Villain: Without morals, you can't be manipulated! - Chapter 41 - A Private Lesson

Humanity was on the brink of destruction. Muyoung, an assassin from the Forest of Death, fell to his knees. There were corpses all around him. For years, he had worked for the Forest of Death and had finally been able to eradicate them. Now, he, himself, was about to die. He closed his eyes as he felt his heart stop beating.

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.

A young farmer's son, Oscar, is content with living a peaceful life, but by fate's whim, he is found to have the potential to become something greater, an Exalt. A special class of humans who perform miraculous feats and lord over others. Despite his shortcoming and slow progress compared to the geniuses around him, Oscar holds determination as his shield and persistence as his blade. Who says that a person needs to be a genius?Who says that a person has to be a prodigy?With each heavy step, Oscar walks the path of an Exalt.

Li Xiaofei, thrust 500 years into the future, finds himself as a young orphaned man in a harsh, post-apocalyptic world. Raised by a woman only slightly older than himself in the unforgiving slums, he quickly learns that survival requires both strength and cunning.In a world ravaged by alien star beasts, where gangs rule the streets and political factions vie for control, chaos is the order of the day. Amidst this turmoil, Li Xiaofei must carve out his own destiny. Armed with the mysterious Moonlight Treasure Box, he embarks on a perilous journey to make a name for himself and protect the ones he loves.Will Li Xiaofei rise above the chaos to bring peace to his world, or will he be consumed by the darkness that surrounds him?Official BlurbThe star beasts invaded, and Earth’s civilization collapsed. A young man, wielding the artifact Moonlight Treasure Box, drew upon the legacy of three thousand martial arts techniques from various worlds. He protected humanity, won the hearts of beautiful women, slew star beasts, suppressed myriad races, ruled the universe, and commanded the heavens. In the vast cosmos, he was invincible!