Betrayed by her best friend and handed over to people who would torture her in the name of science, Shirai-Leron is an anomaly amongst her people. Implanted with a chip and filled with nanites to save her life, she is one in a thousand recruits with natural talent—a talent that saw her banished by the very people who saved her life. The chance discovery of her life pod by pirates gives her a second chance at life. Devral escaped from the cyborg coalition to search the universe for something. When he sees the female in the life pod, he knows she is what he’s been searching for, and he will do anything to bring her out of stasis. Even if he’s risking his own life to wake her. Shirai wakes to find herself on a strange ship, amongst people she can’t understand, and confronted with the male who betrayed her. In her emotional confusion, Shirai’s implants spiral out of her control and forge a connection with the male, who insists he’s never met her before. Desire draws them together, but will it be enough when they are confronted with the people who tortured them both and want them back?