Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the
participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)
I’ve switched to excerpts from my upcoming release, Danger in the Stars. This story is a companion piece to Star Cruise: Stowaway, my story in the PETS IN SPACE anthology, and is a completely standalone novel about the sister of Stowaway‘s heroine. The book is currently in copy edits. Continuing on from last week, where the heroine, Miriell, had a strong reaction to an unknown man’s voice (not Jareck). UPDATE to Clarify: Jareck is a VERY Bad Guy assigned by the Combine to ‘control’ Miriell. She knows him well and rightly hates him. Conor is the new person they’ve just met, the one with the wonderful voice and the description here. I realize it’s confusing getting the story in snippets 🙁 We’ll see what the editor says!
With painful effort, she straightened her spine and stepped away, brushing one hand down her plain gray tunic in a vain attempt to smooth out the wrinkles. “I can walk.”
“You don’t look like it.”
Their new companion was no one she’d ever met before, tall, broad shoulders, heavily muscled, with black hair and gray eyes that were almost silver. She was mesmerized by his eyes. Miriell wished she dared to engage her gifts, get a sense of this person, maybe figure out why he made her feel safe, when clearly she was anything but. Jareck stopped to pick up his kit bag, never releasing his hold on her.
“Conor’s right, we’ve got to be going. You’re ready to behave, right?”
Submissively she nodded, bottling up her anger and hatred. Someday I’ll get my chance and you will die.
The story:
Miriell, a powerful empathic priestess, has been kidnapped from her own primitive planet along with a number of her people, and sold to the evil Amarotu Combine, largest organized crime syndicate in the Sectors. When she and her handler are sent to use her power to commit an assassination, she must leave behind her own sister as hostage to ensure her compliance. Miriell cannot ask for aid without endangering herself and others.
Despite his best efforts, Combine enforcer Conor Stewart is entranced by Miriell, and helps her evade the worst of brutal treatment from the rest of the mob. But Conor must keep his distance, before the lovely empath learns that he has secrets of his own–secrets that could get them both killed.
The situation becomes dire when Conor and Miriell come to the attention of both the Combine overlords and the deadly Mawreg, aliens who threaten the Sectors. Can she save herself and the Mawreg’s next victims? And will Conor help her, or remain loyal to his evil bosses?
Mentioning her anger casually at the end of the snippet was very effective.
I like the way she thinks and her inner declaration. Great snippet, Veronica. 🙂
I think Jarek’s days are numbered if she has her way.
Great snippet–nice cliffhanger at the end. Great description of Jarek–too bad he’s in trouble.
Sorry for the confusion – the new person who is described is Conor, NOT Jareck the bad guy. It’s hard to be clear enough sometimes with limited snippets. sigh!
Oh, Conor is there now. I have some hope for Minell. Looking forward to this release! 🙂
I thought with how you described him, Jareck was the hero. I misread it, too. So that was Connor. Cool. Can’t wait to read this story.
Oh no, Jareck is a VERY bad guy. Yup, I was afraid it would get confusing with just snippets, rather than the entire flow of the story. I’ll see what I can do next week. Thanks!
I really appreciate the comments and feedback, very helpful – so my thanks to everyone!
Oh, I liked his description … and what a last line … it’s going to be interesting.
I bet there’s a good reason she feels safe around Conor. hehe. And I loved the last line.
Love the promise in that last line, Veronica. Nicely done.
What an interesting twist to this story. Go get him, girl. You have the POWER! Fine heroine. Hugs, my friend and kisses to the munchkin
I hope Conor is the kind of guy who won’t let Jared mistreated her!
That’s a promise I can’t wait to see her keep! I like her restraint i.e. her gifts and her patience here. Very strong woman.
I hope Conor is going to protect her against the evil Jareck. Great snippet.
Intriguing snippet, Veronica
I suspect she will get her wish to kill him. Presumably he has some means to control her.
I hadn’t expected her last inner thought. Well done.
For the record, I knew who the bad guy was. Love her very non-submissive thought at the end…
Well, Conor’s certainly going to have his hands full if she goes through with the mental threat at the end! Great snippet.
So, she feels safer with Conor there, but Jarek thinks he’s an ally. Interesting.
I like her attitude!
I like her ending thought. Promises for some serious get-even by the end of the story. 🙂
The lady is spirited.
Yes. Feisty heroine ftw!
Love the snippet, especially the end, and his description made me swoon a little. 😉
He’s just so easy to hate. “Ready to behave?” Grr. Hope she gets away from him, at the very least!
Great snippet! I found myself visualizing his eyes and swooning – I’m a sucker for guys with light colored eyes. Can’t wait to read more!
Nice snippet. That man’s going to die horrible, if she has her way. 🙂
I don’t think I was confused as to who was who, but I did think it interesting that she’s already planning Jarek’s demise. Can’t wait to see her do it, too!