Paula Chaffee Scardamalia

Where death is sacred, love is the ultimate sacrifice. Samara dreams of a man to love her and give her children. But she serves as priestess to the goddess of death. No man dares touch her, until she is rescued from the desert by a man who compels her to lie about what she is. For Darouk, as Maker for the realm of Nehmir, death is his enemy. He's lost too many of his family too soon, including his infant nephew.
He'd rather give his care and attention to building roads and buildings that last. He won't risk loving and losing a wife and family. But in order to save the king, the queen and their chance at happiness, both must honor death, then choose love.