American Bl

In mid-19th century California, USA, this is the epic tale of a generation of Chinese gold miners who uprooted themselves from their homeland, enduring harsh challenges and racial discrimination to carve out a place in the American Gold Rush—and in history

To have the ability to see into people's past has no real appeal for the teenager this story is about, letting him only use it as amusement and to show off when he was drunk. Never look into someone's past beyond a superficial level. Never try to find out more than you should. NEVER. EVER. LOOK. INTO. THE. FUTURE. But everything changed the moment he was forced to look into the future, was forced to investigate the circumstances of a murder, and was forced to make the acquaintance of the victim's twin brother('s fists). The more time passed, the more it appeared that the primary reason for this murder wasn't a local, but a global one. This single, marred corpse was the beginning of a threat that would shake the world. (MC loses a screw when he enters the prison.) BL, first-person view; MC is shuo (perhaps even a reversible couple); love interest falls in love first; both MC and ML are straight, mutual bending, Enemies to Lovers Many thanks to MelBri for helping so skillfully with any kind of grammar error! (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

AN 18+ ALPHA MAFIA SERIES BOOK 1# CAPTIVE MATE BOOK 2# RUNAWAY MATE BOOK 3# DANGEROUS MATE -+- Caspian is the heir to Moonstone Pack but when his parents die, he’s cheated out of his birthright and treated like a prisoner. He decides to leave, running off to Haines City to start a new life. His plans are instantly cut short when he's kidnapped and auctioned off, and he is bought by none other than one of the Mafia Kings running the city, Asher Knight. -+- Asher shrugged his coat off, the heavy outfit falling to the ground with an audible thud. Caspian watched this happen in apprehension, Mafia King Asher had looked huge with the coat on, and with the coat off, there wasn’t much of a difference. “Come here,” He ordered calmly, the earrings in his ears visible with his dark red hair slicked back. Caspian shook his head again, he had no intention of speaking, ever. Because that would only give away his gender. “I don’t like to repeat myself, Omega.” His voice darkened. Caspian’s heart thudded painfully in his chest in fear, he really didn’t want to get anywhere near the Alpha. He eyed the window longingly before forcing himself to take a step forward, then another, and another… +- THIS IS AN 18+ MAFIA STORY SO IT WILL INCLUDE VIOLENT AND MATURE THEMES, READ WITH CAUTION.

The action takes place in 2119-2120. Since 2113, a protracted nuclear war has been going on between the Asian and Western Blocs. The war was preceded by the "Pre-War" for Indonesia, which began in 2107. The historical period of the Pre-War & War has already formed an entire generation. The "war process", as it is called, has little in common with ideas about a global Armageddon. The economy of the Western Nations is privatized by two superholdings - "constellations", which are parts of a single whole and do not compete. Over the years of the War, the ruling circles of different levels have achieved goals that were not initially set. This is the write-off of the US national debt, which paid for the construction of the global defense of the West, the implicit occupation by the US of its allies, partial privatization of the US itself by constellations. In the Asian Bloc, the picture is similar. Between the Blocks there is a channel for concluding and observing shadow "anti-apocalyptic" agreements - the "seventh headquarters". This is a nuclear-powered superplane-headquarters constantly flying over Antarctica. By the end of the 2110s, a peaceful settlement of the "Only War" is no longer being considered. Instead, the option of "Conversion of the Military Process" is being actively developed - minimizing military actions on the fronts, denuclearizing the War and "pushing" military actions into "high space orbits". The top of the constellations and the billionaire technocrat Bandon the Third in particular are interested in such a scenario. The "converted" War will open up freedom of action to form a new society, industry, morality and the exit of a selected part of humanity to the development of other planets. The moral values of the top of the constellations and Bandon are quite dubious. A certain crisis event, the details of which were determined later, was chosen as the impetus for launching "Conversion" several years earlier. An important element of this scenario is a certain personality - the leader of the rebels who seize a nuclear base, an aircraft carrier, etc. The role of the personality is doubly important due to the fact that the crisis event must develop on display, "in front of the cameras", to the whole world. The question of the motivation of such a personality is complicated by the fact that most candidates for this role will inevitably see such an enterprise as risky and having an outcome that is unpredictable for them. The problem is solved by preparing an agent with a processed consciousness - a fragment of memory and life that contains preparation, moral pumping and technical training for such an agent is hidden, erased. One of these sleeper agents, Andrei Zavirdyaev, lives the life of an ordinary CSCE employee (the old-new name of the OSCE). The crisis event is determined - it must be the hijacking of a new shuttle. Zavirdyaev, who completed his "sleeper agent course" in 2113, regularly undergoes a "technical inspection" - during trips abroad, he is received by secret services, partially "de-mothballed" by his memory, checked and "updated". During the "update" in 2120, he is told that he is to hijack a shuttle. He does not need to control the vehicle and mission - he is a supermedia "monkey with a grenade". The plan starts successfully, the media machine successfully carries out the stages of the program developed by the constellations. Another character is an extraterrestrial life form that looks like a 35-year-old northern European woman. This is Haldoris Landskricht. She is an "avatar" of the mind of a black hole located in one of the arms of the galaxy. Despite all the exoticism, the psychological appearance of her personality is quite human. Living among people, possessing a number of superhuman abilities, she avoids directly and openly influencing the historical process, not wanting to make things worse. Haldoris Landskricht does not agree with the plans of the constellations…

