A brutal attack changed her life and turned her into a monster with the power to defend those who cannot or will not defend themselves.

Priina lived on a farm, and one night, she broke the laws of Cial and ventured through the wall to find some lost herd animals. She finds the remains of her beasts and is attacked by a creature that is far beyond her experience.

She survives the encounter but is changed forever more by the exposure to the alien beast. Her people ship her off world so that her contamination will not spread into a susceptible population.

Six years at Citadel Thoola gives her an education, self-control and an appreciation for the variety of species in the Alliance with their differences embedded in their very genes.

She is summoned to active duty at Citadel Lowel and the man sent to collect her is the one who saved her six years earlier. Can Rhanos induce her into a partnership when she refuses to let her instincts rule her, even a little bit?

Excerpt:

Lights flared as the rescuers arrived. Instead of coming to her, they stilled a few feet away.

She looked up at them, and they moved back as if seeing a ghost. “Help me, please.”

It was what they needed to hear. She was strapped to a board and fluids were injected while they did their best to stop the bleeding.

She let herself sleep for a moment, but the burning in her body was not going to let her rest long.

A horrible scream woke her, and to her shock, it was her own voice as she fought restraints, her body tied to the medical bed.

Her mother was at her side, but her younger sister was nowhere to be seen. Reeda Jarcor had tears tracking her cheeks, but she forced a smile when Priina stopped screaming. “Baby? Are you all right?”

Priina licked her lips and tried to speak. It took a few efforts, but eventually, she said, “You tell me.”

Reeda gasped out a sob of relief. “The doctors have been working hard to put you back together, baby.”

Priina nodded and shifted, aware of every stitch and seal that her body was wearing. “Why does everyone look so worried?”

“Baby, why did you go outside the wall?” Her mother stroked her hair back from her forehead.

“The varek. Two were missing, and then, I found the hole. I had to make sure that they didn’t need help. It is the duty of the shepherd.”

The doctor came forward and put his hand on Reeda’s shoulder. “Wait outside, Ms. Jarcor. I have something to discuss with your daughter.”

Priina felt a strange strength in her limbs. “Mom, I will be fine. I am not going anywhere.”

Her mother gave her a watery smile and limped out of the patient room.

The doctor beckoned another one over, and the rest of the staff left the room.

They stood together at the foot of her bed and looked at her with matching serious expressions.

“Do you know what you were exposed to?”

Priina blinked. It was obvious that they knew, so why were they asking her? “Something sharp.”

The one on the left barked a laugh. “That it was. Did you get a good look at it?”

She nodded. The burning eyes and the dripping jaws were etched in her memory. “It was a monster.”

The one on the right nodded. “Do you know why we built the wall?”

Priina recited what they learned in school. “We built the wall to protect us against a world that would change us. We were designed to adapt and boost other species and they would change us. To remain Cial, we had to wall ourselves in to keep them out.”

They nodded. The one on the right said, “Well, you went out, and they changed you. They almost killed you, but they changed you. Time will tell how much.”

Priina frowned. “What do you mean?”

The doctor on the right smiled tightly. “We mean that you cannot live within the city any longer and transport has been arranged for you.”