War is stirring in the skies and stars above Eden II. Between two empires. One in ascension and the other in decline. The former is made up of a fraternity of brothers like no other. A crew of six mysterious men. Moonlighting as badass warriors while dominating an entire system from the shadows. They’re ghosts, wraiths, glimmers in the dark. Unseen. Yet they’re rumoured to be the galaxy’s most lethal metahumans with exponential power and reach.
THE ANTI-HERO WITH A RELENTLESS MISSION
Of the six Sable Riders, none is more devastating than Kainan Sable. He’s the khosi and the leader of his brotherhood, with a mission to complete. To settle a score with a race of ruthless invaders. An obsession that has consumed him since he first landed on Eden II as a young man, broken and torn. So when a sexy, beguiling woman reaches out to him to save her homeland, it becomes his moment to get back at them, accelerating his plans to exact revenge. Kainan leaps on the chance to end his enemies for eternity - a glimmer in the fabric of his dark. So while he’s drawn to Selene’s smarts and beauty, he can’t give in to her. She either holds the answer he’s looking for or is the distraction he doesn’t need. He has to harness all the power within him. To control the intensity of his reaction to her. In case it takes him off his mission - because failure is not an option.
THE RELUCTANT GUARDIAN OF HER PEOPLE
Selene is an ambitious and rising star in the diplomatic corps. After her father, the Prime of Dunia, is senselessly murdered, she’s desperate to save her homeland from enemies who threaten to destroy it from within and without. The only problem is that she has no choice but to turn to the most unlikely anti-hero. The hulking and sensual man’s life force burns deeply. His hot and cold chimeric nature frustrates her. But his touch ignites flames within her that set both of them ablaze. His molten gold sapphire eyes stop the wind. His raw energy halts her breath. And his keen, strategic mind enthrals her. But she can’t give in to his temptation, lest her cause becomes lost to the wind.
She is the strength her people need. And it’s last and lingering hope. He is the hidden inferno amongst the stars. Ablaze with power and purpose. Together they’ll light the stars on fire, even as their enemies seek to turn their destiny to ashes.
BOOK EXCERPT
Embers, flames and wildfire
‘‘How is this my life?’ Selene muttered under her breath as she stepped from her fly-cab at the gates of an ornate palace.
She took in the view and sighed. This was so NOT her scene.
Vintage ensembles glittered, neo-mod threads glistened, and designer-drenched beauties tottered past. The night was warm, so bronzed shoulders, arms, necks, and long legs were on display, artistic pieces sculpted to perfection by genetic engineering and the latest surgical implants.
Squaring her shoulders, the slight, dark-haired, honey-skinned woman sailed forth. She skirted the hordes of fashion swans jostling for camera cameos and tried to push through rivers of diamonds and sequins as she was carried along in a wave of swarming party-goers.
When she finally broke free, her eyes widened at the sight of the gardens that the planet’s most eminent landscapers had transformed into a gilded tropical oasis for the extraordinary affair. At the centre was the palace’s famous bioluminescent gold ginkgo tree, whose rich saffron leaves fell into a lacquered pile on the palace grounds throughout the year.
The platinum fronds floated around Selene’s heels as she walked past, giving the sensation she was wading through an ocean of gold spray.
Ahead, lush tree vines adorned the coral column-lined entryway, where servers greeted guests with glowing mango daiquiris and champagne on ice upon arrival. She nabbed a glass of bubbly and sipped it to cool herself off before plunging deeper into the festivities.
Selene navigated the night’s thick crowd, winding her way up a candlelit staircase that lured guests up to the welcome table, dressed to impress with mountains of gold lotus, lily and amaryllis flower arrangements.
At the entrance, a host checked her name and title against an extensive list. She joined the obligatory royal greeting line as the sounds of cork popping and effervescent DJing throbbing through the dazzling multi-level palace filled the air.
She shuffled further in the queue, fighting a jaw-splitting yawn.
It won the battle she’d been waging against it. She gritted her teeth, muffling it to no avail. The rest of her fed-up air escaped, and she covered her parting lips with her clutch bag.
Mercy. There were still clutches of dignitaries and society darlings ahead of her.
She groaned, trying to dampen her distaste for the long-drawn process. More long moments of tiny straggling steps forward ensued.
‘Selene Munene, Undersecretary to The Prime of Dunia.’
Holy Dunia, about time!
She stepped forward and curtsied before the royal family.
First, to Prince Occaro, the host of the night and the reason for the most desirable party in Enia City. Also, one of the King of Rhesia’s three brothers. He was a tall man with dark brown hair who’d once been handsome but was now trying to clutch on to his youth and good looks.
