Stark Surrender

  STARK SURRENDER

  THE SPACE MAGNATE’S BRIDE

  LodeStar Series, Book 4

  CATHRYN CADE

  WINDTREE PRESS

  BEAVERTON, OREGON

  Copyright © 2014 by Cathryn Cade

  Cover by Gilded Heart Designs

  Edited by Red Circle Ink

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission from the author or Windtree Press, except brief quotations in critical reviews or articles. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of text, please contact author or publisher.

  Contact Info: http://www.cathryncade.com

  Or info@windtreepress.com

  Windtree Press

  Beaverton, Oregon

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Book Layout © 2014 BookDesignTemplates.com

  Stark Surrender; the Space Magnate’s Bride

  LodeStar Series, Book 4

  Cathryn Cade. -- 1st ed.

  ISBN 978-0-9889469-6-5

  Dedicated to

  All the Fabulous Readers

  Who Make this Fun!

  You know who you are.

  He climbed from the slums of New Seattle to a life of power and wealth ... but now he must survive those cruel streets again, without even his memories to guide him.

  Logan Stark has fallen from his throne at the pinnacle of a financial empire spanning the galaxy. He's lost in the filthy, crime-ridden streets of New Seattle, Earth II. Even worse, he has no memory of who he is, or how he got here. But the worst villain in the history of this city knows exactly who he is ... and Mordacity is after Stark.

  Kiri te Nawa swore she'd never return to the place where she lost everything. But to help find the man she can't forget, she must put aside her new life on Frontiera and accompany his brothers back to New Seattle. Will they find Stark before he is claimed by the surging darkness in his mind, or by death?

  * * *

  Author’s Note: The city of New Seattle, Earth II is not intended to be a comparison to the actual city of Seattle, or derogatory of a beautiful, progressive city that I love to visit and explore.

  When I began writing this series, New Seattle sprang into my mind, rather the way a famous author has created a futuristic New York City. In the book you’re about to read, New Seattle is portrayed as extremely gritty, dirty and dangerous, a place of little hope.

  Very unlike the real city.

  Chapter One

  Frontiera City, Frontiera

  On a late summer afternoon, Kiri te Nawa opened the door of her beachside condo to the two most important men in her life.

  But at the moment, she only had eyes for one. Not much taller than she, he was a masculine version of herself. His dark hair was longer than hers, enough to wave around his collar. He had the same golden skin, high cheekbones and determined jaw and full mouth, and his slightly tilted, golden brown eyes under winged brows were eerily like hers.

  "Kai," she breathed, "you're here. You're finally here."

  Her brother, whom she hadn't seen since she was a pre-teen and he a boy, all coltish arms and legs, and demands for her time and attention. His image wavered behind the tears of joy that filled her eyes. But as she blinked them away, she realized his eyes were filled, not with joy but with a glazed look of discomfort.

  To fill the awkward moment, she stepped back quickly and waved to the interior of her condo. "Please, come in."

  Her brother moved cautiously across the threshold.

  "Welcome home, Kai."

  He nodded in acknowledgement, his gaze darting around the interior as he passed her.

  "Kiri." At the sound of the deep voice, Kiri turned. She gazed up at the tall, lean, broad-shouldered man in a perfectly tailored business suit. Logan Stark.

  "Oh, Logan," she whispered, "you said you'd bring him home to me, and you have. How can I ever thank you?"

  His austere face relaxed in an attractive smile that belied the ruthless set of his jaw. His cool gray gaze warmed to silver as it caressed her face. "You just did, kitten."

  That was Logan, noticing every nuance of conversation, spoken or unspoken, and using it to his own ends. Although his only purpose now seemed to be to please her.

  She smiled at him through her tears. "I can never thank you enough. And you and Joran captured those awful slavers."

  He shook his head wryly. "I was only there for the finale. Joran and his confederates were the heroes. Kai was instrumental too."

  "And you brought him home to me." She gazed up at him, knowing her heart was in her eyes, but too full of joy to care.

  He opened his arms in an invitation and she threw herself into them, cheek pressed to the elegant business suit covering his broad chest. His powerful arms closed around her, and he bent to press a kiss to the top of her head. "You know I'd do anything for you, Kiri."

  Except give her his heart. Pushing away this exquisitely painful thought, Kiri held him, letting herself savor for a moment the illusion that he would always be there for her. Exclusively.

  But after a moment in which she inhaled his familiar scent, clean male tinged with expensive shaving cologne hinting at the tall evergreens towering in the foothills, and absorbed the warmth and power of his embrace, she forced herself to step back.

  He let her go, slowly, his hands caressing her arms through her thin sweater. His gaze darkened. He was as reluctant to let go as she—but she must remember their reasons were worlds apart. Logan hated to let go of anyone he'd drawn into his sphere. He preferred to keep them close and manipulate them as he chose.

  Guilt stabbed her—that last thought was unworthy of him, especially when he'd just delivered her heart's desire ... or one of them.

  "I'll leave you, then," he said. "Enjoy your time with your brother, kitten. You've earned it."

  Startled, she shook her head. "I haven't done anything, Logan. Kai's the one who's earned his freedom." And she couldn't bear to think of what he'd endured to do so.

