by Bianca D'Arc
“Have you given any thought to how the Council is going to react?” Micah broke in on Agnor’s happy thoughts.
“React to what? The crystals? I figured they’d cause quite a stir.”
“The crystals, yes…” Micah trailed off, which drew Agnor’s full attention. “But what I was really thinking of was you and your lady. You missed some things while you were on your mission to Ipson. Darak and Jana have been retested and both are now Shas, just like Jeri and me. I think I’m looking at two more in you and Bet, if I’m not very much mistaken.”
Agnor was floored. Sha was the highest rank a Talant could attain. There were only ever a handful of Shas in each generation. Sometimes, only one or two. If Micah was right—and Agnor had no reason to doubt his old friend—this little lounge held six of the most powerful Talents in the galaxy.
And he was one of them. And Bet too.
Well…of course they were Shas. Who better? And who else could have taken down the collective with only two lives lost and thousands freed?
“We did experience another energy storm when those three crystals shattered above Ipson,” Agnor thought aloud. “I knew the whole crew gained a level or two, but there was nobody available to test me, and I’m not very objective when it comes to Bet, so I left her retesting until we got home.”
“We’ll make it all official later, but there’s little doubt in my mind right now, Ag. Welcome to the highest rank there is.” Micah reached over and shook Ag’s hand, wearing a big grin. “Life is about to get really strange.”
Micah hadn’t been kidding. In the weeks that followed, Agnor and Bet did, indeed, test out as Shas. They were given all sorts of acclaim for having returned to Geneth Mar triumphant and routing the collective.
There was still much to do. Jana and Darak took up the cause of the collective’s conscripted army. They were organizing the ranks and helping repatriate those soldiers who wanted to go back to their homeworlds. Micah and Jeri handled the political aspects of being Shas. They interfaced with the Council more than any of the other newly minted Shas, and Agnor was just as happy to leave them to it. Politics wasn’t his thing.
Instead, he and Bet had been working on the scientific side of things. They were overseeing all work with the crystals, and Bet was in charge of their storage and care. The spallings Ki had given them were alive in a way the crystals the collective had been given weren’t. Because of that, they needed extra care, and because of the added dimension of conscious life, they were able to allow communication back to their source.
It was a time of discovery and innovation. Communication and the building of relationships between two very different species.
Agnor also loved working with Bet every day. He loved the fact that she was now treated with the respect she should always have gotten and that she was coming out of her shell more and more, but still retained that quiet, gentle way that made her so very appealing. He just loved her. Period.
They had made plans for their wedding. It was supposed to be a small affair, but for the two newest Shas on Geneth Mar, a small wedding was just not possible. Jeri and Jana had turned their little ceremony into something for the ages, but Agnor didn’t mind, as long as Bet was happy.
Finally, the day arrived, and Agnor met her in front of the crowd of well-wishers and friends. They exchanged their vows and pledged their troth. They had a big party, surrounded by those who had come to celebrate their union. The day, and the night, that followed were absolutely perfect.
“I love you, my husband.” Bet reached upward to kiss him.
“I love you, my wife,” he replied, kissing her back.
Bet sighed happily and laid her head against his shoulder. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing that.”
“Me neither,” he agreed, feeling smugly happy, alone at last with his new spouse.
“I can’t believe the collective has just about collapsed,” she said quietly, running her fingers along his arm idly.
“There are a few pockets, but we can take the Calypso out again in a few weeks and free those poor souls who are still trapped.” Personally, he wouldn’t rest until every captured Talent was freed.
“I’d like that. Nobody should be controlled like that.”
Agnor knew she’d seen a lot as she had freed so many of the collective’s victims. So had he.
“We won’t stop, my love. Not until every last one of them is free.”
With that vow ringing through his mind, Agnor finally slept, secure in the arms of his soul mate.
# # #
Thanks for reading Shy Talent (StarLords #3). If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review.
Scroll down to read an excerpt from Bianca D’Arc’s EPPIE Award winning Resonance Mates series. This futuristic menage romance series consists of five books, all of which are now available.
Following the excerpt from Hara’s Legacy (Resonance Mates #1), there is also a small snippet from another of her space opera romance series, the Jit’Suku Chronicles. This multi-generational saga begins with the four kings. The excerpt here is from the first book, King of Swords.
A complete list of all of Bianca’s books, separated by series, follows the excerpt. You can also check out Bianca’s website at WWW.BIANCADARC.COM. Or you can sign up for Bianca’s Newsletter to be alerted when new books are released.
EXCERPT
Hara’s Legacy by Bianca D’Arc
Resonance Mates #1
"Justin is mad as a hornet about something," Caleb said as he smacked his work gloves to rid them of the perpetual dust. He laid his hat aside and took off his jacket as he stomped inside the big kitchen, greeting his wife with a smacking kiss.
Jane put her coat on and picked up a wire bucket. "I have to get the eggs anyway, maybe I'll try to see what's up with him."
Caleb stayed her with a hand on her arm. "He's in a foul temper, Janie. Don't let him upset you."
