“Attia and her people will be here within the hour if not sooner,” Amethyst reported.
Diamond looked in her direction and nodded. They barely had enough men and women to defend the Quarry. It was the other parts of the city he was worried about. If he were trying to take over, he’d have conquered the city in sections. Not gone straight for the Quarry. The other Towers were on high alert, but unable to spare any of their soldiers. He knew it was on purpose. They wanted Diamond out, but they didn’t have the balls to try and do it themselves. Someone had tried to kill him with a bomb the other day. That could have easily been the beginning of what was to come.
Nadya had been so sure Attia was coming for her. Facts weren’t adding up, and Diamond couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing the big picture. It wasn’t just about her purity. There had to be more than that. Otherwise, why would Attia come all this way? She’d once been a part of their unit. Like the Ibanez brothers, she’d taken her small slice of rebellion and went straight for the uninhibited islands not far from the city. NorBro was a pair of small islands located in the East River. She’d staked her claim on both, and Diamond had let her. Bitch was certifiable.
Weird shit happened on NorBro. He’d had Thys scout the place once just to check up on Attia. The inhabitants of the island were mostly women and men who suffered from some deformity or another due to radiation, but they were resilient all the same. He’d once thought Attia was conducting experiments there, but he knew she didn’t have the resources. There was no way she could pull it off without the proper amount of technology. A technology he cornered the market on.
Now she was hell-bent on coming to the Quarry. If she were traveling with an army, it sure as hell wasn’t to stop by unannounced for a cup of tea. And if she were coming for Nadya, she’d be in for a shock. The girl was no longer in his company. Phyr had been pretty sure of himself when he’d threatened Lindy. He was also pretty sure about the symbol he’d seen above the entryway. If she had, in fact, been taken by Reapers through a Sub-dwellers’ entrance, he could contact Dasan. He’d know if anyone were in his tunnels.
“Thys, I want your women on the fifth level of the Quarry. I want you all armed and ready to fire on my signal. Phyr, I want you to go as far up to the top of the building as you can. I want you to be able to take Attia out if needed. Onyx, Emerald, I need the both of you with me on the ground floor. We’ll be the welcoming committee when she arrives.” Diamond looked over at Lindy and Lip. This whole thing was fucked up. If Lindy had anything to do with any of this, he was going to work her over something fierce. Allowing the female in his bed in the first place was mistake number one. Thinking she could handle the type of arrangement they had was mistake number two. He thought he’d been clear with her, but he could see the truth now, she wanted the keys to his kingdom. Diamond knew he had issues, deep-seated issues. But it couldn’t be helped now. That aside, something told him Lindy was full of shit. He hadn’t mistaken the misleading look on Phyr’s face when he’d agreed Lindy wasn’t lying. Which meant, she was. “Lip, take Lindy and leave her locked in my office. Change the code. Code red. She knows all of the other ones.”
“What’s going on?”
“Shut it, Lins.”
“But I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I. But I will soon.”
Diamond turned his attention to Lip.
“Don’t let her get out of the fucking room. If she’s not there when I get back, we got problems. And as fucked up as this day has already been, you really don’t want to have a problem with me.”
“Sure thing.” Lip stood from his chair and made his way to Lindy. “Come on, move.”
“Lavarious, I don’t understand. Why lock me up? I want to help.”
“You will be helping, now go with Lip. Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.” He looked at the others, all of whom had been with him since the beginning. His group was now a shell of its former self. Things he would not have thought possible had taken root. Not only in the streets but also inside his black, decaying heart. He’d call Dasan, find out if the girl was there, and if she wasn’t, he hoped like hell Attia had indeed brought her sister. She was the next best thing to having Nadya. He’d wait till she came of age, train her, and then sell her to the highest bidder. Some would call him callous, and they would be right. But in the end, everything was for sale or trade.
“Emerald, bring me a comm device. I want to talk to Dasan.”
“Yup.”
Emerald rose from his spot and walked to his black satchel, pulling out his device. Once Diamond had Dasan, he asked the one question he needed the answer to.
“Did Reapers bring a girl in there from a sewer attack?”
“I just had fresh females delivered about two hours ago. Why? Did you lose something?” Dasan chuckled on the other end of the comm.
“Possibly. Need to know if someone is there by the name of Nadya?”
“I can have one of the wives check. If she’s here, you can’t just have her back.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“She obviously ran away from you. Makes her fair game.”
