Races operating within their own planetary systems are to be left alone until they begin to develop the ability to travel at FTL (faster than light speeds). When the ability to travel at FTL becomes apparent, one of the members of the Federation is nominated to help ease the newcomer through the Galactic citizenship process. Unfortunately, not all the galaxies systems belong to the Federation, and some of those systems are much less than friendly. The last several decades have seen the development of war like societies that systematically loot developing planets. They take the water, and other precious resources, including slaves, leaving the remaining native inhabitants a barren planet. Without resources the population simply dies a slow death. The Egolari are here because we, meaning the people of Earth, happen to possess a skill set and an aptitude that is critical to the needs of the Federation. The major problem within the Federation is that virtually all the members have, for centuries been living in peace. They have developed a society that is not well suited to counter the growing violence presented by the nonaligned races. In short, they have no way to protect themselves, let alone protect the fledgling races just arriving on the galactic scene. Enter Earth. Of all the emerging races to become future galactic members, one has a superior potential to face the violence threatened by the nonaligned races. You guessed it, Humanity. The Federation realized that to continue to function as an organized galactic society, they would have to develop a military arm that could provide the Federation and emerging systems the protection of a fleet of space vessels and marines. Humanity was the race most capable of leading the development of that military organization because we had not progressed so far that our war like tendencies had begun to erode. Although we were not yet ready for galactic membership, we were a necessity that could fill the need, thus we were getting a crash course in how to travel the galaxy, protecting ourselves and the Federation with the full expectation that we would go where no human has gone before, and kick some alien ass.

    Kidnapped during his daring escape, he shows her that despite the chip in his brain, his humanity is not completely lost.Formerly known as unit X109GI, Joe is on a quest to discover his origin. While he doesn’t find the answers he’s looking for, he does discover that affection isn't just for humans. But when it comes to a battle between logic and love, which side will the cybernetic organism—once a man—choose?Evaluating his feelings will have to wait though because the military isn’t done with Joe. But their threats against him pale in comparison before the shocking discovery of project C791, the revelation of which stuns the rebel cyborgs—and ignites a fury for vengeance.

    The curse of his alien species has put a countdown on his life, and he'll be dead before the month is out. Unless he finds his denya, the only woman in the universe who can save him.Down on her luck and lost in space...Lis Jaynx just wants to go home. Kidnapped from Earth by unknown foes, she's dropped on a inhospitable planet with little food and no hope. She'll do anything to find a ship to take her back to Earth, but Polai is hostile to all alien life, and Lis is running out of places to hide.An unexpected chance...From the moment he sees her, Ru knows Lis is his denya. But she's already wounded and distrustful of aliens, even those who claim they want to help.Will the explosive chemistry between them be enough to topple Lis's fears? Or will their bond break before it even forms, leaving Ru a dead alien walking and Lis all alone in the black of space.(Complete story, no cliffhanger!)

    Sexy, long-haired and leather-pants-wearing Wheaton.Diplomat Wheaton expected a cultured Earthling to help in his mission, not some crazy-haired woman named after a flower and whose speech baffles his translator. Pardon my French? Knock it off? But Wheaton is soon smitten and eager to turn Poppy’s good-morning kisses into an all-day affair. Doing the nasty? Bring it on!But Poppy must do battle with the slimy councilor Demascus, and an extremist group opposed to the Pact. And that’s before a glitch in the Bridal Pact program makes all existing matches invalid, and glossy Hannah, the perfect politician’s wife, arrives on board. Her match: Wheaton.Reader Advisory: This story has graphic sexual language and scenes—no closed bedroom doors (or other rooms) here!An adult science fiction romance from Ellora’s Cave

    Every parent's worst fear. Even if that parent is one of the most dangerous killers in the galaxy. Sanah and Dem always knew any child they had would be special. As the offspring of an empath and a psychically gifted Hunter and Killer, three-year-old Tamari is one-of-a-kind. When a mysterious illness threatens her life, Sanah and Dem would do anything to help her. Even if it tears their marriage apart. Note: This short story in the telepathic space pirates' universe takes place roughly three years after the events in Pirate Bound.

