On Tour with Prism Book Tours.
Welcome to the Release Celebration for
Dark Deeds
By Michelle Diener
Dark Deeds is book two in the Class 5 Series. If you missed Michelle's releaseday
message, go read it HERE, if you missed learning more about the
characters from the series, go HERE, and don't forget to grab your
copy of Dark Horse, book one, while it's on SALE for 99¢! There's a fabulous Amazon eGift Card giveaway as well. Enjoy the
exclusive excerpt below...
Dark
Deeds
(Class 5 #2)
by Michelle Diener
Adult SciFi
Paperback & ebook, 340 Pages
June 4th 2016
Far from home . . .
Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing
about her abduction makes sense. When she's rescued by the Grih, she realizes there's a much
bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she's right in the middle of it.
Far from safe . . .
Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman
abducted from Earth. She's the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her
presence is potentially explosive in the Grih's ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the
Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the
balance.
Far from done . . .
Fiona has had to bide her time while she's been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is,
but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in this new world she grabs it with
both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words.
Stacking heavy boxes in the launch bay,
Fiona heard a ship come
through the gel wall. Hard.
There was a harsh grinding of metal on
metal.
The smell of burning, the hot scent of
friction, blew over her a
moment before the smoke. Black and choking, it engulfed her before being sucked
out through the air filters.
She crouched down behind the crates,
grateful for the first time
for the hood Captain Tak had forced her to wear for the last four weeks. It
fitted tightly over her head, with strange, protruding ears, like a child's
whimsical winter hat, and the bottom half covered her mouth, ending just below
her nose. It helped filter out the noxious fumes.
The loud grating sound ended with a
shrieking crash that cut off
abruptly, and in the sudden silence she heard a loud clang. She guessed the
ship's ramp had just hit the launch bay floor.
She'd never been allowed in the bay when
one of the smaller
merchant vessels entered to do business with the Garmman trading ship she was
on. Hury always came and dragged her back to her cell long before they arrived,
only letting her out when they were gone.
So,
this wasn't a scheduled arrival. And she didn't think every landing was quite
so hard, or the launch bay would look a little worse for wear.
She
peered around the high stack of containers and froze.
The
ship that had come through was badly damaged, but she hardly noticed
that.
It
was the occupants who had her unwavering attention.
They
came cautiously down the ramp, shockguns raised. They were slender, almost
willowy, with hair that grew long and thick. Some had grown it to their
shoulders or lower, others had cut it level with their ears. The pearl white of
it contrasted with the delicate peach of their skin.
They
moved like a slick, welltrained team, and there was something predatory about
them. They were in a sort of uniform, not identical, but close enough. Dark
pants and shirt, boots that ended well above their ankles. The contrast of the
dark color with their pastel skin and hair made them all the more
astonishing.
The
launch bay door opened to her left and she turned to see Hecta and Nark stop
dead in the doorway, mouths open at the smoldering ship, the damage to the
bay.
Without
any sign of hesitation, two of the peach people lifted their shockguns and
fired.
Hecta
and Nark went down, and two other interlopers ran over to them, pushed them
clear of the doors and hit the button to close them again.
One
signaled to another of the group, and he ran over, took out a tiny silver
rectangle and pressed it to the keypad next to the door. She heard the locks
engage, locking the Garmman crew on the other side of the launch
bay.
Well.
Fiona
bent her head for a moment, sucking in a breath through the thick fabric of her
hood.
They
could kill her.
But
she was going to die here anyway.
It
would be drawn out for a little longer, as some of the crew got up their
courage to follow Captain Tak's unspoken request, but they would beat her to
death sooner or later.
She
rubbed her hip where Hury had kicked her yesterday, and knew it was
true.
These
people might kill her right now, but it was well worth the risk.
She
started to rise, and felt the hard plasticlike ears built into her hood
wobble. She crouched back down.
Captain
Tak wanted her to wear the hood to hide what she was, and also to make her look
like something she wasn't. It had become really important to him that she not
be seen without it.
And
anything that Tak wanted, she was determined to do the opposite.
She
wasn't sure who the aliens in front of her were, but for all she knew, people
who wore hoods like hers were their worst enemy. Whereas they couldn't have any
negative history with a human.
She
got a good grip and pulled the hood off her head, and just to make sure, slid
it between two of the containers, completely out of sight.
The
lingering smoke caught immediately at her throat, and as she stood and took a
step out from behind the stack, she couldn't help coughing a little.
Ten
shockguns turned in her direction, and her heart gave a jump as they bared
their teeth.
They
had incisors, their lips pulling back over their gums to expose them
fully.
It
brought baboons from nature documentaries to mind.
She
slowly raised her hands to show she was unarmed. Then held her breath as they
watched her, and she watched them right back.
