Prologue

MASTER A-0011

T he forbidden was never hidden in the pitch black. It was conceived in the light, right in front of the faces of those who so blindly turned away. I wasn’t blind. I saw plenty, and no amount of white and gold could disguise the depravity that filled this dim auditorium. The highest-ranking members of society took their seating below, but I wouldn’t join them. I watched from my private balcony seat, taking in their devilish smiles as they showed off their elaborate mythological God and Goddess costumes. I soaked in the way they tried to control their enthusiasm for the blood they were so desperate to spill. And I knew hours from now, screams and cries would fill more spaces in this underground city than any unexpected aboveground civilian tragedy. Tonight, thousands would die, and with each auction, our circle of killers grew.

The Main Master, Elec Wexler, walked onto the stage. The spotlight followed him to the center like the true God he was. With black hair, blue eyes, and at a few inches over six feet, he dominated his surroundings. But he wasn’t dressed up like the majority of us were. Like me, he didn’t need to wear a costume to assert his status. He was the Dark God of the Gardens, and it was obvious with every stride he took in his black suit. One word, and you were dead. One word, and he could make you wish you were.

“Masters and Mistresses, welcome to the third auction for the Garden of the Gods. This is our first themed event together, and I’m happy to see you all had fun with it. Very creative,” he said, smiling and pointing to someone in the first few rows. “For those who didn’t make it to the first two auctions, I’m going to recap this as quickly as possible.”

He began a slow, confident walk down the length of the stage. There was an aura about him that felt…different. It was as if he was at the top of his game. Happier? Something was electric in his movements, and I couldn’t help but look around and see how everyone who watched was in awe.

“Before you were permitted inside, you took classes to learn the rules. You underwent tests, and you’ve proven yourself worthy. Some of you are still in the Beta stage while others have moved up to become an Alpha. A lot of you have inquired why. I’ll sum it up right here. There can be many different reasons why I’ve advanced a select few. Perhaps the auctions aren’t new to them. Maybe they’re more experienced and accepting of who they really are than others. What it boils down to is: they’ve put in the time, and I trust them to be our foundation. It is not an easy rank to obtain. For some, it may take years. Only when I’m satisfied by your progress will I move you to Alpha.”

My mouth pulled back on the side at my own Alpha status. Elec stopped, scanning the large room. His eyes jumped to a private balcony in the vicinity of mine, stealing glances this way as he continued.

“Aside from the A and B attached to your name, there is a number. You are a number. Your outside status got you here, but that means nothing inside the Gardens. Your identity exists no more. Here, you have no power, nor will there be favoritism. This world is mine. If you follow the rules, your wildest, darkest dreams can come true. If not...” He scanned the room, shrugging. “You’re dead.”

I pulled my chair closer, moving to the edge. Again, the Main Master looked towards me. We were good friends. Closer than most we associated with, but I could tell it wasn’t me he was looking at. I turned to my right, spotting a dark-haired woman resting her forearms on the balcony not feet away. Her hands were clasped, and she stared at the stage, a soft, if not confused, expression on her face. Dark hair cascaded down her bare back with curls, and the gold straps on her shoulders from the white Goddess dress were so thin against her bare skin, they were barely noticeable. She was beyond beautiful, but no one I recognized which was surprising. I didn’t get to look long before a dark-haired man leaned forward, glaring right at me. I turned back to the stage. I’d been so curious and taken aback by the woman, I hadn’t even noticed him sitting beside her.

“For those joining us for the first time tonight.” He stopped. “And there are quite a new number of us: new members, old members I’m giving a chance. Previous Main Masters .” This time he looked over to a higher private balcony seat a level above me. “I don’t think I need to go much into how this place is not Whitlock? i . The rules are different. The location is different.” Again, he glanced up. “I am not Bram Whitlock? ii . You cannot buy yourself out of trouble. You cannot buy me . I will die in this place, and I will never let the Garden of the Gods be taken over or fall. If you can accept that, welcome home . Just know, there is no special treatment nor any favors. I am no one’s friend. We have rules, and every single one of you will follow them.”

He turned, slowly heading in the opposite direction.

“Now that we’re all clear, let’s recap bidding. First, we have the white, or w? iii ’s. These are the virgins. We also have the b’s: or blue? iv . Not virgins. There are the d? v ’s. These slaves are docile, trained, and good for those who are looking for a long-term slave. Lastly, come the black, or as we call them, the crows? vi . These are the convicts. The disfigured. The old. Repulsive .” He turned, making his way back to the middle. “In this category, you’ll also find the breeders. These are through contract only and cannot be bid on unless you’ve already met with me. If you bid and you haven’t followed the rules, your bid will be revoked, and I will fine you ten thousand dollars. Breeders are special and are for only those I approve of.”

“For those looking for our programmable, ‘blank slate’ ? vii males and females, your auction is just through that door off to the right. These slaves are for those who want someone they can control. A bodyguard. A companion. A sex slave you can use or defile by any means possible that will not fight back. They have had a portion of their memories erased. They’re aware. They know who they are, but they only remember what we want them to. The best part is they obey every order. And I mean that. Every order.”

Elec paused, taking in a few of the Masters and Mistresses in the first few rows of the crème luxury theater seating.

“For those who are new, pay attention. I’ve said this before, and I’ll continue to repeat it. What you buy is yours. You can do whatever you want with it. Fuck it. Kill it. Share it. Marry it. Love it. Eat it. Destroy it.” Hesitation. “I don’t care so long as you follow the rules. Your business is your own. Keep it that way or you may come to regret it. I can’t stress that enough.”

“If you look down the arm of the chair, you will see a button. That is how you will bid. Do not press that button unless you are sure you have the money. There is no lay-a-way plan or loans. If the slave is too much for you to afford, don’t bid. At the Gardens, there are no such thing as accidents. If you bid, you will buy. If you don’t have the money, I will take my payment from you from the outside world, and you can stay here with me and the slave you so desperately wanted. This life can be simple if you just follow the rules. They’re easy. Complete acceptance into the Garden of the Gods is not. Honor your contract, abide by it, and Alpha status will be yours.”

Heads turned as lights ran the length of the room, but I didn’t look to the back entrances to watch the slaves appear in line like everyone else did. My eyes stayed on the Main Master as he exited the stage. I had a dilemma, and only Elec could help me. Unfortunately, his gaze was transfixed back on the woman in the room next door, and something told me that’s exactly where he was headed. If I wanted to get to him, I’d have to cut him off. With as determined as he appeared, I knew he wasn’t going to be happy, but I didn’t have a choice.