Today's First Chapter Friday is from BUNNY OMEGA ON THE RUN. It is the first book in my Shifter Towers series, and the first of 9 MPreg stories that I have written thus far. I have always loved tigers, and I have had many rabbits as pets, so it was fun to have them interacting together as shifters in this story. This story also deals with class differences, celebrity life, and finding your fated mate. It's available for 99¢ USD at Amazon as the series starter and is in Kindle Unlimited. I hope you'll check it out!

Kish

I eyed the barrel of the 9mm pointed at my face. Clutching my hands behind me, I tried to hide the excessive shaking throughout my body. “It’s okay. You can pay me later. I’ll...I’ll just be going.” Anything to get away from there alive.

The lanky, bald man in the black suit clicked the safety off. “There won’t be another time.”

Without waiting for a shot to be fired, I spun around and bolted down the street. I had no time to shift. I simply ran. Over fences. Through yards. Down one alley after another. I didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. My mom and siblings depended on me. I couldn’t help them if I was dead.

After what felt like forever, my thighs burned and chest ached. I had to stop. Or at least slow down. But I didn’t know if I was still being pursued. I dared a glance behind me. No one. Thank fuck! It was time to slow down. Shift and find a place to hide.

Smack!

I slammed into something hard. Someone hard. Liquid terror filled my veins. Somehow the guy in the suit had outsmarted me. I was dead. Gone. No chance to say goodbye to my family. My knees gave out, and I crumpled toward the ground. But strong arms caught me, lifted me back up. Did the man want to stare in my face when he killed me?

“Whoa, whoa. It’s okay, little omega. I won’t hurt you.” The man pulled me closer. Tight into his broad chest.

And that’s when I smelled the wild, rugged scent. A predator. Not the human who had been chasing me, but a tiger. I was in the arms of one of the most dangerous types of shifters in the world. But when I dared a glance up into his eyes, I only saw a concerned alpha. One whom I instantly recognized. TK. The pop star dominating all of the music charts. I’d had no idea he wasn’t human.

Filled with a new fear, I slowly backed away. Being anywhere near the star, I’d have more than one man with a gun after me. If he didn’t take me out, someone else would.

But TK didn’t let go so easily. He cupped my elbows, keeping me steady. “What were you running from?”

I didn’t answer. Behind TK, men in black suits—not cheap knockoffs like my pursuer had worn, but actual designer brands—eyed me, waiting for me to do something stupid.

Needing to prove I offered no harm, I shifted. In my shifted form, there was no way I could harm their charge.

I expected to fall to the ground and hop away. But TK didn’t let go of me. He held my scruff. “Oh my! You are the most gorgeous bunny I have ever seen. Just as beautiful as when you were in your human form.” He released his grip and stroked behind my shoulders. Then in between my ears. “You are just adorable with one ear up and one ear down.”

More like disfigured. My rabbit was a lop, supposed to have both ears down. But what did a tiger know about bunnies except how to eat them? Maybe he was buttering me up to do that later.

“TK! What are you doing? We’re filming here, remember?”

At the stern voice, I pushed up on my hind feet and rested my front paws on TK’s shoulder. Glancing behind him, I saw another man storming toward us. Not just any man. He was a shifter, too. A wolf. Their scent was pungently strong. And they often weren’t far from their pack. Were the guards, the betas and omegas to the alpha, getting closer and closer?

“I’m just relaxing with my bunny friend here.” He grabbed my scruff again and turned me onto my back.

“The only thing those rodents are good for is a meal for my wolf,” the other man growled as he kicked my clothes to the side.

Not if I had anything to do with it. TK smacked the other guy and, while he was distracted, I leaped to the ground. As soon as I had solid footing, I scrambled for the closest dark space. Under a dumpster. I thought about continuing out the other side and dashing far away, but I was still tired from my previous escape.

“Hey!” Another voice. One I recognized from only a short time ago. The guy with the gun. “Have either of you seen a little punk in a black hoodie run through here?”

I peered out from under the dumpster, ready to run again.

