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Now on Sale - Clans of Europa: Bernadette - Read the First Part of Chapter Two Now

 

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Chapter Two

Seven years earlier

They’d put her in a storage room that had been emptied of cleaning supplies after her suicide attempt. Sister Bernadette raged the six steps it took to pace what amounted to little more than a closet, then returned to the wall where she’d started. She sheltered in her fury. It shielded her against terror that might have otherwise sent her to her knees in hysterics.

Kalquorians had invaded Europa’s tiny convent. Her shelter and refuge. They’d taken the nuns and aspirants prisoner.

They hadn’t stopped there. They’d captured two hundred-plus women and divided those of childbearing age over eighteen from the rest. Any fool would have figured out what the alien men had planned, and Bernadette was no fool.

Kalquorians were going extinct, thanks to rampant infertility among their women. They’d discovered they could breed with Earther females. They’d kidnapped over fifteen hundred for that purpose in the years before. More had run to their empire, done with Earth’s poor treatment of women. An Earther had become one of four rulers of the Kalquorian Empire. War had broken out between the planets.

Now the Kalquorians had invaded the tiny outpost on Europa, inhabited solely by females. No, it didn’t take Bernadette’s solid IQ to realize the aliens’ plans for them.

Though she was a nun, second in rank to Mother Superior, Bernadette wasn’t the sort to rely on prayers or miracles. She’d witnessed too much sadness to believe the Almighty was waiting in the wings to gallop to the rescue the instant a follower said the right words. Humans had been gifted with life to show they were worthy of salvation, even if it meant dying for it. In her mind, life was a proving ground, the test to gain entrance to heaven when all was said and done. God was the sole judge of that contest.

Bernadette was a woman of faith, but she was also a hardnosed realist.

She couldn’t imagine a worse reality than what was happening, but she knew better than to think it couldn’t get worse than being locked in a bare storage room with no hope for escape. Of course it could, and it probably would. She had the history to prove it.

As if to underscore her certainty, the door opened. A Kalquorian walked in and locked it behind him. He stood there and stared at her, barely an arm’s length distant.

She’d halted her pacing the instant he’d entered. Somehow, she managed to quell the urge to back to the wall behind her. What would an extra couple of feet do to help her?

She stood tall and stiff in her tent of a nightgown, as rigid as a soldier at attention. She met the alien’s purple slit-pupiled stare with as stony an expression as she could manage.

It was difficult to maintain her strength. There was nothing soft, no visible give about the man before her. In his sleeveless green-trimmed black uniform, he was an imposing creature. All Kalquorians were. The race was predisposed to muscularity, set off to advantage by dark brown skin. This example was tall, perhaps a full foot taller than her five foot, five inches, and at least two hundred pounds of sheer brute power.

None of that shook her behind her stoic façade. What bothered her was how handsome the monster was. His rugged looks, left bare by the ponytail that tied a shaggy mane into submission, reminded her of the tough men she’d known at home in Alaska. Even the grim set of his features was similar to those who’d lived in an unforgiving and often lonely landscape. A few lines bracketed his mouth, but he appeared no older than her own thirty years.

His regard slowly dropped from her face. Her fists clenched as he took in the white nightgown that covered her from chin to toes and masked her lean figure. He hadn’t been with the pair who’d stripped her to ensure she hadn’t hidden any other weapons beyond the knife she’d wielded in the cafeteria.

She’d been dumbfounded when those men hadn’t only not raped her, but insisted on helping her put the gown on again once they’d reassured themselves she couldn’t make another suicide attempt. They’d appeared younger than this fellow. Less sure of themselves. They’d even apologized for their actions.

Kalquorians were supposedly lust-crazed beasts. So far, she hadn’t witnessed that. Would this fellow prove the stories true?

Having finished his inspection, her visitor’s gaze returned to her face. “Are you feeling better, Sister Bernadette?”

She wondered which of the aspirants had volunteered her name. None of them were bad girls, but they were a weak lot. No doubt they were terrified out of their minds. She couldn’t blame them.

While she debated whether to answer her jailer, he folded beefy slabs of arms over his chest and leaned against the closed door. Eyeing her with determined patience, he said, “I asked you a question. Are you still thinking you should kill yourself?”

“If it will serve as an example, I’m willing to offer up my life.” She was proud her tone betrayed no tremor.

“An example?”

“To resist at all costs.”

“Ah, so it wasn’t terror or despair that drove you to the attempt?”

She crossed her arms over her slight bosom, copying his self-confidence, though not his ease. “It was an act of righteousness. The girls under my care needed to see it’s better to die sinless than bow to the enemy.”

He made a slight noise. It could have been a derisive snort or a snicker. “Where did the knife come from?”

She saw no reason to lie. “I’ve had it for quite some time. A memento, of sorts.”

“It didn’t appear ornamental. Or ceremonial.”

She tried to be unimpressed with his command of English, marred only by a slight slurring accent. “It was simple butcher knife, used in a kitchen to prepare food. Nothing more.”

“A memento of cooking?”

“That particular knife was used in a crime.”

