Betmal Starting over in the hidden monster town of Ever was meant to begin the next phase of my life-freedom from an unfortunate romantic entanglement and with plenty of time to spend with my son and his mate. But all of that changes when I scent her in the coffee shop...a kindred soul, an artist, like me...Amatheia. My obsession with the hauntingly beautiful mermaid is immediate and complete. But when I introduce myself, she holds me at arms' length. That won't do. It won't do at all. So I cook up a plan. I'll redesign Ever's welcome packet and hire her to do the art. That will give us plenty of time alone together, time I can use to get to know her better...in my boardroom and my bedroom. Yet the closer we get, the more obvious it becomes that my immediate draw to her isn't a passing lustful fancy. It's something deep, primal, and irrefutable-she is my fated female, and I have waited for her for thousands of years. But the fates have a sense of humor when her uncle, the king, tells Amatheia she's to be wed to a merman of his choosing. He claims he's simply fulfilling her mother's dying wish. I suspect darker motives. One thing is clear, I can't guarantee Ama's freedom from her uncle's political maneuvering without bringing a fight into Ever, something she is desperate not to do. I lost my heart to her when we met. Now, I'll have to fight to protect hers.