He was meant to protect her...now he might destroy her... Dr. Sylvia Cooper can't stand her Kindred bodyguard. Sure, Kross is seven feet of ripped, smoldering alien hotness-but he's also a sarcastic pain in the ass who keeps meddling in her missions. When he tries to block her latest expedition-tracking down a miracle plant that could heal spinal injuries-she ignores his warnings about the dangerous planet... and the rumors of the infamous Dr. Barbarous. Kross has known Sylvia is his Fated Mate from the moment they met. But as a Hybrid, he can't Bond-so he pushes her away with sarcasm, hiding how badly he wants her. Until their mission goes sideways and they're captured by the twisted Dr. Barbarous. Now they're part of his latest experiment... and escaping might mean giving in to the one thing they've both been fighting: their feelings for each other. Can they break free before they're Forced to Mate by the Mad Scientist?