The Prey
Page 20
He clenched his teeth, thinking about Ferthoris and his new bride. The vain king would not be happy about the delay that was a certainty now. They would need to find a way to track the pirates from Earth so they could recapture their ship. A wave of pugnacity rushed through Talon’s veins as he imagined how he would teach the pirates something about respecting private property, and he spent the next few minutes daydreaming about their punishment in the brightest of colors. He hadn’t felt this happy in a long time. If he was honest with himself, the pirates’ attack was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time.
But when they passed through Earth’s orbit, his smile disappeared. He remembered Cat, who was sitting in the passenger compartment, without a clue, probably already familiarizing herself with the customs and morals on Kanthari 7. He was in a bind, and not just because of the immense attraction he felt for her. He furrowed his red-gold eyebrows darkly. This damned attack might take his predator’s mind off the woman for a while, but now they would be stuck together on Earth for some time. Talon was hopeful that he would be able to find some sort of space ship somewhere, but what would he do with Cat in the meantime? He had taken on the responsibility of caring for her and of making sure that nothing happened to her. The animal inside him bared his teeth in anger at the thought of putting her in danger.
He wondered if she would agree to him leaving her on her home planet a while longer, and picking her up again after the “Taming of the Pirates.” At the last second, he was able to suppress a sigh that would not have made him look good as a commander and warrior.
He suspected that Cat would offer him more resistance than was good for him.
****
Cat put down the handbook she had been leafing through absentmindedly. The book really was nothing more than endless and gushing praise of the power, good looks and virility of the man who had won her, fair and square, through the company. The more she read, the more certain she felt that she needed to nail down the details of her vague escape plan as soon as possible. Somehow, she needed to get Talon to make a stop on an inhabited planet along the way, and to let her off the ship.
This would be more difficult than she had expected. He didn’t look like a man who would be easily fooled, even if she used all of her female charms. She had seen the almost eerie intelligence that shimmered in his eyes, and knew that he would see through any clumsy attempt at seduction in a second. Maybe she could bribe one of the officers, but with what? Suddenly, she regretted her thoughtlessness in leaving the money the PGL had deposited in her bank account behind. She had thought it would be an unnecessary burden. On the other hand, Talon seemed like a man who knew every one of his men very well, and who had all of them under control. Would any of them dare to go against him, anyway?
Unfortunately, there were no windows in the cabin. She would have liked to watch her flight from Earth. She thought about the planet she had grown up on, with a mix of relief and melancholy. She thought of her parents, whom she had never met. Her adoptive parents had died soon after she had arrived at the Mind Reader Academy. The only thing that really hurt was thinking about Coran. Her twin brother had disappeared when they had turned 15, but she had never given up hope of finding him some day. She thought of the games they used to play together. Coran was the only person who had ever showed her unconditional affection, and thinking about him hurt so much that she had to bite down on her lip to make the lump in her throat go away. The further they travelled from the Blue Planet, the more she felt like she was betraying Coran. Wasn’t her escape from the Mind Readers just that? A betrayal of everything Cat had ever believed in. After more than ten years of searching for her twin brother in vain, there seemed to be little hope of finding him alive, and yet … she sighed. She had given up on getting lucky a long time ago, but how could she leave the only place where she had a chance of finding Coran alive?
Maybe, she thought in a deeply buried corner of her heart, she could have been somewhat happy with a man like Talon. But with a vain braggart like Ferthoris III? Definitely not. Talon … at that moment, the space glider came to a standstill. Cat stood up, uneasy, and took a few steps towards the door behind which Talon had disappeared, and then came back. Was the small space ship changing direction now, too? She had the feeling, even without being able to look out the window that they were flying back towards Earth.
Her heart started to beat loudly and irregularly. A bead of sweat ran down her back, and not because of the near tropical temperature on board. Had the commander made contact with the authorities before departing the official territory that was under Earthly control? Then he would know that there was a warrant out for her arrest. The game would be up before it had even started. Nobody could resist the power of the Mind Readers, even if only a fraction of the once powerful agency existed now, after the collapse. She wondered if it would help if she threw herself at his feet and begged him to save her. Maybe it would help if she appealed to his protective instinct.
At that moment, the door opened, and Talon came into the passenger cabin. Even though his face was expressionless, Cat thought she detected tension in the way he held himself. His broad chest and proud, sweeping neck gave nothing away. His clenched fists, however, were an obvious sign.
End of the Reading Sample.
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More Romance Reads
Dear Readers,
Are you ready to hear a secret? Well okay, it’s not a very shocking one, but I am going to tell you anyway. Before I became a writer, I was a bookseller. Yes, I’ve loved books from the very beginning! What’s more, the thing I loved most about my job was finding the perfectly matched book for everyone who came in. That’s the part I miss most, so I thought I’d share some of my own recent discoveries, as well as some of my longtime favorite authors with you.
