She was sent to destroy a monster. He stole a kiss—and shattered her world.
Lucia has always been different, her skin marked by glowing runes. A sheltered priestess bound by holy vows, she's spent her life hidden behind temple walls, trained to fear the vampire king haunting their realm.
Until the night she's sent into the forest as bait.
The plan is simple: lure the monster, spring the trap, watch him fall.
As twilight descends, a mysterious man appears, playing a haunting melody on his lute. He should be the fearsome creature she was warned about. He should drain her blood.
Instead, he steals a kiss that sets her soul on fire and lets her go.
Now Lucia cannot forget him. The runes on her skin blaze with magic, and every truth she was taught begins to unravel. Was he truly the vampire king—or something far more dangerous?
Desperate for answers, she seeks him out and strikes a bargain.
But every stolen moment in the shadows binds them closer. Every secret he reveals pulls her deeper into a world of forbidden desire.
He's devilish. He's dangerous. He's everything a priestess should run from.
Yet her heart burns brighter than her runes when he's near.
In a world of sacred vows, ancient magic, and whispered prophecy, Lucia must choose: the life she was sworn to protect—or the man who might damn her.
A standalone gothic fantasy romance where the monster isn't who she thinks—and falling for the wrong man might be the most dangerous magic of all. Perfect for fans of forbidden love, enemies to lovers, morally gray heroes, ancient magic, gothic romantasy, and mistaken identity twists.
