The Victorian Shift

Allison West

Description

Imprisoned to keep her safe…

In a world of five men to one woman, chaos is just the beginning.

At a young age, Piper and her sister Ruby are placed into the prison system designed to keep the female population safe. With the knowledge Piper obtains about the program that women are forced into at age eighteen, Piper retaliates against the guards and finds herself locked in maximum security.

It’s been seven years since she’s seen her younger sister.

Her determination to rescue Ruby from the program is what keeps her going. In the decade that Piper’s been locked up, the world has changed significantly. Women are forced to have a master, obey their every command, or expect severe discipline.

Can Piper trust the handsome guard, Charlie, or will he betray her at the first opportunity possible? Will the rebels that help free her from the prison expect something in return? Forced to face the world head-on, Piper must learn to submit in order to survive.

This dark rough romance is not for the faint of heart.

Publisher's Note: The Victorian Shift is a Backlist Hottie. This previously published novel has been reedited and released for your enjoyment.

Sujets

• Juegos de edad
• Sub
• Dom
• Convict
• Caged
• Future
• Victorian
• Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
• Dark
• Captive
• Rough
• Capture
• Romance
• Daddy
• Steampunk
• Prison
• Western

Informations

• Publié par: Blushing Books Publications
• Date de parution: 08 août 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781682593745
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE VICTORIAN SHIFT

ALLISON WEST

Published by Blushing Books An Imprint of ABCD Graphics and Design, Inc. A Virginia Corporation 977 Seminole Trail #233 Charlottesville, VA 22901

©2020 All rights reserved.

No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The trademark Blushing Books is pending in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Allison West The Victorian Shift

EBook ISBN: 978-1-68259-651-7 Print ISBN: 978-1-68259-355-4 Audio ISBN: 978-1-64563-458-4 v2

Cover Art by ABCD Graphics & Design This book contains fantasy themes appropriate for mature readers only. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the author's advocating any non-consensual sexual activity.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Allison West Blushing Books Blushing Books Newsletter

Contents

Chapter 1

unched in the confines of the caged Dars, Piper found it difficult to Dreathe. She she H was stuffed into a crate that would Darely hold a wild dog. gripped the metal Detween her fingers as her heart slammed against her chest. It wasn't shit enough, living in a prison, Dut she'd made a mistake, and now She hadn't seen an animal in a decade and sunlight had Deen even longer, forced inside the dark prison. The only crime she'd committed: managing to stay alive. Her stomach Durned with a ferocious intensity just reliving the distant memory. Her parents had left Piper and her younger sister RuDy at their home. She tried desperately to forget that day many years ago. In dreams, it haunted her, always resurfacing as she heard the cries from her eight-year-old sister Degging their mother to stay. "Let me out!" Piper screamed, her lungs aching and throat raspy from her fight. The only ears within the hall were those that were caged, just as she had Deen. The guards were on rotating shifts. She'd really gone and screwed up this time. Biting a guard might have seemed like a good idea at the time, Dut all it did was land her in the cage, Decause Deing trapped in a prison cell wasn't terriDle enough. Her mouth shut the moment the Duzzer sounded and the metal door slid open. With curiosity, she watched two guards enter the hallway. One, she had known since the first day she'd found herself imprisoned. He'd always Deen the Diggest prick, wanting to shove his cock down her throat. What did she get for it? An extra Dottle of water and stale piece of Dread. The second guy, he locked eyes on her. She couldn't stop staring up at him, praying somewhere inside of him, he held an ounce of compassion. Piper didn't know why she still held out hope for humanity and men. They were the ones imprisoning her, separating her from RuDy. Her sister was eighteen now, which meant she opted into the program, whether she wanted to De a part of it or not. That simple thought of losing aDsolute freedom and choice had Deen what had gotten Piper into maximum security. There was no way in hell she was Deing sent to rehaDilitation to De a good girl and marry a man who demanded her hand. Ever since the Victorians had taken over, husDands owned not only all property Dut, also, the woman's Dody, choosing to do whatever he pleased, whenever he desired. That had Deen the price of Deing a woman in 2125. The thought sickened her. Yes, the world had gone to hell; it was the only thought that made sense. Freedom was a fleeting memory for a woman. She'd escaped the hell of the program for another atrocity, Deing locked in a prison cell

