**THE PUREST OF THE BREED is a finalist for the 2014 USA Best Books Award for Romance** A different place to find her dreams... The night Marissa Bonaventure is saved from vicious kidnappers by special operative, Dev Nichita, her life is changed in ways she never could have imagined. Brought to the safety of an underground "research institute," she's offered a hefty sum of money to stay on and work for a year, money that will allow her to fulfill her lifelong dream of owning a restaurant. But the surreal events that unfold in the strange community of Tarana soon make her wonder if all is what it seems. When the shocking truth about Dev is exposed, Marissa faces an impossible decision. She loves Dev deeply, but committing to a Varcolac is a forever proposition, and the only way she can be with Dev will require her to throw away her one chance to redeem a miserable past. The man he wants to be... The night Dev Nichita rescues Marissa from the claws of the Om Rau demon race, he knows she's meant to be his mate. Lying to her about his true nature feels wrong, but he needs time to make her fall in love with him before he reveals that he's a different breed of human being. When that secret finally comes out, their relationship is shattered in ways Dev hadn't predicted. A 100-year-old betrayal rises up to threaten their future together-devastating every member of his family-and Dev's own angry withdrawal becomes a nearly insurmountable obstacle. Then the Topside Om Rau enemy threatens a catastrophic breach of the hidden community, and Dev must call upon all his power as he races against the clock to save the most important people in his life. ** Contains profanity and adult situations.