Master of Her Heart

By Bianca D'Arc

Commandant Michael Amber and his beautiful Executive Officer go undercover to expose a human smuggling ring...and a whole lot more.

Alien pirates, turncoats, and adventure await this most Dominant of the genetically engineered supermen known as the Sons of Amber and Leah, the woman who taught him what it means to love. The time has come to find out where their attraction leads. When they are both called to duty, going undercover as Master and slave to uncover a den of human traffickers, the truth of their feelings will come out, even as they walk into the very jaws of danger. But will it be enough to save them?

Please Note: This novella formerly known as “Michael” is back in a new format, with a new title. It is essentially the same story as Sons of Amber: Michael, which was published by a small press in the late 2000’s and has been out of print for several years.

What the Critics Are Saying...

“Not only do these Sons of Amber make fantastic romantic heroes, they are also men to admire and you hope that each one finds their very own heroine.” - Fallen Angel Reviews

“He is just the right balance of Dominant Alpha Male, caring, considerate man, and conscientious leader.” - CK2S Kritiques

“...an enjoyable futuristic tale with exciting believable characters.” - Joyfully Reviewed

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bianca D'Arc
• Release date: Jun 28, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310180309

Bianca D'Arc

Bianca D’Arc lives on Long Island, in New York. She is the daughter of a Dutch immigrant to the U.S. and a materials scientist who worked on America's space program, including such projects as the lunar module, space shuttle and most of the Apollo missions. She earned a university degree in chemistry, and later, graduate degrees in library science and law. Forsaking the corporate world soon after the terrible events of 9/11/01, she began her writing career in earnest in late 2005. She focuses on the paranormal, sci fi and fantasy genres of romance, and loves creating happy-ever-afters for her characters.

Book preview

Jit’Suku Chronicles ~ Sons of Amber

Master of Her Heart

by

Bianca D’Arc

Copyright © 2016 Bianca D’Arc

Hawk Publishing, LLC

New York

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Author.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

www.biancadarc.com

OFFICIAL BIANCA D’ARC NEWSLETTER

Commandant Michael Amber and his beautiful Executive Officer go undercover to expose a human smuggling ring…and a whole lot more.

Alien pirates, turncoats, and adventure await this most Dominant of the genetically engineered supermen known as the Sons of Amber and Leah, the woman who taught him what it meant to love. The time has come to find out where their attraction leads. When they are both called to duty, going undercover as Master and slave to uncover a den of human traffickers, the truth of their feelings will come out, even as they walk into the very jaws of danger. But will it be enough to save them?

Please Note: This novella formerly known as Michael is back in a new format, with a new title. It is essentially the same story as Sons of Amber: Michael, which was published by a small press in the late 2000’s and has been out of print for several years.

What the Critics Are Saying…

Not only do these Sons of Amber make fantastic romantic heroes, they are also men to admire and you hope that each one finds their very own heroine. - Fallen Angel Reviews

He is just the right balance of Dominant Alpha Male, caring, considerate man, and conscientious leader. - CK2S Kritiques

...an enjoyable futuristic tale with exciting believable characters. - Joyfully Reviewed

AUTHOR’S NOTE & DEDICATION

This book was first published in 2007 under the title Michael. It went into print with its companion story, which was originally titled simply, Ezekiel, in the Sons of Amber: Ezekiel & Michael print edition. Both stories came off contract several years ago and have been out of print for a long time.

In the interim, I expanded and revamped Ezekiel, reissuing it with the new title Angel in the Badlands. As such, I couldn’t leave poor Michael with the same title, even though this story didn’t require as much tinkering...though it has been heavily revised in several spots. The story that follows has been given an updated title to better fit with the new direction this long-planned series will be taking in the future.

Behind the scenes publisher stuff kept me from fulfilling the plans I always had for this series for a very long time. Now that all the books in the Jit’Suku Chronicles are again under my control, I hope to be able to let the Chronicles live up to their full potential. Thank you for your patience and support during all the tribulations.

If you’re new to the Chronicles, welcome!

There are two distinct time periods for the Chronicles. The Arcana books are set a few centuries before the Sons of Amber books, but the universe is the same and the conflict similar.

In Arcana, the war with the jit’suku empire is ongoing, but heading toward a peaceful settlement, if they can just figure it all out.

In Sons of Amber, tensions have risen again to the point where the jits have released a bioweapon on humanity that has far-reaching implications for both races. Perhaps this time, the peace they finally reach will last for all time, and not just a few hundred years.

