Two hundred fifty years ago, a purveyor of poisons and the creator of genetically modified organisms—Emirk Corporation—launched into the Moon's orbit around the Earth an artificial planetoid called Chrome.

There, Emirk technicians created races of human beings blended with the genes of animals. They were called Blends.

Now Luna Lightfoot—half puma, half woman, jewel thief—inadvertently hears a confidential conversation and witnesses a murder. She teams up with Terralina Rustabrin—half tortoise, half woman, bond-promised to a tortoise prince—and discovers a murderous scheme to change the lives of Chromians. A chameleon mercenary and an insane mastermind lurk behind the scheme.

Lisa Mason has published eleven novels, including Summer of Love (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist), The Gilded Age (a New York Times Notable Book), Arachne (a Locus Hardcover Bestseller), The Garden of Abracadabra ("Fun and enjoyable Urban Fantasy"), Celestial Girl (A Lily Modjeska Mystery), Strange Ladies: 7 Stories ("A must-read collection"), and forty stories and novelettes in magazines and anthologies worldwide.