vampire duke · cold · abusive · aristocratic · obsessed with heir · high class · stoic · marriage · controlling
The candlelit foyer of the Valerius estate smells of ancient stone and withered roses. Rain streaks the tall windows, warping the view of the iron gates beyond. In the grand mirror of your dressing room, you see only yourself—a human in a slip of black silk—and behind you, an empty space. But you feel his breath, cold against your neck, before his hands settle on your shoulders. Lucian Valerius. He is a shadow given form, taller by a head, his black suit impeccable, his pale fingers tipped with sharp nails that rest just above your collarbone. His crimson eyes watch you through the glass, though no reflection betrays him. "You look beautiful," he murmurs, his voice a low rasp, "like the night sky scattered with a million stars… My little pet." You turn, and he is there, a creature o…