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Selene Valor, a pureblood vampire, entered a marriage of convenience with her husband Gabriel Valor to protect herself from relatives eyeing what was left of her family's wealth. Six months into their marriage, Gabriel is sent away to war to fight for the kingdom. As time went on, news of his victories spread across the kingdom and he was labelled a hero. Nearly six months later, Selene eagerly awaits the return of her heroic husband. Upon his arrival, Selene is faced with betrayal as he brings home a woman named Cassandra Avery, a human who he introduces as his lover. Selene is heartbroken and tries to save what was left of her marriage but soon there is news of Gabriel wanting to take Cassandra as his second wife. Selene is left with the choice of accepting Gabriel’s wishes and staying protected or seeking a divorce. After a heated argument, Selene turns to someone she never expected to be her saviour. She finds refuge with Lord Xavier Blackthorn, another pureblood who seeks her hand in marriage. Will she forgive her first love or move on to accept Lord Blackthorn’s love?4.8
Sequel to Guide to raise my cutie husbands. Mo Qiang, an architect was chosen by the fairy of nature who brought her to the world of interstellar where she was punished to revive the nature that she has destroyed with her own hands while creating architecture that she thought was paving way for the future. Now, stuck with a nature-reviving system in a world full of poisonous gases and intergalactic stuff where she has to start from the very beginning and plant more forest and crops while creating a liveable world for the humans, Mo Qiang was suffering. But it sounds easy right? No! In her path she has three villainous husbands, all three of them want to kill her such that they will be able to marry her capable sister after kicking her away who was trashy and good for nothing. Mo Qiang has nothing against them, in fact, she is more than willing to divorce them after securing her life and raising her favourability in their hearts such that they will not kill her but —— Why are they coming for her now? Hello, you all wanted to marry her sister right? Excerpt: “ Here you go,” said Mo Qiang as she pushed the divorce agreement looking at her first husband who was gentle but poisonous like a snake. “ I have already signed the document of our divorce, you can take a look —-wait, why are you taking your clothes off?” The mer looked at her and smiled gently as he took off his glasses and said, “ Looks like my wife is not happy with me not giving birth to our child, don’t worry I will work hard tonight.” Mo Qiang: “…..” I do not want you to work hard! Take second! “ Take this and sign it,” said Mo Qiang, this time more fiercely as she looked at her second husband who was reading a script for his film. “ I am sure you want to divorce me right? I have already signed —-woah! What are you putting me on the bed for?” She asked while looking at the gorgeous face. Her second husband stared down at her and with a blank expression and voice as cold as water said, “ I have to practice a love-making scene, help me, dear wife.” Mo Qiang: “……” This movie that you are shooting is based on the Zerg apocalypse, don’t lie to me! With whom are you going to make love with? A Zerg? Take third! “ Huff, huff..this is the divorce agreement, sign it... I know that your company does not allow idols to date so here sign it,” she said to her third husband who was practising his dance moves. The mer who was dressed in a loose silk shirt and sweat dripping down his body took a look at the document that she was handing him and then hugged Mo Qiang. A second later she heard his sniffling voice while he peppered kisses on her neck, “ Wife you do not want me? Is that the new idol who attracted your attention, I knew it! I will take care of him!” “Put down that knife will you!” And why is the third prince of the imperial family who hated her to the bones coming after her with flowers? She already has her hands full! ….5
Athena, Earth’s most glamorous lone assassin and the seal bearer of the Death Goddess, met her end on her final mission. She succeeded in eliminating the world’s most powerful Mafia leader with her bare hands, but it came at the ultimate cost, her life. Or so she thought. Instead of the eternal rest she expected, Athena’s soul transmigrated into the body of Athena Demerin, a rising celebrity in the Interstellar Era of the Andromeda Galaxy. As the cherished granddaughter of the Northern Duke on planet Asenus, the original Athena had strived to carve out her own path to stardom without leaning on her family’s immense power. But ambition came with a heavy price. She died from exhaustion… or so the official story claimed. The truth? Someone orchestrated her death. Now, the new Athena has inherited not only this body but its unresolved mysteries. Determined to unravel the secrets behind the original Athena's death and fulfill her dreams, she must also navigate a world of fame, family legacies, and interstellar intrigue. But life throws her another curveball, a marriage to Major General Mors Jericho, the galaxy’s most brilliant young warrior. Revered by millions, he is admired for his strength, intelligence, and commanding presence. Yet beneath the surface of this union lies a web of secrets that could shift the balance of power across the galaxy. As she uncovers the truth behind the forces conspiring against her, Athena must confront her own feelings about Mors. Can a marriage built on duty transform into love? Or will her husband turn out to be her greatest adversary? Will she follow her heart, carve her own destiny, or succumb to the shadows of her past?4.8