That earned her a raised brow. “A crime you committed?”

“No.”

“A curious souvenir.” His interest sharpened.

“It serves as a reminder of how cruel life is.” A lesson the knife might as well have carved on her heart. She’d often wondered why she’d kept such a macabre symbol for the last twenty-three years.

“You heard us come into the wing where you were sleeping and tied it to your leg to kill yourself as an example to the young women?”

“I tied it to my leg in case I had the chance to cut a few Kalquorian throats. When it became apparent I had no hope of that, I chose the second-best option.”

The corner of his lips lifted. He was smiling at her? “What about sticking around to find out what our plans were? That wasn’t an option?”

“I’m well aware of your plans for Earther women.”

“Ah. Yes, Kalquor has that frustrating matter of looming extinction. If it helps you feel any better, I’m not in the market for a female clanmate.”

He wasn’t there to rape her? The tension within her relaxed a little. “Why are we talking?”

“I’m part of the medical crew. You’re a danger to yourself. I’m assessing how big a problem you are to our mission.”

“You mean, will I make another attempt on my life?”

“Along with a few other matters, but yes, that’s the biggest question I have now.” He surprised her by bowing in an old-fashioned courtly manner. “I am Imdiko Doljen, part of the spyship crew that chanced upon your colony.”

He wasn’t a soldier, but a member of a medical staff. A healer instead of a fighter. Despite those bulging muscles, he hadn’t shown up to harm the women and girls of Europa.

As she replayed his last statement, Bernadette seized on the wording. “You chanced upon Europa?”

“Apparently. We were tracking an enemy general when we stumbled upon you. Sheer luck.”

“Ill luck,” Bernadette muttered.

“It depends on which side you’re on.” Doljen chuckled. “Most of your fellow colonists would agree with you, unfortunately. We’re working to change their minds.”

Her guts lurched. “What do you mean, working to change their minds?”

“Spoils of war, Matara. You all belong to the Kalquorian Empire now.” His smile had disappeared. His gaze was assessing.

Anger bubbled through her. Her fists clenched so hard, her fingernails dug into her palms. “Unholy filth. If I could, I’d claw your eyes out.”

“You look capable of it.” Doljen raked her up and down with his stare once more. “I admire your strength. No weeping. No begging. Are you as tough as you appear?”

She refused to answer. When he approached and circled her, she remained stock-still.

She even managed to keep from jumping when he scooped a handful of her heavy, dark hair from her shoulder. “Beautiful hair. And eyes, now that I’m past how oddly your pupils are shaped. So deep and dark.”

He stood close enough she could sense the heat of his body through her nightgown. His scent, strangely sweet, spicy, and musky all at once, infused the air she breathed.

Electric warmth woke within her. Panic, no doubt. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t give into it.

Bernadette moved her head slowly to the side to slide her curls from his palm. “Don’t touch me.”

“Why not? What are you afraid of?” His voice had gone soft. Gentle.

She took a single step away. Her chin lifted, and she met his gaze. The bastard appeared amused, damn him.

“I’ve done nothing wrong, so I fear nothing. You can’t hurt me in any manner that counts.”

“Bernadette.” His sinuous tone sent a shiver down her spine she fought to keep from displaying. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then go.” Did she sound choked? God, grant me strength.

“I could since I’ve made my assessment. Would you like to hear it?”

“I’m uninterested in what you think of me.”

“No? You aren’t the least bit curious?”

She refused to reply.

“I’ve determined you are indeed a concern. First, you might attempt to kill yourself again. Second, you could prove to be a poor influence on the other captives. You’ll have to remain in isolation.”

She hated hearing that. The others needed her to be their strength in the face of the Kalquorian invasion. They needed to observe her defiance.

She wouldn’t beg, however. “If you’re done, there’s the door.”

A flash of a smile, a real smile. Prophets, the brute was handsome. “I’m also supposed to make recommendations on how best to reconcile you to your future with the Kalquorian Empire. To ease your transition from intimidated, second-class citizen of Earth to a self-confident lifebringer of worthy Kalquorian clanmates.”

She seized on the part that didn’t terrify her, centered all her attention on the tiny flash of outrage. “Intimidated?”

Doljen laughed, and he transformed into the most stunning man she’d ever seen. Her heart stuttered.

Lucifer was beautiful too, and look at how that turned out.

“You’re tougher than we’ve been led to expect,” he admitted.

She fought against the mote of pleasure that woke from his admiration. “I’m glad you noticed. Your presence is no longer required, then. You can run along.”

“Bernadette.” That supple note was in his voice again. His tone was caressing. The hairs on her neck rose. “You can’t get rid of me so easily. I’m going to get to know you. Fully. Personally. Intimately.”

He lifted her hair again and brought it to his nose as his stare drilled into her eyes. He sniffed it.

“You said you wouldn’t harm me.”

“Funny thing about what we think of as harm. When an addict can no longer have his drugs, the withdrawal is painful. Torturous, in some respects. He could argue he’s being hurt, when he’s actually growing healthier.”

Bernadette pressed her lips together. I can survive this. I will survive it.