Diamond ground his teeth to stop from cursing the man out.
“I wasn’t aware you were into collecting flesh. I hope you’re not planning to sell her.”
“Of course, not. That would be in direct violation of the Quarry. I simply have a need to ensure the survival of my kind. If she’s here, she’s now part of my breeder program.”
Breeder program?
“What do you mean?”
“Ask my daughter, Lindy. She knows all about it. But like I said, I’ll look to see if there is a girl here by the name of Nadya. If so, we will need to come to some sort of arrangement.”
Lindy is Dasan’s daughter? What the fuck?
“Lindy is your daughter?”
“She didn’t tell you? Of course, she didn’t.” Dasan’s laugh was cynical. “My Lindy has always been ashamed of me. You know, she was the first of my daughters to give me a male offspring. It’s why I let her go topside. She promised me a male, delivered, and I’m always a man of my word. So, if you’re willing to negotiate, then I’m sure we can come to some sort of agreement. Should your Nadya be here.”
“All things are negotiable.”
“Indeed. I’ll be in touch.”
The comm went dead, and Diamond looked to his men.
“She’s there.”
“Let’s hope so, Phyr.”
“She is.”
“Why is she so important to you all of a sudden? You’re not into girls, and you don’t have a drop of Wave. What gives?” Onyx asked.
“I’m into women, what makes you think that I’m not?”
“Saw you giving head to Lip once.”
No one said anything for long moments. Didn’t really matter. Sexual preference was not an issue to them.
“Doesn’t mean I don’t like girls. All that means is I’m into variety. But that’s not why I’m interested.”
“Why, then?” Diamond inquired.
Onyx looked in his direction, then back at Phyr. He didn’t remove his shades. The male wore them all the damn time.
“We need more fighters like her, and I know she’s trainable. She belongs in the program, not selling her snatch to the highest bidder.”
“I disagree.” He would still sell her, but he could also put her in the program. Two specialties were better than one. “She can do both.”
Phyr wasn’t happy with the answer, but nodded anyway.
“As long as you’re okay with it. Once she goes to the highest bidder, we need to take her off the market for a while. I’ll train her and then you can have her back to make you more money. We could use her. She could also infiltrate the Mainland. There are a lot of major plays we could make.”
What Phyr said was true. There were players on the Mainland, those in positions of power, and it was one step closer to his ultimate goal. He had to see for himself. Needed to know if there was a home to go back to. Cisco wouldn’t be there, why would she? She probably thought him dead. It took Diamond a long time to admit he longed for the Mainland. He spent a lot of resources in order to see that need to fruition. Was it stupid on his part to even care? Probably, but he was willing to face whatever was on the Mainland. The urge to know was stronger than his will to not know. When he’d first realized he couldn’t return to the Mainland, he’d resolved himself to the fact that he may never leave. But as the years went on, he knew there had to be more than what his contact on the Mainland was telling him. It couldn’t be as bad as it sounded. His contact had made it seem like the people on the Mainland had gotten worse. He’d been told that people were dropping like flies, or worse, infected. The Red Door he hid behind kept him prisoner. If others could come in, he could go out.
“I agree. Are you sure you can handle her?”
“She trusts me more than she trusts you at this point. We need to use it to our advantage.”
The comm he was holding alerted Diamond to an incoming call. Dasan. He answered with a gruff, “Is she there?”
There was static coming through on the comm, and Diamond could only make out about every third word.
“Is she there or not?”
“Yes… Problem… Meeting...”
That was all he needed to hear.
“I’ll be there in two days. Hold on to her, untouched.”
Diamond ended the communication and looked to the rest of his team.
“You all do what needs to be done. I’m going to have a talk with Lindy. Emerald, I will need you with me. Bring your kit.”
Emerald grimaced and walked over to his black satchel. Diamond heard the others utter curses beneath their breaths. They knew what was about to happen. It was no one’s fault but Lindy’s.
V
The room they’d been moved to was lighter. Not as dim as the one she’d woken up in. Nadya was still shackled around the ankles and neck. Her hands were left free, but there wasn’t much she could do. She was in unfamiliar territory. The woman who was the keeper of the makeshift harem returned, asking whose name was Nadya. At first, she’d been reluctant to divulge her identity, figuring it could be Attia asking. But she remembered the look on Phyr’s face when she’d been carried away. He was horrified. Maybe it was him. Maybe he hadn’t left her.
