MADAM LIVIAMadam Livia gazed at the girl lying on the bed, carefully assessing her condition. At sixty-four years old, having served as a guardian to countless Urekai maids and overseen the training of numerous human slaves, there weren’t a lot of things that could truly surprise her anymore. However, this one left her astonished. Speechless.Yes, she had heard stories of females disguising themselves as males before—it was not a common occurrence, but it was not unheard of either. Those who were discovered faced severe punishments in all the human kingdoms, often leading to public executions. Thus, while not unheard of, it remained a rare occurrence.But she had never expected to encounter someone who had successfully lived under such a disguise for over two decades without being caught. What was even more astonishing was that Emeriel had lived right under the nose of King Orestus. Livia found herself genuinely astounded. Though it was only a small fraction of her overall surpr
THE GRAND HIGH COURT OF RAVENSHADOW FORTRESS, URAI.GRAND LORD VLADYAThe court had large walls, decorated with fancy paintings, fine carpets, needlework, and detailed fabric designs.Two raised platforms stood out.The first held three big chairs with fancy gold designs. Behind it, a second platform rose even higher, holding a bigger and more decorated throne.Sitting on the three big chairs were Grand Lord Ottai, Grand Lord Vladya, and Grand Lord Zaiper. The single throne behind them, which belonged to Grand King Daemonikai, was empty."From the screams that echoed last night, I take it you went ahead with the plan, Lord Vladya," Zaiper said calmly, his manhood forced into the mouth of the slave girl kneeling before him."You are correct, Lord Zaiper," Vladya answered simply."We agreed the plan was not wise, did we not?” Zaiper expressed, his grip tightening on the slave's hair as he pushed her head down. “It’s time to accept that King Daemonikai is long gone. There’s no need to ke
GRAND LORD VLADYAVladya stayed silent. He felt nothing about the girl's death either.Maybe he would have felt guilt or something like it if he still had a soul. Sadly, his heart was now an empty space where his soul used to be, and his conscience had died five centuries ago.Along with his former bondmate. And best friend.Lord Vladya rose from his chair. "I must remove her dead body from the forbidden chambers. The young prince will go next." His lips tightened in disapproval. "This means Lord Ottai and I must make another trip to the human lands. This time, we will travel across the twelve kingdoms and take all the princesses, even the daughters of the wealthy. We made a mistake bringing back only two. We should have taken at least fifty.""That course of action could potentially trigger another war," Ottai protested."I would not mind one," Vladya deadpanned without emotion. "In fact, I welcome any fight that comes my way."As always, Ottai tried to keep the peace and gave him a
Emeriel frowned as Madam Livia added, "At least, I think that's what the Urekai call people like you."A Syren?Emeriel shifted uneasily, feeling confused. "What does that mean?""It is what the Urekai call non-Urekai who can go into heat. It means you are able to bond with a Urekai. Your body is changed enough to mate with them, with new glands and all. Hades, you might even be a Soulbond."Now, he felt even more confused. His face must have shown it because Madam Livia took a deep breath and nodded. "Very well, let us start again. What do you know about Urekai bonds and bondmates?""I know that what humans call marriage, Urekai call bonding," Emeriel began. "It is rare for a Urekai to find their Soulbond: the one person meant to be their true partner. Their soulmate. Only Soulbonds can have children easily. Most Urekai pair up through contracted bonding—they choose their own partners. It is not because they do not want the bondmate nature made for them, but because finding a Soulbon
PRINCE EMERIELEmeriel was at a loss for words. His wide eyes stared at Livia in shock and disbelief, as if the older woman had suddenly grown a second head."I do not want this," he blurted out, voice rising with panic. "I do not want any part of it.""We cannot choose to be a syren, Emeriel," Madam Livia said firmly. "Many human females have tried to become one over the centuries, even doing extreme things, but it simply does not work that way." She paused, her voice softening. "There are countless females who would give anything to be in your position right now.""But I do not want it!" Emeriel exclaimed, springing up from his seat, unable to sit still. He paced the length of the room anxiously. "Let them have it. I do not care. I do not want to be a syren, a bondmate, or anything else!"Livia looked at him silently, her expression saying more than words ever could.Running a shaky hand through his ponytail, Emeriel stopped and turned to face her, his chest rising and falling with
Emeriel had seen Grand Lord Vladya and Grand Lord Ottai, but not the one called Grand Lord Zaiper. Whenever his name was mentioned, the Urekai maids and human slaves would all look terrified. Every single one of them."He is the worst of all the grand lords," The slave girl, Amie, had whispered to him the day before, her eyes wide as she looked around to make sure no one was listening and the hallway was empty. "Lord Ottai can be sweet when he wants to be, and Lord Vladya is very scary. But like Lord Ottai, he is fair and just in his leadership. But Lord Zaiper?”Amie had glanced around again. “He is a monster. His slaves die every day. Some starve, others are tortured for fun, and some are even raped to death. His slave masters are the worst, and Lord Zaiper does not care. He does not even see us as human."Emeriel's eyes had widened to the root of his hair. “This lord is worse than Lord Vladya?""Actually, Grand Lord Vladya is not that bad," Amie had stated firmly. "When it comes to