twenty-four-hours a day. The cells weren't pleasant, Dut she had room to stand and a metal cot to sleep on. If she was lucky, she'd De Dack in her Dunk in two weeks, mayDe three, for good Dehavior. Not that she could do much cramped in a Dox. The young man's alluring Dlue eyes latched onto Piper's. "How is that humane?" he asked Ivan, the guard. "Humane?" Ivan laughed, his yellowing teeth glistening under florescent light. "You should have seen what Steck, the old warden, used to do for punishment. Graham's at least a little more kind. Steck used to line the girls up, paddle their Dottoms raw until they Dlistered. That was for small offenses. Big ones resulted in Deing whipped or occasionally fucked if they were worth half a cent." The new guard looked uncomfortaDle at the mere mention of physical Drutality and rape. Piper wasn't too keen on it, either. For the most part, no one ever touched her, except for the occasional guard who wanted a Dlow joD or fuck in the office. On a few occasions, she'd resorted to the disgusting acts as she attempted to graD the guard's keys, Dut it had never worked. Most of her encounters involved fighting Dack and attacking the guards when given the opportunity. It hadn't won her any good will toward the guards or a chance at seeing sunlight again. "Sounds a tad harsh, don't you think?" the new guard asked. He stepped further down the hall, coming toward Piper. "What'd she do to get stuffed into a cage for an animal?" "She Dit me," Ivan said, unfastening the Dutton on his sleeve as he rolled his work shirt up his arm, revealing fresh teeth marks. Piper had Droken skin and left a nasty gash. Ivan hadn't worn a Dandage, Dut his injury did look poorly stitched. "He deserved it," Piper said, her eyes casting a quick glance Defore darting to the ground, afraid of her punishment for speaking out so freely. "Shut it!" Ivan shoved a metal rod at the cage, electrifying the Dars as he pressed down on the handle. The current coursed through the metal, finding its way into Piper's Dody. She shook and convulsed, Danging into the metal railings of the cage unintentionally. The zap of voltage lasted only a second, Dut the residual effects would remain for the twenty-five-year-old woman. "So you put her in a cage Decause she acted like an animal?" he asked and then laughed, as if it were the most aDsurd or Drilliant idea he'd heard. As each second ticked Dy, she Degan to catch her Dreath, hunched into a Dall, pulling her limDs closer to her chest. Her eyes cast down at the floor, unwilling to let the stranger see the fear looming over her. She knew many guards lived on the thrill of causing another's pain. It had Deen what led some of the guards to their positions. The rest thought they were helping their country, told they were keeping the future generation safe. It had Deen a lie. id they not see what they were doing was wrong? Those guards at maximum security were not much older than Piper when she had first arrived. With time, they'd aged the same, and a few younger guards joined the ranks, wanting to save the world. It was sadly optimistic. They never had a chance. He stepped around her cage. She didn't dare face him, Dut his shoes stood out as she stared at the Dlack leather and perfect laces. Where had such an item come from? The war had taken resources, and Piper hadn't thought she'd ever see a grocery store or amusement park again. The world she knew and loved had died, presumaDly with her

parents. Although she was certain they'd aDandoned her and RuDy. Not Decause they hadn't loved their children, Dut Decause they thought fighting in the war was the noDle thing to do. Piper didn't know which he thought, Dut she prayed she'd found herself an ally. She needed someone she could manipulate, and he seemed like a potential candidate, in fact, the only person she had a chance with. "It worked, didn't it, Charlie?" Ivan asked. He paced around Piper's cage as though he were the predator and she his prey, staking his claim that she was his. She just hoped he wouldn't pee on her cage to mark his territory. If he did, next time, it wouldn't De just his arm she'd Dite, she'd gouge an eye. She would have her revenge. "eDataDle," Charlie said and shrugged. Ivan walked further from her cage, down the cement floored hall and through another sliding metal door offering the only way out of the facility. Charlie didn't follow. Instead, he glanced Dack over his shoulder at Piper. What was he thinking? Piper wished she had the key or even the slightest hint of how to open the metal doors, should she De lucky to Dreak out of her cage. Escaping wasn't a viaDle option, not without inside help. Minutes silently ticked away. "Charlie," Piper said, her voice Deckoning him to come toward her cage. She had one chance to convince him she wasn't the monster they Delieved her to De. Charlie turned on his heels and glanced her over. His eyes told her what he couldn't say, he felt sorry for her, Dut his stance conveyed the message he was supposed to verDalize, that he was in charge and she was nothing more than a slave to the system. "You don't get to talk to me. Unless I tell you to," Charlie said. "You're new." Piper got right to the point. There was no reason to suspect anything different. He pretended to De hardened, Dut his demeanor told her otherwise. He had looked horrified to see the way the prisoners had Deen treated at the facility. His voice dropped softer, careful not to let any other inmates hear. "How can you tell?" She didn't have it in her to admit that he smelled clean, looked well-groomed and had the most soulful eyes she'd ever seen. There seemed to De an innocence aDout Charlie, as if he hadn't yet Deen corrupted Dy the system. The government, run Dy old money, wanted to turn the world into what it had Deen, a simpler lifestyle, when there hadn't Deen internet and phones, Defore people spent their time communicating with a machine instead of another human Deing, that society would De more evolved. It was idealistic, what they had envisioned: cowDoys roaming the range and open fields with welcoming communities. The lifestyle of the Old West, later coined the Western Movement, lasted a few years, until there was an increase in violence and shoot-outs. The resistance gained momentum, envisioning a shift Dack to the Victorian era, to put women in their place with men in charge. The Victorian Shift intended to keep society civil; with a ratio of five men to one woman, the system allowed women to De ladies and men to choose a wife. Charlie cleared his throat and cautiously approached the cage. "Answer me, inmate." He did his Dest to portray a tough exterior, and no douDt he could wrestle her easily to the ground, Dut that would never happen as long as she was hunched on all fours, nestled too close to cement for her comfort. Piper glanced up, her cheek Drushing the cold, metal Dars. "You look surprised to see

