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Prologue
The world hadchanged in the year 3013.
Earth rebuilt their civilization after the Alien Wars ravaged the planet and an unknown virus nearly wiped out the entire population, but nothing could ever bring back what once was. A new age of mankind was born, but some of the edicts set forth for humans to survive have become obsolete in the ever-changing universe.
What fate has in store is uncertain, though, one constant is clear. In a cosmos filled with endless possibilities, love is the ultimate prize. Warriors from every species search the stars for love, and they will risk all to fight for those who hold their hearts. But danger is always present when worlds collide. As new challenges arise, all the known races must adapt and learn from their allies. However, not all desire peace, or to live in harmony.
And as a new year dawns, the battle for the future has only begun…
Chapter One
As the mostpopular bar in Zion, Exodus was always crazy busy. However, during the past month, it had seemed like the entire city had been stopping by to celebrate. Reports of a cure for the virus that caused infertility in a large portion of the human race had been circulating around the city for months, but most people hadn’t believed the rumors were actually true.
Until now.
Over the last few weeks, the first doses of the cure had been administered to those lucky enough to have gotten a coveted appointment at one of the designated treatment centers. The entire city was celebrating the eradication of the last mark of damage the Zyphir had caused, and those who had suffered from the virus were now filled with a new sense of hope.
While the virus left behind by the Zyphir had only infected humans, all of the known races were immensely pleased about the medical breakthrough. Those who lived in Zion were especially excited about this new development and what it meant for the future of Earth. Although most of the world had been ravaged during the war with the Zyphir, the city of Zion had remained essentially undamaged. As a perfect blending of past and present, Zion had always been a unique city.
It was a united zone where all the races lived together in harmony.
Even though Alliance elites, citizens, and rebels were basically considered equals within Zion, there was still a vast divide between the different human classes throughout the rest of the world. Hopefully, the creation of the cure would move them one step closer to achieving true equality and bring about the dawn of a new age for humanity.
The official statement made by the company that had created the cure confirmed that every elite, citizen, and rebel would be eligible to receive the treatment. From the gossip making the rounds, some of those within Alliance command had not been pleased that Hart Pharmaceuticals hadn’t just handed the cure over to them. Despite their irritation, the rest of the world was happy that everyone who needed the cure could and would receive it without bias.
Instead of dealing with the usual political posturing bullshit, the Hart Pharmaceutical representatives had gone straight to the owners of Exodus to ask for help organizing the launch of the cure. Alliance officers might be officially in charge, but they only had the illusion of control over Zion. Everyone knew that Rogan and Lucian Adaro and their Dragon Warrior mate, Jade Vyper, were the true leaders of the city.
Although many people rightly feared them, they also trusted the powerful trio to protect the city and everyone who resided there.
Besides the various med-centers throughout the city that had been designated as vaccination sites, the large coliseum next to Exodus had also been set up as a location for people to receive the cure. That was another reason the bar was overflowing with patrons. Once people were finished with their appointments in the coliseum, most of them made their way next door to join the festivities.
To accommodate the masses, Exodus had been opening its doors earlier than usual. It was a pain in the ass for the entire staff, but it was only a temporary inconvenience. Or so they had thought. After a month of dealing with the extended hours, things still weren’t slowing down. While packing the place might be good for business, they would have to hire more staff if it kept up much longer.
Exodus might be the most popular hangout in Zion, but at its core, it was first and foremost a Krytos sanctuary. The entire compound consisted of several adjacent buildings that were a mix of historic structures and new construction, most of which were off-limits to everyone but the staff and residents. Only a few of those buildings were open to the public, but all guests and customers on the premises still had to follow the rules of the sanctuary.
The main bar was located in the massive white stone structure that had once been a revered art museum. The elegant exterior of the building had been preserved, but the inside of Exodus had been renovated to suit their needs. Outdoor seating had been extended into the large courtyard between the buildings since they’d run out of room on the main patio. Even the nightclub on the lower level had been opened early for extra seating, but that wasn’t the only addition.
The Sky Bar was a new female-only lounge located on the rooftop of Exodus. Situated under a sky dome made out of purple crystal that could be opened or closed depending on the weather, the lounge was a beautiful haven within the sanctuary. The Sky Bar offered comfortable seating, access to a full menu of delicious food and drinks, and the promise of safety.
The new bar had primarily been created for all the females who were now living at the sanctuary, especially the former Tarin slaves who had recently been freed. Although some of the females at Exodus roamed around all of the various areas inside the building freely, there were many who still felt uncomfortable around males.
Because of that, the only males allowed inside the lounge were Rogan and Lucian. Out of deference for the females, the other male employees limited their involvement in the Sky Bar to working security outside the entrance. Several of the males offered to help restock and clean after closing, but the females who worked there took pride in handling all of those tasks themselves.
Especially the Tarin females who had only recently discovered freedom.
The Sky Bar had become a new favorite hotspot, not just for humans, but for females of all the races. Some joked that they simply enjoyed hanging out in the testosterone-free zone, while others just liked the unapologetically feminine ambiance in the lounge. At the moment, part of the dome was opened to let in a pleasant breeze while the other section of the crystal had been darkened from its usual pale lavender to a deeper shade in order to block out some of the strong sunlight.
Secret preferred working in the main bar downstairs over the elegant lounge. At least there was a chance she could be entertained with a good brawl or a decent scuffle. Regrettably, she’d been splitting her time between the two bars since some of the Tarin females had mentioned feeling safer whenever she worked a shift with them. If her presence made them feel a little more comfortable while they acclimated to their new surroundings, she was willing to try to accommodate them.
However, there were times she wished she hadn’t agreed.
Breathing out a heavy sigh, she scanned the crowd from where she was pouring drinks behind the long bar. This was one of those times. Even though she stood in a shaded area of the lounge, it was still too damn bright in there to suit her current mood. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before, and a pounding headache only added to her fatigue and irritability.
With the way she was feeling, it would probably be safer for everyone if she returned to her quarters. Some solitude in a dark, quiet room sounded like bliss compared to being bombarded by a cacophony of feminine chatter and cheerful music, but she didn’t want to burden anyone by asking them to cover her shift.
Not that anyone was free to cover for her anyway.
Since the launch of the cure was done, Rogan, Lucian, and Jade had left early the previous day to travel to Ilius to visit her mother and fathers. They had already postponed the trip several times since their official mating, but now was the perfect time for them to go and share the wonderful news that they were expecting their first baby.