She’d spoken up quickly, and when asked if she were one of Diamond’s girls, she nodded. Now, she and the other girls were in another room. A chamber of sorts. There were seven pillows in front of them, and they were asked to kneel. Their chains were secured to the wall behind them, limiting their range of motion.
“This is the selection stage,” a girl whispered.
“How do you know all of this?” Nadya asked.
“Dasan is my father.”
“And you’re in his breeding program?”
“Some of us are to be recycled through to breed only the purest. Unless, of course, you give him a male child. One of my sisters once did, and Father praised her above all of his other wives. She is allowed to come and go as she pleases.”
“You want this?”
The girl next to her was pale of skin, too pale. Which was typical of Sub-dwellers. She had pink eyes and aquiline features.
“It is a great honor to be chosen by Father.”
“What if he doesn’t pick you?”
The girl’s eyes widened in fear. Had she not thought about the possibility of not being chosen?
“He must,” she whispered.
“Let’s hope,” another female said on Nadya’s other side.
“What happens during the selection?”
“My father will come and inspect us. He may touch you, taste you, anything he deems necessary to make a choice. Then there will be the Padja, my father’s healer. She will come and do the test.”
“The test?”
“Yes, she will test to see if you are able to breed with Father.”
“She’s the one who really decides,” the other woman next to her whispered.
Before they could finish their conversation, a tall male with long, white hair and a hunched-over woman with no hair walked in. Their skin was pale, and they each had markings that glowed as they approached the women. This must be Dasan, Nadya thought. He didn’t look old enough to have a daughter. His skin was free of wrinkles, and he looked to be about the same age as Phyr or even Diamond. He was shirtless and wore tight-fitting pants with something draped over the front, almost like an apron or wrap.
He took a few steps back. The room was cast in a faint blue glow as he did. He took a seat in a chair, and the blue glow moved. Nadya hadn’t noticed the worms at first, but now she could see them. Mutated worms. That glowed. Their bioluminescence gave off a faint radiance. It was similar to the marks on her hips, though hers were metallic in nature; the light-emitting pigmentation of her skin was something she’d been born with. She’d told Diamond she’d gotten the tats in Tribeca, but she hadn’t. The marks had just always been there.
“Welcome. I am Dasan, your host, and future mate. Those of you lucky enough to be chosen will become part of my breeder program. Those that are not lucky, will be handed over to my Reapers to do with as they choose.”
One of the girls Nadya hadn’t noticed before cried out that she wanted to be picked, would do anything to give birth to his children. She even promised to give him all males.
“Dearest, girl. You can’t make such a promise, no one can.” He chuckled. His voice was calm and even held a bit of emotion. Like he cared for each and every girl. But if that were true, he wouldn’t hand any of them over to his Reapers. He’d keep them all. His facial features showed a caring nature, but it was his eyes that told the truth. Harsh, brutal, and calculating. He wanted everyone to feel comfortable. To feel like there was hope. Even when there was none. His daughter, the one who’d opted to be a part of the breeding program, sat up straighter. She pushed her full chest forward, her confidence evident, even as her father passed her over. He didn’t even give her a second look, and right then, Nadya knew the girl had somehow been given false hope. Maybe even told she’d be picked. It was clear her father wasn’t going to pick her by the way he dismissed her show of certainty.
“My Padja will bring each of you to me, you will kneel in front of me, hands clasped behind your backs unless I say otherwise. I will inspect you, and if I find you to my liking, you will sit to my left.”
The old woman walked to the first girl. She had long hair, but it was straight and the color of the sun. Why did they cut my hair? Maybe because hers had been a tangled and matted mess caked with mud. The other girl stood on shaky legs as she was led to stand in front of Dasan where she slowly kneeled.
“Good girl.” Dasan’s voice became darker, edgier as he stood and walked a circle around the girl. He bent low to smell her hair. Used his hands to turn her face this way and that before lifting the apron like flap in front of his pants, exposing a very large erection. Nadya’s heart beat faster, and her stomach threatened to empty itself there on the floor. She wasn’t going to be able to endure it if he put his penis into her mouth. This can’t be happening. She’d kill him if he tried that with her. He used the tip of his penis to trace the other girl’s lips. His hips moving in circles as he repeated the process over and over again. The girl whimpered, and Nadya could see wet streaks on her cheeks. The light from the room illuminated her face.
“I like this one.”
The girl’s shoulders sagged in relief as she was made to sit to the left of his chair. He went down the line. The second girl, the one who’d promised him males was not chosen. Her face locked in fear as she was escorted out of the room. The next two girls were also sent away, one went quietly, the other kicking and screaming. Dasan’s daughter was next. Nadya and the other female who’d spoken were the last two. Nadya’s heart continued to pound in her chest. As it was, there were only three of them left, and two spots remaining. Maybe she was safe because they’d asked about her earlier. Maybe she had nothing to worry about. Surely if they knew she was Diamond’s property, all bets were off.
Dasan’s daughter was led to stand in front of him, where she too kneeled, her arms behind her back, her chest prominently on display. She smiled the entire time as her father walked around her, inspecting her. He didn’t remove his apron like he’d done with the women before her, but he did bend down towards her ear to whisper something that made her chin tremble and her eyes close.
When he stood, he looked towards the Padja, saying, “Not her. She will be bred with a Reaper. Make sure my son, Fursay, knows that is my wish.”
“Father, please. No. I will breed good males for you,” she cried as her shoulders shook with her loud sobs.
“No, you will breed magnificent Reapers. Your senses are sharper than most of my children. You will be perfect for them, Daph. Do not fret. I will make sure the Padja gives you something for the pain.” His hand swept gently across her cheek.
The male, who must have been Fursay, stepped forward, tugging on Daph’s chains. The girl did not move; instead, she pleaded her case to her father once more. Dasan looked down at his daughter, a look of anger flashing in his eyes before he roared, “Go! Now! Or I’ll give you over to the Dark Ones.” Daph’s body jerked in despair before she stood to follow Fursay.
Nadya knew without being told that she and the other girl were to be chosen as breeders for Dasan. The Padja walked towards Nadya, her steps slow and deliberate.
“Come, child.”
The chains were unhooked and she stood and made her way over to Dasan. She didn’t falter. She did exactly as he asked; she kneeled and placed her arms behind her back. She waited, hoping her moment would come when she could escape. You have no clue where you are. She didn’t, but anywhere was better than here at this point. Dominika and Anna were likely dead. If they weren’t, Attia would abuse them until there was nothing left. Anna was too old and worn to be useful.
“This one has good coloring, Padja, wouldn’t you agree?” Dasan rumbled as he walked a circle around her. His hands went through her shoulder-length hair, his fingers sifting through the threads as if she were an animal of some kind. “Soft and silky to the touch. Did she come in this way?”
“No, my lord. Her hair was much longer but matted in places. It was unacceptable.”
“I see.”
He walked to stand in front of her, and Nadya was relieved when he did not take his appendage out to rub it on her face as he had with the others.
“You are Nadya, yes?” Dasan bent low, lifting her chin with his thumb and forefinger.
“Yes.”
“Diamond tells me you are his property. Is that true?”
It wasn’t, but she nodded anyway.
“Too bad. I could have offered you a place beside me. With my other wives, you’d make for excellent breeding. Tell me, what are you?”
“I am just Nadya. I was hoping to secure a patron.”
Those were the wrong words to say, she knew it the moment she’d spoken them. She didn’t know what her actual price was, but she could very well end up with Dasan as her patron. The deal with Diamond was over. She’d given him a chance. His fate had been sealed when he refused to help her get her family back. The deal had been her family in exchange for her virginity. The moment her family was no longer an option, he’d still expected her to honor the contract. There was no contract. Something shifted inside her mind. Tugging on the edges of her subconscious. There was a seductive darkness growing inside, memories threatening to break free. Dormant until now, it had stayed quiet until realization set in. She was on her own from this moment forward. All decisions made now were about what she wanted.
“You are for sale, then?”
Did she nod or say she’d been sold off already?
He may want to know who owns you. Don’t lie.
Things would only get worse if she lied. Like you care. She didn’t. Had she ever really? Nadya thought over the last couple of days. She’d been trying to do the right thing, when all along her conscience was supplying her with other motives. There wasn’t anything solid or rational about what she was doing. Was she really loyal to Anna and her daughter, or was she now, for the first time in her life, trying to do something right. She may not remember who she was, but her instincts had always been dead-on. Nadya knew deep down she wasn’t a nice person, and she shouldn’t try and fool herself into thinking she was.
“Attia is on her way to attack the Quarry.” She averted his original question.
