by Bianca D'Arc
Darak hugged her, kissing her neck. “I’ll be with you through it all, I promise.”
Jana’s breath caught. That sounded serious. Almost like a declaration…
She met his gaze and knew it was time to ask the things she’d been afraid to ask.
“Do you mean that, Dar?” she whispered.
He grew solemn. He must’ve felt the weight of her words and was responding in kind.
“I do.” He took one of her hands in his. “I can’t really imagine my future without you in it, Jana.”
She thought maybe she stopped breathing for a moment at his declaration. Could he mean…?
“I feel the same way,” she whispered.
To her surprise, he slid out of the bed to kneel at its side, but kept hold of her hand.
“Then, will you join your life to mine, forsaking all others? Will you marry me, Jana, and make me whole?”
She blinked, and the tears in her eyes rolled down her cheeks, unheeded. She saw raw emotion in Darak’s dark eyes as he squeezed her hand.
She slid out of bed to land beside him on the carpeted deck, facing him, still holding his hand. There was just one more thing she needed to know.
“Do you…” She hesitated. The answer to her question was all-important. “Do you love me?” she whispered.
“Oh, Jana…”
Her heart sank, fearing she’d put him on the spot and his answer wasn’t going to be what she wanted to hear. He dipped his head closer, kissing her cheek as she waited and worried about what he might say next.
“Jana, I never knew what love was before I met you.”
Her heart lifted. Their eyes met and held as he went on.
“You have opened my heart and nurtured my soul in ways nobody ever has. I want to be with you for the rest of my days, Jana. You, and only you, in case you had any doubts.” The devilish glint in his eyes returned, warming her from within. “I love you with all my heart. And that’s something I’ve never said to any other woman. You are my everything. The other half of my soul. Please say you’ll be mine forevermore.”
“I didn’t think…” she began, but she saw the way his hopeful expression grew concerned. She realized he had the same doubts that had been in her mind only moments before, and she rushed to reassure him. “Oh, Darak, I love you, too. And, if you really want to marry me, it would be my honor to join my life to yours. I don’t think I could survive without you by my side and propping me up. Your strength is my savior, and your love is a gift I never expected to receive.”
She was crying happy tears when he pulled her against him, hugging her close as they both knelt on the floor at the side of the bed, repeating their words of love over and over between kisses.
There would be much to do once they got back to Geneth Mar, including endless questions about the collective and their new understanding of it. The crystal planet would have to be investigated, and the crystals themselves would have to be studied much more closely.
But that was all secondary, as far as Jana was concerned. Her top priority was now spending time with the man she loved. She had a lot of living to make up for, and she wanted to do it all with Darak.
She once again had a family. Her sister was alive and well, and they could see each other any time they wanted. She had a new brother-in-law in Micah, who was also Darak’s cousin. But, most of all, she would be going back to Geneth Mar an engaged woman with a wedding to plan—and a life full of love and happiness to look forward to.
As far as Jana was concerned, she and Darak had both earned a little time off to enjoy being together. Sure, she’d do her part and tell anyone who wanted to know about how the collective worked and what her crystals could do. She would do what she could to help end the collective, so that other trapped souls might find freedom, but she was through with traveling for now.
At least for a little while.
She wanted to get married. She wanted to do all those girly things she had dreamed of when she was a child. And she wanted to bask in the love she thought she might never find.
Then, maybe, she’d be ready to go another round against the collective. After all, her crystals seemed to be a pretty good weapon against the Wizards, and she owed them for stealing so many years of her life.
Yeah, she would teach the grand master and all the puppet masters that payback was a bitch.
And her name was Jana Star Killer.
EPILOGUE
Agnor did his best to learn all he could about the collective and the crystals on the voyage back to Geneth Mar. For one thing, Vizier Brandon kept ‘pathing him with questions—especially as they drew closer to the planet. For another, Agnor was simply fascinated by everything Jana and Darak had uncovered while down on Mithrak, put together with the things he had observed from orbit.
He’d already put together several reports for the Specitar community that he would publish when he reached home. For now, to preserve security, he was only speaking via direct telepathy with Vizier Brandon. No regular comms were originating from the ship, and they were running silent all the way back home. Their cargo was too precious to risk.
* * *
They made it home safely and, as Agnor had expected, Darak and Jana were immediately whisked away for private debriefings with the Viziers. Agnor went to the Specitar’s Council, to answer to his own colleagues. He published his findings for private dissemination among the Specitars and was first debriefed then invited back many times on successive days to expand on his observations and answer a multitude of questions.
Everyone, it seemed, wanted to examine Jana’s crystals, but she was in seclusion, protected by the Shas who were her family. Agnor was able to procure one or two slivers of the crystal that Darak had managed to save after his initial treatment of her injuries. He’d taken small slivers out of her skin before they’d healed over, but any further removal had proven both imprudent and impossible.
