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Creatures, Creations and Critters

Samantha Vorning, the Alliance Hunter who had located Arena Station and rescued the beings forced into slavery there, found herself being chased by assassins. Though she had been given “a new look,” that is, a different skin tone, pointed ears, and other superficial changes, the assassins managed to find her. To provide Sam with a safe haven, the Alliance arranged for her to reside on another planet until such time as she was safe from harm. That’s how now-retired hunter Samantha found herself on a Dhemon ship, ready to fit herself in to the culture of the Dhemon people.

Dhemon General Kassil’s last mission is to transport Samantha to his planet. With that accomplished, Kassil will retire and settle down with a wife. All of the lovely Dhemon ladies are eager to come to the General’s attention. The only problem is that the General has his eye on someone else!

I was happy to see that author Grace was continuing her series Champions of Terra with this book. Though it stands alone very nicely, it carries the larger story forward as well. The author ably demonstrates her skill with plot and characterization, though I enjoyed the character of Samantha more than that of Kassil, who seemed a tad straight-laced to me! In spite of that, the sex scenes are all extremely hot. I enjoyed this book and feel certain that other fans of SF romance will enjoy it as well.

Reviewed by: Jean

RRTE Review

DEAL WITH A DHEMON - Viola Grace
Champions of Terra - Book 2
eXtasy Books - www.extasybooks.com 
ISBN: 1-55410-732-6
November 2006
Erotic Sci-Fi Romance - Short Story
Flame Rating: 3 (scorcher)

Nodak Space Station and Parts Unknown

Samantha Vorning works as a dancer and entertainer at the Nodak Space Station brothel. Her performance holograms are bringing a lot of publicity to the station and making her rich. She and her best friend, Moran, have been through quite a bit and have enjoyed the stability of the Station. Adal, Moran's mate, is of a race able to decide which gender and species each one wishes. Adal helps Samantha with her costumes, hair, and makeup.
  
Samantha does take requests, but after getting one for the solemn Rranick Warrior Laments, she decides to put her own 'spin' on them. While her performance is well received, not all are pleased with her. She is zapped during her second act, receiving severe injury to her arm.

Because the shooting was found to be an assassination attempt and there is a price on her head, Samantha is cosmetically altered to hide herself.

Samantha had once been one of the Alliance's best hunters and is now being sent to...she does not know where. During a second attack, her skin is abraded to the point where she will have to meet her new benefactors from the inside of a liquid tank, attached to life support and pain relieving I.V.s.

When Samantha's ride does show up, she discovers she will be going to the planet Dhema to live as a Dhemon. Her tank is loaded aboard the Dhemon ship and Samantha's life changes forever. General Kassil is less than happy with his assignment to be her guardian. All he wants is to go home and choose a bride.

Coping with the Dhemon's Victorian style of dress and attitudes, Kassil's preconceived notions of her, attempts at bridging cultural gaps, and missed communications make for a spectacular headache of an adjustment for Samantha and Kassil. When they finally do connect, the heat of their passion could melt the ship itself.

The story is told smoothly with a sense of humor and deft descriptions of both people and places. The secondary characters are as well-defined as the primaries. It is a keeper and I highly recommend it.

Maggie AndersonDEAL WITH A DHEMON