    They live in their subterranean Shadow Maze and only emerge when it's time to breed. For Varrik, that time is now.Varrik, current leader of the Shadow Assassins, knows his people are on the verge of extinction. If they cannot adapt, they will die. Yet if his son were a direct descendant of the High Queen it would secure a place for future generations. Protecting his people is his first priority, so Varrik assembles a hunting party and kidnaps the royal twins. He is determined to claim the eldest for his own.Echo, the younger princess, knows her pampered sister will never survive the sexual appetites of their virile captor. Echo doesn't understand the powerful attraction she feels for Varrik, but drawing his attention is a far better choice than allowing him to overwhelm her twin. She doesn't expect to find him fascinating or to crave the demanding passion he ignites. Can a dominating warrior and his willing captive bring light to the Shadow Maze?Note to Readers: This book contains detailed descriptions of sizzling passion only suitable for mature readers.From Cyndi: I introduced Shadow Assassins clear back in Taken by Storm. Tal mentions, almost in passing, that his mother was killed by one. Years passed as the concept churned away in the back of my mind. Who were the Shadow Assassins and what became of them after the Great Conflict? As I answered these questions, Royal Obsession was born. Then it became apparent that I didn't have one new book; I had a new series. Royal Obsession is part paranormal romance, part capture fantasy. It's hot and unapologetically sexual. Varrik simply wouldn't be tamed and Echo was more than happy to revel in his carnality. Though this story has sci-fi elements, it's less space opera than my previous books. It's always risky when an author shifts gears, but I hope you enjoy the new series!

    This bonus collection from several of the authors of Alien Embrace includes short stories, prequels, sequels, sneak peeks and scenes from alien romances and other series.If you love hot alpha aliens and steamy romances, this is the book for you!

    But how should I have known that stainless steel from Earth is toxic to him?And no matter what you do, don’t accept help from the alien that lingered in the shadows and watched the whole thing go down.Seriously, don’t.Dark-ish sci-fi romance. Contains the right alien to put the frosting on your cupcake. No cheating. HEA.

    Rafael “Rafe” Tiero has it bad for Callie, his half-brother’s woman. He thinks that’s the kind of woman he needs, sweet and mild-tempered. How did that potty-mouthed barista called Jax, with her funky ways, nails, and attitude get under his skin? Jaclyn “Jax” Vasquez has a problem. Her parents are in town for a surprise visit. If they see her boyfriend, Scotty, the proverbial $h1t will hit the fan! She needs help and chooses the first—and only—option, the indigo-eyed stranger in the corner. What could possibly make this worse? He’s a white tiger shifter, and she’s got a secret. Sparks and fur fly! Forgotten Anya Masenti is a passionate, curvy white tiger shifter bodyguard nicknamed the Ice Princess. Bryson Courtland is a leopard shifter billionaire who needs a specific bodyguard. Problem? Anya wants nothing to do with the job. Problem escalation? Their sexual attraction could be the death of them. That’s not even mentioning the secrets that follow Anya from Bear Canyon Valley. Forsaken Sophie and Niko Niko’s spent eight years in Sigma Eps Special Operations. He’s one of the best special ops soldiers around. He was. Now it looks like he’s a babysitter for a beautiful, curvy, headstrong tigress shifter with a secret. Sophie’s running away. From everything. From the truth. From her family. From her reality. Who’d have thought her new reality would include a black panther shifter with a crooked sexy smile and a sinful build of muscle on muscle. He’s a shifter with a secret of his own. And his secret pushes her over the edge. Foreplay Curvy Maia’s got a secret and she goes to extraordinary lengths to keep it. Even if those lengths include stripping for men in a seedy club in Rome. Sexy, silent black panther shifter Franco could spell devastation or be the answer to a prayer. But he’s got the cash to pay for infinite private dances… BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance If hot sex skeeves you out, you may want to pass on this book. If freaky, downright dirty sexy talk bothers you, yeah, for sure you gotta pass on this one. We believe in sex--hot, dirty, delicious sex. Yup, make it sweaty, too. It's not just sex, it's about the romance. But good romance has sex, and we keep the doors open! Oh, and the lights on! ;)

