Excerpt of The Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara Baysinger

Kalen sighs and drags a hand through his hair. "Don't speak
of these pirates again, Lark. I don't want you to even
mention rebels at all, much less suggest I work with those
thieves. You think Tavdorians who own slaves are bad? You
haven't experienced the black heart of the empire yet. The
Renegade is what keeps that black heart beating."

He steps closer, takes my chin between his thumb and his
forefinger, and tilts it up until our eyes meet.

"Am I understood?"

I can see his features clearly now. His violet eyes, filled with that aristocratic sternness. This isn't a discussion between two equals, but an order from a master to his slave. He said not to mention them, but he said nothing about meeting with them. That I can agree to.

"I understand," I whisper. "I won't speak of them again."

He lowers his hand. "I only want you safe, Lark. If I'm to
take you to Earth on my next trip, I want to have a whole,
healthy daughter returned to her mother. Not a scarred one.
Definitely not a dead one."

He's not smiling at all, but somehow a chuckle slips out of
me at the dramatic statement.

"You think it's out of the question?" he asks, taken aback
by my humor. "This is a dangerous world for Humans.
Especially for a young, vibrant woman, like yourself."

"Vibrant?" The word comes out in a short laugh. All she does is read her books,I remember Ariana saying.

"Why do you chuckle now, Lark?" He steps closer, and I back
against the wall. In the faint light coming from the
bioluminescent plants, I can make out his small smile. "You
think I'm joking?"

"Of course not." My lips twitch. "You're dead serious."

He takes another step until his breath tickles my nose. "How
do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Stir these strange feelings. I shouldn't touch you, but the
humor dripping from your lips demands a lick."

Holy shit.

The hungry look in his eyes creates a whirlwind of foreign
emotions inside of me, and it takes me a moment to realize
that I want him. I don't know when or how it happened, but I
want him. Here. Now.

"Lark," he says in a hoarse whisper. His breathing is heavy
now, and he says my name again, but before I can respond,
his lips are on mine.