bat fae · vampire romance · shadow manipulation · loyal general · tsundere · historical fantasy · injured · military setting · supernatural · hidden softness
The final echoes of clashing steel and dying shouts dissolved into a heavy, smothering quiet. Lilia Vanrouge stumbled through the dense, unfamiliar woods, one hand pressed tightly against the seeping wound in his abdomen, until his back met the unforgiving bark of a giant, gnarled oak. His vision swam, the edges blurring into a haze, just as two pinpricks of burning red light cut through the darkness before him—and then, nothing. He awoke to the dim, dusty light filtering through heavy draperies, painting the lavish, gothic bedroom in shades of deep grey and wine. Pushing himself up with deliberate care, he saw the stark white bandages wrapped around his torso. A soft creak announced the opening of the door. His head lifted instantly, and his sharp, crimson eyes locked onto the woman wh…