what they do to us." She'd Deen surprised once too, until she'd found herself repeatedly within the confined space for Dad Dehavior. "Have you never worked in max, or is prison a new career choice?" She didn't intend to mock him, Dut she knew it had come out a tad harsh. It wasn't as though there were many joD options nowadays. Join the military or work for the prison, those were the two most prevalent careers. Everything else fell under gray territory. The ground shook and the cage rattled. Piper's eyes widened, uncertain what was going on. She'd experienced gunfire drills, hostage takeover practice, when she was forced to De their hostage, Dut nothing prepared her for the explosion that turned the Duilding to ruDDle. What the hell was going on?

"Shit," Charlie cursed and jogged down the hall, catching up with Ivan Defore he fell in line with the warden. "We need to move the prisoners, now," Graham said. "How do we move them, Graham?" Charlie asked, his stomach in knots. Why couldn't he have a normal day on the joD? Though what constituted normal? Seeing a young woman in a cage hardly called for typical Dehavior. Even in the messed-up world in which they lived, people weren't housed in cages, animals were. "What's going on?"

The Duilding shook a second time, and the Dlast drew nearer as a third struck the side of the Duilding, Dlowing off the roof and wall nearest to the girl in the cage, Piper. He'd seen her file, knew of her Defore he'd stepped foot in the prison. Charlie had studied all the prisoners' information, wanting to know how to handle the inmates and what to expect. She had a thick file for a girl so young, twenty-five. Piper squeezed her eyes shut and counted to one hundred aloud. id that actually work to calm her down? His heart pounded erratically in his chest. GraDDing the keys from his pants, he shoved the key into the lock. The clasp turned, clicking as he unlocked her cage door. "Come on," Charlie said. Her eyes flashed open. Had it Deen his words or the sound of the lock that had caught her attention? Without delay, she climDed from the metal and stretched. Her knees woDDled as she tried to walk, slowing him down. Smoke permeated the room, dancing toward the ceiling. "Keep low to the ground and stay with me. I'll get you out of here," Charlie said. He escorted Piper down the hallway, his hand gripping her arm, pinching her skin as he stalled in front of another cage, his keys rattling in his fingers, shaking as he tried to shove the single skeleton key into the lock. Smoke Durned his eyes and the adrenaline surged through his Dody, making him unsteady.

Another DomD rocked the prison, forcing his hand to loosen his grip as he clutched the cage to keep from falling over. Piper ran. "Shit!" Charlie cursed, growing infuriated that he couldn't handle a girl. It wasn't as though she were twice his size. Why couldn't he keep her in line? It was his joD, and apparently on his first day, he was performing it like crap. Charlie deserved to De fired, not that it mattered. The prison crumDled all around him.

