I’ve decided to go through my backlist, sharing the first meeting between the two main characters in each book. It’s always fun for me to revisit the books and I hope it will be for you too! Or if you’ve never happened to read a certain book, maybe I can entice you into giving it a try.
For IVOKK I put all my love of “Top Chef” and all my years of watching the chefs on that program into my creation of Sandara, the three star chef running the packs’ commissary in their Sanctuary Valley hideaway from the enemy. Ivokk is the senior enforcer for the South Seas pack. Sandara was a supporting character in an earlier book who my readers felt I treated poorly and they insisted she needed her own book, so I gave her one!
The excerpt:
“I understand you wanted to see me?” she asked as soon as she got close enough, keeping her tone neutral but even so catching Bishof cringing from the corner of her eye. Well, she was a busy woman with many problems to solve. She raised her chin obstinately. Queen of the Kitchen the staff called her behind her back and she was happy to live up to the title.
He tilted his head to her in an almost courtly motion. “I’ve brought you the day’s catch.”
Sandara evaluated the bounty now disappearing into the freezer. “I see that. My staff will record the totals, no need to worry. Your pack’s assignment will be recorded as completely met for the day.” Nicolle’s administrative staff kept track of all the work for the entire population in the valley. All personnel had jobs to do, every day, except for authorized rest days and when the Badari were away on a mission. Sandara approved of Nicolle’s single minded attention to detail because in order for this odd mix of an ad hoc colony and war refugees to survive, it did require everyone’s best efforts. Slackers couldn’t be allowed, or not for long.
He shook his head and extended one huge hand. “The name is Ivokk, in case you’ve forgotten. We’ve only met in passing. I’m not concerned about recording the totals. I’ve had a lucky find today and I wanted to confer with you on the cooking.”
Surprised because the Badari normally avoided physical contact with the humans, Sandara shook hands, exerting as much pressure into her grip as possible, which made his lips twitch in amusement. Hands on her hips, she said, “I’m an expert on preparing sea food but let’s see what you’ve got. Probably not enough for a main dish. Did you want us to cook it specially, for your Alpha perhaps?” She hoped he wasn’t going to ask her to fix a dish for his attempt to woo a human woman. She and her kitchen were too busy keeping the valley inhabitants alive to go down that route, although as a chef before the colonists were all kidnapped by the aliens and brought here she’d enjoyed the challenge of preparing a special dinner for a proposal or even a first date, if the requestor was truly a gourmet who could appreciate the subtleties of the dishes.
But that life was over, for the second time in her adulthood.
And of course if an Alpha was involved, she’d have to make a concession. Would an enforcer merit the same? Probably.
Realizing she was allowing her thoughts to wander, Sandara clenched her jaw and waited.
Ivokk was looking left and right, as if in search of something and the next moment he strode away from her, going to a long worktable. “Is this clean?”
“My staff knows the surfaces in my kitchen had better be clean enough to eat from, washed after every use.” Sandara followed him and raised her voice.
“All right then.”
When she reached his side, curiosity piqued despite the annoyance, he gave her a glance and then opened the sack, withdrawing five mollusks and setting them on the table. Astonished because she’d never seen these before, Sandara reached to touch one of the shells, which were whorled and a blend of greens and blues. Each half of the shell was the size of Ivokk’s hand and the bivalves were closed up tight. “Where did you find these?”
He laughed, amber eyes sparkling in good humor. “Sorry, chef, have to keep my secrets. Can’t let these northern pack soldiers know what I found right under their noses in the lake. Their lake. We have a similar species on the reefs close to the island where we were created and imprisoned. Superb eating.”
VS: The conversation goes downhill from there…
Depositphotos
IVOKK: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL
Proud enforcer of the Badari South Seas pack, Ivokk undertakes a secret mission back to their former home, in search of a cure for a mysterious illness affecting his soldiers, now in exile in the north. He’s ready to make any sacrifice to find the answer and help his pack brothers stay strong. He’s even willing to accept responsibility for the human woman assigned to the mission, although she’s a headstrong civilian, difficult and rumored to dislike his kind.
Sandara DiFerria was once a three star chef in the Sectors, but that was before the alien enemy kidnapped the entire adult population of her colony to use for experimentation. Rescued from the labs by the Badari, she does her part to support the rebellion now by running the vast commissary operation in Sanctuary Valley. All she asks is to be left alone until she can get back to the Sectors and pick up her old life again. Her one previous romantic brush with a Badari soldier turned out badly, ending in public humiliation. Add to that post-traumatic stress from her life before moving to the colony and she’s the last person to pick for a top secret mission. Or so she believes.
The Alpha running the pack disagrees and sends her to do the job under Ivokk’s watchful eye. Thrown together by the nature of the task they must undertake, the undeniable attraction they both feel grows. Will the dark secrets of Sandara’s hidden past create an insurmountable barrier between them? Can Ivokk and the tempestuous human chef find the answer to the Badari illness in time? Or will the elements and the enemy bring disaster?
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