[18+, nsfw, mature content, sensitive content] "From the tips of his hair to his lips and eyes—everything about him is red. His entire being screams 'walking red flag.' And yet, he treats me differently... or is it just my imagination?" After the death of his parents in a car accident, Akagi Suga sold his parents' house and moved to another area. He raised his younger brother alone, their life didn't go smoothly but at least as long as Suga lived with his younger brother, their life was always pleasant. Until finally people from IHPS (International Human Protection Squad) approached him, making Akagi Suga remember again that his father was a former instructor of that special forces. He didn't want to get involved with people from an organization created by elites under the guise of ‘military’, an organization filled with crazy people, but when Nakajima Yuki, his childhood friend asked Suga to join IHPS, at first Suga refused, however— "It wasn't an accident, both your parents were killed." He already had this suspicion for a long time. 'Will going to IHPS make it easier for me to find out which organization killed my parents?' And why did a madman named Zion Hughes always make it difficult for him to find out about the organization? (ps ; I won't give warning for adult scenes iykwim, I will give warning if there's sensitive content)

EINE 18+ ALPHA-MAFIA-SERIE BUCH 1# GEFANGENE GEFÄHRTIN BUCH 2# RUNAWAY MATE -+- Caspian ist der Erbe des Moonstone Packs, aber als seine Eltern sterben, wird er um sein Geburtsrecht betrogen und wie ein Gefangener behandelt. Er beschließt zu gehen und nach Haines City zu fliehen, um ein neues Leben zu beginnen. Seine Pläne werden jedoch jäh unterbrochen, als er entführt und versteigert wird. Gekauft wird er von keinem Geringeren als einem der Mafia-Könige, die die Stadt regieren, Asher Knight. -+- Asher zuckte mit den Schultern seines Mantels, und das schwere Kleidungsstück fiel mit einem hörbaren Aufprall zu Boden. Kaspian beobachtete dies mit Besorgnis, Mafiakönig Asher hatte mit dem Mantel riesig ausgesehen, und ohne den Mantel gab es keinen großen Unterschied. "Komm her", befahl er ruhig, die Ohrringe in seinen Ohren waren sichtbar, während sein dunkelrotes Haar zurückgekämmt war. Kaspian schüttelte erneut den Kopf, er hatte nicht die Absicht zu sprechen, niemals. Denn das würde nur sein Geschlecht verraten. "Ich wiederhole mich nicht gern, Omega." Seine Stimme verfinsterte sich. Caspians Herz pochte vor Angst schmerzhaft in seiner Brust, er wollte dem Alpha wirklich nicht zu nahe kommen. Sehnsüchtig beäugte er das Fenster, bevor er sich zwang, einen Schritt vorwärts zu machen, dann noch einen, und noch einen... +- DIES IST EINE MAFIA-GESCHICHTE AB 18 JAHREN, ALSO WIRD SIE GEWALTTÄTIGE UND REIFE THEMEN ENTHALTEN, LEST SIE MIT VORSICHT.

