Blood and Moonlight
susumeblumem · Ongoing · 6.6k Words
Introduction
Yet, within the murky depths of this prison, an ally emerges. Lila, a ghostly figure shrouded in secrecy, possesses the uncanny ability to slip through the cracks of time, her essence woven into the fabric of the very shadows that Denise so deftly manipulates. As a fellow prisoner with dreams of liberation, she offers Bohdan a glimmer of hope, a chance to escape the clutches of those who profit from his torment. Together, they plot an escape that will shatter the delicate balance between the past and the present.
Meanwhile, Denise, a woman consumed by obsession and endowed with the power to bend shadows to her will, prowls the underbelly of the city. Her heart races at the thought of capturing the infamous vampire, her mind racing with visions of their intertwined fates.
Chapter 1
The bartender watched the stranger avoiding a lap dance from a nude saloon dancer named Penny. She was one of a group of dancers that put on a show each weekend for the local men who spent their days on the range, working long hours under the hot sun.
The stranger entered the saloon less than an hour ago and seemed disinterested in the woman who was now grinding her backside into his chest. She was looking for a tip and was getting pissed that she wasn’t getting any response at all.
“What’s wrong buddy? You don’t like girls?” Penny asked. The stranger raised his hat brim just enough to make eye contact with the woman. “You
need to shave,” the stranger replied. “What the jell are you doing?” Penny asked. “You look like you haven’t had a bath or shave in a
month.”
“I haven’t,” the man replied. “Now get me a drink.”
“I’m not a barmaid. If you want a drink, get it yourself,” the woman replied. Frustrated, she spotted another lonely man across the bar, and zeroed in on him.
The stranger then stood up and walked to the bar; dressed in dirty clothes he looked like he hadn’t been out of the countryside in years. Strapped to his waist was a gun belt and pistol, and tied to his belt loop was a bag that contained his money.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked.
“Beer,” the stranger replied. The bartender popped open a bottle of beer and poured it into a tall glass stopping before the head spilled over. The stranger tossed a coin on the counter and took his beer to his lips for a drink. At room temperature, it had a bite. “I need a girl,” the stranger stated looking over at better looking nude dancer.
“A girl?” the bartender asked.
“You know, to fuck. Not like that dog that was humping me.”
“Oh, those girls are strictly for dancing, they aren’t working girls, those girls are upstairs,” the bartender replied pointing to the rooms that lined the upper floor of the building. “You can get there from the stairs over there,” he added pointing towards the entrance door to the saloon.
“Do I pay you?” the stranger asked.
“No, stop at room number three, knock and talk to the madam that lives there, she’ll hook you up.”
“Thanks,” the stranger replied and took a long chug of his beer finishing it off in three swallows. He set the mug on the counter and walked over to the stairs. As he crossed the room, all eyes were on him watching to see what he would do.
It didn’t take long for the stranger to climb the stairs to the balcony above and find room three.
He knocked on the door and waited for the madam to respond.
The door opened and a woman answered the door. The stranger expected to see an old woman with no teeth and an angry disposition, but what he met looked more like a school teacher.
“What can I do for you?” the madam asked. She knew the answer, but was being polite.
“I need a woman,” the stranger replied.
“I see, step inside so we can talk.”
The stranger stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. He took a quick look around at the room and noticed a very feminine touch. Lots of frilly decorations filled the space and dolls sat like they were waiting for a party.
“What kind of girl are you looking for?” the madam asked.
“Don’t matter, I need to get laid,” the stranger replied.
“I have several girls I can set you up with, do you like a large girl? Or maybe a petite one? I have a set of twins if you like, you have to pay double, but it’s worth it.”
“How much?”
“Depends on the girl, if you want a white girl its one dollar, if you want a Mexican or black, its twenty five cents. The twins are expensive, they get a dollar and a half each.”
The stranger stood and thought for a moment. He looked around again at the decorations that filled the room and felt his money bag. “I’ll take a Mexican,” he replied.
“I have three, Maria, Anna and Claudia. Would you like to take a look?”
“Yes,” the stranger replied. He was getting frustrated and felt like he was getting the run around.
“Follow me,” the madam said and walked to the door. As she passed the stranger, she brushed up against his money bag to try to feel how much he was carrying. She led the stranger down the balcony to room five and entered the room. Sitting on the bed was a Hispanic woman dressed only in a long shirt, two others were lying on the bed talking when they noticed the stranger and madam enter and stood up in attention. “These are
my Mexican girls,” the madam stated holding out her hand as to offer them up.
