Decadence (Darkstar Mercenaries #4)

by Anna Carven

The cognitive dissonance is insane. Violence and aliens and croissants…”

And slowly but surely, she’d realized that the things she’d found thrilling at first could become corrosive and dangerous.

“You look like you want to go and kill someone specific.” “Don’t we all?” Ikriss said carefully, restraining the tension that threatened to creep into his voice.

“Bet you a thousand credits it’ll be different on Earth,” Lodan murmured. “Nothing goes to plan in this cursed place.” The pain in his head was making Ikriss’s vision go blurry again. He ignored it and started to walk. “But maybe that is for the best,” he said as he glanced over his shoulder. “Otherwise, we probably would have destroyed half the Universe by now, would we not?”

“I was just about to get in the shower when I heard a knock at the back door. Some weird guy is out there, asking for you.” “Weird guy? What do you mean?” Emmett frowned. “He looks like…” An exasperated puff escaped his lips. “A real life version of a potentially evil anime character. I don’t know how else to describe him.”

But all of a sudden, Zharek let out a triumphant cry. He started to laugh. “I am a genius,” he chuckled, switching back to Universal.

She turned and narrowed her eyes at the medic, just because she could. “Are you mated, Zharek?” The medic snorted. “Do I look I have time to be mated? I have important work to do.”

“Actually, I will not call this enemy by the name they have chosen for themselves. If we have to give them a name for now, we will call them Krael.” “Usurpers,” Mardok chuckled. “Or those that refuse to fucking die, depending on your interpretation of the High Kordolian. I like it.”

“You don’t understand shit, alien. You can’t beat the Syndicate. They’re everywhere.” “No. We are everywhere.

Ikriss inclined his head. “This is why I have come to consult with you. I want to know how we can control the entire organization… from the top down.” Kainan’s eyes narrowed. He stared long and hard at Ikriss, his expression perfectly hard and inscrutable. Then all of a sudden, his face split into a cold, glittering smile. “I’ve been waiting for you aliens to say something like that. In fact, I’m surprised you didn’t approach me earlier. It is definitely something I can help you with.” “Good,” Ikriss returned Kai’s smile with a flash of his fangs. “Then tell me what I need to do. Who do I need to threaten, and who do I need to kill?” Kai laughed; a deep, hearty sound. “Hold on a minute. Let me go and find my list.”