The Alter

I'm a girl who plays and a girl who kills...

I belong to the city, to the Tower, to the faceless, nameless man who gives me and the other alters a safe haven in exchange for our work. It's our job to deliver rewards and punishments to men willing to gamble, ready to risk it all...

We play angel, serving the fantasies of the winning players.

We play demon, torturing those who lose before ending their lives.

The work of an alter is messy, but it's a privilege to have the job because living here is dangerous... Ten years ago, the entire city was taken hostage, locked down by the Savage Syndicate, and they've ruled our lives with violence ever since.

No one can leave. Rations are limited. It's not safe on the streets... especially for women.

But the Tower is untouchable and alters are protected. I'm safe as long as I do my job for the man who owns us. And I do my job for him, but I also did something stupid that landed me on my knees at his feet... the view down here isn't so bad, though.

I never expected to find something more than survival from this cruel existence, but the way this man wants to punish me makes me high from the attention.

Yeah, I could fall for a man like him.

I just hope he doesn't kill me before I do.

AUTHOR NOTE: This dark romance story involves many triggering elements which may be upsetting for some readers. A complete list of tropes and triggers can be found on the author's website.