Defect

Assassin Halina Layla Orlinskaya no longer kills for her country. She has fled to a space station in the NetherRealm. And now a space yacht has arrived, a space yacht filled with corpses, including her husband's. Only her twelve-year-old son Misha has survived. And he has a message for her…

This story marks the first appearance of Misha, the hero of Assassins in Love, which Rusch wrote under the pen name Kris DeLake.

Kris DeLake is one of writer Kristine Kathryn Rusch's many pen names. In addition to writing as Kris DeLake in romance, Rusch also writes romance as Kristine Grayson (who specializes in paranormals) and Kristine Dexter (who prefers romantic suspense). In mystery, Rusch writes as the Edgar- and Shamus-nominated Kris Nelscott. In science fiction and fantasy, Rusch is known by her real name. She's a bestselling double Hugo winner in science fiction. To find out more about her work, including her popular nonfiction blog, go to www.kristinekathrynrusch.com.