TK shoved the wolf shifter back then rounded on the guy with the gun. “First of all, don’t you dare show up on my music video set waving a gun around.”

The man instantly tucked his gun into his belt. “S-sorry, sir.” He bowed and backed up. “I’m simply looking for a young kid who wronged me in a deal. Have you seen him come through here?”

Wronged him? The only person wronged in the deal was me. They got their package delivered and the other half of the money I was promised upon delivery. But I wasn’t about to come out of hiding to say so.

“I did.” TK glared at the man. “He ran right into me then ran that way.” When TK pointed to the alley across the street, the man took off immediately.

But the wolf shifter shook his head. “Why did you send that guy in the wrong direction? That punk did him wrong. Plus, he shed all over your outfit. You should have let the dumb bunny suffer.”

“I don’t think so.” TK glanced toward the dumpster as if looking for me. “He was running for his life, not because he cheated someone. Plus, he was kind of cute.”

The wolf shifter rolled his eyes. “Shit, TK. It’s comments like that that make me wonder why I put up with you.”

“It’s because I make you a lot of money, Conn.” TK shoved past him and away from me. “Don’t forget that.”

Interesting. TK really did think I was cute, and had just saved my life. I’d never really listened to his music before, preferring alternative rock over his genre-bending pop. Though when I managed to get home, I was going to buy all his songs. Actually, I’d have to wait until I got paid from my real job next since today’s side deal went bad. But I would buy them. I had to pay him back for helping me.

My stomach rumbled. I was hungry. Needed to eat. But there were too many production people around to make a clean escape. I couldn’t risk it. Even though TK didn’t hand me over, one of them might.

Front paws outstretched, I rested my chin on them and watched the production happen. TK strolled down the street looking like a runway god, lip-syncing while his music played around him. It was a slow ballad, this time, and his soulful voice dug deep inside me as he sung about the sacrifices people make for love. Sacrifices I knew about. Not the romantic type, but for my family. Though I didn’t live at home anymore, I still helped my mother to pay her bills. My dad left us long ago, but with ten brothers and sisters, my mom couldn’t do it on her own. She worked three jobs while my oldest sister, Fleur, took care of the younger ones. I worked for a delivery service, but, on the side, I did some deliveries of not-so-legal goods that couldn’t leave an electronic trail. I had an unregistered phone for them, and no names were ever given. No texts, either. Just a quick phone call with an address and a dollar amount. As the oldest child, I had to help my mom somehow. And though she never asked how I got the money, she always told me how much she appreciated my help.

I returned my attention to the street. This time, TK wasn’t alone. And instead of walking, he was running. Toward a woman. When he reached her, he held her close, the way he’d held me, and kissed her. Not a quick peck, but much deeper. More intimate. Loving. A kiss that I only ever saw in movies. Ones my coworkers made me watch when we had our monthly movie night, because I would never watch such crap on my own. I preferred explosions, shootouts, and running for one’s life. But on screen. Not when I was part of it.

The kiss happened again. As if it wasn’t enough the first time. My chest suddenly exploded in pain. I flopped onto my side, trying to get it to end. Tears of agony streamed from my eyes. Was I dying? Rabbits didn’t live that long. Had my time finally come? I tried to move, get out from beneath the dumpster so I could shift back to my human form. But the strain was too much. So I just lay there, waiting for death to take me away. Today I wouldn’t die from a gunshot, but simply from being an old rabbit.

I didn’t die. Eventually the pain subsided. And my stomach decided to remind me how hungry I was once again. I peeked out from under the dumpster. TK was still on the street. This time in a long trench coat with tall, black leather boots. A look I liked even more than the previous burnt-orange dress shirt and pleated black pants. And the woman was gone. Somehow that made me relieved. But I couldn’t stay and watch anymore. I needed nourishment. A package of ramen noodles waited for me at home. Not much, but enough to satisfy my growling belly.

I hopped to the other side of the dumpster, made sure I had a clear path to the next street over then dashed away. Once I reached the adjacent alley, I shifted back to my human form then raced for home. Tomorrow I had to work a fourteen-hour shift at my legal job, so I needed to sleep after I ate and had a shower. Running into TK was nice, but it wasn’t as if I ever would again. 