She patted his hand and reached for the doorknob. "I won't. But Caleb, he needs a friend."
Caleb muttered as he watched her traipse down the path toward the chicken coop and the barn nearby where Justin kept his Harley.
"What he needs is a woman," Caleb muttered out loud, knowing Jane couldn't hear him, trying hard not to let guilt flood his mind. Jane would be back like a shot then, and he would have to explain why he felt guilty about being the only brother with a wife.
He'd tried desperately to hide the fact that the larger part of the guilt came from the fact that he felt he'd stolen Jane out from under Mick's nose, or that he suspected Justin would have courted her too, had he been home at the time her daddy died. Caleb felt like a heel. He was supposed to protect his little brothers, not cheat them out of the best woman in the world.
At the time though, he'd figured they would find other great women and settle down. Now though, with the shortage of women of any kind, the prospects were grim, and Caleb felt worse each day and each night he spent in Jane's loving arms.
Caleb watched her through the kitchen window, but staggered a moment later, as he was hit with a wave of precognitive vision that clouded his senses as it hadn't done in years. At least not this strongly. Not since the dire vision of the alien invasion had he been gripped so tightly by his gift and he slumped into one of the hard wooden chairs, letting the vision take him where it would. Surrendering to his vision, he almost feared what he might see, but resolved to use his gift to protect his family - the most important thing in his life.
* * *
Jane collected the eggs, setting the pail down on a shelf where it would be safe while she went to find Justin. He was really touchy lately, and mostly refused her offers of friendship and a friendly ear, but if she got close enough to him, she could read his emotions and at least give Caleb some clue as to what might be wrong. Caleb was the problem solver of the family, but he needed something to go on before he could put his quick mind to work to find a solution. Jane's empathic powers had provided those much needed clues in the
past and she didn't mind helping him in this small way if it meant she could help the other men as well. She loved them all and she wanted them to be happy.
Jane knew Justin usually hid himself in the big stall he'd arranged to house his Harley and the various tools he needed to keep it in prime condition. It was about the size of one of the large birthing stalls in the barn, but unlike the rest of the building, it was spotless, with nary a piece of hay in sight. The concrete was a little oil stained, but there were good lights in there so Justin could easily see into the engine of his beloved machine. There was also a huge stack of spare parts and fluids that he had managed to stock up on before the cataclysm that would ensure the machine functioned well for the next twenty years at least. Caleb's precognition had allowed them to stock up on all sorts of things that were unavailable or hard to get now.
Jane approached slowly, seeing the light on through the partially opened door. Justin had made this small room his very own retreat. There was a space heater, a comfy chair, and a small cooler with the bottled beer she'd learned how to brew for her men. They'd loved that little surprise, she knew, and a smile dawned on her face as she thought of their incredulous reaction when she'd served up the first batch a few months ago.
The door was ajar just a few inches and she approached cautiously. Justin's temper was so unpredictable, though she knew he would never hurt her. Still, she didn't want to alienate him. She hated when he turned away from her. Only Caleb could console her when Justin's anger made him shut her out and of course, then Caleb would have words with Justin for hurting her tender empathic feelings and only make the situation worse. If at all possible, she wanted to come out of this encounter with nothing more than the information she knew Caleb would be waiting for, and no overwhelming emotions that would cause further strife between the brothers.
She edged forward, into the small patch of light that was spilling into the dark barn.
"Justin?" she asked tentatively, not wanting to startle him. His reactions were lighting quick and she'd learned not to sneak up on him unless she wanted to risk bodily injury.
"Go away Jane."
The words held anger and she heard a frantic sort of rustling as she pushed the door wider to peer inside. It was obvious what she had interrupted and her face flamed red. Justin's magnificent tattooed chest was bare, his fly was open, and his hand was barely covering his thick erection.
She was caught, like a deer in headlights, her mouth forming a perfect O of surprise that only made things worse. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, feeling waves of his anger, desire and turmoil that literally took her knees out from under her.
He saw her begin to crumple and moved to catch her. "Dammit Jane," he growled as he caught her behind her knees, bringing her into the room and placing her on the overstuffed chair he'd been sitting in. He left her there while he tried to tuck in his stiff cock and force the zipper up, but it hurt like hell and when she gasped and he looked up to see her wide eyes watching him, he nearly came right then and there.
"Justin," she said softly as he turned away. "I'm sorry. I just… got overwhelmed for a moment with your anger." Her lovely, sympathetic eyes made him squirm. "I'm so sorry."
He knew he had to get himself under control or risk hurting her more. Her damned empathic senses were too closely attuned to the O'Hara boys. She'd always been able to read him like a book and he knew his anger and turmoil could hurt her.
