1

The bookstore was more crowded than usual. A new controversial book had been published on the war between the three humanity derived races and it had crashed the internet, so people were coming in by the droves to pick up hard copies. It was said that it was actually being denounced by the leaders of the vampires, werewolves, and humans, so it made one wonder how it got published in the first place. It also made it that much more desirable. 

I watched as a vampire led his human mate around the store, the two of them lost in their own world. A hundred years ago, they would've been met with alarm and disdain but since the end of the war and the dominance of vampires and werewolves and their need to only have human mates, it was now a very common scene. It was now more rare to see a pairing of the same race.

"We're almost out of the Creighton book," my employee, Janus, let me know as she set out more copies of the controversial book. I wasn't surprised. The world had settled into a nice rhythm and it was not in human nature to just let things be. Harvey Creighton's book appealed to the small group that believed the different races, including those considered minor, were meant to live separately. As one who made my living selling books, I obviously didn't believe in censorship, but I also read the book and thought it was a load of bullshit. Gaping theory holes, contradictions, and unsubstantiated claims were ignored by those who were desperate for a "pure" society.

"Let's make sure it's surrounded by some counterclaim books," I suggested and Janus nodded. Another human like me, we had been friends since college. We had worked here since our freshman year and when the old owner was ready to retire, I used all of my savings to purchase the business from him.

"Are you going to order more copies?" I shrugged.

"I have to think about it. It has definitely been a revenue booster but I don't want to necessarily be associated with it."

"You could always market it as fiction," the vampire from the couple I was watching earlier interrupted. His female mate rolled her eyes and pushed his shoulder.

"Hollow, mind your own business," she chastised and he leaned over and kissed her temple.

"It's not a bad idea actually," I said, jokingly stroking my chin. Janus nodded.

"See? I was just helping," Hollow said putting several books up on the counter.

"Please ignore him. He thinks he's clever." The girl was pretty with wavy auburn hair and fair skin. Her green eyes were bright and she had freckles sprinkled across her nose.

"Well he may be on to something this time," I said with a smile as I began to ring them up. "Are you from around here?" The girl nodded.

"Sort of. We just moved here. Hollow got a job at the palace, so we moved to be closer," she explained beaming with pride at her partner. The palace she referred to was for the vampire king. After the war, the entire world had been divided between the races, with the vampire and werewolves getting the largest amount of land. The vampire king had erected an enormous castle here in Jaarlstaor. My shop was about a ten minute walk from the front gates, in the downtown district of Mirial.

"Welcome. Are you settling in at Harpsmore?" I asked naming the uptown, upscale district that most employees of the palace lived in.

"No," the girl said shaking her head. "We found a place in Gardena."

"Oh that's where I live. Maybe I'll see you around. I'm Saraya." I handed over their bag as Hollow handed me his credit card.

"I'm Jolie and this of course is Hollow. It would be nice to make some new friends." I handed the card back and then turned their receipt over to write on it. 

"This is my cell phone number. Feel free to text or call me and we can get together." Jolie took the receipt and tucked it into her purse. The two walked out, hand in hand.

"They seem nice," Janus commented.

"Yeah, they did. Great taste in books too."

"Are you up for dinner with Kyle and me tonight?" she asked organizing a display right next to the counter. Safely past the age when vampires and werewolves claimed their mates, Janus was in a relationship with another human. The two were getting serious and I was waiting for an engagement announcement any day.

"Sure, I just need to head back to my apartment first."

"Sounds good. I'll go with you and then we can meet at Cable's." Cable's was an Italian bistro that had opened up around the corner from my place. It had become our go to spot for food.

Toward the end of the day, the crowds began to thin. I was happy to spin the closed sign and shut the blinds to get a moment of peace. I stretched my arms up over my head and tried to crack my back. Janus and I had already counted out the drawers, so we grabbed our stuff, turning off the lights and locking the door behind us. A fresh late spring breeze blew across my face and I drew in a deep breath of salt air off the Sea of Hope. From the hill my shop sat on I could see the sun going down behind the water, pinks and oranges painting the sky.

It was a twenty minute walk from the shop to my apartment. We noticed that there seemed to be more and more people the closer we got to my home. Usually it was the other way around, since this was generally a pretty quiet suburb. When we finally got to my building, we couldn't even get close to it, the crowd was ten people deep.

"What's going on?" Janus asked, holding my hand to keep from losing me.

"I have no idea but I live here and I want in." I saw a couple of my neighbors going in to the building. Pulling Janus along, I tried to find a thinner spot in the crowd where I could flag down one of the police officers I saw around the perimeter. I was finally able to get closer and I waved over an officer.

"What do you want?" he asked. His tone was annoyed and I frowned. 

"I live here and need to get in."

"Do you have ID?" I went through my wallet and pulled out my license. He looked it over and then handed it back. "Fine you can go in." Janus and I made a move to go forward but the officer stopped us. "Do you live here?" he asked Janus. We looked at each other.

"No, she doesn't but she's with me."

"Only residents allowed in at this time. No others."

"Seriously?"

"No exceptions." The officer stood menacingly over us, his hand resting on his nightstick.

"Fine, let's just go eat," I told Janus. She nodded in agreement. I turned back to the officer. "What is so damn important I can't even get into my home?"

"The vampire king announced he is taking his mate and she lives in this building."