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Silvano is Commander of the Cyborg ship Freedom. He feels responsible for his Cyborg crew and has spent the past century trying to keep them free of the Human Alliance. Humans represent everything Cyborgs hate, a plague upon the universe, destroying everything in their path. Before they fought for their freedom, Cyborgs were considered little more than expendable slaves.
Tessa and her twin sister Tara are abducted from Earth by aliens that resemble man-sized lizards to be used for breeding. They are rescued from the lizards by these strange, emotionless beings who claim to be Cyborgs. Tessa isn’t sure what to think about the stern commander but can’t deny she finds him as attractive as she does terrifying.
Things heat up between Tessa and Silvano when he is forced to use her to lead a traitor Cyborg away from his ship.
Excerpt from Prologue and Chapter One:
PROLOGUE
Confused, Tessa opened her eyes, immediately blinded by a bright white light. She couldn’t breathe in the muggy heat, the cloying, musky stench of snake almost suffocating her. She tried to move, sweat dripping down the sides of her face and between her breasts, but her body refused to cooperate. God, the lights, they hurt! She tried to move her head to the side, hoping like hell she wasn’t trapped in an operating room. Maybe the anesthesiologist had screwed up. It happened, right? But weren’t operating rooms supposed to be kept cold?
Shadows moved just out of sight. If only she could turn her head enough to look.
Help me! she screamed inside. Am I paralyzed?
A faint buzzing sound started up, like the buzz of a night light, but it soon grew in intensity and pitch, threatening to burst her eardrums. Tessa screamed again in her mind, sure her brain would explode if it got any worse. An icy coldness enveloped the back of her neck, followed by a jolt of electricity up her spine and into her head. Shocked, she gasped, barely holding onto consciousness.
The sound died out as the lights dimmed, and one of the elusive shadows leaned over her. Tessa couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing. The person, thing, must be wearing a mask, and not the cloth kind most doctors used. The face wasn’t quite human—or at least he didn’t have human skin. It looked more like a robot, no expression in the strange black eyes, pinpoints of light for pupils, the face covered with a shiny silver metal, the lips thin and stiff.
“Both females survived having the translator attached,” a robotic voice said. The mouth didn’t move if the voice came from the robot. “It may take up to an hour before the leads make full contact with their brains. Finding a planet with uncorrupted human females has proven to be most interesting. The Human Alliance will pay handsomely for access to this world.”
“Are they compatible for procreation with a Vesperian?” a cold voice asked. “We will take first pick of any potential breeders. The Alliance can have what we reject.”
Uncorrupted females? Compatible for procreation? Human Alliance? What the fuck? God, I’m having a nightmare. That must be it.
“Initial tests show they are compatible, but their bodies are fragile compared to a Vesperian female. Artificial insemination would be the safest route. These human females are not egg layers. It is doubtful they will survive the birth.”
“As long as the infant survives, I don’t care. Have two of the females, the Raiden and one of the humans, delivered to my quarters for breeding. The rest can be placed in stasis. We will use them to trap the Cyborgs. That should keep the Alliance happy.”
“Yes, Captain Etán. Both have already been given an injection to force ovulation. May I suggest you breed the Raiden female first. She is the stronger of the two and will hold up better under your initial lust. May I also suggest you refrain from biting the human when you ejaculate. There is a substantial risk of her developing a systemic infection which she may not survive.”
A deep growl was the only reply, causing goosebumps to break out over Tessa’s body. God help me, I just want to wake up!
“What shall we do with the two Cyborg females?” the robotic voice asked.
“What about them? They are sterile and of no use to me. Let them service my males until the Cyborg ship shows up to rescue them. Alert me when my two chosen females are prepared for breeding. I will be on the bridge dealing with the Human Alliance.”
“As you wish, Captain.”
Tessa wanted to scream, wanted to fight, wanted to run from this nightmare. She might be confused, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out they were talking about rape to try to impregnate them.
Another shadow leaned over her, blocking out the light. Tessa couldn’t breathe, her heart stuttering when she caught sight of the creature with the cold, raspy voice, the one talking about breeding her. Aliens! she cried out silently. I’ve been abducted by fucking aliens! And he plans to rape me.
He plans to impregnate me!