First is Cynthia Sax. You’ve probably already read some of her sizzling hot romances, but if not, grab your copy of the “Seen” trilogy and prepare to be absorbed into a gripping story. I admire her writing style as well as her deep compassion, which you can feel on every single page, and in every word, Cynthia writes.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006HIJICK
She creates heroes you will never forget and heroines who deserve that term in their own right: Laurann Dohner. Her male protagonists are often tortured heroes whose female counterparts save them from loveless lives – and vice versa. I know that happens a lot in romance, but the way Laurann Dohner does it is exceptionally emotional, exceptionally complex and simply unique. Don’t miss her VLG series!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CE7XR4
Sweet romance. Burning hot sex. Old fashioned love. You name it, and Nellie C. Lind will deliver. She is one of my recent discoveries and I cannot get enough of her books. Nellie’s “Bound by Her” books moved me to tears and that doesn’t happen very often. What’s more; Nellie is a versatile writer and will satisfy your need for vampires, as well as for cyborgs, elves or even gods.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IW3Y1K2
Do you like modern retellings of classic fairy tales and children’s books? Are you in the mood for a sinister, even shocking, read? In this case, give Christina Henry’s mad, twisted version of “Alice” a try. Prepare yourself for pure evil when you accompany Alice and Hatcher on their escape from the madhouse. The mix of horror and thriller elements, plus some very cruel characters, makes this a tough reading experience, but for me it was worth the tears, fears, and the nightmares this book gave me.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JZAMXQ
Love-at-first-sight does exist outside of romance novels! At least, I fell instantly in love with Keri Arthur’s “Lizzie Grace” two-book series, the moment I turned over page one. In book one, the heroine, Lizzie Grace, is a witch. Sh
e is estranged from her family and now the owner of a café, who finds herself in search of a missing teenager. This book is an irresistible blend of romance, mystery and a world full of vampires, werewolves and witches.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001IGUPSM
Oh, and just in case…None of these authors asked me to read their novels or bribed me with chocolate for mentioning them (a woman can dream, can’t she?). I love reading, I love books and I love sharing them.
Fondly,
Jenny Foster
The Author
Hello,
I am Jenny Foster.
Ever since I can remember, I have loved to write. These days, I concentrate mostly on romantic fantasy stories and sci-fi novels.
Sometimes I still shake my head at myself. Me and sci-fi? “Never,” I would have said, even just a few years ago. I am much too caught up in the here and now for that. Thinking about how big the universe is, and how small we are in comparison, leaves me awestruck. Just the idea of black holes gives me nightmares, especially when I consider the possibility of being swallowed up by one. And yet - something about the idea of aliens just wouldn’t let me go.
That is how the idea of my first alien novel with an extra-terrestrial was born. It doesn’t matter that this first try is still in the bottom of a drawer, and that it definitely should stay there. Now I am able to develop my aliens into characters that speak to my romantic side: men who just happen to come from a distant galaxy, but who are also as loveable, crazy and passionate as I want them to be (and you, too!)
My other passion in writing is for the creatures who live at the edge of our world. Werewolves, panther shifters and possibly vampires – all of them fascinate me. So, I try to capture them with the help of my keyboard and bring them to life. However, I gave up trying to tame them a long time ago.
Other than writing, I am passionate about two things: reading and my dog. Sometimes I also bake in order to relax. But I would much rather dive into strange worlds. It never ceases to amaze me how many strange worlds are snoozing in our heads, and I look forward to every book that makes me lose track of time.
My dog makes sure that I don’t spend all day in front of my laptop or with my head buried in a book. My day begins and ends with the little black rascal, who also lets me know if I have been writing for too long. Without this clown, my apartment would definitely be cleaner, but I would probably weigh 40 pounds more and wouldn’t laugh at least once a day.
Let’s get back to writing.
A few years ago, I got together with other Indie-authors, so we could support each other in our careers and in promoting our books. All of us love to write romance novels with heroes and heroines who give everything (and sometimes more) to find what is most important in every life: love.
Lastly, I would like to invite you to sign up for my newsletter at www.jenny-foster.com/releases. You can unsubscribe any time you want, of course, and I will never pass your information on to others, nor will I ever send you any spam. Instead, you will receive a lot of news about alien men, thrilling fantasy stories and crackling romance novels.
Sincerely,
Jenny Foster
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Legal Information
Copyright © Jenny Foster
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
The characters, places, and events portrayed in this book are completely fiction and are in no way meant to represent real people or places.
Warning: The author’s stories contain mature themes and language. They are intended to be enjoyed by an 18+ audience only.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
„The Prey (Betania Breed Book Two);
A SciFi Alien Romance
by Jenny Foster;
Published by:
ARP 5519, 1732 1st Ave #25519 New York, NY 10128
March 2018
Contact: info@allromancepublishing.com
1. Edition eBook (Version 1.0); March 2nd, 2018
© 2018
Image Rights:
© diversepixel – Fotolia.com / © _italo_ – Fotolia.com
Table of Contents
Dear Readers
About this Novel
Contents
Part 1: The Assignment
Part 2: The Pursuit
Part 3: The Lawless
Sneak Peek Volume III
More Romance Reads
The Author