    By the time you finish book 4 you'll be begging for more!No cliffhangers, no cheating, and plenty of steam, this is the collection you do NOT want to miss!BOOK 1: Tempted BodyguardI shouldn’t want Celine …She’s vulnerable,pregnant by a vampire,and hunted by everyone, including my own clan.The difference is, I was sent to bring her here and keep her safe.Everyone else?The other shifters want to kill her, and the vampires …well, everyone knows that vamps can’t be trusted.But spending time with her, keeping her and her new baby safe, getting to know her and win her trust …I can’t help my growing feelings.Even though I know she’s strictly off limits.But despite her growing trust in me, she’s still wary of our Alpha’s intentions.Can I assure her that she’s safe with me no matter what?Or will her persistent distrust drive her out of my arms …and into danger?BOOK 2: Detective JackA killer’s on the loose …And help comes from the most unlikely source.Kit is the outside contact for the hidden ragtag shifter clan who’s sheltering my friend.When flashes of memories I can’t quite grasp filter into my mind, I seek her out, knowing she can fill in the blanks.With her network of information and access, she knows more than the average human.More than the average shifter, for that matter.With one foot in both worlds, I need all my wits about me to make sense of what’s happening.And Kit gets roped into helping me get to the bottom of a string of murders rocking the city.But with my attraction to her clouding my judgment, will I be able to crack the case?Or will giving in mean giving up everything?BOOK 3: Dark MagicSplitting my loyalties ...My first duty has always been to my clanuntil I got tangled up with her.I have no business getting involved with Leila.For one thing, she’s my Alpha’s sister.For another, she’s spoiled and flighty—everything I don’t want in a woman.But for reasons I can’t explain even to myself,I’m drawn to her.But where she goes, trouble follows close behind, and I find myself caught between flouting her brother’s commands and helping her heal an injured friendNow I’m faced with an impossible choice ...Betray my Alpha and keep the woman I love?Or turn her in and risk losing her forever?BOOK 4: Tiger's MateForbidden fruit tastes the sweetest …Which must be why I want Ahn, despite the fact that I’m supposed to bring her to marry my Alpha and secure an alliance to keep our pack safe.Her delicate beauty doesn’t hurt.Neither does her fierce strength and fighting ability, meaning she watches my back as much as I watch hers.If anyone knows how dangerous our journey is, it’s me. On my last mission, I was injured, maimed, and almost didn’t make it back alive.Bringing Ahn back is my chance to prove myself. So I can’t give in to my attraction to her, no matter how much I want to. Or how much she wants to.But fighting side by side bonds us, and attraction grows into something … more.Until only one question remains—Will I betray my pack?Or myself?

    Joran, Crown Prince of Pyros, needs to claim his mate in order to ascend to the throne one day. The problem? His destined mate isn't on Pyros.When a galaxy-wide search uncovers a backwater world full of potential mates for Joran and the other unmated males on his planet, plans are set in motion and Star-Crossed Dating is created. Now, the first wave of men are on their way to claim their unsuspecting brides. Joran's mission: Go to Earth, claim his mate and bring her back to Pyros. How hard could it be?This book contains a redheaded barista who doesn't believe in aliens, and a prince who is used to getting anything he wants without having to work for it ... until now.

