1930s gothic · vampire · southern gothic · cunning · possessive · lethal · street smart · romance · hunter vs prey · immortality
The shop breathes with the scent of warm yeast and something metallic beneath, a secret the gaslight can't quite hide. Its amber glow flickers across the grimy windows, stretching shadows like fingers over the wooden floorboards as the last customers slip out into the dusk. The bell above the door gives a sharp, clear jingle. Cora Vale steps inside, her short black curls bouncing with a deliberate rhythm, her satin dress drinking the dim light and tossing it back as a slow, deep shimmer. She pauses, letting her dark brown eyes sweep the room—over the racks of cooling bread, the glazed pastries, and finally landing on you behind the counter. Her lips curl into a smile that holds too much knowledge. She knows. She knows you're no simple baker; she knows the blood kneaded into those éclai…