Insurrection Read online

  Table of Contents

  Content Warning

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Discover more Amara titles… The Traitor

  Pirate’s Promise

  The Final Dawn

  Steel Coyote

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2021 by Nina Croft. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

  Entangled Publishing, LLC

  10940 S Parker Rd

  Suite 327

  Parker, CO 80134

  [email protected]

  Amara is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC.

  Edited by Lydia Sharp

  Cover design by LJ Anderson/Mayhem Cover Creations

  Cover photography by Ravven, RebeccaFrank, diversepixel, and olly18/Depositphotos

  ZargonDesign and FXQuadro/Getty Images

  ISBN 978-1-64937-198-0

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  First Edition October 2021

  At Entangled, we want our readers to be well-informed. If you would like to know if this book contains any elements that might be of concern for you, please check the book’s webpage for details.

  https://entangledpublishing.com/books/insurrection

  To Rob, who has promised to explore space with me should the opportunity ever arise!

  Chapter One

  The Trakis Seven

  Year 2550

  Hope Featherstone entered the code into the keypad and pressed her palm to the panel. For a moment, it looked like the override hadn’t worked, and she cursed under her breath. Then the door pinged and slid open.

  She slipped inside, and the door closed behind her. Leaning back against the cool metal, she breathed in deeply, trying to slow her heart rate. The air smelled musty, as though it had been around too long, and the temperature was slightly cooler than the rest of the ship. A shiver ran through her, and she wrapped her arms around herself.

  Was she doing the right thing?

  The truth was she had absolutely no clue. They had planned for so many contingencies, but not this one. President Max Beauchamp was dead. Sucked into a black hole with the rest of the people on board the Trakis One.

  The light in the cryo chamber was dim and tinged green, giving the place an eerie quality. Rows and rows of cryotubes filled the huge chamber, each with a glowing green light to show it was still functioning, safely carrying its cargo to the new world. The people in here had been sleeping for five hundred years. The fleet had almost despaired of finding a new home. They had nearly run out of food, and the ships were literally falling apart on them, when, against the odds, they had reached a system that appeared capable of sustaining human life. They were home.

  Time to move.

  She glanced at the number on the cryotube nearest where she stood and orientated herself. She’d been here once before, but that was six years ago, when she’d first awoken from cryo. She’d had to come back, just once, to be sure that he was here and safe. After that, she’d forced herself to stay away. Not to bring attention to herself or Liam.

  Now everything had changed.

  The metal was cold under her fingertips as she trailed her hand along the cryotubes, glancing at the sleeping faces through the clear windows in the upper surface. The people looked so peaceful. She had no memories of her own time in cryo. No dreams had haunted her sleep. Though the nightmares had returned since she’d woken.

  Finally, she came to a halt by the tube she was looking for. It appeared no different than all the others, just recognizable by the number on the side. A smile curved her lips. “Hello, little brother.”

  Then she took a deep breath—still not convinced this was the best course of action, but at the same time not convinced it wasn’t—and reached across to enter the code to start the wake-up process.

  “Hope?”

  She almost jumped out of her skin as a man spoke from behind her. Snatching back her hand, she clenched her fist at her side and turned slowly. It was Jeff Conners, the ship’s security officer.

  Crap. Just brilliant!

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  She forced what she hoped looked like a natural smile. “Hi, Jeff. I was just passing by, and I thought I heard something strange.”

  He frowned. “You shouldn’t be able to access this area with your security clearance.”

  “The door was open.”

  His frown deepened. “I’m sure it closed behind me.”

  But he sounded more confused than suspicious.

  “Maybe there’s some sort of glitch.”

  The whole ship was falling apart, so this wasn’t a big reach. At that moment, the lights flashed off and on again as though to prove the point.

  “Is there a problem with the cryotubes?” she asked, more to take his mind off what she was doing there than as a real question. She’d already confirmed the status, and they were fine. But that was something else she shouldn’t be able to do with her security clearance.

  “The captain just wanted me to check out a couple of things,” Jeff said.

  “Like what? Is anything wrong?”

  “That’s classified information.” He shrugged. “But we’re being extra careful. We don’t want anything to go wrong now we’re so close. And with what happened to the Trakis One…”

  She shuddered dramatically and inserted a hint of fear into her voice. “All those poor people. It won’t happen to us, will it?”

  “No danger of that. We’ll keep you safe.”

  Jeff liked her. She was aware of that, but then she was young and passably attractive, and there weren’t many young, attractive women about. Plus, she was nice. Everyone thought so. Unfortunately, Jeff was a pompous, self-important ass, as were most of the senior crew members. He was also forty years older than her and twice as wide as he should be—not a good look in the tight, form-fitting crew uniform. How he was maintaining the excessive weight with the rationing, she had no clue. Well, actually, she had a few clues. As security officer, he had clearance for just about all the systems. It would be easy to help himself to extra rations.

  She forced herself to step closer. Placing her palm on his chest, she widened her smile, fluttering her lashes for good measure. “I’m so glad we’ve got you to protect us.”

  He visibly preened. “Maybe we could meet up after my shift finishes. Catch the night’s news comm or something.”

  “That would be…lovely.” Not.

  “Right now, I’d better escort you out and then check on that door.”

  She dropped her hand to her side and stepped back. “Thanks. This place gives me the creeps. I’ll be happy to get out of here.”

  “You get used to it,” he said. “They’re just sleeping.”

  Hope turned and had taken a couple of steps before she noticed Jeff wasn’t following. She turned back slowly, and her heart rate kicked up. Jeff was staring at Liam’s cryotube, brows drawn together. He stepped closer and peered down through the clear window.

  More crap.

  Jeff reached out a hand and wiped the window. “What the…?”

  “What is it?” she asked brightly as her fists clenched at her side and panic tightened her muscles.

  “I don’t believe it, but I could swear that’s…”

  His gaze darted from her and back to the cryotube. He raised his left wrist. The one with the comm unit.

  She couldn’t let him make that call.

  “Don’t do that, Jeff. Let me talk to you first. Explain.”

  His right hand went to the pistol at his waist, and he backed away, clearly aware now that she was up to something.

  If she could stop him, she could find a way to persuade him to keep quiet…somehow. There had to be a way. It couldn’t end like this.

  His finger moved to switch on the comm unit, and withou
t thinking, she leaped for him. The momentum knocked him backward, taking her with him. He crashed into the cryotube behind him, his head hitting the metal with an ominous thunk. Then down to the floor. Hope landed on top of him, and the breath left her in a whoosh.

  Beneath her, Jeff wasn’t moving, and she slowly pushed herself up. She gazed in horror at Jeff where he lay, his body twisted at an awkward angle, his eyes wide and staring.

  Hunkering down, she pressed her finger to the pulse in his throat. Or the place the pulse should have been. Nothing.

  Oh God, what have I done?

  Chapter Two

  Malpheas came back to consciousness with a sudden jolt, his eyes flashing open.

  The light was dim, but he could make out a faint blur of movement through the clear window in front of his face. He was in human form, in a small, enclosed space. It came back to him then. He was in a cryotube on board the Trakis Two. And if all had gone to plan, then he should be…

  Actually, he had no clue, but somewhere a long way from Earth, hopefully on a new planet. Of course, if things had not gone to plan, he could be anywhere, including still on Earth, or lost in the vastness of space, or…

  His muscles tightened at the thought of all the things that could have gone wrong. But he’d known the risks.

  His movement was limited by the tight bands around his chest and forehead, and for the moment, there was nothing he could do. So he slowed his breathing, relaxed his muscles, and waited.

  Finally, the bands pinged free, and the door of the cryotube opened.

  He sprang into action. In one fluid move, he sat up, swung his legs over the side of the tube, and willed the change to come over him.

  And nothing happened.

  Closing his eyes, he reached inside himself for the power and again found…nothing.

  What the hell?

  “You really didn’t think it was going to be that easy, did you?”

  At the sound of the amused voice, Mal went still. He gritted his teeth and opened his eyes.

  A man lounged against the cryotube opposite, arms folded across his chest. Though perhaps “man” wasn’t the correct term to use. The musky scent of vampire filled his nostrils. Ricardo Sanchez was tall, lean, with olive skin, dark eyes, and black hair pulled into a ponytail. He was dressed in black pants, a black shirt, and a long black leather coat. Some sort of pistol was strapped at his hip, and a mocking smile curved his mouth. But while he appeared outwardly relaxed, Mal could sense the tenseness of his muscles. Ready to spring into action.

  He closed his eyes and tried again to draw on his powers. With the same result. He glanced down at himself. He was naked except for a pair of black boxers, and he looked…very human. “What have you done to me?”

  “Saved your life,” Rico said. “A thank-you might be in order right now.”

  “I paid you to get me away from Earth.”

  “So you did. Consider it money well spent.”

  Mal blew out his breath. “What else have you done?”

  “Just a little insurance that you don’t play true to form.” Rico smirked. “Never trust a demon, that’s my motto.”

