Fortune's Risk: A Star Thief Novella (Star Thief Chronicles #1.5) Read online

  “I’m almost done.” Viktis shrugged off Finn’s hand and turned back to Kitty. “One last thing. I’ve taken the liberty of depositing your tournament winnings into an off-shore account. Along with the proceeds of your latest sale. I doubt you’ll need them, since you’ll be spending the rest of your life in prison. I’ve also transferred the ship’s registry.” He smiled coldly. “Thank you for making me a very rich man.”

  “You are dead!” Kitty motioned to her guards, but as soon as their hands moved toward their blasters, plain-clothes security men grabbed them from behind.

  “No, I don’t think so. I hear the Great Western prison inmates aren’t fans of the Cordoza Empire. I’m sure you’ll face quite a welcome” Viktis stepped back. “Enjoy your new life. And be grateful you still have one.”

  Finn gestured to the chief of security, and his men took Kitty and the official into custody. As he watched the guards drag them away, a slow smile wound across his lips. Somehow they’d taken down the biggest slaver ring in this sector.

  He clapped a hand on Viktis’s shoulder. “I don’t know how you did it. But damn that felt good.”

  “Taking down that bitch is its own reward. But it doesn’t hurt that I got a shiny new ship out of it.” The pained look slid from Viktis’s face, replaced by his usual roguish grin.

  Finn eased his hand from the hilt of his gun. Thank the gods he hadn’t needed to use it. On anyone.

  “Yeah, how did you manage that, exactly?” Keva asked, shaking her head. Her lips were twisted into a smile Finn had never seen before. She looked…relaxed.

  Viktis cracked his knuckles. “I happened to access her accounts when I planted the evidence on her computer. Made the transfer, sold off a few of her biggest assets. The official had already signed the ship over to her so I just signed it over to me. The Fortune’s Risk is sitting in bay D24, ready and waiting.”

  “So are you off then?” Finn asked. He found that he was holding his breath for the answer, and he let it out softly.

  Viktis shrugged. “Nah, the Risk can wait for me a bit longer. Besides, I won’t always have you around to protect me. I may need her for a quick getaway when MYTH starts chasing me again.”

  Finn grinned. “And don’t you forget it. But right now, I have to admit, we make a good team.”

  Viktis raised an eyebrow. “That was pretty sappy, even for you.”

  With a chuckle, Finn headed for the casino doors, the others following him. “We still have a few hours of shore leave left. How are you going to spend it?”

  “Not with you, that’s for damn sure.” But Viktis’s eyes sparkled as he punched Finn in the shoulder.

  With a start, Finn realized they’d become friends. It was the last thing he would have expected when they’d met in the brig of the Athena as Viktis tried to steal his ship.

  The pirate shrugged. “I think I’m going to go visit my new ship. Get to know her. I have a feeling this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.” He glanced at Keva. “Want to meet her?”

  Finn clamped his jaw shut in shock when his XO nodded and took the arm Viktis held out for her.

  “I think you and I have a little unfinished business to take care of,” she said slyly.

  “More than a little, I’d say.”

  Keva glanced at Finn over her shoulder, her violet eyes sparkling. “Don’t wait up, Captain.”

  ATHENA’S ASHES – BOOK 2 OF THE STAR THIEF CHRONICLES

  COMING SUMMER 2014

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Jamie Grey spent most of her childhood writing stories about princesses who saved the day and pretending to be a daring explorer. It wasn’t until much later that she realized she should combine the two. Now, as a tech-obsessed gamer geek, her novels mix amazing scientific developments, future worlds, and the remarkable characters that live in them.

  Jamie lives in Michigan with her significant other and their pets, who luckily tolerate her overspending on tea, books, and video games.

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  Word of mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review where ever you bought this book, even if it’s only a line or two. It would be very much appreciated.

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  Available Now: THE STAR THIEF - Star Thief Chronicles #1

  At twenty-three, Renna Carrizal is the most notorious thief in the galaxy. There’s just one problem—all she wants is to get out of the business.

  But after Renna rescues an injured boy on her final job, she finds herself on the run from the mob instead of enjoying retirement. She unwittingly becomes ensnared by MYTH, a top-secret galactic protection agency who offer her a choice—either help them on their latest mission, or spend the rest of her life on a prison ship.

  Forced to work under the watchful eye of handsome but arrogant Captain Finn, Renna learns the former mercenary-turned-hero has a few dirty secrets himself. As Renna works to discover the truth about Finn’s past and keep the tantalizing man at arm’s length, she unearths a plot to create an unstoppable army. The target? The human star fleet.

  Now Renna must pull off the biggest job of her career—saving the galaxy. And maybe even herself.

  Available at all major retailers. Click here to purchase.

  ATHENA'S ASHES - Star Thief Chronicles #2

  It’s Renna’s biggest job yet—convincing MYTH leadership that she’s put away her lock picks and is ready to save the galaxy, despite the dangerous implant in her brain. But with the Athena on the run, she’s working solo and facing her most ruthless enemy, the traitor Pallas, who’ll go to any lengths to destroy the MYTH organization. Including framing Renna for a devastating assault on MYTH HQ that leaves their defenses crippled and hundreds dead.

  Now that MYTH believes she’s a dangerous double-agent, Renna escapes their firing squad before they put more holes in her than a pair of fishnet stockings. But the ticking time-bomb in her head is the one thing Pallas needs to complete his master plan and he’s not about to let her get away. Even worse, he’s discovered the only thing that will bring Renna to her knees—threatening Captain Nick Finn.

  Out of time and options, Renna’s got one shot to take down the traitor before he annihilates everything she loves, even though winning this battle may cost her everything.

  For more information and to sign up to be notified when it’s released, visit Jamie’s website.

  Copyright © 2014 by Jamie Grey.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photo-copying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. 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 ©2013 BookDesignTemplates.com

  Cover Design: Christa Holland - Paper & Sage Design

  Fortune's Risk/Jamie Grey -- 1st ed.

  Table of Contents

  Summary

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Sign Up for Jamie’s Newsletter

  Available N
ow: THE STAR THIEF - Star Thief Chronicles #1

  ATHENA'S ASHES - Star Thief Chronicles #2