Today's First Chapter Friday is from HIS ALIEN VIRGIN, the seventh story I wrote for Decadent Publishing's 1Night Stand line. While the hero and heroine have known each other for a long time, it takes an escape from a space pirate and an arranged date far from their home to get these two together. But are they meant to be?

Skylar shoved a shirt and a pair of pants—the only non-revealing clothes she owned—into her bag. She didn’t bother to zip it up, worried the sound of metal teeth grinding against each other would arouse her roommates. The last thing she needed to happen. They would only cause more delays. And she refused to live in the complex a moment longer. Or on the planet.

With a quiet breath, she tiptoed across the cold steel floor, weaving around the rays of light reflecting off the two moons into the dormitory.

A soft sigh echoed through the room and Skylar froze, biting her bottom lip to keep her panic from boiling over. She gazed around and noticed one of her roommates smiling, her eyes closed.

“Oh, Hay’den, you’ve come to rescue me.”

How they all wished for their heroes to come. Only, none ever did.

The girl rolled onto her side. If she opened her eyes, she’d find Skylar standing in front of her.

Please, don’t wake up. As much as she’d love to take them all with her, she didn’t have time to tell anyone of her plan. Plus, more bodies meant more noise and a greater risk of alerting her keeper of their purpose.

She glanced at the door. Her path to freedom lay only a few feet away.

After thirty seconds of no movement or sound from the other bunks, she continued her trek, daring to take the chance of being caught. Finally reaching the exit, she twisted the handle, but her sweaty palms did nothing to ease her escape. She wiped her hands on her barely there nightdress and twisted again, releasing a heavy breath at the satisfying click.

Peeking up and down the hallway, she saw no one to stop her, no one who would crush her dreams of getting off Rebed. Without a space pirate, that was. A shudder ran through her, and she swallowed down her unease. Once she got away, she no longer had to worry about the monster coming to claim her in the morning.

Time to go. Run! She dashed around a corner and down the empty corridor, toward the dark-as-space shipyard. Her heart pounded like a fist against her ribs. She’d never stolen anything in her life, but she had to leave, refused to remain in the hellhole a second longer.

She peeked outside, searching for a lookout, anyone who could stop her from reaching her destination. All clear. Though she wouldn’t breathe a sigh of relief until she’d left the atmosphere, landed on a new planet. For only then would she be free. If her brothers ever found out she’d escaped and broken her contract, they’d hunt her down, tie her up, and drag her back to Rebed—soil she never wanted to set foot on again. Yet, if she made it to the other side of the galaxy, she could blend in and never look back.

Spying her target, a star cruiser belonging to her brothers, she raced across the tarmac. After deserting her on the planet star cycles ago, Galan and Volan had finally come to visit, bringing their new wife, Danyka, to meet her. Skylar’s mother had married a blue-skinned humanoid with two sons. But when their parents died in a shuttle crash, she’d been left in the care of her teenage stepbrothers. She understood they weren’t mature enough to care for a child, but she’d been old enough to take care of herself. It hadn’t been necessary to drop her off on Rebed.

She slapped her palm on the scanner, shaking in anticipation. Please, let my print still be on file. So much time had passed since she’d flown in the vessel. Had her brothers changed the codes or erased her data once they’d abandoned her? Tapping her foot, she waited for a green light, for the door to open. Something.

She glanced behind her. Come on. Hurry!

Seconds, maybe minutes passed without a response. Sweat washed over her. She fought to catch her breath and tears stung the backs of her eyes. Please! Once the sun rose, she’d be twenty-one star cycles, legal to be presented to the disgusting creep who’d bought her contract, the exact person she wanted to escape.

A whoosh echoed to her left. With a startled jump, she stared in the direction of the sound. The door. She placed her hand over her chest. Thank the gods.

