The Shadow Empire [SAMPLE]

Chapter 3

My alarm goes off far too soon.

I spasm, immediately turning off the alarm, my heart racing erratically. I don't know how modern technology has come far enough to make a phone that produces such a horrible, ear-splitting sound that instantly floods my body with terror, but Apple as perfected the art of torture with the iPhone alarm sound.

Though I can't deny that it's effective.

Thirty minutes later, my brown hair is curled and my dark makeup is applied. I'm pull on black, ripped jeans; a dark red, low cut, long sleeve shirt; and black booties with a small heel. Since I own the bar, there's no particular dress code I'm obligated to follow, but there is a certain aesthetic I feel inclined to perpetuate.

The bar is modern, edgy, dark; it would look strange if the owner of it didn't dress in accordance with that. I'm not really sure what my own personal tastes are, with fashion changing practically every year, I've seen the rise and fall of many trends, so I don't put too much consideration in to what I wear, with the exception of making sure I look like I'm from this century.

I have to say, I don't miss the corsets worn for the better part of my life.

And the 80's were a nightmare for fashion.

Tucking a coat under my arm, knowing I'll need it in the morning, I leave my sector of the condo and knock on Eden's door.

"Come in!"

Of course, she's sitting at her glass desk, pouring over the same book from this morning. Though it's thick and she barely started it, now, she's on the last few pages. "Looks like you're almost done. Want to come to the Empire tonight?" I don't offer because I think she'll come, though I'd want her to; I offer so she knows I'm really not mad at her for the conversation earlier. Eden won't stand up to her parents; it's just who she is.

She looks mournfully at her book before shaking her head. "I have a lot of homework tonight."

Translation: My parents would lose their shit if I didn't stay locked up in this ivory tower.

"You look cute though!" she chirps. "Maybe I'll come another time. I need an excuse to get dolled up for something that isn't a coven-sanctioned event."

"Yeah, maybe." Maybe in another few centuries.

I resist the urge to flip off the doorman while walking out of Blackhelm Heights, like the polite not-so-young lady that I am. As summer nears its end, it's begun getting darker sooner, and it's pitch black while I begin my journey to The Shadow Empire.

Despite being a woman walking alone in the dark through the city, I'm not even close to scared. Human muggers could be easily obliterated (which I've done), and, well, I'm friends with most of the monsters of the city, since the vast majority of them frequent my bar. And the ones that I'm not friends with? They wouldn't want to piss off their friends that do come to the Shadow Empire by killing me.

So, I walk alone and without fear.

When I do reach the Empire, there's already a few people waiting outside. "Drunkards, all of you," I mutter as I drop the locking spell with a wave of my hand.

"We heard that," the vampires and werewolves say with a laugh.

"Yeah, they heard that," a witch says with a nod. "And they said you said it, which means I've heard it by proxy."

I roll my eyes at that, suppressing a smile as I open the door for them. "Yeah, yeah. You don't like the attitude—you go to another bar. I hear Sullivan's just opened back up." I give a pointed look to a vampire, Joanna. "Don't think they serve blood though."