Disowned for being a human, Vivian was taken in as a maid at the age of seven by the Carmichael household. Serving one of the most respected and elite pureblood families in Bonelake, there were rules. Rules that must be followed by all servants and maids. Like everyone else, Vivian was repeatedly reminded not to disobey the rules. But before she could learn to blend into the background like the other servants, the Duke's young son calls to her, “Bambi.” And all hell breaks loose. ----- "What? Never seen a bruise before?" Leonard scoffed at the girl. "Does it hurt?" Vivian asked, gently kneeling beside him and examining the several bruises covering his face. "Not that much." Remembering what her mother used to do when she got a bruise, Vivian brought her sleeve to her mouth and blew warm air on it before placing it on the boy's cheek, taking him by surprise. Leonard swatted her hand away, a hint of pink appearing on his cheeks embarrassed, "W-what are you doing?" "Mama told me this will make the pain go away," the girl held her hand close to her chest as she shared her past memory. "I’m not a child!” Leonard huffed at her. “I don’t think you’re a child,” she stared at him with a crystal-clear gaze. Taken aback, Leonard locked eyes with her for two seconds before shaking his head. “Don’t worry about it. They’ll heal in a day or two anyways," he reassured her before getting up and taking a seat at the table where his books were placed. "Odd girl," he muttered to himself as he pulled the top book from the stack and lost himself in it.4.3
Luo Huian was the most beautiful, strong and narcissistic——- Cut! Cut! Cut! Take two, and do it over. Luo Huian was the most beautiful, strong and wisest immortal in the realm of peace and harmony. Her two fathers doted on her, and she had a generous supply of resources and pills. Her life was perfect. However, her perfect life came to an abrupt end when Luo Huian, an immortal whose responsibility was to bring peace to those who had reached their ends and had run out of faith—— Watched a man jump down a building. Because of her inflexible beliefs and sense of justice, she did not save the bully. Unfortunately, that man was the son of the heavens. The loss of his life brought infinite trouble in Luo Huian’s life and she was punished by the heavens. She was sent to the world of humans where she had to rescue at least five hundred people by saving their lives when they were at the end of their wits. For an immortal this was an easy job, right? Wrong. Her grandmother sent Luo Huian to a world where Gloom Rocks had wrecked chaos. Beasts and monsters were given birth to by the Gloom Rocks that sucked every ounce of happiness from humans. This world was dominated by hunters who could kill the beasts with the powers that they had awakened. And in this cutthroat world, Luo Huian got the short end of the stick. She woke up in the body of an F-class hunter! Dang it. If that wasn’t worse enough, the previous owner had confessed to her cousin-in-law and was kicked out of the family. Double frog in the hot crock. With not a single penny in her pocket Luo Huian goes out to complete her mission. But what would happen when Luo Huian who was an F-class hunter annihilated the Z-class Glooms and Hollows that even the S-class hunters could not? Watch her fend against the dangers and at the same time save the lives of people. But in this small mission, there is a small obstruction —— The three alluring temptations. *********** Resisting the temptation take 1: “MMPH,” Luo Huian pushed against the mer who had pushed her down on the bed while sitting on her waist. “Get off.” “I can’t,” answered Qi Yongrui as he took off his shirt. “Daddy Shun said that he is envious of Uncle Wang. He also wants to hold a grandchild. So, wife let's work hard tonight alright?” Luo Huian: Dear Heavens save me, I am a woman of no desire! **** Resisting the temptation take 2: “Do you think he is good looking?” Fan Meilin questioned the woman who stood next to him. Even though he was the one who won the race and the trophy, his wife was looking at the other mer. “Well yes,” Luo Huian, who was an appreciator of beauty, agreed at once. “Why are you asking this though?” Fan Meilin’s eyes flashed as he smiled at her and leaned in closer to her body as he whispered in her ear, “He might be good looking but I am a better driver. Not only on the