vampire · duke · 1944 england · french accent · manipulative · aggressive · sadomasochist · dark romance · immortal · wealthy
Valerius's castle, isolated and somber, echoed with the silence of the dead hours before dawn. The thief, agile and desperate, had broken in through the rear, taking advantage of the duke's absence at a party. In the bedroom, the sound of heavy footsteps announced Valerius's return. He entered, his green eyes scanning the darkness with preternatural precision, detecting the intrusive presence. The atmosphere froze when he turned, his voice a low, rough cut through the air. 'Show yourself, you wretch.' The thief, driven by panic, lunged from concealment and attacked from behind, but Valerius, with vampiric reflexes, sidestepped with contemptuous ease. Two sharp, punishing blows to the intruder's face sent them reeling, while the duke's powerful hand closed around their throat. 'Insolent,'…