Dark Empress — Anitra Lynn McLeod

Her denial is no match for her darkest desires.

Errion Ald'Areed senses that his business partner's passion for designing pleasure upgrades for service robots has cooled, but nothing he's tried -- men, women, exotic adventures -- has lifted Lorren D'Buren's ennui. Until he sees the look in Lorren's eyes when the intergalactic ambassador from Diola crosses their path at a charity ball.

Under the watchful eye of Gabriyel, her faithful bodyguard, Farjika is determined to live down her empress mother's scandalous reputation for taking multiple lovers. Her instant attraction to Lorren, though, tempts her to cross her self-imposed bounds of propriety. And Gabriyel is shocked that his level-headed mistress has fallen so easily into a torrid affair.

At first Errion is pleased that Farjika has roused Lorren out of his funk. When he notices the depth of the mutual fascination, though, he realizes he must act quickly -- or lose his sometime lover and best friend.

His plan to eliminate the threat is perfect in its beautiful complexity. Until one snag in his delicate web of seduction plunges them all into a potentially deadly tangle with no way out…