Liana Duval has a simple life: remain loyal to her clan, and never forget her father's sacrifice and the reason he died. Vampires. However, when hunters attack her clan and wipe off everyone, her only hope is Damien Vaughn, an ruthless vampire lord who seeks to possess her, even if it's against her will. As conflict arise and her loyalty to her people is tested, will she follow her heart or will she walk away before her forbidden love with a vampire risks everything she's ever known
"Get up!"
Liana jolted awake to the harsh voice echoing off cold stone walls. The ground beneath her was damp, her muscles stiff from lying on the unforgiving surface. A metallic clink echoed as she moved her hands-chains.
She blinked rapidly, her amber eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through a barred window high above. Panic clawed at her chest as she scanned the room. Where am I?
"Up!" The voice came again, accompanied by a sharp tug at the chain attached to her wrist. A tall, burly figure stood in the doorway, his face obscured by shadows.
Liana struggled to her feet, her legs trembling. She tried to shift, to call forth her wolf, but an eerie emptiness greeted her. Her breath hitched. No. This couldn't be happening. She closed her eyes, concentrating harder, but the connection was severed. Her wolf was gone.
"What did you do to me?" she snarled, baring her teeth even in her weakened state.
The figure only chuckled, a dark, mocking sound. "You'll find out soon enough. Move."
She stumbled forward as he yanked her chain, her mind racing. The last thing she remembered was patrolling the forest near her clan's territory. A sharp pain, a flash of light-then darkness. Now, she was here, stripped of her wolf and her freedom.
The hallway beyond her cell was lined with others, all silent and foreboding. She caught glimpses of others like her-captives, their faces gaunt and eyes hollow. A heavy scent of fear lingered in the air, thick and suffocating.
As they moved, she began piecing things together. The rumors had been true. The hunters weren't just targeting werewolves anymore-they were selling them.
Her stomach twisted.
The corridor opened into a vast, dimly lit chamber, buzzing with activity. Rows of cages lined the walls, each containing someone-werewolves, vampires, witches. Creatures from all walks of the supernatural world.
Liana's handler dragged her onto a raised platform. The sudden brightness of the overhead lights blinded her momentarily. As her vision adjusted, she saw them-the audience. Humans, vampires, and even a few werewolves, their faces filled with greed and malice.
"A fine specimen," the announcer called out, his voice smooth and practiced. "A pureblood werewolf, strong and fiery. A perfect addition to any collection."
Liana's fists clenched. A collection? She wasn't some object to be owned.
The bidding began, each number like a dagger to her pride. She stood tall, refusing to let her fear show. But her resolve wavered when the announcer added, "And to ensure obedience, our dear lot has been dosed with the finest suppressants."
Suppressants. That's why she couldn't feel her wolf.
Her gaze swept over the crowd, searching for a weakness, a distraction-anything that could help her escape. Her eyes landed on a man sitting in the shadows of a private booth. His presence was commanding, even from a distance.
"Sold!" the announcer declared, breaking her focus.
Her heart sank as her chain was handed off to another man, a broad-shouldered figure with a predatory grin. He tugged her toward him, his gaze raking over her like she was prey.
"Let me go!" she snarled, struggling against his hold.
"Oh, we'll get to know each other very well," he sneered, dragging her down another hallway.
The walls closed in around her, the air growing heavier with each step. Her instincts screamed at her to fight, but her body felt weak and sluggish.
He shoved her into a small room, the door slamming shut behind her. She stumbled but caught herself, her mind racing.
This wasn't the end. It couldn't be.
The door creaked open again, and she tensed, ready to fight with whatever strength she had left. But the man who entered wasn't her buyer.
He was tall, with dark hair and piercing silver eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. His presence was magnetic, drawing her gaze despite her fear.
"Leave," he ordered, his voice calm but laced with authority.
Her buyer hesitated, clearly uneasy. "But I paid-"
"Leave," the man repeated, this time with a low growl that sent shivers down Liana's spine.
The buyer muttered something under his breath but left, slamming the door behind him.
The stranger turned to her, his gaze scrutinizing. "What's your name?"
