On the edge of war, can Priya escape the past and learn to love with the help of her sworn enemy?
Priya Kumari, a former operative of the Xeno Vigilance Unit, is thrust into the delicate role of ambassador to the Volderens, a race she blames for her father’s death. Tasked with forging peace, Priya secretly carries out a covert mission to capture Major Baraxen, the Volderen leader, to exploit their advanced technology. But when war teeters on the edge of eruption after Baraxen’s capture, Priya’s life takes an unexpected turn during a daring rescue.
Wounded and vulnerable, Priya is saved by the very enemy she sought to bring down. As the Volderens show her mercy and humanity, she questions her beliefs and confronts the prejudices that shaped her mission. Facing punishment for her actions, she finds an unlikely ally in Major Baraxen, who offers her a chance at redemption—in Atlantis, under the watchful eyes of her former foes.
Torn between duty and newfound understanding, Priya realizes the Volderens have always sought peace, not conflict. As emotions intertwine and loyalties shift, she must navigate the fragile threads of diplomacy, love, and redemption to unite two races standing at the precipice of war. Can Priya become the symbol of hope humanity and the Volderens desperately need, or will her past undo the possibility for lasting peace?
Melissa hates talking about herself in the third person, but she absolutely LOVES writing stories with forbidden romance and the flawed antiheroes who would burn the world to find and protect their true loves. Her favorite stories have always been those told from the antihero or villain’s perspective.
When not contemplating new story ideas, she can be found traipsing around Texas State Parks, herding her cats, studying a new language, or reading.
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