Releasing Friday! Dark Empire Book Five: Desperate Measures - Chapter Three, Scene One

 

Betra bargains for a chance to see Shalia.

* * * * 

Anger heated Betra’s gut. Careful, he cautionedhimself. An argument would keep him from what he wanted.

“We always do something special for the children. You enjoyspending time with them.”

“I do. They’re a delight to be around. Their mother, not somuch.”

“Ancestors,” Betra snarled, his anger matching hisclanmate’s dislike. “Why is this still an issue? You and Shalia do a wonderfuljob of ignoring each other.”

“It’s a problem because you don’t ignore her.”

“How can I? We have a history!”

“Which is where the trouble lies. You don’t always seem torecognize she’s your past.” Resan flung his cleaning cloth to the floor. “We’lltake the children hunting. No one else.”

“Evelyn begged to go last time. She’ll be devasted if she’sleft out again, and her parents will insist she’s too young to go withoutthem.” Shalia’s youngest daughter was a precocious four-year-old who found iteasy to break her Uncle Betra’s heart when she cried.

Her Uncle Resan wasn’t immune to the tot’s entreatieseither. The Dramok was a hardass who wanted no offspring of his own, but hemelted around Clan Seot’s children.

He groaned at the thought of being on the receiving end ofEvelyn’s tears. “Damn it. We can’t leave her at home.”

“Five kids under the age of ten would be a lot for the threeof us and your grandmother to handle in any case,” Betra noted. “Anrel andNayun handle themselves pretty well, but Jordan, Ejia, and Evelyn runeverywhere according to…according to their mother.”

“Fine. Invite Clan Seot along. But Betra,” the warning tonewas obvious, “don’t expect me to go out of my way to be her friend. We don’tlike each other, and we never will.”

Even though she once saved your life. Betra knewreminding Resan of the fact would result in a major fight, however. Itirritated the Dramok to no end that he wouldn’t be standing there now if ithadn’t been for Shalia Monroe’s heroics.

Besides, Resan had agreed to the arrangement. It was as muchof a victory as Betra could hope for. Maybe, after so many years, the enmitybetween his Dramok and former lover would finally disappear. 

* * **

All-out war has begun, with innocents caught in thecrossfire.

Former nun Cheryl Taupin and her husband Nobek Besral,in charge of the remaining orphans of Earth’s Armageddon, watch the terribleevents unfolding in the Dark-overrun Galactic Council of Planets. Kalquoriansin Galactic Council space are being rounded up to suffer an unknown fate andmartial law is declared on many of the system’s worlds. A desperate plea to theKalquorian Empire sends Admiral Piras and Captain Kila to the orphanage…but howcan a lone spyship protect hundreds of children against the full might of theGalactic Council’s warships bent on destruction?

Charity Nath has been brought to Alpha Space Stationto hide from those determined to exact vengeance against her father. Young andirrepressible, she’s determined to claim a measure of freedom from stiflingrestrictions placed on her. When her identity and location are revealed, herKalquorian protectors must thwart those who’d harm her while contending withher stubborn refusal to be kept in check.

Imdiko Betra has done his best to put the past behindhim. He knows letting go of the only woman he could ever love was the bestcourse of action. But when he encounters Shalia Monroe again, his heart speakslouder than his conscience. Will unquenchable desire destroy the life she’sbuilt, or will Betra’s clanmates Oses and Resan stop him from doing theunthinkable?

Against the backdrop of pandemic and plague, Kalquorand Earth II fight for their very survival against an enemy they’re onlybeginning to learn the strength of. As the All tightens its fearsome grip onthe galaxy, humans and Kalquorians alike tremble on the verge of annihilation.

Releasing Friday, July 26

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