Melinoe is neither dead or alive. She is something in between. The people she gathers, her pets, don’t live long. When she no longer has a need of them, she discards them. Then she finds others to take their place.
That is true for all but two people, Dante and Ariana. He is an engineer who lacks self-confidence. Stella, his wife, has to find and rescue him. His being alive, is the only thing keeping Amber from skinning her alive, and then Jewel killing her. Ariana is Nathaniel’s and Persephone’s daughter. Nothing in the galaxy will stop them from finding her and rescuing her.
Melinoe kidnaps Ariana to raise her as her own child—to be just like her. Dante is needed to get her off the Carpacia and aboard the Artemis. Instead of discarding him when he is no longer needed, she makes him the show piece of her prized collection. She promises to keep him alive no matter how much he begs for death.
The hunt takes the crew of the Carpacia through hyperspace and wormholes to different star systems. Each place they visit has its own unique problem that they must overcome before continuing the search. Is it Bob placing obstacles in their path, or is the universe out to get them?