To read more, get your copy of Hara’s Legacy today, wherever books are sold! The Resonance Mates series consists of:
Hara’s Legacy
Davin’s Quest
Jaci’s Experiment
Grady’s Awakening
Harry’s Sacrifice
EXCERPT
King of Swords by Bianca D’Arc
Jit’Suku Chronicles ~ Arcana #1
Adele pushed through the portal and waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the gloom inside. What she could see of the place was clean and well kept. The atmosphere was dark, quiet and relaxing rather than sinister as she'd half expected. She noted the big men at the bar as her eyes adjusted slowly, scanning the room for her aunt. The place was set up with small private booths and one long bar area where the men clustered. Soldiers, they had to be, though they were all in civ clothing. On leave or perhaps retirees, she guessed, noting the bartender looked to built on the same grand scale. Soldiers were just bigger than regular human males. It had something to do with their diet and training, she knew, but other than that, she hadn't paid much attention.
Unlike many civilians, Adele had no real opinion about soldiers. Oh, she appreciated the sacrifices they made trying to keep the Milky Way Galaxy safe from the jit'suku threat, but she'd never really had any dealings with them on a personal basis. She knew many civ men discriminated against them-probably because they felt small by comparison.
She'd seen soldiers here and there throughout her travels and to a man they were all huge and rather intimidating. She supposed a civilian man would feel a little threatened by their towering height and imposing brawn, but she felt somehow comforted by their large, protective presence. Surely, if men such as these were fighting the jit'suku out on the rim, the rest of humanity would always be safe. They inspired that kind of confidence with their silent, somewhat menacing ways.
Adele swept the room once again but didn't see her aunt, so she decided to brave the quiet crowd at the bar to ask. She walked to an open space, feeling enclosed by the heat of the big men sitting on either side of her, but she refused to acknowledge the sort of tingly reaction that skittered through her body. It wasn't fear exactly, but it was definitely something that surprised her.
"Pardon me," she said in a voice that carried to the bartender. All eyes turned to her and she found herself the unexpected center of attention. "Can you tell me if Della Senna is here? I understand she's dealing here now." The bartender slung a towel over his shoulder and walked toward her with a rolling gait that oozed sex appeal. She'd never been this close to a soldier, much less half a dozen of them, and each and every one was solidly built, and handsome as sin. This bartender was perhaps the prettiest of the bunch, with perfectly chiseled features and a confident, friendly expression.
When he smiled, she felt the bottom fall out of her stomach. He was definitely what her old friend Mary would label DDG—Drop Dead Gorgeous.
"Della's on break, but she'll be back in about five minutes if you want to wait."
His deep voice sent little shivers down her spine. The man was sexy as hell and dangerous to boot. She could feel it crackling in the air around him as he stopped right in front of her on the other side of the bar. She was glad of the hard metal of the bar between them. His attention shifted to the man seated on her right. A slight nod and narrowing of his eyes was all that was needed to make the other man jump into action. A moment later, he'd drawn a barstool up behind her and politely assisted her to sit.
"Thank you." She looked over at the man on the right, surprised by his youth. This soldier was definitely younger than her and his clothes looked brand new. Perhaps he was on leave. She smiled at him and his face seemed to heat just the tiniest bit with a flush of embarrassment. She liked the young man immediately. He was polite and a little shy, which surprised her even more. Built like a freighter, she wouldn't have imagined anything as simple as a smile could fluster him, but apparently it did.
"What'll you have, ma'am?" The bartender polished a small glass and set it before her, probably assuming she'd have a typical girly drink suited to the petite glass. Feeling daring, she smiled with an air of challenge. "Do you have any Pearson's Star Ale on tap?"
The bartender straightened and smiled, taking the little glass away. "Indeed I do. Coming right up."
When he turned to fetch her ale, she was treated to a lovely view of his sculpted ass. The man was pure muscle and his formfitting pants showed his assets off to best advantage. She'd bet he made great tips from the ladies based just on his butt alone. Sighing, she and sat back
on the surprisingly comfortable stool. She didn't feel as out of place here as she'd feared. The atmosphere was quiet, but welcoming.
A moment later the handsome bartender was back, placing a frothy, frosted pint before her with relish. Adele licked her lips, staring at the perfectly poured portion. She had a taste for this particular brew and didn't partake of it often due to its hefty price, but this occasion seemed to call for it. With relish, she took a sip of the thick, dark ale and the taste exploded on her tongue.
"Mmm, delicious."
She moved to get her credit chit, but a big hand swooped in from the side, pressing a credit chit into the bartender's hand.
"Allow me, ma'am."
Startled, she looked over to acknowledge the huge man sitting to her left. Blonde and blue eyed, this guy was a little older than her. Probably a retiree, and a recent one, if the newness of his clothing was anything to go by. Soldiers didn't usually have a lot of money to spare when they left the service and this ale was a luxury. She couldn't let him pay for it in good conscience, though it was a lovely gesture.
"That's very kind of you but-"
"It would be my pleasure. My name is David." His smile totally disarmed her. It was even more devastating than the bartender's.
"I'm Adele," she found herself answering, though she hadn't intended to give out any personal information to people she didn't know on this little sojourn to the far side of the station.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady."
The bartender groaned. "You need to brush up your lines, Dave. That one's as old as the core." The other men around them laughed and David smiled good naturedly. He seemed used to the ribbing from his comrades and paid it no mind.