“Children are the same, aren’t they? They rail against their parents telling them to eat fewer sweets, to keep clean, to play safely. They accuse their guardians of mistreatment, but it’s for their own good.”

While Doljen spoke, he released her hair. His fingertips skated down the voluminous sleeve of her gown, and up again. Pressing just enough to feel her arm within the fabric. Goosebumps greeted the contact.

“What you plan to do with me is mistreatment.”

“What is it you think I’ll do?” He walked behind her, his fingers sliding across a shoulder blade, her spine, the other shoulder blade. He stopped before her.

“You said you’d know me intimately. Since you’re touching me, I assume you mean sexual intercourse."

“Your lip curls when you talk about it. That isn’t a healthy response. Do you realize that?” He stroked beneath her chin, a caress as ephemeral as a butterfly’s wing.

“Sex with a stranger is far from natural.” She spoke between gritted teeth despite hating to show him any sign of her discomfort.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get acquainted with me. Then I won’t be a stranger.”

“I don’t care how familiar you become. I’ll hate it. It’s wrong.”

He leaned down so their faces were level. The warmth of his breath wafted over her lips, so close to his. His fingertips skated to the hollow of her throat, where her pulse beat wildly. “What’s wrong is shutting yourself off from the opportunity to love. As is refusing to give yourself fully, completely, to someone. Don’t you wish to share and allow others to share themselves with you as your god intended?”

For an instant, the vision of another man’s face replaced Doljen’s. A flash of hurt stabbed her heart.

“Blasphemer,” she choked.

A mocking smile slid his lips apart. “Let me remind you of a mandate from that which you worship. ‘Be fruitful and multiply.’ But let’s concentrate on who you lost. Or left you. Which was it?”

She gasped and staggered back a couple of steps. “What…how…”

“I recognize that look of betrayal, Bernadette.” He came close again, and the wall was suddenly at her back. She couldn’t retreat any further, and he loomed over her. “I too lost out on love. See? We already understand so much about each other.”

“I don’t want to understand you.”

“No?” His hands closed around her waist. Warmth radiated from the pressure in all directions. It was a man’s touch, a touch she’d once dreamed of.

“No.”

“We’ll find out.”

He was so close. Close enough that the heat she felt didn’t come from just his hands. Prophets, she could feel him right through her nightgown, the coarse fabric no protection. He stared down at her with the air of a predator. She was certain he’d tear her gown off and force her.

She was shocked when he stepped back and released her instead. “A meal will be arriving shortly. And a bed. I’ll talk with you again soon, Bernadette.”

With that, he left her, alone. Shaking. Confused. Feeling as if she’d somehow been defeated.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Now on sale at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and in print.

 

Now on Sale - Clans of Europa: Bernadette - Read Chapter 1 Now

 

Now on sale at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and in print.

Chapter One

Nobek Halmiko stared at the Earther female who’d walked into the raucous bar. The Dantovonian space station Nove was a rowdy locale, worse than its parent planet’s never-ending party atmosphere. It was certainly no place for the notoriously repressed Earther species. Especially one of their women.

Despite the reputation of the alien race’s females, there was something about this Earther that shouted “don’t fuck with me” as she paused a few feet inside the doorway. It had nothing to do with the scarred Nobek who walked in with her, nor their party of assorted species that included a couple of Isetacians, an Adraf, and a Yeknap clattering at their ankles, of all things. All the newcomers but the Nobek and human wandered into the bar, taking one of the few rickety, stained tables available.

The woman held the bar’s patrons’ attention. Conversation had quieted at her appearance, and Halmiko could understand why. Beyond the self-possessed attitude was a spare, athletic figure and a posture of regal assurance. At first glance, the dozen sex workers draped over would-be clients would have appeared more attractive, especially the three Plasians. A longer look at the Earther, however, paled them in comparison. In her dark blue uniform and her attitude that of a hunter queen, the human was all presence.

Talk ensued again among the gathered, as if in defense against such a noteworthy individual. People returned to their conversations, pretending not to keep her in their peripheral vision. Halmiko’s attention remained openly fixed on the woman. He drank her in, from top to toe.

Her hair was the softest and loveliest attribute she possessed. Sable curls tumbled to her slender waist. They almost overwhelmed the planes of her face, which was made up of sharp cheekbones, a pointed nose, and dark eyes made darker by the rim of long lashes. She wasn’t plain, but she wasn’t precisely pretty either. Nonetheless, he appreciated her look. She possessed the avid intensity of a bird of prey.

He wondered anew as her assessing scan of the bar halted when it found him. She stared, as if she didn’t have a riveting Nobek at her back already. She started toward Halmiko where he sat at the bar, her gaze steady. The other man followed, but he hung back a few feet.

All the surprises were nothing compared to the shock of her announcement, “Nobek Halmiko, it’s about damned time I found you. You’ve been hard to track down.”

He was too much of a Nobek to gape, but he blinked. “I’m to be found anywhere my cargo transport is. Who sent you?”

“I sent me. I’m looking for Imdiko Doljen. Your clanmate?”

