Read Chronicles of the Uprising (Trilogy 1): Trilogy 1 for Free Online

being a human’s play toy,” she grumbled.  Jealousy burned in Mira’s gut. She may not have been a traditional beauty, but she was the best fighter in the place, and she’d never attracted a Patron. Fresh blood. Small comforts. The ability to leave your cell, even if it was only to service your Patron. Those were luxuries she’d never been afforded. George was a pretty face, he wasn’t even that great a fighter, and somehow he had managed to get Patrons lining up around the building for a few moments of his service. 
    “Oh, I will. Beats the punishment you’re about to endure.”
    Mira lifted her head just enough to see a pair of expensive heels walking down the way toward her cell. She knew the familiar clip-clop of her Owner’s stilettos. Damn. She’d hoped it would be a little while longer before her Owner had gotten wind of Mira’s disobedience.
    Speaking of traditional beauties… her Owner, a former runway model and a pretty little princess in her own right, seethed with anger as she approached the cell. Mira didn’t need to look up to know the deep hazel eyes of Olivia Preston were staring down at her through impossibly long and thick eyelashes. Her perfectly pink lip would be curled upward in a dangerous sneer. Olivia was the worst kind of Owner Mira could have landed: beautiful, spoiled, and self-important. “Stand up, slave. Show your master some respect!”
    Respect. The woman didn’t know the meaning of the word. Olivia Preston was well known for treating everyone — vampire and human alike — as if they were her things. Try as she might, Mira could hardly hold back her contempt for the pampered little princess. “The fact that I haven’t attempted to rip your throat out is a show of respect all its own.”
    Unaffected by Mira’s threat, Olivia continued to stare down the imprisoned vampire. “If you weren’t such a damn good fighter, I’d have you put down like the dog you are.”
    “I should be so lucky.”
    Olivia wouldn’t follow through with that threat; Mira knew that, though she could do many worse things. She wouldn’t kill her prize fighter. The money Mira earned her for all the battles she’d won had paid for every piece of expensive clothing she wore, all the way down to her gaudy, gem-encrusted heels.
    “I had come here to congratulate you on your win today…”
    Mira waited in silence, refusing to look up at her Owner, who was impatiently tapping her heels on the concrete ground. She knew there was nothing at the end of that sentence that she really wanted to hear.
    Olivia’s foot came to rest. “…Instead, I get a report you attacked your handler.”
    “She threw the first punch.” Mira laughed. “Too bad she couldn’t back it up.” She shouldn’t have said it, but couldn’t hold her tongue.
    “This was meant to be your reward.”
    Mira had to look up this time to see just what her Owner was holding.
    Clutched in her pale pink claws, was a small vial with red liquid inside.
    Instinctively, Mira began to salivate. Blood. As much as she enjoyed disrespecting her Owner, this might not have been the best time to do it.
    Recognition flashed in Olivia’s hazel eyes. “Yes. Now I have your attention, don’t I?
    She dropped the small vial to the ground, where it shattered.
    The sweet scent of that crimson liquid wafted up to Mira’s nose. Such a terrible waste. It almost brought a tear to her eyes. If she hadn’t already fed today, she’d probably have licked it off the floor, shards of glass and all. Other vampires in the area had caught wind of the smell too, and they whined and begged for a small taste.
    Olivia sneered at Mira. “You need an attitude adjustment. You want to smart off and be disrespectful to me… you’ll pay for it.”
    Here it comes: the punishment. There was nothing for her to say; she’d already said enough to piss off her Owner.
    “Forty-eight hours in the lightbox. No blood after. Perhaps that will teach you a little respect.” She