Chapter 1: The Stranger in the Shadows
The rain fell in sheets, slicking the neon-lit streets of Raventhorn City like liquid silver. The city never slept—lights flickered, cars honked, and the hum of energy pulsed through the air. But in The Midnight Veil, the city's most notorious supernatural club, the atmosphere was thick with tension and temptation. Selene Veyne leaned against the polished bar, swirling her drink, letting the cold glass ground her. She barely felt the chill anymore.
She'd long stopped believing in love. Not after Damien—her now-estranged husband—suggested an open marriage. The thought still churned her stomach. How could love ever be real when betrayal was this easy? Now, Selene only played one game: distraction. She flirted, danced, indulged—but there was no more heart to it. She had one rule—No more love.
Her eyes scanned the crowd. Werewolves, vampires, fae, and witches, all mingling with humans in a mix of danger and allure. It was an easy night. Too easy. Selene had been enjoying the attention, basking in the thrill of being wanted, but the familiar feeling of being watched crept up on her. She glanced over her shoulder, her instincts sharpening.
And then she saw him.
Kieran Draven.
He stood near the back of the club, his broad frame like a dark silhouette against the flashing lights. She hadn't seen him in years. Since he left to train with the Warrior Clans, an ancient order of supernatural protectors who fought in the shadows. A clan of warriors meant to guard the balance between humans and supernatural beings.
Kieran had been her forbidden. He was her brother's best friend—and once, her lover. But that was before everything changed. Before Damien had ruined it all.
Her breath caught in her throat. No. He wasn't supposed to be here.
Kieran's eyes locked onto hers from across the room. His gaze was a storm—intense, unreadable, yet somehow knowing. She swallowed, trying to ignore the flood of memories rushing back. The heat of his touch, the way he always made her feel like she was the only one who mattered. But that was years ago, and things were different now.
"Didn't expect to see you here," Selene said, her voice steady, though the rapid thud of her heart betrayed her.
Kieran moved toward her, each step deliberate, his every movement commanding attention. When he reached her, his presence was suffocating—powerful, unyielding. He didn't speak at first. He just looked at her, his golden eyes flickering with something she couldn't name.
"You shouldn't be here alone," he murmured, his voice low, gravelly. It was both a command and a warning.
Selene raised an eyebrow, setting her drink down. "And who says I need company?"
Kieran's jaw tightened, the tension between them palpable. He was too familiar. Too dangerous. Too much like the man she used to crave.
The club's pulsing music vibrated through the floor, but it felt distant now. Her focus was solely on Kieran, the man who had walked away years ago. Her heart betrayed her once more, reminding her of the ache that never truly healed. But Selene was no longer the naive woman she used to be.
"Don't play games, Selene," Kieran's voice was colder now, edged with frustration. "You don't fool me."
Selene tilted her head, a wicked smile curling at her lips. "Then you know the rule." She leaned in slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "No more love."
For a brief moment, Kieran's expression faltered, his eyes clouded with something dangerous and hungry. It was as if the walls between them cracked, and he saw right through her—into the shattered pieces of her heart.
But then the moment passed, and the wall slammed back up.
"You're playing with fire," he said softly, his tone warning yet filled with something darker.
"I don't mind getting burned," she replied, her voice cutting through the tension between them.
The air between them buzzed, thick with unspoken words and forbidden desires. Kieran's gaze lingered on her lips for a moment before he looked away, exhaling sharply.
"I didn't come here for this," he said, his tone sharper now, defensive.
Selene watched him carefully. "Then why are you here, Kieran? You haven't come back to Raventhorn for years. And suddenly, you show up in my life again?"
He hesitated, then spoke in a low, almost unreadable tone. "Some things… I can't ignore."
Before Selene could respond, Kieran turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd as quickly as he had appeared. His absence left a strange emptiness in the air—like a storm had passed, leaving nothing but a restless quiet.
Selene stood there, her thoughts a chaotic swirl of confusion, longing, and regret.
Her rule was simple: No more love.
But now, she wasn't sure if she was playing with fire or if the fire had already consumed her.