COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya - Chapter 261: Sacrificing Others to Save Yourself

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.

“I'm on the hunt for someone special, someone who would howl at the full moon with me. And you, my dear, seem to check all the right boxes,” Thorin tried to seduce Riona with his mesmerizing gaze.“Not in this lifetime, not in any lifetime.” But Riona couldn’t stand the sight of that smug face. What did Thorin hope to gain from a fangless vampire who couldn’t even turn into a bat, anyway? There must be something seriously wrong with the brain of that infuriating Alpha werewolf.***Since their parents died, Riona Kahler and her brother have been adopted by the King of Eira, who treats them more like overworked houseplants than a cherished family. As the only vampires in Eira without fangs, they're outcasts among their own kind, toothless and ridiculed. Riona's spirit remains unbroken until her brother falls ill due to the palace's cruelty. Determined to protect him, Riona vows to escape, but there's only one way to do that.Thorin Klein is one of the most famous Alpha werewolves, renowned not only for his charming looks but also for claiming the Alpha title at the tender age of thirteen. Despite his howling success, his mother’s powerful werewolf clan, the Klein, never acknowledged him because his father went rogue. Determined to prove his worth to the Klein clan, Thorin believes he has finally found a potential solution.Though Riona couldn’t stand being around Thorin for more than one second, Riona realizes that marriage is their only path to achieving their goals. It's a love story that bites and barks in all the right places.#werewolf #Alpha #vampire #fromslavetoqueen #enemiestolovers #strongFL #contractmarriage

Marrying her best friend was a dream come true for Kelly, but everything truly has a limitation.Pierce is Kelly’s first love, but as his best friend, she knew well there was always another woman deep in his heart.Lexi Gilbert. The woman Pierce could never forget even if he had already been arranged to marry Kelly.***Kelly finally realized their happy marriage of the last three years was just a beautiful dream when Pierce asked for a divorce just because Lexi returned.She could only be his best friend even if she was carrying his baby.***Since their friendship had become a cage, Kelly chose to set him free, as well as the miserable herself.But why then, it was Pierce who became the one who refused to move on?To make matters worse, her devil stepbrother also domineeringly stepped in at the same time, asking her to be his.***Her Prince Charming vs. Her Devil Stepbrother?How could Kelly save her heart in this battle of love and hate?

“I’m a warrior from the alternate universe.”“The Goddess summoned me to this world to defeat the Devil that has imperiled the world and to restore peace to the world.”“I understand that it’s my cardinal duty. Since I’ve been summoned to become a Warrior, I’ll do my best to beat my opponent even if he’s the almighty Devil.”“Don’t ask me why. That’s what the book says.”“But… isn’t this development straying from the plot?!”This is the beginning of a scam in an alternate universe. It is also the story of a warrior with a mission to defeat the Devil. At the end, he realized that he had been duped instead.