The SFR Brigade Showcase is the chance for Science
Fiction Romance authors to showcase excerpts from their latest
releases, snippets from a work-in-progress, a new cover for their book or just
have fun with something silly, like a character interview! Be sure to check out
all the great posts this month.
For my showcase, I’m sharing an excerpt from the third book
in my Outer Rim series, The Protector.
It’s a standalone book, which means you don’t have to read the previous two to
enjoy. But I hope you will.
Blurb:
After tavern owner Rissa Dix rescues two girls from a slave
ship, she must rally the townsfolk to prevent traffickers from raiding the
frontier colony. She’s met with apathy and disbelief. Because she lost her own
baby to traffickers, she’s determined that no other mother will suffer the same
heartache. Industrialist heir Dillan Rusteran aids her in rescuing more
children. Little do they know they’re about to tangle with a trafficking ring
that puts Rissa in danger. Dillan’s loved her for years despite her claim she’s
too old for him. As they fight the traffickers, will she finally see him in a
new light?
Excerpt:
When she heard the rustle, Rissa
stopped in the middle of the sanitary. “Whoever you are, come out. Right now.”
Another rustle then the sound of
feet lightly hitting the floor. The lock slid open then slowly the door moved.
“Please,” a soft voice whispered.
“Don’t hurt us.”
That sounded like a young girl.
“Come out where I can see you.”
Rissa, too, whispered.
A tall, dark-haired teen stepped
out, followed by a smaller girl with light brown hair. They both looked
terrified. Their hair was matted and dirt smudged their faces. Their clothes
were filthy. The smells emanating from them contributed to the general san-fac
odors. Rissa did her best not to react.
Holding the other girl behind her,
the tall one stepped forward, jutting out her chin. “We are not going back.”
“O-kay. Back where?”
“You can’t make us. We’ll escape
again.”
Rissa had to admire her bravado.
“You escaped? From where?”
“Did they send you in here to get
us?”
Since the taller one seemed to be
the spokesperson, Rissa kept her eyes on her. Something about her was
compelling. Rissa could be looking at herself at the same age. Then it hit her
hard, like a blow to the stomach. That was what Miri would have looked like at
that age. Same strong Traishan features—olive skin, dark hair and eyes. Same
strong will.
Rissa took a deep breath to steady
herself before locking the outer door. “Nobody sent me. You asked for help.
What can I do?”
“Get us out of here before they
discover we’re gone.” Despite the strength in the tall girl’s voice, she worked
hard to keep her chin from wobbling.
“Who?” Rissa was afraid she knew.
“Those men. The Chellians. We can’t
go back. We won’t.”
By the Matriarch, traffickers.
Her lungs seized, her heart hurt so
badly Rissa clutched her chest. Be strong,
she told herself. Pull yourself together.
No traffickers had ever come to Astron Colony before. Or even to Galeriana. She
had to help the girls get away.
She glanced at the window on the
far wall.
“We couldn’t open it,” the smaller
girl sobbed. “We were trying when you came in. We thought you were them.”
Since Rissa was taller, she could
easily reach the window. With a shove, she got it open. “Come.” She motioned to
the tall girl. “You first. You can catch your friend. She’s too small to catch
you.”
She cupped her hands for the girl’s
foot. “Hide outside. I’ll come around and take you somewhere safe.” At the
girls’ wary looks, she added, “I promise. Now go before someone comes looking
for us.”
Rissa boosted her up to the open
window. The tall girl hoisted herself through, disappeared for a moment then
stuck her head inside.
“The ground is higher out here.
Come, Anaris.” She held out her arms.
The small girl, Anaris, gave Rissa
a panicked look. “You’ll come for us?”
The door rattled. “Hey,” a male
yelled. “Open up.”
Anaris gave her a panicked look.
“Gimme a min,” Rissa yelled back.
“I promise to come for you,” Rissa
whispered then gave her a boost. Like the tall girl, Anaris disappeared through
the window.
As Rissa reached to close it, the
tall girl was there about to do the same. “Thank you.” She shut the window and
ducked out of sight.
Hoping they would wait for her,
Rissa walked out of the san-fac. A mech glared at her. “Whadda mean by locking
the door?”
“Didn’t want you walking in on me.”
She glanced over at a commotion near the freighter where she’d delivered the
supplies. “What’s going?”
The pilot was yelling and his two
crewmen were darting between ships, searching.
“Damn offworlder.” The mech brushed
past her into the san-fac.
When the pilot saw her, he yelled,
“What did you do with them?”
Rissa looked around to see who he
was shouting at.
“You there.” He stormed up to her.
“Where are those two girls?”
She affected a confused expression.
“What girls?”
“My cargo, I mean passengers. Damn
you to Lexol’s Fire. How did you get them out?”
The pilot’s slip confirmed what
Rissa feared. The girls she helped escape had been cargo. The pilot and crew
were slavers, bastards who trafficked in children. A primal urge swept through
her. Kill them. Kill them now.
Stop by the Showcase page to visit all the other Showcase authors! You’re
sure to find some interesting reads.