She would never survive it, and neither would any of the other women they took.
CHAPTER ONE
Silvano, Commander of the Cyborg ship Freedom, cursed as he watched the shuttle escape through an artificial rift in space. He could follow them easily enough, but it meant giving up the Vesperian ship he’d been tracking for nearly a week now, a ship he suspected carried two missing Cyborg females.
This particular ship was captained by a vicious Vesperian trafficker named Etán, a notoriously barbaric and sadistic male. Etán, as with many others like him, regularly abducted females from other species, keeping those they found suitable for procreation and selling the rest as potential breeders and sex slaves. If given a choice, Silvano knew he would rather take his chances at the auctions. Most females weren’t strong enough to survive insemination by a Vesperian. For those who did, if impregnated, they rarely survived the birth. Vesperian females laid eggs, and the fetus clawed and bit its way free of the shell. Females who carried a fetus in the womb suffered the same fate. Cyborg females were sterile. Normally, Vesperian didn’t bother with them.
So why would Etán take these two? It didn’t make sense.
“What are your orders, Commander?” Lieutenant Barrett asked. He’d been with Silvano for almost fifty years and could probably guess what his orders would be.
“Let them go. The recovery of our females takes priority.” They had scanned the escaping shuttle and knew they weren’t present. By the time he recovered his females and returned to Freedom, the artificial rift in space would be closed. Silvano knew it wouldn’t take Etán long to pirate another ship, and then he’d be back in business.
“How many were left alive on board the main ship?” Silvano asked, knowing Etán would have killed the crew and destroyed the androids before he escaped. He only hoped the bastard hadn’t bothered with the cargo.
“It’s strange, sir. Our two Cyborg females are being held in full stasis along with eleven human females.” Barrett paused. “There is also one human and one Raiden female being held in a separate quarters, probably used as breeders. They are both still alive.”
Silvano didn’t need to ask why Barrett thought it strange. Like Cyborgs, human females were always sterilized. Eggs were harvested from the strongest among them by Human Alliance scientists, then inseminated and the fetus grown in special vats. Eggs harvested from weak females were destroyed. Weaker males were also made sterile so they couldn’t breed.
Etán also had a Raiden female, a species notoriously difficult to impregnate outside their own kind. Why would he bother abducting one? Of course, the Raiden and the two Cyborg females tended to make strong sex slaves. Perhaps he’d meant to sell them. The humans remained a mystery, too easily broken for most species to bother with.
Barrett caught and held Silvano’s gaze, his expression blank. “Commander, the one human and the Raiden female are alive but severely damaged.”
“Pregnant?”
Barrett nodded, his lips pressed tight together. “Yes, sir, both of them are.”
Silvano cursed. “How far along? Can the fetuses be aborted?”
“Unknown, Commander. Our Cyborg females were reported missing two weeks ago. I have no idea how long Etán’s been holding the humans or the Raiden. Mathis will need to perform tests once we get them aboard Freedom.”
“Very well, attach a beam to the Vesperian ship. Inform Mathis what you have learned and have him meet me in the transport room.” The pregnant females would need immediate medical attention. They would keep the others in stasis until ready to transport them to Freedom.
“Yes, Commander,” Barrett replied, opening a channel to medical.
As he’d guessed, Silvano found the crew of the Vesperian ship slaughtered. There were several hundred corpses throughout the ship, and five androids, two in medical, two in engineering, and one on the bridge. Predictably, all five had been stripped. Silvano turned to one of his guards. “Have the bots taken back to Freedom. We might be able to reconnect some of them.” Though he doubted it. Etán wouldn’t want anyone to know what he’d been up to. Where he’d been.
After arranging to have the females in stasis taken back to his ship, Silvano and Mathis, his head medic, worked their way to where the two pregnant females were being held. During times like this, Silvano wished he hadn’t disconnected his emotional dampener, aware of what he would likely find. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d viewed what a Vesperian male could do to a female. Etán tended to be even more vicious than most, often mangling the female’s neck and shoulders when he bit them during ejaculation. It wasn’t uncommon to also find them with a shattered pelvis.
Weapon in hand, Silvano stripped the lock on the door, stepping aside to allow his security detail to enter first.
