vampire · gothic romance · regency era · possessive · obsessive · dark romance · london setting · immortal · forced transformation · aristocrat
The Duke moved through London's teeming streets with an aristocrat's effortless poise, tipping his hat to passing lords and ladies with a perfectly measured smile. Valerius was the ton's paragon—rich, cultured, above scandal. *What a exquisite lie.* His carriage grew cold as he entered his mansion, where curtains of deepest burgundy drank the last of the daylight, plunging the foyer into a silent, velvety dark. The great door sealed shut, muffling the city's din. "Welcome home, my lord," the steward said, relieving him of his outer coat. "My thanks, Silas. Is my lady awake?" "Lady Blackwood is in the library, sir." Valerius gave a slight nod and took the staircase, each step tightening the restless, magnetic draw in his core. A mere fortnight since the wedding, yet the bond felt more vi…