England, 1815: Ian Rufford was captured, enslaved, and then abandoned in the lonely dunes of Egypt's desert. His tormentor was a woman of magnificent beauty... and the blackest of souls. Now, Ian prays for a death that will not come. Only after his rescue does he begin to realise how he has changed. But he understands very little. Just that he is carrying something strange in his blood known only as "The Companion".
Elizabeth Rochewell's home was Egypt. After her father's death, however, she is being sent home to live a conventional life in London. On board ship, she finds herself drawn to her mysterious travelling companion, Ian Rufford. He awakens feelings in her that disturb and tantalise her senses. But he hides a shocking secret that Beth can only begin to unravel... Susan Squires grew up among the giant redwoods of California. Now an executive in a Fortune 500 company, one of her many mid-life crises resulted in a return to her love of writing. She researches and writes her books at the beach in Southern California.
