The basement, or at least it looked like a basement was dark, damp and smelled like mildew. She twisted and turned around in the large animal crate trying to get comfortable. All she could hear was the moans and groans of the other captives that sat side by side and even underneath her in their own crates. Occasionally, she would hear dripping water coming from the ceiling, loud bangs coming from the rooms upstairs where the guards mostly patrolled. Last and certainly not the least, a low hum buzzing sound from the one flickering light that swung back and forth from the cord. Luna wanted to explode... If she did, she could and would kill everyone in the building. After all, she was the Child of Chaos.

  That information she needed to keep a secret. She didn’t know where she was or how she would escape. Some of the captives tried reaching out to her, but it was met with silence. The thick, yellow and questionable soup the guards have been serving sat there for days untouched. Luna didn’t do anything or say anything to anyone. She just sat back with her head against the cold black bars waiting for her opportunity. Waiting for him...

  There was a large thud from the door leading up to the first floor. Several footsteps filled the wooden stairs as several men came down to check on their ‘inventory’. One man shorter than the other two stopped right in front of Luna’s crate. His face covered with a red bandana with the black snake eating its tail symbol. His forehead and hair were also covered with a black satin bandana leaving only his eyes visible. His eyes were piercing light brown and were so slanted they barely looked opened. The man who was covered in all black military attire pointed upwards at the crate and said, “Open it.” One guard quickly sprang into action and unlocked the crate.

  “I would be careful boss; she’s a feisty one.” The guard said as he stepped away as fast as he opened it. The other nodded in agreement.

  The covered leader responded, “I am not worried... As a matter of fact, I will take it from here. I will be down in my office having a little chat with this lovely star freak.” He grabbed Luna tight and pulled her closer to him as he escorted her down a large narrow poorly lit hallway. He opened the last office door on the right and quickly slammed it behind him.

  Luna rubbed her arm when he let her go and quickly turned around. “You son of a bitch! You left me in the fucking animal crate for three damn days! How could you? Answer me, Yousef!”

  “I’m sorry truly, I am. I got caught up in some deals and lost track of time. Honestly, don’t blame me, blame your sisters.” Yousef slowly walked up to his now freed captive and planted a strong hard kiss. Luna pushed him away and wiped her mouth.

  “Three fucking days... What do you mean it’s because of my sisters?” Luna took off her very dirty white jacket and threw it against a nearby chair.

  Yousef walked over and began rubbing Luna’s shoulders. “Why don’t you take a long hot bath first in my bathroom and we’ll talk over some dinner and wine. I didn’t mean to leave you hanging like that, my love. Afterall, if this is going to work, the leader of the Red Banner Clan must keep up with appearances.”

  Luna huffed at his last comment as she walked towards the personal bathroom. She took her time soaking in the small marble tub. Her bleach blonde hair was long, thin and flowed like silk. All she can think about was making sure her plan was executed. She knew the dangers of which she was embarking on. Luna was done pondering on this... decision. She was done being an Angel of Death.

  When she opened the bathroom door, Yousef was there waiting for her. The small office table made a perfect dining table for two. Luna was taken away by all the effort put into the candlelight dinner. Still in her robe, Luna clapped her hands sarcastically as she sat down. “Well, I wasn’t expecting all of this. What’s the special occasion?”

  Yousef raised his full wine glass and replied, “To us, to our freedom.” His smirk was cute but cunning. “Tell me your origin story again...”

  Luna looked up to her surprise, “I’ve told you that story at least a hundred times. Why do you want to hear it again?”

  “It helps to remind me why we’re doing this. You are my motivation Luna... Tell me.”

  Luna stared deep into Yousef’s eyes before beginning her story, “I am originally from the planet Corcocahn. Where people joke saying we all look like we could be siblings. It’s a small planet in the second district under Queen Muha’s protection. The day Counselman Esio came to my doorstep was the last day I had ever seen my mother or father again. That was two hundred and twenty years ago... I don’t remember what they looked like anymore. I was a special case; my mother was the Star, and my father was native to Corcocahn. Esio told my parents that I was special but that wasn’t the main reason. He knew my mother’s light was fading since she had given birth. After the Fallen Stars mate, the light or essence fades quickly. He wanted me because of my power...”

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  Yousef looked intrigued. “Why does that make a difference? Female stars are more powerful than the male star?”

  Luna shrugged not sure exactly how to answer the question. “I guess the Ancients didn’t want to leave a bunch of Star babies motherless, so female Fallen Stars are stronger in order to live longer... I remember leaving my mother when I was about five almost six years old. The only memory I’ve managed to hold on to is her beautiful singing voice... Her face is blank to me now as well as my father’s.”

