The tech lab shares a wall with their workstation, yet they need to take the long way around. Captain Euryale has mentioned adding a door in the detectives' station that would connect to the tech lab, but it would have to go in her office or they would need to rewire the entire room. Valerian's uncertain as to what she has decided. He doesn't bother knocking, just enters Devan's lab. Knocking doesn't make much difference,...

Chapter Four   The precinct is bustling with activity when they enter. Calypso is nibbling on a cherry filled donut. Unlike vampires, succubi can digest human food. While not their main source of sustenance, Valerian knows Calypso enjoys a variety of dishes. Unfortunately, with energy being their main diet, she’s explained it’s easy for her to put on pounds, not having the metabolism to burn it off. Melissa, on the other...

  Chapter Three   Michael heads through the front door and down the porch steps. He waits in the driveway for his partner, Vick, to finish up. He should help but he wants to climb in his car and not look back, yet also turn around and march back to Valerian. What’s wrong with him? Walking away from someone has never been physically taxing. He feels agitated and antsy. He’s never been so forward with someone he’s just met,...

Chapter Two   When they pull up to the crime scene, a nondescript single-story house, human officers swarm the yard, already having taped off the house. Calypso is the first out of the car, followed closely by Melissa. Valerian ambles from the back seat, yawning and stretching, letting out a satisfied sigh at the pop from his spine. The trio slip under some yellow police tape only to be intercepted by a human officer. He...

  Chapter One   Valerian wakes to a shrill sound going off by his bed. The bed sheets are tangled and constricted around him, one of the reasons he stopped sleeping in a coffin. He's a very restless sleeper. When he was younger and a coffin was not optional, it was a lot more annoying. He was constantly waking up by banging his elbow or hitting his knee or smashing his head. Once a hole is smashed into one, coffins tend t...

      The Importance Of Being Ernest Hemingway It happened at a Maryland yacht club after Labor Day, when summer lingers. Philip Wright was adjusting lines aboard his forty-something-foot sailing ketch. Suddenly dark-haired Adrienne Racine called from the dock, “You’re publishing a novel?”   That Saturday was stormy, and this bold belle’s voice battled the wailing wind: “Alex Gooding told my uncle. He’s your agent, right?...

I sit alone on the hilltop in the lush green grass. I always come here when I need to think. Looking out, I see the vast valley dotted with homes nestled in among fields of corn and wheat. The golden crops sway in the wind. Not far from my perch, the trail snakes up from a near dirt road below. The quiet lulls me into a calm state. I feel the sun warm my face, and the wind tousles my honey brown hair. I can feel the peace...

Reader discretion is advised.The first few lines of this work contain language or other material that some readers may find offensive. In consideration, Stories Space has elected to include this disclaimer, effectively concealing the preview of the selection. By choosing to view the piece in its entirety, you agree that you are 18 or older and do not object to vulgar or profane language, or to mature content.   FUCKING CE...

NO ROCK, JUST THESAME OLD BOTTOM “Get up!” The jail guard shouted, making Adam almost jump from the small rectangle he had been calling a bed for the weekend. His head was spinning, the room was a mix of weird, twisted architecture. It was as if the squares on the wall had become triangles, and the bars holding Adam inside those four walls had become soft straws bending with the wind. “What?” He almost whispered, trying t...

UNPLEASANT SURPRISE Adam’s smile covered his entire face, from ear to ear. “What are you so happy about?” Charlie asked, coming home from work. Adam put his phone on the living’s room table and went on to reply, “I’ve just spoken to the dean of Columbia University. They want to interview me.” Charlie smiled and laughed a little as he set his bag down. “That is great!” He exclaimed. After going to the kitchen and grabbing...

SUDDEN NEED “Oh, this place looks so lame.” Adam thought as he saw the big sign saying “The Winter Farmer”. Putting his thoughts aside, Adam walked into the café and immediately saw Page, having a drink near the vases of plants by the window. The near-autumn weather had a touch of summer heat to it, with the motionlessness of the tree leaves of the fall season. Adam sat down next to Page, who was looking out the window, o...

TIRING INDECISION Adam’s room was stinking of sweat, alcohol and weed. Probably days had passed since he last opened a window, sun hadn’t shined inside those four walls for almost as long and the air being recycled several times had become simply suffocating. “Good god!” Charlie exclaimed once he opened the door. His hand close to his mouth, trying to keep the bad smell away from his nostrils. “When are you going to clean...

SERIOUS BOREDOM Days had passed since Adam’s encounter with Page, not that he had thought about it much. The days after were pretty much summed up by ‘drink, work, fuck, sleep and restart’. At this moment, Adam was at the sleep part of it. It was the middle of the afternoon and the sun was burning hot, with a few breezes keeping the weather a bit cooler than if windless. Adam was sweating all over the couch as rays of lig...

“Tick, tock...” “Tick, tock...” The sound came from the clock. “Tick, tock…” “Tick, tock…” The ticking echoed in the entire apartment. Almost in the same beat, the sweat drops fell from Adam’s chin to the ground. His heart was beating twice every second. In synch with the “tick” and then just before the “tock.” Adam’s breathing was really fast, even though he was just sitting in the corner of the room, looking out the win...

Meg’s Story (Working title) – first part of Chapter 1 1930 “You little scamp!” I actually yelled out loud at him (if we were at home, I’d have been in trouble for that). I had to think and think fast. The river was usually like home to us but of course I knew what lurked beneath the smoky emerald: the reed-beds. The murky, murderous reed-beds that had claimed many prizes in my life-time but for some reason we never saw th...