“Clear, Commander,” one of the men called, his voice strained. “The females are alone.”
Two security men exited the small room to make room for Silvano, their expressions empty of emotion. Silvano entered, his gaze drawn toward a large sleeping platform across the room. He stared down at a petite female’s bruised back, finding her breathing too fast and shallow. Lying face-down on the bed, a pale cheek showed through long dark hair, damp with sweat. “Mathis!” Silvano barked. “Get in here.”
Mathis entered, setting his bag on the bed beside the damaged female.
On the floor beside the bed lay the naked Raiden, large portions of her covered in trademark black and lavender armored skin. There were vicious bite marks over her shoulders and breasts, though her hips appeared to be undamaged. The same couldn’t be said for the human. Frankly, Silvano wondered how she’d managed to survive.
Would she want to, though? He had his doubts.
Stoic, as usual, Mathis leaned over the bed and took readings on the human, shaking his head as he glanced up at Silvano. “She’s in deep shock, Commander. Hips crushed, right arm and several fingers broken, neck bruised. There are deep bite marks on both breasts, and her shoulders and upper arms are heavily clawed. It might be more humane to euthanize her here. Even if she survives the pregnancy, her mind will be left fractured after the abuse she suffered with Etán.”
Silvano sighed as he stared down at the female’s broken form, vowing to see the Vesperian captain dead. “How old?” he asked.
“I would guess her at eighteen or nineteen. No more than twenty.” Mathis frowned as he ran his scanner over her body a second time. “Strange, Commander. I will need to perform further tests on Freedom, but there is something . . . different about this one.”
“What do you mean?” Silvano asked through gritted teeth, even more furious to learn Etán had raped a mere child.
“As you know, Vesperian usually don’t bother with human females. Even if they haven’t been stripped of their eggs, most have cells so corrupted they would never be capable of carrying a healthy fetus to term. And even if they could, it is highly likely the fetus would be deformed.” He frowned, studying his scanner. “Oddly, except for her obvious injuries, this female appears completely healthy. I find no sign of the usual corrupted cells that plague humanity.”
“Can the fetus be removed without causing too much more damage?”
Mathis slid his instrument over her lower stomach. “Not possible, I’m afraid. The fetus is already burrowed deep. I would need to remove her womb to eliminate it. Future pregnancies would be impossible.”
“She will die when this one is born anyway, making it a moot point.”
“Not necessarily. We could take the fetus by cesarean when she reaches term instead of allowing it to claw its way free.”
Silvano rubbed at his eyes. What would the female want? If he allowed it to live, what would they do with a half-breed Vesperian? Even if she carried it to term, this female wouldn’t want a constant reminder of the abuse she had endured at Etán’s hands. And few other species would want to risk raising it. He should just euthanize her and be done with it. “Do what you can to make her comfortable,” he said gruffly, not sure why he cared. Humans couldn’t be trusted. No human. “We’ll decide what to do with her later.” Mathis gave the human an injection, and her breathing eased. He did the same for the Raiden. At least she could be returned to her people. Her fate, and the fate of the fetus, would be left in their hands. Silvano didn’t have a clue what he was going to do with all these humans, but he’d have to worry about it later. Right now, he needed to decide if anything useful could be salvaged from this ship. Their own ability to create stable rifts in space was far inferior to Vesperian. It would make space travel much more efficient if he could learn their secrets.
Murder comes to Norfolk Island, but is the killer after Alexandra Archer’s Tahitian black pearl or a lost illustration of the rare green parrot?
The Thorntons mount an expedition to Norfolk Island, a small island in the South Pacific, to study the green parrot and set up research programmes to help protect it and other endangered birds. As a birthday surprise, Alexandra’s father tells her she is to be their official photographer. He also gives her a black pearl brooch that Alexandra’s great-grandfather had bought off a merchant in Hong Kong in the 1850s. The pearls are Tahitian black pearls.
Before they depart Melbourne, they learn that Norfolk Island has had its first murder. It sends ripples of unease through Alexandra. She hoped she could escape murder on this small island paradise.
Alexandra is astonished to learn that the main inhabitants of Norfolk Island are descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives. Once on the island, she wonders if this is why her Tahitian black pearl brooch causes such interest.
