The Ultimatum

By Susan Kearney

His captive has issued a most unusual ultimatum . . .
He must make love to her . . .
Little does he know that giving her what she needs may bind him to her forever . . .
Rystani star pilot Xander is willing to use unusual methods, no matter how unorthodox, to save the galaxy from a deadly virus. He's already resorted to kidnapping bio-geneticist Alara Calladar in the hopes that her psi-talent of identifying DNA will help find a cure to save both their worlds.
But now his sworn enemy has revealed that her biology requires her to periodically regenerate her cells by making love or she'll die. Really die.
Xander is stunned, yet fascinated, by her admission and wonders what other secrets she's keeping. While he has little choice but to agree to trade his life-saving love making for her psi powers, he's determined to keep an emotional distance. No way is he falling for her, a woman from a race who invaded and occupies his home world.
Soon their desperate bargain becomes a turbulent but all-consuming passion. Her body isn't just rejuvenating each time they make love, it's adapting to his on a genetic level. Before long she will be unable to make love to any man but Xander.
Xander resists becoming her conquest, but not even the dangerous mission can distract him from Alara's appeal. She's just the kind of woman he admires. Intelligent, resourceful, and passionate. If only he trusted her. If only she wasn't the enemy. If only his heart didn't have a mind of its own.
When together they must merge their talents to fight the most powerful forces in the galaxy, will trust win out, or will they lose each other forever?
The much-awaited sequel to The Challenge and The Dare.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BelleBooks
• Release date: Jul 31, 2013
• ISBN: 9781611943429

Susan Kearney

Susan Kearney used to set fire to herself four times a day. Now she does something really hot — she writes romantic suspense for Silhouette Intrigue. While she hasn't performed her signature fire dive from a 10-metre platform in years, she started diving at age 10. By age 12, she'd won the New Jersey State Championship, and by college, she was a three-time All-American Diver. While attending the University of Michigan, she earned a business degree that led to her diverse careers as, variously, a partner in a barter business, a real estate appraiser, a mover and renovator of houses, and owner of three hair salons. Finally, in 1995, she sold her first book and became a full-time writer. She's currently plotting her way through her 14th novel. Of all her careers, her favourite is wife and mother. She married her teenage sweetheart and lives with her husband, two children, and Boston terrier in sunny Florida. She now beats the heat not by diving into cold water, but with her new hobby — figure skating. Susan also enjoys writing science fiction, screenwriting, boating, and travelling to foreign countries.  

Reviews for The Ultimatum

[addictofromance · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Alara, knows that if she doesn't find a male to have sex with soon, her cells will degenerate and she will die. Her race, all the women must have sex in order for them to survive, and Alara has always felt like it was a curse, and has endeavored to find a way to fix it. Alara is a Dr and a genius when it comes to identifying DNA and fixing problems, its her lifes work, however she never thought that she would end up kidnapped by a Rystani Warrior..Xander, an enemy and the one that if she doesn't give in to her needs she will deteriorate and die, but in return Xander expects her to help find a cure to the virus that is spreading across the galaxy. Alara starts to feel more than just sexual need for Xander, she starts to feel like she could be falling for him, and she knows that it could never be possible, considering his career and she would just be a crutch for him, but the power of love can overcome anything if only one learns to trust in love?Ultimatum is the third installment in the Rystani series by Susan Kearney. This is the first book that I have read from this author. I was browsing the library looking for a new author, and then when I saw the cover and the blurb for this book, I knew I had to try it out. Boy am I thrilled to have read Ultimatum, it definitely satisfied every romantic craving I had for the day LOL It was full of action, romance, suspense, mystery, and love. From the beginning to the end, I was raptured and couldn't put it down, the characters were enthralling and the plot had my head spinning I was turning the pages as fast as I could get them read. One of the most riveting reads I have had the pleasure of reading so far....I LOVED IT!!!! So if you love the futuristic romance, this one is for you!!!!

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While parts of this story over-exercised my eyebrow, there were also parts that worked.If Alara doesn't make love regularly, her cells will fail to regenerate and she will die. If she has sex regularly with the same man she becomes dependent on him to live. She's researching a method of stopping this dependency for her race.She has been kidnapped by Xander, a member of a race that has been battling her race for ages. Xander wants her help in identifying a virus that's been killing humans across the galaxy. What the two of them don't realise is that they have to work together to find this cure. While they're supposed to be enemies they're finding themselves attracted.I do have some issues with some of the concepts behind the story, and there are moments where it feels like the story is being forced along rather than flowing and that the plot is there to ensure that the characters get the maximum amount of sex in.

[VicPar32 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

great series.