track but also in bed, do you want to try darling?” Luo Huian: Resist the temptation! At all costs! I am an iron-hearted woman. ***** Resisting the temptation take 3: “Is this necessary?” Luo Huian questioned as she sat on the couch, watching the mer trace his fingers on her curves while she sat in nothing but modern swimwear. The mer nodded as he wrote on his small notepad, “I need to trace every inch of your skin to create my finest creation, so don’t move.” After he finished writing, he handed the notepad to Luo Huian, his fingers brushing against the curve of her bosom, waist and ——— Luo Huian: My virtue is at extreme risk! ** Fl who is trying to do everything to save her virtue from being taken as it would slow down her cultivation X Mls who are trying their best to snatch it from her. *********** Trigger warning: though the book is set in a comedic setting, there might be some uneasy topics that would discuss depression and loneliness. ***********4.3
After being betrayed by her fiancé and cousin on her wedding day, Zara, reborn with memories of past mistakes, vows to rewrite her destiny. Impulsively, she marries a stranger to keep her ex at bay, not realizing Snow is far from a mere call boy. Snow Zephyr, a wealthy CEO and alpha of the Ivory Crescent Pack, needs a contract wife to appease his father and secure his position. When a bold, determined woman proposes a marriage of convenience, Snow agrees, unaware of the chaos she will bring into his life. Zara's defiant choice provokes her parents' fury, leading to her being cast from the company and forcing her to find work elsewhere. She lands a job at Aurora Conglomerate Inc., only to discover that her new boss is Snow, the very man she married—and her ex's uncle. Sparks fly as their mutual attraction grows amidst the darkness of his family's secrets and looming threats. Zara’s strength and independence captivate Snow, who begins to see her as the potential Luna his pack needs. Together, they face vengeful ex-lovers, kidnapping plots, and deadly rivalries. As Zara's powers awaken, she must confront the reasons behind her family's disownment, the hidden clauses in her marriage contract, and her ultimate role in Snow’s world. When their marriage of convenience deepens into a genuine partnership, a new challenge emerges in the form of a fated mate. Will Zara fight the dangers that await or embrace her true destiny? **EXCERPT** "I... didn't want to be late for work. You seemed busy, so I thought I'd get a head start." Snow raised an eyebrow. "Really? Or is it because last night affected you so much that you couldn't stand being around me?" "Don't flatter yourself, Snow. You didn't affect me at all." He smirked, stepping closer. "Is that so?" His fingers brushed my chin, tilting my face up. My pulse quickened. "We're at work," I snapped, swatting his hand away. "This isn't professional." "You're my wife," he murmured. "You're supposed to obey me at all times." I bit back a retort, a hint of rebellion flaring within. Slowly, I stepped closer, letting my fingers graze his chest. His smirk wavered for a second when his wolf reacted and Snow bit his lips. "Careful, Boss," I purred seductively. "Don't hurt those lips. I'm sure plenty of girls would love to kiss them." Snow leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. "And you? Are you dying for a taste?" Caught off guard, I hesitated, then regained my composure as I looked him in the eyes. "Unlike other girls, I have strong resistance against—" I didn't get a chance to finish when Snow's lips crashed onto mine with a fierce kiss that left me breathless. *************** MATURE CONTENT Participating in the Viral Book Call Contest. Kindly Support Me!4.8
--NEXT MASS RELEASE WILL BE ON MARCH 1ST-- ***Dear readers, hateful comments aimed at my writing style will be removed. I appreciate constructive criticism and feedback but please don’t turn this into a toxic environment or spoil the experience for other readers.*** Li Hua's reign as the twenty-first century's deadliest assassin ended in fire and betrayal. Her own sister, Li Min, turned their elite force against her, leaving nothing but ashes where a legend once stood. In the moment of her death, Li Hua's soul tore free from its earthly bonds, hurtling across the boundaries between worlds until it anchored itself in a new vessel in a realm of ancient martial arts and mystical cultivation. Through this impossible transition, her inner space remained intact—and with it, Little Firefly, her spirit companion. Here, where qi flows like rivers and mountains bow to those who master their cultivation, Li Hua will forge herself anew. No longer content to be merely an assassin of mortal flesh, she sets her sights on ascending to immortality itself—a journey that will shake the very foundations of heaven. DEDICATION To those of us whose cultivation path always leads to immortals with questionable morals and perfect jaw lines. May your daddy issues transcend the three realms and be rewarded with an ancient being who knows exactly what he's doing. AUTHOR'S NOTE Content Warning: This story contains mature themes. Reader discretion is advised. Updates: New chapters release daily. Story Style: This is an epic fantasy with rich world-building and complex characters, woven together with a slow-burn romance subplot. Disclaimer: While this story incorporates some historical facts, it is primarily a work of fiction presenting my unique interpretation of events. This is the ultimate place to chat, speculate, and immerse yourself in the world of my story! -- https://discord.gg/rYQJWfSM4.9
