Snippet Saturday – Openers
Mar
5
2011

How about the opener to my first Federation Chronicles novel, UNDERCOVER –

FEDERATION CHRONICLES: UNDERCOVER by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2008, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Publishing Group

People scurried out of the way, keeping their eyes down as Sera Ayers stalked into the squat gray building on the outskirts of the city. Single-mindedly, she made her way through the myriad of nondescript hallways at the Federation United Forces. Anger coursed through her as she walked, her boots sounding a muffled thud, thud, thud on the laminate floors.

Halting at the sub-commander’s door, she slammed a fist into it several times. Her hand hurt but she felt a bit better for the small violence of it.

“Enter!”

She opened the door and went inside. Noting little more than the fact that two men were seated before Commander Yager’s desk, she opened her mouth to speak.

“Whoa! What’s so damned important that you nearly knocked my fucking door down?” Sub-Commander Yager bellowed before she could say anything.

“I just got your summons. You’ve reassigned me! That’s my problem! I’m the best you have out there. My team is good, damn it!” She shoved a hand through her hair, not caring that she probably looked like a curly porcupine.

“Sera,” Yager sighed, gesturing to the men in the chairs, “you have a new team. This is Commander Ash Walker and Para-Commander Brandt Pela.”

At the mention of the names, a roar of white noise filled her ears. In what felt like slow motion, Sera turned and looked into the face of a man she knew all too well many years before. “Ash.”

The palest blue eyes she’d ever seen gazed up at her. Eyes she’d given herself to as he was above her and below her. Eyes that had held her down as he’d bound and collared her to his will. Eyes that had haunted her for the last ten years.

It all crashed down on her, the world began to close in and she fought with iron will to hold back the impending breakdown. She fisted her hands to stop them from trembling.

“Sera, you’re looking well.” Ash smiled, his posture relaxed as if she’d been an old friend he hadn’t seen in years. It appeared he wasn’t affected at all by her presence. Prick.

“Ash?” Sera said sweetly.

He cocked his head. “Yes?”

“Fuck you,” she snarled, landing a solid right hook to his jaw.

“Halt. Gods damn it, Sera!” Yager jumped up and with the other man, held her back as Ash got up from the floor where she’d sent him sprawling. “What the seven hells is wrong with you?” Yager demanded, his face an inch from hers.

“Why, nothing now. I feel ever so much better.” She hoped her smile was as feral as she felt. At least her hands weren’t shaking anymore.

The other higher up who’d come with Ash barked out a laugh and stepped back, letting her go. “I’m Brandt. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Sera looked up at him. Where Ash’s beauty was harsh, savage, this man’s was elegant. He had almond shaped eyes of a deep brown so dark it was nearly black. The twist of his braid, dark and rich as his eyes, reached halfway down his back. Lush lips and perfect cheekbones, skin in a beautiful olive tone that made her want to reach out and touch him—delicious.

“Look, I have nothing against you, Para-Commander. But I am not going to work with Ash Walker. Not now, not ever. I have a team. We work very well together.”

“Stand down, Ayers!” Yager shoved her into a chair. “You want to do time in the brig for attacking a superior officer? I expect there’s an explanation for this. Like you’ve gone insane but you’ll be making amends for your behavior which you know is horribly out of line.”

“This won’t work, Sub-Commander. Just put me back with my team.” Sera tried not to sound as desperate as she felt.

“Sera, things with the Imperialists are getting worse. You know that. You see that every day.” Ash tried to stay reasonable, despite the pain in his jaw. He’d deserved the punch, he knew that. And at least the pain kept him focused on something other than how much she still affected him even a decade later.

“Why is he talking?” Sera jerked her head in his direction, speaking through clenched teeth.

“May I speak with you alone?” Ash asked through his own tightened jaw.

“No. You may not speak to me any way at all, at any time or in any place.” Still stubborn, that much hadn’t changed.

“What the hells is going on here? It’s obvious you know each other. Walker, this is something you should have disclosed to me up front.” Yager looked back and forth between Ash and Sera, clearly unhappy.

“If you’ll excuse me, SC Yager, I don’t need to disclose anything to you but what I determine you need to know,” Ash growled back.

Sera groaned and got up, heading for the door but Brandt stopped her. “Sorry about this, Lieutenant Ayers, but you’ll need to stay.”

Ash watched in slow motion as she centered herself, rocking back enough to give a side kick to Brandt’s knees and knocking him down. Using his surprise, she scrambled over him and out of the room.

Be Sure to Visit Today’s Other Snippeters!

Jody Wallace
Emma Petersen
Leah Braemel
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Selena Blake
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
Lauren Dane
Shelli Stevens
T.J. Michaels

2 comments to “Snippet Saturday – Openers”

  1. Stacie
    March 5th, 2011 at 6:49 am · Link

    Undercover is the first book I ever read by you. That opening scene is my all-time favorite. I liked Sera from that moment on. Best opening ever!



  2. Christine
    March 5th, 2011 at 3:29 pm · Link

    Great opening to to a great series. Can’t wait for Andrei’s book to come out.