“Which one is the best one?”
“They all do a very good job,” the madam replied.
“They look like they’re twelve years old.”
“I think Maria is fourteen, right Maria?” the madam asked.
“Yes ma’am” Maria replied.
The stranger smiled and rubbed his crotch. “I’ll take Maria,” he said. “And her as well,” he added pointing to Claudia.
“That will be fifty cents,” the madam said.
The stranger stood for a moment like he was lost in thought. “I changed my mind, I’ll take Maria, that’s all.”
“I can make you a deal, I can give you all three girls for fifty cents.”
“No, I just want the one,” the stranger replied.
“Alright, I need twenty five cents then,” the madam stated holding out her hand.
The stranger fished into his money bag and pulled out a coin. He placed it in the madam’s hand and waited for the other women to leave.
“You have one hour,” the madam said and motioned for Claudia and Anna to follow her outside.
Once the door was shut, the stranger stood staring at Maria like she was the last meal to a starving man. He didn’t move, he just seemed to be thinking and this scared Maria.
“What’s wrong?” Maria asked in her thick Hispanic accent.
“Strip,” the stranger said. Like he was talking to a slave.
Maria pulled her long shirt over her head and tossed it on the bed. She stood naked
across the room nervously trying not to shake.
“Are you scared of me?” he asked.
“You make me nervous, yes,” Maria asked.
“Why?”
“You’re so quiet, I don’t understand you.”
“I paid to get laid, what’s there to understand?
Last Chapters
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The Rejected White Luna
"No... You can't do that."
Those words shattered Aria's world in front of the entire pack.
As the daughter of the Alpha of Silver Moon Pack, Aria was born with a powerful legacy. But with a weak wolf that could never shift, she became a disappointment in the eyes of her own people. She was mocked, ignored, and treated as a weakness instead of the future Luna she was meant to be.
She believed finding her fated mate would finally change everything.
Until Kael rejected her publicly and chose another.
"Because a mate who cannot shift is no mate at all. She's a weakness. And weakness spreads."
Broken but refusing to surrender, Aria leaves the only home she has ever known. But fate has a different plan waiting for her.
When she crosses paths with another powerful pack, Aria discovers a shocking truth: she has been given a second chance mate. The only problem? She never expected him to be someone who could change her entire destiny.
With a new bond awakening hidden powers within her, Aria is no longer the weak wolf everyone looked down on.
Now she has the chance to make those who hurt her pay.
But when Kael realizes the woman he rejected has become the one person he cannot lose, he wants her back.
Will Aria choose revenge, or will she find a love greater than the betrayal that destroyed her?
The Unbreakable Oath
Tango 2 the Alpha's Heart
My gaze snapped to his. He was smiling, causing my heart to skip a painful beat. Before I could respond, the music began, and my body instinctively reacted to the sweet melody.
I found myself molded to Lex's will, my feet irresistibly following the dance steps.
The crowd gasped as Lex pulled me into a more intimate position, his hands roaming over my body in a seductive manner.
The experience was both terrifying and magical, allowing me to feel every longing emotion through the dance.
I soon found myself lost in his arms.
When the music finally stopped, my arms were wrapped around his neck, his hands resting on my back, our noses almost touching. He gazed deeply into my eyes.
The ballroom fell silent.
Was he about to kiss me?
Lilly’s life was never easy; she lost her memory and family in a blazing fire. Angelica found and took her in—only to make her a slave to the household.
Years of torment and abuse left Lilly weak, vulnerable, and believing she was without a wolf, but that didn't mean that all hope was lost.
At night, in her dreams, he would patiently wait for her—the man who brought sunshine into her darkest moments.
They would dance the night away, but as dawn approached, he would vanish into the morning sun.
Lilly had given up hope of finding a mate, having a family, and leading a normal life.
But things are about to drastically change for her...
Secrets, lies, betrayal... and a baby on the way.
What if Lilly wasn't wolf-less? What if it was all a lie?
What if she had a living family? Would she stay and bond with them or make a run for freedom?