He’d dabbled in one too many face-freezing injectibles over the years and paid for a blinding set of veneers. He used them to give her a diplomatic smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, for they were busy darting around the rest of the room at the more glittering, beautiful beings within. He effectively ignored her. As did his wife, Princess Ameli, a similarly nip-tucked creature of indeterminate age.
Nonplussed, Selene moved on to Prince Emian, a studious-looking man with a heavy brow and cold, measured eyes. They flicked over her outmoded dress with a touch of disdain. His wife, Princess Zanza, timid and retiring, barely glanced at Selene, extending a limp hand for acknowledgement.
Selene didn’t waste time moving along to Prince Torran. Aged in his late thirties, he was the youngest of the Rhesian royal brothers. He cut a dashing figure in typical Rhesian suaveness.
He grinned, revealing glimmering teeth set in a perfectly symmetrical face. He leaned in and leered at her, his eyes lingering on her cleavage.
She gave him a tight smile and moved away quickly lest he thought she was receptive to his ‘magnetism’. It was rumoured that he was the royal playboy. No wonder, with his baby blue eyes and messy gold hair. He’d women swooning over him throughout the Pegasi System, hoping to become his Princess.
She’d no such plans, Selene coolly thought.
Last but not least, she presented herself to the royal couple - King Auban VI and Queen Sanjana of the Rhesian Realm of Nations - who contrasted sharply to their surly and checked-out family members.
She dipped low for them, for she was secretly a fan. The most beloved and loved-up royal couple in all Pegasi smiled back in greeting. He was tall, broad-chested and handsome. She, a vision of beauty and elegance. Their images graced the society vids to no end, and the welcoming picture they painted, in contrast to their siblings, was everything desired throughout the System.
Selene, slightly dazzled, kissed the Queen’s slim, perfumed hand as custom dictated.
Then she stumbled, her heel caught on a carpet’s edge. She flailed for a second, trying to find her balance. To her dismay, Queen Sanjana reached a hand out to steady her. Selene had no choice but to grab onto the jewelled sleeve.
‘Thank you, Your Highness,’ she breathed.
The regal woman pulled Selene close as she helped her upright.
‘I saw your face back there,’ she whispered conspiratorially. ‘These occasions can be so dismal, gorgeous. Keep your head up. And leave at your very first chance.’
Selene’s eyes widened, but the banquet organisers were already ushering her along by then.
But not before Selene spotted a devilish twinkle in the Queen’s eye. Which helped to whisk away some embarrassment at her near faux pas. Especially after she caught a few mortified looks from some of the guests and staff nearby.
Selene gave a quick contrite smile and shame-sidled away, easing into the crowded banquet hall.
It was a typical Rhesian affair.
Lavish. Extra in all ways possible. Over. The. Top.
A grand and elaborate gathering filled with glamour, sophistication, and elegance. A dazzling, gem-studded affair attended by the System’s glamour elite, royalty, dignitaries, and influential individuals.
The palace ballroom she’d walked into was a large, ornate ballroom with high ceilings, chandeliers, and intricate architectural details. It featured champagne towers and chocolate fountains. Aerial silk choreographers and dancers floated past. A never-ending stream of cocktails accompanied an indulgent food bar. It was an event designed to titillate even the most cynical of fabulous party-goers.
The women and men in the room were there to see and be seen in the latest Rhesian fashion. Their accessories and shoes were the showiest and ostentatious possible. And they all dripped with jewellery.
Except for Selene. She was all about keeping it simple.
She’d brought out her old striped black and white floor-length dress that had never let her down. It hugged her curves in the right places. Accentuating the right amount of skin without sacrificing her cleavage. Paired with a pair of sensible black heels, it was the perfect ensemble for a Government Undersecretary attending a banquet at the Enian residence of Prince Occaro.
The second eldest royal brother was a notoriously persuasive individual. As Foreign Minister of the Rhesian Realm of Nations, Prince Occaro had perfected the art of quid pro quo and atonement. So when he sent out birthday party invitations, no member of the ton, diplomatic corp, nor the establishment could refuse him.
Selene had been unable to wriggle out of the obligatory appearance, no matter how much she’d protested. She had a low tolerance for parties, small talk and flattery, even though they were a significant prerequisite of her working life. As a result, she often found herself escaping from the endless rounds of diplomatic festivities, and her visit to Rhesia was much more of the same.
Yet her father, the Prime Leader of Dunia, had insisted on her presence. Stating that a renegotiated xentium supply deal with Rhesus was paramount. It all depended on her bargaining skills and on her showing up strong this evening. It would help secure the funds needed for their planet’s future development.