A chain of events is set in motion, commencing with a threat on the life of one of their expedition members, followed by intrigue surrounding bird smuggling and a lost illustration of the green parrot. Then two of their team are murdered.
Alexandra is determined to find the answers and nearly loses her life in the process.
MY REVIEW: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS
Bad characters and murder seem to follow Alexandra and her family wherever they go. Trying to help Alexandra overcome a tragedy after her last great adventure, her father helps mount an expedition to Norfolk Island, where Alexandra is assigned as their official photographer. Before they depart Melbourne, they hear alarming news. Norfolk Island has just had its first murder.
Alexandra had hoped the recent murders wouldn’t affect their own expedition, but when one of their own is attacked shortly after their arrival, she knows this won’t be the case. What she isn’t sure about is if the killer is after her Tahitian black pearl brooch or a lost illustration of the rare green parrot.
The Feathered Nest by Ellen Read is a well written, well researched historical fiction that will pull you in and make you wish you’d been born to this time. Along with favorites from the first three stories in the series, Edith, Benedict and Alexandra’s father, Ellen brings us an eclectic mix of colorful island characters. What I especially loved about these people were the nicknames they’d given each other, Scrimshaw being one of my favorites.
When another murder takes place on the island, Alexandra can’t help but put herself in the middle of things, but what price will it cost her this time? You’ll have to read for yourself to find out. If you enjoy historical fiction, or even if it’s a murder mystery you reach for, I suspect you’ll love The Feathered Nest. I can’t wait to see what Ellen comes up with next. It’s not necessary to read the first three novels to enjoy this one, but I strongly suggest you do. Each story builds on the last, making the reading of this one that much more enjoyable.
ABOUT THE AUHTOR
Ellen Read is the author of The Dragon Sleeps, The Inca’s Curse and The Amber Trap—historical murder mystery romance novels.
Ellen was born in Queensland, Australia.
She loves to read fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. She particularly loves history and stories of ancient myths and legends. Authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, and Victoria Holt, the latter of whom wrote gothic mystery/romances, have influenced her own work.
Other interests include photography, painting, music and musical theatre, and dance. Ellen was a ballroom dancing teacher for many years and has also worked in Performing Arts administration.
Ellen would love to hear from you. If you would like to contact her, links are below:
Crimson Cloak Publishing will be releasing “Silvano’s Redemption” at Amazon on April 5th, 2022.
Limited number of ARCs available (Advanced Reader Copy). If interested, leave a reply.
Silvano is Commander of the Cyborg ship Freedom. He feels responsible for his Cyborg crew and has spent the past century trying to keep them free of the Human Alliance. Humans represent everything Cyborgs hate, a plague upon the universe, destroying everything in their path. Before they fought for their freedom, Cyborgs were considered little more than expendable slaves.
Tessa and her twin sister Tara are abducted from Earth by aliens that resemble man-sized lizards to be used for breeding. They are rescued from the lizards by these strange, emotionless beings who claim to be Cyborgs. Tessa isn’t sure what to think about the stern commander but can’t deny she finds him as attractive as she does terrifying.
Things heat up between Tessa and Silvano when he is forced to use her to lead a traitor Cyborg away from his ship.
Wrath of Justice by author Denna Holm dives into a bleak future where many people sacrifice nearly everything they have just to survive. It’s a world where food is limited, and raising a family isn’t an option for most people in a global wasteland. As a result, many parents make the difficult decision to sell one or more children, or make a deal with demons, to secure a better chance in life. For some, an adventurous, dangerous path is the ticket to salvation.
If you’re looking for an exciting indulgence, Wrath of Justice will keep you engaged from the very start. The story centers around Justice, who finds himself sold to a run-down brothel, where he’s destined to exist among the most brutal layer of society. His only chance of escape is an offer from a hunter, where he faces a new level of darkness. However, he finds a glimmer…
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Sequel to the House of Pain.
Justice Kane considers himself lucky. The year is 3517. Most of the world has been destroyed. Food is scarce. Families are suffering. Parents are often forced to sell one child to ensure the survival of the rest. When his parents sell Justice to a brothel in Las Vegas, he thinks his life is over. Salvation comes in the form of Michael Santos, a bounty hunter who takes an interest him and purchases his contract. Little did he know this new life would put him in the path of demons.