  "Oh, yes you did." He lifted one hand to touch her face. "You never gave up on him."

  Warmed by his praise, she tipped her head in silent thanks.

  Then the sunlight falling across his face highlighted the dark shadows under his eyes.

  "Are you all right, Logan?" she asked.

  His heavy, arching brows drew together in a frown, but as quickly smoothed, leaving his usual calm mask. "I'm fine. You go in now, and concentrate on your reunion. Kai needs this, and so do you."

  He strode down the walkway to the sleek, silver hovie waiting for him, pilot standing by the open hatch.

  Logan turned and raised a hand in farewell, the sun glinting off his neatly barbered brown hair. Then he slid into the hovie, the pilot followed him, and it lifted off.

  Kiri watched him go, wishing with all her heart she could call him back to come inside with her. Not only so she could suss out the reason for his look of near exhaustion, but to put his diplomatic skills to work. Logan would be a perfect buffer during this reunion she'd longed for so many lonely years, and yet was now terrified of bungling with her very eagerness.

  She took a deep breath, and stepped back into her condo, closing her front door. When in doubt, make coffee. She was, after all, a skilled barista.

  Her brother still stood in the middle of her sitting room. She glanced nervously around, wondering if he saw the same funky charm she did in the bright colors and comfortable
divan and chairs, the holovid vase of multicolored blooms nodding as if in an invisible breeze, the holovid posters of ancient artworks.

  Oh, no, she should have put away that orange throw instead of leaving it across the divan, and the statuette of a plump Bartian wasn't witty, it was just tacky.

  "Come into the galley," she invited Kai, wiping her damp palms on her tights, the same muted gold as her thin sweater. "It's my favorite room here."

  Her galley was full of sun streaming through the open doors from her small patio and garden. After glancing to see he'd followed her, she busied herself with the coffeemaker, which was steaming gently, the air fragrant with Pangaean dark roast.

  She pulled the full carafe and set it on the waiting hovertray, then guided the tray toward the open doors. "Let's sit out on the patio. After growing up in cloudy, gloomy New Seattle, I can't seem to get enough sun."

  Kai followed her silently, his gaze darting around the small, fenced area before he stepped outside.

  Kiri indicated one of the chairs at the small table. The tray hovered level with the table as she laid out a napkin with each of the thin plates and set out utensils. She held the carafe poised over a chunky mug, then paused. "Do you like coffee? I can make tea, if you'd rather ... or I have juice, both fruit and veg."

  He spoke for the first time, and she held her breath. Her little brother's adult voice was deeper than hers, and quiet. "I like coffee."

  His gaze rose as far as her hands and then returned to the platter of baked goods. He seemed fascinated with them.

  "Moonberry muffins," she said brightly. "And scones. These are chocolate crispies. They're all made fresh by my friend Rose Masterson and her staff. And this is real soy creamer and pala sugar."

  He watched her take one of the muffins, then reached out to select one himself. She caught her breath as she saw his hands. They were strong and slender, except that three of the fingers on his left hand and two on the right appeared to have been broken, and then poorly set, so there were odd lumps under the skin, and the tip of one finger curled to the side. His wrists were scarred as well, with ragged, red lines circling them.

  Kiri swallowed hard, rage and horror rising up inside her in a dark tide at what those red circles meant. She wanted to throw back her head and scream, she wanted to curl both of her own hands into claws, loose their half-Tygean heritage, and go after whoever had bound and hurt him. She'd maim them, until they suffered the way he must have.

  Although she suspected—no, she knew—his deepest wounds must be on the inside.

  She took a breath and let it out. Kai was here now, he was safe. This was all she could control.

  He took one of the muffins, and began to eat with single-minded concentration. Finished, he took a drink of coffee and looked at the tray again.

  "You're not full already, I hope," she said. "Baked goods don't stay fresh long, we may as well enjoy them." As he took another muffin, she made a mental note to have moonberry muffins available every single morning.

  She sipped her coffee and pretended to nibble on a scone, trying not to watch his every move. She wanted to drink him in, assure herself this moment was real.

  "I can't believe you're here," she said. Giving in to the impulse, she reached over and laid her hand on his arm. He tensed, his lashes veiling his gaze, muscles going rigid under the sleeve of his suit.

  She jerked her hand away, her face flaming with embarrassment. "Sorry, sorry. I'm kind of touchy. I'll try to remember not to, if you don't want me to."

  He glanced up at her, then away, as if the sight of her was too bright, like gazing into the sun. "I don't mind. Just don't ... surprise me, uh, from behind. I might hurt you."

  The remains of his muffin oozed from his clenched fist.

  Kiri nodded. "Got it. I'll remember."

  She took another drink of coffee, once again imagining herself clawing some slaver's face bloody while he or she screamed in much-deserved agony.

  Kai wiped his hand on his napkin.

  Footsteps approached outside the fence. Her brother snapped his head toward the sound, looking ready to spring from his chair.

  "The beach is always busy," she said. "Tourists. And most of the immigrants seem to spend a few days here before they travel on to wherever they're settling. And wait till you see our view. It's great." Ack, she sounded as perky as a MoonPenny barista.

