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Morgan pov.

The human race is a wonderful species. Having almost been the cause of their own demise and then piece by piece. Alliance by alliance and a little backstabbing here and there built itself back up to what we are today. A society that has segmented itself into the most functional ways, so we don’t ruin life for ourselves again. It’s practical and no one really gets the short end of the stick this way. We’re all able to eat and afford health care. We can enjoy life, get ample breaks, we’ve stopped the polar caps from melting and all in all we should be happy. The only thing we still suck at, in all the improvements we’ve made is, of course, love.

In my twenty-four years living in the Bio-Glaze I’ve never formed a true attachment to anyone. It’s probably the reason I have no idea why my sister chooses to hide out in Space when there is so much the Bio-Glaze can offer her. There’s never been anyone, being or thing that’s been able to keep my attention for longer than a couple of months and being promoted to manager of the safety division has caused my life to become even more monotone than it’s been before. I work myself to the bone for three weeks and then spend my off week sleeping and catching up on dramatic series that barely passes for entertainment but, I will admit, is less messy than entering a contract with anyone.

Not that there is anyone to enter into a contract with. All the third-tier humans, like me, keep themselves busy with beings from other sectors like Faires from Gloss. Creatures as beautiful as they are temperamental and my word, not the best idea to end things with. I’ve had to improve safety features in the Bio-Glaze more than I would like to admit because of a jealous Fairie who couldn’t take a contract with their human ending. It’s messy and not worth the hassle. Well, at least not when I’ve been on an almost three-year dry spell. A little too much excitement for me to venture into.

I could go the route of just buying a clone but they’re not worth the paperwork and hassle of disposing of them when I eventually grow tired of them. Then there’s the process of choosing who you would like a clone of and the embarrassment of potentially running into said person with their clone by your side. I’ve seen enough second-tier humans splurge coins on a third-tier human they have a crush on. Yeah, not worth the coins and not worth the drama. Besides, fucking a clone of someone is about as impersonal as fucking a robot and even with all the advances A.I have made, some of them I’ve been responsible for, I would never stoop as low as bedding a machine.

Vampires are way too expensive to maintain, and I can’t even entertain the idea of dating one after the identification clause I entered into the safety feature of the Bio-Glaze for every vampire who wants to step out of Gliss. It’s not that they’re bad creatures. I just got tired of them stalking around and acting like we are walking-blood banks. Watching them feed on their paramours in public got a little old. Very fast.

The only viable option for me would be either an actual troll, or a werewolf and they don’t step into the Bio-Glaze very often, just as I’ve only been to Teranian once. Trolls are admittedly not as ugly, not unless they get mad, but they mostly keep to their own sector. I’m not sure if it’s because they find humans stupid or an easy trigger for anger or maybe we are an easy trigger for anger because they find us so stupid. A werewolf would be the closest thing to a human I can go, but I’ve yet to meet one that I can form a bond with. Besides, they have that whole mate for life thing going on and very few humans are interested in that, even lower tier humans. Long term partners are rare, or maybe it’s just that they’re hard and very few people like to complicate their lives with the emotions of others.

“Morgan, Sinclair wants to see you.” Margot pokes her head into my office, and I roll my eyes, stepping away from the map of the sectors I’d been staring at for the past ten minutes. I’m supposed to be mapping an expansion for the Bio-Glaze but once again my need for finding a partner has taken over my mind. Besides, I don’t even know how we’re going to expand without causing any more trouble with the Gloss sector. “What’s happening with you? You seem distracted.” She tells me as we leave my office.

“Nothing is happening.” Only, something is happening because I’ve suddenly realized how lonely I seem to be.

“Something is happening.” Margot insists and I chuckle. We pass Rames in the hallway and he gives us a two-fingered salute at the same time Margot gives him the middle finger. “I hate that guy.”

“I’m sure the feeling is mutual.” I tell her and she glares at me.

“Why does Sinclair want to see you?” I shrug, even though I know it’s about this damn expansion. If I had more of a personal life, like everyone else here, I think she’d leave me the hell alone and not call me into her office fifteen minutes before I’m set to go home. Yeah, I really need to find someone.

“Maybe because she wants to make me as miserable as she is.” Margot laughs but we both know it’s not a joke.

“Before you go in there, there’s another reason I went looking for you. Do you want to hang out tonight? Some of us are going out and you haven’t been in a while.” She guilts and I nod without thinking. Maybe a night out is exactly what I need. Maybe I can even find someone to keep me interested for longer than a couple of days.

“Yeah, sure. Let’s do that. You only live once, right?” She gives me a bright smile and a wave as I enter our boss’s office.

“Morgan, do you like your job?” I almost roll my eyes but instead just nod. “Then why aren’t you doing it? Did you think I asked you to propose an expansion as a joke?” I shake my head, even though I want to tell her that yes, I did think she was going just a little insane when she told me to do that. “Then why haven’t you?”

“It’s not viable.” She frowns and I sigh. “Just… look at this.” I bring up the map and explain to her why she can’t expand the Bio-Glaze only for her to look at me like she doesn’t really care for my input and kick me out of her office.

I leave without putting up a fuss, knowing she’ll do what she wants anyway and then I’ll have to fix her mess, but not now, tomorrow. Once I’ve gone out with my friends and convinced myself my life isn’t as pathetic as it seems to be at this moment.

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