He couldn’t have been left more breathless if her Nobek companion had punched him in the gut. Doljen. After all these years, Doljen was a name with the power to curdle his guts.

“Who are you?” Growled between clenched teeth.

The Nobek behind her narrowed his eyes, ruining the illusion of a private conversation.

“Captain Bernadette Miller of the cargo transport Rogue.” She crooked a brow at him. “I take it your clan hasn’t managed to make up?”

Halmiko skipped the unlikelihood of an Earther female captaining a ship. She apparently had some inkling of his clan’s disposition and history. His ears were still ringing from the name she’d spoken. “How do you know Doljen?”

“I met him during the Earth-Kalquorian war.” Though her severe aspect failed to ease, she bit her lips together for an instant, as if to stop herself from laughing. “We grew well acquainted. I owe him a debt of gratitude. Do you know where I can find him?”

At last, his astonishment eased enough for him respond with more sense than he’d shown thus far. “I have no idea.”

“Have you seen him since Kalquor’s civil war?”

An image of Doljen flashed in his mind’s eye. The handsome Imdiko, silent and refusing to look at Halmiko despite his attempts to draw him out. Turning from him. Walking away for the final time.

Anger, brought on a wave of hurt and guilt, blazed for a second before the old hopelessness tamped it down.

“I saw him once, between wars. He wouldn’t speak to me. Since I can take a hint, I haven’t bothered him since.” He grabbed his half-filled glass of bohut and downed it in a single gulp. He signaled for another from the Tratsod bartender.

“Where was this?”

Her interrogation was getting on his nerves. “Darkori Station. It’s a military installation. Part of the Imperial Fleet.”

The woman…Bernadette…scowled. “He’s no longer a member of the fleet. He left it after the civil war.”

More likely, he’d been discharged. Depending on how Doljen had conducted himself, it might have been dishonorably. “Well, you’re more up to date on his whereabouts then I am then. I guess I can’t help you where he’s concerned. Anything else I can do for you?”

He wasn’t feeling amorous, due to her digging up a past he didn’t want to think. Halmiko gave her a leer anyway to suggest what he could help her with.

She couldn’t be bothered to respond to his invitation. “Would your Dramok know where Doljen is?”

If Doljen was painful to think about, Tumsa was downright agonizing. Halmiko gulped the bohut he’d been brought and briefly contemplated throwing it at the Nobek bodyguard, or whatever he was. A fight might shut the woman up and make Halmiko feel better. Though Captain Miller's muscle had kept a discreet distance and the bar had resumed its earlier cacophony of loud conversations, he’d no doubt heard every word of their conversation.

Too many people hearing his business made Halmiko grumpy.

“Last I heard, Tumsa was on Haven. Why don’t you try your luck there?” He turned his back on her and debated the wisdom of another drink. In his mood, it was a bad idea. Having to think about his clanmates wasn’t giving him warm fuzzies either.

“You Kalquorians love your grudges, don’t you? I thought my people were bad.” Her voice was at his shoulder.

He turned his head. Damn, she had pretty eyes. Dark and fathomless. She was close enough to grab and kiss. If he did that, at least she wouldn’t keep throwing words sharp as blades at him.

A low growl sounded behind him, just loud enough for him to catch the warning from the other Nobek.

Halmiko kept the urge to fight at bay by the skin of his teeth. He ignored the bodyguard. “Matara…Captain…I have nothing to say about my clanmates. Take that however you wish. If you want to keep hanging around me, do something useful like jerk me off or suck my cocks. Otherwise, leave me alone.”

Her arm moved toward him. For an electric moment, Halmiko thought she was taking him up on the option of jerking him off.

Instead, she tapped the com she held against his similar device, half-exposed in its pouch on his belt. “You now have my contact information in case you decide to be helpful instead of a bitter asshole. I’ll be in dock for another three days.”

She stepped back, and Halmiko had the irrational urge to grab her and pull her close again. “Hey, hold on.”

“Yes?” Her brow lifted again. She wore a patient but remote expression that irritated him for some reason.

“Let me give you my information too.” He pulled his com free and clicked it to share.

“Why?”

Because you’re the most interesting woman I’ve come across. Because you’ve seen more of Doljen in eight years than I have. Because he talked to you.

Halmiko said none of that. He tapped his com to hers despite her holding it close to herself, not offering it. Her distant expression never changed.

Annoyed by her lack of reaction, he told her, “Maybe you’ll be up for someone new and exciting to fuck. Your present company looks a bit worn out. Used up. My cocks are at your service.”

He thought he heard a snort from the other Nobek. The bodyguard was scarred and older, but more of the warrior type than Halmiko. A long way from used up, but Halmiko was still half-hoping for a fight. Win or lose, it would be good to punch out the burst of angst the woman had woken.

As for Bernadette, she looked him up and down, assessing. She shrugged. “You and your cocks couldn’t handle me for a single second.”

With that, she turned and walked out. The chuckling bodyguard followed her.