The Vampire King's Feeder
Emory: I was born to be the Alpha of my pack, my father's first born daughter. But now... I am here, in the castle of our greatest enemy, the Vampire King. I should hate Kane Alexander, but the more time I spend with him, the more I long for him in ways I cannot understand. I am not here to be his lover, though. I am here to be his feeder. But even before his lips graze my skin the first time, I know I would give myself to him in every way imaginable if only he should ask. Kane: I long to taste the wolf shifter, but not her blood, her body... her essence. I want her in every way imaginable. But I'm already betrothed to marry another blood-born vampire, and if I call that off, I have resigned my kingdom to yet another war. There has to be a way to keep Emory Moonraker as my feeder but not claim her in my bed. I just haven't figured it out yet, and every time I look into her jade eyes, I forget everything and everyone but her. But I have enemies, and every moment she spends here in my home, Castle Graystone, she's in danger.
One Weekend with the Billionaire
I open my mouth to respond, but all that comes out is a staggered breath and a small sigh. He chuckles, a low, rough rumble and then leans down and kisses the middle of my back.
I feel the tip of him again at my entryway. He pushes in slightly, and my body comes to life again. My muscles react to his presence, contracting and loosening, as if my body is trying to suck him deep inside.
He's my husband's boss, so this is supposed to be wrong.
So why does it feel so right?
Braxton Merriweather always gets what he wants. Now, he wants her--Julia Thompson, the wife of one of his workers. From the moment he first laid eyes on her, he knew he had to possess her in every way.
When Jeff Thompson takes him up on the bargain he proposes, Braxton is shocked. He's even more surprised when Mrs. Thompson agrees.
But now that he's had a taste of her, he wants more. How can he possess a woman who's already married to someone else?
Julia feels trapped by her marriage to her high school sweetheart. In the two years since they've been married, he's changed, and not for the better. When billionaire Braxton Merriweather shows interest in her, she's flattered. And intrigued. Is it possible that one of the richest men in the world could really want her?
And if so... what does she do about her husband?
One Weekend with the Billionaire is a sexy story for mature readers.
Chosen By The Lycan King
Bound by Vengeance
Then there is Xavier Romano. Cold and calculating, he revels in his dominance, finding satisfaction in the terror he instills and the power he wields. But his iron control shatters when he crosses paths with Eloisa. Her unpredictability, her unapologetic desire for vengeance, and her allure are irresistible—and dangerous. As they collide in a world where betrayal is constant and alliances are fragile, passion ignites between them, each step drawing them deeper into a forbidden obsession that neither can control. In a life defined by violence and survival, will their dangerous game be their undoing, or will it make them unstoppable?
A Queen Among Darkness (Book 4 in the Gods' Saga)
For centuries, she has been on the run, helping the supernatural community under the cloak of anonymity while she works to clear her name and save the very people after her from destruction.
Enemies are closing in, but an unexpected complication befalls her when she realises she’s been fated to someone who wants her species exterminated. After all, an evil chance seldom comes alone.
A Queen Among Darkness is the 4th book in the Queen Among Series/The Gods' Saga. This is an interconnected series. To see how it ends, I recommend reading the full series.
Books in the series in order:
A Queen Among Alphas - Book 1
Bite-Size Luna - A Queen Among Alphas Prequel (available under book 1)
A Queen Among Snakes - Book 2
A Queen Among Blood - Book 3
A Queen Among Darkness - Book 4
Whole Again - A Queen Among Alpha's spin-off (available under book 1)
A Queen Among Tides - Book 5
Valor, Virtue, and Verve - Tides Prequel Spin-off (will be available under book 5)
A Queen Among Gods - Book 6
Runaway Empress - A Queen Among Snakes Prequel (will be available under book 2)
A Queen Among Tempests - Book 7
Dark Vocation - Darkness spin-off (will be available under book 4)
A Court of Arcane Souls Anthology (side character short stories exclusive to Ream)
Royal Shadow Series (Next Generation Coming Soon)
Bella and Her Beast
.
Locked in her frozen tower, Bella dreamed of warmth, of touch, of freedom and of love. Cursed with the power of ice and snow, she’s spent her life alone. A secret they tried to protect the world from. Her only escape comes in the form of the books she reads. Stories of heat, desire, and the kind of love that could melt even her frostbitten heart.
Damien is the Beast. A dragon King with a temper forged in flame and a soul hollowed by duty. The world fears him. The people call him a monster. But beneath the scales and the rage lies a man who has never been touched by love.