“Padja, be a dear and get my comm device. I’d like to contact Diamond. Put Nadya and the other two in my chambers. I will return for them shortly.”
The Padja moved to the final female and unlocked her chains before gathering Nadya and the first girl and leading them down a dark hall until she came to an area that was carved deep into the rock. The old woman chained each of them to a large pillar and left, closing them in the dark.
She had no idea what Dasan would say to Diamond, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t like it.
V
The sound of the saw as it cut through Lindy’s wrist bone sent a chill down Diamond’s spine. Her screaming didn’t bother him. It was the sound of the saw as his healer sliced through Lindy’s flesh and tendons. Emerald made quick work of her severed hand, cauterizing the wound to stop the blood flow.
“Now that that’s over—I did warn you, Lins—I spoke with Dasan. I believe he is not only your father and your ex-lover but also the male breeder for your people.”
Lindy’s head lolled to the side. Her eyes barely open, her face covered in sweat. She tried to move, barely whispered something, and Diamond stepped closer.
“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”
“Yes,” she croaked.
“What are Reapers?”
“They’re my father’s dogs. They go out, scent, track, and retrieve breed-worthy females.”
“Why would they attack Phyr and Nadya on the tracks? She’s hardly breeding material.”
“Doesn’t…doesn’t matter.” Lindy’s breaths were faltering. Diamond looked to Emerald, who came forward with an injection. It was adrenaline, not a lethal dose, but enough to keep her conscious and talking.
“How does it not matter?”
“She’s a female. They all get brought to my father, whether they can breed or not.”
“What happens to the ones he can’t breed with?”
Lindy pulled in a deep breath. Her head was bent forward, her pants soaked in her blood.
“They are given to my father’s pets. The Reapers either try to breed with them, or they eat them.”
Diamond looked to Emerald, who looked down at Lindy in disgust. He hadn’t noticed before, but now he saw it. Lindy was about Lindy. Not about the good of the group. You’re no better than she is. You sell pussy and organs. Everyone was for themselves. They all benefited from their current situation. He’d let Lindy in, trusted her to at least be loyal to him. He should have been on his guard more. Especially when it came to her.
“What do you want to do with her?”
Diamond looked down at Lindy, her eyes glassy, the whites now a bloodshot red.
“Make sure she doesn’t die. She can still be of use to us. But for now, have one of the guards take her to the infirmary.”
Phyr came through the door, his breathing heavy. The elevators were off, and Diamond knew the other man must have run up at least six flights of stairs to reach him.
“I’ve got Dasan back on the line. He wants to talk.”
Diamond reached for the comm and was immediately connected.
“You have a problem. I have a solution.” The connection was much clearer than earlier.
“Yeah, what problem is that?”
“Attia.”
“I’m listening.”
“I want the girl.”
“Non-negotiable.”
“Everything can be negotiated and or traded in this world. We both know that, Diamond. You’d be a fool if you didn’t at least hear me out.”
“Still listening.”
“I’ll send you the girl back, along with my son, Fursay, and a handful of my Reapers. They’ll take out Attia and her group. In exchange, I get the girl for breeding purposes and will return her when I’m done.”
“You can’t afford Nadya.”
“Try me.”
“Are you really considering this?” Phyr interrupted. Even Emerald looked shocked that he’d even consider the deal.
“Time’s running out. I don’t have to give the girl back to you, but I’d rather us come to an agreement to avoid a future dispute. You and I have no problems. You took in my daughter when no one else would.”
“Your daughter and I are not on good terms. She’s been keeping things from me.”
There was a deep laugh over the comm device.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, I’d expect nothing less from Lindy. She’s always been one to hold stuff back. Her mother was the same way. But we’re going off topic. My offer is only good for so long. I’m sure Attia will be at your doors soon.”
As if he needed the reminder.
“How soon can your Reapers get here?”
“There is the subway entrance at Central. Should put them two blocks away. If they leave now, they can be there in twenty. The girl will not like the journey. My Reapers are a little rough, and though they listen to my son, they tend to still do as they please. The results will still be the same. You’ll have the upper hand. I doubt Attia will want to battle with my Reapers. Do we have a deal?”
Diamond looked to Phyr, who shook his head, but there was no other way. The Reapers would be a huge advantage. If Nadya’s sister were with Attia and the others, he’d take her instead of Nadya. One was better than none at all.
“We have a deal.”