Blurb：
Immerse yourself in a dark fantasy world where Elena, a mortal woman, defies fate by falling for Lucian, an ancient vampire lord. Set in the mystical realm of Shadowfall, their forbidden romance ignites a war between humans and vampires. As Elena uncovers her hidden powers and Lucian battles his bloodlust, they must confront the Vampire Council and the sinister Blood Covenant. Will their love survive the curse of immortality? This enemies-to-lovers tale features intense vampire romance, supernatural intrigue, and heart-pounding drama. Perfect for fans of vampire fiction, paranormal fantasy, and epic love stories.
Content：
I’m sold into the underground and turned into an anthropodermic fan, suffering endless days of humiliation.
It isn’t until my spine shatters from a hammered nail that my brother—Daxon Smyth—and my fiance—Joshua Moore—finally arrive.
The two men who’ve doted on me for 20 years swear to make the guilty pay in blood. And I think my salvation has come.
But when I overhear their words, I realize the truth—every torment I’ve suffered is of their doing, all to make me behave and stop me from competing with the true heiress they’ve found.
When another man carries me away from that place, they lose their minds and scour through all ends of the world, trying to find me.
Chapter 1
“Don’t be afraid, Madie. We’re here.”
The underground auction house was in chaos. I was barely hanging on, lying in the arms of my fiance, Joshua Moore.
“Who did this to you? Tell me, and I’ll tear them apart.” His voice was hoarse and raw. Each word was forced out like it tore his throat.
My brother, Daxon Smyth, stood close with his eyes full of concern.
I greedily clung to the warmth and sense of security I hadn’t felt for so long. And just before the darkness swallowed me whole, I gathered the last ounce of my strength to grip their clothes.
I thought I was holding onto salvation.
…
When I woke up in the ICU three days later, I heard Joshua’s voice amidst a daze. “They went too far, and that nail shattered her spine. If we’d been just a step too late, Madie would’ve ended up paralyzed now.”
Daxon replied, “It’s just a vertebra, and it’s not like I had a choice. She’ll never know her place if she doesn’t learn her lesson.
“Ciara is my true sister. She’s suffered out there for over 20 years, so Madie shouldn’t have fought her.
“Don’t worry. She’ll never know we were involved. I’ve shut down the underground auction house, and it’s enough of a cover like we avenged her.”
His light, unbothered voice froze the blood in my veins. Though I’d jolted awake, I kept my eyes shut and held my breath.
So the torment and the near-death experience I had gone through had been their doing all along.
Two decades of sibling love and ten years of vows and promises turned out to be the cruelest, most vicious lie I’d ever heard.
When the door opened, a doctor walked in and interrupted their conversation. “Mr. Smyth and Mr. Moore, Ms. Smyth isn’t in an optimistic condition. Her third lumbar vertebra is shattered, and we stabilized it with a pedicle screw.
“Luckily, the nerves weren’t damaged, but she won’t be able to do anything strenuous again. It’d be best if you could get her a wheelchair.”
After the doctor left, I fought to control my trembling body. After all, I was only 20 years old, and the weight of his words was too much to bear.
Silent tears slipped from the corner of my eyes, but Joshua and Daxon paid no notice.
I heard Daxon on the phone with his assistant. “For Ciara’s birthday party, have Madie’s outfit made like a maid uniform. Make sure she doesn’t outshine Ciara, understood?”
When Daxon ended the call, Joshua hesitatingly asked, “Daxon, isn’t that too much? Madie’s already hurt, and she might not take it if she’s humiliated at the birthday party.
“You know how ruthless those rich kids could be, and things might get really tough for her.”
I could feel a hand brush my cheek and wipe away a tear.
Daxon’s voice softened with pity, yet every word he said cut deep. “I know it’ll hurt her, but she’s been with the Smyths for too long. Ciara won’t feel secure if we don’t do it.
“It’s just making Madie kneel to put on Ciara’s shoes, and I told them to make sure her outfit isn’t exactly like a maid’s. She needs to learn her place now, so it’ll hurt less in the long run.
“Besides, she has us. We’ll make it up to her after the birthday party, and she won’t be around the Smyth family much to care about the rest of the rich kids. We’ll pave her path and keep her close, and her world only needs to fit the two of us.”