The
pupils of their eyes were red, and she pushed down her rising panic at their
very interested gaze.
She
may have made a mistake.
One
of them cocked his head to the side, and gestured for her to come
closer.
Before
she'd seen the teeth, the eyes, she'd been willing enough to take the chance.
Now she had to force herself to step slowly out of the shadows and into the
harsh light of the landing area.
“Grih?”
The one who'd motioned her forward asked.
She
nodded, relieved. “I do speak Grih. And Garmman. And a little Bukari.” Fitali
was too strange for her, she hadn't come close to working it out yet, and
Tecran made her uneasy, made her heart beat faster and her hands shake. She had
skipped over all the Tecran language lessons.
“I
mean, are you Grihan?” He spoke Garmman, his voice sibilant, his sharp incisors
peeking out as he spoke.
She
frowned. He thought she looked Grihan? “No.”
One
of the team circled behind her, and she turned her head to keep him in
sight.
She
flinched when he suddenly moved right in front of her.
“Too
short. And the ears.” The finger he reached out had too many joints and he
touched the tip of her ear, shockgun resting directly against her chest as he
did it.
She
shuddered, forcing herself to keep still.
They
weren't that much taller than she was, although close up she saw that while
their limbs were slender, every muscle was defined.
“Pity.
We have a Grihan battleship chasing us and it would have been good to use you
as a hostage.” The leader stared at her, and she saw there was a sly and
calculating look in his eye. “What are you, then?”
“I'm
a prisoner.” She took a breath when the gun lifted slightly off her chest. “I
wanted to ask if you'd take me with you? Help me escape?”
The
leader barked out a laugh. “No.” He looked back at his stillsmoking ship. “How
can we get out of here?”
Suddenly,
the shockgun was back on her chest, and she could hear the whine as it got to
full strength.
If
a Grihan battleship was chasing them, then the Grih would come here to look for
them, surely? That meant another group to appeal to for help.
All
wasn't lost.
Exclusive Excerpt from Dark
Deeds
Chapter One
I am so thrilled that Dark Deeds, book 2 in the Class 5 series, is out, and to share some of the
love, I have part of the first chapter as an excerpt for you today! Dark Deeds is the sequel to
Dark Horse, which is on sale for 99c at the moment, until January 9th, when it goes back to its
usual price of $4.99.
— Michelle Diener
Chapter One
Stacking heavy
boxes in the launch bay, Fiona heard a ship come through the gel wall. Hard.
There was a harsh grinding of metal on
metal.
The smell of burning, the hot scent of
friction, blew over her a moment before the smoke. Black and choking, it engulfed her before
being sucked out through the air filters.
She crouched down behind the crates,
grateful for the first time for the hood Captain Tak had forced her to wear for the last four weeks.
It fitted tightly over her head, with strange, protruding ears, like a child's whimsical winter hat,
and the bottom half covered her mouth, ending just below her nose. It helped filter out the
noxious fumes.
The loud grating sound ended with a
shrieking crash that cut off abruptly, and in the sudden silence she heard a loud clang. She
guessed the ship's ramp had just hit the launch bay floor.
She'd never been allowed in the bay when
one of the smaller merchant vessels entered to do business with the Garmman trading ship she
was on. Hury always came and dragged her back to her cell long before they arrived, only
letting her out when they were gone.
So, this wasn't a scheduled arrival. And she didn't think every landing was
quite so hard, or the launch bay would look a little worse for wear.
She peered around the high stack of containers and
froze.
The ship that had come through was badly damaged, but she hardly
noticed that.
It was the occupants who had her unwavering
attention.
They came cautiously down the ramp, shockguns raised. They were
slender, almost willowy, with hair that grew long and thick. Some had grown it to their shoulders
or lower, others had cut it level with their ears. The pearl white of it contrasted with the delicate
peach of their skin.
They moved like a slick, welltrained team, and there was something
predatory about them. They were in a sort of uniform, not identical, but close enough. Dark
pants and shirt, boots that ended well above their ankles. The contrast of the dark color with
their pastel skin and hair made them all the more astonishing.
The launch bay door opened to her left and she turned to see Hecta and
Nark stop dead in the doorway, mouths open at the smoldering ship, the damage to the
bay.
Without any sign of hesitation, two of the peach people lifted their
shockguns and fired.
Hecta and Nark went down, and two other interlopers ran over to them,
pushed them clear of the doors and hit the button to close them
again.
One signaled to another of the group, and he ran over, took out a tiny
silver rectangle and pressed it to the keypad next to the door. She heard the locks engage,
locking the Garmman crew on the other side of the launch bay.
Well.
Fiona bent her head for a moment, sucking in a breath through the thick
fabric of her hood.