He’d been unable to be there himself, for he’d had to remain in Dunia to deal with a few vital policy votes in his own Parliament. Crucial ballots that could not be delayed.
Thus Selene’s reluctant attendance.
Once the ball got underway, the guests waltzed to the music of a live band joined by professional dancers who performed intricate, graceful routines.
They enjoyed a sumptuous feast throughout the evening with eclectic dishes and desserts to choose from. Served on fine china and silverware, accompanied by the System’s finest wine and beverages.
Selene shook hands, answered questions and made the requisite promises on deals yet to be signed. She even clapped politely for the entertainers. And likewise when the Prince was presented with his birthday cake.
As soon as she’d nabbed a slice, Selene escaped. Her head ached terribly, and she wanted out - not of the event itself but its suffocating atmosphere. But to exit this early would be a diplomatic misstep. No one left before the royal couple did.
So stay she did, wandering alone to the only place she could find peace and solace within the grand house - the deserted terrace outside.
She slipped through the large doors that led to the quiet mezzanine wrapped around the banquet hall and the neo-Rhesian palace.
Breathing in the fresh air as she leant on the edge of a balustrade, she wished she could instantly transport herself back to her planet, Dunia. A week of glad-handing and endless meetings with her Rhesian counterparts had been draining, to say the least.
That said, the planet was beautiful, Enia even more so. For the first time that evening, Selene relaxed, taking in the views of the extravagant city laid out before her.
The capital took pride in being Pegasi’s bauble. It shone. From its self-illuminating walls, sky-glows, giant panels of strobed surfaces and radiant orbs. To its genetically modified trees and plants that glowed in the night with bio fluorescence.
Nearly twenty million people lived in this city that glimmered from space, appearing as a giant mirror ball on the planet’s luminescent emerald surface.
Yet despite all of its bright lights and big dreams, Rhesia was an empire in decline. Overextended, its resources were dwindling, especially its energy reserves. The state coffers were dwindling fast. As a result, its imperial, strong-man image was eroding. Moreover, from what she’d read between the lines at recent negotiations, Selene sensed that Rhesia was beginning to get alarmed by their contenders, seen or unseen.
The old empire was feeling vulnerable to other ascending powers in the System. Events like this party, grand and over the top, were an attempt to embody the realm’s self-perceived values. Yet they did little to avert the inevitable. New powers were rising in the System. Trailblazing leaders were taking hold of the social order. The underclass was beginning to make its mark. And Rhesia was increasingly being left behind in the dust.
She shivered. She felt at the precipice of a historic moment - the dusky end of one empire and the dawn of an entirely new era.
Enia’s light scape, though, was like no other. Selene turned her head to marvel at the glowing maglev trains that floated across the skyline, ferrying hordes of people to the city’s best attractions.
The light shows, for one, were legendary, featuring millions of flashing LEDs choreographed to sound. The Fountains of The Gods especially, which she could see from the terrace, were a must-see spectacle in Enia. The showcase sprayed multi-coloured jets of water sky-high, twisting and dancing, coordinated with music and giant light displays.
In this city, the streets were alive with light. Bio-luminous plants lined the side walks, their leaves glowing softly in the darkness. Visitors and residents meandered the tree-lined avenues, surrounded by a verdant glow as if strolling through a magical forest.
Above, the buildings towered into the sky, their windows and balconies glowing with a warm, inviting light. At the city’s heart was a large park, a popular gathering place for locals and visitors, filled with lights and glowing lanterns. As the night wore on, the metropolis seemed to come even more alive. The lights became brighter, the music louder, and the energy more vibrant.
If the tourists didn’t come for the dancing water and lights, they thronged to the club hotspots and parties held in the vast array of live entertainment and multi-level venues, where sculpted synth droids and genetically enhanced hosts served visitors every pleasure imaginable.
Selene remembered how she’d once attended an open terrace party at NeoStar, a System-famous establishment on Enia, with incredible panoramic views of the city and the surrounding areas. She and her friends had danced all night, fuelled by cocktails and trays of never-ending delicious food, DJ music and more lights, all with a spectacular view of the eternally lit city. She’d never forgotten how alive and carefree she’d felt then - and for a moment, she longed to return to that feeling of utter liberation and sheer joy.
She bent over the edge of the railing to get a better view of a display of incredible fireworks in the distance when she suddenly froze.
Holy Dunia!
Every nerve under her skin lit up when a little way along the terrace, she thought she saw movement.
She stared.
