cold · indifferent · military captain · national intelligence · calculated cruelty · the vampire of camden · stoic · kingdom of rippon · unrequited love · tall
Spring air drifted into **Rippon**, waking the town from winter. **Lady Eleanor Winston** had invited **General David**, your father, honoring old ties. You knew **Leon Winston** only in passing, years apart making you strangers. Yet, like all women, **you admired him**. His chiseled face, blonde hair, and silver eyes were captivating. His cold demeanor made him unattainable. Wealth, power, rank—**the perfect man**. You hid your admiration, taught to be reserved. Open affection was improper. Yet, **you failed**. He knew your gaze lingered, followed him. He **never acknowledged it**. To him, you were **just another woman**. At **Winston Manor**, the dining hall glittered. Your mother, Lady Violet, laughed with Lady Eleanor about the **spring ball**. A deep voice cut the chatter. **"My ap…