PRINCE EMERIELEmeriel carefully wiped the stained glass with a washcloth. He had been assigned to clean the fourth layer of the southern wing this morning and had been at it for the past hour.Last night, Emeriel had dreamed of the king’s beast. It was strange.He had never seen the beast before, yet somehow, for reasons he could not explain, it occupied his thoughts. To the point of entering his dreams.But why?It was a question he had asked himself over and over, without finding an answer.As he scrubbed the glass diligently, he hummed softly, running the cloth over the surface until the dirt was gone. Just as he reached for his rinsing water, he heard voices growing louder."What about the land beyond Crystal Waters?" a woman asked."It is not within my power to grant you that land, and you know it," Grand Lord Vladya replied.His tone was surprisingly gentle, lacking the sharpness Emeriel had come to associate with him."But you are also a grand lord. Surely you can make this ha
Without warning, two sharp fangs sank into Sinai's skin, and the beast began drinking from her. Pain shot through her body, and she hissed in response.The beast did not flood her with elixir to numb the pain or ease the discomfort, as Daemonikai would have done if he were in his right mind. Instead, the beast simply took, over and over.Her heart raced, pumping more blood to meet the beast's unending hunger. This was the key difference between a bloodhost and any other host: a bloodhost’s body constantly produced an endless supply of blood to feed their master—no matter how hungry their master were.As the beast fed, it released pheromones that wrapped around Sinai, and a pleasurable sensation began to spread through her body. Her whole being burned with searing lust, the pleasure growing inside her.Even after two millennia, she had never grown used to this feeling. At this point, Sinai knew she never would.The sensation was simply too powerful, too addictive, and at times, the org
Dizziness washed over Daemonikai, a throbbing headache the size of a warship pounding through his skull.The poison could stay in his body far longer than in Emeriel’s, long enough to secure the antidote. Hopefully.“Are you truly well?” Worry touched Vladya’s voice.“My head feels as though it’s trying to split in two,” Daemonikai admitted. “But that's to be expected.""Who would do this?" Vladya wondered, his brow furrowed. "Do you have any suspicions?" “I’m going to confront Zaiper.” he repeated.Vladya's eyes sharpened. “You really believe he could be involved?”“I don’t know, but I will start from him." Daemonikai forced himself upright, a boiling rage building inside him. “Afterward, I’m returning to the site of the attack. If these inept fools can’t find a trace, I’ll track the one responsible myself.”“I’m coming with you.”“No.” Daemonikai put on his robes slowly, his insides rolling. “I need you here, with her. I’ll be back.”Vladya’s concern deepened. “You’re unwell, Daem
Also, Ottai was utterly lost. Flowing in the sea of confusion, kind of lost. "Uhmm, hello guys? I'm still here," he waved a hand to get their attention.They turned in unison, eyes snapping to him. They’d forgotten he was even there, hadn't they?"You two could at least clue me in on this 'solution' you're discussing," Ottai said dryly, curious.“No,” Daemonikai said at the exact moment Vladya added, “He plans to suck the poison out of her and take it into his own body.”“What!?” Ottai blanched, aghast. But now that he thought about it, it made sense. That explained Daemonikai's sudden shift of mood. He had gotten a solution, no matter how unconventional.Ottai couldn’t believe this. "Your woman and I did NOT go through the fires of hell and that damned cold sea to save you, just to watch you throw your life away like this!""Tell him, Ottai," Vladya encouraged, casting an approving glance.“It’s human and mage toxin, not Urekai. I can bear it until the antidote is found,” he said f
Ottai led them to Frostfall's royal residence. They entered the quiet chamber where Emeriel lay on the bed, face pale and eyes closed. Her breathing too faint.Grand King Daemonikai sat beside her, his hand clasped around hers. He didn't react when Ottai announced their arrival or when they entered the room.“Em?" Aekeira ran to her sister's side, taking her other hand. "Em, please, open your eyes,” she sobbed. “Please… it’s me, Aekeira.”“We’re waiting on Faiwick. He’s searching for the antidote,” Ottai’s voice was low as he explained. “The poison used is quite rare and difficult to obtain. So far, every healer we've checked don't have the kaizan root needed for the antidote."“Kaizan roots?” Vladya's brows drew together. “Those are almost impossible to come by.”Ottai nodded grimly. “It’s not a Urekai poison, it's mage poison.” His voice was tense, uneasy. “If someone sold it here, it’s likely they sold the antidote too. Faiwick is checking with the remaining herbalists and the blac
