Dine With The Vampire

"Marry my daughter." I shifted my gaze from my glass of wine and stared at him in disbelief. Those were the last words I expected to hear from his mouth. I was no stranger to marriage proposals from my business associates. Many had tried to push their daughters toward me, hoping to gain something in return. And each time, I rejected them without hesitation. But this time was different. This was Lucas Angelo Ferrer-my fiercest rival in the business world. So why would he suddenly walk into my office with such a proposal? What was he really after?

I grinned widely as I revealed my winning cards, and my friends immediately voiced their complaints. "Sorry, guys. This one's mine!" I scooped up the bets from the table. "Come on, May-may! You always win!" "Are you cheating?" I flipped Fillan off for his comment. "You're just salty because you lost. Loser!" I taunted. "One more round, May!" Elmo challenged. "Nah, it's late," I said, glancing at my broken watch, which I only wore for style. "The dead aren't going anywhere! This place never closes anyway!" I glanced toward the house where our friend's coffin lay. Sam had been stabbed in the lung by his enemies. "You can help keep watch over Sam, too. It's tough staying up all night. Why don't you take his spot instead?" I smacked Elmo on the head. "How about I put you next to Sam instead?!" "Stay a little longer, May! Free snacks!" Fillan gestured toward the coffee and bread. I narrowed my eyes. They looked good. "Fine, I'll eat, then I'm leaving." "Stayyyy!" --- I ate the sandwich I took from Sam's wake as I walked through the dim alleyways toward home. "Out late again, May?" called out Tatay Gurong, drinking outside his house. "I was at Sam's." "That boyfriend of yours? Haven't seen him around lately." "He's dead," I replied casually, passing by. "Oh? What a waste." Hearing about deaths was normal here. A week without a killing was rare. This place was full of thugs, and honestly, I wouldn't even be surprised if someone got murdered in front of me. I was confident no one could intimidate me here-until I saw the man standing in front of my rented room. I instantly looked for a hiding spot. My sandwich slipped from my hand as I ducked behind a nearby post. Just as I was about to peek, a dog barked at me. My eyes widened in horror-it had definitely caught the man's attention. "Shut up, Choco!" I hissed at the dog. "You know me, damn it!" "Maria Zia Salazar?" I shrieked in shock at the man's voice. "Is that you?" "Look, dude, I swear, even though I was Sam's girlfriend, I had nothing to do with his debts. I don't have any money!" I pleaded, pulling out my pockets, which were full of candy. The man, dressed in a tuxedo, looked at my pockets, then at me, confused. "Even if you kidnap me, you'll get nothing. So just don't, okay?" I begged. He cleared his throat and stood straight. "Ms. Maria Zia Salazar Alaister." I froze at the mention of my full name. "I'm here to take you." I raised an eyebrow and laughed. "You've got the wrong person, dude." I walked past him. Before I could reach my rented room, two men blocked my way. "This is a direct order from your father, Giovanni Alaister," the man behind me said. I glared at him and turned around. "And what if I refuse?" I challenged. "We will use force," he said, pointing a gun at me. I met his gaze, my expression darkening. What does Giovanni want with me this time?!

I woke up to loud knocking and someone repeatedly shouting my name. I was sure it was Aling Lourdes, the owner of this rental place. Aling Lourdes shouted, "I stood up and immediately opened the door for her." "Well, Maki, it seems like you're forgetting something?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Aling Lourdes, I don't have any money right now. Can I—" I couldn't finish my sentence because she interrupted. "If you can't pay, you should leave now. Nothing is free, and if you don't, I'll report you to the barangay," she said before leaving. I took a deep breath and decided to leave this place. •3 hours ago• I was outside Aling Lourdes' apartment, still thinking about where I should go when my phone suddenly rang. I answered it. "Hello?" "Maki? How are you, my child?" I couldn't respond when I heard my dad's voice. "What do you want?" I asked coldly. "Look at you, your attitude never changes," Dad said. "If you don't have anything good to say, I'll hang up now," I said irritably. "Maki, why don't you come live here so you can see how beautiful it is?" Dad suggested. "In your dreams," I started to say, but then I remembered I needed a place to stay. "Just send me the address," I said curtly and ended the call. My phone vibrated, and I saw the address he sent. I smirked a little and called a taxi. •Fast Forward• I was now in front of his mansion, and someone greeted me and told me to follow them. I stopped walking when I got inside. The place was huge and beautiful. I was startled when someone spoke behind me. "So, it's you?" the person said, looking angry. "M-me?" I stammered, pointing at myself. "Who else, stupid?" the person said before turning away. "HEY, YOU'RE SO ARROGANT! I'LL STRANGLE YOU!" I shouted, moving closer. "Sure, if you can, brat," the person said mockingly. I was about to hit him with my bag when someone laughed loudly.

Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”

"Lucien, let's get a divorce," I said in a peremptory tone that was long overdue, the most decisive farewell to this absurd marriage. We had been married for exactly three years-three years that, for me, were filled with nothing but endless loneliness and torment. For three years, the husband who should have stood by my side through every storm, Lucien Sullivan, had completely disappeared from my life as if he had never existed. He vanished without a trace, leaving me alone to endure this empty, desolate marriage. Today, I finally received his message: "I'm back. Come pick me up at the airport." When I read his words, my heart leapt with joy, and I raced to the airport, thinking that he finally understood my love and was coming back to me. But his cruelty was far worse than I could have ever imagined-he was accompanied by a pregnant woman, and that woman was Carla, my closest and most trusted friend. In that moment, all of my previous excitement, all my hope, and all of our shared laughter and tears turned into the sharpest of daggers, stabbing into my heart and leaving me gasping for air. Now, all I want is to escape from this place that has left me so broken-to lick my wounds in solitude. Even if these wounds will remain with me for the rest of my life, I refuse to have anything to do with him ever again. He should know that it was his own hand that trampled our love underfoot, that his coldness and betrayal created this irreparable situation. But when he heard those words, he desperately clung to this broken, crumbling marriage, unwilling to let it end-almost as though doing so could rewind time and return everything to how it used to be. "Aurora, come back. I regret everything!" Regret? Those simple words stirred no emotion in me-only endless sadness and fury. My heart let out a frantic, desperate scream: It's too late for any of this!

“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”

They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."

After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"

When your mate cheated the night before your wedding with your best friend, and your father insisted you go on with the wedding because you're nothing but an asset. Under the influence of your anger, you had a one night stand with a stranger in rut who marked you as his without a second thought. Next day, your mate showed up and called the man you spent the night with, "Lycan King..." Lycan King? The same vicious Lycan King that was about to rain war on your pack?