The Story

Skye Dakota enjoys a life of danger and intrigue. To all appearances a successful and shrewd businesswoman, she runs a bar called The Dragon's Lair on the remote space outpost of Pettit Station, a haven for the hardworking and harder-playing miners of the Vestri system.

But appearances can be deceiving. Skye has smugglers' blood in her veins. Following in her father's footsteps down the wrong side of the law, she revels in the game of cat-and-mouse between herself and her two lovers, one an Interfederated ship's captain assigned to patrol the region of space around the station, the other the chief of security on Pettit itself. So far, neither has become the wiser, and all of her secrets have remained safe.

But all that changes the day Skye receives a visit from two thugs sent by a rival smuggler she's never met, and yet who seems to know her all too well. As the danger escalates, memories of past deeds best left forgotten are forced to light, until she is forced to do the one thing she swore she never would -- return to the people whose mark she bears on her neck and ask for their help.

What she doesn't know is if they'll give it, or if they'll kill her for asking.