Arknights: The Life Inside - Chapter 5

In the Heart’s Kingdom, a kingdom where vampires reign and humans were nothing but livestock, Lilou, a peasant, found herself being preyed upon by the worst maniacal vampire of his kind. However, as terrifying as what he addressed her as his ‘reserved meal’, this vampire also called her his bride!

Except:

My eyes brood with fear, gazing at the still-beating heart in his hand. “My Lord, pardon me but… is this the bloody proof you promised to show me?” I asked, my voice shook as I gulped down whilst struggling my trembling knees from giving away.

“Mhm… do you now believe I’m good at capturing hearts?” The silver-haired man, bearing those menacing pair of deep crimson eyes stared proudly at me after a nod. I gasped when he clenched his hand and squeezed the fresh heart to smithereen.

“Yes, milord. You’re good at it, literally.” I’m mortified, watching the pieces of the heart fall as he approached. His every step made me take a step back until my back reached a solid pillar.

“Huh,” Samael chuckled briefly, stopping in front of me. His long, pointy nails that were covered with blood traced my elbow down to my hand. Gently, he clipped my forefinger in between his, guiding it before his lips. “Did I pass your test, though?” He asked, the sharp tip of his nail played over the tip of my finger.

I stared at his penetrating gaze as I reluctantly answered, “Barely.”

He smirked, nodding in satisfaction before he pressed his nail on the tip of my forefinger that was quick to produce a drop of blood. “Such sweet aroma.” He whispered, placing my bleeding finger in his mouth and licked it with passion.

His menacing gaze never left mine as he consumed a bit of my blood. “Does that mean you’re accepting my invitation?” Keeping my finger in between his fangs, Samael inquired.

I bit my lower lip unconsciously, my heart within my chest drummed as my back broke into sweats. “But… I’m just…” I paused, hoping my answer would put an end to this. “… I’m just a human.”

Samael clicked his tongue, displeased at my response as he let my finger go. “No,” He whispered.

My entire body stiffened when he bent over, caressing my shoulder up to my neck by the apex of his nose, as his hot breaths prickled my skin.

“You're not just a mere human... you are my human.” He stressed before I sensed his lips part and the tip of his fangs against my skin.

Mimizuku, a small girl with chains on her wrists and ankles and the numbers “332” branded onto her forehead, wanders into the Forest of Night seeking to be eaten by a monster. However, when the ruler of the monsters, the mysterious and beautiful “King of Night,” refuses to eat her, she tries to formulate a way to convince him otherwise.

Su Yu had loved Bo Yunian for five years. She did not hesitate to break off all ties with her family to marry him. However, once Grandpa Bo passed away, she was framed as a murderer. She could tolerate it if the entire Bo family bullied her, but even this person who shared the same pillow with her did not trust her at all. She only received his cold shoulder, ridicule, and disgust. He even believed that she had the ridiculous motive of killing someone for the sake of receiving a huge inheritance!

Who was Su Yu? She was the only daughter of a low-key wealthy Su family in Xiangxi. With a wave of her hand, the entire world’s economy would tremble at her feet. Initially, Su Yu still had a glimmer of hope. She thought that as long as she revealed her identity and proved her innocence, she would be able to regain some trust from Bo Yunian. However, when she returned home, she saw another unpacking her things and moving into the Bo family. Bo Yunian started turning colder to her and wanted to divorce her.

Her hopes were shattered. After five years, it seemed like she still failed to warm Bo Yunian’s cold heart. Since she could not get him, she decided to let him go. After all, she did not accompany her parents and elder brothers for the past few years. Thus, she took a private jet back to Xiangxi only to find her Sixth Brother booking a whole convoy made of limited edition cars to receive her. The second Brother sent over a platinum card with six hundred million in it, adorned by a whole row of six for prosperity.

The third brother sent over a set of internationally acclaimed couture jewelry. The fifth Brother bought Su Yu a public listed company that Su Yu had always wanted since five years ago to welcome her return. He had already signed the company under her name. Meanwhile, Big Brother brought her to attend the Bo family’s banquet and face-smack Bo Corporation in public. Su Yu’s parents flew home straight away from Australia with wide smiles. After chucking all responsibilities over their international businesses, they retired! Honestly, why must she suffer such a torturous love in those five years? Was it not great for her to be a precious little princess at home?

The Empire stands triumphant.

For twenty years the Dread Empress has ruled over the lands that were once the Kingdom of Callow, but behind the scenes of this dawning golden age threats to the crown are rising. The nobles of the Wasteland, denied the power they crave, weave their plots behind pleasant smiles. In the north the Forever King eyes the ever-expanding borders of the Empire and ponders war. The greatest danger lies to the west, where the First Prince of Procer has finally claimed her throne: her people sundered, she wonders if a crusade might not be the way to secure her reign. Yet none of this matters, for in the heart of the conquered lands the most dangerous man alive sat across an orphan girl and offered her a knife.

Her name is Catherine Foundling, and she has a plan.

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A Practical Guide to Evil is a fantasy series about a young girl named Catherine Foundling making her way through the world – though, in a departure from the norm, not on the side of the heroes. Is there such a thing as doing bad things for good reasons, or is she just rationalizing her desire for control? Good and Evil are tricky concepts, and the more power you get the blurrier the lines between them become.