As the only woman in a team of marooned explorers, whom do you trust-your friends ... or your enemy? When Xera is stranded on a desert planet with a hostile crew and a cadre of murdering aliens, her friends aren't who she thinks they are. As the translator, she's the only one who can forge a truce. As the only woman, she's the prize they lust for, and when her captain turns on her, she's going to need the help of her enemies to escape his wrath. Because on this inhospitable world, the warlike Scorpio were her only chance. Looking into the fiery eyes of their handsome leader, Xera saw a nobility and potency she'd never before encountered--a reaction she knew her fellow humans would despise. A future with Commander Ryven was ... something to consider. But first they had to survive.