Daemonikai had tried not to push him into talking over the years, but seeing all this pain in Ottai’s eyes tugged at his heartstrings.“I have no idea what I would have done if I’d lost Morina too,” Ottai shook his head. “The thought alone tears me apart. I can’t pretend to understand what you’ve gone through, but I selfishly wish… I wish you wouldn’t leave us.” He took a shaky breath, steadying himself. “Don’t leave us, Daemon.”“I won’t,” Daemonikai vowed, surprising even himself.It was the first time he had said it aloud, and for once, he truly meant it.Pushing the shadows of grief aside, he spoke clearly, each word a promise. “Not anymore. I’m here to stay.”“Good, that’s good,” Ottai said, nodding in relief. Daemonikai expected to be released then, but instead, he was squeezed tighter. “Now, suffer through this one last hug.”Daemonikai let out a dramatic, insufferable sigh but didn’t resist. “You do realize you’re a full-grown male now? No longer that little slip of a lad wh
GRAND KIND DAEMONIKAI“You’re saying his wife was found dead in the dungeon?” King Daemonikai’s lips pressed into a frown as he strode through the corridors, Ottai and Wegai trailing behind him.“Yes, Your Grace,” Lord Ottai confirmed with a heavy sigh. “No obvious cause of death, either. They were slaves; it could easily be attributed to overexertion.”“Overexertion didn’t kill her before her husband’s attempt on my life, only after, hmm,” Daemonikai entered his private residence and settled into one of the high-backed chairs in the living room. “And what about the others?”Ottai took the seat beside him. "Sadly, nothing concrete."“Well, I’m recovered now.” Daemonikai shrugged off his outer robe, folding the heavy fabric beside him. “If someone else is responsible, I hope they’re reckless enough to try again soon. This time, they will not be so lucky.""It's time to put an end to the crimes happening here in Ravenshadow. In the past, no one would dare bring a crime close to this for
Touch, his beast urged.No, I will not.“Wake up, darling,” Daemonikai coaxed gently."I don’t want to.” she protested, a dreamy smile on her lips.Her hands drifted over her body, cupping her breasts, she flicked her nipples. She let out a soft whine.A bolt of desire shot straight to his dick, his arousal back with a vengeance.“Gods of the Grail,” he swore.“I really like this dream a lot,” she cried with bliss, pinching her engorged nipples.Daemonikai closed his eyes and counted to ten. Then, counted backward from ten.Nope, his hard-on has declared a coup, raging full mast in his pants.His beast, too, was one hundred percent on board…all too aware of her.Emeriel took his hand, parting her thigh, she guided it between her open legs.“Touch me, please,” she murmured, rolling her hips desperately. “I’ve been hungry… so starved for you.”“Darling, you don’t know—”“I need you.”Younglings crying for food, an elder falling from a horse, another bloody war with the vamps.The images
The quiet concern in his tone startled her, and when she looked at him, his eyes were studying her with the same attentiveness that had begun to undo her.She forced a smile, her worry fading like mist under the warmth of the sun. Because she knew, deep down, that it didn’t matter.No matter what side of him re-emerged when they returned to Blackstone, Aekaeira would still love him anyway. "I’m fine, Your Highness."His expression tightened slightly, and for a moment, she thought she had said something wrong. Then, his tone grew firm, resolute. "Vladya."“Huh?”"Call me by my name, Aekeira," he asserted. "Not Lord Vladya. Not my lord. Not Your Highness. Just my name."Her eyes reached her hairline. A blush crept up her cheeks. "B-but…it’s not proper."He leaned closer, his voice soft, but no less commanding. "We’re alone here. Go ahead.""Vladya…" she breathed, tasting the word. It felt strange on her tongue, foreign and intimate, but there was something right about it, too. Her voice
"Frustrated about my Daemon’s return?"Zaiper’s expression darkened. "I don’t know why he refuses to stay dead." His thrusts became sharper, angrier. "Twice now, he’s wrestled with the impossible and won. Who walks through the valleys of death and comes out alive?”"Perhaps a righteous male," Sinai teased, her lips quirking.Zaiper shot her a glare. "You’re not funny.""Apologies, Your Highness," she replied smoothly, arching a brow. "It was only a joke.""As I said, there’s"—thrust—"nothing"—agressive thrust—"funny"—thrust—"about it." he punctuated with more brutal thrusts.The girl screamed, then passed out beneath him."Finally, some peace and quiet," he grunted, stepping back to survey her unconscious form with a look of annoyance. "Every time things start going my way, something switches, and I’m back at square one. It’s infuriating."Pausing, Sinai glared at her nails. "It’s all Emeriel’s fault," she said resentfully. "That little human is a thorn in the flesh. She even saved my
Emeriel kept her suspicions to herself. She was beginning to understand how Urekai society worked.An accusation of this magnitude, even in casual conversation, could have serious repercussions.“Did he… lose anyone on the night of the eclipse moon?" she asked cautiously.Daemonikai stiffened, his hand pausing. He looked up at her, his face unreadable.There it was – the shutting down.Emeriel had almost forgotten how sensitive the subject was. "I apologize for overstepping—"“No,” he squeezed his eyes shut. Taking a deep breath. “No, it’s alright. Yes, he lost Kristof, his elder brother.”“Elder?” she echoed, surprised. “I thought every kingdom chose heirs by birth order. How did Zaiper become Grand Lord if he had an elder brother?”“Kristof was never interested in the throne,” A hint of a smile crossed King Daemonikai’s face again. “Even as younglings, it never appealed to him. His dream was to be a high-ranking soldier—the best. And that was what he became. He was different from th