Ducking inside, she slid onto the captain’s chair. The ship now lay at her mercy. Finally, she had a chance to get off of the planet, an opportunity to live a new life. To be happy like she used to be when her parents were still alive, instead of dreading every second until her twenty-first birthday. It was time to live on her own terms, find her own love, rather than be chosen by a wealthy old space pirate with twelve arms and just as many wives. Or, maybe take a chance like her brothers—stepbrothers—and leave her fate in the hands of the mysterious Earth woman, Madame Evangeline. If Eve could find a Terran female to handle both Galan and Volan, surely she could locate a man for Skylar. Maybe someone from Earth, too. No matter, she refused to become another consort to the beast, another womb to carry his tentacle alien babies.

Skylar brushed her hands across the console. How on earth do I start this thing? Was there a key card? A special code? No one had bothered to teach her.

Damn! She slammed her palms on the dash, tears splashing onto the console. I’m never going to get away from here. Not on my own.

“Engine started.”

She gasped, panels and lights coming to life around her. A sharp buzz filled the air. Yes!

The cabin shook. The engine roared. Too loud. Someone would hear. “Please enter your destination.”

Destination? Her fingers tingled, her throat suddenly dry. Did she really want to go to Earth? She knew nothing about the planet, only what her brothers and their wife, Danyka, had told her only hours earlier. How would she live? She had few Space Service credits to spend anywhere. How would she survive when she had no one to help her?

Didn’t matter. She had to go. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

Scrolling through the tap-down menu, she located Earth. If her brothers could find happiness there, why couldn’t she? She deserved pleasure and joy as much as they did.

With a slight lift, the ship hovered above the ground. Gripping the handles of the chair, she braced for takeoff. Vibrations shook the cabin, as if a comet passed within the atmosphere. Her stomach churned.

The ship lunged forward, inertia shoving her back in her seat. She couldn’t move. But, at least, she was leaving Rebed. I’m finally free!

Today's First Chapter Friday is from JAGER, the second book in my Galactic Defenders series. Some might call the series Space Opera or Space Adventure. And each story in the series focuses on a different couple. JAGER features the relationship between Jager and Katrina. Katrina is the daughter of Bryce and Lalia from the first book in the series. Usually I don't include prologues in my stories, but I did with this one. So, I'm skipping past the prologue to bring you the first chapter, which has more action, and gives hints into the other three books in the series.

​“Three, two, one, go!” The gate buzzed open, and Jager led his squad into the Malarken forest on Kalara. Katrina, the most recent Defender graduate, took the lead, with Aram to the right, and Dhranash to the left. Silus, his Kalaren second, held center point, ready to down any Erebus the others missed. Bringing up the rear, Jager covered all their asses, prepared to save the members of his squad from every single holographic creature used to test their skills. After two Galactic years of training, fighting side-by-side, he expected them to work as a team. Yet, they didn’t. Princess Katrina was more interested in besting everyone, trying to prove she was just as skilled as her father who had recently retired from service. Only, she forgot about the rest of the squad, leaving them to fend for themselves. If he was honest, she was the least of his worries. The other members of the squad always wound up tangled in an Erebus’s tentacles or with one of the creatures over top of them, close to being killed by its poisonous saliva. And they’d served as Defenders for much longer.

Kimba, the former Galactic Alliance leader, must have hated him to assign him to the misfit group. But, no matter how much he’d argued, she refused to change her mind. The new Alliance leader, Granil, agreed with her predecessor. He was stuck with them and had to mold them into a cohesive squad. An impossible challenge.

As he weaved his way through the massive prickly trees whose canopy blocked out most of Kalara’s orange sun, Jager listened for his team. Not quiet at all. Erebus, with their lumbering bulky bodies, moved through the area with more grace. Dhranash squeaked with every step. If he stayed low enough, he wouldn’t feel the trees poking into him. And Aram sounded like a herd of rehn stampeding through the area. Jager covered his face with his hand. How many times would they have to run this drill before these lightweights learned how to cover the area properly?

A twig snapped behind him. Jager twisted around and raised his plazer, ready to shoot. Instead of their enemy ready to attack, he found Katrina, who had already downed the Erebus with just her blade.

She gave him a weak smile. “Sorry. It snapped the branch when it fell.”

