3013: Starfall: 3013: The Series

By Laurie Roma

As the trusted manager of the sanctuary in Zion, Jais Starr carries a heavy load of responsibilities on his broad shoulders. Not that he minds it. Protecting Exodus is more than just a simple duty, and keeping his friends and family safe is an honor the Krytos doesn't take lightly.

 

When an unknown female falls into his arms with no memory of who she is or where she came from, something tells Jais that her story is far from simple. Her mere presence could be a threat to all he holds dear, but he is overwhelmed by a fierce need to protect her…no matter the cost. Can he keep his fallen star safe, or will their love fade before it can truly shine?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laurie Roma
• Release date: May 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9781942979302

Book preview

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

The night was filled with an abundance of stars and silence.

As Jais Starr strolled down the dark path leading away from the side entrance of Exodus, he appreciated both. After a long night of being surrounded by endless noise inside the crowded bar, silence was exactly what he needed. The blessed quiet allowed him to clear his head, and he finally felt like he could hear his own thoughts.

The glittering starlight illuminated his way across the paved courtyard and into the shadowy garden maze. The elaborate labyrinth was a recent addition to the sanctuary that guarded the way toward the residential buildings. Although it was a complex design, Jais could have made his way through the maze blindfolded.

It would be a problem for anyone unfamiliar with the area, though.

Since the maze had been created with magic, there was no chance of an intruder finding their way to the other side. Instead, they would be disoriented and restricted by countless dead ends until they were finally dumped right back where they’d started.

That made it the perfect deterrent to keep outsiders away from restricted areas.

Jais had to admit he had been a little freaked out the first time he’d witnessed the maze shift and trap someone inside of it. Honestly, it had looked like the greenery had simply devoured the person. Watching that had given him a few uneasy moments, and he’d been relieved when the poor soul had appeared back at the entrance, looking slightly terrified and confused.

That was how it worked...most of the time.

There were warnings posted, but for some, that wasn’t enough to stop them from trying to venture inside the maze. Some thought it was fun to try to trick the magic, while other drunk idiots just didn’t know any better. Thankfully, those with impaired senses were usually kicked out immediately. However, individuals who came to the sanctuary with nefarious intentions were given a very different ending.

They simply disappeared.

While it might have seemed quite heartless, Jais wasn’t too worried about what had happened to those who tried harming the residents at the sanctuary. Anyone who tried deserved to find out just how dangerous Dragon Warrior magic really was.

Absently, he reached out and gently brushed his fingertips over a few of the leaves on the wall of the maze. It had taken him a while to get comfortable doing so, but now it was a habit. He considered it a greeting of sorts. Like a thanks for letting him pass unharmed and for not eating him alive or burying him in a shallow ditch somewhere.

But that wasn’t the only reason he did it.

Whenever he touched the leaves, it allowed the maze to sense his energy. Immediately, the shrubbery in front of him shifted, giving him a direct path to the exit. He appreciated the shortcut, though his steps remained unhurried as he continued down the dark pathway.

When he finally stepped out of the protection of the maze, the cool night air swirled around him. Although it had been fairly warm out lately, the temperature had dropped considerably over the last few hours. He had forgotten to grab his jacket on his way out, so he was only dressed in a sleeveless black tunic, leather pants, and his favorite pair of scarred boots, but the chill in the air didn’t bother him.

Well over seven feet tall, Jais was a solid wall of unyielding strength and muscle. His blood usually ran pretty hot, and after being stuck inside the packed venue all night, and the cool breeze felt good against his heated skin.

Since it was just before dawn, most of the residents that weren’t on the night shift were safely tucked away in their quarters. There were a few lights visible in some of the windows in the high-rises, but most of them were dark or dimmed by privacy screens.

As Jais glanced up at his own suite of rooms, he felt a lowkey urge to head straight up to bed. Not that it would do him much good. He had been going through a rough patch of insomnia that kept him awake even if he was dead tired. He’d always had trouble sleeping, but lately, it had been getting worse. It took forever to quiet his mind down, and sometimes, it took days for him to finally succumb to the fatigue.

Once he actually managed to fall asleep, it took considerable effort to wake his ass up again. It was bad enough that he’d had to install extra soundproofing to his quarters to ensure his personal alarm didn’t wake up everyone on his floor. He was pretty much dead to the world unless he blasted music into his ears, or the magic-laced emergency alarm signaled.

Giving up on the thought of sleep, Jais pulled a thin metal case out of his pocket, then slid one of the cigars out of the dual holder. He lit the cigar, puffing on it until the tip turned a bright, cherry red. While medical advancements had minimized most of the damaging effects of smoking, it was still considered an otherwise bad habit.

These days, most people favored synthetic blends, but Jais only smoked the real deal. Since it was a rare indulgence, he didn’t mind spending the small fortune in credits it took to procure the genuine tobacco he preferred.

Blowing out a thick cloud of smoke, he started walking again, making his way toward the outer rim of the property. Since there was a powerful combination of magic and technology protecting the entire sanctuary, there was no longer a need to physically guard it. Still, a few of the residents liked to patrol the grounds before they retired for the night. Jais was one of those few, although he admitted to occasionally using it as an excuse to skip out on some of the end-of-night cleaning as well.

As he continued down the dark pathway, Jais thought about how much had changed since Exodus had first been established in Zion. He had grown up with Rogan and Lucian Adaro, the owners of the sanctuary, on New Vega. It had been the only Krytos-owned space station in the known universe at the time. That had meant something special to them, especially since their home world had been destroyed.

Their families had always been close, and they had formed a strong pack together. While their upbringing hadn’t been the same as it would have been if they’d been born on land, they had striven to keep their customs and heritage alive. Jais, Rogan, and Lucian had developed into young warriors under the watchful eyes of their parents and the rest of their pack, but they had always rebelled against completely conforming to tradition.

When tragedy had struck, and Jais had lost his entire family in the same battle that had claimed the lives of the Adaro brothers’ parents, everything had changed. Jais had been lost, like a ship drifting in the endless void of space. No matter how much he’d tried to snap himself out of it, he’d been utterly consumed by his sorrow.

Trying to ease their shared grief, his friends had suggested they leave New Vega and build a new life for themselves somewhere on planet.