Heart of Winter: A Sci-fi Alien Warrior Romance (Winter's Edge Book 2) Read online

  “What do we do?”

  “First things first.” Damion finally managed to pull himself together. He dusted off his jacket, fixed his collar, while Jane gave an inward smile at his fastidious nature.

  He started to walk towards her, his feet moving in a brusque manner and picking up speed as he came closer until the last foot that divided them was closed in a quick dash as he drew her up into his arms and pressed his lips firmly against hers. So surprised was Jane by this public display of affection that her first instinct was to put his hand on his shoulder like she was attempting to push him away. After her shock wore off, she felt her defenses fade away and she leaned in closer until their bodies were pressed tightly together. When they broke apart, Jane peeked over Damion’s broad shoulders to see Bry, her mouth hanging open with Walter and Professor Jung following suit with similar expressions. Even Achilles looked stunned, his eyes wide, his ample tongue hanging from his mouth while he slobbered on the floor.

  “You two are—I mean, I can’t believe—”Bry struggled for words and breath as her face lit up in excitement which was no doubt motivated by her affection for Jane but also by her need to even the imbalance between the two of them. They would both have plenty to tease each other about now.

  “Why?” Jane whispered turning to look deep into Damion’s eyes. “I thought we were keeping this a secret.”

  “I decided that some things were more important” said Damion, his mouth etched into a slight but visible smile. “I can make decisions like that, you know. I am the Captain after all.” She laughed and kissed him once more.

  “Isn’t that sweet?” Sabetha mocked as she managed to crawl her way across the floor and slump against the wall, her usually perfect features now bearing several bruises and cuts.

  Jane shot a quick glance in the woman’s direction before turning back to Damion. “What should we do?”

  “We need to free this colony, for starters.” Damion’s face had regained some of its stoic grimness.

  “What about the stone?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Damion said with a small and almost mischievous glint in his eye.

  “Alright,” said Jane. “In any case, I think I might have a plan.” She looked at Sabetha once more, a small smile beginning to spread over her face. She walked several paces and got down on her knees so that she was face to face with the woman who had almost cost her everything.

  “What?” Sabetha’s face contorted into a fierce rage. “Come to gloat have you?”

  “No,” replied Jane simply.

  “Then what?”

  “You’re going to help us.”

  “Help you how?”

  “Help us free the colonists you enslaved.”

  Sabetha let out a shrill laugh. “I’m going to do no such thing.”

  “Yes, you are. If you want to live through the next several minutes, you’re going to do exactly what I tell you to do.”

  Sabetha scowled, but said nothing.

  “I know you” said Jane. “I know that you care more about yourself than others. It’s why you can enslave an entire group of people and feel nothing. It’s why you can imprison and torture someone without batting an eye. You value your own life more than you do anybody else’s. That’s why you’re going to help us.”

  All of the fight went out of Sabetha’s eyes and was replaced by resigned disgust. “What do you need me to do?” she said through barred teeth, as if every word she spoke was painful.

  “Where’s your comm system?”

  ***

  It turned out that the comm system was housed a level down from where they were. Jane and the rest of the crew escorted Sabetha down there, making sure to bind and gag her for the journey. When they reached their destination, a small room with several pieces of machinery, Jane removed Sabetha’s gag and pushed her forward. “You know how to operate it?”

  “Of course I do” said Sabetha, a haughty edge creeping into her voice as if Jane had insulted her pride.

  “Fantastic. And does it broadcast to the whole colony?”

  “Yes.”

  “Even better. You’re going to turn that thing on and tell all of your men to hand their weapons over to the nearest colonist.”

  Anger flared across Sabetha’s face. “I am not” she said, making sure to emphasize each word.

  “You are, because if you don’t….” Jane tapped the handle of her gun. Sabetha grimaced.

  “Alright, fine. But even if I do that, do you really think my men are just going to give up their guns as easy as that?”

  “Sure they will. After you tell them this” Jane took a step forward and whispered into Sabetha’s ear. Sabetha’s mouth curved into a pout while she listened and her nostrils seemed to flare.

  “You got that?” said Jane. Sabetha gave a reluctant and unhappy nod of her head. “Then by all means” said Jane gesturing at the various bits of machinery in front of them. Sabetha let out a long weary sigh before walking forward. Jane went with her, making sure to keep a hand on her shoulder at all times in case she tried something. Jane quickly unbound one of Sabetha’s hands, allowing her to operate the device.

  Sabetha pressed a button on the side and leaned forward to speak into the thin sliver of a mic that protruded from the nest of machinery.

  “This is Sabetha Grey” she began, her voice changing from the furious, petulant tone it had so recently adopted to one of power and grace. All around her, Jane could hear Sabetha’s voice echo, its tenor loud enough to shake the building. “I have just received a transmission from the Galactic Federal Agency. They have a fleet in orbit above us. Per their instructions, everyone is to give their weapons and any other arms they may possess to the nearest colonist. After you have done so, gather in the center of town. I understand you might be hesitant to carry out these orders, but do know that I have no choice but to give them. We are outgunned and outnumbered. If we fight, we will die. It’s that simple. However, rest assured that I have negotiated a deal for all of us. For the release of the colonists we will be granted lighter sentences, amounting to no more than several years. I have the deal signed and notarized by Admiral Stokeland of the Galactic Federal Agency. As you can see, our only option…” the shadow of a shudder passed through Sabetha, “is to surrender.” She spat out the last word as if it had been something caught in her throat.