Two weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, Cassie is placed in a special cell beneath their barn. It’s only then she learns her parents have made a deal with a demon. In return for raising her, they will receive protection from the elements and the desperate people who live outside their walls. All looks bleak for Cassie until a handsome young man opens a seam in reality, holding his hand out to her, promising safety.
Soul of a Warrior
Kimi’s world is turned upside down when a handsome stranger shows up claiming to be her mate. But he also claims to be from another world. She does what any sane woman would do in her situation. She runs. Tagging along are her two best friends and a feisty tabby cat. They don’t realize they are setting themselves up to be abducted by a second alien, the enemy of Kimi’s mate. He transports them to a hostile world, where they are tortured, then abandoned. Now they must try to find their own way back home.
Neyvarre is an ancient vampire, a hunter of rogues from the planet Laizahlia. He long ago gave up hope of ever finding his fated mate, the one woman who carries half his soul inside her. He is shocked to find his mate in Kimi, a fragile human from Earth, and makes the mistake of allowing her to run. He will soon learn to regret this decision when an ancient enemy steps in to take her from him. Will he be able to find her again before the worst happens?
Ghost Warrior
Amanda Cross believes she’s put the worst behind her when she finally escapes the hostile world of Lavina. But instead of returning to Earth, she decides to build a new life for herself on Laizahlia with Tallyn, the wolf shapeshifter who helped rescue her. Not everything goes according to plan, especially when Tallyn’s father rejects their union and tries to have her killed.
Amanda is Tallyn’s fated mate, but he’s worried he might not be able to protect her from his own people. It doesn’t help when he learns there might be a connection between his new mate and a fire-born species of shapeshifters called Umi. Legend says a pure white wolf will bring about the destruction of their people. Is the Ghost Warrior fact or myth? Could Amanda, with her beautiful white hair, be this legendary beast?
A Warrior’s Nightmare
Jessica’s mother died under mysterious circumstances right after giving birth to her. Her dad refuses to speak about it, though his eyes grow haunted every time the subject comes up. All Jessica knows is that it was a violent death. Her answers will come from a stranger she meets while camping with her father at one of Oregon’s beautiful mountain lakes, a stranger who knows far more than he should.
Nethaniel is a Lycaeonian from the planet Laizahlia, a wolf shapeshifter. He is taking his first trip off world with his father when he runs across Jessica fly fishing at a lake. Though it shouldn’t be possible, he recognizes her immediately as his fated mate. Unfortunately, Nethaniel’s father has enemies, and three have followed them to Earth. Nethaniel is afraid he won’t be able to protect his young mate but knows he has no choice but to try.
Samantha was only sixteen when her sister Abby took her on an exciting journey through space to live on a new planet. She couldn’t be happier, until her eighteenth birthday, when the king declares she must accept the claim of a Raiden warrior. No one will stand up for her right to choose a mate for herself, not even Abby, until a magnificent dragon shifter drops out of the sky, offering Sam sanctuary with his clan.
When Seraphym’s niece is abducted and claimed against her will by a sadistic Raiden prince, he vows to one day take vengeance against the House of Nekbet. Two years later, he witnesses another young female, this one human, fighting off the advances of a Raiden warrior. Seraphym can’t say no when Samantha begs him for help. He refuses to stand by and do nothing while another innocent life is ruined.
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on January 11 raises awareness of the persistent issue of human trafficking. Though the entire month of January has already been recognized as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, this day is specifically dedicated to awareness and prevention of the illegal practice.
National Awareness Day of Human Trafficking falls this year on the 11th of January. Its purpose is to draw attention to one of the most horrific crimes this world has to offer – Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery. Given its cruel and sadistic nature, and given that National Awareness Day for Human Trafficking is almost upon us, it is important to highlight some facts about this global atrocity.
Many forms of this abuse take place much closer to home than we might imagine. Human traffickers target and recruit vulnerable individuals by preying on their personal situations, using force or fraud, or sometimes targeting them more subtly through the use of social media and dating platforms. They often exploit these apps and websites to recruit victims through what appear to be legitimate job offers. They persuade victims to meet in person and, unfortunately, such meetings can frequently result in abduction and kidnapping.
