My heart fluttered as his thick thumb caressed the back of my hand. Draining the last drop of wine, I shrugged. “I don’t know… I just want to beexcitedabout life again, you know? Being alone so often, I’ve had a lot of time to contemplate my life. I don’t know who I am, what I’m doing, or where I’m going—that’s why I told my father I want a job. To find some sort of…fulfillment. I can’t remember the last time I was truly happy or excited.” Gabe’s brow furrowed as he looked at me with confusion, making my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”
“You don’t feel happy or excited with me?” Each word contained an underlying tinge of disappointment.
“That’s not what I meant.” My heart felt like someone stabbed a wooden stake through it as I shook my head. I didn’t mean to hurt him, and his quick temper prevented any meaningful discussion, so we never get to have these types of conversations. “It’s hard to explain, I just feel unfulfilled with…life. You’re the only thing I have to look forward to every day. How sad is that? It’s like I don’t know how to be happy anymore.”
Cupping one hand to the side of my face, Gabe’s breath hitched as he gazed into my pupils, searching for the flicker of love reflected in their depths. “Vinny, I want to be the light in your darkness because that’s what you are to me. I’d do anything for you. You brought me back to life when my entire world seemed to end. You’re my family.” Wetness coated his eyes, and he turned away.
I knew I was all he had. After his family passed from BRETH, he was all alone, and this was the time we helped each other the most. Tension coated the air around us, like it was being pumped through the ventilation. I pushed away from the tableand embraced him, the solid weight of his broad shoulders a comforting presence against my arm. “I love you, Gabe. You’re my family too.” He sharply inhaled a long breath of air, which was my indication he needed a moment to himself, but knew acknowledging it would only upset him more.
Damn toxic masculinity. The wine also didn’t help.
“I’m going to use the restroom.” He turned his head, and I offered a reassuring smile, hoping to calm his worry. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back for dinner, it should be here soon.”
He nodded, and without another second, I strutted toward a light-up sign that gestured patrons to the lavatories. Before taking the turn, my feet halted as I stood at a crossroad. Should I continue my way to the restroom or turn toward the exit? The angel on my shoulder reminded me that I promised Gabe I’d be back shortly, but the devil was pulling me toward the key card tucked into his coat pocket behind the host stand. Do I choose to continue my birthday with Gabe, eating disgusting food, and ending with quick, emotionless sex? Or do I choose adventure and risk my boyfriend and father being mad at me?
Weighing the pros and cons of each, I found my head bobbing back and forth as I contemplated my options. Tonight has been absolutely perfect. I loved getting off my floor and seeing more of Elysium, and I truly felt loved by Gabe. But…even if I chose to have fun, how long can he and my fatherreallybe mad at me for? They need me to survive.
Anticipation bubbled in my stomach, and the overwhelming heat inside the restaurant made me feel faint before my feet moved, taking me to my destination. I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
“Excuse me,” I smiled at the blond host. “My date asked me to grab something from his coat, can you grab it for me?”
I chose excitement. I chose myself.
Chapter Six
Elysium was situated at the heart of what was once a sizable city and now sits within a massive stone wall, its only defense against the dangers beyond. The original name of the city, lost to time, is now known as The Wastes, a desolate landscape of crumbling structures and whispering winds. The once-thriving city was now a skeletal frame of crumbling buildings and silent streets, and those who were wealthy enough, escaped to Elysium. Over time, the city decayed into a slum, the forgotten buildings casting long shadows over streets choked with poverty and refuse.
The Wastes are home to Exiles—criminal vampires or those who have been shunned because they couldn’t pay their taxes. When you are deemed an Exile, you’re thrown to The Wastes, where you soon become starved for blood. Your body slowly uses all the food reserves it stores, and as it does, you feel weaker, and your skin will become dry. Eventually, brain function begins to shut down and your body starts withering from the inside out. Before death, Exiles are alive, but only just. It’s a terrible price to pay, although they can return to Elysium if they pay their dues to society. Driven by the desperate hope of reaching theparadise above, most will risk anything in The Wastes, making them incredibly dangerous.
