40k Outsider Novels & Stories

No one thought it absurd for a rat to be at the table, nor did they see anything wrong with me being exiled to that distant corner. I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and wordlessly dragged my chair back to the cold, shadowy edge. At the table, the discussion ranged from the company Fabio had just acquired, Luca's plan to win gold at next month's competition abroad, and Francesca's upcoming fan meet-and-greet, to some secrets of the underworld. No one spared me a glance. In front of me was a plate of cold, hard spaghetti. The nearest dish was well beyond my reach. I turned my head and looked pleadingly at the household staff standing by in attendance, signaling her with my eyes to help

The member list in the channel was painfully clear, showing only four avatars: my father, my mother, my brother, and Bella. My brother, Enzo, replied a moment later, "Just the four of us. Don't call Aurora." "If she comes, she'll just find another excuse to bully Bella." I stared at the words, frozen. It dawned on me then. In this family, I had been the outsider all along. ... As if on cue, my mother's call came through. "Aurora, there's a sudden sit-down with the capos. We won't be back at the manor tonight."

He turned his void-black eyes toward us. "Get inside!" he bellowed, his voice a distorted growl. He pointed a clawed finger at a heavy reinforced door down the hall. "The code is 4-4-Alpha-9! Go!" A team of four more mercenaries rounded the corner behind him, raising their net launchers. "Kai!" I screamed. Kai didn't turn. He dropped to all fours and charged, a runaway train of muscle and rage. He slammed into the mercenaries, scattering them like bowling pins.