The Specitars were thrilled with the tiny specs of crystal they had to test, regardless. Teams of specialists were organized, and Agnor was asked to consult with each one on an ongoing basis. He was something of a celebrity among his colleagues for having been aboard the Circe and observing all of these things firsthand. Not many of the scientifically-minded Specitars had the courage or desire to serve aboard a ship—especially not one with as dangerous a reputation as the Circe.
Which is part of the reason, Agnor was told later, he had been promoted to the exalted rank of StarLord. There were precious few StarLords, and none of those currently active were Specitars. Which made Agnor a rarity among rarities.
In addition, the Specitar Council had decided there was no one better qualified to serve as captain to their newest science and exploration vessel, the Calypso. It was an immense honor, and one Agnor could not turn down, no matter how much he would miss his shipmates on the Circe.
Especially now, when they were so close to discovering all the secrets of the blue crystal. Agnor knew exactly where he would take the Calypso first. He was headed, with all possible speed and stealth, to Ipson.
# # #
Thanks for reading Talent For Trouble. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. If this is your first foray into the StarLords series, the first book in the series is still available from Samhain Publishing and is called Hidden Talent. The next book in the series, Shy Talent, should be going up for pre-order in late July or August of 2015, with a release date later in the year.
A list of all ove Bianca’s books follows the brief section of covers and blurbs below. You can also check out her website at: WWW.BIANCADARC.COM or sign up for Bianca’s Newsletter to be alerted when new books are released.
StarLords ~ Book 1
Hidden Talent
Love - and passion - really do conquer all.
While on an undercover mission to gather intelligence on the neighboring collective, Micah receives the shock of his life. A shy, reclusive horse tamer who possesses a level of raw psi Talent that nearly matches his own.
Along with her pure, wild Talent, her beautiful spirit and innocence rouse him to take her on a voyage of discovery to the stars - and the limits of her own, untapped passion.
All her life, Jeri has hidden her Talent, enduring the stigma of being "odd". Once aboard the Circe, Micah and his cousin Darak, a rogue of the first order, guide her through a world where those with Talents are revered, not hunted. Where pleasure hones and strengthens psi power to undreamed-of heights. Where love is a real possibility, not a distant dream.
When a defenseless planet is besieged by the collective's armada, the Circe races to the rescue - only to discover a missing piece of Jeri's past on the wrong side of the battle. And that combining her formidable new powers with Micah's may win the day, but cost her everything...
StarLords ~ Book 3
Shy Talent
Release Date: October 13, 2015
Promoted to StarLord and Captain of his own ship, Agnor hand-picks his crew for the mission of a lifetime behind enemy lines and straight into the fire...
Betsua isn't used to being noticed. Her Talent is a little wild sometimes and just lately, her telekinesis has been ranging off the charts. She doesn't want anyone to know, but Agnor notices and asks her to join his crew. She jumps at the chance to get away from home, but Agnor has more in mind than merely helping her with her wayward Talent.
The new StarLord sees something in Betsua that attracts him in ways he has never experienced before. On a desperate mission to discover how the enemy collective holds the minds of so many people enslaved, will Ag and Bet be able to keep their minds on business and their hands off each other long enough to learn the secret of the blue crystals?
* Warning: Agnor's ship is a training ground for Talent, battle skills, and the art of love. The lessons he teaches sometimes involve multiple partners and wild situations, not for the faint of heart.
Dragon Knights ~ Book 1
Maiden Flight
2014 RT Book Reviews Award Nominee
War is coming for the dragon knights…but love may find them first.
A chance meeting with a young male dragon seals the fate of one adventurous female poacher. The dragon’s partner, a ruggedly handsome knight named Gareth, takes one look at the shapely woman and decides to do a little poaching of his own.
Sir Gareth both seduces and falls deeply in love with the girl who is not only unafraid of dragons but also possesses a rare gift—she can hear the beasts’ silent speech. He wants her for his mate, but mating with a knight is no simple thing. To accept a knight, a woman must also accept the dragon, the dragon’s mate…and her knight, Lars, too.
She is at first shocked, then intrigued by the lusty life in the Lair. But war is in the making and only the knights and dragons have a chance at ending it before it destroys their land and their lives.
Warning: Contains dragons, their sexy knights and a damsel who is not quite in distress. Sizzling hot m/f/m scenes may leave you breathing fire.
Resonance Mates ~ Book 1
Hara’s Legacy
2008 EPPIE Award Winner for Best Erotic Sci Fi Futuristic Romance
It’s a serious game of cowboys and aliens when three psychically gifted brothers try to protect the one fragile, empathic woman who holds all their hearts against a menacing alien threat.