I walked down the dusty and desolate streets that snaked through the city, crossing my arms across my chest from the frigid cold outside. The cracked, decaying walls of the buildings loomed over me, their silent stories whispering of a grandeur lost to the war and were stained with centuries of grime. A thin layer of snow crunched underfoot, and the dim, flickering lights in windows cast long shadows on the snow-covered street.
I assumed, by the gossip, that it would be a busy night at The Carlton, but my eyes didn’t catch any sign of movement. Turning my head toward the snowy ground, I saw the imprints of several pairs of feet heading toward the town square, their patterns slightly veiled by a light dusting of fresh snow. I followed the trail, the moonlight illuminating my path, until I saw a large fountain shimmering in the pale light. Walking around the empty basin, I ran my fingers along the surprisingly thin layer of ice atop the undisturbed snow, feeling its brittle texture.
Rough, uneven piles of snow were heaped around the square, some near the fountain and others pressed against the cold stone of the surrounding buildings. Passing one of the mounds, I stifled a gasp as a thin, cold hand clamped around my ankle. My wide eyes, filled with shock, looked down as my mouth dropped open at the sight of an Exile on the brink of death. Its withered, yellow-gray body looked brittle, and its bony fingers, thin as twigs, seemed as if they might snap if they grasped too hard. Its face was terrifyingly gaunt, and thin wisps of hair stuck out from its skull, reminiscent of a decaying zombie from a vintage horror movie.
“Blood…please.” A raspy, broken voice, barely a whisper, escaped their cracked lips. “I can…smell the blood. Please help…me.”
With a sharp yank, I pulled my foot from the Exile’s grasp, eliciting a high-pitched shriek piercing the air. I wasn’t sure if it was in pain or upset that I got away.
Secretly, I hoped it was in pain for startling me.
I eyed the towering mounds of snow, their surfaces trembling slightly, and noticed they were shaking. These beings, on the brink of death and their bodies wracked with chills, were too weak to lift a finger.
Following the icy trail leading away from the town square, I rounded a bend and found myself atop a tall stone staircase, completely glazed with ice. Latching my hand firmly around a rusted metal railing, I slowly made my way to the bottom, taking care not to cause injury to myself. The bottom of the stairs led to the remains of a charming park, and I could almost smell the freshly cut grass and hear the laughter of children on a bright sunny day. Years of neglect dulled the playground’s charm. The central pavilion was weathered, a broken seesaw lay beside it, and a rusted death-trap of a jungle gym stood nearby.
I couldn’t help but empathize with the park, a place that was once filled with happiness, but was now a shell of its former self.
The din of the night was creeping over the town, and my stilted breathing blew white clouds into the air. Following the footsteps, I rounded a corner into a narrow alleyway, where an ominous red glow was emanating at its end. A five-story brick building, weathered and worn, met my gaze as I peeked around the corner. A large, buzzing neon sign in swooping red letters cast a lurid glow on the alleyway that read, The Carlton.
I raised a skeptical eyebrow, noticing the unsettling absence of people outside the building or behind me, not a single sound or movement. Was there another way to get here that I wasn’t aware of? Anxiety told me not to continue further, but I pushed it aside and, without another thought, stole down the alleyway. The faded grandeur of The Carlton, dwarfed by thetowering buildings around it, whispered tales of a bygone era as a charming boutique hotel. The beautiful glass turnstile and vibrant awnings were now just memories, replaced by decaying wood and boarded-up windows. A small metal door, painted a dull grey and bolted shut, served as the hotel entrance, its sheer weight and imposing presence hinted at a deliberate effort to keep people out.
Or in.
Wrapping my fingers around the cold, metal handle, I pulled with all my might, but the heavy door remained stubbornly shut. Hesitantly, I knocked, but nothing happened. I heaved on the door one last time, the cold metal biting into my palms before letting out a frustrated groan and throwing my arms up. How could I come this far to let a door get in the way? I wasn’t about to give up now.
“How many?” a voice came from behind the door.
A metallic partition slid open with a grating sound, revealing a face pale as bone, and dark eyes that seemed to absorb the light. I don’t think I should be here… Have I made a mistake? Gabe told me The Wastes were dangerous. Why didn’t I listen? “J-just me.”