She glared at him, her defiance sparking. "Go to hell."
He smirked, unfazed. "Fiery. Good."
"Who are you?" she demanded, taking a cautious step back.
"My name is Damien Vaughn," he said, his voice like silk. "And as of now, you belong to me."
Her blood ran cold.
"I don't belong to anyone," she hissed.
His smirk widened, revealing the faintest hint of fangs. "We'll see about that."
Before she could retort, he stepped closer, his silver eyes locking onto hers. A strange sensation washed over her-a pull, deep and primal. She wanted to resist, to lash out, but her body betrayed her, frozen under his gaze.
"You're not like the others," he murmured, more to himself than to her.
"What did you do to me?" she whispered, her voice trembling despite her efforts to sound strong.
His expression softened, but only slightly. "Nothing yet. But I'm curious about you."
"I'm not some experiment," she spat.
"No," he agreed, "but you're mine now. And I take care of what's mine."
Before she could respond, he turned and left, the door locking behind him.
Liana sank to the floor, her heart pounding. She didn't trust him, but something about him felt different. Dangerous, yes, but not like the others.
She clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. Whoever he was, whatever he wanted, she wouldn't let him break her.
Not without a fight.
As Liana sat in the dark room, a faint hum filled the air. The suppressant's effect began to wear off, and for a brief moment, she felt her wolf stir-but it wasn't her wolf at all. It was something darker, something unfamiliar.
Detective Rachael's life seemed perfect-a loving partner, a beautiful child, and a fulfilling career in Chicago's toughest crime unit. But when a brutal serial killer known as The Veil begins targeting women who look just like her, Rachael's perfect life begins to unravel. Teaming up with Alex, a sharp investigator from her past, Rachael must confront buried secrets and dangerous emotions while hunting down the Veil. The closer she gets to the truth, the more she realizes that the greatest danger may not be the killer in the shadows-it may be the people she trusts the most. In a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and survival, Love in the Shadows follows Rachael as she races against time to uncover the Veil's identity before she becomes his next victim.
In their three years of marriage, Chelsea had been a dutiful wife to Edmund. She used to think that her love and care would someday melt Edmund's cold heart, but she was wrong. Finally, she couldn't take the disappointment any longer and chose to end the marriage. Edmund had always thought that his wife was just boring and dull. So it was shocking when Chelsea suddenly threw divorce papers at his face in front of everyone at the Nelson Group's anniversary party. How humiliating! After that, everyone thought that the formerly-married couple would never see each other again, even Chelsea. Once again, she thought wrong. Sometime later, at an award ceremony, Chelsea went onstage to accept the award for best screenplay. Her ex-husband, Edmund, was the one presenting the award to her. As he handed her the trophy, he suddenly reached for her hand and pleaded humbly in front of the audience, "Chelsea, I'm sorry I didn't cherish you before. Could you please give me another chance?" Chelsea looked at him indifferently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Nelson. My only concern now is my business." Edmund's heart was shattered into a million pieces. "Chelsea, I really can't live without you." But his ex-wife just walked away. Wasn't it better for her to just concentrate on her career? Men would only distract her—especially her ex-husband.
After a heated confrontation with her husband and mistress, Brianna was pushed down to stairs. She thought she would die but when she woke up again, she realized that she traveled back two years ago, when it was not late for her to correct her path. The first thing she needed to do when she was reborn was divorce that scum. She saved from the darkest time but he lied to her and murdered her in the end. This time, she would not repeat the same mistakes anymore. She would bring the glory of her family back and make those people who betrayed her pay the price! However, in the process of climbing up to the peak of her career, she met a very intimidating and handsome man who kept on messing with her head through his bold attitude. Brianna doesn't want to be involved with another man again, for she has proven to herself that they will just drag her down, but her constant incidents with him are slowly breaking the wall she built to protect her heart. Brianna will surely choose her career over a man this time, but it's possible to choose both, right? What if he hurt her too? No! She won't risk it but. "You have to run away from me, Bree. Coz I'm done running away, I'll chase you now."
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."