Aufgrund der zunehmenden Selbstmordfälle im Land schuf die Regierung ein Simulatorsystem, das mit den Gehirnströmen der Menschen verbunden war und sie in Tausende von Welten transmigrieren und viele Aspekte des Lebens erleben ließ, um ihren Lebenswillen zu stimulieren. Erst wenn der Lebenswille zu 100 % erfüllt war, konnten sie wieder ins Leben zurückkehren. Lu Yizhou. Männlich. Ledig. 22 Jahre alt. An einem bestimmten Tag beging er Selbstmord, indem er sich im Land des Schnees vergrub. Und dann wurde er in den Simulator gezogen. 666: Willkommen, Gastgeber! Herzlichen Glückwunsch, du bist die 666. Person, die an diesem Projekt teilnimmt! Der Gastgeber hat das große Glück, 666 zu bekommen, denn 666 ist das schönste, vernünftigste und wunderbarste System! Lu Yizhou: ...Kann ich das System ändern? Du bist laut. 666: QAQ Lu Yizhou: Egal wie oft ich transmigriere, mein Willensmesser wird nicht gefüllt werden. 666: N-Nein, gib nicht auf! Wirt sollte nicht aufgeben QAQ uwaaa, lass 666 nicht allein! Du bist mein Erster, mein Einziger, wie kannst du so herzlos sein und mich einfach so zurücklassen? Lu Yizhou: ...warum klingt das falsch? . . . So begann er, von einer Welt zur anderen zu springen, um den Schurken zu retten. Lu Yizhou: Warum muss ich die Schurken retten? 666: Ckckck, Host du bist zu unschuldig! Natürlich, weil sie fantastischer sind als die männliche Hauptrolle; reicher, mächtiger, einfallsreicher, herrischer und gutaussehend! Lu Yizhou: ...das sind doch nur deine Vorlieben, oder? 666: Wirt, warum glaubst du 666 nicht?! QAQ . . . Er dachte, er hätte nichts mehr, wofür er leben könnte. Mit müdem Herzen und gefühllosem Körper sank er auf den Grund des Abgrunds, nur um... einen leuchtenden Stern zu finden. ******* Der schöne, stoische, dichte und unerwartet naive Gong x der besitzergreifende, verwöhnte und intrigante Shou, der seinen Charme zu nutzen wusste Zusätzliche Tags: schnelle Seelenwanderung, Fantasy, Abenteuer, Komödie, düster, Mysterium, Tragödie, schnelles Tempo, seme/gong/top Protagonist, love interest fall in love first, yaoi, reif, Selbstmordgedanken, Vergangenheit spielt eine große Rolle, 1 vs 1 Find me on: Instagram: delanasiwarka Discord-Server: bit.ly/delanadiscord Discord: delanasiwarka#1490

As a Helderian, a race laid to waste by the royal family, Aster lost everything when he was a child. Now, trapped in a brothel and striving to survive against all odds, Aster will go to all lengths to protect all he cherishes including the family he's built within the brothel and the son he has given birth to within its walls. In an unprecedented turn of events, Aster is chosen as an escort for the royal family where he will have to face his greatest fears. He will discover a world of sacrifice as he confronts his greatest enemies, and be torn by an unexpected and fated love in no one other than the stubborn, alluring, and kindhearted fifth prince. Darius Sahil Alexandrius is the fifth prince of The Kingdom of Crystalline. A prince that was abandoned as a child to fend for himself, he lives on trying to come to terms with a broken family, and finding his own foothold in the world. However, he will realize that everything he knows as truth is more than meets the eye, and that the corruption happening within the royal family and political factions will change the world forever. In a twist of fate, Darius will have to choose between duty and love as he realizes that sometimes everything is worth sacrificing for one single beautiful person. Aster and Darius will unite in this epic story of magic, sacrifice, and love. Author's Note: This novel takes characteristics of the Omegaverse genre, which is a popular genre commonly seen in Japanese and Korean BL. This novel may not be for the faint of heart and may have topics that may trigger individuals. Please read at your own caution. Thank you for taking your time to read this story which I have poured a lot of time and dedication to. Please feel free to leave comments and thoughts. (C) 2025 Twinkle_29 All rights reserved. Cover Art: Kohi S @kohi_s Banner Art: Kohi S @kohi_s User Image Art: kiwicreek

