by D T Dyllin
Buuut … I still had so many questions; about Ash’s past, and all of our futures. With Ambassador Aralias dead and the warrant being lifted off of my head, things had settled back down, but for how long? Changes were brewing in the Universe, some good and some bad. I’d finally had the veil lifted from my eyes, and nothing looked the same anymore. There were so many secrets hidden behind what seemed like every star. I knew that rough times were going to come for all before things truly got better—if they got better. I was hopeful that our side would come out on top, but I was also a realist. Sometimes the good guys don’t win in real life. Sometimes the bad guys conquer all and rewrite history so no one ever knows the truth.
Ash stirred beneath me. “I thought I fucked you senseless, for a little while at least. You need to turn your brain off.”
“I can’t help it,” I murmured against his bare chest.
“Well shit, I guess I’m just going to have to try harder this time.” Ash spread my legs and slid into me from underneath. I moaned. “That’s my girl,” he rasped.
“Hey you! Big, ugly, and slimy!” I stood with my feet shoulder width apart, my laser gun trained on the huge slug looking creature.
The slug man slid around slowly to face me. Its huge black eyes regarded me with annoyance. No fear. Not good. “What do you want, hu-mutt?”
Oh no he didn’t! My hand shook with the effort it took not to squeeze the trigger on my laser gun. I’d seen slug man’s kind around before, and I still wasn’t sure how they communicated when it looked like they didn’t have a mouth. And something like him had the nerve to insult me? At least I looked like something other than a pile of sludge with eyes.
“What I want is for you to come with me. I’m taking you in, slime-o.” My gaze roamed over him thoughtfully. How the hell was I supposed to contain him? The laser cuffs definitely weren’t going to work. Maybe laser chains? Shit, I hadn’t brought them off the ship with me. Maybe threat at gunpoint was good enough? Why did I never think these things through? I’d seen slime-o’s picture in the database, but the whole no arms thing hadn’t really registered.
“Want my help?” Ash asked from just off to my right.
“No,” I grated. “We talked about this. I’m the bounty hunter. You’re just here so that you don’t drive me crazy worrying that—”
“He’s getting ready to attack.” Ash quirked an eyebrow. “Trust me, you really don’t want to deal with what he can do.”
I swung my gaze around to eye slime-o. He was just standing there. Scowling, I fumbled for the PAER on my belt. I lifted it up just as it began to flash red. Not again. Seriously … not again! “What the hell can he do? He’s just a big ole’ slug man!”
Ash crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. “I thought you didn’t want my help?”
“Physical help! Tell me what you know.” I kept glancing back and forth between Ash, slime-o, and my PAER nervously.
“Nope. Information is very helpful, therefore if you don’t want my help, I’m not giving you any information either.”
“Ash!” I growled. He stared me down, letting me know he was willing to try and out stubborn me. He was learning entirely too quickly from me.
“Fine. Help me, puh-leeeaze.” I ground my teeth together. I still hated the fact that Ash knew more about … well, most things in the Universe than I did. It was only because he’d been alive for such a long ass time. As a bonded phoenix, I would live as long as he did, and since he was immortal … well, when I was as old as dirt like him, I’d know plenty more, too. It also sucked because he always got this smug expression on his face every time I caved and actually asked him for help.
“Too late.” Ash flamed forward and grabbed me, moving me back a few feet just as black sludge poured down in a sheet right where I’d been standing.
I stared at the black goo. “What would it have done?”
“Encased you in a cocoon. I would have had to burn you out. You would have been fine in the end. For most species once in there, it’s almost impossible to get them out. It’s usually a death sentence.”
“He threw black goo of death at me? Oh, slime-o is going down.”
“You want these?” Ash produced a set of laser chains; the very ones that I thought were still on the ship. Mostly because I had stated that we wouldn’t need them so I didn’t want to be bogged down by them. And Ash had brought them anyways. I wanted to both kiss and hit him for not listening to me. And ugh. He’s right again.
He winked. “You can thank me later.”
I snorted. “Whatever.” I snatched the chains from Ash and moved cautiously towards slime-o. The entire time I had a huge grin plastered across my face. As much as it infuriated me on one level … okay, having Ash next to me while I was on a hunt … it was my happy place.
Or at least one of them.
Boy, my acknowledgements are super redundant. *lesigh * But just because I write practically the same thing in all of them doesn’t mean I love or appreciate anyone any less than authors with kick ass acknowledgements. It just means that by the time I finish a book my creativity is temporarily spent. Apparently that includes thinking up unique things to say here. Sooo … without farther ado …
This is the part where I get to thank all the people who made this book possible. I really hope I don’t leave out someone important. I know I say something similar in all of my acknowledgements, but Holy Cow, Batman! The thought of forgetting to thank someone important is SUPER stressful. It’s like when your mind goes blank when trying to take an important test. *pulls the covers over my head* But here I go anyways … as usual … EEP!
First I’d like to thank my amazing Hubby, who is supportive and patient beyond the realm of what I imagine any normal man is … dah dah da duuuh … Super Hubby! (Copy and paste! I’m just going to put that in every book because it makes him smile.)
Next I would like to thank my parents for encouraging my love of reading and crazy imagination during my most impressionable years. Carnegie Library rocks! (Again … copy and paste! Lol)
Then of course there are my kick ass beta readers for Starblind: Kristin Bingham, Shona Lawrence, Tiffany Mahaffy, Claire Thake, and Natalie Trantham. Thank you so for taking the time to read another of my books so quickly! It really humbles me how awesome you are to me! Love you!
I need to thank Lindsay Tiry for her amazing cover design! She always goes above and beyond for me and puts up with all of my ‘notes’. Anyone who doesn’t know what that means … consider yourself lucky. Ha!
Let’s not forget Nadège from Inkstain Interior Book Designing! She made all the prettiness possible that’s happening within these pages.
Of course Melissa from There for You Editing, who fixed all those things—you know, those things … Words! Yes, she fixed all the words.
And I’d like to give an extra special thanks to Ren Reidy for heading up the Tik Tok Press team. My books would probably disappear into the ether and have a ton of typos without you. And let’s not forget that your MS comments keep me entertained during one of the most boring parts of publishing.
Last but certainly not least: Thank you to all the book bloggers, readers, and fans who keep me going! I wouldn’t be anywhere if not for you guys! I love each and every one of you! Big Booky Hugs!
D.T. Dyllin is a bestselling author who writes both paranormal and contemporary romance. Anything with a love story is her kryptonite. Her obsession with affairs-of-the-heart is what first drove her to begin twisting her own tales of scorching romance.
D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband and two spoiled German Shepherds.
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