After struggling in the apocalypse for ten years, Yao Ran died and returned to the three months before everything began. She returns with hatred and thirsts for revenge, intent on making those who owe her pay with their lives. With her grandfather's inheritance, Yao Ran sold everything and frantically hoarded weapons, medicine, food, and supplies. She sharpened her sword, stockpiled up supplies, settled scores with scoundrels and villains, and repaid them with both enmity and kindness. When disaster strikes, she begins her revenge, facing a dangerous world, and is determined to outlast her previous life.4.7
【Volume 1 - Married to the Devil's Son】 A prince, rumored to be the son of the Devil. He is the definition of Danger. He is the Darkness itself. A princess. Imprisoned in her own home, only to come out once she gets married. But married to whom? *** Once upon a time, the Devil fell in love with one of the King's many wives. One night he went to her room disguised as her husband and made love to her. She got pregnant with his child. Knowing this The King ordered her execution believing his wife cheated on him, but then the Devil appeared to the king making him a deal. In exchange for great power for his Kingdom, the King will let his wife Sire The Devil's Child. The King who was greedy for power agrees to the deal and his Kingdom becomes one of the most powerful Kingdoms and the Devil's Child, the seventh Prince of the Kingdom. Being a princess probably sounds nice. A life full of luxury, beautiful dresses and nice shoes, but for Hazel, there is nothing nice about being a princess. She can never go outside the palace, she can never have friends, she can never eat or say or wear whatever she wants and she can never choose the person she is going to marry. Soon she's getting married to a man she has never met, a prince rumored to be Son of the Devil. 【Volume 2 - Return of the Devil's Son】 **Sequel to Married to the Devil's son** He is back! This time fiercer, faster and stronger, with only one thing in mind. Revenge! Prince of Darkness, Son of the Devil, Lucian is back, and he has only one thing on his mind. Revenge! That's until he meets her. A woman who entices him beyond reason, but who also claims to be his wife. Surrounded by dark secrets and powerful enemies, Lucian must decide who to trust and who to destroy. After getting her heart broken once, Klara vowed never to fall in love again. But when her brother tries to force her into a marriage and the annoying but wickedly handsome Roshan rescues her, things get difficult. Can she protect her heart from the man whose touch sets her body aflame? Or will she surrender to her desire and risk her heart once again? —————————————————————————————————— 【Volume 3 - The Devil In Her Dreams】 THE BEAST AMONGST US Imagine living in a world full of fiery, feral beings, hiding in the shadows, roving in our dreams, creeping under our skin. Eavesdropping, manipulating our minds and exploring our bodies. They are savages, beasts but some of them are companions and childhood friends. Some are dangerous, others even more dangerous. They live amongst us. Some of us call them Demons, others call them Djinn. But some of them should never be called. THE BEAUTY LOOKING FOR LOVE Heaven, the devil’s granddaughter and princess of Decresh has everything in life. Loving parents, beauty, wealth, and status. But one thing is missing. And that is love. Heaven dreams of the kind of love her parents have and now that she has come of age to get married she has to find her dream man and the future king of Decresh. And she has to find him soon. There is one man. A mysterious silver-eyed stranger who keeps appearing in her dreams. Who is he and what does he want? As the line of suitors grows, Heaven’s dreams become more vivid forcing her to go on a journey to find the man in her dreams. Could he also be the man of her dreams? Or would he turn out to be a nightmare?4.5