They could kill her.
But she was going to die here anyway.
It would be drawn out for a little longer, as some of the crew got up their
courage to follow Captain Tak's unspoken request, but they would beat her to death sooner or
later.
She rubbed her hip where Hury had kicked her yesterday, and knew it was
true.
These people might kill her right now, but it was well worth the
risk.
She started to rise, and felt the hard plasticlike ears built into her hood
wobble. She crouched back down.
Captain Tak wanted her to wear the hood to hide what she was, and also
to make her look like something she wasn't. It had become really important to him that she not
be seen without it.
And anything that Tak wanted, she was determined to do the
opposite.
She wasn't sure who the aliens in front of her were, but for all she knew,
people who wore hoods like hers were their worst enemy. Whereas they couldn't have any
negative history with a human.
She got a good grip and pulled the hood off her head, and just to make
sure, slid it between two of the containers, completely out of sight.
The lingering smoke caught immediately at her throat, and as she stood
and took a step out from behind the stack, she couldn't help coughing a
little.
Ten shockguns turned in her direction, and her heart gave a jump as they
bared their teeth.
They had incisors, their lips pulling back over their gums to expose them
fully.
It brought baboons from nature documentaries to
mind.
She slowly raised her hands to show she was unarmed. Then held her
breath as they watched her, and she watched them right back.
The pupils of their eyes were red, and she pushed down her rising panic
at their very interested gaze.
She may have made a mistake.
One of them cocked his head to the side, and gestured for her to come
closer.
Before she'd seen the teeth, the eyes, she'd been willing enough to take
the chance. Now she had to force herself to step slowly out of the shadows and into the harsh
light of the landing area.
“Grih?” The one who'd motioned her forward
asked.
She nodded, relieved. “I do speak Grih. And Garmman. And a little
Bukari.” Fitali was too strange for her, she hadn't come close to working it out yet, and Tecran
made her uneasy, made her heart beat faster and her hands shake. She had skipped over all
the Tecran language lessons.
“I mean, are you Grihan?” He spoke Garmman, his voice sibilant, his
sharp incisors peeking out as he spoke.
She frowned. He thought she looked Grihan?
“No.”
One of the team circled behind her, and she turned her head to keep him
in sight.
She flinched when he suddenly moved right in front of
her.
“Too short. And the ears.” The finger he reached out had too many joints
and he touched the tip of her ear, shockgun resting directly against her chest as he did
it.
She shuddered, forcing herself to keep still.
They weren't that much taller than she was, although close up she saw
that while their limbs were slender, every muscle was defined.
“Pity. We have a Grihan battleship chasing us and it would have been
good to use you as a hostage.” The leader stared at her, and she saw there was a sly and
calculating look in his eye. “What are you, then?”
“I'm a prisoner.” She took a breath when the gun lifted slightly off her
chest. “I wanted to ask if you'd take me with you? Help me escape?”
The leader barked out a laugh. “No.” He looked back at his stillsmoking
ship. “How can we get out of here?”
Suddenly, the shockgun was back on her chest, and she could hear the
whine as it got to full strength.
If a Grihan battleship was chasing them, then the Grih would come here to
look for them, surely? That meant another group to appeal to for help.
All wasn't lost.
Dark
Horse
by Michelle Diener
Adult SciFi
Paperback & ebook, 381 Pages
June 15th 2015
Some secrets carry the weight of the world.
Rose McKenzie may be far from Earth with no way back, but she's made a powerful allya
fellow prisoner with whom she's formed a strong bond. Sazo's an artificial intelligence. He's
saved her from captivity and torture, but he's also put her in the middle of a conflict, leaving
Rose with her loyalties divided.
Captain Dav Jallan doesn't know why he and his crew have stumbled across an almost
legendary Class 5 battleship, but he's not going to complain. The only problem is, all its crew
are dead, all except for one strange, new alien being.
She calls herself Rose. She seems small and harmless, but less and less about her story is
adding up, and Dav has a bad feeling his crew, and maybe even the four planets, are in
jeopardy. The Class 5's owners, the Tecran, look set to start a war to get it back and Dav
suspects Rose isn't the only alien being who survived what happened on the Class 5. And
whatever else is out there is playing its own games.
In this race for the truth, he's going to have to go against his leaders and trust the dark
horse.
Michelle Diener writes historical fiction, fantasy
and science fiction. Having worked in publishing and IT, she’s now very happy crafting new
worlds and interesting characters and wondering which part of the world she can travel to
next.
Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her
husband and two children.
When she’s not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her blogging
at Magical Musings. or online at Twitter, at Google+ and Facebook.
Release
Celebration Giveaway
$50 Amazon eGift Card
Open internationally
Ends January 10th
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