All Chapters of Queens and Monsters: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The night beforeJasmineMy knees tucked beneath my robe, I hugged them to my chest as I leaned back against the window seat wall in my bedroom and stared through the frosty panes. Snow fell steadily from the dark sky. Stories below, the sidewalks were growing less distinguishable, their surfaces and the grass becoming one, hidden beneath a blanket of fresh accumulation. Illumination from the streetlights sparkled on the wet and slick streets like holiday lights.I held the small kitten, keeping her cuddled against my skin.Warm within my cocoon, my memories warred between the life I mostly recalled and that which was beyond my recollection. There was something magical, or perhaps tragic, about the first snowfall of the season that surfaced bits and pieces of memories buried deep within the recesses of my mind.Despite my luxurious surroundings, my fingers and toes ached from phantom cold, a deep-seated chill that couldn’t be warmed. When I was young, I used to wake on the night of th

JasmineChristmas Eve in our home was more tradition than a religious celebration. For most of my life, this night was filled with delicious food and our small family. Where there were only four, including Contessa, tonight there were multitudes. It was as if the Bible story of Jesus and the fishes was coming to life. There were currently over twenty people to be fed. With bodyguards, the number rose to over forty.Savory aromas filled the kitchen as Contessa managed multiple tasks. She wasn’t alone: Arianna Luciano brought her cook Greta along to help. Heaven forbid, Dario’s mother would actually do something as mundane as culinary activities. No, she was busy spending as much time with her granddaughter as possible.The granddaughter wasn’t me.I wasn’t a Luciano. While I’d lived with Dario since I was seven, the Luciano famiglia beyond Dario and Dante liked to pretend I didn’t exist.While that hadn’t exactly changed, I existed, and I now had a powerful ally, not that Dario as capo

JasmineI stared out the windows, viewing the world as I’d never seen it. It was as if the cold air buzzed with electricity, humming with energy. The ground, covered with millions of diamonds, reflected the city lights. Colorful holiday decorations twinkled. From the interstate, I saw the river. The sky radiated the golden illumination lighting the arches over the bridge connecting Missouri and Kansas.My circulation raced through my veins with a sense of excitement and adventure.Two years ago, I never would have left my home with the two men in the front seat of this car, especially without Piero or Armando. I’d grown accustomed to my bodyguards’ presence. Now their absence was magnified.Dario claimed the alliance was solid and trustworthy.He couldn’t blame me for believing him and thus trusting Reinaldo and Emiliano.I didn’t want to think about Dario.My mind filled with the possibilities of an evening out and away from watchful eyes. The two soldiers with me were conversing in

Reinaldo“Fuck,” I roared as bullets soared our direction through the falling snow. The windows of the limestone building splintered, raining shards down on the sidewalk. Kneeling behind the rental car, I scanned the other side of the street. Darkness filled the lanes of a drive-thru bank. My gun was out of the holster and cocked in less than three seconds.Em shoved Jasmine into the back seat, telling her to lie down before screaming at me. “Entra en la mierda del coche.”Get in the car.It went against my instinct to run. I was a fighter and a winner. I didn’t walk away from a battle. Scanning the darkness in the direction I knew that the shots originated from, I aimed my gun. There was a flash or a reflection a millisecond before a bullet hit the car. I emptied a magazine, unsure what or if I hit someone. “Dame la llave,” Em yelled.As I started to load another magazine, my gaze caught Jasmine, lying on the car floor in a fetal position. Her eyes were closed, dark makeup ran under

ReinaldoI gritted my teeth as Jasmine walked toward Cat. I recalled the sweetness of her lips, the ferocity of her kiss. She shared my hunger. Despite her uncertainty, her body responded to me. Jasmine was meant to be mine. I felt it deep within me. I willed her to turn around. No, this wasn’t her fight. It was mine. She’d already said her piece, defending Em and me. Standing taller, I clenched my hands in front of me, showing that I wasn’t going to pull out a weapon. I was ready to take whatever awaited me. I’d show everyone present that I deserved Jasmine’s hand. This wasn’t the way I had planned on the conversation going down, but it was too late to turn back.The ring of men grew as others stepped out, encircling Em and me. Not only was the capo dei capi staring us down, but also mí padre—el Patrόn—and Andrés Ruiz, Em’s father. My brother, Jano, met my gaze. He had my back, I knew that. I also knew that this situation put everyone in a difficult position. There were others watchi