He’s an Ujal who knows he’ll never have a mate. She’s a human who doesn’t want to take another chance on love. One small child doesn’t give them a choice.

With her toddler in tow, Vanessa Walker travels to Tampa, Florida to begin her new job at Ujal Station Tau. Then problems arise—her daughter is ill, and a sexy, demanding, overwhelming, purple-scaled Ujal is determined to do whatever he can to save Tabitha. When they realize Tabby isn’t ill, she’s Ujal, plenty of people don’t want Vanessa raising her newly tail-sporting alien daughter. Ujal royalty may support her, but only one person—one Ujal male—makes her feel safe: Erun fa Arex.

Erun fa Arex earned his position through blood, sweat, and scales with a trident as his constant companion. On Earth, he is the captain of the principessa’s elite guard, a worthy Ujal warrior matched by few. On Ujal, he grew up as a child slave forced to fight for sport and others’ pleasure. Fighting left physical and mental scars while the master’s growth-hormone injections left him unable to father younglings.

Erun never considered mating and having a family of his own until he meets Vanessa and Tabitha. Now he realizes everything he rejected—a mate and family—is exactly what he desires. And he will fight to keep them… to the death.