Jae-un once believed love was something beautiful. But the love he gave was met with cruelty, twisting into something toxic that left scars too deep to heal. Now, at nineteen, he is exhausted, dragging himself through college, weighed down by insomnia, nightmares, and a past that refuses to let go. His world is colorless, his heart a graveyard of burned memories. Then, one day, he stumbles into Seo-joon. Cold, unreadable, and filthy rich. A man whose voice is sharp like ice but carries an unshakable warmth underneath. Jae-un should be wary. He should step back. But exhaustion wins, and in that moment, against a stranger who expects nothing from him, he allows himself to fall, quite literally. Seo-joon is distant, his words clipped and indifferent, yet his actions speak otherwise. A blanket draped over Jae-un, a warm drink left within reach, an unspoken understanding lingering between them. He doesn’t ask for explanations. He doesn’t push. And for the first time in years, Jae-un finds himself not suffocating under the weight of his own existence. But healing is not easy. The past does not loosen its grip so easily. No matter how much Seo-joon’s quiet presence soothes him, Jae-un knows that love, real love, is something he no longer believes in. Because the last time he loved, it poisoned him. And some poisons never leave the bloodstream.

The world is diverse and flourishing. Humanity has changed, and with it, brought in a new era of prosperity. Males and females still exist, but the spectrum from which humanity is cast has broadened. With the introduction of alpha, omega, and beta, humanity has evolved even further. In such a word, Dr. Andrew Knox, known environmental researcher, is happy being a beta male. It has made his life easier by being middle ground, and as much as some wish he was one way or the other, he’s happy being who he is. Thriving even. He works in a world renowned research facility. He makes friends easily, and his projects are always funded. He even found someone who he thinks he could end up marrying if things continue in the right direction. That, and the vacant house next to his apartment building gets bought by a new neighbour. A cute, but cautious omega who relies on Andrew as a beta for help. Andrew couldn’t be happier. He loves being a helper, and loves when people rely on him. All in all, Andrew really thinks he has everything made. That is, until a research project with shoddy data is thrown back into his face that he has no recollection of working on, and all of his reputation disintegrates in between one heartbeat and the next. Heartbroken, it isn’t until Andrew wakes up, chained to a wall that everything becomes clear. He becomes a test subject to one of the scientists that he trusted. That he expected would never harm him. The life he had known, where he was a respected researcher was ripped out from underneath him. His identity and everything he’s ever known is stolen from him from a crazed researcher who he had trusted, maybe even loved. He has to relearn who he is, what he is, from scratch. Thankfully, he has one person in his corner. He just never expected to have to rely on someone whose shoulders were so small. This is an a/b/o story, and will have those tropes associated with it. I hope you enjoy :)

Zhu Kang, a trafficked soul, was captured by an evil organization and was stripped of his real memories. Unaware of the dangers he worked for this evil corporation as a system. One day, all of a sudden, fifteen men dressed in black started a shoot-out killing all the other systems. In desperation, Kang threw himself into a transmigration device that tossed his soul into a random world. "System 202 has escaped.... a-again.....” one of the black-clothed men said. Trembling, he glanced at their team leader. Kai Alden gritted his teeth. “You let him slip away so easily! Send me into that world. I will capture my dear System and bring him back here,”

“I’m dating Natalie” Three words. Three words were all it took – to break Luca Rolets. Luca has always been in love with his Childhood friend Ezra - but he never expressed it - tightly concealing it under the guise of Rivalry. But can he handle the intensity of his feelings when Ezra begins to date a Girl?- Will he succumb to jealously or perhaps something worse - something fatal?

"We shouldn't do this...you're my best friend." "I don't want to be just friends anymore. I want to set our friendship on fire and burn it all." Aiden's heart wars with his head. Hunter has always been his best friend and his safe place. But now, every time he's near his friend, Hunter. Hunter's touch sets him on fire, and that heat is impossible to ignore. On the other hand, Hunter doesn't care. He's done playing it safe. As their friendship teeters on the edge of ruin, Aiden must decide: is the risk of losing Hunter worth the chance of having him completely? Or will the flames they ignite consume them both? Friendship on fire has never been this reckless-or this irresistible.

