I've
made my award winning science fiction romance Escape From Zulaire free at all
major ebook retailers. This best selling novel won a National Excellence in Romance Fiction
Award and an SFR Galaxy Award!
Here's
the story: Andi Markriss hasn’t exactly enjoyed being the
houseguest of the planetary high-lord, but her company sent her to represent
them at a political wedding. When hotshot Sectors Special Forces Captain Tom
Deverane barges in on the night of the biggest social event of the summer, Andi
isn’t about to offend her high-ranking host on Deverane’s say-so—no matter how
sexy he is, or how much he believes they need to leave now.
Deverane was thinking about how to spend his
retirement bonus when HQ assigned him one last mission: rescue a civilian woman
stranded on a planet on the verge of civil war. Someone has pulled some serious
strings to get her plucked out of the hot zone. Deverane’s never met anyone so
hard-headed—or so appealing. Suddenly his mission to protect this one woman has
become more than just mere orders.
That mission proves more dangerous than he expected
when rebel fighters attack the village and raze it to the ground. Deverane
escapes with Andi, and on their hazardous journey through the wilderness, Andi
finds herself fighting her uncomfortable attraction to the gallant and
courageous captain. But Deverane’s not the type to settle down, and running for
one’s life doesn’t leave much time to explore a romance.
Then Andi is captured by the rebel fighters, but
Deverane has discovered that Zulaire’s so-called civil war is part of a
terrifying alien race’s attempt to subjugate the entire Sector. If he pushes on
to the capitol Andi will die. Deverane must decide whether to save the woman he
loves, or sacrifice her to save Zulaire.
And an excerpt for you:
The Sectors Special Forces captain
awaiting Andi in the library stood with his back to the door, hands on his
hips, staring at one of Lord Tonkiln’s prized abstract paintings. Well over six
feet of hard warrior, he’d rolled his camouflage uniform sleeves up, revealing
muscular arms matching the rest of his physique. Andi glimpsed the hint of an
intriguing tattoo, a black sword wreathed in comets, on one bicep. His hair was
sandy brown, a bit shaggy for military correctness. He tapped the toe of his
boot against the expensive mahogany floor. The captain’s whole attitude suggested
a man poised for decisive action at a moment’s notice, reinforced by the way he
wheeled at the sound of the door opening.
“Finally.” His glance at the military
chrono on his tanned wrist was an unconscious gesture of annoyance at time
forever lost.
Green eyes in a tanned, ruggedly handsome face.
Andi’s knees went a little wobbly for a moment. My particular weakness in a man. Classic square jaw, straight
nose, high forehead with a small scar on his cheek.
His eyebrows drew together in a frown. “Miss
Markriss?”
“Why are you here?”
Andi snapped out of her fascination with his features, feeling her cheeks grow
hot. Wow, was I blatantly staring or
what? “Has something happened to Dave Flintmay? The Loxton planetary agent?”
Flashing very white
teeth in that tanned face, he smiled at her, but the too-easy grin didn’t reach
his tired eyes. “Don’t you people get the news out here? Comlinks broken?”
She blinked, trying
to follow this unexpected conversation starter. “What?”
Lady Tonkiln received a stack of messages
each morning, from either her husband or friends in the capital. Lysanda also
had many messages, filled with inconsequential social gossip. Nothing for Andi,
but then, everyone knew she was on an extended vacation from the office. The
Loxton operation was on its summer hiatus along with most of Zulaire. “Of
course we get news. What does that have to do with anything? Captain, what are
you doing here?”
Glancing at Iraku, the
officer’s lips tightened as if he bit back some hasty comment. Unabashedly
eavesdropping, the Naranti servant remained by the open door. “Thank you, I
think the lady and I can manage.”
Andi stifled a laugh.
The gardener’s assistant had been right—the captain’s accent was pretty bad,
soft on the consonants and missing the required prefixes. His hypnotraining must have been a rush job.
Iraku stared at the
outworlder, who glared back, jaw clenched, one hand resting on the butt of his
blaster.
I
never tried outright dismissal on the old dictator. Avoiding him sure doesn’t
work. Breaking the
silence, Andi tried for a gracious note. “Thanks for escorting me, Iraku. Can
you do me a favor and inform Lady Tonkiln I’ve returned to the house, since she
was concerned?” Blinking at last, the servant bowed low. He left without
another word but drew the door closed behind him in a leisurely fashion
calculated to infuriate the impatient captain.
As Andi watched in
disbelief, Deverane crossed to the door. Opening it a few inches, he checked to
be sure Iraku hadn’t lingered within earshot, before shutting the door again.
Offering no
explanation to Andi for the cautious maneuver, he gestured toward the
overstuffed chairs grouped in front of the fireplace. “Would you like to sit?”
“No, thank you, I
want to know what’s going on.” She
took a deep breath, trying to calm her frayed nerves. Is all this mystery necessary?
“Captain Tom
Deverane, Sectors Special Forces.” He walked to the chairs himself. To be
polite, she joined him, shaking his
proffered hand before seating herself. “Excuse my dust,” he said. “But I’ve
been in the Western Plains and the Abujan mountain range for quite some time
now.”
“Why don’t you try telling me something
relevant about why you’re here?” Many a slow-moving clerk at the Loxton offices
had jumped at that peremptory tone from her.
“I forget you’ve
been out of the loop.” Sitting down, Deverane leaned forward, putting his hands
on his knees and taking a deep breath. “Two days ago I got urgent orders,
relayed from Sector Command, diverting me from my primary mission. The new
priority was to come five hundred miles out of our way to extract you for a
safe return to the capital city.” From the dry tone in his voice, Andi guessed
how little he’d appreciated the change. “Now, if you could get your things
together, I’d like to be on our way before dark.”
She blinked. Today? He wants me to leave now? Andi shifted
back into the chair’s embrace, crossing her legs. “Get my things—what are you
talking about? I’m the guest of Lord Tonkiln’s family, and I’m expected to present
a significant gift from Loxton at the reception tonight with due ceremony. I
can’t ride off with you on literally a moment’s notice without some compelling
reason. Why is your Command issuing orders concerning me anyway?”
The captain got up
in one smooth motion, like a great cat uncurling, paced to the fireplace and
back, then half sat on the edge of a sturdy table. I bet he’s a person in constant
motion—discussing anything in patient detail doesn’t appear to be his style.
Well, I’m not one of his soldiers and I don’t take orders from him, so he’d
better explain himself.
“Miss Markriss—”
“Call me Andi.” And let’s get this discussion on a less
military, more personal level so you stop trying to give me orders.
The quick,
meaningless smile crossed his handsome face again, never reaching his eyes. “Andi. In case you haven’t heard, this
entire planet is about to be embroiled in a devastating Clan war.”
Here's the USA Today Happy Ever After Blog recommended trailer for the book:
Here's the USA Today Happy Ever After Blog recommended trailer for the book:
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