  Shaking his head, Mal tried to wrap his mind around what was happening. Somehow, the vampire had blocked his ability to change form. He shouldn’t be able to do that. No one should. Well, there was one, but he was hopefully far away or gone for good.

  Could it be because of where they were? Had the journey from Earth affected his powers?

  “How long since…?” he asked.

  “Five hundred fun-filled years.”

  Fuck.

  He jumped to his feet, and the vampire raised a brow but made no other move. Mal growled, took a step closer, and his knees almost went out from under him. Grabbing the side of the cryotube, he just managed to keep from falling as weakness swept through his body. He swayed, then steadied himself.

  “It’s shit being human, isn’t it?” Rico grinned. “Weak, pathetic creatures, hardly worthy of your notice. Usually. Now—welcome to their world.”

  Mal snarled and pushed himself toward the vampire.

  “I’d really think twice about that,” Rico said, “because you won’t come out of it well.” He flashed a sharp white fang. “It’s been a while since I had demon blood, but I’ve always enjoyed it.” He heaved a loud sigh. “Just accept it and move on, and I might explain what’s happening.”

  Mal forced his anger down. It was hard. He wasn’t used to holding back in any way. Though he had to admit that it was a long time since he’d felt any emotions stronger than a mild case of irritation. He took a deep breath. “Explain.”

  “See, I knew you could do it if you tried. Sit down again before you fall.”

  “Get on with it,” Mal snarled.

  “You know, I always knew Milo’s not-so-sweet nature didn’t come from his mother.”

  Mal bared his teeth but then sank down onto the cryotube behind him. He did feel pretty weak. It was weird.

  Milo was his estranged son and Rico’s nephew, though the vampire was no blood relation. Rico had once been married to Milo’s mother’s sister, who had been burned at the stake as a witch over a thousand years ago. That had set her sister off on a course of revenge, which had brought her into direct contact with Mal. She’d tricked him, slept with him, and gotten a son from him, all in a bid to increase her powers. Instead, it had led to her death. When she’d realized that was inevitable, she had given their son into the guardianship of his uncle Rico. Milo had been six at the time.

  And he’d grown up hating his father. He blamed Mal—with good reason—for his mother’s death.

  “Is Milo here?” he asked.

  “He is, though he’s still sleeping peacefully in cryo right now. And I had to knock him out to get him on board. He wanted to stay on Earth. Mainly so he could continue his—so far fruitless—plan to avenge his mother.”

  “So he doesn’t know you sold me a place on the ship?”

  “He doesn’t.”

  “He’s going to be pissed when you wake him and he finds out.”

  “When isn’t he pissed? But in this case, it’s not a problem, because he’s not going to find out—at least not yet.” Rico reached into his pocket, drew out a flask, and handed it to Mal. “Here, you look like you could use a drink. You look all pale and…human.”

  Mal growled again but took the flask, unscrewed the top, and took a deep swallow. And nearly choked. He wheezed. “Fuck! What is that stuff?”

  “Homemade whiskey. I had to keep myself occupied somehow for five hundred years.”

  He took another swig and studied the vampire. “You’ve been awake the whole time?”

  “Every single day.”

  “So what the hell have you done to me?”

  “Just a little charm to ensure you don’t cause too much mayhem.” Rico nodded toward Mal’s arm.

  He followed the direction of Rico’s gaze. An intricate sigil was wrapped around his upper left arm. How had he not seen that? He rubbed at it as though he could wipe the mark of power from his skin. Sigils were demon-magic and could be used to control them.

  His eyes narrowed. “How? You don’t have the power to control me.”

  “We’ll not get into that right now. If you’re a good little demon, I might tell you later.”

  God, the vampire was annoying. Mal clamped his lips and glared.

  Rico chuckled, then shoved his hands in his pockets. He paced a few steps before turning back, stopped and studied Mal as though he were some interesting specimen. “Aren’t you even a little curious as to where we are and what’s been happening in the world?”

  He shrugged. “Where are we and what’s been happening?”

  Rico shook his head. “Try and show a little enthusiasm, and I’ll tell you.”

  Mal regarded him through narrowed eyes. “You’re what? A little over a thousand years old? Do you know how old I am? How long I’ve existed?”

  “Considerably longer than me, I would imagine. But that’s existing. What about living? I’m guessing you gave that up a long, long time ago.”

  “Maybe. Tell me where we are, and I’ll try to show a little enthusiasm. Really, I will.”

  “Well, we recently arrived at our brave new world. Welcome to the Trakis System. With enough planets for everyone.”