Harvest Hunt

By Viola Grace

Ashlin wants to save the beast marked for the hunt, but when intelligence sparks in his eyes, the idea becomes the gateway to a new life.

Ashlin has spent her life trying to move beyond her status as a throwback. Unlike all of the population around her, she has to fight for respect on a daily basis. When being Hunt Master is taken from her once again, she resolves to avoid the hunt, but looking into the eyes of the beast to be hunted, she knows she cannot ignore the intelligence in those silver eyes. Leaving her home before dawn, she waits for the beast to catch up to her and manages to help him transform back into Rumble of the Sector Guard. In that moment her fate is sealed and her life in the stars begins.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Feb 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781554879779

Viola Grace

Viola Grace (aka Zenina Masters) is a Canadian sci-fi/paranormal romance writer with ambitions to keep writing for the rest of her life. She specializes in short stories because the thrill of discovery, of all those firsts, is what keeps her writing. An artist who enjoys a story that catches you up, whirls you around and sets you down with a smile on your face is all she endeavours to be. She prefers to leave the drama to those who are better suited to it, she always goes for the cheap laugh.

Book preview

Ashlin has spent her life trying to move beyond her status as a throwback. Unlike all of the population around her, she has to fight for respect on a daily basis. When being Hunt Master is taken from her once again, she resolves to avoid the hunt, but looking into the eyes of the beast to be hunted, she knows she cannot ignore the intelligence in those silver eyes. Leaving her home before dawn, she waits for the beast to catch up to her and manages to help him transform back into Rumble of the Sector Guard. In that moment her fate is sealed and her life in the stars begins.

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

Harvest Hunt

Copyright © 2011 Viola Grace

ISBN: 978-1-55487-977-9

Cover art by Martine Jardin

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Devine Destinies

An imprint of eXtasy Books

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Smashwords Edition

Harvest Hunt

Sector Guard 22

By

Viola Grace

Chapter One

Ashlin Offrey wiped the counter of her family shop. The door swung open and a very excited best friend burst into Ashlin’s quiet and orderly world. Winda Kekko was a whirlwind of energy and good will, but she was a little much to take.

Ashlin, they are going to announce the hunt master today. Are you excited?

Winda smiled and Ashlin tried to keep her expression bright. Every five years, a hunt master was selected and since Ashlin was by far the best hunter her town had, most of the women felt that the honour should go to her. This would be the third time since she turned fourteen that she would be turned down for the honour.

I am really excited. I can hardly wait for the announcement. Ashlin folded up the rag she had been using and placed it next to the till.

Oh, come on. It has to be this year. Everyone knows that you are the best that the planet has to offer.

She sighed and tried to remain calm. "And everyone knows that being hunt master goes to the best male hunter. No female has ever been the hunt master. Never. Not one in the history of Endin. No female has ever run the harvest hunt."

This year it will be different. The council has a special creature and will release it tomorrow at dawn. Everyone is excited.

I will be in the hunt, like I am every year and every harvest hunt, but I am not expecting to be acknowledged in any way. The honour will probably go to Bollik. He has kissed enough ass to get him into the spotlight of the council.

Winda deflated. Are you sure?

I am positive. My gear is ready, I will join the hunt tomorrow but I know it will be as a standard participant. She drummed her fingers against the counter.

How can you be so calm about this? You are the best, fair and square. Winda looked her square in the eye.

Ashlin sighed and went to put an arm around her friend. I am also not a full-breed Endin. You know that it makes me a second-class citizen at the best, an alien among them at the worst.

Winda looked up at her. Ashlin knew what she was seeing, instead of being small, pale and grey with black hair, Ashlin was tall, gold skinned with green eyes and pointed ears coming out of her brown hair. Being a throwback to a Wyoran in her ancestry was peculiar, but the print and the video records were clear. Five generations ago, her ancestor fell in love while travelling the stars. He returned to Endin with the child of his union with a Wyoran woman who had rejected not only his offer of marriage but their daughter.

The Wyoran genes had gone dormant with a bit of Endin encouragement, but when Ashlin’s father met his match, everyone thought that traces of the other race were gone. Yikil’s little daughter proved them wrong.

"Winda, I am very aware of my place in this community. Folks like me, but I am still Yikil and Ahla’s freaky daughter. My enhanced senses don’t come in handy unless I am hunting someone or something.