Beatrice Walker thought she lived in a normal worldâthat is until she learned sheâs a living hostel for an alien energy source, and apparently the answer to preventing extinction.
Bea has no memory of her last moments with her mother. The week theyâd gone missing is a complete mystery. Suddenly moved back to her hometown with her father, Bea has rekindled her friendship with her two best friendsâand seems to have caught the attention of an arrogant, yet gorgeous boy named Cash Kingston. But thereâs more to Cash than his annoying attitude and good looks. Cash isnât human, and heâs now in charge of protecting Bea from those who know what she keeps safe inside her: the energy source that once belonged to his murdered girlfriend.
Tensions mount as Bea learns her energy source must be paired with the one Cash holds to protect both their planets from an imminent threat. But what Bea doesnât realize is thereâs more to her than being human a host, that her feelings for Cash are not just a prophetic plan that will save their planets, and that the fate of everything lies in her choices.
Beatrice Walker thought she lived in a normal worldâthat is until she learned sheâs a living hostel for an alien energy source, and apparently the answer to preventing extinction.
Bea has no memory of her last moments with her mother. The week theyâd gone missing is a complete mystery. Suddenly moved back to her hometown with her father, Bea has rekindled her friendship with her two best friendsâand seems to have caught the attention of an arrogant, yet gorgeous boy named Cash Kingston. But thereâs more to Cash than his annoying attitude and good looks. Cash isnât human, and heâs now in charge of protecting Bea from those who know what she keeps safe inside her: the energy source that once belonged to his murdered girlfriend.
Tensions mount as Bea learns her energy source must be paired with the one Cash holds to protect both their planets from an imminent threat. But what Bea doesnât realize is thereâs more to her than being human a host, that her feelings for Cash are not just a prophetic plan that will save their planets, and that the fate of everything lies in her choices.
Cash
One week before
I sprinted through the corridor, adrenaline pumping, lights flickering above me, the DOAAâs alarm piercing my eardrums. The others followed somewhere behind, my pace outmatching theirs. I was fast. Hell, the fastest on my planet. But right now, it was anger that fueled my speed, not ability. Seraphina was dead, and someone was going to pay, human or not.
Two guards rounded the bend just ahead of me. I laughed in their faces as they drew their weapons. Increasing my speed, I catapulted off the wall grabbing the first guardâs neck tie, cradling it like a noose around his throat. More than anything, I wanted to kill him, but Iâd settle for him passing out. I tightened my hold until he slumped to the ground. The second DOAA agent came at me with his Ferroan knife, the only weapon on Earth that could kill me or my kind. The long blade was forged with a sharply-tapered point and the letters DOAA etched on the brown handle. I grinned as it shook in his hands.
âFirst time holding that kid or first time intending on using it?â I sneered. His reaction was warranted. Not many DOAA agents had to fight us. We generally came in peace and in truth could overtake most humans without even batting an eye. Not that I thought this guy stood a chance at my demise. He was just a kid, most likely a new recruit, ordered to cross my lethal path. But part of me wanted to be put out of my misery, so I welcomed his effort.
He positioned his body; feet wide and knees bent.
âYou sure about this?â I taunted him, giving a nod to the guard on the floor.Â
âCaptain Kingston, the Director just wants to talk to you.â His voice cracked like a prepubescent human.
I laughed. Director Dod wanted to talk. My girlfriend was murdered, and these humans wanted to talk. With a swift upper cut to the boyâs jaw, he flipped backwards hitting his head on the wall before landing on his side.
The corridor filled with a deafening silence, soon interrupted by my sisterâs faint voice. âCash,â she called to me. Â
Steeling myself, I slowly approached the doors at the end of the corridor, waving my hands in front of them to release the locking mechanism. I stepped inside and came to a complete stop.
A lone metal table stood in the center of the dimly lit room. Strands of Seraphinaâs jet-black hair draped over its edge, her prone body covered by a white sheet. Wires strung from her arms to machines that towered over me. They were keeping her âfreshâ as they called it on Earth. Her body was being preserved for transit back to Ferro.
I pulled back the cloth as energy crackled over my skin, settling into a steady hum as the source inside me coursed through my veins. It was Sera. Her last memory stretched out to me in sound waves, urging the energy source inside my chest to read her message before anyone else.
Alongside the pain I felt in losing her, I hoped she would tell me how she died. I would do anything in my power to find who was responsible. And when I did, I would make themâand anyone else who got in my wayâsuffer.
My pulse timed itself with the pounding footsteps in the outside corridor, leaving me with only seconds to connect to her energy source stored within her chest cavity. My sisterâs hitched breath from the other side of the room made me pause. I wanted to mourn the body beneath the sheet. I wanted to touch her one last time, but I couldnât allow my emotions to take hold of me.
I moved the sheet back a couple inches exposing our matching scars, and traced her skin. The ridge of a diamond-shaped marking grazed my touch and I pressed my finger gently into her flesh. The memory flooded through me almost instantaneously, soaking my mind with Seraphinaâs last seconds on this planet.
She was lying on a metal table in what appeared to be a cave. Two deadly cuts lacerated her right ankle and right wristâthe rest of her body covered in dirt. Sweat sprinkled her brow. Blood dotted her lipsâlips I had kissed a thousand times and would never kiss again. Along her jawline were traces of bruising in hues of deep purple. Seraphina suddenly gasped and expelled a voice foreign to hers. âMy daughterâyou need to protect my daughter. She holds the key. You need her, and she needs you. Remember the safehouse I told you about. Start there. Go now. Thereâs little time. Find her Cash, please. Crede Mihi.â
The last bit of energy thrust me across the room, hurling me backwards until my back slammed against the wall. I opened my eyes to find my sister kneeling above me. Tears fell from her cheeks landing on my chest as she cupped her hands around my face.
I gasped for air, confusion hitting me all at once. âIt wasnât her. It was Faye.â
After the first chapter, I could tell that this book was going to resemble The Lux Series. The lux series is one of my all-time favourites, so I was genuinely interested in seeing where the author takes this story. I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed.
Beatrice thought she was a normal girl, until one day her world is turned upside-down. She is sought after by not only another alien-race but a secret government that her parents both worked for. In comes Cash, a hot alien that is hell bent on protecting Beatrice no matter the cost.
I instantly fell in love with Cash and Beatrice. Their relationship gave me butterflies and at one point I shed a couple of tears. There was so much at stake throughout the entire book, I honestly couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
Bea was sassy and fought against her life being taken over by protocols and orders. Cash was sarcastic and loved to ignite peoples anger for fun. They made a comical duo at times.
One thing I was not anticipating was the never ending action. I loved how there was never a dull moment, as our main characters seemed to never catch a break. I found myself getting quite emotional while reading from Bea's perspective. I was very surprised at how quickly the author was able to make me care.
I think this book was very well done. The only thing I wish it had was something extra to distinguish it from the young adult stories I have read prior. I loved it, don't get me wrong, but the story has in a sense been done before.
I think it's safe to say that Dana Claire has a way of getting under your skin, because Beatrice and Cash have made it to my favourite characters list. I can't wait to see what the author does next! I really hope it's the sequel to this novel. That cliffhanger at the end makes me want to read book two as soon as possible.
I highly recommend The Connection to YA science fiction lovers. I don't think you will be disappointed.