Montana rancher Caleb O’Hara’s precognitive abilities saved his family from an alien attack that annihilated almost everyone on Earth. Now the aliens have come to study the remnants of humanity. Caleb knows the only way to ensure the safety of his young wife, Janie, and his beloved brothers, Justin and Mick, is to keep the family together on their isolated ranch.
All three O’Hara brothers love Jane. They grew up next door to the young, empathic beauty and she stole all their hearts at one time or another, though she married Caleb. Caleb foresees the shocking truth of what they have to do in order to survive, and Caleb’s visions never lie.
They’ll have to come to terms with a new world, and an evolving relationship, all while finding a way to protect two newborn babies who are innocent pawns in the aliens’ deadly game. Somehow, this one talented family holds the key for humanity’s survival on this new, conquered world called Earth.
Warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. It is a menage love story with graphic, frequent sex scenes involving multiple, committed partners in a love relationship.
The Resonance Mates series is complete. The other four books are available in both ebook and print.
String of Fate
Her Warriors
Love triangles are always more interesting when they come equipped with claws…and flippers?
Beau has anger issues, but not when he’s around Jacki. The fierce tiger shifter has been following her around like a puppy, but she hasn’t taken notice of him…until now.
No matter how long Geir has lived in the States, he’s still the odd man out. A tiger shifter native of Iceland, he is a Master of his craft, training other warriors the skills he has perfected. When he sees Jacki for the first time, he knows she is the one for him.
Jacki is the privileged daughter of a prominent shifter Clan. Most of her relatives are lion shifters, so she knows how to handle cats on the prowl, but she is a much rarer selkie—a seal shifter—imbued with magic and surrounded by mystery. When an opportunity arises to step into a key role in shifter society, she is uncertain, but willing to try. And when she’s told she doesn’t have to choose between the two tigers, but rather, can have them both, she is more than intrigued. But someone is stalking their path and they must work together to nullify the danger, all while trying to figure out a complicated relationship that has all three of them questioning fate.
Warning: This story contains graphic language and menage a trois between two tiger shifters and one very special selkie woman. Rawr.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bianca D’Arc has run a laboratory, climbed the corporate ladder in the shark-infested streets of lower Manhattan, studied and taught martial arts, and earned the right to put a whole bunch of letters after her name, but she’s always enjoyed writing more than any of her other pursuits. She grew up and still lives on Long Island, where she keeps busy with an extensive garden, several aquariums full of very demanding fish, and writing her favorite genres of paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance.
Bianca loves to hear from readers and can be reached through Twitter (@BiancaDArc), Facebook (BiancaDArcAuthor) or through the various links on her website.
Welcome to The D’Arc Side…
WWW.BIANCADARC.COM
OTHER BOOKS BY BIANCA D’ARC
Paranormal Romance
Brotherhood of Blood
One & Only
Rare Vintage
Phantom Desires
Sweeter Than Wine
Forever Valentine
Wolf Hills*
Wolf Quest
Tales of the Were
Lords of the Were
Inferno
Tales of the Were ~ The Others
Rocky
Slade
Tales of the Were ~ Redstone Clan
The Purrfect Stranger (prequel)
Grif
Red
Magnus
Bobcat
Matt
String of Fate
Cat’s Cradle
King’s Throne
Jacob’s Ladder
Her Warriors
Gifts of the Ancients: Warrior’s Heart
Guardians of the Dark
Half Past Dead
Once Bitten, Twice Dead
A Darker Shade of Dead
The Beast Within
Dead Alert
Science Fiction Romance
Jit’Suku Chronicles ~ Arcana
King of Swords
King of Cups
King of Clubs
King of Stars
End of the Line
Futuristic Erotic Romance
Resonance Mates
Hara’s Legacy**
; Davin’s Quest
Jaci’s Experiment
Grady’s Awakening
Harry’s Sacrifice
StarLords
Hidden Talent
Talent for Trouble
Shy Talent
Epic Fantasy Romance
Dragon Knights
Maiden Flight*
The Dragon Healer
Border Lair
Master at Arms
The Ice Dragon**
Prince of Spies***
Wings of Change
FireDrake
Dragon Storm
Keeper of the Flame
Hidden Dragons
Print Anthologies
Ladies of the Lair
I Dream of Dragons Vol. 1
Brotherhood of Blood
Caught by Cupid
The Beast Within
* RT Book Reviews Awards Nominee
** EPPIE Award Winner
*** CAPA Award Winner
COMING SOON
An all-new paranormal novella series by Bianca D’Arc
A group of usually-solitary bear shifters has banded together to make a home on a wild part of the Washington coast. They’re posing as an artist’s colony to build their village according to human law, but nearly every resident is a bear of one sort or another. The men who founded the town are looking for peace and quiet—and mates.