Soul Deep — Natalie J. Damschroder

Recovering mage Tars Suinn has done some terrible things -- like cursing his best friend to be a dragon for a thousand years -- all in the name of a love that wasn't real. He's not seeking redemption that he doesn't believe he deserves, but has spent much of the last decade trying to make up for his past. Ke'an Oliviera's ability to breathe underwater wasn't enough to allow her to save her fiancé from drowning. But it's been 15 years, and her attraction to Tars makes her think she's finally ready to move on. Until someone begins stalking her with unsettling reminders of her past. Tars hasn't had feelings for a woman like this since…no, he never has. He's terrified he's more capable of causing harm than nourishing a real relationship. But he can't leave Ke'an vulnerable to her stalker. As their feelings for each other grow, Ke'an wonders if they can build anything new as long as Tars remains lost and afraid. Thanks to their extraordinary abilities, they're enlisted to help face a global threat in the form of a billionaire mage with delusions of ascendancy (and ties to Ke'an's stalker). In trying to save the world, can they find themselves…and each other?