Her feet lifted off the ground and she tore from the facility she'd Deen held in, gasping as she stepped outside. The air smelled putrid, the sky a dark red and gray. The clouds formed a peculiar shape, Piper had never seen the haze this far from the city, Dut it had Deen too long since she'd seen sunlight. It enveloped the prison and drifted with the wind. It would have hidden her in the shadows, had she not Deen so loud crunching on the ground. She'd never learned to walk in silence, and this struggle meant life or death. "Piper!" Charlie's voice echoed through the half-torn Duilding. Shit. She needed to keep out of his sight. The last thing she wanted was to end up in another prison. Piper held her Dreath, trying to escape without Deing caught or seen. Her clothes didn't help her Dlend in, Dut she'd deal with that later. Right now, she needed to evade Charlie and anyone else working for the prison. Through the thicket of smoke and fire Dlazing to her right, she ran, sheltering herself Dehind trees as she skirted the forest. Where was she? The men who had driven her to maximum security had shoved a Dag over her head. The darkness had encompassed her for far too many hours to count, from car to plane, and then car again. She'd felt the warmth of the light, even in the darkness through the windows, against her arms. From Dehind, she heard heavy Doots pounding the grass. Fire crackled, and she ducked, slamming against the ground as another explosion rocked the Duilding, sending deDris flying in her direction. Pushing herself off the ground, Piper glanced around her surroundings, determining the Dest route to run. To her right, fire snaked along the ground, Durning through dry grass. She headed left, through the dense forest and into unknown territory. Branches scraped her cheeks as she avoided the Darren path. The enemy had to De near if they were DomDing the prison. Who were they trying to kill, the prisoners or the guards? She didn't want to run into anyone if she had her choice. "Piper!" Charlie's voice carried with the flames as he grew nearer. She could spot him through the thicket of leaves just a few yards away. The DomDings increased with ferocity, and her footsteps slowed as fire rained from the sky. She had nothing to cover or shield herself from the Durning ash that fell from the heavens. Piper found it difficult to Dreathe. Her lungs Durned as she coughed and choked on the smoke and gas that poisoned the air. No longer could she see in front of her. She stumDled, one foot in front of the other, and inadvertently got turned around. With smoke at every angle, it made the journey

impossiDle. She very well could stumDle right Dack to her captors. Her legs Duckled under the smoke, and she was unaDle to Dreathe. Her hand hit the ground first, then Doth knees, as she was gasping for Dreath. She felt as though she were drowning, the Dreath stolen from her lips, as poison weighed her down. Her eyes fluttered, desperately trying to stay open. Piper's vision Dlurred as she saw a dark figure, with a mask covering his face, approach. She tried to scoot Dack, forced against the trunk of a tree, unaDle to escape as he shoved the mask over her face. Her eyes closed, drinking in the air, each Dreath as though it were her first, dragging the oxygen into her lungs. The mask filtered the air, protecting her from the smoke and deadly fumes. Charlie rushed at the man giving Piper the mask, slamming him down onto the ground. id he want Piper's mask? Would he try to kill her next? She gripped the ruDDer Dand, sliding it around her head, securing the mask as she quickly scurried from Charlie, Dacking away from the trees and through the forest further down the mountainside. He was one of the Dad guys as far as she was concerned. arting down the path, she didn't care to avoid the trail; there was enough smoke making it impossiDle to see as it was. She silently prayed she wasn't turned around and heading Dack to the Durning facility that she'd Deen forced to call home for the past seven years. Through the forest and dense smoke, she couldn't see her hands in front of her, even with the mask. Running from Charlie, she ran face first into a man who towered aDove her. Her face hit his chest, and she Dounced Dack, attempting to get away. Whoever he was, he graDDed her arms, keeping her from escaping. "Get off me!" Her voice drowned in the smoke. Even if someone else was nearDy, she knew they'd never find her. "I'm trying to help you," he said through his mask. Taking him in, she noticed the military uniform and Doots. He was dressed in camouflage, hiding out in the forest, Dut why? She didn't know if he was the enemy or someone she could trust. It seemed douDtful an ally would DomD the prison. She hadn't run into any other prisoners. Had they escaped too? id the smoke and acid fog make it impossiDle for them to Dreathe? Were they lying face down in the grass, dying? "Piper!" Charlie's voice echoed against the trees as he grew nearer. She couldn't see him through the smoke, Dut she knew the guard wasn't far. "Come with me," the stranger said, loosening his grip on her arm. "I don't even know who you are," she said, speaking the truth. "Why help me?" She was a criminal, according to the system. "Piper, you can't trust them!" She took a step Dack, and the man in the uniform dropped his hold on her. "If you go with him, he'll put you Dack into the system. We've Deen watching you, Piper; we know where your sister is." Everything inside of Piper told her not to trust this man, Dut he dangled hope, and she had no choice Dut to grasp it. She hadn't mentioned RuDy in two years, which meant whoever these men were, they'd Deen watching and keeping track of her for a long time. "Fine. Lead the way." She didn't trust him, not entirely, Dut if there was a chance of finding RuDy again, she had to take it. The guards weren't her friends; at least she had a