The Beautiful Monster - Chapter 8 - Encounter

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.

This is a story of a captain of a secluded place and a gorgeous female celebrity—both who would hardly cross paths but a collision in Tibet sets an opening to their encounter.Upon their first encounter, Wenxian already has her eyes set on Captain Lu—her mouth drooling with desire.Wenxian, “Hmm? How can I win over your heart? In a plain sack or using sweet talk?”With a cigarette in his mouth, Lu Xiao scoffs. “You are an impressive and popular celebrity, I am only a captain at this secluded place. I am very poor, what is it in me that you like about?”Wenxian, “I like how you always snub back at me.”Lu Xiao choked and walked away heartlessly. “You are shameless, don’t even dream about it!”The next day, he said, “It’s all because you were carried away by a whim?”Wenxian, “No, hatching a scheme.”

Having traveled to the year 1983, Lu Jiaxin found herself at the start facing the failure of the original host in a high school exam, a stepmother who was sweet on the outside but dark-hearted, and a purely self-interested father.Designer Lu, facing a hellish start, decided: if her stepmother made a move, she'd countermove tenfold! If her father failed to act like a human, she'd teach him how to!She still intended to continue college; she heard that the degrees from Hong Kong University in the '80s were quite valuable, so she flung her sleeves and bravely explored the financial and business circles of Hong Kong.Bulky mobile phones, beepers, “007” on the dance floor!Victoria Mountain, Shallow Bay, female tycoons of Victoria!

Reborn into the world of Yugioh, it's natural if my goal is to become the best duelist!