* * * *

“That was a useless encounter after all the years of hunting him down.” Bernadette sighed as she stomped along Station Nove’s corridor, heading to the dock where the Rogue was berthed. She passed several alcoves where the homeless denizens of several different worlds curled to snatch minutes of sleep before station security rousted them out. It was always the same on Nove: a palpable line between the haves and have-nots. A large number of the have-nots were Earther.

Nobek Kom kept pace at her side with an almost lazy saunter, courtesy of his much longer legs. “He looked stunned when you asked about his Imdiko.”

“Did he? I couldn’t tell.”

“Nobeks are trained to cover up their weaknesses. If I weren’t one myself, I might have missed it too.” The Rogue’s security head licked his lips. “He had a shitload of weapons on him. Mostly blades.”

“Stop drooling. You have plenty of knives and such of your own. Doljen’s name got a reaction, huh?” She wondered if she could use that to gain Halmiko’s help in tracking the missing Imdiko down.

It had been seven years since she’d said goodbye to Doljen, six of which had been spent on a succession of cargo ships. Always on the move, always with an eye out for any hint of his whereabouts. A couple years prior, when she’d learned and earned enough to captain her own vessel, she’d been sure she’d run across him or his estranged clanmates quickly. Halmiko’s name had shown up in conversations and crew manifests she’d gotten her hands on, but the succession of vessels he worked security for failed to cross paths with the Rogue. Of Dramok Tumsa, there’d been no word after Kalquor’s civil war. He’d ducked into the private sector, and his trail disappeared.

Haven. Halmiko said he was on Haven. She’d have to follow up on that.

Then, there was Doljen himself. Her former warden and lover had evaporated into thin air. As a spyship operative, his work had been necessarily secretive, but for there to be no sign of his existence beyond his dismissal from the fleet in seven years? It smacked of foul play or, as much as she hated to admit it, a man determined to remain unfound.

“It’s so frustrating,” she growled to Kom as they entered the quiet bay where the Rogue was berthed. It wasn’t scheduled for offload until the next day. Only station maintenance personnel were to be seen. “I finally luck into the same station as Halmiko, and he turns out to be worthless, except for bad come-ons.”

“Who knows? Maybe he’s an exciting fuck. He was a hell of a kurble player in his day. Halmiko’s someone you can brag about having taken to bed.”

“Seriously, Kom? What about me suggests I’d consider it?”

“You might as well get something out of this so-far pointless search, Captain.” His head swiveled on wide shoulders, taking in their surroundings. Nobeks were always on the lookout for trouble. Usually, the warrior breed of Kalquor hoped they’d find it.

“You can take him up on his offer.”

“I might. He’s my favorite player of all time.” As if he hadn’t told her that over and over. “He’s a living legend. And a handsome guy.”

“I suppose.” Halmiko was handsome in a rough sort of way. He wore the aura of a tough customer, but the almost-decent sort. He had the look of a man who’d beat a guy to bloody bits for disrespecting his mother.

Handsome Nobeks faded to the recesses of her brain. Bernadette’s gaze was all for her ship as they approached it. The Rogue was an older craft, Earther salvage from after her former home’s war with Kalquor. Big and clumsy compared to most ships of the member planets of the Galactic Council, it had been a bargain when she’d discovered it being auctioned off. She’d been shocked it was in such good repair considering the price she’d paid, but most were unimpressed by vessels that relied so heavily on hybrid mechanical-computerized engines. Unlike Bernadette, who’d grown up in garages that serviced older vehicles, techno-geeks were turned off by moving parts.

The Rogue wielded impressive firepower too. Bernadette was certain that was what had lured Kom into joining her crew of fifteen between the Earth-Kalquor war and his empire’s civil war. The Roguecould dare shipping routes known for Tragoom and pirate activity and emerge relatively unscathed. Thanks to the Rogue’s weapons and Kom’s expertise, Bernadette had successfully run blockades during the Kalquorian civil war, shipping supplies to siege-weary colonies that had remained loyal to the Imperial government. Haven, where Dramok Tumsa supposedly lived, had been among such colonies.

Her ship was big, it was awkward, but it was hers. She loved every inch of it.

“Am I right in guessing you’ll be researching Haven’s population in hopes of locating the Dramok?” Kom asked as they neared the ship.

“Of course. I swear, if I find out I’ve passed more than two words with Dramok Tumsa and never knew it when we dropped supplies on Haven during the war, I’ll lose my mind. What about you? You’re not touring the station tonight?”

Kom sighed. He had a fruitless search of his own, with less hope of success than Bernadette. “Is there any point? It’s too big, unless you decide to take a month’s layover.”

“Can’t do it, big guy. I have bills to pay, including your salary. I also see a large number of refugees who need a ride off this hellhole of a station.”

“Yeah, yeah. I might head out again in an hour or so and drink myself stupid rather than face the disappointment.”

Bernadette slapped his acre-wide back in sympathy. Kom might hit the bars, all right, but even certain failure wouldn’t keep him from looking for the Earther man who’d won his heart.

Two men. Two disappearances. Two lovelorn people trying to track them down.

“We’re crazy, aren’t we, Kom? I knew Doljen a little more than a couple of weeks. You exchanged barely more than a few meaningful stares with that Larsen guy. Yet here we are years later, tearing up the known galaxy, looking for them.”