After two-hundred years of diligent cultivation, Xie Jiuniang successfully achieved Core Formation, yet on that very night, she was killed by her dual-cultivation partner Lin Wangchen. However, Xie Jiuniang was reborn... and she accidentally discovered a great secret. It turned out that in her previous life, she was a child deeply favored by the Heavenly Dao, watched over by some top forces who secretly stole her opportunities time and again, fattening up the esteemed talents of the Cultivation World, with that scum being just one of them. The weak, pitiable, and helpless Xie Jiuniang decided to first become a dark horse, secretly sweeping away all the opportunities. And so... The favored talents were dumbfounded, "Where did my opportunity go?" Her scumbag ex-husband felt wronged, " ...She didn't like me." Her cousin with the Heavenly Spiritual Root was shocked, "What happened to the supposedly weak talent, how is her cultivation speed faster than mine?" The big shots behind the scenes also started cursing, where was the great opportunity for the child of the Heavenly Dao to ascend? Something is not right! Opportunities? I've taken them, all of them! His, yours, they are all mine, Xie Jiuniang's! Before she knew it, she had trampled over all the privileged talents, challenged all the big shots, becoming the most formidable name, and rolled up into the number one person in the Cultivation World!4.9
In a world where magic is forbidden and witches are hunted, Ashlynn Blackwell has hidden her mark of the witch since birth. The night of her wedding she's betrayed and her secret is exposed. Attacked by her husband and his knights, Ashlynn was abandoned and left for dead in the wilderness. Rescued by the vampire lady Nyrielle, Ashlynn is offered a choice: die as a human or embrace her power as a witch. Bound by a mystical blood pact, Ashlynn is plunged into a world of ancient magic, immortal vampires, and deadly political intrigue for the chance to find eternal love. [Bronze Winner: Weekly Love Tales - Vampire] [Book of the Month: September/October 2024]4.4
(A/N: If a ruthless MC is not your cup of tea, don't read this.) Heat Wave, Torrential Rain, Severe Cold, Tsunami, Flood, and Alien Beasts swept the world in a series of natural disasters, almost wiping out mankind. Lu Nanzhi regressed two years to the past and found out that the settings of the natural disasters was similar to the mobile game app she played before regression. And it was in the beta testing phase. Ding— [Beta Game Test is over.] [Data is being reset.] [Player is starting over.] [Please claim the Beta Test Rewards.] Equip with the Beta Test Rewards, Lu Nanzhi was determine to survive in this life and started stockpiling like crazy!5
[COMPLETED] Lorelai is an unwanted princess; a puppet in the hands of the royal family. Born weak and raised loyal only to her kingdom, she has no real power and is constantly abused by both her stepmother and her son. Her value lies in one thing only––marriage. Thus, she is to marry Duke Kalder, an old but powerful and influential man whose previous wives have all gone missing under mysterious circumstances. That is until she meets him. Tall, dark, strong, mysterious, irresistible, seductive. The King of Lycans. The King of Beasts. The Gypsy King. One who was once a slave now controls the biggest and strongest, most feared kingdom of the continent. And for some reason, he has his eyes set only on Lorelai. Important note: this is a historical fantasy novel and in its context, the word "Gypsy" is only used as a name of a nomad tribe and is not used as a slur.4.8
[Congratulations, Terran survivor #99598, for activating the Universe Assistance System!] Althea, along with the remaining 1% of the population of their home planet, stared at the holographic screen in front of them in confusion. Their galaxy was apparently ending, and suddenly announcements from an alien system appeared in their heads, telling them they would be permanently transferred to another world. The survivors were all very depressed. First, they were forced to survive in a zombie apocalypse, and now they had to survive a new world altogether? It just so happened that Althea was one of the few people who got the Lord Token, the ticket to controlling a territory---a supposed safe haven for her people. Althea looked at her very large stomach and sighed at an unknown future. Would she be able to build a good home for her children? And... would she and her husband find each other again? #Apocalypse, #Josei, #Romance, #BeautifulFL, #HandsomeML, #PowerCouple, #Infrastructure, #MagicSpace, #KingdomBuilding, #Adventure, #Pregnancy, #Game Elements, #System #LitRPG ____ Now an E-BOOK~! Please rate, ne? WILL HELP US OUT SOOO MUCHH~! Book 1: AMAZON: https://a.co/d/hy7Rocr GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203724162-after-surviving-the-apocalypse-i-built-a-city-in-another-world ____ READERS LOUNGE NOW OPEN~! (Readers ONLY please!) https://discord.gg/w8qKw2yaNK4.6
She, a modern hidden ghost leader of an organization which gathered insane prodigies proficient in the various differing skill-sets. Highly skilled in medicine and poison, executes covert assassinations, viewed as insane and demonic in the eyes of people of the world. Killed in an accident, and reborn into the body of a disfigured young girl. What? Face disfigured, identity stolen? A return to the family dim and hopeless? Her identity can be given up, her family can be forgone, but as for the one who harmed her predecessor who inhabited this same body, if she didn’t at least make them scream in unimaginable agony and throw them into a state of wretchedness, how could she live up to her demonic reputation? Endless turmoil ensues and it’s a battle to dominate over all! See how she shook the world dressed in a suit of red, her sword up against the dominant powers that rocked the Heavens! Her name spread across the seas, shocking the earth!4.5
