Lisa Caro

Océane Rivière is a conservation scientist for the Department of Wildlife and Forestry in the small town of Ocalee Springs, located in the middle of the Ocala National Forest in Florida. Her human neighbors and acquaintances are unaware that Océane is also a sprite, a nature changeling, who uses the intense power of her Fae song to sing the forest healthy. Although tiny at just under five feet tall, the lovely femme sprite can also be a fierce enemy when necessary, able to channel nature’s energy and project it in a concentrated, commanding blast of light for a myriad of purposes.

Lyric Britton, Dalas Severin, and Keegan Kresnik have just transferred from Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon to Ocalee Springs to work in the Department of Wildlife and Forestry. The masculine of center female Black dragons—Lyric, a forestry engineer who commands Earth and Air; Dalas, a forest ranger who commands Water; and Keegan, a forest and wildlands firefighter who commands Fire—are taken aback by prickly, irritable Océane, who makes no bones about the fact that she finds their addition to the department unnecessary. But dragons and sprites are typically like chalk and cheese anyway, with a long history of clashing, and the instant antipathy between them is not unexpected. Nonetheless, weretiger department head Levi Cadmus puts his foot down and makes it clear he expects them to be on their best behavior while working together.

When GIS specialist Nocturne Moreau joins the team the following day, Océane is initially nervous, having no trust for dark elves—who are known to be brutal, aggressive, and dangerous—feeling just like the other nature changelings she knows. But Noc seems to be chill, friendly, and easy-going, as well as extremely good at their job, a cooperative team player always willing to lend a helping hand. The sprite soon relaxes—dismissing the Black dragons’ deep-seated suspicions—while unaware that Nocturne, who is in actuality quite malevolent under the surface, is cognizant of Océane’s skill in channeling nature's energy and manipulating it when necessary. The violent dark elf is more than determined to use Océane’s power for their own gain, including taking ownership of her ability to kill when necessary.

One after another, Lyric, Dalas, and Keegan begin to claim Océane for their own as the nature changeling grows closer to them, intending to ultimately bind with her at one time to make her their compagne, their bonded mate. But Océane is taken by a smug Nocturne one moonless night—the dark elf arrogantly confident they are immune to Océane’s song and energy blast—and secures her in their underground cavern, knowing even Black dragon magick cannot penetrate their dark wards.

What Nocturne Moreau doesn’t know, however, is that the claiming of Océane Rivière that has already been initiated by Lyric, Dalas, and Keegan has forged strong mental connections between the four of them that no dark magick can circumvent. Racing against the clock to save Océane before she is forced by Nocturne to strike a killing blow against Levi Cadmus so they can take over the Department of Wildlife and Forestry, the first step in their insidious plan to control the entire Ocala National Forest, the three Black dragons use Océane’s guidance to find their missing mate—all the while vowing that a certain dark elf will soon learn what it means to get between a Black dragon and what is hers.

Three masculine of center dragon shifters. One feisty femme sprite. One malevolent non-binary dark elf. And a scorching Why Choose? dark fantasy that will leave you trembling… all while wrecking your panties.