Sorry? He yearned for the rest of his squad to be able to take the creatures down so quietly. And for them all to work together. He rolled his eyes and released a heavy breath. “How many?”

“This one makes five.” She took off before he could respond, the sound of her dark ponytail flapping in the air the only noise she made.

Five. That meant two or three more before the drill was over and he’d have to face Major O’Shaunessy for their score.

Ahead of him, Silus froze. A drop of black goop plopped onto his head, and the Defender screamed. Great, he’d reacted exactly as he was trained—if he wanted the Erebus to rush him. Jager pointed his plazer at the tree, aimed through the scope at the big blob perched in the branches, and fired.

A buzzer went off. They’d killed all the Erebus in this drill. Or, rather, Katrina had downed all but one, and he’d been lucky enough to find the other.

After holstering his plazer on his hip, he headed out of the forest, ready for more bad news. Maybe they’d take his squad from him. Maybe they’d punish him by assigning him to guard duty on the prison colony. He’d go mad within four Galactic years, but that had to be less stressful than trying to train the members of his squad. He’d forget all about them by the time he returned to Kalara.

When he reached the edge of the trees, he found his squad resting on a rock, panting, and looking as if they’d just survived an attack. Well, everyone except Katrina.

“How many?” he asked the group.

Dhranash shook his head.

“Didn’t see any, sir.” Aram shrugged her thick shoulders.

Silus put his head down. “None.”

“Cosmos.” He sighed and glanced around for Katrina. She never stuck with her squad during drills. Why would she now?

He spotted her leaning against the fence surrounding the forest, chatting with Jace, a Mingot, and a seventh-year Defender like him. His competition. They both had new squads and had to prove to the Alliance they were ready to go on missions. The new Zulu squad had already aided Echo on a humanitarian mission in the Tuey system. Probably because Katrina shared information about the drills with Jace so his team would perform better. Each drill was supposed to be different, but Jager couldn’t be sure. Katrina would do anything for the Defender who had helped saved her father when the Alliance had turned their back on him. How he wished he’d been sent instead.

No. He didn’t like Katrina. He didn’t like her fraternizing with Jace, the only Mingot he knew with hair. Perfect hair some Defenders swooned over. And he definitely didn’t like what the guy did with Katrina behind closed doors. Naf and Oflan could shove it up their asses if they believed him to be jealous of the other Defender. Because he wasn’t. Jace belonged to a different squad, and Jager wanted to keep his own squad focused without having to deal with the drama of relationships. Maybe if Katrina hung around with her own squad, they could work well together for a change. Some of her skill could rub off on the rest. Who was he kidding? The other three were hopeless.

Major O’Shaunessay motioned him over. “Your squad eliminated the enemy in record time.”

Jager did a double take. How had that happened? “Yes, sir.”

“I think you are ready for your first mission.” He handed Jager a com tab. “You’re going to Terra.”

Jager returned the screen. He couldn’t accept the mission, regardless of how much he looked forward to leaving the training facilities. “Based on what happened today, I don’t think that’s advisable. You know Katrina took down most of those Erebus. The rest of the squad is nowhere close to being ready.”

“I do not care what you think, young Kalaren.” The major crossed both sets of arms. “You will lead your squad on this mission.”

“Yes, sir.” And three of them likely wouldn’t survive. Even if it was an easy mission. Maybe he could leave them all there.

“Oh, and you will be missing one of your team members for the mission,” O’Shaunessy added. “Katrina will travel to Hemera before the carrier makes the jump to get to Terra.”

Great, his best squad member wouldn’t be a part of their first mission. He’d be lucky if he survived. “Yes, sir. When do we leave?”

“The shuttles will leave for the carrier in the morning. Until then, read the doc on your com tab and prepare your squad. The Terrans are still not aware of life beyond their own planet. No plazers. We have to be very careful.”

“Yes, sir.” Jager saluted the major, two fingers to the forehead then brought down in front of his face.

He headed back to the rock where his squad still looked as though they’d taken on an entire colony of Erebus. “Attention! I have some news.”

