On the mountain, the watcher seeks out evil women. And then they die. Two years ago, when Jake Hunt uncollared his slave, she committed suicide. Guilt-ridden, he will commit to a woman for one night only, devoting his energy to a mountain lodge that caters to a BDSM crowd.

With an empty nest and divorce in hand, Rona decides it's time to explore the fantasies that nourished her through a long, tedious marriage to a man whose idea of outrageous sex was leaving the lights on. At the top of her fantasy list is touring Dark Haven, the BDSM club, but she isn't prepared for the effect of a powerful Dom. When Master Simon takes control and introduces her to toys and sensations she's never felt before, she realizes he could fulfil every fantasy on her list all by himself.

When Rebecca's boyfriend talks her into vacationing at a mountain lodge with his swing club, she quickly learns she's not cut out for playing musical beds. Now she has nowhere to sleep. Logan, the lodge owner, finds her freezing on the porch. After hauling her inside, he warms her in his own bed, and there the experienced Dom discovers that Rebecca might not be a swinger... but she is definitely a submissive.

Threatened by university cutbacks, Professor Abigail Bern's only hope is to publish a provocative research paper - soon. Planning to covertly observe behavior in the notorious Dark Haven BDSM club, she takes a receptionist job. When the owner calls upon her to assist in a demonstration, she's appalled. Then fascinated. Under the unyielding hands of the master known as my Liege, she discovers a need to be more than an observer.

Starved for affection, young Piper Delaney surrenders her life to a master. But there is no love...only abuse. She’s told she can’t leave because she signed the slave contract. Years later, beaten and starving, she hears an English dom say the contract’s illegal. Unenforceable. And she runs.

Detective Atticus Ware gave up Idaho to start again in the California mountains, close to his imprisoned brother. Although he's found good friends, the experienced Dominant wants more than the "do me" submissives flocking around him. He needs a woman to give her heart, as well as her body. After Virginia Cunningham exhausts herself propping up a failing relationship, she accepts a social worker job far, far away in a California prison.

Since childhood, Mallory McCabe has dreamed of falling in love with a hero. And then one saves her life. He's honest and blunt. Deadly, but filled with pain. Overpowering, yet ever so gentle with her. Oh yes, she's found her hero. Taking him to her bed is simply ... right. As is losing her heart. How could she have known he'd want nothing more to do with her?

Her car disabled during a tropical storm, Jessica Randall discovers the isolated house where she's sheltering is a private bondage club. At first shocked, she soon becomes aroused watching the interactions between the Doms and their subs. But she's a professional woman - an accountant - and surely isn't a submissive... is she?

After Kari breaks up with her date during Beginner's Night at Club Shadowlands, she's given the option to continue with an experienced dominant. Despite her steamy fantasies about BDSM, the inexperienced schoolteacher plans to simply observe. Yet under the unyielding hands of Master Dan, she not only participates, but gives him everything he asks for. There is nothing she can hide from him. Not her passion - or her love.

Landscape designer Beth King survived an abusive husband and built a new life for herself with the help of Master Nolan, the strongest, most protective man she has ever known. She loves him with all her heart, but the one thing he wants, she can't give him. To her grief, the damage from her abusive first marriage means she can't bear him children. As Beth and Nolan change their plans and pursue adoption, they're already imagining a baby girl in the nursery.

Andrea wants to submit but not to just any so-called Dom. He has to be tougher than the slum-bred bullies she grew up with. She's given up on finding a true Dom when her friend finagles her a place as a trainee in an exclusive BDSM club with the powerful Shadowlands Masters. Andrea's thrilled - and terrified. Forced to accept an unknown submissive into his carefully run trainee program, Master Cullen is furious. Not only is the young woman new to BDSM, but she's unsuited to her role.

Across the country, rebellious BDSM submissives are being systematically kidnapped, one from each club. When her friend falls prey to the slavers, FBI victim specialist Gabrielle volunteers to be bait in a club not yet hit: the Shadowlands.

FBI special agents Galen and Vance have waited to play with Sally for a long time. When the mischievous submissive returns to the exclusive Shadowlands BDSM club after an ugly relationship, the experienced co-tops are more than pleased. Realizing she's suppressing deep-seated emotions, the powerful doms push her - only to find that her sassiness conceals a scarred and vulnerable heart.

Her life destroyed by a stalker, Uzuri Cheval starts anew in Tampa and joins the exclusive Shadowlands club. Unconvinced of her claims that she can overcome her fear of big men without help, Master Z gives her a time limit. And she is improving - until she hears the stalker is out of prison. Now her time limit is up, and the Masters will intervene, which is okay - as long as whoever helps her is short. Okay, sweet and gentle would be good, too. But two Doms? Dangerously experienced and dauntingly powerful cousins? No way.

Determined to find the human traffickers preying on Shadowlands' submissives, Master Raoul gets himself invited to a small slave auction. Once informed, the FBI orders him to reject the limited choices so the slavers will invite him to the big auction. To Raoul's shock, one of the slaves is the kidnapped friend of a Shadowlands sub. She has a scarred body...and an unbroken spirit. He can't leave her behind. Ruining the FBI's carefully laid plans, he buys her.