After Daxon’s voice died away, a long silence followed before Joshua finally responded nonchalantly with a brief answer, “You’re right.”
In that moment, the pain was so unbearable that I could barely breathe.
During those days when I had been abducted in the black market, I’d repeatedly dialed their number for help.
Through endless beatings and humiliation, I’d gripped onto hope, only to be met with deeper despair and the hollow tone of calls that’d never been picked up.
I had always thought it was just an unlucky coincidence. But now, I understand that they were never my salvation; they were my hell.
Chapter 2
When I closed my eyes, the memories I had tried so hard to bury crawled back and swallowed me whole.
My mind dragged me into the hell-like black market again, into that windowless, cramped room. Lashes from whips rained down on me and forced me to learn “rules” designed to grind every shred of my dignity.
They forced me to kneel like an animal and eat straight from a dish on the floor. They made me wade in freezing water for hours, wrapped in nothing but a gossamer veil, just so my skin would look “translucent”.
My body became their canvas. Cold needles tipped with pigment carved designs into my skin, while they demanded I hold poses of absolute humiliation and stay still like a lifeless puppet.
If I faltered even the slightest, the whip that had been soaked in salt water would come crashing down. That tearing, agonizing pain etched itself into my muscle memory.
The torment continued until time lost all its meaning. And the only thing that kept me going was the hope that Joshua and Daxon would save me.
But even when I was declared expendable from overuse and dragged onto the stage as a final showcase, the two were still nowhere to be seen.
Under the glare of the lights, I stood in my birthday suit as tycoons and reporters jeered from below.
A masked “executioner” painted his final strokes across my body before removing my skin for the fan. Then came a nail that hammered into my spine.
A jolt of agonizing pain shot through my body like an electric current, and I soiled myself, losing control of my body. A bloodcurdling scream tore out of my throat.
Beneath the stage, the crowd roared with thunderous laughter and lewd jokes.
“A perfect fan!”
“Perfectly trained. Even ruined, it still makes a decent decoration.”
While I was utterly overwhelmed in humiliation and pain, Joshua and Daxon were still not in sight. It wasn’t until the nail was fully in my vertebra that they finally appeared.
They held me and put on a full display of grief. But no one told me they were the ones pulling the strings all along, just to keep me from rivalling Ciara Smyth.
Lying in the hospital bed, I opened my eyes, which were left with nothing but emptiness.
Since they wouldn’t hesitate to destroy me and soothe Ciara’s insecurities, I was done with them, too.
…
After returning to the Smyth residence from the hospital, they laid me gently on the bed like a broken, emotionless doll.
Outside the room, Ciara’s whining voice rang out with a snort. “Now that Madie’s back, you’ve both forgotten about me. You’re so mean. I’m not talking to you anymore!”
“Come on, Ciara. You know you’re always our favorite. Check out your room. We had ten customized bags delivered just for you.”
“Thank you, Daxon! You’re the best!” Ciara hopped up to land a clear, smacking kiss on Daxon’s cheek.
But Joshua wasn’t willing to be outdone. “What about the villa I gave you in the hills? I’m going to take it back if you don’t want it.”
“Of course I do, Josh! I love you!” she sweetly cooed.
Then, with a sudden innocent pretense, she added, “Daxon, Josh, I really like that crystal music box in Madie’s room.”
My heart clenched, and I heard both men eagerly reply, “I’ll get it for you.”
Chapter 3
The next moment, my door swung open.
Trailing behind Joshua and Daxon, Ciara entered and headed straight for the music box—the only keepsake Mom had left me before she died early.
“Madie, let’s give the music box to Ciara so she can play with it.”
That wasn’t a request seeking my approval. It was a command.
I wanted to open my mouth and refuse. But my throat felt clogged, and I was so weak that I could barely say a word.
As Ciara cradled the music box in her arms, a flicker of malice flashed in her eyes.
Instinctively, I gripped Daxon’s arms and looked up at him with pleading eyes. “No, that was Mom’s…”
Before I could finish, she “accidentally” let it slip under my horrified gaze.
The music box plummeted toward the floor, and inside was the last photograph I had with Mom—the last item that reminded me of her gentleness in this world.
