I always try to use humor in all my writing, even if comedy is not central to the story as a whole. Witty banter is the best kind of foreplay, so I spent a lot of time on the dialogue, even going so far as to strong-arm my very reluctant brother into critiquing it. I like to think the vibe of my story is a mix between the films True Lies and Lockout if they had aliens, superhumans and steamy sex scenes. I really love fantasy and sci-fi, so I knew my story was going to be one or the other.

Given this love, I really tried to channel your Mal Reynolds, Han Solo, and chaotic good ranger turned rogue types. If I’m being honest with myself, the inspiration for the male character’s voice comes from Clayton Danvers in the show Bitten. I wasn’t even watching the series, but as I was thinking about how I wanted my guy Kade to talk, I heard Clayton saying “darlin” in my head. It just snowballed from there. Thus came about the smooth-talking, quick-witted, drawl-accented Kade; scientifically altered human with a chip on his shoulder and a thing for fiery alien mechanics.

He’s a good match for my neutral good, leading lady, Valiya. Sure she might initially come off as more innocent in comparison to the rough criminal, but she still tries to give as good as she gets. If I continued writing the story to make it full length I think it would be fun to see her character mature as she learns more about the goings on in the universe. See her take on powerful enemies and face off against other criminals of disrepute, as Kade cheers her on from the sidelines. We’ll have to see. 🙂

Kimberly Lithe

Excerpt from “Burning Stars”

Heated glances and flirtatious banter ignite into a fever pitch when a mechanic aboard a stranded starship looks for her rescue from an intergalactic criminal

Valiya did her best to ignore the sound of running water behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to concentrate on the task in front of her. As a Volporan, her senses were stronger than most of the other humanoid species. Right now, the water was all she could focus on, and it was driving her imagination wild.

A sharp electrical zap from the exposed wires sent her stumbling back with a yelp. After retracting her extendable claws then licking at her injured digit, she turned around, looking for a soothing gel. When her gaze snagged on the naked body before her, she realized her mistake.

Kade was, without a doubt, the most blindingly attractive male she’d ever laid eyes on. If not for his atrocious personality, she would sing praises of his body to the stars. There was also the minor issue of his incarceration for desertion and murder. Indeed, Prisoner 498-3 was so sexy, it was criminal.

He stood, completely bare, in the center of his cell, water cascading around him. All prisoners on the transpo ship were provided with modesty suits that allowed them to cleanse in the open without embarrassment. Not that he ever wore one when she was around. Standing more than a foot taller than Valiya, at six-foot-five, with no trace of excess body fat, and a cock that would make a god weep, Kade had nothing to be embarrassed about.

Altered Terrans, like Kade, were designed to be the zenith of military grade bio weaponry. The treaty Earth had signed with the Alliance meant that any human could be subject to the draft. Once chosen, they were taken from Earth and modified to be stronger, faster, and more lethal. Alts were the Alliance’s answer to their dwindling military force.

Most planets provided something beneficial to the Alliance: technology, resources, agriculture, etc. The Terrans had squandered everything they’d had until their world was barely worth the nuclear material required to destroy it. They also hadn’t possessed the capabilities for faster than light travel or even significant deep space exploration. In exchange for protection from scavengers, pirates, and other ne’er-do-wells, the Terrans agreed to supply the Alliance with soldiers. Any Terrans who refused the draft, or failed in their duties, were labeled deserters and sent to penal planets to work in mines.

According to ship’s gossip, Kade had been sent on assignment to Proxtus-8, a trading hub. He’d been ordered to assassinate someone trading information with the Alliance’s enemies. Instead, he’d killed his handlers and the informant, and then made off with the data. Valiya didn’t know what the data was, but the Alliance had been pissed-off enough to send an entire hit-squad after him. They’d found him, but not the data.

“Enjoying the show, darlin’?”

Kade’s low husky tone felt like a soft caress to Valiya’s heightened hearing. Her gaze followed his soapy hands as he washed his chest. She could only imagine how firm his muscles felt, how they might flex beneath her touch. His hands continued to move down his body, the white of the soap contrasting against his tanned skin. His legs shifted, and he moved his hands to wash along the insides of his thighs.
Valiya could feel her body heating and her breathing becoming shallow. His hands were so close, barely a hair’s breadth away, from his impressive cock. She licked her lips as his palm finally brushed over his hard length. She watched as it twitched slightly under his whispered caress.

A quiet whine escaped her throat when his hands moved back to his abdomen. She became flustered when she caught herself rubbing her thighs together. The distinct slipperiness and the smell of her own arousal proved it. Kade had won this round.

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