“Did you hear?” Katrina raced up and slapped him on the back. “We’ve got our first mission. We’re getting sent to Earth with Zulu and Echo squad.”

Jager clenched his fists. “Yes, we are.” He turned and glared at her. “But, you’re not. Your Royal Highness is required to attend a ball on Hemera.”

Her nostrils flared. “You lie. There is no way in Gaspra I’m going to miss out on our first mission.”

“Not my orders.” Jager raised his hands, hoping she took the challenge elsewhere. “That came straight from the top.”

“Well, get them changed. You can’t handle a mission without me. You know that.” She shifted her head to the rest of the squad. “These three are useless.”

“Hey!” Aram stood, fist raised. But Katrina had the Gersonian’s arm behind her before she had the chance to swing.

Katrina released her. “Admit it. You sound like an elephant barreling through the bush.”

Aram stared at the ground. “I don’t know what an elephant is.”

“Exactly. Which is why I need to be going to Earth. I mean, Terra.” Katrina grasped Jager’s lapels in her fists, yanking him forward. “I grew up there. I know the planet far better than any of you. I need to go on this mission.”

Jager clenched her wrists and tore her grip from him. “Don’t you ever do that again. I am your commanding officer, and you need to show respect.” A vein pulsed in his forehead. “And I will not change the orders. You need to reevaluate what you want away from the Defenders. You work on your own, without your team. And that’s not how a squad works.”

“Maybe if we had a better—”

“Enough, Princess. You will do as you’re told.” He’d had enough of her for one day. She could go cry to her boyfriend, but Jager wasn’t going to be the one to question Granil’s orders or Bryce’s demands. He would never deny that man anything, not after he’d saved his life.

***
 
Katrina marched off the shuttle, through the docking bay, and straight to Granil’s office. She refused to be taken away from her squad. She was a Defender, not a princess. And if they kept making her return to Hemera for stupid ceremonies, no one would ever show her any respect. Every single day, she had to prove herself, prove she could take down the Erebus just as well as the best Defenders. Yet, behind her back, she only heard the sneers at her royal lineage. No one was ever impressed by how many Erebus she eliminated, or how fast. And regardless what Jager said, she did work well with her squad. She took out their enemy while their leader kept the rest of the squad alive.

Why wasn’t he on her side? Did he really want to be stuck babysitting the other three? Couldn’t he see the danger he’d be in without her? If Katrina couldn’t change someone’s mind, she’d end up assigned to a new squad when she returned from Hemera, her current one having died on Earth. While the idea held some appeal, she actually preferred to be grouped with the misfits.

“Excuse me? Granil?” No matter how outraged she was, she didn’t dare speak to the leader of the Galactic Alliance the way she did Jager. Not if she wanted to remain a Defender. With all the special provisions her mother had demanded, the Alliance would just as soon be rid of her. She knew they only put up with her at Bryce’s request. He had served the Alliance longer than any other Defender, and they were still trying to make up for Kimba’s mistake in leaving his squad and others on Niesgoo to die.

“Come in.” The leader’s short tentacles waved before changing color from mauve to blue. She was calm, a promising start.

Katrina saluted as she entered the room. “I would like to talk to you regarding my absence from my squad’s mission to Terra.”

Granil pursed her lips. Her tentacles switched to orange and stood straight up, not a good time to confront a Yarwin. But, Katrina had no choice. “Proceed.” Though the woman’s lips kept moving. Had Katrina’s translation chip malfunctioned, or were there no English words for what she’d said?

Katrina leaned forward, her hands behind her. She didn’t dare sit in one of the seven empty seats around the leader unless offered. Those were reserved for planetary leaders. Not lowly Defenders. “I ask that you allow me to join them on the mission. I have proven myself time-and-time again. Plus, Terra was my home for many years. I can be an asset to the entire platoon.”

“While I don’t disagree with you, Katrina...” She stretched her jaw. “I am standing firm on your absence for this mission. Your presence has been requested on Hemera, and I must grant that request.”