His silence was no surprise. She hadn’t expected him to answer. Despite his dogged search, he wasn’t given to sentimentality.

He shocked her a few seconds later. “We’ll regret never finding out if what we felt then was real. It feels like it was. It damned near chokes me, it’s so real. Even if I find Matt and figure out I’ve been an idiot all along, it’s better than wondering. It has to be. Right?”

She thought about Doljen, and a familiar ache woke in her chest. It was the pain of emptiness, of a piece of her heart that had been torn away.

“Right.”

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Now on sale at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and in print.

 

Releasing Tomorrow! Clans of Europa: Bernadette

 

Together

He yanked at her clothes. He was rough and hurt her a little. Bernadette exulted in it as he stripped her. It took only seconds, but it felt like an eternity before her skin was flush to his and his naked bulk was warm against her. She wasn’t sure when or how he’d gotten his shorts off, but he was abruptly impaling her on his twin shafts. He took her in a single thrust that drove the breath from her lungs.

Everything froze as they stared at each other, their gasps mingling.

“Bernadette.”

“Doljen.”

At last.

His next kiss was gentler; a soft caress of lips on lips, of delicate licks, and sinuous movement. As if for the first time. As if for the final time. For all time.

They lay that way as the minutes slipped past, him within her, on top of her, kissing and caressing. In that precious instant, there was nothing else and no reason to do anything beyond be together. The years of searching, of losing hope and grimly forging on, had been worth it.

Doljen began to move minutely, carefully, as if afraid to break the spell. His shafts eased through her, escaping until only the tips remained within, then creeped in again to fill her with himself. So cautiously, as if taking her virginity as he had years ago. Her fingertips traced the strong outlines of his features and the few new creases bracketing the corners of his lips and eyes. That he’d found reason to frown them into existence spoke to her heart, and she pulled his face close to kiss the evidence of his hurt.

He rocked within her. She moved to meet him. Neither was in any hurry to grasp the fire of culmination. Indeed, had Bernadette been told there would be no climax, only this quiet joining for all eternity, she would have wept in gratitude. She required nothing more than to be with Doljen as they were. Life owed her no other debt.

Even her usual demanding inclinations for exhibitionism, bondage, and a little hurt were unneeded. In his arms, she was where she wanted to be. He made love to her with perfection; leisurely thrusting, his hands wandering all over to rediscover her, lengthy gazes punctuated with the sweetest kisses.

The sunlight from the vid-simulating windows grew stronger as the morning stretched toward afternoon, and still they lay on Doljen’s sleeping mat, making love in slow motion. When climax arrived, almost simultaneously for them both, they announced it with sighs and whispery moans.

They held each other until desire rose again. Doljen rolled onto his back, allowing Bernadette to crouch over him, to love him as their breathing quickened. Lust was less gentle the second time around, with her rising and falling and aware of his gaze on the breasts he rubbed, the nipples he pinched, the clit he fondled, their sexes meeting again and again. She was reminded of his strength when he grasped her hips and yanked her up and down, forcing her to ride him hard until she shouted her pleasure and he filled her with his.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Releasing tomorrow! Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

 

Releasing in Two Days - Clans of Europa: Bernadette

 

The long-awaited encounter

Less than an hour later, she began to hear a thunk in the distance that repeated in short bursts. It was a sound from her girlhood. Someone was chopping wood.

Her stomach fluttered, and all the deep breathing exercises she drew upon couldn’t calm her as she drew steadily closer to the source of the noise.

She caught sight of him in a clearing before she broke through the trees, and she halted. Her mouth went dry as her heart slammed into overdrive.

Doljen had been well-muscled seven years before. Since then, he’d grown more defined, shedding any hint of fat. Despite the lingering morning chill that hadn’t been chased off by the climbing temperature, he wore nothing but shorts and slip-on shoes, putting that magnificent physique on display. He wielded the biggest ax she’d ever seen, chopping wood as she’d expected, his muscles rippling with liquid agility.

His hair was loose, swaying across his shoulders as he worked. It framed features grimmer than she remembered, but he was still handsome in a robust fashion.

After so long, there he was, the man she’d searched high and low for. A maelstrom of emotions flew through her: yearning, love, elation, terror, disbelief. She grabbed a tree for support. She wasn’t merely trembling. She quaked from head to toe.

She’d found Doljen.

Bernadette gathered herself with effort. She released the tree and stood up straight. Drawing a deep breath, she readied herself for whatever reaction she’d be met with and walked out of the woods.

He caught the movement and stopped chopping to acknowledge her as she stopped at the edge of the tree line. Their gazes locked, and Bernadette’s wildly galloping heart stopped in its tracks.

For an endless second, Doljen simply stared at her. Then shock spread over his face, his eyes widening slowly. His jaw dropped open.

“Bernadette?”

She couldn’t answer. She wasn’t sure she was even breathing.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

Releasing Friday - Clans of Europa: Bernadette

 

An awkward reunion between Dramok and Nobek

Who had Halmiko become during those lost years? He was more careworn than Tumsa remembered. Still handsome, still in great shape, though he’d lost some definition since leaving the game.