There are over twenty million victims worldwide. Close to five million of these are young women trafficked into the sex trade. The others are adults and impoverished children, forced into many forms of slave labour, living in degrading and brutal conditions. With vast numbers like these, the industry is globally estimated to be worth about $750 billion a year to those who engage in it.
These people operate in dark places and tend to have minimum visibility. One detective referred to this barbarity as, “a hidden crime … hidden in plain sight. People really do need to be made aware of it.” Maybe National Awareness Day will help open people’s eyes to it.
But what can any of us do? There will probably be all sorts of information available about this on the 11th of January, but initially we can:
- inform ourselves about Human Trafficking and learn the signs;
- remain vigilant at all times;
- report any concerns we might have to the authorities;
- spread the word about the practice to friends;
- raise our voices where we can.
Go HERE for more information on Human Trafficking
Talented writer, Brian O’Hare recently released a perfect book for this day. The author cares about his work, his subject matter, and about people. He also cares about justice, and more importantly, injustice. His words matter to him, and if you give him a try, you will soon see that they’ll matter to you too.
Crimson Cloak Publishing is proud to announce the recent publication of The Trafficking Murders from one of our best-selling authors, an exciting mystery thriller which opens the lid on this dreadful practice. Readers’ Favorite, a major book awards organization, has this to say about it:
Well-researched novels like Brian O’Hare’s The Trafficking Murders need to be written and read. The truth about what happens to victims of trafficking is ugly indeed and explored excellently by this talented author. Just think: these are someone’s children. This could happen to your son or daughter. It is thanks to the concern and compassion with which Brian O’Hare creates his characters and writes his novel that readers get a thorough look at the emotional, physical, and psychological effects of trafficking on both victims and those who try to help them. O’Hare’s research and writing skills are top-notch.
The Trafficking Murders can now be purchased at the special introductory price of $1.99 from Amazon, or it can be read free through Amazon’s KU. (Kindle Unlimited)
Link to my review of The Trafficking Murders
Crimson Cloak Publishing interview of Author Brian O’Hare
LITERARY TITAN: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS
“Carla Trystan has spent her life running from monsters. She never understood why she was different, or why she didn’t age. She just followed her instincts and ran whenever she encountered someone that wasn’t human. Vampires, shapeshifters, Djinn and Fae are all involved in this mystery. Azrael is tracking down rogue shifters, and in this hunt, he runs into Carla, he knows instantly she is his one true mate. Carla only knows she is surrounded by monsters and needs to get away but stays to save the young coworker of hers that the rogue has taken hostage. From this point Carla is now part of hunting party. Azrael introduces her to the many supernatural beings that become involved in this much deeper plot than he or the council of Laizahlia ever expected.
This is the second book by Denna Holm I have read, Rise of a Warrior did not disappoint me at all. The novel starts out with Carla telling readers that she has to run again. You can feel the fear she has, but at the same time, her deep desire to protect her friends in the diner. The desire to protect humans is a Laizahlia trait that she is unaware of in her genetic makeup. Over the first few chapters we learn just how strong Carla is. Her need to run isn’t just fear, it is survival. Azrael finds her and she starts handing everything he throws at her in stride. Going from knowing there are monsters out there, to learning you are one is intense, and Holm lets the reader experience all of it with her detailed and precise writing style.
You can find hundreds of books out there on shapeshifters, vampires, fae, and other creatures, but Holm’s version of these beings feels fresh and different. She isn’t taking the same old character sheets and giving them new names, she instead has taken traditional “knowns” about these beings and enhanced them. They come to life more and are relatable in their thoughts and actions. This book is hard to put down because the characters are so engaging, and you get attached and want to know how things turn out. The plot line is complex and layered. It isn’t just a simple story; it builds as it goes and you uncover more and more players all twisted together. There is the building romance of Carla and Azrael, but I wouldn’t classify this as a romance novel, the relationship is just part of the story and mystery, not the end all destination.
While Rise of a Warrior is book five in this series, it stands on it’s own but leaves you wanting more. With so many plot lines twisted you know there will be more to explore, more questions to answer, and even some more romance to build.” — Literary Titan
Denna Holm 