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A TALL, HORNY, STRANGER
ARIA "You know we have to leave, Aria." I frowned at my father. "No, we don't. You can, but I won't." He shook his head as if he had heard enough of what I had to say. "Well, I have made my decision, daughter." "Dad, we've only been in Stonehaven for a month and you want us to leave because you got another transfer letter? What about my new school? My friends? You just expect me to dump them and leave?" "That's how it has always been. We leave to where I'm transferred to." "No, dad. It's beginning to look like we're running." "From what?" he asked. "You tell me." We were in the dining room and my dad was getting ready to go to work. He as a cop, a detective to be precise. With the the First Division in Stonehaven, and the only one at that. He gulped down the remaining of his coffee and tossed some breed into his mouth. I watched him masticate. "I have nothing to say to you, Aria," my dad finally answered me. "Better go get your things packed. We leave tomorrow morning." I went to my room all right but I didn't lift a hand to pack my stuff. I left them where they were because I was sure I would stay. Why the hell did we always have to leave? I didn't want to, not yet at least. He could go wherever it was that wanted to claim him, but I would stay and complete high school in Stonehaven. Stonehaven was just a suburban town in the United States of America. We were used the summer in those parts. Nothing much happened, and we literally knew each other if one had the chance to peel off that antisocial skin. They way we moved from place to place, I lacked connection. I had no roots, no long time friends to call my own and he was okay with that? I needed to talk to someone at that point. My new best friend came to mind and I picked up my phone and called Emma. The background was noisy. Music was blaring off speakers. "Where the hell are you?" I sat up in bed and asked. She was someplace having fun while I was sulking at home? "At a party. I was just about to call you. We haven't started but we're kicking off soon. Where the hell are you?" Trust Emma to throw my questions back at me. "I'm at home." She chuckled. "Oh, you're going to miss out if you ground yourself in your room. Come to Beaver's Inn right now. I've got some friends I'd like to introduce you to." "I'm leaving tomorrow, Emma." "What?" "My dad got his transfer letter." She paused for a spell. Then said, "Okay. Come to the party and we'll talk about it, good?" "Good." "Call me when you get here, sweet. Jeez, that guy is handsome." If an handsome fellow was the last thing I would remember about Stonehaven, then I had a party to attend. *** "What kind of a place is this?" I raised my voice so as to be heard over the loud music. Emma was by my side wearing a tank top and bum shorts. As for me, I opted for black leather pants and body-hugging sleeves. "A clubhouse." "What's the party about?" I asked. "It's about catching fun. One of my friend threw it. You'll meet him soon." Emma always had numerous friends to introduce me to. I wondered if it was her way of playing matchmaker. The place was well packed with people. Some of them, I recognized from school. They smiled at me, nodded their heads to the music, and walked off. She took me to a red couch. There, we were alone, then she asked what I wanted. "We've got drinks, sweets, dessert, condoms if you like dicks, cakes and smokes too." "I'll take a light beer." "Smirnoff then," she chose for me. "I'll be right back." Just as she left the disc jockey changed the music and began playing by A Bar Song by Shaboozey. Everyone went apeshit. Everyone but one man. And that was because he had just stepped into the building. My jaw dropped. He was the most handsome man I had ever set my eyes on. He was tall and lean, had dark hair, and I noticed a tattoo at the side of his neck. He looked around the place with a cold dark stare then his eyes landed in my direction. I felt my stomach churn with need. Why did I suddenly need him at first sight? He took intentional strides towards my red couch. I wondered the amount of power he had in those hips and how they would sound against my ass if he happened to give me a doggy fuck. Emma brought me my bottle of Smirnoff and an opener, interrupting my train of thought. She looked at the man who had just stopped before us and said, "Thought you'd never show your face." "I didn't want to," he said, his voice loud dangerous. "Until I heard all the noise and thought there might be some lady here willing to fuck. Who is your friend?" His eyes studied me carefully as Emma said, "This is Aria. Aria, meet Nico." I got to my feet and offered my hand. "Hi." He took it and planted a kiss on my knuckles. I swear, my insides turned into jelly and I felt some residue escape to my pussy. No one needed to tell me that I was wet already. "Sexy," he drawled, which only seemed to worsen things for me. "Please don't ask her if she wants to fuck, Nico. She's off the charts. How long will you be staying?" "I'll leave once I get my... sex partner," he said, his eyes still on me, and he didn't even let my hand go. If Nico was the one putting all those sexual images in my brain just so that I could get interested, then he was doing a really good job. "Your friend seems ready for me, though," he said to Emma. "What?" I asked, wondering why he had said that. There was a smirk on his face as his eyes fell to my breasts. When I looked, I saw that my nipples were hard and visible through my outfit. "Fuck. Excuse me," I said, plucked my hand from his, and ran off.MAKING THE CHOICE ARIANot upward.Sideways.Revealing a hidden compartment.Inside