  Sabetha turned the machine off and Jane bound her hands once more, pinning her wrist behind her back. “That was good” said Jane. She turned to Damion, who gave her a slow nod of his head.

  “I’m so glad you’re pleased,” said Sabetha in a sarcastic snarl.

  Jane shook her head in disbelief. “For all your faults, you’re one fantastic liar. I’ll give you that.”

  “You’re not so bad yourself. After all, I only spoke the words. It was you who came up with them in the first place.”

  “I did what I had to do” Jane said quietly.

  “Oh, I suppose so. We all do what we have to. It’s what I’ve done my entire life.”

  “You enslaved an entire colony.”

  “All I’m saying is we’re not so different you and I. We would have worked well together,” Sabetha said. There was the ghost of a taunting sneer hidden around her lips.

  Jane looked her in the eye. “I guess we’ll never know.” She hit Sabetha in the side of the head with the butt of her gun, causing the woman to fall to a heap in the floor as she slid into unconsciousness. Jane looked back at the rest of her crew, all of them, even Damion, looking stunned by her sudden act of violence.

  “Just for good measure,” Jane said.

  Chapter 9

  “Thank you.” The words came from Grace, who at the moment, had her arms wrapped tightly around Jane. Jane hugged her back, holding her tight until they broke apart.

  “In truth, I should be thanking you,” said Jane. It had been several hours since Sabetha Grey had told her men to hand their guns over to the colonists. Several hours during which her men had been imprisoned,
some of them in the cells below the tower while others were simply bound and put in the center of town where the colonists could keep an eye on them. They guarded them religiously, their eyes never leaving them and because of this, there had been little time or opportunity for celebration. Jane understood the impulse. Months upon months of enslavement had given the colonists an ill humor, as well as a lack of willingness to feel any sort of relief until Sabetha and her men had been picked up by the proper authorities. Now morning had worn into early evening with Jane standing on the edge of town while Damion and the rest of the crew prepared the ship for take-off.

  “So, what are you going to do now?” Jane asked Grace.

  “Go find my mother I suppose. She sent me here to give me a better life, but didn’t have the money to come herself.”

  “Things will get a lot better now that Sabetha is gone.” Jane patted her gently.

  “It doesn’t matter.” Grace had a haunted sad look etched across her face. “There’s too much pain here now. Too many bad memories.”

  “I understand. You could always come with us. That is, if you wanted.”

  Grace seemed to consider this for a moment before shaking her head. “I have to be by myself for a while, I think.”

  Jane was a bit surprised but nodded. “Of course. You need to find your own way.”

  “Thank you.” Gratitude showed in the young girl’s face and in a flash of realization, Jane understood why. She wasn’t being sent off to a distant planet by herself or forced to work as a serving girl. For once, she was being given a choice.

  “Hey there,” came a hoarse voice. It was Jack Abbott, now cleaned up and dressed in fresh clothes. One of the first things Jane had done after forcing Sabetha to deliver her message was to let the man out.

  “You’re looking much better,” said Jane. Grace nodded in agreement.

  “Well, I still feel like equal parts shit and horse manure.”

  “Charming as always,” said Jane with a smile.

  “I could tell you that my bad attitude was the result of six month’s imprisonment, but that would be a lie. I’ve always been a bit of an asshole.”

  “Only a bit?

  “Maybe a little bit more than a bit.” He grinned at both of the girls which caused Grace to blush. “By the way, I just got done placing a call to the GAF.”

  “And they’re coming?”

  “Yeah. They should be here in a day or two.”

  Jane breathed a sigh of relief. “I guess it’s over then.”

  “What about that man you were looking for? What was his name?” said Abbott.

  “Bill Saunter” breathed Jane, her voice barely rising to the level of a whisper.

  “You find him?”

  “No.” They had searched the colony, even enlisting some of the colonists to help in their search. Due to the temperature of the surrounding area, he couldn’t have left the colony on foot, meaning that he had likely taken off on whatever ship he rode in on. Strangely enough, Damion hadn’t seemed too concerned about it.

  “So, what’s going to happen to them?” said Jane, in an attempt to change subjects.

  “To who?”

  “To Sabetha and her men.”

  “Slavery is a capital crime so they’ll likely be executed.”

  Jane felt her face harden. “Good” was all she said.

  ***

  Jane stepped back onto the Winter’s Edge. Savannah Tallbright and Charlie Houston were there to greet her.

  “I hear someone had a dramatic twenty four hours” said Savannah.

  “To say the least” Jane said with a weary sigh.

  “I guess I missed all the fun.”

  “Only you would consider it fun,” teased Jane.

  “It’s always fun for me. And hey, I hear you handled yourself well out there. At least that’s what Damion tells me.”

  “I tried too.”

  “Glad you’re okay,” interjected Charlie.

