Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)(108)
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Keep reading for a preview of Emerge: The Volunteer (An Emerge Short Story)
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Preview of Emerge: The Volunteer (an Emerge Short Story)
CHAPTER ONE
“Why do I even bother?” Santi tossed her portfolio on the backseat of her ancient beige Volvo––a hand-me-down from her truly ancient abuela.
Another patronizing interview with a mortal who couldn’t see past her youth and inexperience to notice she had fire and drive with a thirst to prove herself. All he saw was a desperate young Latina girl carrying a mountain of student loan debt. He couldn’t see the young Immortal woman who had to figure out how to finance the rest of her eternal life.
A little over a thousand years ago, Santi’s family lived like kings in Belize. Then the Maya civilization mysteriously collapsed and her parents and grandparents were some of the only surviving Immortals to escape the empire. Of course, they recovered long before she was born, but more recently, they found themselves dealing with a whole new struggle––technology.
Santi sighed as she leaned against her car, arms folded across her chest, waiting for the Immortal following her to make her appearance. They always seemed to find her at her lowest points. It started just after she received her undergrad in journalism, before she decided to pursue her master’s degree in social and political sciences.
“Santi.” The Immortal woman nodded as she approached. This one was younger than the others. She couldn’t be more than a few centuries old. She was striking, and formidable, dressed in expensive black clothes with her long, dark hair pulled into a sleek ponytail.
“Livia.” Santi read the name from the business card the woman offered. Her eyes widened when she realized Livia was the CEO of Soma––the questionable Immortal corporation she’d heard horror stories about in recent years. The corporation that desperately wanted to recruit Santi.
“We will have coffee,” Livia said. It wasn’t a question. “I only need a few moments of your time.” She gestured toward the coffee truck at the corner of the busy intersection.
Santi nodded and followed. She’d found it was easier to listen to what they had to say, tell them she’d think about it and then lose their business cards.
She grew anxious, wondering how such a young woman could head a huge company like Soma. Not that Santi––or anyone outside of Soma––really knew what they did. There were rumors, of course. Frightening rumors, but it was still impressive to see a young woman in such a prominent position in the Immortal world.
“How many interviews have you had since you graduated?” Livia sipped her strong, dark coffee.
“More than I anticipated,” Santi admitted.
“Soma could be good to you, Santi. We are not the despicable corporation most of our kind believe us to be. We need young, educated agents like yourself. I don’t expect you to come to us blindly. But you have my card and if you are interested in learning more, call my assistant to schedule an appointment. I’ll be happy to tell you about Soma. Off the record, of course.”
With that, Livia turned and walked away, leaving Santi alone in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the busy Atlanta afternoon.
As she retreated back to her car, she slipped Livia’s card into her pocket ... just in case.
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Finish Santi's short story in Emerge: The Volunteer, available now on Amazon
Emerge: The Edge (Book 1.5)
Alienated by everything that sets him apart,
Aidan McBrien suffers in silence.
He is the most powerful Immortal of his generation, but he chooses to live behind a mask to protect himself, even from those he loves. They can never know how much he struggles just to get through each day, overwhelmed by the pain and loss of everyone around him. As he fights a constant battle to control the gifts that threaten to push him over the edge, he dreads the day his world will look to him to fulfill a prophecy that he doesn’t even believe in.