"On the bed." My new master, the Alpha of Drogomor, commanded. I walked toward the bed, naked, ashamed, and full of tears. I was about to lose my virginity, but it meant nothing to the man who was going to take it. *** I am Rosalie, 20 years old, sold to the most terrifying alpha by my own father. "You're nothing to me but a breeder." he said to me cruelly. I had long known that my love for him was hopeless and foolish. However, I was naïve to think that was the end of the story. Once the baby is born, I will be put to death. *** People thought I was dead, but I survived. "It's you!" He grabbed my hand, and his eyes were filled with emotions I couldn't understand. "Come back to me, Rosalie." "Sorry." I calmly looked back at him, "but I think you've got the wrong person."4.8
#dotingmalelead #infrastructure #RPG #OPMc (Caution: Don't read while you're drinking. Author is not responsible for choking incident due to excessive happiness. XD Just sharing good vibes. If you're down and feeling sad, read my novel!) Li Chunhua never expected she would be transported in another world after she was reading an odd book she found in the Sect's Library. By the time she opened her eyes, her mind was instilled with memories of another girl whose appearance and name resembled hers. She actually became the vicious cannon fodder in that male lead angst novel she read. Faced with the future of miserable death, Chunhua decided to stay away from the male lead and the supporting characters and decided to live low-key. Thanks to her koi physique her road to a comfortable life was smooth sailing. When others are still starving by the lack of food, Chunhua had already started farming and rearing live stocks. When others are still without a proper shelter, she was already building roads. Although she was only eating her terrible cooking, her life was already good! [Congratulations for upgrading your thatched cottage to Level 1 log cabin.] [Congratulations for upgrading your Level 1 log cabin to Level 2 stone house.] [Congratulations...] Everything was was going well until she picked up an unconscious man covered in dirt in the forest. She always believe in karmic conditioning and therefore took care of him until he was back on his feet. Until one day, he told her his true name. Li Chunhua was dumbfounded. No way, the man I saved was actually the male lead! Is it too late to throw him back to the forest again? A certain someone's expression darkened and threw her on the bed. "You dare!"4.9
Kisha Aldens is a normal office worker with average earnings, not until she suddenly sees a system countdown in front of her. Her mind suddenly received a prompt warning about the apocalypse and urged her to integrate with the system to assist her with her survival. "Have I overworked myself again?" She thought while pinching the bridge of her nose. She blinked a few more times but the system interface is still there. Little did she know that this system would be her last lifeline in the upcoming apocalypse where human morals would be the lowest, trust is only a word and betrayal could happen in the blink of an eye. A naive person like her had to learn her lesson the hard way on how to survive and navigate in the zombie-infested world. And the worst part, she had to die 99 times to harden her heart and learn how to read the human heart. How will her 100th time be different from the previous lives, will she survive this time? And will survival be her only problem in the heart of the Apocalypse? No, there was a deeper scheme in play which she has to uncover moving forward.4.7
The clock struck midnight when Ruelle heard the echo of footsteps. She tensed, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end in the cool night air. "You shouldn't be here," Ruelle whispered, her voice a breathless murmur. The silhouette finally came to stand under the moonlight, his dark red eyes watching her and his inky black hair ruffling. "Shouldn't I?" His voice was a dark caress, and she stood there captivated by the danger he exuded like perfume. "I haven’t seen you for the last two days," his tone low. His hand reached out, fingers brushing against the silk of her nightgown, tracing the trembling outline of her collarbone. "Tell me, were you avoiding me, or perhaps... entertaining other offers?" Ruelle’s heart raced, her breaths shallow. She declared, "I don't belong to anyone.” "A bold claim," he murmured, his breath a tantalising chill against her skin as he leaned in. "Yet here you are, pulse racing, your body tensed as if in anticipation of my touch." His fingers gripped her chin, tilting her face towards his. The moonlight caught his eyes, revealing a glint of predatory intent. "Or must I remind you whose touch you truly crave?"