Aurora Springer's Novels: SFRB Showcase - the Grand Master's Trilogy

Welcome to the October Showcase. Remember to stop by the other posts and leave your comments.

Today, I’ll showcase a longer excerpt from my Trilogy and I have a free short story about Mars for the early birds visiting my post.

FREE mini eBook Oct 2-3 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T0TOZYO

Excerpt from Book 2, Grand Master’s Game:

They popped into the central ring of Moon Station by the row of portal cylinders, finding an eerie silence and none of the usual bustle of travelers entering and exiting the portals. No lights or buzz of machinery from the inner hub, housing the air handler and climate controller for the station. Sunlight filtered through the transparent dome overhead, and the sensors on Violet’s suit indicated the air was breathable without leaks in their segment of the Station.

“Hades, we’re stuck here!” Athanor swore in a flare of rage. To Violet’s astonishment, his eyes were dull and his disguised face had reverted to the grim hawkish features. “I’ve lost power.” His explanation was unnecessary.

Closing her eyes, Violet assessed her senses. Nothing! She gasped, “So have I.”

Athanor said, “We are fortunate the atmosphere was retained in this section.”

Kondric pulled off the headpiece of his suit, wrinkled his nose and nodded. Following his example, Violet rolled off the headpiece and sniffed cautiously. She identified the stale smell of recycled air.

The workmen placed their toolboxes by the nearest portal cylinder and swung the door open. Kondric watched them with interest. Shaking back his long hair, Athanor wandered over to the transparent barrier separating the inner ring from the outer terminal. Violet gazed beyond the outer ring of the station to the crater pocked surface of the moon. Nearby, she spotted the blue-tinted dome of the low gravity sanatorium, and in the distance, the cranes and towers of the mining operations.

The hiss of air alerted her. Rotating towards the sound, Violet saw the air-locked door to the next section of the ring slide aside. Massive creatures bounded through the door. Twice the size of a man, they were a nightmare cross of spider and wasp with eight legs, stubby wings, yellow and black stripes, and huge mandibles like a pair of scythes. They were inhumanly fast.

One hurtled straight at Violet, jaws open like giant scissors.

The giant striped spider leaped at Violet and she dodged aside. Too late! Her attacker jammed her neck in its pincers and dragged her off her feet. She swung from its mandibles, her hands and feet struggling for purchase on its hard carapace. One small part of her mind wondered how she could still breathe. The rest of her brain searched for an escape. In the background, the yells, screams, thudding blows, and the muffled boom of an explosion told of her companions’ battles. An acid odor filled the air and the enormous head loomed over her face, eight giant eyes next to hers.

Energized by terror, Violet grabbed hold of one pincer and scraped her fingernails across the nearest eyes. She’d hit a sensitive spot. The spider-wasp jerked violently, flinging Violet’s body from side to side. Her legs thumped on the floor. Biting back the pain, she clawed at another eye and twisted her legs, bracing her knees against the base of its fore limbs. The jaws held firm on her neck. She was stuck.

Something grabbed her arm. A large hand thrust a dagger into the monster’s eye, twisting deep into the head. A blood stained hand in a familiar black leather sleeve. Green blood spouted around the blade. The monster jerked and stilled, its jaws still clamped on her neck. Athanor had stabbed into its brain. His grim face hovered over her startled eyes, his teeth bared in a fierce grimace. He grasped the ends of the horrid mandibles, gritted his teeth and exerted his full strength to open the jaws.

Violet toppled onto Athanor’s knees. In the background, the stump of heavy footsteps preceded a shout of command and the zap of heavy weapons.

The cavalry had arrived, belatedly.

Grand Master's Pawn is still only 99c.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM

Blurb for Book 1

Young empath, Violet Hunter, travels the galaxy on missions for her mysterious Grand Master using the vast web of teleportals. Life-threatening cracks appear in the portals and Violet agrees to investigate the disruptions. When she discovers the perpetrator comes from within the ranks of the Twelve Grand Masters, Violet penetrates their curtain of secrecy to fulfill her task. Armed with only her erratic powers and a mishmash of allies, she must challenge the most powerful beings in the galaxy.

Blurb for Book 2

Violet and Athanor Griffin spin across the galaxy, seeking solutions to the worsening portal crisis. Failures of the interplanetary portals sever transport and communications and people will starve without vital shipments of food. Athanor devises a risky plan to flush out the perpetrators, the vicious Red Queen and her unknown allies among the powerful Grand Masters. In the inevitable battle with their enemies, Violet and Athanor must recruit allies and overcome their worst nightmares.