“But shouldn’t it be up to me?” She wanted to pound something as she’d done when Kimba had been leader. Though, that time, she’d been fighting for her father’s life, rather than upset they were making her visit her parents.

“If people did what they wanted, the universe would be chaos. Sometimes we must do things we don’t agree with. That’s part of life.” Granil picked up a com tab from her desk. “You will go to Hemera, enjoy your graduation ceremony and whatever other celebrations they have planned for you. And then you will return to the carrier, train, and go on the next mission with your squad.”

When the leader’s attention turned to the tablet, Katrina knew she’d been dismissed. Fornax! Didn’t anyone understand the danger they were putting Delta squad in? They were already cursed by the squad’s name, Jager having been the only survivor after a mission to Hoggins where Bryce had saved his ass. And she was just starting to like that ass, too. Even though the person attached could be a pigheaded asshole sometimes.

Shuffling down the hall, she pounded the wall a few times. Nope, it did nothing to squash her anger. She wanted to beat on someone. Maybe her squad leader would be in the sparring room.

“No luck?”

She spun around to find her best friend, only friend, Jace, holding her hand wraps out to her. “No. You’ve got to promise me you’ll protect them. Or just him, that’s okay.”

Jace grinned, the smile lighting up the sparkle in his eyes. “When are you going to scratch that itch? You’ve been craving a piece of him since you first arrived for training.”

“Never.” She grabbed the wraps from him. “Though if he calls me princess one more time, I’m going to shove one of these down his throat.”

“I’m sure you’d like to shove your tongue down his throat if given the option.”

She smacked her arm against Jace’s chest, knocking him back a step. “Keep it up and you’ll be first.”

He raised his hands in front of his face. “Okay, okay. Take it out on the simulation. I’ve programmed one for you. It’s all set.”

“Nah.” She frowned. “If I’m really heading to Hemera, I have to leave in an hour. I should call my sister and find out what’s happened since I was last there.”

“Not your parents?” He strolled alongside her toward the lift to Defender quarters.

“Are you kidding? They still haven’t accepted I actually want to be here. Or at least my mom hasn’t.” Katrina sighed, remembering her last conversation with the queen of Hemera. “I’ll get enough of her loving concern when I get there.”

“Well, come here.” Jace held his arms open, and she went into them, his hugs always able to relieve some of her tension. He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll see you when we all return. And I’ll guard that ass you like so much.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Thank you.”

In her room, Katrina dialed up her sister’s private line at the royal palace on Hemera. After the screen flickered, a young woman appeared, sitting on the bed that had once belonged to a precious little girl who’d lost both her parents in separate Erebus attacks. Queen Lalia had adopted her after ensuring the planet was safe from further attack, and Katrina had the sister she’d always dreamed of when growing up on Earth. But, the little girl was gone, a young woman with some obvious teenage angst in her place. “Gwenie, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Gwen.” She huffed and tilted her head to the side. “And I’ll give you one guess as to why.”

“Mom’s making you dress up again?” Something she hated, too; part of the reason she dreaded returning home.

Her sister picked up a bunch of material and threw it toward the screen. “It’s hideous. And all because you’re coming home. Because you’re officially a Defender now.”

“I hate to see what she has for me, then.” Probably something that covered every inch of her body, unlike the dress she’d worn at the coronation when her mother hadn’t had the time or opportunity to plan for anything.

“Take me with you, please!” Gwenodyn stuck out her bottom lip. “Scrym has less than a year before he’s eligible to enlist for Defender training. After that, I don’t know how I’m going to keep my sanity. They’ll smother me.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Katrina knew the feeling, had experienced her mother’s overbearing love when they’d still lived on Earth, and it had only been the two of them. Before she knew of the Defenders, her real father, and life on a multitude of other planets.

“Sneak me onto a ship. I don’t care. I’ll be quiet, stay squished in a cupboard somewhere.”

That’s it! Katrina could sneak off the ship to Hemera and sneak onto one going to Earth. Though not the one with her own squad. That would be too obvious. “We’ll see. I’ve gotta go.”

​She switched off the screen. Her sister would have to wait. Katrina had to visit her real home first.