  She used her com to flip open the fabric slats in the fence. Perpendicular to the condo, they seemed to disappear, revealing the pale green sands and the clear aqua of the sea beyond.

  A string of small shops, most of them mobile hover-units, lined the edge of the beach, in between a jumbled line of flat rocks and low shrubbery with purplish spiky leaves and creamy blooms. Beings of every race wandered by, some with sunshades floating over their heads, some scantily clad to soak up as much sun as possible. A tall Barillian with lavender vocal tubes towering through a hole in her custom sunshade, a pair of Serpentians with golden skin and bright hair, a Mau couple in all-too-brief swimsuits.

  Hovies and aircycles zipped along the roadway between the condo and the beach, with cruisers occasionally zooming overhead. The adventurous even flew out over the bay, passengers leaning out to peer into the water below. No one yet knew what lived in those waters, aside from the fish caught and sold at local markets and cafes.

  Kai seemed to relax a little once he could see out of the patio, although he kept an eye on the passersby. As the sun beat down on her head and shoulders, perspiration sprang out on Kiri's forehead, and her loose sweater felt too warm.

  "Hot out here," she said. "I'll bring the shade overhead." The translucent awning slid out into place, covering the patio.

  Kai tracked a bright yellow hovie with his gaze. "Logan Stark was very eager to help me. Are you and he ... together?"

  Kiri busied herself with the crumbs on her plate, her cheeks hot. "No. That is—we were together for a short time. I broke it off."

  "He hurt you?" A dangerous note in his voice made her look up in surprise.

  "I hurt myself. He was just ... being Logan Stark. I expected him to change, but anyone who expects that going into a relationship is only fooling themselves."

  Hearing the bitterness in her own voice, she took a hasty drink of coffee.

  "Some beings never change," Kai agreed quietly.

  Kiri nodded, although somehow it hurt even more to have someone agree with her. But then, what did she expect, that her brother who had escaped one of the seven hells, would wave his hand and reassure her love would win the day?

  This was as likely as believing Logan would wake up one morning and realize he wanted only her, above all other women.

  Forcing a smile, she changed the subject.

  "So, after we eat," she suggested, "I thought maybe you'd like to go for a walk, see this area of Frontiera City. It's not really a city, of course, with only several thousand beings here, but it's the biggest settlement on Frontiera. Anyway, I have friends, Taara and Daanel, who have a boutique next to my coffee shop. We could buy you some clothing cooler than that suit." Which fit him so poorly she guessed that one of Logan’s employees had donated it.

  He stared at her. "You want me to go shopping?"

  Kiri couldn't help it, she snickered at the poorly disguised horror in his gaze. Her brother was a typical guy in some ways. "Not shopping, I swear. We'll just get you a few things. Summer won't let up here for weeks, they say. I'm making good money at the shop, and anyway, Daanel will give us a discount."

  "I have credit," he said, with the same look of cautious delight as when he’d chewed his first bite of muffin.

  "You do?" She flushed. "Sorry. I assumed ... Did Logan make you a loan?" It would be just like him to remember Kai wouldn't have any credit, or anything else of his own.

  "No," her brother said. His gaze flicked to meet hers, then away. "I stole it. From the slavers."

  She gasped. "You did? Oh, Kai, starry. How did you manage it?”

  One corner of
his mouth turned up a little. "I used a com that I took from the slaver's mistress after the IBI captured her. But, uh, keep that to yourself. No one is supposed to know I have the credit. The Alliance claimed it all as spoils of crime. Joran Stark said they won't notice the amount I took."

  "I knew I liked that guy." Kiri grinned. "So, is this enough credit to buy a—a new yellow hovie?” Like the one he’d eyed so hungrily.

  "Enough for whatever I want, within reason," he said. "To travel the galaxy in luxury for years. You could come with me."

  She shuddered. "Wonderful, but … no thanks. I hate space travel."

  When her brother looked surprised, she wrinkled her nose. "Long story. Let's just say my experience traveling the galaxy thus far has been the worst. And I'm not sure I'd want to do it even in luxury."

  Such as aboard one of Logan's huge, new space cruise liners. Look at what had nearly happened to his flagship Orion on one of her maiden voyages—sabotaged and cast adrift in one of the deadliest asteroid belts in the galaxy. Only the heightened senses of the Tyger navigator had saved the ship and the hundreds of beings on board.

  And her own single space journey on an old freighter had been even worse. No, she was here on Frontiera and she was staying here.

  "Anyway," she added, changing the subject again, "tell me more about this theft. It sounds fascinating."

  He shrugged. "Pretty boring. Like I said, I manipulated a com unit."

  "Boring," she echoed, staring at him. "I think perhaps you and I have different definitions of the word."

  Kai selected another muffin, his thick lashes veiling his gaze. "Probably."

  Chapter Two

  Something was wrong with him.

  Sitting in the back of the sleek, comfortable hovie, Logan Stark barely registered the passing scene as his pilot glided the small craft skillfully along the busy beachfront. At the end of the thoroughfare, they gained enough altitude to skim over the new neighborhoods clustered above the beach, then flew north to an area of light industrial development.