A Barbaric Proposal - Chapter 28: Klimah, the Servant (1)

Nova scrambled backwards, panting hard, her short locks clinging to her damp forehead as she watched this predator stalk towards her. The vibrant and lively forest hushed, almost holding its breath to watch the scene unfold. Great, she had an audience for what would surely be a gruesome death.Death looked... a little... rugged and in nothing but a loin cloth, defined by slabs of muscle, a trail of hair leading down to such a small piece of cloth to hide a large-A spine-chilling growl snapped her gaze back up to meet his golden-red eyes, fiery, and intense, glaring at Nova as he slammed his hands either side of her head. Pieces of bark crumbled down from the impact.“I told you not to run...” He threatened, his eyes piercing hers, his voice more guttural than she'd heard from any male. His eyes clenched shut as his body trembled. “My instinct is to always stalk, always chase... until I get what I want..”Their faces were inches apart. She could feel his hot breath fanning her face. The forest was humid and hot, and his body was so close to hers that it was almost unbearable. The gruff voice, those words and the intensity of those eyes that reminded her of sunsets caused goosebumps to flourish across her arms.“What do you want?” Nova swallowed, not recognising her voice. She was so out of her depth. His chest rumbled, and more bark crumbled down from behind her head.“You...”Her breath hitched.“To. Do. As. You're. Told.”Paradise was what Nova Winslow was promised when her boyfriend whisked her away to Isla De Tayun, the perfect getaway for their busy lives. It was untouched, pristine, a hidden gem.But it had remained that way for a reason. The island doesn’t want visitors. And neither do the natives.What should have been a romantic retreat, drinking from coconuts and lounging on white-sandy beaches together, turns into a holiday from hell.Mid-argument with her soon-to-be ex, Nova stumbles into a lake. When she resurfaces, her boyfriend, the path she came from, and the resort have vanished.Alone, stranded, and with little survival skills, Nova has only a wet phone with no signal, a pair of heels, and an irrational fear of bats—which are everywhere. She is out of her depth when she falls into a mystical world of beasts.Hunted by tribesmen, stalked by beasts that shouldn't exist, and hearing animals speak, she has no choice but to trust the wild beast the forest itself fears—Yoa, a wanted man. Together, they flee the tribes pursuing them all while battling her growing attraction to Yoa.Can she survive the wild and make it back to her civilised life? Or will she lose herself to the untamed world—and to the man who belongs to it?

Ye Gushen and Tang Suiyu were married by imperial decree!Tang Suiyu thought that this cold-hearted and emotionless man married her just because of a marriage contract, but in fact...“Honey, autumn is here...” “Good girl...”The next day, several truckloads of clothes were delivered home.“Honey, green grapes taste good...” “Good girl...”The next day, she acquired dozens of vineyards.“Honey, someone said I don't deserve you!” “Good girl...”The next day, that person, huh, where did they go!A long time later, Mrs. Ye, who was spoiled beyond limits, said that her post-marriage life was overwhelmingly sweet![1v1, both male and female leads are incredibly pure, overwhelming spoiling]

To treat her sick brother, she was forced to marry him in place of her cousin, who was disfigured and paralyzed. At first, their relationship was purely transactional, with neither caring much for the other. But after going through a lot together, they fell in love with each other. He doted on her deeply.She was considered an ordinary person by the world, but it was later discovered that she had multiple identities - a mysterious underground boxing champion, a highly-skilled doctor, and a mysterious and renowned composer... He also realized that their fates had been intertwined long before they met.

How long will it take for a murdered thief to distill into something monstrous? In this story the darkness only grows stronger, and its reach only grows wider as it expands by devouring the life that surrounds it. This is a dark fantasy where evil is a where, not just a who that focuses on slow progression, undeath, and atmospheric storytelling.