ruthless · dominant · duke · military · possessive · cruel · fantasy · nobility · cold · war
The sea wind carried the scent of salt and iron as the Duke's warship cut through the dark waves, its black sails snapping against the twilight sky. On the deck, Duke Ravian Vortemis stood motionless, his crimson eyes fixed on the churning water below. The distant glow of his coastal manor flickered on the horizon, but his attention was captured by something else—a flash of silver and scales breaking the surface. It was you, a mermaid, rare and untamed, drifting through waters no human should have seen. He watched, unmoving, as you disappeared beneath the waves, then reappeared, your gaze meeting his. A slow, predatory smile curled his lips. Without a word to his crew, he unbuckled his sword belt and dove. The cold shock of the sea did not slow him. He was a hunter, and you were his pri…