Something had vaulted from thin air onto the handrail.
A silhouette. One that moved once more to land noiselessly on the balcony’s marbled floor.
Selene’s heart rate raced.
She glimpsed a man. Large, hulking, cloaked. His profile stood out against the bright lights of Enia. He turned his head, and she thought she saw a flash of flames come from within the confines of his hood.
Impossible.
Then he was gone. He’d disappeared into a doorway further along the terrace.
Heart still pounding, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Behind her, the noise of the party rose and fell. Music played and voices clashed. Below, Enia’s nightlife continued without missing a beat.
Up here, on the mezzanine, however, a strange silence settled.
Selene found herself toeing off her heels.
She set them carefully down on the ground and proceeded to creep barefoot along the wall, staying well within the shadows. After a few tense moments, she got to the doorway where she thought she’d seen the figure slip into.
It led into a dark corridor.
She felt strangely pulled in. So she took another step forward. Quietly. Surreptitiously. Like her years of reserve military training had taught her.
Damn you, woman, her sensible inner voice said. This is ‘raise the alarm and alert the security guards’ level shit.
She fought the logic, debating with herself. You’ve trained for this. First, find the threat, if there’s any. Then alert the guards. Otherwise, you’ll look silly if nothing comes of this. One count of embarrassing yourself is all you get this evening.
Her latter thinking won. She soon found herself creeping along a wall, past paintings and sculptures of exquisite artistry, towards where she thought she heard voices.
She approached as soundlessly as possible. Then froze at the sound of a whisper.
‘You crossed the wrong people, Occaro.’
The murmur, so low and so deep, reverberated against the walls.
‘Fokk you,’ came a strangled voice.
‘You didn’t let it go,’ the deep low voice continued. ‘And many lost their lives as a result.’
A strangled, unintelligible response followed.
‘I hope all your affairs are in order. I regret it had to come to this. But ’tis the only way of maintaining order in the System.’
There was a long silence. A script in Selene’s head played out a scenario she imagined would outwork itself in the next few moments. She’d leap forward and confront the intruder. And stop whatever diabolical activity she was eavesdropping on, from ever outworking.
She jumped when she heard crackling. Followed by the sound of exploding matter and a fiery conflagration.
She flinched. Someone was in that room, and they most likely needed her help now. Unable to wait any longer, she slid closer and slowly leaned in to look inside the room.
A fire raged within, the flames quickly consuming the space. Her eyes fell on a dense mass of glowing embers and light particles dancing together. Bright against the background of the barely lit room.
The swirling, flaming cloud was rising out of a blaze of smoke and ashes. On the floor was a heap of burning matter as the presence above it merged into a titanic, burning silhouette.
She tried to shrink away from the colossal apparition.
It turned, and she gulped. Her mind freaked out for the next steps. All she got was a blank mental screen. Even her limbs froze, welded to the floor below.
She must have made a noise because the smoke-shrouded creature turned and moved slowly toward her.
She panicked, sucking in a series of low-key breaths. Her mind was so consumed by the sparking mass heading her way that she didn’t even notice the acrid smell of smoke.
Flames licked at the walls, quickly engulfing the room and the corridor. She looked around, trying to find a way out, but there was none. She tried to move her feet again, but they refused to obey her commands. Fire alarms clanged throughout the mansion, but they seemed so far away.
But as soon as a wisp of smoke and flames touched her, she relaxed for some wild, unimaginable reason. She almost melted into it, her fear evaporating incredulously.
Instead, she felt the warmth and energy of the creature scorch the air.
Then it was around her, sliding up her limbs.
It slipped under her skin and roared into her core.
She twisted and turned, any inhibitions dissolving into an impossible need as the flaming inferno swept over her body, yet not one burn erupted on her skin.
Instead, it washed over her with the sweetest agonising heat that snaked all over her.
She wanted more.
Ached for more.
Longed for more.
A loud crack sounded out.
The world around her imploded, and she fell to the ground.
But strong arms caught her before she hit the floor.
She fluttered her eyes open, trying to focus, but all she saw was a man’s silhouette against a bright gold incandescence.
The presence moved. It gently lifted and carried Selene away, its flames strangely not burning her dress or skin.
Then she was back on the terrace where she’d started her small adventure, on the ground, next to her pair of sensible, black heels.
The presence retreated.
She reached out an arm in a futile effort to return to its fiery embrace.
Inexplicably the silhouette shattered before her in a fountain of embers, flames and wildfire.
She felt an incredible loss. Tears flowed as she lost consciousness, slipping further away from the flaming, dying inferno.