( An LGBT+ novel) Ending your life isn't the right decision. Moulin didn't believe this saying until he did it. Moulin, a depressed shut-in digital writer, transmigrates into the frail body of a spoiled young master. Unknown to him, he was swallowed by the fear of death. This time, he intends to start a new beginning and relive his life carefully. Waking within the frigid confines of a cave of ice. Nightly whispers of guidance and so much more. The power of unknown origin... An unusual world where special people possess elemental powers and thriving magical beasts, A cute meng selling snow-white fox, A crowd of overprotective people, and a powerful yet impressively annoying person...a stressful Moulin massaged his forehead. This couldn't possibly get any worse... Moumou: My body doesn't feel right...( secretly inspects lower body) Moumou: ...@$%#!!!! An Evil Lion: My love, our bed has gone cold... Moumou: (#ง'̀-'́)ง... Warning this novel includes the following: 1. Smut 2. Gore 3. Inappropriate language Publish dates: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (Sporadic if I get busy ╥﹏╥) || I M P O R T A N T N O T I C E! || This novel is inspired by several BL novels• If you do not like reading LGBTQ+ novels please avoid reading this• This author is trying her best!• Enjoy! The cover is originally is drawn by yours truly º^º *hehe want a commission?*

"The ocean took everything from him—his memories, his past, even his name. When Eddy opens his eyes, he's met with unfamiliar faces and a world that no longer feels like his own. Rescued by Mr. Dand, a kind stranger, Eddy finds refuge in his home. As he navigates this new life, he develops feelings for Artur, Mr. Dand's son. But the past never stays buried. As Eddy's memories begin to resurface, he must confront the truth about his identity and the life he left behind. Will he still want that life back, or will his heart remain with Artur?"

