The Gate of Chalandros is a mystical portal connecting the human world to the demon one. No one knows when or how it came into existence…

Nalyx is a warrior who has dedicated his life to defending the human world from the swarms of demons attempting to cross the Gate of Chalandros, taking great pride in slaughtering any intruder he encounters. As a member of a fearsome army, he spends twenty-three out of every forty-six days in battle, risking life and limb to hold back the demons. And then, when the gate closes, twenty-three days living a life of luxury, enjoying wine, women and song as the city of Minia celebrates its success in defending the gate for one more cycle. But when a serious injury puts Nalyx’s future career as a soldier at risk, he finds himself adrift, feeling lost and vulnerable for the first time in years.

Gantalla is a hadathmet, a green-skinned ‘demon’, or so the humans believe. But her homeworld of Chalandros is dying, shattering her hopes for a peaceful life, and so she is left with no choice but to brave the gate and the army of humans waiting on the other side to slaughter any who dare to cross.

Against all odds, Gantalla survives the crossing. Now disguised as a human, she knows she must get as far from the gate as possible, to avoid any further risk from the army of warriors who inhabit the city. But the humans’ customs make little sense to Gantalla, and after a series of missteps as she attempts to navigate the city, she finds herself inadvertently nursing a warrior who was badly wounded in the latest battle – a man who is equal parts confounding and charming. A man by the name of Nalyx.

Growing up on Rendol 4, Aiden Hill only ever wanted to help better his planet. Now a lieutenant in the Alliance Military, he is doing just that, defending the population from space pirates, slave traders and a rogue species fighting them for colonisation rights of the planet.

But during a mission gone awry, Aiden stumbles upon Kade, a brainwashed slave who immediately imprints on him and declares Aiden to be his master. But slavery in the Alliance is strictly forbidden, leaving Aiden attempting to rehabilitate his unexpected charge, despite Kade’s obvious reluctance to cooperate.

Kade has waited for years to meet his master, the man he can devote himself to for the rest of his life. But when they finally meet, his master seems oddly reluctant to make use of Kade’s many skills – including his skills in the bedroom! Instead of giving him orders, his master insists that Kade should make his own decisions and express opinions that conflict with his master’s desires.

A slave without a master is like a boat without a sail; directionless and destined to be swept up by the storms of life. But for Aiden to treat Kade as the slave he insists he is would be a moral travesty, defying both Alliance law and his own conscience. So how can the two of them ever find a middle ground, when the life Kade so ardently wants is one that Aiden finds so abhorrent?