by Lora Leigh
Part of Breeds, book 12
First published 2008
Mercury Warrant stands guard over Sanctuary, the hidden refuge where Breeds like him try to build lives beyond the laboratories that created them. The genetically engineered lion Breed carries scars from brutal experiments, but his greatest challenge comes when enemies target the community he protects. Ria Rodriguez enters his world as both temptation and potential threat. Mercury must decide whether to trust the woman who stirs desires he thought dead, even as violence closes in around them. Council soldiers and other dangers press against Sanctuary's borders while Mercury battles his own nature. His enhanced senses detect lies and fear, but Ria confuses every instinct he possesses. The choice between duty and personal connection becomes impossible to avoid when protecting his people means risking the one person who might understand his fractured soul.
Genres: science-fiction, romance, fantasy, adult-fiction, action, paranormal-romance
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Sanctuary
344 pages · Penguin Group USA Inc
Content warnings: violence