The rundown human worldship is a bleak place, but it's my home, and it's where all the people I care about live. My mother, my sister, my students, and my sweet fiancé, Nathan. I never imagined I'd be forced to leave...forced to become the mate of a barbaric Darrvason admiral.

I dreamt of being saved by noble Aurelian warriors. Instead, I was abducted by savages. They come through the portal in a fury of blood and violence, destroying my captors without mercy. They will have none for me, either. Aurelians demand total obedience. The brands mark my rescuers as Fanatics who serve the Old Ways. And when they find their Mate, they possess her body and soul. I’ve traded one captivity for another, pulled from serving a cruel lord to living in a mansion on a planet ruled by warriors, priests, and a vengeful alien War-God.

As one of the new human cadets at an alien military academy, I knew I’d have to prove myself. Especially since I’m one of only a few females sent by Earth. I just didn’t know that the one alien I want to impress would be the one who seems determined to hate me. I was sent here because I’m a champion pod racer, so why won’t the big, gruff pod instructor let me show him what I can do? If he thinks ignoring me or assigning me after-hours work polishing his pods will discourage me, then he’s never met a girl from Texas.

Dragon shifter prince Kyran and his people are gravely in need of mates. Their planet’s female shifters are dying out, so they look to Earth for new women — but claiming one will be harder than he anticipated.

As the first humans allowed in Suevan space, there’s a lot riding on my all-woman team. Earth desperately needs their tech, and I’m determined to prove we can negotiate the price. Without their planetary defense systems, Earth is a sitting duck, ripe for invasion. Except the Suevan culture is nothing like ours. When I take part in what I think is a welcoming ceremony, I leave with more than I bargained for: a husband. A mate. Apparently, we’re there to marry them as payment—something the top brass on Earth doesn’t bother denying. Fantastic.