  “Thanks Charlie.” He gave her a slight tip of the weathered red cap that he wore on his head. Bry chose this moment to come wandering down the hallway. Jane noticed she no longer had her cane and hadn’t needed it either during their ascent up the tower to confront Sabetha. Despite a small limp, she looked to be moving well.

  “Hey” she said, a wide grin on her face.

  “Alright, go ahead” said Jane.

  “Go ahead on what?”

  “You know what” Jane said in irritated amusement.

  “Oh, that” said Bry, pretending as if a sudden realization had just occurred to her. “You know, I really didn’t think the Captain was your type,” she said nudging Jane gently with her elbow.

  “Huh, so everyone knows about that now?” said Savannah.

  “You knew?” Bry rounded on her.

  “Of course I did. I know everything that happens on this ship. Like you and Walter for example.”

  Bry’s face immediately lit up into a dark red blush. At that moment, Damion’s deep booming voice came on over the intercom, saving Bry from further embarrassment.

  “Jane, would you please come to my office,” said the voice of Damion Winter. Now it was Jane’s turn to blush as Savannah winked at her and Bry once more flashed a teasing smile at her.

  “Try not to leave a mess after you leave,” said Savannah. “Otherwise Charlie will probably have to be the one clean it up.” Charlie looked around in bewilderment, as he had for most of the conversation.

  “I’m happy to clean up any mess. It’s no problem,” he said without a trace of irony.

  “For god’s sake Charlie, try and keep up.” Savannah shoke her head.

  ***

  “Jane” said Damion as she entered his office. He was sitting behind his chair but instantly stood up when he saw her. He walked over to her and gave her a long passionate kiss on the lips. She returned it with enthusiasm, the warmth of his touch sending a sharp fire through her veins. When they separated, he put his hand on her cheek and gave it a long, drawn out caress.

  “I’m proud of you” he said. Jane felt the glow of his pride reflected in her own feelings. It made her feel good that she had pleased him. However, it made her feel even better that she had pleased herself.

  “I did my best. Things still went wrong though.”

  “And you didn’t let that stop you.”

  “Of course not.” She remembered how afraid she had been just a day earlier. And now it had vanished. And it was gone even though she knew things would likely go wrong in the future as well. She knew that no matter what happened that she could handle it. She felt a surge of confidence at these thoughts while also nursing her growing suspicion that this would be the first night in a long time that she didn’t have any bad dreams. She was done seeing the past replayed in her nightmares.

  “We didn’t get the stone though,” she said, her confidence deflating slightly as she remembered their failure to stop Bill Saunter from making off with the stone that they had been sent to retrieve.

  “Didn’t we?” said Damion. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stone with three ravens carved into it. It looked exactly like the one Saunter had escaped with.

  “How did you—” stammered Jane.

  “I had the professor make me a duplicate before we landed. Stone etching is a hobby of his.”

  “Of course it is.” Her eyes half-closed in disbelief.

  “And then after our dinner with Ms. Grey, I snuck into her quarters and retrieved the real one, replacing it with the fake.”

  “How did you know where to find it?”

  “Oh, it wasn’t that hard. She had it displayed on a mantelpiece.”

  “She put a family heirloom of a wealthy family that also happened to be stolen, out there in the open?”

  “Remember the table we ate at? A woman like Sabetha Grey never hides her trophies.”

  “Then we did it,” said Jane, feeling a wave of exultation sweep over her. “We won.”

  “It’s a good feeling, isn’t it
?” he said with a certain amount of satisfaction.

  “Yes, it is.”

  With that, they embraced once more. “Thank you” she whispered, her head pressed against the hard contours of his chest.

  “For what?”

  “For letting people know about us. I don’t want to hide this.” She put a finger to his mouth, tracing the curve of his lips.

  “I don’t either.” He took her finger away and pulled her to him. As they kissed, Jane heard the roar of the engines as the Winter’s Edge prepared to leave the planet. Soon, they would be flying through a dark ocean filled with stars, the two of them holding one another until they reached a distant shore. Wherever they went next, she was ready. Her mind was already there.

  End of Part II…

  To Be Continued

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  About the Author: Charlotte A. Harper

  Charlotte A. Harper was born and subsequently forged in the colds of Michigan. Growing up, she cultivated a sense of adventure and a desire for thrills and spent her time thinking and fantasizing about a great many things. Now she writes those fantasies down. Strong men and even stronger women are what she likes to write about and she loves to explore relationships in which two dominant personalities clash against one another in a battle of wills. She believes that the stronger the fire, the brighter it burns.

  She currently lives in California with her husband, the two of them locked in a perpetual battle for dominance. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

  All Books by Sarah Jane Ellis Can Be Viewed At:

  https://www.amazon.com/Charlotte-A.-Harper/e/B06XBX8D7C

  About the Author: Sarah Jane Ellis

  Sarah Jane Ellis has always had a lively and playful imagination but her shyness and slight introversion had kept her from sharing it with others. Under the guidance and encouragement of fellow author and close friend, Ruth Anne Scott, Sarah finally mustered up the courage to start creating pieces for publication. Sarah writes with the intention that her readership is able to experience the same level of enjoyment from reading her work that she had while composing them.