Chronicles of the Uprising (Trilogy 1): Trilogy 1 by Katie Salidas, K.A. Salidas Read Free Book Online

and brought herself up on both legs. “And I’m not weak.” She held tight to the silver-coated bars, using them for support. Even with the sting of the metal against her palms, she refused to let go and risk collapsing again.
    “Your attitude is what’s going to get you killed. Maybe you should try not to smart off to the handlers for a little? You know, there are rewards for good behavior.”
    “No.”
    “Somehow I knew you would say that.” With an exasperated sigh, George flopped back onto his mattress.
    “I can’t change who I am any more than you can.” Taking a moment to steady herself, she let go of the bars and took a slow but determined step toward her mattress.
    “I know. I just hate seeing you go through all this time and time again because you give in to their taunting.”
    “I’d hardly call fighting back ‘giving in,’” Mira snarled, appalled that George would even suggest that fighting for one’s own self-respect was a bad thing. “Besides, I won’t have to put up with any taunting for much longer.”
    “No. Not again, Mira.” Fear sharpened George’s tone. “No more plans. No more escape attempts. They’re going to kill you the next time you get caught.”
    “I’ve got it all figured out this time.” After a few successful baby steps, Mira felt confident she’d regained her strength and allowed herself to relax onto her mattress and rest.
    “No. I’m not listening to you. You’re going to get yourself killed.”
    “So. Be. It. I’m not a fucking animal, George. I’m a vampire. Remember what it was like to be free? To hunt? To enjoy the night? When was the last time you saw a full moon? Do you even remember?”
    “Yeah, I remember, but in thirty years, I’ve never seen a vampire escape or earn their freedom, so you can forget about it.” There was an odd finality in George’s tone. Something Mira had never heard before. She decided to take the hint and drop the subject. She propped her head up on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling.
    She’d been here for at least thirty years herself, though she couldn’t be quite sure. Days and nights all blended together into one long blur of time. Freedom, though, and the smell of the fresh outdoors – those remained crystal clear in her memory. Sweet freedom. The simplicity and beauty of life before she’d been taken by the humans. Mira’s heart yearned for just a small taste of that joy again.
    George wasn’t right. Just because no one had ever succeeded didn’t mean she wouldn’t find a way. She had to. Mira couldn’t live the rest of her immortality locked here as a gladiator until the day she was killed in battle. She’d already lost so much; she would not give the humans the satisfaction of taking her life for entertainment purposes. She’d find a way, or die fighting for her freedom.
    The pain, long since buried deep within her, resurfaced. Her last night of freedom had been the most painful. Memories came flooding back and tears rushed to Mira’s eyes. She turned her face into the pillow so that no one would see.
    No matter how hard she tried, she could not push away the memory. It played out moment by excruciating moment before her. A small cadre of vampires, Theo at the lead, had taken refuge in a rocky encampment outside the redwood forest, hoping to avoid the human patrol and wait out the day. The coast was still another evening’s run, and if they hoped to flee the country, they’d have to make it to the Pacific Ocean.
    Tears soaked through her pillow. That night had been the last time she had seen her lover alive. Theo. His deep green-brown eyes would haunt her dreams for the rest of eternity. Human soldiers invaded their campsite just before dawn. Theo had told her to run, but she refused to leave her lover’s side. Together, they held the humans back as long as they could, allowing others to escape. 
    The humans had turned their torches on Mira. Blind and exhausted, she went down. Theo tried to come