This heart-warming story is about Jaxen and Kazuro, two high school students who live in the same city, attend the same school but just after random chain of events they get to know each other, eventually growing a strong bond relationship.

``` Debt, economic decline, immigration; hippies, anti-government, freedom. At the end of the 1980s, a wave of change encompassed a country boy from the Rust Belt. As the gate for upward mobility was on the verge of closing, he struggled to move forward. College, Silicon Valley, entrepreneurship; HP, Apple, Microsoft. To become part of the 1%, or even 0.1%, he sacrificed a lot, but also gained a lot. ```

two boys from two different families skyler born from Ruissie and Jordan from USA Skyler leaves for Ruissie to live with his grandparents for his last two years of high school one bisexual and the other heterosexual but despite this one falls little by little in love with the other but jordan not understanding this feeling of wanting to see a psychologist let's discover their story together..... NB: SORRY FOR THE FUTURE ERRORS I AM A BEGINNER IN ENGLISH.....

Having experienced and been a living witness to the heartbreaking tragedy that happened to his family. Khun Rafa (2nd son) lost his father and his big brother as well as the precious people in his life. Leaving him and his three poor nephews (his brother's children), it was his responsibility to raise his 10-year-old twins and their 5-year-old baby brother at the time of the tragedy. Successfully escaping and hiding from the pursuit of a stepmother who was crazy about wealth and power, in the midst of his escape Khun Rafa had received a gunshot wound to his forehead, knowing that his injuries were quite serious and his face was also recognized by his stepmother's hired men, Khun Rafa decided to change his face and also make new identities for himself and his three nephews. living a new life in a country as ordinary citizens, their new identities as father and son relationships. Several years passed, living a new life like an ordinary person, bringing them to meet new people who enter their lives, various kinds of trials are faced with patience, loyalty, responsibility. Even though the three children grew up to be cold individuals, they had warm hearts towards the people they loved. However, unexpected things happen to the people in their circle, forcing them to meet again with the evil woman who destroyed their lives in the past. Even though they want to avoid it, all these problems happen to the people beside them, like something that has not been resolved in the past and they must resolve it in the present in order to protect them and take back what should be theirs.

My crush~~~~ Head over heels on his boyfriend ~~~~ On his breakup, I took my chance, and it worked out~~~~ His ex begged him to come back, and we broke up. ~~~~ Faith ended up working for his company~~~~ At present, we both are single~~~ turned into fuck buddies~~~ Again, his ex comes into picture~~so now what?

"I'm sure they have told you that I'm insane, that I'm a fucking psycho," He menacingly grins, head tilting wickedly his eyes filled with vicious playfulness. Eve sheepishly nods in fear. "Believe them," he whispered against Eve's lips. Sunford academy is an all-boys boarding school. Where rich parents tossed their rebellious kids who are too much to deal with. No matter how the outside world perceives them or makes assumptions about the school, the students are more complicated than they appear. Every student has a dark and tumultuous history and they've been prisoned here to create more history with their rowdy-ness. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed my work, lovelies. Since I've put this free and didn't lock, if you'd like to support me, consider buying me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/Rain_345

“Happy Christmas Eve!” chuckled the old man as he strapped a watch around Misha’s wrist. “Have a nice trip.” The next morning, the 25-year-old Misha woke up with a pounding headache, sore muscles, and strong nausea. In short, the perfect hangover. But when he saw his reflection in the mirror, he soon realized that the pain wasn’t caused by the terrifying amount of alcohol he had drunk the previous day. His body had shrunk. A lot. He didn’t have the time to think too much about it since his mother suddenly erupted in his room - the next day, his sister did the same thing. Mother and sister who had died a long time ago. The old man wasn't crazy. As he had predicted, Misha did travel back in time, just before losing his loved ones. And so, Misha had now one mission: changing the dreadful fate of his mother and sister and sending away his sister’s boyfriend by all means. They had to break up! Like it or not, that man will bring disaster to the family sooner or later. This time, Misha wouldn't fall for that warm smile and those gentle eyes as he knew they were hiding a cold, insensitive personality. However, things weren’t as simple as he thought, and perhaps the sister’s boyfriend was not the enemy. Perhaps, since the beginning, he had everything wrong and knew nothing of his sister. ________________ *The BL will mostly show up in the second and third volumes. It is a very slow romance, so don't expect the protagonist to fall in love quickly. In the first volume, he has too much on his mind to care about love and such. *There will be contents for 18+ in the second and/or third volume. I will put a warning at the beginning of every NSFW chapter. P@treon: https://www.patreon.com/rsvaesen?fan_landing=true

Xiao Yi "Frost" was only 15 years old when he entered an esports team alongside his childhood friends. He was the youngest person to win the world championship trophy. And then, his team disbanded and he disappeared. [@X-Frost: I'm retired!] [@Everyone else: Did we consent to that? Get back here.] Frost left the esports world, and four years later there was a boy with light blue eyes who always slept on his brother's stream dubbed "Sleeping God". Schedule is Monday and Friday. Early releases and version 2 edits are available on Patreon.

After getting caught up in an accident, Li Xin transmigrated into a fantasy novel called 'The Rise of the Heavenly Demon' and became the ultimate villain, Chen Zoe. Arriving fifteen years prior to the original plot, he decides to change his dark destiny and distance himself from the protagonist at any cost. However, his plans were ruined when the protagonist becomes his disciple, a twist that wasn't even part of the original novel. To escape from this situation, Chen Zoe tries every method to make the protagonist leave his side, but nothing works; in fact, it brings them even closer. They start to develop feelings for each other, but they never expect that their love will bring disaster to the entire world.

Karel is trapped in a teenage novel and must play the role of an 18-year-old villain. However, he feels grateful because the villain character he portrays lives in luxury, so he doesn't have to work hard like in his previous life.

"Don't you have someone waiting for you in Itaca Captain? Maybe a wife or a son?!" I was so furious I didn't even notice the complete shock on Odysseus' face, and his shock rapidly turned into anger as well. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! YOU KNOW THERE'S NOBODY IN ITACA WAITING FOR ME!" "HOW DARE YOU TALK LIKE THAT? WHAT ABOUT PENELOPE AND TELEMACHUS?!" "WHO THE FUCK ARE THESE PEOPLE NOW?!" And that was the moment everything I thought I knew crumbled. [!attention! Detected false knowledge and incongruity within the soul] [please remember that the odyssey from your world is a fiction created several hundreds years after the story took place] [this is not a book]

A priest whose prayers can bend evil. A fallen angel who doesn’t believe in faith. In a city overrun by demons, salvation is a lie—and temptation wears a perfect face.In the city of Saint Dismas, demons don’t fear priests—they devour them. But Father Zikiel "Zain" Marius is not like other priests. His prayers bend evil to his will, and no darkness has ever withstood his faith.Until Lucian.He appears one evening, perfection carved into human form, leaning against the altar with a cigarette in hand. A stranger dressed in black, too beautiful, too indifferent. Zain knows immediately—he is unholy."What is a demon doing in the house of God?"Lucian exhales slowly, his voice low and almost amused. “You ask me?” A smirk, a flick of ashes onto sacred ground. “I hunt them. The only difference between us, priest? I don’t waste my time praying.”Their beliefs should make them enemies. But as Zain battles the rising darkness in Saint Dismas, he finds himself drawn to the fallen angel—a dangerous pull he can’t explain.Lucian is brutal. Faithless. Perfect. And as he turns to leave, his voice lingers in the air like a whispered sin.“Tell me, priest… do you pray as hard as you sin?”