You're invited to dinner at the home of Clan Tranis.
* * * *
Cassidy was hanging out with her Imdiko clanmate Degorsk, who was cooking dinner in the clan’s roomy kitchen, when her other clanmates came in.
Both of them. Cassidy shrieked in delight and leapt in Lidon’s arms. “My Nobek! When did you get in?”
He beamed at her enthusiastic welcome. “Less than an hour ago. I went straight to Tranis’ office, hoping to catch him before he came home. How are you? How is our little one?”
He caressed her belly, the evidence of the baby just beginning to curve its surface.
“We’re fine.”
“She’s tired,” Degorsk groused. He squeezed Lidon’s arm in greeting. He flipped his waist-length braid over his shoulder as his handsome face skewered her with a glare. “I had to threaten to fetch her from the lab to get her to come home.”
“I’m not tired. I told you the tests I was running might go late.” Cassidy’s eyes rolled, but her irritation was slight. She’d known her clanmates, particularly Degorsk, might become overly cautious when she’d decided to continue her pregnancy rather than freeze the embryo. Kalquorian men were notorious for becoming mother hens in such situations.
“You were at work for ten hours today. You have to be tired.” He scowled and returned to basting the ronka ribs on the kitchen island.
She shook her head. Her position as a microbiologist was exhilarating, far from tiring. “You won’t be happy unless you can keep me in bed all day.”
“That would make me happy.” Lidon’s brows wiggled to show her the scenario he had in mind was lascivious. He sniffed the air appreciatively. “After dinner.”
Cassidy laughed and pressed a kiss to her warrior clanmate’s lips. “I might actually be tempted to spend less time in the lab in such a case.”
Tranis stood apart watching them, his expression lit by a slight smile. Cassidy detected the darker emotions beneath his pleasure to have his entire clan home, however. He always carried a tinge of regret like a second skin. It was stronger than usual despite Lidon’s return.
“You didn’t bring bad news?” She asked the question of their Nobek, casting a significant look at Tranis.
“On the contrary. Our clan leader has had a difficult day at headquarters, however.”
“Top secret fleet stuff,” Tranis sighed as Degorsk turned from the oven where he’d stuck the ribs in to look him over.
“Which I’m cleared to hear about as one of the fleet’s on-call psychologists.”
“You’re no longer officially a fleet operative. Particularly when it comes to the spy department.”
“No, but I was informed I might be tapped to help a young ensign who went through a nasty experience in the field.” Their Imdiko popped a small salt potato in his mouth, eyeing Tranis. He sidled closer.
“Should I leave the room?” Cassidy was willing to step away if it meant Tranis could lessen his burden. He assumed responsibility too easily, including for matters he had no control over.
Besides, she could sneak a peek at her remote reports on her latest lab tests beyond Degorsk’s sight.
“Maybe you shouldn’t.” Tranis’ answer surprised her. “It might be helpful to get your professional opinion on the scientific end of what’s confronting me. You’ll have to sign a note of confidentiality, on pain of prosecution if you discuss this outside of us.”
“Oh, sounds so clandestine. Give me the contract and tell me more.” She beamed, curious about what was going on.
He did so but waited until they were seated at the table for dinner to talk.
The dining room was as snug as the kitchen, where Degorsk and Lidon cooked amazing meals when they weren’t too busy to settle for ordering in. Cassidy thought it was wonderful Lidon had been able to return to a homecooked meal. It almost felt like a celebration, which she believed the occasion warranted. Two months of her Nobek’s absence had been a trial, the small polished table for four feeling empty without his presence.
Tranis’ worry took some of the festiveness from their reunion, however. He told her what little he deemed necessary to gain her opinion. “There’s evidence a lifeform from another dimension has crossed partially over into ours. You’ve heard rumors of phasing technology?”
“They’re true? Have you done it? I’ll have to run tests on cellular samples.”
“I haven’t, but Lidon has as part of his latest mission. There are plenty of studies done on those who’ve phased, short and long term. I’ll get you the particulars.” Tranis offered her a bite of ribs.
Cassidy was practically dancing on her floor cushion and talked between chewing. “This is amazing. So this new lifeform, it’s noticed when you phase? Because you’re looking in another dimension?”
“It’s unclear what exactly is going on. Sometimes we can see them. Most the time we can’t, except for a few who catch them in their peripheral vision. One of our operatives believes there’s a sort of ‘between’ place separating dimensions, and that’s where most of our encounters are taking place. From there, these Darks, as most have taken to calling them, can affect our side of things.”
“Is it natural to them, or do they need the use of devices as we do?” Questions were arriving faster than Cassidy could catalog them.
“Unknown. My biggest question for you is what sort of lifeform can live in the vacuum of space?”
“It was observed doing so?” She pushed aside the forkful of potatoes Degorsk waved in front of her face. The Kalquorian tradition of the men feeding their female mate was occasionally a pain in the ass.
“A huge entity, bigger than our spyship, was indeed living in space, as did the miniature versions of itself that left its body. It seems to procreate by releasing smaller, identical pieces of itself. The smaller pieces can do the same, until they’re around the size of my fist.” He clenched his hand to demonstrate.
“Wow. That’s…that’s astonishing. Did anyone get samples?” She grabbed Degorsk’s wrist to keep the potatoes at bay.
“You have to eat. Can’t this wait?” he grouched to Tranis.
Their Dramok ignored him. “No samples, but we do have video footage.”
Video. She could barely breathe. “I have to see it.”
Tranis nodded. “I’ll show you after dinner. You’d better eat before Degorsk has a heart attack.”
“Apparently I’m the only one who recognizes she’s feeding two. Does anyone else care she’s pregnant and already overworking herself? Now you’re bringing her in on this?” Degorsk looked ready to fling his plate at someone.
“My Imdiko, this is a matter of great urgency,” Lidon soothed.
“Do the entities constitute a danger to the empire?” Cassidy asked, her excitement quieting. “They do, don’t they? Are they here?”
Tranis gazed at his half-eaten meal. “Maybe. They could be a threat to the entire galaxy.”
Degorsk stilled, his irritation shifting to concern. “How sure of that are you?”
Tranis looked at his clanmates, and ice stabbed Cassidy’s heart at his expression of open fear. “They already wiped out Bi’is.”
“What do you mean, ‘wiped out’?”
“Everyone on the planet is dead. Admiral Hobato doesn’t seem to care.”
* * * *
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Time
is running out to halt the Darks’ march to the Kalquorian Empire’s
annihilation.
Finally home on Kalquor, Dramok Ilid is haunted by his encounter with the Darks, which he barely survived. His struggle far from over, Ilid’s sanity and the empire’s existence hang on a quickly unraveling thread. When he learns the Darks have arrived on Kalquor, even his family’s love may not be able to keep him from an unthinkable end.
On Earth II, head of planetary security Nobek Kuran’s hands are full: meeting his potential in-laws, training his replacement, and keeping tabs on a rogue lieutenant governor with a secret agenda. His troubles are only beginning when a deadly attack on those he loves drives him to the brink of murder. Meanwhile, spy Nobek Selt finds himself growing far too close to his subject, reporter Blythe Nelson. Does his clan dare to romance a woman devoted to uncovering the truth, including their secret activities on her world?
Having wiped out the entire Bi’is civilization, the Darks have seized control of the Galactic Council of Planets and attempt to bring the Kalquorian Empire to its knees. Clans Tranis and Piras are desperate to stop the enemy from destroying Kalquor and its allies. Can Hope Nath and Chief Engineer Lokmi capture a lethal enemy capable of passing through all known barriers?
Releasing January 26
Pre-order now: Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, print
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