For those of you who haven't had a chance to follow this story from the start, I will be reposting it on my blog, Para-Fanatics, starting at the end of August. All the chapters will be available to catch-up to where we are here.
Deadlines first, however. I'm nose down on my latest. But as soon as my newest novel, Blown away is off to the editor, I'm all yours. :).
Heres a couple of blurbs for Blown Away, that will be available in print in November:
http://passioninprint.com/future.php
Detonate
Alice MacKay can't keep up with all the bomb threats in Trios Port. When Boomer, a former Terran Marine with more than a healthy dose of arrogance, strolls into her office for an interview, she can't get rid of him fast enough. But disarming bombs is easier than disarming amorous Marines. When Boomer decides to stick around, MacKay wonders if she's met her match.
Happy Trails
Jenna's been infatuated with Tyson Rivers since she boarded the mining ship, but the scoop's explosive ordnance officer doesn't seem to know she's there. Too shy to introduce herself, she decides to snoop in his personnel file instead. When Tyson catches her digging, he realizes he's not the only one feeling the attraction, but could his tactics to get her alone end with a bigger bang than he expected?
And last but not least...story time!
All rights are the intellectual property of the author. No part may be copied or reproduced without the permission of the author.
***Warning. The following story contains erotic elements, explicit language and violence. Read at your own risk.***
Captain Ursus Devot approached the main office, the heels of his boots clicked against the stone tile. The metal spikes for jungle patrol embedded in the soles, made it no secret he approached. They were the only boots that kept him and his men on their feet in the muddy terrain. Geared out in his field clothes, he hadn’t time to change or clean up. His orders were to report immediately, and they couldn’t be ignored.
Colonel Pilot Calla was as fierce a man as his reputation. He had more kills in his unit than any other Kori division. It took him three days to sweep, cleanup and lock down High city when others tried for years.
A request to his office meant one of two things. You’d done something wrong, in which the punishment would be immediate and without mercy, or he wanted something.
Ursus knocked.
“Enter,” a voice called from the other side.
Ursus saluted and waited. He’d taken a female Kalos to his quarters. Perhaps someone saw her leave?
“We’ve captured a Kalos spy, dressed as one of our own.” His commander flipped a knife from blade to hilt, blade to hilt. A sharp face, with angles that could cut flesh and a straight, hard mouth, Pilot’s temperament was as severe as he looked. Black eyes without mercy stared at Ursus while he continued to flip the knife, catching it on instinct, not slipping or missing once. “Inside the city.” Flip. Flip. Flip. “One wonders where the clothes came from and how they got in.”
The Kalos were known to take uniforms off the dead Kori soldiers, so this was nothing new. There was only a slim chance that the one they’d captured was the captivating Tesza. Probably a male.
“They scavenge clothes off our soldiers all the time.”
Commander Callas raised a brow. “Indeed. But it wasn’t a uniform they had on.” Flip. Flip. Flip. The knife kept perfect cadence. “Civilian and expensive. Imported. Do you suppose we have sympathizers within our ranks?”
“I have yet to see one, sir. Who is he, the spy? A man of rank?”
“He? I never said the spy was male, Captain. I believe that she knows the location of the Kalos leader. It appears they’ve cast her out.” He caught the blade and held it, balancing it on the tips of his fingers, holding it steady. His brow furrowed, a sure sign something rattled him. Pilot Callas never wore his feelings on his face. He’d be displeased to know for a fleet moment, he had. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed Ursus studying him. “I want you to find out what she knows.”
“Torture her?”
“Whatever means you chose. I’ve heard you’ve done it before. Does the fact that it’s female bother you? Do you feel sympathy for them?” The colonel flipped the knife again, catching the handle and burying the blade into the wood of his desk, his stoic demeanor back.
“No sir. Extinction is the only thing they deserve.” Unless they were Tesza.
The colonel nodded. “Whatever mark they cut from her face, they didn’t want us to see.”
“Those marks indicate they’re able to breed others, marks of honor. I doubt that was the reason.” Why did I tell him that? Ursus shut his mouth before he let anymore slip.
“You know this how?”
“It’s not the first interrogation I’ve done.”
He grunted and nodded his head. “Yes, you didn’t seem intimidated by the contact at the levee camp.”
It seemed more a comment than a question. The colonel’s eyes bore into him as if digging into his mind and seeking the truth he hid. Ursus buried his thoughts, afraid he just might be able to do it. Rumors said he had an uncanny ability for uncovering the facts, digging up things that were hidden.
“No. I don’t buy into children’s stories.”
“It’s why I’ve called you here. Get the information, but make sure you keep her alive. I believe she is the key to cracking this resistance and seeing our goal of eradication come to fruit.”
“Yes sir.” Ursus saluted and did an about-face.
“Captain?”
Ursus turned back around. “Yes sir.”
“You’ve got a week and the flooding season will be here. We’ll need to move to higher ground. There isn’t time to replace the levees and I expect the city to be under water by the end of the week. I want the information before that. You’ll find her locked up in section 12-A.”
“Yes sir.” The original levees had been destroyed, but not by the Kori. The people of this world detonated all the ships on the planet and disabled their metropolises, making them as hostile as possible for the forces when they invaded. The only technology around was what the Kori brought with them, the planet was primitive outside that.
If the levees hadn’t been blown this morning, they’d been able to occupy the city through the flooding season. The Kalos king was no fool, even if he was primitive.
The Kalos may have de-evolved, but they’d dug in and thus far proved to be impossible to exterminate. It was the why the Kori government called in Colonel Pilot Calla, a man without remorse and he expected his men to be as cold.
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