Overview

After suffering under an abusive owner for years, Lena has become angry and defiant. Tarquin wants to show her that he's different, but can she stop trying to bite him long enough to give him a chance? Tarquin: Sent to a remote Talin outpost under the pretext of an emergency readiness inspection, Tarquin finds the only human there in poor condition. Unlike the images of Lena given to him before setting off, the woman he encounters is unkempt and volatile. Getting her away from an abusive owner turns out to be the easy part. Teaching her to trust him will be the true challenge. This is the most important task of Tarquin’s life, and he's determined to succeed. What he doesn’t expect is to lose his heart to this human pet and all the danger that implies. Lena: Lena spent her childhood and young adulthood as a cherished pet. Growing up with loving human parents and adoring Talin owners, she’d never experienced deprivation or hardship. But when financial trouble strikes the Talin family, they’re forced to sell her. She’s sent to live with a new owner at a remote outpost, and her life turns into a nightmare. By the time rescue comes in the form of a Talin named Tarquin, it’s too late. Nothing is left of the carefree young woman she once was. Bitterness and anger rule her life. No matter what she does, Tarquin’s patience and kindness don’t change. It doesn’t take long until she thinks it might be possible to trust again. In the midst of getting to know each other, Tarquin and Lena find themselves embroiled in a complex plot to overthrow the Talin government. Should she help Tarquin or should she stand back and let the whole empire burn?