He felt as if he were drowning in uncertainty that hadn’t been present when they’d lived as a clan. Halmiko wore doubt as a second skin. It hurt to witness it.

Tumsa cast about for something to break the heavy silence. “I understand the captain is transporting cargo that’ll pay for the trip to Lobam. She’s only charging me for food and any medical issues that come up. She says I can work it off if I want by helping to offload the freight.”

“I’ve found her to be fair for the most part. I’m still unhappy about her insisting on speaking to Doljen without me. Us. Sorry.”

Tumsa tried on a weak smile. “She might be right that it would be a bad idea.”

He opened his mouth as if to argue, then reconsidered. “How do you figure that?”

“You and I are attempting to work out our own shit. Our uncertainty with each other could be a valid reason to hold off confronting Doljen for a day or two. If we aren’t on the same page, how can we convince him to listen to us?”

Halmiko considered him. “Still smart, aren’t you? You always have been the voice of reason.”

Tumsa barked a bitter laugh. His vision blurred. “The fuck I have.”

Halmiko started to rise, reaching for Tumsa for an instant. He paled and sank back onto his bunk. “Ah, hell. This is hard. Fuck, Tumsa. We want to figure this out, but I have no idea what I’m supposed to say to you, or even how to act.”

“Same here. How bad will it be with Doljen? He made it abundantly clear he won’t try.”

They gazed at each other helplessly. They’d barely left port, and Tumsa already felt failure looming over him.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

Releasing Friday - Clans of Europa: Bernadette

 

What's cooking in the kitchen?

“I’m going to strip you and bend you over the counter. We’ll put on a show. Anybody who comes in or walks by the kitchen door will see me fucking their captain to screaming orgasm.”

Her jaw dropped. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Watch me.”

Their struggle was brief. There was no denying Bernadette’s resistance was halfhearted. Halmiko soon had her bent over the counter as he’d threatened, their trousers puddled at their ankles, his legs between hers, his slick primary cock poised at her equally slick pussy.

She writhed, her palms braced against the countertop. She was unable to push up because his hand pressed between her shoulder blades, pinning her to the metal surface. She squalled, an angry sound. Angry with him or with herself for wanting what he offered?

“Tell me no. Tell me to stop,” he invited.

Instead, she spluttered, “Animal!”

“That’s what I thought.” He entered her by the barest inch and paused, giving her a last chance to refuse him.

She shuddered and managed to move enough to enfold another inch. He sighed in anticipation and plunged into her warmth.

Their mingled groans rang in the vast kitchen, echoing against the hard surfaces. Halmiko gazed down at the slender nape of her neck, bared by the bun that tamed her mass of curls. He leaned over her and pressed a kiss to that spot, his hips rocking, feeding her his passion.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

Releasing October 7 - Clans of Europa: Bernadette

 

Pushed beyond her limits

Instead, he whispered, “Rub your breasts. No cloth between your hands and skin this time. Let me see you make yourself feel good.”

Electricity shot through her nipples, and she gasped. She hadn’t waited for him to tell her he’d do it if she refused. Her fingers had leapt to her chest, already rubbing and pinching her stiffening flesh. Startled, her gaze lifted to his.

Doljen’s smile was gentle. Sweet. “That’s beautiful. You’rebeautiful. Go ahead, gorgeous woman. Show me.”

The strident voice of reason rose in her mind, but it was outshouted by a need too primitive to be reasoned with. With Doljen staring, she grasped her breasts with frantic hands, rubbing hard. She couldn’t make herself stop with him staring. His lips were parted, wet. His tongue peeked out between them.

Bernadette lifted on her toes. Her mouth smashed onto his, and her tongue stabbed to find its twin.

He uttered an animal’s snarl, a low vibration that shook her bones. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung, her torso rubbing frantically against his. She kissed him inexpertly but with all the violent passion possessing her.

He yanked his head back, pulling his lips free from hers. His expression was a glower, but not of anger. It was the look of a man about to lose all control of his actions, and it sent a blast of heat through Bernadette.

“What do you want, woman?”

“All of it,” she gasped. “All you said. Your mouth on me. My mouth on you. Your…your cocks. In me.”

 Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

Releasing October 7 - Clans of Europa: Bernadette

 

Dramok Tumsa tells Bernadette a story of betrayal.

“I was a brutal asshole in my misery and guilt. It was ugly, Bernadette. I deserved to be taken out and shot for how I treated Doljen. Nothing I said afterward would sway him. He was done with me and Halmiko, for very good reason.”

Bernadette’s brain swam with the irony of it. Doljen had given her reason to stop running from herself and her past…at the very instant he was doing all in his power to escape his own life.

“You and Hal…what went down between you two?”

Tumsa shrugged. “I’d said unforgivable things to my Nobek, as nasty as what I’d said to Doljen. We’d lost our Imdiko. Everything we’d had was blotted out. With nothing left except anger and blame, we had one last ugly fight, then went our separate ways.”