“Mom!” I threw myself off the bed, desperate to catch the music box. At that moment, nothing else mattered.
With a crack, the music box shattered into pieces, just as the wound on my back split open. Amongst the glittering fragments of the music box lying on the floor, Mom’s smile splintered.
I hit the ground hard as warm blood gushed from my wound and dyed my white nightgown red. Joshua and Daxon rushed toward me with panic written all over their faces.
The malice on Ciara’s face slipped away and was replaced by a pair of eyes brimming with tears. “I didn’t mean to, Daxon… I swear! Why would she do this just for a music box? Did she just try to hurt herself just to frame me? I’m so scared…”
Just like that, the men’s expressions shifted. Gone was their panic and concern, and in its place was cold disgust like they’d been deceived.
“Madie, you didn’t waste your time in the black market and learned every dirty trick there, huh? Ciara just dropped it by accident, so how could you have gone so far to hurt yourself and smear her name just to gain sympathy?”
I was so overwhelmed with pain that I could barely speak. All I could do was watch as they gathered around the “shocked” Ciara, soothing her. Then, they led her away without sparing me a single glance.
Just before the door shut, I heard Daxon’s hesitant voice. “Is it too cruel to lock Madie alone in her room?”
Joshua answered in a calm, detached voice, “They’re both at fault, and it’s only fair that they’re both punished.
“Since she hurt herself, she should lie in the basement and stew in that nasty temper. That’s going to be her punishment.
“As for Ciara…”
Both men’s voices rang out with playful mockery. “She deserves strict punishment, too. She’ll have to come shopping with us and plan her birthday party.”
“Since she’s weak, shopping will tire her out, and that’ll be the best punishment.”
Their laughter and footsteps faded down the hall.
Lying in my warm pool of blood, I could feel my body cool as my consciousness frayed. Just when I thought I’d die just like that, my phone screen glowed to life.
A scenic photograph of a Navaronese fjord lit up the screen, showing the still blue waters and snow-capped peaks. Below it was a single line that read, “It’s a quiet world out here. Do you want me to come for you?”
It was him. He knew I’d made it out of there.
…
In the middle of the night, the door creaked open again. I thought it was a maid, only to find that it was Ciara. Fear and innocence had vanished from her face, replaced by feverish delight.
She crouched beside me and softly whispered in my ear, “Madie, does having your spine shattered hurt more than all the humiliation you’ve had to bear?
“I picked the spot for the nail myself. Daxon said I should choose a spot that could hurt the most but not kill you, so you’d never forget the fear. Oh, and have you heard?”
She pulled out her phone to show an affectionate photograph of her, Daxon, and Joshua dining in some glittering restaurant.
“Look. The night you were dragged into the black market, they were hosting a grand welcome-back party for me.”
Her hand slowly slid down my spine and paused over the mark of humiliation etched into my skin.
“Do you remember the night at the black market, where you were blindfolded and crawling on the floor like an animal? Didn’t you find the hostess’ voice… a little familiar?”
My body stiffened instantly as my eyes widened sharply in shock.
When she saw my reaction, a satisfied grin spread across her face. And when she spoke, her honeyed voice was sharp like glass shards. “That’s right. That hostess was me, and the host who made you drink from his hand was your fiance, Josh.
“You heard us that night, didn’t you? He’s incredible, but he’ll never touch filth like you. You disgust him.”
The truth struck me—Joshua had known all along, and he’d been part of my humiliation.
Ciara seemed to enjoy witnessing my despair as she continued, “Oh, and there’s more. Daxon wants you to remember who rules this house, so we branded you with my name.
“Josh held my hand and guided me as we wrote that word, a mark of humiliation you despise to the core.
“Just accept your fate, Madie. You’ll never win against me.”
She patted my face before getting up and kicking my back. A wave of pain crashed over me and left me voiceless.
“Useless cripple,” she spat before walking out in satisfaction, while the wreckage of my body and soul seemed to pull me deeper into a second hell.
With trembling fingers, I mustered all my strength to tap on the photograph showing the landscapes of freedom.
“You said if I wanted to leave, you’d come for me anytime. Does that promise still stand?”
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