3013: Exodus: 3013: The Series

By Laurie Roma

Krytos brothers Rogan and Lucian Adaro own a sanctuary in Zion, but seeking safety is the last thing Dragon Warrior Jade Vyper needs. They may be destined mates, but can true love flourish when one side must give up everything they have ever known?

Includes exclusive bonus scene: 3013: CELEBRATION

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laurie Roma
• Release date: Mar 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781942979081

Book preview

The 3013 Series

3013: MATED by Laurie Roma

3013: RENEGADE by Susan Hayes

3013: CLAIMED by Laurie Roma

3013: STOWAWAY by Susan Hayes

3013: SALVATION by Laurie Roma

3013: MENDED by Kali Argent

3013: TARGETED by Susan Hayes

3013: CHAOS by Laurie Roma

3013: ALTERED by Kali Argent

3013: FATED by Susan Hayes

3013: GENESIS by Laurie Roma

3013: REVOLUTION by Kali Argent

3013: PRIMAL by Laurie Roma

3013: OUTLAW by Kali Argent

3013: ALLEGIANCE by Laurie Roma

Novellas

3013: SYNERGY by Laurie Roma

3013: ASYLUM by Kali Argent

3013: SCARRED by Susan Hayes

3013: BROKEN by Kali Argent

3013: EXODUS by Laurie Roma

3013: TRINITY by Kali Argent

3013: EXODUS

Krytos brothers Rogan and Lucian Adaro own a sanctuary in Zion, but seeking safety is the last thing Dragon Warrior Jade Vyper needs. They may be destined mates, but can true love flourish when one side must give up everything they have ever known?

Includes exclusive bonus scene: 3013: CELEBRATION

3013: EXODUS by Laurie Roma

First E-book Publication: March 2017

Cover design by SW Graphic Designs

Copyright © 2017 by Laurie Roma

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission, except for the case of brief quotations in reviews and articles. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI, and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. It is fiction, so facts and events may not be accurate except to the current world the book takes place in.

DEDICATION

This one is for all of the 3013 fans...

Thank you for letting us entertain you during the dark days and the light.

Keep reaching for the stars.

PROLOGUE

The world had changed 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

Rogan and Lucian Adaro loved a good fight.

It might have been part of their genetic makeup as Krytos. Or perhaps it was simply that they had an appreciation of intellect and strength coming together in an impressive display of skill. Whatever the reason, they enjoyed an entertaining battle. Their only regret currently was that they were not the ones with fists at the ready.

The brothers stood together, arms folded over broad chests and feet braced apart, watching as chaos reigned beyond the thick, treated glass that separated the owners’ box from the rest of the coliseum. Every seat was taken in the stadium, though, few within the crowd were sitting. They cheered and shouted, applauding and booing in turn as all eyes were drawn down toward the action in the arena, or up to one of the massive monitors on the wall high above their heads where they were given a close-up view.

If anything could keep bringing the races together, it was the Baxxtora Tournament.

Although there were many Krytos words for battle, baxxtora was an almost playful term, used for training and entertainment rather than actual war. Similar to the gladiators of ancient times on Earth, fighters did combat in the large arena on the ground level. Each fighter had to pay a hefty entrance fee, and those credits were used for the prize, minus expenses and fees for each venue, of course. The rest went to the Adaros, but they made sure their people received a generous bonus for dealing with all of the visitors.

Humans, Krytos, Helios, Reema, and even a few D’Aire entered the tournament, tempted by the half a million-credit prize that was awarded to the winners of each weight class. Then again, some just fought for the love of combat, even if they had to follow the rules—the main decree being that no one was allowed to kill during a match.

Rules had been established to protect the human contestants. To keep things fair, the Krytos couldn’t shift into their battle forms, and the Helios weren’t allowed to shift into their enormous, lethal cats. The D’Aire couldn’t release their massive wings that they could stiffen into razor-sharp points if desired. Only the Reema had an added advantage, deviously using their tails to try to defeat their opponents.

The tournament was carried out in three stages that spanned weeks to account for matches, recovery, and travel time between fights. The first stage was held at a number of locations, and anyone was eligible to enter, as long as they were old enough and paid the entry fee.

The opening of the tournament was always held on New Vega and in Zion on New Year’s Day. Soon after, the first stage of matches began at the other locations. The victors from the first stage matches gathered together to compete in the second stage at a smaller number of selected sites. After that, the fortunate group of winners journeyed to Zion, where the final matches were held on Unity Day.

Each match consists of three rounds, or until one of the fighters was knocked out and fell unconscious to the ground. The tournament was violent, the contests a brutal clash of strength and skill. The crowd celebrated the victorious with riotous applause, and ruthlessly jeered when the fallen stumbled off the field of battle or were carried off on lev-beds straight to the med-center that was located off to one side of the building.

Like any mob, the spectators just wanted to be entertained.

And they paid for the pleasure.

The coliseum was a landmark in Zion, and the Baxxtora Tournament made the city a ton of credits since people traveled from all over the known galaxies to come to all three stages hosted there. The price of a seat in the house wasn’t cheap, and front row viewing at the finals cost as much as a luxury cruiser, but people didn’t seem to mind. Those seats sold out as soon as tickets went up for sale.

A select area was always left open for friends and family, and people stood outside hoping for the chance to win one of those coveted seats if it wasn’t being used. A variety of food and drinks flowed freely inside, all provided by local establishments. The vendors charged whatever they wanted for their goods, but a percentage came back to the house at the end of the tournament. All of the vendors knew better than to try to cheat the Adaros, or they risked never being invited back. That was incentive enough, for one night of sales at a fight could equal a few months’ worth of work on their own.

The black walls of the coliseum were made of treated layers of metal with a surface that was textured in lines so it resembled the bark of the strange trees found on the planet Tartarus. Over the years, the shiny walls of the hallways leading into the main room had been dulled down, making a contrast that was strangely appealing.

Sconces lit the stadium and inside the hallways, releasing a soft, white light on top while the bottom emitted a deeper purple glow. That same glow came up from the floor in square panels where lights that had been inset into the stone.

The high ceiling made the room seem even larger than it truly was. At the top of the coliseum was a retractable dome, though, it was rarely opened during events due to the noise the crowd made. There was excellent soundproofing throughout the entire building, and their neighbors definitely appreciated the precautions. The dome was made of small, thick, triangle-shaped glass panels held together by metal beams, allowing the city lights to filter in even when it remained closed.

The design had paid homage to the D’Aire, with their symbols of protection etched into the metal surrounding the glass.

On the ground level directly below the dome, the arena was made up of dirt, clay, and sand collected from Helix, the home world of the Helios. There were five, wooden, arched doorways—two on each side—that led into the locker rooms. The last door lead into the med-bay and was left open during the fights. The surface of the thick wood had been carved like scales, representing the light pattern that covered the Reema’s skin.

They had tried to incorporate something from each race within the coliseum. The humans had gotten the rules and the location, and the fighting itself was all Krytos. The Dragon Warriors had never participated in the tournament, but carvings of dragons covered the circular wall of the arena. It had taken four brilliant artists to finish the creation before the first event had been hosted there, and two of the