Lauren Campbell is scarred by grief and raw from betrayal. Widowed young and fleeing an abusive boyfriend, she crosses the country in hopes of starting over. The small town of Sweetwater, Texas feels like the perfect place to heal a broken heart, even more so after meeting a handsome thirty-something doctor. But Lauren should know by now-looks can be deceiving. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Miles Barrett has led a veiled existence for nearly one hundred years. When a troubled outsider stumbles into his lab, his allegiance to his solitary life is tested. Lauren is everything he desires in a woman. She's also the one thing he can't have.Will Miles find a way to share his life with Lauren, or will an act of selfishness drag her into his nightmare? _____ Author's note: This paranormal romance is book one of a duet. Though it begs for a sequel, it can be enjoyed as a standalone and has an HEA. contains adult themes and violence but no on-screen sex. Book two, however, cranks up the heat.