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.
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
For the whole 17 years of her existence, Alana did not know the word freedom and happiness having been confined in the basement of her family's house accused of killing her own mother. She's beaten, cursed at, and barely survived from crumbs of food thrown at her. She thought this is her final destiny and has accepted the bitter fate of her life not until the night of her 18th birthday, a mysterious alpha appeared at her door telling her that she is the long-lost daughter of the alpha king and claiming her as his mate he's been looking for several years now.
"Miss Brown, I am the butler here at your service," the butler replied. "My master wants to buy the baby in your belly." "What?!" Does that mean the abortion didn't take place? Did they kidnap her from the operating table just to buy the baby? But why her? "You..." Alice was about to ask a question, but the man in front of her calmly continued, as if he had expected her question, "You're pregnant with his child, and he needs a child. That's all I can tell you." Alice was forced to sign a surrogacy contract and eight months later gave birth to two healthy babies. Fortunately, the man was unaware of her daughter's existence. It wasn't until five years later that fate brought them together again...
"Please trust me, I didn't do anything." "I don't believe you. I am rejecting you as my Queen and giving you the punishment of death." Alina was living outside her pack for five years. Her parents didn't try to contact her and always ignored her. Her best friend convinced her to go back to their pack and she agreed. But she had never imagined what was waiting there for her. She never thought she would meet her mate and had to face betrayal from everywhere. She had to pay for the crime which she never committed. Aaron Robertson is the king of Lycans. He is a very dominant and powerful King who not only rules Lycans but also rules other ranks of werewolves. Everyone is afraid of Lycans and he is the king of them. But who knew that he would get a mate who was just a simple Omega with no powers and strengths? He called her weak all the time but Little did he know that his weak Omega would give him the biggest betrayal of his life for which he had to give her the sentence of death.
Stella Judd worked hard for her entire life, in return, she only got endless deception and oppression and died without dignity. However, she was reborn with time turning back. She vowed to never again let anyone who had bullied her get anything out of her. She got away from a very vicious family and got rich by her own hands. Nevertheless, she felt in love with a cripple. Although he was a cripple, Stella wanted to protect her husband and live in peace, but she didn't expect that her crippled husband suddenly turned into the distinguished Prime Minister! What's more, not only he was not lame anymore, but also he walked with her through life and death.