rested a tiny brass key...And a folded strip of yellowed paper.No one spoke.I unfolded the paper.Only seven words had been written.The truth waits beneath the family chapel.Marcus looked up immediately."The chapel on the estate."Viktor nodded."I never knew.""Neither did I," Eleanor whispered.The hooded figure chuckled."Arthur always was three steps ahead."Adrian looked up sharply."You knew my grandfather well.""I did.""You worked with him.""I did.""You betrayed him."A long silence followed.Then the stranger answered."No.""I betrayed someone else."Before anyone could ask another question—A shrill beeping echoed through the station.Marcus looked toward Isaac's body.The remote.Its tiny red light had begun flashing.Sebastian's face drained of color."No one touched it."Marcus lunged toward it.The hooded figure didn't even try to stop him.Instead...The stranger slowly began
THE TRAITOR SPEAKSARIAMarcus slowly lowered his center of gravity, his eyes flicking between the remote and the stranger."What do you want?"The hooded figure looked directly at me."You.""I've never met you.""No.""But I've known about you since the day you were born."A chill crept down my spine.Behind me, my grandmother whispered, "Arthur..."Her voice trembled."He always feared this day."The figure gave a small nod."He was right to."Adrian stepped forward."No more games.""Take off the hood."The stranger chuckled."You've spent your whole life searching for answers.""You really think I'll give them away that easily?""I'll remove it for you."Adrian took another step.The pistol shifted toward him."You'll die before you reach me.""I've heard that before.""So have the men buried because they underestimated you."For the first time, I sensed genuine respect in the stranger's tone.Marcus leaned toward Viktor without taking his eyes off the hooded figure."Do you reco
123BLACKRIDGE ARIA My grandmother gasped."I know that handwriting.""So do I," Viktor said quietly.My fingers shook as I opened the envelope.Inside was a single sheet of paper.Only one sentence had been written.Trust no one who survived Blackridge.Below it...A signature.Not my grandfather's.Not my grandmother's.Someone else.I frowned."What is Blackridge?"The reaction around me was immediate.Marcus looked confused.Sebastian looked confused.But Viktor...And Eleanor...Both of them went completely still.Eleanor whispered one name."Oh, Arthur..."Viktor closed his eyes."He kept it from you.""What is Blackridge?" I repeated.This time, Viktor answered."It wasn't a place.""It was an operation."Thirty years ago.One that should never have happened....MARCUSI'd spent my career around classified operations.Military coups.Political extractions.Counterintelligence.The way Viktor said those words told me Blackridge wasn't ordinary.It was infamous.Isaac watched
122PRICE OF TRUTH ADRIAN His relaxed posture vanished.His jaw tightened.His breathing stopped.I couldn't see the picture clearly from where I stood.But Adrian could.Isaac watched him carefully."I finally found something that gets your attention."Adrian's voice became dangerously quiet."Where did you get that?""I think you already know.""No.""I want to hear you say it."Isaac smiled."It came from the person who sold your family."The station fell deathly silent.Viktor's eyes widened.Grandmother went pale.Marcus slowly looked toward Viktor...Then toward Eleanor...Because there was only one terrifying possibility left.The traitor wasn't dead.The traitor had been alive all along.And somewhere beyond the station, hidden in the shadows...The real mastermind was still watching.VIKTORThe photograph changed everything.I watched Adrian's face harden in a way I had never seen before.Not anger.Not grief.Recognition.Whoever was in that picture mattered more than the
121OF SHADOWS ADRIAN Two more bodies.Nineteen....A familiar voice echoed somewhere behind me."Aria!"Eleanor.Alive.Relief washed over me before I could stop it.For years I had imagined this moment differently.I had imagined accusing her.Demanding answers.Making her feel every lonely birthday.Every Christmas.Every nightmare.Instead...The moment I saw her...I saw only my mother.Older.Broken.Still carrying guilt that should never have belonged to her.Hatred had sustained me.Reality had weakened it.I wasn't sure whether that made me stronger...Or more vulnerable....A muzzle flash briefly illuminated the station.Just enough.I counted.Seven operatives advancing together.Using overlapping formations.Their commander wasn't panicking.Interesting.Very interesting.Someone competent remained in charge.A calm female voice cut through the darkness."Maintain formation.""He's hunting isolated targets.""Stay together."I frowned.A woman.Experienced.Patient.Sh
120THIRTY YEARS OFMARCUSThe temperature in the station seemed to drop.Viktor took one measured step forward."I wondered when you'd finally say it."Adrian's eyes burned with restrained fury."You were supposed to protect us.""I tried.""You failed.""I know.""No."Adrian shook his head."You didn't fail."His next words landed like a hammer."You betrayed us."Before anyone could react—A burst of automatic gunfire ripped through the station.Bullets struck the locomotive, showering sparks across the tracks."They're here!" Sebastian shouted.Black-clad operatives poured from both tunnel entrances.At least twenty.Far too many."Down!" I yelled.We scattered behind concrete pillars as gunfire erupted from every direction.Adrian didn't move.Instead, he slowly reached into his coat.One of the attackers shouted, "Target acquired!""Eliminate everyone!"Adrian sighed."I was hoping to finish the conversation first."He withdrew a small black device from his pocket.No larger th







