Welcome. I’m pleased to share my newest, villain, Tij Pardahl from my recent release Race to Redemption, Book One of the Series Green Rising.
Byway of background, Tij is a Magaran, a species that is gender neutral, but takes male or female form during mating. The hardest part writing Tij is dealing with pronouns. I love Tij, because the Magaran has a clear vision that I’m evolving through a seven part series. For some, Tij is a hero, which adds an interesting twist to my world.
For fun, I’m going to share an excerpt where Tij has a main role.
Excerpt Introduction
To save her corporation, StormTech, and her position as its race pilot, champion Storm Racer Elaina Carteret agrees to go undercover and provide intelligence to Tij and Noah, her former fiancée, now Tij’s lover. Posing as a medical transport pilot, her role is to spy on the activities occurring on the non-aligned planet, Ranhar. In the scene below, Tij contacts Elaina to see how she is getting on with it.
Excerpt
After chowing down on a few energy bars, she disrobed to prepare for a bath when the lights above the vid screen flashed red and white. Wrapped in a towel, she touched the screen to allow the call. Tij Pardahl’s pale, angular face twisted into a sneer.
“Like my attire?” She liked to stick to Tij when the Magaran was several planets away.
“Did you wear it for me?”
“You know I didn’t.”
“Life would be easier if you did. Report, Elaina. I don’t like having to chase down information you promised us.” The soft cadence of the Magaran accent could not camouflage the angry tic that pulsed along Tij’s jaw.
Like I care. “I only promised to think about it. Where’s Noah. I much prefer his company.”
Noah swaggered his sexy self to the screen. His hand slid down’ Tij’s back and did a few other things she couldn’t see, but Tij’s eyes rolled up. A groan escaped the Magaran’s lips.
“Ellie.” Noah nodded, using her zoner nickname. “Cover holding?”
“No problems on that score. Those periodic Elaina sightings are effective misdirects.”
“How can we help you? What do you need?”
Erik.
Noah quirked an eyebrow. “There is something you need.”
“Better quarters. Karamite chocolate.”
“I know you better than that.”
Yeah, he did and didn’t that suck eggs. Especially since Tij turned him into a slimy, intergalactic dealmaker.
“We can help each other here.” That low alto that used to make her shiver in the bedroom. The perverse upside to her learning about StormTech’s corporate corruption is that it eliminated any remaining attraction she had for Noah. Her libido was fully imprinted on Erik.
“There’s very little we can’t get for you.”
“Everything you know about Dr. Erik Johansen,” she rushed out before she lost her nerve or questioned her motives. For a second, she’d have sworn Tij’s eyes lit up like a Terran Christmas tree. “And utopia pods,” she added since she didn’t know how else to get them.
“Ellie?” Noah’s head shook from side to side.
“Don’t be daft. It’s for a friend.”
“All doable. Give us something before I agree.” Tij took back control.
“Rumors are that the Den Vedran population in Karas is increasing, but there are no official reports to prove it.”
“Elaina. That’s on every grid.” Tij tsked at her. “Something from those medical facilities you visit?”
That was planned. She’d need to be careful—to give them enough to help her, but not enough to be useful. She was not ready to toss Erik or Brej to the dust until she knew enough about both sides. Nothing in her world made sense any more.
“In one of the facilities, there are two sick Ranharrans with some strange illness. Gray, itchy skin, stiff hair. No one knows why.” That’s innocent enough.
“Do the utopia pods have anything to do with that?”
How did Tij guess that? “No,” she answered too quickly. “I’m helping out a friend. Not everyone appreciates the quality housing available here.”
“We’ve got a deal, if you keep us updated on the Ranharrans.” Tij was beaming and seemed way too happy about the turn of events.
“Deal,” she said, crossing her fingers behind her back. Childish, but it made her feel better. Nothing felt good anymore.
“Do you want to know about Jimmy?” Noah returned to the conversation. She hadn’t talked directly to her brother since the accident that caused Devon’s death. Even with his appearance at the Board meeting, she still struggled to forgive him.
“Not really, but I would like an update on Ryan.” She missed her nephew’s goofy chuckle and lollipop obsession.
“Maybe if you’d forgive him, you’d have been able to heal together. He needs you Elaina, so does Ryan … and you need them.”
“Ah, the loyalty of one betrayer for another. So sweet, it makes me gag. Love is supposed to be a forever thing. But then you wouldn’t know about that, would you?” Guilt and anger warred in her gut. She wanted to hit something to rage back at all the pain those she loved had heaped on her. “And inviting me to be a threesome is not the same thing.” With a smirk, she let the towel drop and stood tall. “Sorry, you can’t have it.”
Even as Tij’s eyes flared indigo with desire, Noah remained unfazed which told her way too much. Part of her had hoped it was Noah’s remaining love that kept that invitation open. It was Tij all along. And that broke her heart all over again. Whatever she felt for him now, Noah had been part of her life since almost infancy. Had his feelings for me ever been real?
“We’ve both always been here for you and always will be.” Recognizing his quiet cadence as a lie, it no longer soothed her frayed nerve endings or the pounding ache in her chest.
“I’ve had enough of our nice little chat. Contact me with the pods. I’ll let you know when I learn more.” Maybe.
She grabbed the towel and headed down the hall to the bath, wanting to wash the feel of Noah and Tij off her body. She realized two things along the way. They had given her nothing on Erik and they already knew about the kids at the medical outpost.
My God. What have I done?
If want to know more. Here’s the basic info.
Race to Redemption Blurb
A woman who lost everything.
Intergalactic storm racing champion Elaina Carteret had it all – fame, wealth, men – until a horrific accident took it away. To get it back, she agrees to pose as Lainie Carter, medical transport pilot and corporate spy. Her risk-taking attitude infuriates Dr. Erik Johansen, who runs the outpost with an iron hand, a permanent scowl and the tightest bod on the planet.
A man desperate for redemption.
Unable to forgive himself for a past tragedy, Erik works himself into an early grave. He has no patience for the insubordinate Lainie Carter, who can’t take an order, disrupts routine and flames his body to ash.
A planet at risk.
When the outpost is attached, they’re thrown together in a race across the desert to stop a deadly biogenetic weapon As a fragile trust blossoms between two damaged hearts, their pasts resurface and threaten their growing bond.
Be warned: Heat level 5, gender neutral and bi-gendered characters.
Congratulations on the introduction of your new character Tij. Love the name! Gender neutral is an interesting concept. A book I love that explores that idea is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula le Guin. Have you read that one?
Yes, I read the Left Hand of Darkness. It is an interesting concept. My goal actually is to explore the male and female in all of us.