Sugar Calloway and Dixie Spicer are up to their aprons in community cookbook projects, but Sugar can't resist when the Jameson County Historical Society asks for their assistance with a cookbook featuring bread recipes. But they’ve barely begun when suddenly troubles are on the rise. Marla, the board’s president is stabbed with a bread knife, her best friend, Mame, is a suspect & some dough (of the money kind) is missing.

Against the odds, Aeden and his friends survived the assault on the animaru stronghold. More, the former enemy commander, Khrazhti, has joined them in their fight. Things might be looking up. But new dangers are revealed, including a powerful human mage who is creating portals so more of the dark creatures can enter the world.

You’ve been his for years, and I respected it. Maintained my distance.

Kept my silence. My secret.

Until that night you came to me, disillusioned, angry and hurt. God helps us both, but I crossed my carefully drawn line before you left, disappeared.

Now, you’re back, and my need for you is a beast that hasn’t been fed and has grown hungrier in the years since I’ve seen you. I remind myself we can’t be more than friends, that you’re off-limits to me. But it doesn’t stop me from secretly craving what can never be mine.