  Yousef moved his wooden chair closer to Luna’s. He slowly caressed her cheek while moving hair from her face. He could tell she was holding back tears. Luna was tough though; she wouldn’t allow herself to be too emotional. “So, after I went with Esio he was appointed to turn me and the others to killers.” Luna continued. “Cold hearted assassins sent to kill anyone or anything that threatened the Star Counsel’s way of life. For two hundred years, all I’ve done is obey. I want to be free... You don’t understand what I’ve had to do.”

  “Freedom is what you will get...” Yousef softly replied close to Luna’s ear while kissing her neck. “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. I am sorry about the cage thing. Let me make it up to you. If you want, I can have all my men killed for causing you harm.”

  Luna tilted her neck and closed her eyes as Yousef continued to send chills down her spine. “That won’t be necessary however, let out those people. You’re going to have bodies on your hands if you don’t treat them right... Please Yousef. You owe me that much.”

  Yousef slowly untied the knot keeping Luna’s robe together. Cool air covered the front of her naked body. He began to caress her white milky skin while kissing her lips. “Anything for you...” He whispered as he led her to the back guest room.

  Luna laid intertwined with her secret lover. Sweat beads covered their exhausted bare bodies as they caught their breath together. She traced the large scar on Yousef’s face from top to bottom. The lightening shaped red scar went from the corner of his left eye to his chin. She then traced the black stumbles of his five o’clock shadow, “You never finished telling me what my sisters did to you while on Eval. It was Eval right?”

  Without opening his eyes, Yousef replied, “Yes, I was visiting my cousin, Gregory. He had been working on a special project for me, and I was there to see what he had found. By the time I got there he was laid face down splatted all over the pavement. To make matters worse, he was naked. People just stepped over him like he was an insect on the sidewalk.”

  Luna set up and Yousef did the same. “What was this special project that you had to kidnap twenty something odd Star Children for?” She gave him a sideways look. “Eval is good for only two things, getting fucked up and getting fucked. Which one were you there for?”

  “Obviously getting fucked...” He didn’t like Luna’s sharp tone. “You don’t understand. Gregory was helping me extract the essence out of the Star Children. He was trying to find a way to ‘cure’ them without killing them. I am not like those other barbaric rebel clans who think it’s ok to wipe them out of existence. Luna if I did that, I would be wiped out too. I told you my grandfather was a Star. I am one of you....”

  She examined his serous face as she moved a curly black lock behind his ear. “Yousef... The only plan I see being feasible is to get rid of the Star Counsel once and for all. Don’t keep risking everything for fruitless plans. Listen to me love, there is no cure for what we are.”

  He leaned in and kissed his beloved firmly on the lips and replied in a soft whisper, “That’s why you’re my queen.” Once more they began to kiss and caress one another in all the right places when they heard a loud bang at the front office door. The loud bang made them both jump up and quickly examine what it was. Yousef quickly covered himself and ran to the door. Before he reached it, three more bangs knocked on the door.

  “Boss! Open the door!” The tall and relatively large henchmen shouted through the door until Yousef opened it up.

  “What is it!” Yousef swiftly cut his eyes with irritation for being abruptly interrupted.

  “We have company... A convoy of Stella soldiers are coming this way. What do you want us to do?”

  Yousef quickly looked away as he scanned his mind with all his options. “Tell the men to gather all their belongings. We’re making a run for it. We’re not ready to fight them at our current state. Leave the Star Children.”

  “But sir! All that work we did kidnapping all of those Star people to just hand them over to the Star Counsel?”

  This information didn’t settle well with Yousef’s henchmen, but the clan leader already made up his mind. “Do as I say, or you can stay here with them...” He quickly closed the door after his last words and turned to Luna who was standing nearby.

  “What is it? It’s my father, isn’t it?” She asked in a soft voice.

  Yousef took Luna by the hands and looked down at them before making eye contact. “Listen to me Luna, this is your opportunity to get rescued and go back to Stella. The convoy was spotted not too far from here and I must make a run for it. I’m not ready for them to know who I am just yet... I won’t be mad if you choose to go with them.” After exhaling deeply, he kissed both of hands and waited for her response.

  Luna took a few seconds to also think about her options. She stared at her lover as he kissed her hands with such compassion and care there was no way to resist. She knew what she was doing was wrong. She knew it was treason against the very people who raised her and taught her everything she knows now. But that was then... She wanted nothing more than to be free. Free from the killing, free to make her own choices... “I’m not going back to them...” Her beloved lifted his eyes to meet her gaze as she continued, “I’m no longer the Child of Chaos. I am no longer the daughter of the Star Councilmen Esio. I am Luna of Corcocahn and from this day forward I make my own fucking decisions. I choose you Yousef... I choose to help you take down those assholes and all the queens. Together we will make own future.”