End of the Line

Jit'Suku Chronicles: Arcana #5

by Bianca D'Arc

Enemy Captain Fedroval – Val for short – shoots down a one-man fighter out near the Galactic Rim, but the pilot, much to his surprise and horror, is a human woman named Lisbet Duncan. The alien warriors have a strict code. In their culture, making war on females is a shameful stain on one’s honor. The captain doesn't quite know what to do with Lisbet, but he can't let her die alone in space. He orders his men to tow her life pod into their battle ship.

Val is the last of his line – heir to a doomed legacy – because no respectable jit'suku woman will have him after the destruction of his family. He has put all his considerable resources into building his state-of-the-art battleship and joining the fight to take the human galaxy, hoping to restore his honor in some small way. This is Val's first foray into human space and his first encounter with a human female. He finds her strangely alluring and altogether irresistible.

Lisbet is attracted to Val as well. When he puts the moves on her, she can't resist his masculine charm, but she doesn't like being a prisoner - even if she is being kept in a gilded cage, treated more like a guest. She doesn’t know a lot about jit'suku culture and it's pretty clear they don't understand much about humans. It's going to be fun educating her captor about just how headstrong, fierce... and loving... a human woman can be.

Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Ebooks, Fantasy, Aliens, Science Fiction Romance, Futuristic

31 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 2012

About the author

Bianca D'Arc is the USA Today bestselling author of over 100 romance titles. She has been published traditionally, by a few notable small presses, and indie. Before becoming a full-time writer, she ran a laboratory, a legal department, and jetted around the country on business while working for a Fortune 500 engineering firm.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really short, and the heroine has a strong start but lacks agency.

[Cheesecake · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lisbet and Val. I guess this one ties into the Arcana series, of which I've read none. Apparently this is actually not the beginning but well down the lineup of the series. It's very short, predictable and, well, 'meh'. Another reviewer said that if you read the previous books the ending isn't such a disappointment. To me though, not having read anything else in the series, it was so quick as to be like the punch line to a joke. Or rather a punch line without the joke. wtf??? SOoo I thought maybe it was the prequel to something bigger, but no. Val is an enemy of Earth. Earth and Val's people have been at war for a while and it looks like there's no end in sight. Lisbet is a female fighter pilot who is captured by Val's ship. Val is not what he seems, but it turns out that they have a lot in common. I was kinda disappointed that Lisbet was so gullible to the enemy. It was more like she was meeting a boy from another high school who had a bad rep, but turns out that he was actually a decent guy. Meh. IMHO it's a cliffhanger or at least only HFN.

[Lauren :) (Romance Novel Giveaways) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a touching story!
First of all. I wish there was more of it! I would have loved to read more about Interactions between Liz and Val.
This was a quick, feel-good story about finding true love in the most unexpected place, and not fighting it.
All in all, it was a good, short, read and I would DEFINITELY read more by Bianca!

[T00zday · Rating 2 out of 5]

CLIFFHANGER!!!

I am so pissed off. This was shaping up to be such a fantastic read. Wonderful conflict of two cultures . Two soldiers from enemies to fated mates.
But then....human fighter pilot decides to turn her back on humanity and marry the enemy....the end.

I'm going hunting for more of this series. It could be SO good....

[D A · Rating 2 out of 5]

quick short

[Deborah A. Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Short

The story was great but left me wanting more. It would have been great to know more about what happened to Val & Lisbet

[Nicholette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great quick read! I loved it!

I loved this story. It’s always good to come back to this world. I can’t wait for more from Bianca!

[Hey Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love her characters.

[Georgia Keller-Kruse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute but short

Man I really liked this story. I would have loved for more but it was a good lunch break read!

[Hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad story, but it was WAY too short to be rated anything but 3 stars.

[Jessie Potts · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I understand this was a short story and not a novel it ended wayyyyyyyy to abruptly and had no resolution at all. In fact while I understand their race has a special kiss that helps them find a mate I feel like the WAR between the two races might be something of a conflict between the couple, not to mention how insta love it felt.

If you like sci-fi, aliens, enemy mates and a super quick story then this might be your cup of tea.

[Elyse Cochran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize that when they said short story they meant short story. This book literally begins and ends...he shoots down her ship he brings her on board his ship they have dinner they kiss he disappears for three days then he shows up and tells her shes the one they kiss some more she agrees to be his mate and the books ends! I was so taken aback by the abruptness....it had a good idea but it was squashed before you really got anywhere.

[Heather Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Short Story!!

Bianca D'Arc has written another great adventure story. Romance, fate, and adventure, all found during an ongoing space war with an alien race,make for a gripping tale. Vivid characters, spicy love scenes, battles, special gifts of seeing the future by special women, all combine to make this series an amazing addition to your ebook collection!! I can't wait for more books in this series to be published!

[Theresa Scarangella]

This is a short story and with all short stories, it is leaving me wanting more. The story is about Lisbet Ducan a female fighter pilot. Her ship gets shot and she is brought on board of the enemy's ship. There she doesn't want to talk to Capt. Fedroval who was upset to find out they fired on a woman. I loved this story and it isn't the first book I have read by Bianca. She hasn't let me down with any story she writes. I can't wait to read more by Bianca.

[Andrea Dehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star crossed lovers with a happy ending.

This is one of my favorite alien short stories to read. I reread it often. It always leaves me with a warm fuzzy feeling. I also often wonder what happens to the star crossed lovers after they mate.

[Susan Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every moment of it. It takes a great talent to make aliens believable in a story, but Bianca D'Arc has mastered that talent. I was glued to a tale of two enemies and their meeting. If I say what happens after that then I'm spoiling it for others.

[Sandi]

Although a short story I enjoyed the little bit of the Jit'Suku world shown and went looking to see if there were more. I was delighted to find there are other books in the world.

[E_bookpushers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what started my glom. I found myself fascinated by the aliens, human interaction with them, and the war so I decided to give the others a try. I am certainly glad that I did.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and unique novella, that convinced me to buy a few of the other novellas in the series. I loved the world-building, especially for it to be found in such a short story.

[Tiblu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Beginning ,but Way too Short...

Great Chemistry,very interesting characters,lots of potential just too damn short.... I really wish it had been longer... What a shame..

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 4 out of 5]

read the first books in the arcana first...it makes the surprise ending very funny..an inside joke.

[L Bongiorno · Rating 3 out of 5]

Damn, that was super, duper short.... it felt like a part of a story.... I hope the next one picks it up from there:/
2.5 stars.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this short story. I would love to see a sequel, or at least another in the series.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars