#god damn I can’t believe my Awakening was over a decade ago already

[m-a-d-e-l-e-i-n-e]

I was cleaning up my room a bit and I found this Valentine that the first girl I ever had a crush on gave me. It is from 2013 and I kept it. Third grade me was simping

[imaginedhaven]

Rules of Engagement: Chapter Seventeen

Link to Masterpost

It’s here! It’s finally here! This one fought me more than I thought it would, but I’m pretty happy with it now.

I hope you enjoy!

~*~*~

It had been three days since Aelin had killed Maeve.

For three days, Aedion had sat in meeting after meeting, being forcibly reminded of why he preferred to command through action. Their every move and every piece of evidence had been thoroughly analyzed by the dark-haired demi-Fae that appeared to be the de facto leader of the former blood-sworn, and it was more than apparent that he found it lacking.

He hadn’t even been able to check on Aelin, though Whitethorn’s absence implied that she had yet to awaken. Aedion sighed; he supposed he should get used to thinking of the warrior as Rowan, given his relationship to his cousin. That would take a great deal of adjusting.

Truly, he wished Aelin would just wake up. He understood that the amount of magic she must have used would take a great deal of energy from her, but the sooner she awakened and the sooner she could talk to the group of Fae currently interrogating him, the sooner he could return home to his family.

At that thought, he couldn’t help glancing over at one of the males across the table in particular. He had never expected that he would meet his father, and so he had never given much thought to what he would do should the situation arise.

Years ago, or perhaps even a few months ago, he would’ve been unable to respond to the situation with anything other than anger. A large part of him still was angry that this male had seen fit to just walk away from his mother, and hadn’t even bothered to make contact as she had been dying. But now that he had not only Lysandra to consider, but Evangeline as well, everything was changing for him.

He could still blame him for swearing a blood oath to someone he had to have known had a sadistic streak, but what if Aedion had already sworn himself to Aelin and she had threatened to use his connection to his family? There was very little he wouldn’t do to protect Lysandra; it had been that way for years now, ever since she had come to the palace. It was a little more surprising to realize how quickly Evangeline had carved herself a little spot in his heart right next to Lysandra’s.

Perhaps, he thought, he could understand the male’s position. Even if he couldn’t agree with the end result.

Finally, he glanced over at the irate demi-Fae leading the continued interrogation and belatedly realized he had been asked yet another question. “For the fourth and last time, I only have copies of the letters and the passage of the book Aelin was referencing. We agreed there was an inherent risk in bringing the originals to someone who would be interested in destroying them.” He resisted the urge to feign a yawn; the leader was already angry enough as it was. This line of questioning was so boring, though. It might have been a clever tactic on someone else, but Aedion had been questioned before and had questioned others before. They would have to try harder than this.

“Then where, exactly, are the originals?”

“That secret rests with my cousin. If you want to risk Whitethorn’s wrath and attempt to wake her, you’re more than welcome to do so.” In fact, Aedion would have loved to witness such a confrontation by this point. Anything had to be better than repeatedly answering the same handful of questions.

The demi-Fae male growled, and Aedion growled right back. He had played nicely for his cousin’s sake thus far, but he was quickly losing patience with all of this. In fact, if it hadn’t been for Rowan so carefully guarding Aelin until she woke up, he might have simply carried her out himself and booked the next ship across the sea, consequences be damned.

The other male—Gavriel—his father—finally glanced up from the copies he had presented to them. “He’s not likely to give different answers at this point, Lorcan. Perhaps we should focus on ensuring a smooth transition of power? Maeve had no heir, and evidently no legitimate claim to our throne, and we need to determine what that means for us.”

The leader grimaced. “Mab’s line goes through the Ashryver family. The direct female descendant is his fire-breathing bitch princess. Mora’s… Whitethorn will know which of his cousins has the most direct claim.”

“It’ll go to Mora’s line, then,” Aedion commented. “Aelin won’t have any interest in ruling a land she’s never visited before.”

“Won’t she?” The leader was suddenly furious, dark eyes narrowed and darker power surrounding him. “Perhaps that’s why she came, after all.”

“It would mean war if she did,” another of the warriors pointed out calmly. This one, to the extent of Aedion’s knowledge, had been absent during the confrontation itself, and had yet to speak. “And it doesn’t make sense for her to begin with Doranelle, were she to become a conqueror. The Wastes would be an easier target, or perhaps Adarlan.”

The demi-Fae whirled around to glare at the speaker, then quietly grumbled to himself. Aedion took advantage of their distraction to quietly slip away.

It didn’t take someone with Aedion’s heightened senses to recognize that another had followed him out of the room, and it didn’t take a particularly wise man to guess who it had been. For a moment he contemplated not responding at all, walking away without acknowledging his presence, but finally he sighed and turned to face his father. “She died, you know,” he said, surprising even himself. “She didn’t have to. The Fae could have healed her, but she wouldn’t go.”

Gods, he wished he wasn’t having this conversation alone. Aelin might know what to say, and Lysandra…

Best not to think about her, not right now.

His father had frozen still, and vaguely he wondered if he could have felled the male simply by tapping his shoulder. He didn’t reply verbally, but that was all right. Aedion didn’t need an answer from him. “I realize now she was protecting me. From you. From your queen. From all of it.”

The golden male winced. “Aedion—”

Perhaps he had expected to feel anger or rage at the sound of his name on his father’s lips, now after all these years. Perhaps grief would have been a more reasonable expectation, sorrow for all the years missed. Perhaps even joy, for having found the male his mother had never once spoken of.

Instead of any of those, Aedion felt empty. His chest was hollow, and his voice devoid of all emotion when he replied, “I can’t do this right now.”

He left his father standing in the hallway, staring after him as he retreated to the rooms he’d borrowed.

~*~*~

Rowan sighed and glanced once more at the bed where Aelin laid, wishing he would see that she had awakened but knowing she would still be sleeping. She had drained so much of her power, and so much of it had been for his sake that he still felt a twinge in his chest if he dwelled on the thought for too long.

The instant Maeve had exposed herself, Aelin had surrounded him with a ring of fire to keep the shadows at bay, dropping the protective shield only when she needed his power to finish what she had set out to accomplish. It was something he would have done for her, if his power had been of a sufficient threat to the dark queen, but a large part of him was embarrassed that he had been surprised enough to require the assistance.

He knew Aelin would never blame him, though, not after all of the revelations she had made that day.

Perhaps the others would believe it if he told them he had been so surprised by the reveal of Maeve as a Valg queen and not Fae at all. She had long been cold and cruel, but she had done such an excellent job of hiding the truth that he knew he would never have guessed. Aelin had, though, and when she woke up he would have to ask her what had given her cause to suspect.

It was likely to be equally believable that he had been stunned into silence and stillness by the gift of his own freedom. He had hoped, certainly, that she would find a way for them to see each other again. The thought of being parted from his carranam forever had been one that he had found unable to bear, and so he had avoided thinking about their inevitable split as much as possible. Perhaps, though, that should have given him cause to guess the revelation that had shocked him beyond all others, the single word that had caused his mind to fall completely silent for the first time in decades.

Mate.

Even as he had heard the word fall from her lips, though, he had known the truth of it. If he was completely honest with himself, part of him had suspected for quite some time, though he had always found yet another excuse, yet another reason to go on believing that he was wrong. Even now it was a struggle to believe that this could all be his.

Had Lyria ever been his true mate? Could Fae have more than one mate through the course of their lives? There was so much he didn’t know. He wasn’t certain if anyone in Doranelle would be able to tell him now. He supposed it didn’t matter now. Regardless of whether she had truly been his mate or whether he had been so terribly, terribly wrong, she was a part of his past that he couldn’t be rid of even if he wished to be. It was lucky, he supposed, that Aelin seemed to understand this, just as he understood the history that had led her to him.

As he had done so many times previously during these three long days, he strode over to the bed where Aelin lay pale and still, one hand reaching out to gently stroke her hair away from her face. This time was different, though, in that she made the softest noise in her sleep and her face turned to rest against his palm.

Rowan felt something within himself crack with the almost-painful joy that filled him with such a simple gesture, and soon he was sitting on the bed beside her. In response, she shifted again, and soon he found himself seated against the head of the bed with her face pressed against his hip and her arm thrown across his thighs. Another happy little sound fell from her lips, and a slight flush returned to her cheeks, and Rowan smiled down at her sleeping form. The movements and the sounds and the color returning to her were all signs that her magic had restored enough for her body to allow itself into a more natural sleep, and when taken together they indicated that she would awaken soon.

As delighted as he was that soon she would be awake, he also felt a small thrill of trepidation. After all, the last conversation they’d had before she left for Doranelle had gone so terribly wrong, all because he’d panicked. The brief conversation they’d had on the way here indicated that he had a lot to make up for. He intended to do so, but he wasn’t sure of the best way to start.

Her hand shifted higher up on his thigh, and he couldn’t quite suppress the resulting shiver. As much pleasure as even such a simple touch brought to him, though, he knew that if he allowed it to continue he would have little interest in actually talking to Aelin once she woke up. He carefully shifted her hand back down to its previous position, lingering for a moment to caress her hair once more before relaxing back against the head of the bed.

She didn’t seem to notice, or react to the movement beyond a tiny little sigh, and he allowed his mind to once more wander to what on earth he could say to her to counteract the way he had once frozen at her touch and then fled. Perhaps the best way to prove his intentions would be beyond what he could express with words, and only time would be able to show that he intended to stay by her side forever.

Aelin’s hand wandered upward again, and he gently caught it in his own, glancing down at her once more and immediately getting lost in turquoise eyes ringed with gold and dancing with wicked humor.

~*~*~

The first thing Aelin had noticed as she began to wake up was the comforting scent of snow-covered pines. For a brief moment, she had wondered if perhaps they had already returned to Terrasen, but as she had opened her eyes to an unfamiliar bed she’d finally recalled what had happened.

Gods, it was embarrassing to realize she had fallen asleep right at the most inopportune moment, though she supposed it was fortunate that it had been with Rowan. Of all people, he would understand the toll that magic could take.

It appeared that he had stayed with her throughout however long she had slept, for she was wrapped around one of his legs with her head pillowed against his hip. She shifted slightly, blushing faintly as the movement caused her hand to brush the inside of his thigh and quickly feigning continued sleep as he moved her hand to a more appropriate placement. It was only a few moments later, though, that she decided she would not be put off so easily. Not when everything had finally come out into the open, not now that they knew they were mates and she knew that he wanted her.

She had waited quite long enough for this.

The second brush of fingers across his leg was far more deliberate, and this time when he took her hand and glanced down at her she didn’t look away, holding his gaze and watching his expression change from bemusement to shock to something so warm she couldn’t help but melt at the sight. Rather than say something truly embarrassing, however, she grinned up at him. “Why, Prince Rowan, I must say this wasn’t quite what I had in mind when you said you were taking me to bed.”

“As much as I would hate to disappoint you, I was hardly going to bed an invalid,” he retorted, though relief was shining clearly in those beautiful green eyes. The rough amusement of his voice was belied by the gentle touch of his fingers in her hair, carefully tucking a stray lock behind her ear.

Aelin sat up with a groan. “How long did I sleep?”

“Three days.” He pulled her into himself, her back to his chest and her hips nested between his thighs, and she turned her head to smile up at him. “How are you feeling?” he asked, his fingertips brushing along her jawline.

“I’m feeling like there’s a promise my mate has yet to follow through with,” she teased, though the suddenly-serious expression on his face caused her own easy smile to falter. “Rowan…”

“How long have you known?”

She supposed that was the easiest question he could’ve started with, though she still drew in a deep breath before replying. “From the moment I fell into your arms after escaping Arobynn Hamel’s home and realized it felt like I was home,” she replied. “I was… I wasn’t certain at first, given that you’ve already been mated, but then the night before I left…”

He grimaced then, and it was her turn to reach up and touch his face. “I panicked, then,” he admitted. “I regretted it almost immediately. And then when I returned—to apologize, or to do something at least to try and make it right, and found you missing, it was like a piece of myself had gone with you.”

“I couldn’t tell you what I was doing,” Aelin said by way of apology. “You would’ve been forced to stop me, by the oath that once bound you.”

“I understand.” His fingers slid under her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “But next time you leave in the middle of the night, your only two options are telling me where you’re going or taking me with you. Am I clear?”

“So demanding,” she purred. “Luckily for you, I have no intention of ever being parted from you for any lengthy period of time again if I can help it.”

She leaned in then, determined to finally, finally kiss him, but he stopped her with a gentle hand pressing against her shoulder. “Aelin, I…”

“I know,” she said. “We can talk about it as much as you want later. But right now, I don’t know when we’ll next have a moment like this again, and—”

His lips were on hers then, and rather than attempt to continue the conversation she slid her hand to the back of his head.

She had thought she knew what it was to be kissed. She had done exactly that with Sam on countless moonlit nights, and then once again with Dorian. It had always been pleasant enough before, but Aelin was quickly coming to realize that kissing Rowan could hardly be described by such an inadequate word as pleasant. No, kissing Rowan was everything—his ice colliding with her fire, the sensation both taking her breath away and fanning a flame that resided deep within her core. It was better than she could’ve dreamed—and she had dreamed of this, she could admit it to herself now, had spent long nights twisted in her sheets and waking up gasping at imagined sensations.

He pulled back, just long enough to take a breath, and she couldn’t quite help the noise that escaped her then. Nor could she help the urge to crush her lips to his once more, an urge she succumbed to happily. She tangled her fingers into silver hair, holding him close to her, though he seemed to share her desire to remain close if the arm wrapped around her waist was any indication.

A muscle in her side twinged, and he pulled free of her once more as she winced. Before he could say a word, though, she turned in his embrace, straddling his thighs and resting one hand on each side of his face. “I’m fine, Rowan,” she reassured him. “Better than fine, even, unless you get it into your head to do something as stupid as stop—”

His lips brushed her jaw then, and she couldn’t contain the gasp that left her. She allowed her head to fall to the side as his hands skimmed up her sides, slipping under the fabric of what she belatedly realized was his shirt. “If that is what my queen commands, then I can only obey,” he smirked.

She shivered, and spent a dizzying moment wondering what she would need to do to ensure that he never stopped calling her my queen. “In that case, your queen commands that we not leave this room until we have no other option, or until I say otherwise,” she grinned.

He laughed, the sound all dark tones that resonated deep within her and made her toes curl. “I’ve spent three days wondering what words I needed to say for you to allow me to remain at your side,” he admitted. “But if you would rather I do my persuading with teeth and tongue…”

He nipped at her neck then, the sensation immediately recalling a day in the sparring ring what felt like forever ago, and Aelin moaned. “I think that sounds like a brilliant idea.”

~*~*~

Rowan wasn’t entirely convinced that this wasn’t some sort of dream, even as Aelin leaned in to kiss him again. He had spent so long carefully convincing himself that this very thing wasn’t within the realm of possibility that he almost didn’t know what to do now that it decidedly was.

He wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass him by, however. Gods knew he had squandered enough chances by now.

With that in mind, he carefully flipped them so that Aelin was sprawled on the mattress, golden hair spilling across his pillow in a way he’d been longing to see for longer than he cared to admit. She glanced up at him, lips pursed in a blend of confusion and irritation, but before she could say a word he was kneeling over her and kissing that confused frown away.

Her skin tasted just as he remembered from that one time he had bitten her, all floral jasmine and simmering embers, and it was enough to drive him mad with longing. His hands once more slipped under the shirt that was covering her—his shirt, into which he’d changed her so as to prevent her from sleeping in riding leathers—and she rose to meet his touch, cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

The shirt had to go, and it was only a moment’s work to tear it open, leaving her fully exposed to his gaze. He had seen every inch of her before, of course, stolen glances while working to heal her as well as that morning she had gone to look at her own scars. None of those moments compared to this, with her warm and wanting beneath him. The flush of her cheeks spread across her chest as well, accenting the curve of her firm breasts tipped with rose-colored peaks. Her breathing was shallow and rapid, and as his fingertips swept up the plane of her toned stomach and along her ribs she let out a sound somewhere between a moan and a whisper of his name.

He had to taste her again then, and from there he allowed himself to kiss along the curve of her neck and her shoulder before dipping lower. A flick of his tongue over her nipple granted him a startled cry and a breathy please, and he obediently took the hardened nub of flesh into his mouth as his hand stroked back down her side to caress her thigh.

At the barest suggestion from his fingertips she spread her legs for him, and he slid his hand between them, tracing circles on her inner thigh until she was begging him for more with her words as well as her movements, the arch of her hips all the more appealing for its artlessness. Slowly, he allowed his fingers to wander ever closer to the slick skin awaiting him at the juncture of her thighs, not quite allowing himself to touch just yet. Her fingers twisted into his hair in response, tugging sharply enough to make him hiss and glance up at her.

She pulled him towards her once again, and he followed where she led eagerly, kissing her once again. As his tongue brushed against hers, though, he realized that perhaps there was one more thing he needed to say to her before this could carry on any further. “I love you,” he whispered into the skin of her neck, smiling as she shivered in response.

“You love me?” she asked, voice husky from their current activities.

He pulled back, just enough to look into her eyes as he replied. “To whatever end.”

She surged up to meet him then, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she kissed him again and again. “I love you,” she breathed between kisses, “and you are mine.”

It was his turn, then, to shiver at her blatant claim of him. “I am yours,” he agreed, “just as much as you are mine.”

And then he was kissing his way down her body, past her breasts and along her stomach. He had just reached her navel when she seemed to realize his plan with a gasp, her fingers returning to their position in his hair as he finally slid his hands up her thighs to part them further and lowered his head between them.

She tasted just as perfect here as she did everywhere else; perhaps even more so. Even more rewarding than her taste, though, was the sharp cry of his name accompanied by a tug on his hair as he flicked his tongue against her. He laughed against her skin as her hips rose to meet him, allowing his hands to slip under the curve of her hips to pull her ever closer.

Before long, she was alternately praising him and cursing him as he continued to tease the tiny nub of flesh tucked between her thighs, hips almost thrashing in his firm grip. “Please,” she begged, and Rowan glanced up at her to find her chest heaving and her cheeks red from pleasure and exertion. “Rowan, please, I need—”

Her head tossed back with another cry then as he slowly pressed a finger into her, curling it slightly to stroke against her from the inside. “More,” she begged as he licked over her once again, and he obediently added a second finger beside the first. Her hips rolled against his hand and his tongue in an undulating motion, her grip on his hair tightening further and her spare hand sliding up towards her breasts, then faltering and falling to fist in the sheets. Her moans and pleas rose in pitch and in volume, and soon her core was tightening around his fingers and her voice broke on a shout of his name.

He pressed one more kiss against her flesh before she was pulling him up again, and he carefully removed his fingers from her before allowing her to guide him back in for yet another kiss to her lips. Her hands slid down his back, pausing when she reached the trousers he still wore. “These have to go,” she demanded, and he grinned in reply.

“As my queen commands,” he said as his own hand fell to the first of the buttons that fastened the trousers around him.

~*~*~

Aelin was positive that she had died and gone to the Afterworld. It couldn’t be possible to love someone this much, to feel this much pleasure at their touch. She was already falling apart, already burning inside, and they had barely begun.

He definitely knew what he was doing—she had suspected as much, given that she was far from his first, but to believe that and to experience it were different things altogether. She knew that she was far from his level of experience, and though she knew he wouldn’t judge her for it she knew she wanted to at least try to make him feel as good as he was making her feel.

It was this thought that emboldened her enough to wrap her hand around the length of him once he had bared himself for her, stroking once and marveling at the sensation of such soft skin over something so firm. He hissed in response, pressing forward into her grip, and she couldn’t keep a smile from her face. “That feels good?”

He nodded, elongated canines grazing her skin as he nuzzled his face against her neck. Before she could do anything else, though, his fingers encircled her wrist, halting the motion of her hand. “You don’t have to,” he began.

Aelin responded by arching one of her eyebrows. “And if I want to?”

“You wouldn’t rather save this part of yourself, in the event you need to make a more politically expedient union?”

Irritation flared in her then, and she instinctively leaned in and nipped at his neck. “I would rather make my own decisions, and I’ve decided I want to share this with my mate. Though if he keeps being a bird-brained idiot, I might change my mind.”

He laughed then, and she was about to unleash an irritated tirade on him when he simply said, “I suppose that’s fair.”

“I should certainly hope so,” she retorted, cutting off any reply he could’ve made by moving her hand along his length once more and reveling in the resulting gasp.

The minor argument had done nothing to diminish the arousal she felt, and judging by the weight of him in her palm and the lust shimmering in his eyes he felt the same way. She watched as he lowered his head to see the movement of her hand on him, and then suddenly he pulled her close once more in a kiss that stole what was left of her breath away.

His fingers brushed between her thighs once more and she moaned into his mouth, hooking one of her legs around one of his to tug him ever closer. “Please, Rowan,” she pleaded, her voice sounding foreign to her own ears. “Please, I—”

Words failed her then, but he seemed to know precisely what it was she was asking of him regardless. In a smooth motion he braced himself above her with a hand beside her head. The other slid down her side and then moved away to help him guide himself into her.

Gods, and she had thought being filled with his fingers was perfection. This went so far beyond that sensation that she didn’t have the words to describe it even if she had found herself miraculously able to speak. Instead, she whimpered something that sounded vaguely like his name and clutched at his shoulders, feeling the muscles of his upper back ripple as he rolled his hips slowly against hers.

When he was fully inside of her his lips found hers again, and she kissed him back, desperately trying to cling to some semblance of reality. Then he began to move and she was lost.

Her head tossed back, baring her throat to him, and her fingertips dug in at his shoulders at the delightful friction of his thrusts. With a groan, he traced the curve of her neck with his lips and then his teeth, and Aelin slid one of her hands into his hair to keep him there, dragging the nails of her other hand down his back. He growled in response and his hips slammed into her, but his teeth at her neck remained so surprisingly gentle, and the dichotomy of it only fueled the fire burning within her.

She opened her eyes—when had she closed them?—and as she tugged on his hair so she could look into his eyes the fire within her rose up, as hot as the burnout but infinitely sweeter. Keeping her gaze locked on his, she deliberately arched her neck, giving him silent permission to do what he was so clearly longing to.

His teeth sank into the skin of her neck and release crashed over her like a wave, leaving her trembling in his grasp and shouting his name for all the world to hear. His found him soon after, and then it was her turn to hold him as he groaned into her neck and spilled inside of her.

She let out a soft whine as he eased his teeth from her skin and began planting soft kisses over her face and neck. “Gods,” she managed. “I never thought… I couldn’t have imagined…”

“I couldn’t have either,” he admitted, pine-green eyes softer and warmer than she had ever seen them.

A swell of affection rose in her at the sight, and she couldn’t keep it from spilling out into words. “I love you.”

He smiled, truly smiled, and it was like watching the sun rise. “I never thought I would have the privilege of hearing those words from your lips.”

She laughed softly. “It is a privilege, isn’t it?”

He nipped at her neck again, but she only laughed harder. “What would you say,” she asked, “if I told you that my first demand of you as both my mate and my blood-sworn was that we do this as often as we can manage it?”

He chuckled and rolled his hips again, and she gasped with the realization that he had hardly even softened. “I would say we would find it difficult to get any work done,” he replied, and soon after that they were both lost in each other once more and there were no more words.

~*~*~

Tagging:

@ireallyshouldsleeprn @queen-of-glass @fangirlprincess09 @sassys-world @morganofthewildfire @superspiritfestival @perseusannabeth @sis-it-dont-add-up @jlinez @julemmaes @emilyoftheshadows @thegoddessofyou

[podcastenthusiast]

After a million years, I finally finished the fanfic I’ve been working on. Also on ao3. 

Major Rhalâta questline spoilers!

Hope, or Something

It is over.

Tharaêl kneels before Letho’s corpse. He deserves some time alone to say goodbye to his brother, she knows that, but Kalila just can’t quite bring herself to walk away from someone who very nearly took his own life moments ago.

“The Order owes me a few favors,” she says tentatively. “If you want, I could…see to it that he’s laid to rest properly.” She thinks of the Lost Ones in the orphanage.

Tharaêl sighs, but he doesn’t look away from Letho. “That’s not how the Rhalâim do things. Death is a failure to achieve transcendence. The body is nothing more than an empty husk, maybe more so in this case. It’s considered unworthy of any special treatment.”

“You don’t actually believe that, do you?”

“Of course not. But he did.” Tharaêl finally stands and meets her gaze with tearful eyes. “Thank you, but let’s just go, all right?”

“Yeah, okay,” Kalila replies, and hands him a teleportation scroll.

—

He moves into her home in the Nobles’ Quarter. The first few weeks are touch and go. Tharaêl scarcely leaves his room let alone the house. He barely speaks, eats only just enough to survive, and doesn’t sleep at all as far as she can tell. When she asks if there is anything she can do, he insists he only needs some space.

Kalila understands grief. She has lived for decades with a complex tangle of guilt and sadness, like a weight on her chest. She knows it takes time to heal, if one ever really does. Everyone has their own way of processing things. She can scarcely imagine how it must feel to learn that everything you thought you were fighting for was at best a failure, at worst a lie, and even your own body isn’t real flesh and blood. But she also feels a bit helpless, too, watching him suffer and withdraw from the world. She wonders if Sirius felt the same about her back then.

As it turns out, her old familiar nightmare is something of a catalyst. Kalila dozes off one night in a chair by the fire, and awakens an hour later to the sight of her new roommate hovering over her with a sword.

“Creator’s balls! What in blazes are you doing, Tharaêl?”

“You were screaming, so I prepared for the worst,” he explains, irritatingly calm. He puts the sword away.

“I’m not possessed or anything. It was a bad dream, okay? Just a dream,” she says, perhaps more to put her own mind at ease. “Happens sometimes, especially when I fall asleep without taking my potion like an idiot.”

“Potion?”

“Yeah, to help me sleep peacefully. I lied to the Order’s apothecarii a bit. Said it was a side effect of the arcane fever. But anyway, I doubt I’ll be getting any more sleep tonight. We could talk. I mean, if you want to.”

“Talk about what?”

Kalila shrugs, feeling a little pathetic. Gods, selfish as it is, she just really doesn’t want to be alone right now. Stoking the fire with a wave of her hand, she replies, “I don’t know. Anything. How are you holding up?”

Funny. Here they are living under the same roof, yet they have barely spoken since that awful day in the Room of Paintings, let alone discussed anything meaningful.

“Well, what do you expect me to say? That sometimes I still wish I’d died with Letho in that fucking temple? I do,” Tharaêl snaps, but the anger ebbs away as quickly as it had come. He turns his gaze toward the fire. He’s quite easy to read without the mask, she’s noticed. “Sorry. You shouldn’t have to deal with this; you’ve already done so much for me. It just feels…strange.”

“What does?”

“All of this, I guess. I dedicated my life to killing the Father until there was nothing left in me but that all-consuming wrath. I did so many terrible things. Now it’s gone. And, even though I don’t deserve to be, I’m still here.”

Kalila is very familiar with that lost feeling, with having to rebuild one’s life from scratch. She had felt that way in Ostian, orphaned and destitute, living more for Sirius’ sake than her own. She’d felt it keenly since washing up on the shores of Enderal, too, drifting aimlessly from place to place, from one job to the next. At least until this whole fight against the Cleansing gave her a purpose.

“I understand,” Kalila says, ignoring his incredulous expression. “Oh I know, I seem so well adjusted with my reoccurring nightmares.”

“What was your dream about?” he asks.

Kalila hesitates. “It’s a long, depressing story. Are you sure you want to hear it?”

“Like you told me in the orphanage, talking can help.”

“Using my words against me, huh? All right. Wine first though, I think.”

A few minutes later they’re sitting in front of the warm glow of the hearth, with a fine vintage all the way from Arktwend. Tharaêl is right; she should take her own advice. But actually confronting the feelings tied to those memories is never easy.

“I was born on a small farm outside the city of Ostian. My father was a delusional bastard who abused my mother. But it wasn’t always terrible; he’d take me on hunting trips, even though I was a miserable shot. Sometimes he was the perfect loving father, and I hate him for that. I fucking hate that my memories of him are still so vivid after all these years, yet I barely remember my little sister’s face or that Qyranian lullaby Mother used to sing.”

She takes a deep breath, then a large sip of wine. She offers him the bottle.

“Thanks, but I shouldn’t.”

“Is that because you don’t want to, or because the Rhalâta wouldn’t approve? I’ll respect your choice either way. I’m just curious.”

“You always say what’s on your mind, I’ll give you that. Fine, why the fuck not.” Tharaêl takes the wine bottle. “You are a very bad influence.”

“Shh, don’t tell Arantheal. I’m a Keeper. I have a reputation to uphold.”

“You’re stalling, Prophetess.”

“Yeah, you got me,” Kalila admits. “Okay. So, I’m not sure how much you know about Nehrim, but in the south there’s this fanatical cult, the Creator’s Temple. One night a group of masked men from the Temple burned our farm and they…they killed my family. I still don’t really understand why; my father was devout, terrifyingly so. In the dream, he blames me for what happened, but I guess that’s just my own guilt talking. I don’t know.”

“How did you survive?” Tharaêl asks, seemingly unfazed by her story. After all, he knows the cruelty people are capable of inflicting better than most.

“I’d been riding since I was four, so I took one of our horses and fled. I made it all the way to Ostian. The horse wasn’t so lucky. I started begging, stealing, whatever I had to do. Honestly I don’t remember much of that time, except being so afraid the masked men would come for me.”

“Did they?”

“No. Ostian has a lot of abandoned buildings, so I never stayed in one place for too long just to be safe. I met my first friend in an abandoned house. Sirius…he was…well, he put up with me for years which, as you can imagine, is quite a feat. We looked out for each other.”

“Hm. Sounds familiar,” Tharaêl says. “What happened to him?”

“He, um—” There’s a lump in her throat. Wine doesn’t help. Somehow this is so much harder than talking about her family. The pain of it is still too fresh and raw. She knows she could stop now, but Kalila wants to do this. She feels, in a way, that she owes it to herself, to Tharaêl, and to everyone she’s lost.

“The civil war had made it too dangerous to stay in Nehrim. Not to mention the lack of work, honest and otherwise,” she explains. “So, we stowed away on a ship. And we almost made it to Enderal. But then we were discovered, and the captain killed Sirius. Tried to killed me, too. So now I get to have nightmares about that, because somehow I survived. Yay.”

“It feels like a punishment,” he says, quietly.

“Yeah. The truth is, I don’t have any answers. I’m a mess. Not a day goes by I don’t wonder why the fuck I was spared. But there are good days, too, reasons to keep going. I have friends, an apocalypse to prevent, and this truly fantastic wine. Sometimes that’s enough.”

“I guess it has to be.”

Kalila sighs. “Not much, I know, but honestly it’s the best I have.”

—

The fire has long since died down to smoldering embers, and the wine bottle is empty. When did that happen? Tharaêl is lying on the floor, half asleep. A bird chirps outside, drawing Kalila’s attention to the window where soft dawn light pours in.

“Shit, is it really sunrise already?”

“How would I know?”

“Oh come on, cave dweller,” she teases, “You could certainly use more of it, but I know you’ve seen the sun before.”

“Not this bloody early I haven’t.”

Kalila makes a decision. She gets to her feet, only a little unsteadily, and declares, “I have an idea.”

“No. Let me die.”

“Never. We are going to watch the sunrise. You’ll love it, I promise.”

Tharaêl opens his eyes. “You’re not going to drop this, are you?”

“Not a chance.”

Which is how they end up on the roof of Dal'Geyss’ estate, watching the sun come up over the heartland. Best damn view in the city (besides the Sun Temple, of course.) It really is beautiful. Sirius would have liked it here. She’s come to love Ark, despite all the aristocrats and Keepers making it very clear that a Pathless foreigner doesn’t belong. She is going to do her best to ensure this stupid world gets a lot more sunrises. Purely out of spite, if nothing else.

“You were right, you know.”

"Mm?”

“Right now this is enough,” Tharaêl says, sounding content.

Kalila, exhausted physically and mentally, rests her head on his shoulder. They remain there until Prince Mith decides to shatter the peaceful morning stillness with his self-proclaimed genius poems, causing both of them to briefly contemplate murder.

–

Thanks for reading!

[hrrytomlinson]

here are a bunch of fics I’ve enjoyed and loved reading throughout the month of june. I recommend that you read these great fics in july, if you haven’t already!!

(all fics with a star are my favorites and if there are two stars then it was a favorite favorite)

1. Your Mess Is Mine (176k)**

Louis is the father to the most brilliant little boy in the world who is all Louis really needs, or at least that's what he tells himself. Harry is a gorgeous boybander fresh off a two year break and a massive scandal that's left him a little broken and more than ready to move on.

They fall in love.

2. If I Had Three Wishes (They’d All Be For You) (66k)*

When Harry Styles sets off for Provincetown, MA from his tiny hometown of Kerkhoven, MN, he’s facing an uncertain future. He’s always planned to leave, just...not like this. When he meets a gorgeous cabaret performer on his first night in P-town, little does he know how his life is about to change, or how much he has yet to learn. When they become more than just friends, Louis makes it clear he's not looking for anything serious, but at least, Harry consoles himself, they’ll always be friends. Over one extraordinary summer, Harry learns to navigate life on his own through a journey of self-discovery and sexual awakening. But when Harry’s past tragically reappears in his life, will his friendship with Louis be able to hold on?

3. Do Not Go Gentle (70k)*

When Harry Styles starts his first day as a surgical intern, he expects a lot of things: to treat patients, to observe a surgery, to feel a bit overwhelmed. What he definitely doesn't expect, however, is that the handsome guy he kicked out of his bed this morning is also an intern.

A Grey’s Anatomy AU where tensions are high, Harry and Louis are hooking up in secret, and no one has time for love. Or do they?

4. Maybe We’re Perfect Strangers (39k)

When an EDM festival in the Caribbean touts itself as a “life-changing and transformative experience,” Harry’s not too sure he buys into it. Regardless, Harry wants nothing more than to please his best friend, so he goes along for the ride. What he doesn’t expect is to fall head over heels for the festival’s organizer who Harry discovers is also the object of his best friend’s affections.

In which it takes three days under the tropical sun for two men to fall in love.

5. Through Eerie Chaos (102k)**

For as long as anyone can remember, Old Hillsbridge Manor has always been believed to be haunted. Everyone in the village agrees and keeps a respectful, fearful, distance. New in town after a bad breakup and an internship that led to disappointment rather than a permanent job, Harry Styles figures taking pictures of the decrepit building could be a great new creative project. Or at least a much-needed distraction while he searches for a job and crashes at his parents’ new house. No one warned him about the apparitions though; about the music, the laughter, the people who flicker and vanish when you call after them, the echoes of a past that should be long gone… Harry has never believed in spirits but even he can admit that there’s something weird going on. What starts as mere curiosity evolves into a full-blown investigation and soon enough, Harry finds himself making friends with an aristocrat from the 1920s and struggling with finding the best way to tell him that he’s dead.

The Ghost Hunter AU where Niall lives to prove ghosts are real, Zayn is a skeptical librarian and Harry gets caught up in a century-old mystery and catches feeling in the process.

6. Got the Sunshine on My Shoulders (124k)**

Five years ago, Harry Styles left his tiny home town to make it big as a recording artist. he didn't have much regard for what he left behind - a life, a family, and a husband, who woke up one morning to find him gone.

Now, Harry has everything he could possibly want: he's rich, famous, and adored by everyone he meets, including his boyfriend. But when said boyfriend proposes to him, he's forced to face the uncomfortable facts of his past - and Louis, who's spent the last five years returning every set of divorce papers Harry sent him. 

(or, an au based on the movie sweet home alabama.)

7. The Sweetest Incantation (40k)

Harry has been alive for decades, and yet he's never been as confused and dumbfounded. He's a witch, for God's sake. Can't get much weirder than all the magical things he's experienced throughout his lifetime. Never in a million years, however, would he have expected to be mere inches away from a hybrid.

Or Harry is a witch who's still working on developing his powers and Louis is a werecat who falls into his life and turns it upside down.

8. For Reasons Unknown (37k)**

Six years after dying, Louis is suddenly thrust back into the life he'd lost. Support Group is supposed to help him adjust to everything that's changed but he finds the experience sadly lacking. Well, except there is one curly-haired lad that's there too. He kind of makes it worth going. 

9. Mutability (108k)**

Harry and Louis meet in a book club. Life and fiction have their parallels.

10. Fool’s Gold (55k)

Leaflet for Over Again Inc.

“In relationships, there are three types of people: those who are happy, those who are unhappy but accept it and deal, those who are unhappy and in denial.

Handling this last category is our job: we are professional couple breakers.

To reach our goal, we use all means necessary.” 

Or the Arnacoeur AU in which Harry is scheduled to be married to Liam in 10 days and Harry’s mother hires Louis and his team to break them up.

11. Barefoot in Blue Jeans (24k)*

AU. Louis Tomlinson is trying desperately hard not to fall for his son’s au pair, but he can’t, for the life of him, remember why. 

12. A World We’ve Only Heard (6k)

So, where are you headed?” Liam asked, not wanting to sit in awkward silence for their journey.  It was twelve hours to Chicago, and that was far too long to sit and not chat with his fellow passenger in front of him.

“Chicago,” he answered, his blue eyes meeting Liam’s own.  “It’s home.  Been on the road for quite some time now, it’s the first time I’ll be able to sleep in my own bed in almost a month.”

Liam whistled.  “You must be pretty excited.”

The man gave a soft smile, which made him look younger than Liam initially expected; he might even still be in his twenties.  He wondered what kind of a life this man had led to look so tired until he smiled.

Or, it's 1951, Harry is the owner of a music shop, and Louis is a traveling salesman making his way back home.

13. Your Serve (4k)*

“Didn’t know you were that good, Lou,” Liam chuckled, wiping his brow, “Looks like I actually have some competition.”

Louis grinned, blowing on his nails, “Who’s up next?” He asked, as if he hadn’t just handed Liam his arse.

Harry bit his lower lip, still watching from his place on the plush burgundy leather sofa. Niall was beside him, flicking through some game on his phone. Louis smacked the paddle loudly against his hand and Harry felt something inside of him clench. His throat went dry, and his eyes pulled to where Louis was still smacking the damn paddle against his hand. He chewed on his bottom lip, watching the paddle smack, watching Louis look so casual and so coy. Harry shifted uncomfortably on the couch.

Louis picked up on his movement, pointing the paddle right at him, “What about you, Haz? You up for a good spanking?”

Or, the one where the boys take up playing ping-pong back stage, and the image of Louis with a paddle is making Harry's life difficult; even more so when he comes home to find Louis' bought a ping-pong table of their own.

14. The Wonderlands (150k)**

"Somewhere between chaos and control — these are the wonderlands."

Harry's daughter, Andy, is signed to Louis' girl band. Her path to success is marked by competition, chaos, and for Harry, a love affair.

15. What Could Have Been (2k)

Louis tries to loosen his tie from the chokehold it has on his neck. It’s really hot in here, but he doesn’t think anyone would appreciate it if he started taking off his clothes. Maybe it’s the number of people, all wool suits and hot breath, filling the amphitheater as they wait for the Grammys to start that’s got Louis feeling like it’s hard to breathe. Or maybe it’s who else is here tonight, sitting three rows up and looking even better than Louis remembers.

Harry.

Louis knew him once. Loved him. Still does if the flutter in his chest at the mere sight of him can be believed. If only Louis hadn’t thrown it all away.

find more fic recs here

[darrenfranich]

RIP, Star Wars

Of course Star Wars isn’t dead, you say, it’s going to live forever, didn’t you read that Wired story? But, counterargument: Something can be dead and still be here. Peter Cushing died in 1994, and he was in as many films last year as Rachel McAdams. Alec Guinness died in 2000, but if you ask people "who is Obi-Wan Kenobi in real life,” I bet the majority of people over 22 won’t say “Ewan McGregor.” Jesus, look how long ago Jesus died, how many times you think he came up in conversation today? The past isn’t dead, it isn’t even past. But that doesn’t mean it’s the future.

A lot of people think Star Wars is still alive, that this franchise still has a pulse. Look at The Force Awakens, all those young people swinging lightsabers, wow a desert planet AND an ice planet AND a forest planet, two billion dollars! Look at Rogue One, haha that droid was funny, one billion dollars! A new trilogy! A Han Solo trilogy! Bounty hunter spinoff! Trevorrow! Trevorrow!

Message to everyone who said they loved Rogue One: You can never complain again about...

....Hollywood endlessly developing franchises, remakes and reboots and sequels and spinoffs, take that complaint out of your arsenal, you saw Rogue One so you gave them the ammunition...

...the Hollywood studios’ utter disrespect for filmmakers as anything but traffic-cop content creators...

...young filmmakers’ utter lack of interest in any human behavior not previously observed in the fantasy films they enjoyed when they were children, why develop your dream project for seven years, your pal Colin got all the money for Jurassic Park 4 and Star Wars 9...

...modern fantasy’s dedication to the Chosen One narrative, yes Jyn was a Chosen One even if she wasn’t a Jedi, her dad was SO IMPORTANT and her foster dad was SO IMPORTANT and she inspired the Rebellion to become a Rebellion, if you think Rogue One is about “normal people” go watch an actual movie about normal people sometime, go watch I, Daniel Blake, and if you don’t want to see I, Daniel Blake that’s fine, but consider the possibility that you know very little about real people and movies...

...actors’ inability to find a good movie to demonstrate their talents because they’re too busy chasing relevancy convincing themselves there is some honor in spitshining greenscreen melodrama, did you see fucking see Boyega in Attack the Block, god damn that is a fucking star, how much of this next decade will be Star Wars and Pacific Rim and surely someone on his team would love to fit in one more, look at Jennifer Lawrence, she just signed up for another X-Men even though she stopped caring halfway through First Class, “But Jennifer” her people said, “Passengers, Jennifer, Passengers,” hey for real no judgements and I like Pacific Rim, and I believe in anything sight unseen, I believe in Pacific Rim 2, I mean look at Christian he’s great and he did Batman and maybe this is my Batman is the rallying cry of every actor who does these movies, nobody ever dares to consider this is their Terminator Salvation, now go back and watch Terminator Salvation and marvel at how similar it is to Rogue One, it might as well be Rogue One, fucking Terminator fucking Salvation even did the whole digital-actor thing six years early and it actually looked better because the Terminator isn’t supposed to be a person, but people used to care when humans didn’t look like humans..

....and you can’t complain about the fact that Disney just fired the first good Star Wars directors since Irvin Kershner.

You can’t complain about any of this, because it’s your fault. It’s my fault. It’s us, the people who see these movies. I didn’t like Rogue One, but I saw it, god damn me. This thing I’m writing is whose fault it is.

No, this wasn’t LucasFilm’s fault, although of course LucasFilm is just another lame Silicon Valley company pretending to explore bold new ground while actually just maintaining their consumer base with a religious dedication to the sacred trademarked IP. And of course LucasFilm is no better than any Hollywood studio, sorry George, we all know Hollywood can be awful place but the studios you despised didn’t just make Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and now all the studios have become just like you, all they want is their own Star Wars, look in the mirror, see the face behind Darth Vader’s decapitated helmet, recognize yourself, time to build your museum in Los Angeles, see if you can defeat history by writing your own, 50 miles northwest and 40 miles southeast of your museum the Kathy Kennedys of Reagan and Nixon are trying to do the same thing.

And this isn’t Disney’s fault, because of course Disney doesn’t care about filmmakers. When has Disney ever cared about filmmakers? Why would you ever think that? Have you seen Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s movies, all that playful deconstruction? What makes you think Disney fucking wants to be deconstructed? Remember when Shrek came out and the nice twist at the end was that the beauty became a beast because actually LOOKS DON’T MATTER? Remember 17 years after Shrek when Disney released yet another movie about a beast who becomes a cute doofus because sure looks don’t matter but also HUBBA HUBBA? Quick, guess which made more, Shrek or Beauty and the Beast Except Now Nobody Can Sing? Disney is an engorged capitalist carcharodonic fun-monster, it moves ever onward devouring childhood and recycling its glittering defecation into some untold generation’s primal dreams, Disneyland’s great, I love it, but it’s not what you’d call a place that is open to bold new ideas, they just replaced the Twilight Zone ride with a Guardians of the Galaxy ride, I hear there was a controversy about that, either the term “controversy” has lost all meaning or nothing matters the way it’s supposed to.

What an age we live in. Directors are fired midway through production of their movie, and the charge is serious creative differences between the filmmakers and the producers and the studio. Wow, this is some serious Easy Riders Raging Bulls shit! Man, what were they working on? A bold political statement about our tattered society? A scathing dark comedy guaranteed to outrage everyone and thrill future generations? A boundary-bursting romance that promises to break down our preconceived notions of sexuality? A wild provocation from a fiercely independent creative spirit? What was this film that was too dangerous to be made, your grandchildren will ask you. Was that your generation’s Brazil? Your generation’s Dr. Strangelove? Another Brokeback Mountain? Something that can measure up to the sheer explosive power to Wertmuller’s Swept Away? WHAT WAS THIS WORK OF RADICAL CINEMA your granchildren will ask WHAT WAS IT THAT OFFENDED THE GATEKEEPERS SO?  

...it was tenth film in a franchise, or eleventh or thirteenth depending on if you count the animated film and the Ewok movies.

And it was a prequel about the most popular character in the franchise.

This is what we have creative differences about now. “Is the Han Solo movie going to be too funny????” I guess, or maybe “Is the Han Solo movie going to match up to Rogue One?”

Rogue One, LOL. They pushed out that director after production and nobody cared. They spent half the movie flying random places with random people for no motivation besides SAVE THE UNIVERSE and MY DAD!!!! and nobody cared. They spent the whole movie talking about how cool the Death Star was literally 39 years after the movie that already showed you how cool the Death Star was, and nobody cared. Felicity Jones nudged a satellite dish a few degrees left as the big climax and nobody cared, hahaha wow look they took stock footage of all those X-Wing pilots and made the stock footage look more modern-er than before, “Let’s see it again but now more modern-er!” seems to be the rallying cry of us all now, of audiences and of critics and of people everywhere who should want something new.

It’s all so funny. What a laugh. This will make such fine subtext for 23 Jump Street. I blame myself, you should blame yourself, feel bad about this, we caused this. Take nothing seriously but our own complicity. And next year, whenever Han Solo Origins: A Star Wars Story directed by Phil Lord & Chris Miller & [insert scab here] opens in theaters, ask yourself: Do you have to see this movie? Consider advice from Jyn Erso. Isn’t this a rebellion? Are you ever going to rebel?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Sorry, seriously, not joking, I just remembered: That line didn’t make it into the movie. It was just in the marketing. Star Wars sells rebellion, but nobody involved with Star Wars – not the characters, not the filmmakers, not the audience – rebels against anything anymore.

[arplis]

Arplis - News: 30 Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books Available Right Now

If you’re new to Kindle Unlimited, here’s your chance! Amazon is offering a free 2-month subscription to new customers, giving you access to thousands of ebook and audiobooks. Below is a 30-strong list of some of the best Kindle Unlimited romance books I’ve read. I’ve divided them up by subcategory of romance, and tried to spotlight many brilliantly-written, lesser-known books which deserve your attention. As of writing, they’re all available on KU.

Book descriptions are taken from Amazon, but for some books I particularly enjoyed I’ve added extra notes. It’s worth saying here that Amazon are very generous with their free KU subscriptions. I got a whopping six-month one back in 2018, three months in 2019, and I’ve just taken them up on another one-month trial they (inexplicably) offered me. Worth it!

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Fantasy Romance

#1. Red Winter (Red Winter #1) by Annette Marie

Emi is the kamigakari. In a few short months, her life as a mortal will end, and her new existence as the human host of a goddess will begin. Carefully hidden from those who would destroy her, she has prepared her mind, body, and soul to unite with the goddess – and not once has she doubted her chosen fate.

Shiro is a yokai, a spirit of the earth, an enemy of the goddess Emi will soon host. Mystery shrouds his every move, and his ruby eyes shine with cunning she can’t match and dares not trust. But she saved his life, and until his debt is paid, he is hers to command – whether she wants him or not. On the day they meet, everything Emi believes comes undone, swept away like snow upon the winter wind. For the first time, she wants to change her fate – but how can she erase a destiny already wrought in stone? Against the power of the gods, Shiro is her only hope…and hope is all she has left.

[I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS SERIES ENOUGH. It’s a beautifully rendered fantasy world grounded in Japanese mythology, with a breathtaking romance and incredible plot. Technically YA but absolutely don’t let that put you off. I’d also recommend Marie’s Guild Codex: Demonized series, a new adult paranormal series available on KU.]

Kissing Books Newsletter

Sign up for Kissing Books to receive news, book recommendations, and more for residents of Romancelandia.

Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

By signing up you agree to our terms of use

#2. Zodiac Academy: The Awakening (Supernatural Bullies and Beasts #1) by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

What happens to the students who anger the cold-blooded Dragon Shifter, vicious Vampire, black-hearted Werewolf and cruel Siren who run this school?

They pay in blood. But what’s that got to do with me? A helluva a lot more than I’d like…

I just discovered I’m a Fae with unspeakable power, an heir to an entire kingdom, and a threat to those four ruthless supernaturals who are also in line to rule this world.  And I’m a twin. So she’s damned to the same fate too.

They want to hurt us. They want to break us. And they’ll stop at nothing to make us bow at their feet.

My Gemini sign meant little to me until now, but the stars rule this world. They define my Elemental magic, determine my nature and twist my will. But I’ve never bought into daily horoscopes, so I’m not gonna start now. I’ll determine my own fate. And I’m here for one thing and one thing alone: the inheritance my royal parents left in their wake.

There’s just one catch…

We have to graduate before it’s given to us. So until then, the heirs won’t stop fighting to get rid of us. And I have the awful feeling they don’t just want us gone, they want us dead.

[While it’s not quite Harry Potter, this is an insanely fun New Adult enemies-to-lovers romance which has wonderfully assertive heroines and great world-building. Another trope it features is teacher-student romance – the student is 18 – if you’re into that!]

#3. Stolen (Alpha’s Control #1) by Addison Cain

No one will take what’s his…

The Commodore stole her off the streets in broad daylight—the first Omega female discovered in Bernard Dome in generations. He took her with violence while none intervened. He broke her, swearing he’d put her back together.

Brenya Perin was ordered to submit.

Bernard Dome is the jewel of Europe, a bastion of art and culture, pleasure and decadence. But life in the city depends on the occupation chosen for you at birth. There is no subversion, no question of who rules. There is no freedom. And there is no interference from foreign Domes… until a new threat arrives from a distant continent. Shepherd’s right hand man, Jules.

Peace has a price, a price the Commodore of Bernard Dome is willing to pay… so long as the rare Omega remains his.

[This is technically a sequel series to Cain’s bestselling Born to Be Bound books, but I prefer it to that series and it can be read as a standalone. It’s a dark, scorching Omegaverse romance featuring total power exchange, disturbing but incredibly memorable. For a few more details on Cain’s background and Omegaverse in general, click here.]

#4. Trickery (Curse of the Gods #1) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

Willa Knight: Dweller. Slave. Non-magical being.

In Minatsol, being a dweller means that you are literally no better than dirt. In fact, dirt might actually be more useful than Willa. Her life will be one of servitude to the sols, the magic-blessed beings who could one day be chosen to become gods.

At least her outer village is far removed from the cities of the sols, and she won’t ever be forced to present herself to them… Until one small mistake changes everything, and Willa is awarded a position to serve at Blesswood, the top sol academy in the world—a position that she definitely did not earn.

Under the sudden, watchful eye of the gods, she will be tasked to serve the Abcurse brothers, five sols built of arrogance, perfection and power. They are almost gods themselves, and under their service she is either going to end up sentenced to death, or else they are going to ruin her so badly that she will wish for it.

Either way, she is in trouble.

[An absolutely hilarious series; I love how it actively undermines a lot of romance cliches. Note: the heroine ends up with more than one hero. See here for a fuller explanation. The series straddles the line between YA and NA, becoming more explicit in later books.]

#5. Air and Ash (Tides #1) by Alex Lidell

After a lifetime of training, seventeen-year-old Princess Nile Greysik, a lieutenant on the prestigious Ashing navy flagship, sails into battle with one vital mission—and fails.

Barred from the sea and facing a political marriage, Nile masquerades as a common sailor on the first ship she can find. With a cowardly captain, incompetent crew, and a cruel, too-handsome first officer intent on making her life a living hell, Nile must hide her identity while trying to turn the sorry frigate battleworthy. Worse, a terrifying and forbidden magic now tingles in Nile’s blood. If anyone catches wind of who Nile is or what she can do, her life is over.

But when disaster threatens the ship, Nile may have no choice but to unleash the truth that will curse her future.

[Astonishingly good world-building and a deeply satisfying romance. Reminscient of Tamora Pierce. This one is YA.]

#6. Wicked Ugly Bad (A Kinda Fairytale #1) by Cassandra Gannon

Scarlett Riding is NOT an ugly stepsister. Cinderella is the evil one in the family and Letty is determined to prove it. Unfortunately, that’s kinda hard to do from behind bars. After the debacle at the ball, Letty and her sister Dru were dragged off to the Wicked, Ugly and Bad Mental Health Treatment Center and Maximum Security Prison. While Cindy’s planning her dream wedding, her two stepsisters are being forced to endure life in the dreariest dungeon in the land.

Luckily, Letty has a plan to change that unhappy ending. If she can just get to Prince Charming and prove the glass slipper doesn’t fit Cinderella’s foot, she can reclaim her life. In order to do that, though, she needs to convince The Big Bad Wolf to lend a hand in organizing a jailbreak.

Marrok Wolf isn’t sure what to make of the idealistic redhead in his group therapy sessions. With fifty counts of Badness on his criminal record, Marrok’s used to being surrounded by crooks and scumbags. Scarlett wants to lecture him about equal rights for trolls! When the little do-gooder comes up with an elaborate plan to break their entire “share circle” out of prison, though, Marrok is certainly willing to go along with the plot. And not just because he wants to see her naked. The woman may not be wicked, ugly, or Bad, but she’s definitely the only one who can save him.