When frost meets fire, the world shatters. She was never meant to leave her tower. He was never meant to find her. But destiny doesn’t bow to kings or care for cages and now the question burns through them both: Can Bella have her Beast? Or will the girl of snow melt in the heat of his desire?
.
"I’m keeping her."
"What?"
Before I can react, he scoops her up. Her small body fits easily in the cradle of his talons. For a split second, she looks startled, but not afraid. Her hand rests against one scaled finger, and she stares up at him with that same curious wonder, as though she’s already forgotten she was ever meant to fear me.
"Put her down," I try to command, panic threading through my thoughts. "You’ll hurt her."
"She’s ours," the beast insists, possessive and fierce. "Our snowflake."
Iron And Glamour Just Don't Mix
Well… Sometimes you just might turn out to be right.
It turns out, the fae stole my little brother. In his place? A pixie with boundary issues and a talent for home repairs.
I’ve spent my life taking care of everyone else. So when my baby brother is taken, I don’t hesitate. I walk straight into a faerie mansion and make a bargain with its infuriatingly charming master.
Kie is everything you’d expect from a dangerous fae, beautiful, political, and entirely too amused by me. Power wrapped in a smirk. Sensual, mischievous, and far too aware of the effect he has on people. He agrees to help me find my brother.
For a price.
Now I’m bound by a faerie bargain and navigating a world of glamour, manipulation, and ancient rules I definitely should have learned sooner, enchanted forests, political games, magical contracts, and a fae lord who treats seduction like a perfectly reasonable negotiation tactic.
Iron is how I keep people out.
Glamour is how he draws them in.
And apparently, they just don’t mix.
The Rejected Luna’s Rise
Luna Ariana Volkstane slid the formal rejection request across the table. "Let's end this bond. It's better for you, me, and your first love."
He just smirked. "You want me to reject you? You think you can break our bond that easily?"
So she did. Ariana cut ties with him completely, poured herself into her career, and rose to global fame as a legendary healer, her knowledge of rare herbs, wolf anatomy, and ancient magic sought after across continents.
The powerful suitors lined up. The Alpha of an overseas empire whispered, "Ariana, hurry up and perform the severing ritual. I can't wait to claim you." A powerful pack leader vowed, "I'll be there with you the day you break the bond." A legendary wolf attorney promised, "I'll handle your rejection case with the pack council myself."
Ariana just rubbed her temples. It's not that she didn't want the split, she wanted it more than anything, it's just that the Alpha she was mated to refused to let go.
Finally, she announced, "Whoever can officially get me rejected, I'll put you at the head table of my bond-breaking celebration."
Not long after, Alpha Damian was served the official rejection request right in the middle of an emergency pack council meeting. That same afternoon, he was attacked by rogues at the gates of his own territory.
When Ariana showed up at the pack infirmary with healing herbs, she repeated calmly, "Let's sever the mate bond. It's better for you, me, and everyone else."
But the cold, untouchable Alpha pulled her into his arms, his eyes blood-red with fury. "You want me to reject you? Over my dead body."
My Perverse: You're mine, you son of a bitch
Vincenzo Valentini is a man who sees the world as a business counter and human beings as merchandise.
The owner of an empire built upon corpses and submission, he is the reflection of pure perversity.
When fate places Andrew Thompson, the son of his greatest rival, into his hands, the plan was simple: use him, break him, and discard him like a toy that has lost its appeal.
What Vincenzo did not expect was that, beneath the youthful skin and the appearance of innocence, Andrew hid the same abyss as he did.
Vincenzo never wanted redemption. He never wanted someone to save him from his own darkness. He was seeking a mirror. And in Andrew, he found the partner who, upon seeing his blood-stained hands, does not recoil in terror, but trembles with desire.
In this perverse game, the "little toy" proves to be the perfect executioner. The mafia leader found someone who not only accepts his cruel side but cultivates it, feeding the monster Vincenzo has always been.
Where there should have been fear, lust emerged. Where there should have been hatred, a perverse loyalty was born. Andrew Thompson is the dark reflection of Vincenzo, the soldier the underworld did not see coming, and the man who proved that, for some, paradise only makes sense if it is in the middle of chaos.
Vincenzo opened the doors to his empire, but Andrew was the only one capable of invading his heart.
They are not heroes. They are hell on earth.
