch of tape sticking to her skin pinched, as it held her in place. She asked for water and quickly received one, a few deep gulps, and she handed the half-empty bottle back to tape boy, smiling at him. If he knew she was a norm, an uninitiated barely half-caste watcher who was unwilling to become one of them , to become like Caden, he’d piss himself with disappointment.
‘You’re up, Star,’ one of her dancers said and the music began.
Julianna walked to the stage entrance. For the first time in a long time, her stomach knotted and her throat closed. Her feet felt slow and heavy as she pranced to the front of the curtain to latch herself in a loop on the pole, charming the audience again. The feeling from the dressing room stayed. The familiar presence lurked.
The men applauded and wolf-whistles bounced against the walls as she held herself upside down on the pole. She edged slowly toward the stage floor – and then the pit of her stomach threatened to heave as it did in the dressing room.
Taris, in his uniform, looked stunning, with his blonde hair carefully groomed to the side and his five o’clock shadow overly trimmed to an inch of its life. His cool stare greeted her from the very table where Caden had sat. The man leaning into his ear was the walker from earlier, and he leered from below his lowered head. Caden was right about one thing: Militia liked to arrest their Rebels. This Militia chased payback and payback was her super bitch tonight. Was he aware of the promotion he’d receive after this arrest? She thought so, hell yes indeed.
Men in suits raised their heads for a token glance. One watched with dark eyes, eyes of a watcher, but she sensed more. Most were casual in their approach, flying low even when they were ready to pounce, keeping their prey off-guard. This one was stuck in time, too formal. She had neglected him earlier, Caden stealing her attention. The watcher chilled her from her neck to her toes. Julianna felt his abilities reeling her in.
Her eyes darted to the center table. Taris returned with his acknowledgement and tapped his gold watch. Tonight she had two watchers, one in heat and one who was severely pissed off. Which would she choose?
Her hands trembled against the metal and slipped with her sweat. Julianna stole a look at the table where Taris sat outstretched in his seat, his legs crossed, enjoying her show far too much. His eyes met hers confidently again. His heartbeat, his senses of smell, taste, and noise all overwhelmed her as she tuned into their bond. It happened only when they were close, but their unwanted closeness was becoming more and more frequent, and she was learning their ritual bond from their engagement was becoming a large and looming problem in her life. It made her an easy target to track and this week he was working hard at his hunting game. Between the bond and CCTV, Julianna considered herself now officially screwed.
The crowds grew louder and the dog in heat moved closer. She led Taris’s gaze to the man sitting in the corner, and when he realized the
‘Hun, he’s calling!’
She looked up, stunned at her name yelled from the long corridor.
‘Sure thing,’ she said. ‘Be right out.’
She tucked the note between the comms. Once the night was done she’d move them into her back pocket. It was too risky in a bag in case of looters. She reluctantly pushed the warm clothes she had dressed in over her head and followed the girl out to the space behind the curtains, tying her mask into place. Boss man waited for her, not looking pleased.
She held out her arms while glitter dust sprinkled over her from a height. Her boss flicked more across her breasts and adjusted her so they sat perky.
‘Tape please!’ he yelled, and she rolled her eyes.
A young boy with no bloodlines ran to his aid, holding the tape. Hands skimmed under her top and the stretch of tape sticking to her skin pinched, as it held her in place. She asked for water and quickly received one, a few deep gulps, and she handed the half-empty bottle back to tape boy, smiling at him. If he knew she was a norm, an uninitiated barely half-caste watcher who was unwilling to become one of them , to become like Caden, he’d piss himself with disappointment.
‘You’re up, Star,’ one of her dancers said and the music began.
Julianna walked to the stage entrance. For the first time in a long time, her stomach knotted and her throat closed. Her feet felt slow and heavy as she pranced to the front of the curtain to latch herself in a loop on the pole, charming the audience again. The feeling from the dressing room stayed. The familiar presence lurked.
The men applauded and wolf-whistles bounced against the walls as she held herself upside down on the pole. She edged slowly toward the stage floor – and then the pit of her stomach threatened to heave as it did in the dressing room.
Taris, in his uniform, looked stunning, with his blonde hair carefully groomed to the side and his five o’clock shadow overly trimmed to an inch of its life. His cool stare greeted her from the very table where Caden had sat. The man leaning into his ear was the walker from earlier, and he leered from below his lowered head. Caden was right about one thing: Militia liked to arrest their Rebels. This Militia chased payback and payback was her super bitch tonight. Was he aware of the promotion he’d receive after this arrest? She thought so, hell yes indeed.
Men in suits raised their heads for a token glance. One watched with dark eyes, eyes of a watcher, but she sensed more. Most were casual in their approach, flying low even when they were ready to pounce, keeping their prey off-guard. This one was stuck in time, too formal. She had neglected him earlier, Caden stealing her attention. The watcher chilled her from her neck to her toes. Julianna felt his abilities reeling her in.
Her eyes darted to the center table. Taris returned with his acknowledgement and tapped his gold watch. Tonight she had two watchers, one in heat and one who was severely pissed off. Which would she choose?
Her hands trembled against the metal and slipped with her sweat. Julianna stole a look at the table where Taris sat outstretched in his seat, his legs crossed, enjoying her show far too much. His eyes met hers confidently again. His heartbeat, his senses of smell, taste, and noise all overwhelmed her as she tuned into their bond. It happened only when they were close, but their unwanted closeness was becoming more and more frequent, and she was learning their ritual bond from their engagement was becoming a large and looming problem in her life. It made her an easy target to track and this week he was working hard at his hunting game. Between the bond and CCTV, Julianna considered herself now officially screwed.
The crowds grew louder and the dog in heat moved closer. She led Taris’s gaze to the man sitting in the corner, and when he realized the
Similar Books
