Jean Davis – författare

Aliens, time travel, distant futures, and far-off words. A collection of five short stories.

Poverty has shaped Tia''s life since childhood, labeling her a roach. A day without hunger pains or despising looks is pure fantasy until she accepts a job offer to explore a wondrous deserted city on a distant world. All she can think about is the life-altering payout she''ll receive in six months.

A hundred roaches are set free in the city of crystal spires. Their mission: To learn what they can about the previous occupants and to verify that the place is habitable for the host of wealthy future occupants waiting in orbit.

Well-provisioned, Tia and her fellow roaches scatter to explore the dunes and spires. Then people start to disappear. Are they being picked off to lessen the payout or is there a killer among them? All the credits in the world won''t matter if she''s dead.

Rumors of Tyrant Ta''set''s killing sprees have spread throughout the known universe. Or are they truths?

Vayen''s hold on his deadly Arpex abilities is slipping. If he loses control, he''ll be executed and his mission of unification and peace will die with him. Desperate to help Vayen maintain his precarious balance, Anastassia is willing to offer him a week with another woman as a diversion from his dark urges. Can she live with her decision if he wants more?

In the public spotlight by association, Daniel unwittingly ignites a political uprising when, in the spirit of love and unity, he adopts the Jalvian practice of taking a second wife. While he works with Neko to guide the debate within the Narvan, he must also work alongside his volatile, tyrannical father as they race the rumors to seek out amiable worlds for their advisory union. Daniel struggles to take on the brunt of his parent''s mission while facing his own darkness.

Spending a guilt-free week with Vayen is a dream come true for Buria. She''s had her eye on him for years. Securing a place within his inner circle could mean a serious job upgrade and notoriety. Managing Vayen''s addictions and temper will require every skill beaten into her as a slave if she is to stand a chance at coming out on top.

Is the Ta''set family, the Narvan, and the newly-formed advisory union prepared for a future where Vayen takes the one life that will send him over the edge?

God doesn''t make mistakes.

That choice to give man free will, though, that has caused nothing but problems. Problems that need fixing.

When an angel shows up to hand Samuel Mason a task he never asked for, his first reaction is to refuse. Killing the little boy next door is unthinkable. But there''s a contract with Sam''s name already on it and the angel won''t take no for an answer.

Fulfilling his task will ruin Sam''s life, his family, and devastate the boy''s mother. How long can a good kid hold out before he becomes the very thing society expects him to be? 

On idyllic Veria Minor, Anastassia struggles to fit into a life she never wanted. She''s lost everything she''s worked so hard for. 

According to her cover story, she''s now an acolyte Seeker, a mother, and wife of Isnar Ka''turoc. In reality, the Council''s torture has left her with only a whisper of her telepathy, she doesn''t know the first thing about raising a kid, and the man she''s stuck with is the same one who ruined her life. If she wants to stay among the living, she must learn to forgive and adapt.

When the Narvan unexpectedly falls into Jey and Merkief''s hands, the one thing on both of their minds is revenge. Kess killed Anastassia and Vayen, but he now has the High Council''s protection. To make things worse, he''s been awarded the advisory position for the Narvan''s neighboring system, including control over the wealthy planet of Merchess, which had provided much of the Narvan''s funding.

Strapped for credits, at each other''s throats, and attempting to meet the High Council''s demands, Jey and Merkief wage a covert battle with Kess. If the violence explodes, everyone will suffer.