Raised by the secretive League of the Blade, Sir Paul Hilliard fled England to escape from their shadow.

And now his life depends on the breathtaking Bladeswoman he once trained and now desires.

Painful memories once drove Paul Hilliard away. But when the elite secret fraternity of knights calls him home to help thwart a devilish plot against the king, Paul cannot refuse. And his bodyguard in this deadly undertaking is Juliana Gresham?a stunningly beautiful warrior who honed her skills under his expert guidance.

When Juliana first received her training, she was a young, shy, and innocent orphan; now she has blossomed magnificently into womanhood, tempting the honorable knight. Surrendering to his passion could gravely endanger their mission. But Paul?s great need for her will not be silenced?especially when the plot demands that the exquisite Juliana play a shocking new role in their dangerous intrigue . . . as Paul?s mistress.