Elle

“The Master and you – watch how you talk about him. He’s the one who delivered us back to the surface and organised the humans into the sectors so we have room to grow and thrive.” I repeat the line I’ve heard all my life: the collector doesn’t say anything; he knows what I’m capable of so I know he won’t say anything bad about where I’ve come from. Most people picture the Master as someone who lords his power over everyone but all he really wants is order and for mankind to thrive once again. Of course he’s firm; the world is in disarray and everyone seems content to booze and whore their way through life. The master built the Academy to save the young girls left out in the dark and he makes us strong so we can help him bring the order he envisions.

“Yep and now we all shit rainbows and live under one happy umbrella. Alright, tell me what you need and we can work out a price for all this shit.” The collector opens the door and flicks on the light so I can see row after row of weapons. My eyes light up as I take in guns, grenades, knives and even several hunting bows. This is my kind of retail therapy and I’m about to blow a shit tonne of gold so I can take down this Alpha. All thoughts of the Master and bringing order to the world fly from my mind as I take in the smell of freshly made bullets and cleaned weapons.

"Let's shop," I say to myself as I rub my hands together while stepping into the room. I might be imagining it but the collector looks a little uneasy as I start examining the long-range rifles and then move onto the handguns. I pull one long-range sniper rifle off the stand and hold it up so the butt of it rests on my shoulder and I can look through the scope. I’m impressed until I realise there is a small red dot on the wall opposite me. I don’t need a laser guide and I also find it harder to kill my target if they know it's coming. The next rifle is more my type but it's a bit too bulky for my small frame, the third one is perfect and I press the trigger a few times to get a feel for the weapon. Nothing comes out of it, of course; it would be foolish of the collector to load the weapons he’s putting on show. 

“I’ll take this one and a hundred bullets.” I say before tossing the rifle onto the hard wooden table in the centre of the room. I quickly dash around the room and pick out two new hunter knives, a new skinning knife, three new handguns and a rather impressive bow. 

“You’ll want bullets and arrows for these as well?” The collector asks dryly; he’s noting everything down on a notepad. he’s probably mentally having a mini party because I’m about to slap a load of gold down for all of this. 

“Obviously. I also need three months worth of serums; actually, make it four.” I have no idea how strong this Alpha is going to be and if I truly have to take him on face-to-face, then I might need more of the serum. 

“I can do three and a half; the ingredients are getting harder to come by.” I drop the second bow I’m looking at as the collector drops that bit of knowledge; the room becomes so silent and still that the collector looks up to make sure I haven’t left the room. 

“I need four. I’m not going to let some Alpha kick my ass because you lack the ingredients to keep up with demand.” I give him my no-compromise tone and place my hands on my hips; I watch his eyes take in the blood splatter across my tank. I have no idea what's in the serums or I would make them myself. I’ve taken them for as long as I can remember and unless it's an emergency, I only take them when advised by my watcher. 

“I’ll see what I can do.” The collector mutters as he scoops up his notepad and starts to walk from the room. “Put that lot in your van; I’ll get your serums and meet you at the front desk.” The look the collector gives me as he leaves the room has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I’ve never been asked to take the goods out of a shop before paying; he’s up to something and I need to figure out what before I’m standing in the middle of a trap. Grabbing the knife from my ankle holder, I slowly move from the gun room to the front door of the shop. I see them instantly. A group of men blocking my path to the shop; none of them look familiar and they all have the trademark looks of shifters. Only men that attractive, muscled and tall could be shifters; they don’t build humans like that. 

“You were stalling me?” I snap as I glance over my shoulder; the shop is completely empty. I have multiple weapons at my disposal, but without my serums, I’m never going to be able to take down ten fully grown shifter men.