As always, my work is dedicated to my family, none of whom have ever read any of my published books. Strange, huh? But without their support and encouragement, I couldn’t do what I do every day, and I wouldn’t have had the courage to even try all those years ago when faced with the decision to take another day job or finally pursue my dream of writing. For that turning point—and the good advice of my family at that crucial juncture—I will always be grateful.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Excerpt from Diva

About the Author

Other Books by Bianca D’Arc

CHAPTER ONE

Michael Amber couldn’t believe the ineptitude of the woman. The so-called general on the other end of the comm had obviously been promoted through the ranks due more to her prowess at schmoozing politicians than any real ability on her part. But Mike didn’t play that game. He’d lay this idiot out in the clover, general, political crony, or not.

Smithson—

Sir, the gentle voice at his side calmed him almost instantly, perhaps you’d care to take the comm from General Smithson in your office.

He’d been that close to blowing his stack in front of the entire chain of command in a full-out Dominant rage. Commandant Michael Amber normally controlled his baser passions in front of other people, but every once in a while he’d succumb to one of the near-berserker states that sometimes plagued Dominants like himself. Not often, but just every once in a while…

His Executive Officer—XO for short—Colonel Leah Blackfoot, had seen him in towering rages before, but she’d never backed away. No, this small woman was more fearless than a platoon of jit’suku warriors. She faced him down and tamed his inner beast with just a few well-placed words.

She was magic.

Curtly, he nodded at Leah. Just so.

Drawing himself to his full height—almost a full foot taller than Leah’s willowy form—he headed for his private office, motioning her to follow. He didn’t quite trust himself to talk to the idiot general without Leah there to mitigate his temper.

It had been like that almost from the beginning. Leah had been assigned to his staff about two years before and, after an initial getting-to-know-each-other period, they’d worked together like a well-oiled machine ever since. She was the most organized, skilled, and naturally attuned woman he knew. She was also gorgeous, but he tried his best not to think of her in any kind of sexual way. More often than he liked though, he found himself watching her…wondering.

Michael was a Son of Amber—a genetically engineered male designed with the express purpose of repopulating the human race. The jit’suku had launched a bio-weapon years ago, systematically killing off almost all human males. Some women became ill as well and were left barren. Many had died.

A few dedicated geneticists, led by Dr. Amber Waithe, had stepped up to the challenge. She and her team had devised a plan to restore the balance, engineering a group of males who were immune to the jit virus.

Known as Sons of Amber, these men also bred about ninety percent male offspring. They’d been designed so that each successive generation would yield more female offspring until normalizing somewhere around fifty-fifty several generations down the road. By that time, it was hoped the human race would be back on its feet as a species.

Michael Amber had been one of the first Sons. He and his brothers had been designed in several discrete groups. Some were Risk Takers, designed to weigh the odds and take calculated risks that others would not. Some were Pioneers, given the skills and predispositions to conquer new frontiers in every field of human endeavor. Some were Moderates, designed to be the backbone of society, even-tempered and rock steady in character, and some were Dominants like Michael.

Dominant personalities were meant to lead in all aspects of life. It made them great military commanders, law enforcers, and the like, but it also gave them Dominant tastes in everything they did. In Michael’s case, he was probably one of the most dominant of all the Doms. He’d worked his way up to Commandant of the military forces in this sector. He led, and everyone followed. Just the way he liked it.

The way he needed it, actually. It was part of his physiology and his psyche. He needed to dominate the way others needed to breathe. And he needed to dominate sexually as well, though never to the point of violence. Violence was something Mike reserved for his enemies. He’d killed his fair share of jit’suku soldiers in his climb to the top of his chosen profession, but he never gloried in it. He just did what he had to do to protect his own. It was that simple.

Mike understood the value of working with people. He had good working relationships with all his command staff and his people respected him. That was important to him. He cultivated friendships with his staff, who were mostly female, though he discouraged any interaction or discussion of a sexual nature.

While he still made regular deposits to the sperm banks, and made personal visits to as many civilian ladies as his schedule allowed, he never had sex with his subordinates. For one thing, it wouldn’t be fair to take advantage of his position of authority. For another, he had definite sexual tastes and proclivities that required the full understanding of his partner. How could he be certain the woman consented out of her own desire, or out of some misguided aspiration to get a promotion by doing whatever he wanted, regardless of her own needs? Mike couldn’t take the chance, so military women were off-limits.

If any woman tempted him to break his own rule, though, it was Leah. Still, she’d never once given him any indication she desired him sexually. Perhaps that was why he found her so comfortable to be around. She was his friend, his confidant, his stabilizer when his Dominant genetics threatened to push him a bit too far.

Like right now.

Michael made sure the hatch was closed tight before switching the comm