From USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Michelle Heard, writing as MA Heard, comes the next installment of the Cruelest Oblivion Duet.
With the impending war on our doorstep, I’m training harder than ever to become the woman I was always meant to be.
A warrior.
I’m faced with trials set out to break me, but I keep getting up and walking away stronger than before.
I quickly learn I’m not just fighting for freedom but for a world where women won’t be treated as breeders.
I’m fighting for the future of every woman.
I’m fighting to prove I’m not the coward I always thought I was.
I’m a leader.
Mostly, I’m the woman every man on this planet should fear.
Author’s Note: 18+ ONLY. This book contains mature language, graphic violence, and explicit content.
CRUELEST OBLIVION is book #1 and needs to be read before reading SWEETEST AWARENESS which concludes the duet.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
“Your emotions make you human.”
~ Sabaa Tahir
(A Torch Against The Night)
GLOSSARY OF TERMS:
Ecocity – Isolated city built after the wars ended.
Emissaries – Leaders and founding fathers of the ecocity.
Crusaders – Chosen group of people who are send out to convert the deviants living in the forbidden lands.
Virtuous – Citizens of the ecocity.
Blessed Be – The authorized way of greeting each other.
Curer – Doctor.
Healing Center – Hospital
Haven – Building where the healing center, laboratories, and emissaries are.
Bearer – A woman whose only purpose is to bear children.
Bearer Sector – Where bearers live away from other citizens.
Glofish – Genetically modified goldfish.
Dome – Electric force field over the ecocity.
Trackers – Employed by the emissaries to hunt down crusaders and anyone else they can find. They get paid a bounty for every person they deliver.
Insensate – a person who has been genetically modified not to feel any emotions and obey the emissaries’ commands.
Forbidden territory – Any area outside of the ecocity.
Deviants – Anyone who’s not in the ecocity and following the seven virtues.
Rebels – Criminals not allowed in the wards.
Wards – Small secured holdings where deviants train for the war.
Main ward – The city where most deviants live.
Chapter 1
Jai
Entering the main ward, my lips part, and my eyes can’t touch on everything fast enough.
Holy crap!
“Stay at my side,” Chance says. “People aren’t as welcoming here as at the outer wards.”
“Okay.”
Where everything is clinical and pristine in the ecocity, various colorful stores decorate the street of the main ward. Something called a tattoo parlor, a hairdresser, clothing – everything from sparkling fabrics to the black outfit I’m wearing.
There’s so much to choose from.
“It’s different. Right?” Chance murmurs, laughter flirting with his voice.
My reaction probably amuses him, but I’m too awestruck to care.
“Yeah,” I breathe, my gaze flitting around like a butterfly that’s discovered a field of flowers. “It’s incredible.”
As Chance’s fingers wrap around mine, a woman shrieks, “Chance, baby!”
He lets go of my hand and spins around, just in time to catch a girl with the longest legs I’ve ever seen. She wraps her legs around his waist and plants a hard kiss on his mouth.
My eyebrow pops up, and my lips part at the sight of another woman wrapped around the man I’ve grown close to.
The thought never crossed my mind that I might have to share Chance. Especially because there are so few women, and they are the ones who are usually shared.
Don’t jump to conclusions.
“I’ve missed you!” she beams at him, her pretty face covered with dark makeup.
She’s wearing the shortest pants I’ve ever seen. They hardly cover her rear, and the ripped t-shirt isn’t much better. Bangles clink on her wrist, and golden loops hang from her ears.
There’s an overwhelming stabbing sensation in my chest when Chance hugs her. It’s unlike anything I’ve felt before, and I don’t have a name for it.
I feel many eyes on me, and glancing around, it’s to see every man passing by us staring me up and down.
Uneasiness crawls down my spine.
I don’t like being out in the open like this, especially with the other woman shrieking with happiness and drawing attention to us.
After too many seconds have passed, Chance sets the girl down on her feet. I watch as they smile at each other, then he says, “Morgan, it’s been a while. How are you?”
Morgan. I haven’t heard that name before, but somehow it suits her.
She hooks her arm through his, leaning against him in a way that makes my stomach tighten and my heart shrink.
“Great, now that you’re back,” she beams at Chance with an expression that doesn’t sit well with me. “What do you think of my hair?”
Patting the back of her head, she twirls in front of him. The purple-black strands are cut short on one side, and long white hair hangs across her forehead and right ear.
“Ah… It’s different.” Looking a little uncomfortable, he asks, “Have you seen Warrick?”
“Always business and no time to play,” she pouts before smirking. “I wouldn’t mind watching you kick his ass to win a night with me again.”
What does that mean?
I pucker my lips for a split second before I realize I’m imitating her. Not comfortable with the emotions the scene evokes in my chest, I turn my attention away from them and decide to explore the closest store. That way, I can get away from all the men looking at me.
The past week at the smaller ward made me forget I’m a rare commodity because Idris, Kenzo, and the other men treated me like I was one of them, not some breeding machine. Or a hole to stick their dicks in.
After I learned the truth about sex from Chance, it disgusts me that all the women in the ecocity are subjected to the shock of finding out the hard way.
And none of them have spoken up about it.