Calista's a freelance space courier recovering from a disastrous marriage during which her ex tried to sell her as a slave. Sure, she's emotionally damaged, but you should see the state of her ex! She's also an expert pilot who can illegally reprogram and augment all manner of tech. She's been ripping off the system and flying under the radar her entire life.... Until now. Asher's her “cargo”, the mouthwateringly gorgeous Phoenixae alien who accidentally hatched from the egg she was transporting, and bonded with her. He's been bred as a sex slave and he can read her mind. Which wouldn't be so bad if1) she didn't abhor slavery and everything it represents,2) she wasn't horny as hell, and3) he wasn't doubly tempting because of his extra er, male parts! Oh, and then there's the small issue that if Asher is killed and his body burnt, he can be resurrected. He's one hot commodity that illegals will kill to possess. Take one sex-deprived space courier who'll risk everything to save an alien from a life of slavery. Add one mouthwateringly hot alien sex-slave who knows her deepest desires, feels her pain, and lives to please her in every way. Mix with a ruthless ex-husband intent on vengeance. And stir in a sadistic Libertine noble who will do anything at all to get his hands on a Phoenixae. Thank the gods that from the ashes, an unexpected hero will emerge.... And he's full of surprises!To My Readers: I originally wrote From The Ashes as a novella, in Calista's point of view. It even had another title: “Double Trouble”, an allusion to the hero's, er, extra appendage! But my Phoenixae alien hero, Asher, was just so compelling -- not to mention outta this world hot! -- that I felt he deserved more. And so From The Ashes was born. I had a blast fleshing out Asher's character, bringing him to life, and having him smack Calista upside the head with the fact that he's more than just a victim destined to be a sex-slave, he truly is a worthy hero. I hope you enjoy the result!About the author Maree AndersonAt the tender age of twelve, Maree Anderson was pinching her mom and dad's books and reading them at night by the hallway light. It took her a few more years -- okay, decades! -- to pluck up enough courage to write her own stories but now there's no stopping her.The great thing about being an author? Having a valid excuse to read voraciously -- all in the name of research, of course ;-). When Maree Anderson isn't “researching”, she's dreaming up new ways to put her heroes and heroines through hell before giving them their Happy Ever After -- she's a complete sucker for a happy ending, BTW. Maree lives in Auckland, New Zealand, with her real-life hero, a man who is rapt to bits and beyond that she's finally achieved her dream of becoming an author. He's also a website designer extraordinaire, and even better, he works for hugs and kisses!Romance Writers of New ZealandRomance Writers of AustraliaRomance Writers of AmericaFrom The Heart Romance WritersFeel free to visit Maree at www.mareeanderson.com and drop her a line.