    The Complete BBW Ménage Dark Romance Serial 1-6 SAC 1 Talyn Phisher is a counselor in a world that has been turned on its ear by an unthinkable discovery: vampires roam among humans. If all this upheaval was not enough, Talyn's body is changing. Signs that something is seriously wrong plague her. Having been told she's barren and there's no hope—Talyn still longs for a family of her own, though the stories she hears from clients tell her happiness is a long shot. Talyn wants that shot. She yearns for a man who will put her first—for who she is. Until a stalker's pursuit threatens everything close to Talyn's heart. When Talyn feels her life is in imminent danger, she reaches out in desperation to the Final Enforcement, an elite, fringe group of the police who do more than take the law into their own hands. Only to discover Talyn isn't what she thinks she is. And neither is the one who stalks her. SAC 2 Who can Talyn trust? Certainly not those she thought. As the evidence mounts that something is seriously wrong, Talyn gains strength from the sameness of her life. Only to have it shattered when a seemingly innocent come-on turns out to be the beginning of the end of the life she knows. When the local police disregard the facts, Talyn receives unconventional assistance in the form of Enforcer Narah Adrienne. Until she finds that there is no assisting what plagues her, and that she's more sought after than she could have ever imagined.... SAC 3 Talyn finds herself in a compromised position—literally. Having escaped the supernatural battle raging inside her house, she falls into the wrong set of arms, and soon finds herself alone in a prison constructed of Mutables; a group of shifters that can change into virtually any animal. They too, have a limited female population. Talyn doesn't care. She refuses to become the Lycan Merck and Arden insist she'll become, though her beast is clawing to escape. But a revelation about her lineage makes becoming a Lycan a surety, rather than a choice. The question that haunts Talyn is: who will transition her? Friend, foe—or lover? SAC 4 Talyn wakes to find that she's not with who she started with, and tragedy dogs her every step of the way. Narah works to secure her safety while Mutables make a bid to have her. Can Merck claim her before it's too late? Or will Drake find a way to insert his dominance above all. SAC 5 Talyn's been accidentally poisoned with dragon's blood. Can she allow the cure? While Drake and Merck fight over Talyn, Mutables move toward her like a magnet, seeking her for what she offers them. Will Enforcer Adrienne be able to protect Talyn from a predator who is not what he seems? SAC 6 Talyn escapes the Mutables to an enforcer safe house, and must decide between Merck and Drake—or does she? Half a claim will not be enough to protect her from the Mutable who want to use her to strengthen their shifts. Can she allow a full claim and what it will mean for her future? Or will her bid for freedom cost her more than she realizes? Shifter is

    Transformed by empathic crystals into the perfect paramour, Benedetta Galil is the last treasure of her fading world. When raiders attack—seeking to corrupt the crystals and conquer all of charted space—she gives herself as a prize to the one man in the universe who values freedom over power. Mercenary sheership Captain Corso Deynah left oppression behind him on a burning planet and has no use for a sex slave, even one as seductive as Benedetta. But while he stubbornly resists her body, her fierce spirit tempts him, and he will risk everything—his ship, his seclusion, the very stars—to win not just her passion but her love. Originally published as "Enslaved by Starlight" in HOTTER ON THE EDGE: Science Fiction Romance Anthology.

    She also got a piece of the woman’s soul and now, Maggie can feel emotions she can’t explain. Emotions that help her decide to take a job for Sebastian Hart in a dark mansion on the coast of Maine. When she gets there, she discovers her heart had a good reason to make her go.  Sebastian isn’t the only Hart brother who makes Maggie’s pulse quicken. His younger brother, Alexander, captures the rest of her. While having her affections torn between two brothers who are her bosses is complicated enough, Maggie also learns the men are far more than they seem. Now she’s trapped in a world she never imagined existed, and it could be the adventure of a lifetime, or a lifetime in hell.

    Problem is, she isn’t being forced into the Army, she’s been chosen as a Kindred bride. The Kindred are huge alien warriors—a race of genetic traders whose population is ninety-five percent male. After saving Earth from the threat of invasion they demand a reward—the right to find brides among the population. The chances of being chosen are about the same as those of winning the lottery—guess it’s just Liv’s lucky day. Baird is a Beast Kindred who recently escaped imprisonment and torture at the hands of the malevolent Scourge. Through the torment and pain only one thing kept him sane—the thought of finding and claiming his bride—Olivia. His need to possess her is a burning intensity that threatens to consume them both.Angry at having her future and her family taken away from her, Liv vows to fight back the only way she can—by resisting. She has one month on the Kindred Mothership with Baird—their claiming period. If she can keep from having bonding sex with him during that time, she can go home and get on with her life on Earth. But Baird isn’t going to make it easy for her. Every week he is allowed to touch Liv more and more intimately and according to the contract she signed, she has to let him. She’s determined to resist him but his touch sets her on fire. And just as she thinks she knows what she wants, a twist of fate and an attack by the faceless Scourge AllFather changes everything…