The Devil's Sleeping Beauty - Chapter 279 - Lu Family's Ancient House

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.

“Strip.”The command was sharp, laced with authority, cutting through the silence like the crack of a whip.The deep timbre of Dimitri's voice sent a shiver down the spines of the gathered women. They had learned quickly in the past two days, obedience meant survival. At his order, they bowed their heads, hands trembling as they peeled away the thin, tattered fabric that barely shielded them from humiliation.But one of them did not move. She stood frozen in place promting Dimitri's eyes narrow._________Born in a world of deception, Princess Sorayah Drakon was forced to live as a prince, hiding her gender and her unique gifts. She can heal wounds, command the elements, disguise as someone else or animals, manipulate dreams, creates powerful illusions, and ability to wield strength no other human possesses.Feeling trapped, she sheds her false identity under the cover of night to dress as a woman. One fateful night, during one of these secret escapades, she met Lupien Nightshade, the crown prince of the werewolves! It was love at first sight.But love soon turns into tragedy when Lupien kills her father, throwing the human kingdom into chaos. Humans were captured as slaves and Sorayah became one of them.She swore revenge, wanting to get close to Lupien to kill him but before she could, she was claimed by Dimitri Nightshade, Lupien's uncle! When she realized their interests aligned, Sorayah sought to gain his trust and use him as a weapon.Two enemies. One kingdom. A shared thirst for destruction.But there was something else.Something Sorayah hadn't planned for.Dimitri Nightshade was irresistible.She hated him so much she wanted to carve his heart out with her bare hands but she couldn't deny the way he made her burn with passion.Will Soraya be able to bend him to her will?Or will she be trapped in his claws forever?

Dani was just an ordinary high school student—until fate played its cruel hand. After losing his parents at 15, he was left alone in the world with only money to his name. Neglecting his health, he developed cancer, and while waiting for death in a hospital bed, he found solace in novels, manhwas, and manga.He often cursed the weak romance in harem stories, where the MC had power and a harem but did nothing while the women fought over him. But one novel captivated him—a masterpiece about 100 heroines, each with tragic pasts, rising to the top of the world. It wasn’t about an overpowered male protagonist but about the struggles and triumphs of these heroines.“If only I could transmigrate into this world and marry them all...”Then he died—and woke up inside the very novel he admired.But not as the protagonist. Not even as a major character.Instead, he is reborn as Dani Everhart, one of the many sons of the king, a forgotten prince with no real power or influence. He is wealthy but not a contender for the throne, overshadowed by his brilliant older brother. However, he has one advantage—his knowledge of the story.He knows the heroines' hidden pain, their struggles, their tragedies.And he refuses to let them suffer.With no grand ambitions for power, Dani sets his sights on a single goal—to make each of these women fall in love with him, forming the greatest harem the world has ever seen.But as Dani gathers heroines by his side, his actions begin to change the story itself.And soon, the world will realize—this forgotten prince is no background character.He’s about to rise.

In a distant future, Alexander wakes to a reality where his past is a fog and his consciousness inhabits a robot body. Faced with a fragmented memory and an uncertain future, he embarks on a quest for answers. Amidst the hum of his repair shop, where he scrapes by, he delves into the mystery of his transformation. As Alexander forges ahead, stitching together the threads of his identity, unexpected companions join his journey. Among them is a precocious girl whose presence sparks forgotten emotions, offering a glimpse of his lost humanity. Yet, in the shadows, lurk those drawn by his technological prowess, casting ominous shadows over his path. Caught between the pursuit of understanding and the threat of those who covet his abilities, Alexander confronts a pivotal question: will he succumb to adversity or emerge from the crucible stronger than before?