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LENGTH: Mid Novel
SENSUALITY: Sensual

Cover art (c) Eliza Black 2005
ISBN 1-58608-586-7
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Trade Paperback ISBN 1-58608-736-3
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Kayla Jardane’s reached the end of her endurance. Her parents are dead. Her brothers missing. And her planet’s facing annihilation. She needs a savior. Badly. But she doesn’t expect to find one with long, dark hair, a face that put Adonis to shame, and a body to die for. His only flaw--she thinks he’s working for her enemy. When she tries to escape, her sexy savior shackles her wrist to his with Tung cuffs, forces her aboard his starcruiser, then tells her he’s lost the key. . .

When Dolph Rynard discovers a beautiful woman in the flatlands of Colony III, he suspects she has information that will aid in his mission to bring the criminal he’d been investigating to justice. But she refuses to answer any of his questions. He decides to keep her shackled to his arm--and in his bed--until she does.

Rating: Contains violence and sexual content.

HOSTAGE HEARTS

By

Trudy Thompson

© copyright June 2005 by Trudy Thompson

Cover art by Eliza Black, © copyright June 2005

ISBN 1-58608-586-7

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author's imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

PROLOGUE

Turas: Agro Planet 1

"We can no longer wait like docile creatures while Hobard destroys us. Nor can we continue to meet in secrecy to complain but do nothing to ease our plight. We must act now." Marcus Nilon, commander of the revolutionary forces on Turas did not have to wait long for the response of critical importance to their future.

A multitude of voices rose in agreement.

"This is treason, Marcus. Jardane's life has already been forfeited. How many more must die?" a louder voice argued from the center of the crowd.

"As many as necessary to free our planet from oppression. We agreed when we joined this group that death defending our cause was honorable. To die meekly accepting our fate and doing nothing to prevent it is to die in shame.

"Only a matter of months remain until we have insufficient Krystallum to power our generators, to drive our transport vehicles. Already the foliage wilts from lack of moisture as the soil cracks like a dry riverbed. Every available drop of fluid not necessary to sustain life diverted to the agro-spheres to maintain our crops. Our supply of Krystals dwindles rapidly.

Soon our crops will die. Our stored food supplies will be depleted. With no fuel to escape our failing planet, we will be left with no hope of survival."

"I agree our cause is just, but the Colony Management Council should be contacted. Surely it will not allow this travesty to continue."

"We've learned by previous attempts to have our voices heard, Council will not entertain accusations unless we have solid proof of Hobard's treachery. Council did not listen or act when Rodic Jardane pleaded our case before their Tribunal. Turas' Agro-Advisor was put to death and his holdings stripped away because Hobard brought counter-charges stating he'd been falsely accused of withholding Krystallum. He insisted Turas received a share of Krystallum equal to that of other planets in the System, but wasteful mismanagement consumed our allotted provisions.

"Who among us will petition another audience knowing what happened to Jardane?"

No one answered.

"We must protect ourselves," Marcus continued. "If Hobard, acting as Council's Planetary Chief on Colony III, will not supply the necessary Krystals to assure our well being, we must take matters into our own hands."

Ignoring the arguments around her, Kayla Jardane glanced up through the transparent roof of the agro-sphere into the blackness of the sky. She looked back to the hundreds of people seated near. All were dressed in familiar green jumpsuits, denoting their participation in the movement to save Turas. All but a few insisted upon their right to be included in the plans.

After her father's failed attempt to warn Council of Hobard's crimes, Council forbid political gatherings of any type on Turas. The revolutionists suspected Council also seeded informants among the general populace to report any such activities. If those speculations were true, any moment a patrol sent by the Colony Management Council might discover their meeting and apprehend everyone present.

Kayla tried to caution her brother, Danel, seated to her right but found him absorbed in the heated conversations. He passionately believed it long past time to cease discussing Nathan Hobard and do something about his heinous crimes.

The Jardane's, up to the point of her father's execution, had no involvement with the underground forces working to free Turas from enslavement by Hobard's cruelty. Their father had done everything in his power to see the revolution abolished, pleading instead for a peaceful team of negotiators to go to Hobard's mining planet and work out a settlement to restore full shipments of Krystallum to Turas.

After their father's death, Kayla and her brothers were quick to join the cause.

Kayla understood what the leaders advocated and agreed--to a point. Involvement in subterfuge was one thing. What the revolutionists now planned was quite another. Piracy had been abolished centuries ago when the Colony Management Council was created to rule the Givonte System. To be caught in such a forbidden act would mean certain death to all involved and further jeopardy for their planet.

"I demand my right as Jardane's eldest to be among the members of this team, Marcus."

The crowd fell silent. Kayla turned to find Danel standing at her side, fist held high. Her younger brother Rand soon joined him, making the same claim.

She tried to dislodge the lump that suddenly tightened her throat and fought to still the trembling of her limbs as she rose to her feet. Her parents were gone. Her home stripped away. Whether she agreed with their plans or not, she did not intend to be excluded. "I, too, demand my right to be among those who will see Hobard's reign ended."

"You will not be permitted to go," Danel stated emphatically.

Kayla notched her chin higher. "Hobard's crimes touch each of us. Some more deeply than others." She raised her fingers to rub the scar about her neck. "I demand the right to reclaim my honor." No one denied her claim.