After witnessing how they’d looked at each other, Bernadette wasn’t so sure the two men’s feelings for each other had been erased. Damaged, most certainly, perhaps beyond repair…but not gone.

She had a bigger priority, however. “I can’t believe Doljen vanished into thin air. Damn it, he’s somewhere. How am I supposed to find him if neither of you knows where he went?”

They were quiet, staring at food and coffee gone cold. Bernadette’s thoughts rattled in her head as if caged, but she couldn’t come up with an answer beyond knocking on every door on Kalquor and hoping for a miracle.

Unless Doljen makes contact with any of us himself, it’s hopeless. After years of silence, it was unlikely the runaway Imdiko would reach out.

Tumsa’s reluctant voice broke into her musings. “I might have an idea.”

“Of where to find him?”

“No. But there might be someone I’m acquainted with who has the resources to locate him. It’s a longshot. Probably no help at all.”

“A longshot is more than I have left.” She poured appeal. “Please, Tumsa. I have to speak to him. Even if it’s to close that chapter of my life for good, I have to see Doljen again.”

“All right. Give me a few days while I find out if there’s anything my friend can do.”

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

Releasing in One Week - Clans of Europa: Bernadette

 

Try as she might, she can't get the past out of her head.

Her mind crowded with images of Doljen. Those initial lessons of seduction, where he never touched her intimately, yet somehow discovered the tricks that woke her desires. He’d broken the barriers one by one until she…she, Sister Bernadette, intractable terror of the aspirants…pleaded with him to make love to her. Later, she’d allowed him to fuck her in front of the other women, who’d witnessed her utter surrender.

The lessons hadn’t ended there, sexually or otherwise. Doljen had gotten in her head, forced her to admit to all she’d run from. He’d brought forth the woman she’d been, the woman she’d fought to leave behind. He’d made her embrace her truth once more, stripping her pretenses to leave her bare to her reality.

Funny. Though he’d hinted at his losses, she’d never discovered he’d run from his own truth. She’d known he’d abandoned his clanmates, but the circumstances had been hidden. She’d been caught up so much in her own revelations, she’d failed to pursue his full story.

Admit it. You never asked because you were basking in being the focus of someone you’d fallen for. An affair in which you were the chased instead of the lovelorn chaser.

Sometimes she hated that Doljen had made her so determined to maintain her truth. Since him, she’d told no lies to herself.

I love him.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

Pre-Order Now - Clans of Europa: Bernadette

 

A flashback to a Europa encounter that would change Bernadette's life

Her sex had turned slick at his perusal. The longer he looked, the wetter she grew. She could feel it between her thighs where they met her womanhood.

Doljen leaned close as if to kiss her. She turned her head to avoid it. He whispered in her ear. “What’s that I smell, lady? Where is that delicious scent coming from? Shall I search for its source?”

Smell? What smell? What was he talking about?

Still holding her wrists captive in a manacle hand, his face drifted lower. When his mouth drew level with her breasts, the nipples jutting shamefully, she screwed her eyes shut. It was then that she became aware of his breath, warm against her skin. It wafted over her chest, then moved lower…at her sternum, her upper stomach…her navel…

Her eyes flew wide. He was going lower, right to her…

“No!” Her knee shot up, aiming for his nose.

Doljen caught her leg, arresting it before it could make contact. He held it in place despite her struggles. He went no lower, but the angle of his head told Bernadette he was looking there. With her leg flung upward, she was exposed to his stare.

His deep inhale seemed to echo in the room. “That’s where the delicious scent is coming from.” His gaze tracked up her body. “It’s you, Bernadette. It’s the smell of your arousal.”

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.

 

She searched for the man she couldn’t forget and found a shattered clan she couldn’t resist.

Captain Bernadette Miller was a nun on the moon Europa, hiding from a painful past. Now she hunts the galaxy for the Kalquorian who made her stop running from herself. When she gets a lead on his clanmates, she thinks her search is finally over. What she finds, however, is a clan devastated by broken promises.

Nobek Halmiko was once a star kurble player. Now he wanders space aimlessly, picking up jobs where he can find them, trying to forget the clanmates he let down. When Bernadette shows up asking questions about his missing Imdiko, he has nothing to say. But some women get in a man’s head. Some women don’t take no for an answer.

Dramok Tumsa had it all: a career he loved, the perfect clan, a troubled but talented brother he’d do anything for. Tragedy on the kurble field destroyed it all. Now his estranged Nobek is back, with a beautiful, hardnosed Earther captain who offers him an opportunity to make amends. Can he piece his clan together again? Does he deserve the chance?

Imdiko Doljen is wracked by guilt. He’s hidden from those he let down…including a woman he couldn’t keep. When she shows up in the company of his clanmates, old hurts ignite anew. It doesn’t matter what he wants; he can’t fix the mistakes he made.

The only path to regaining the love Bernadette lost means healing this shattered clan. Is she ready to commit to three men instead of the one she came for? When disaster strikes, she has to call on all the strength she possesses to stop them from falling apart for good.

Releasing October 7. Pre-order at Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. Purchase now in print.