Together with a wicked witch, a timid bridge ogre, an evil prince, and other villains straight out of a storybook, Scarlett and Marrok are about to make sure that Baddies finally have a happily ever after.

[A wonderfully funny adult spin on Little Red Riding Hood, and one of the best romances anywhere – let alone KU. Gannon deserves a lot more attention than she gets.]

#7. Land of the Beautiful Dead by R. Lee Smith

He ascended from the darkness years ago—Azrael the Eternal, Azrael the Undying, Azrael Who Is Death—bringing with him the black rains, the fires, the souring of the sky, and the Eaters. Now he rules in the walled city of Haven with his favored Children and his dead court, while all that is left of the living struggles to survive in the ruins of a world that used to be their own. But even as extinction looms, humanity will never surrender to their monstrous conqueror.

For Lan, this brutal life has been the only one she’s ever known, but she still believes it can change. If the war can never truly end until the Eaters are ended, she will go to Haven, to Azrael himself, and demand he end them. To her surprise, she does not immediately die the hero’s death she expected. Instead, Azrael offers her a chance to convince him, and all she has to do is submit herself to the chill embrace of the lord of the Land of the Beautiful Dead.

[This book is very hard to describe. It’s part psychological horror, part dystopian romance, part fantasy. I have never read a hero like this one. It’s very long, and not a feel-good book, but so unforgettable that I return compulsively. Hands-down one of the best Kindle Unlimited romance books out there.]

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Paranormal Romance

#8. The Baker’s Guide to Risky Rituals (Sweet Pea Mysteries #1) by Kathryn Moon

Josie Benoit, gourmet patissier and kitchen witch, may not be a Sweet Pea native but she’s made the small town her home and she intends on keeping it that way. When trouble rolls into town on the seats of shining motorcycles, and the safety of her home and her own reputation are put at risk, Josie bands together with her coven to protect her world from a dark influence.

If only that dark influence wasn’t so deliciously handsome.

King Beleth is not a demon to be trifled with. Leader of the Hell’s Bells MC and one of the great warlords of the Bowels, Beleth takes pride in his work and has the patience of a… man who knows what is best is worth waiting for. Known as Bell—to his friends, which you are not—he’s come to Sweet Pea to dismantle the core of good at the heart of the little town. But upon arrival he discovers three things that might just get in the way of his work:

Sweet Pea is more disgustingly adorable than they were warned. The town has a coven of witches protecting it. He’s developing a sweet tooth.

[A funny, not-totally-cosy paranormal romance mystery. Features a heroine with Haitian roots who practises voodoo; great insight into non-European cultural systems!]

#9. The Unlikeable Demon Hunter (Nava Katz #1) by Deborah Wilde

Nava Katz cares about two things: perfecting the art of being a hot mess and her hard-working twin brother. But she accidentally torches his life-long dream when she disrupts his induction into a secret demon-hunting fraternity and steals his destiny.

Horrified she’s now expected to take his place, Nava is faced with something she never wanted: a purpose.

The society isn’t cool with a woman in their ranks and teams her with a surly but smoking-hot ex-rock star to keep her in line. Too bad he’s exactly what Nava’s always wanted: the perfect bad boy fling with no strings attached, because a hook-up with him is as dangerous as the vengeful demon out for blood–her brother’s.

And Nava’s the only one who can save him.

Odds of survival: meh.

Odds of a good time before she bites it: much better.

[A snarky, kickass heroine paired with an Indian hero, enmeshed in Jewish mythology. What more could you want? Admittedly I have some issues with the way the romance develops in later books, but this first installment is gold.]

#10. A Dead and Stormy Night (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries #1) by Steffanie Holmes

After being fired from her fashion internship in New York City, Mina Wilde decides it’s time to reevaluate her life. She returns to the quaint English village where she grew up to take a job at the local bookshop, hoping that being surrounded by great literature will help her heal from a devastating blow.

But Mina soon discovers her life is stranger than fiction – a mysterious curse on the bookshop brings fictional characters to life in lust-worthy bodies. Mina finds herself babysitting Poe’s raven, making hot dogs for Heathcliff, and getting IT help from James Moriarty, all while trying not to fall for the three broken men who should only exist within her imagination.

When Mina’s ex-best friend shows up dead with a knife in her back, she’s the chief suspect. She’ll have to solve the murder if she wants to clear her name. Will her fictional boyfriends be able to keep her out of prison?

[Another reverse harem romance, this time where the heroes are characters from English literature. Holmes pulls it off impressively well – much better than I expected; it’s funny, sexy, and sweet. There is also a disabled heroine (she’s going blind).]

#11. Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1) by Laura Thalassa

Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.

Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.

But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.

For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.

If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.

[While I didn’t find this NA paranormal romance to quite live up to my expectations, it’s still well-written with an intriguing premise.]

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Contemporary Romance

#12. Fear Me (Broken Love #1) by B.B. Reid

I don’t believe in fairy tales and Prince Charming.

I believe in fear.

He taught me how to be afraid.

We first met on a playground on a wonderful summer day. It was the first time he hurt me and it wouldn’t be the last. For ten years, he’s been my tormentor and I’ve been his forbidden. But then he went away, and yet I was still afraid.

Now he’s back and wants more than just my tears. You see…he thinks I sent him away so now he wants revenge…and he knows just how to get it.

[Warning: a dark enemies-to-lovers romance. While the writing is a little stilted at times, and there are plenty of grammatical errors, I found myself unwittingly sucked into the engrossing plot.] 

#13. Ruthless Knight (Royal Hearts Academy #2) by Ashley Jade

Cole Covington is the most popular heartbreaker at school. Every guy wants to be him and every girl wants to screw him. Except me. His devastatingly good looks, golden arm, and flirty smiles don’t do it for me anymore…because I know what’s lurking underneath the star quarterback’s gorgeous armor.

At least I thought I did.

Sometimes the most beautiful people…hide the ugliest truths. And sometimes the only way to save someone… is to walk beside them through hell. _ Sawyer Church is the bible-thumping nerd of Royal Hearts Academy. Girls pick on her and guys don’t notice her. Except me. Sweet, curvy, and sarcastic, she’s impossible to ignore. No matter how much I try. Everyone at school has her pegged as the chubby, Jesus loving geek, but unlike them—Sawyer’s real and never pretends to be someone she’s not.

Until I ask her to be my fake girlfriend.

Sometimes the most beautiful souls…hide the greatest pain. And sometimes the only way to save someone… is to fight for them.

[I promise this is much, much better than the blurb might suggest. It features a plus-sized heroine who’s confident in her beliefs and doesn’t let the hero (who’s incidentally half-Indian) walk all over her. I was really impressed with the way the author tackled some of the heavy issues in this book, namely drug abuse and body-image issues. The prose is a little overwrought at times and I loathed the first installment in the series, but this book is awesome.]

#14. Untouchable by Sam Mariano

Senior year was off to a rough start: lube in my locker, panties on my front porch, unimaginative name-calling. See, I got a player suspended from the football team for harassing me, and in my small Texas town, you don’t mess with the football players—even if they mess with you first.

I didn’t care if it was an unpopular thing to do; I stood up for myself… and in doing so, opened Pandora’s Box.

I never dreamed I would attract the attention of locally worshipped star quarterback, Carter Mahoney. Never imagined his coveted attention would turn out to be such a nightmare. Beneath his carefully constructed façade lurks a monster, a predator looking for the perfect prey to play with. Now, since I’m the girl no one likes or believes, I guess I’m the perfect target for his dark games and twisted desires.

After surviving my first encounter with his casual depravity, all I really want is for Carter to leave me alone.

But all he seems to want is me.

[Warning: this is a very dark, though very emotional and well-written, ‘bully romance.’]

#15. Heart Thief (Black Market Billionaire #1) by Skylar Sweeney

Billionaire Rex Bennett broke my heart, and now I’m coming for his—for real this time. My greatest enemy stole a miracle heart from its maker, and I’m going undercover as his Sexy Secretary to take it back, at least if his offers to fondle his gun and spice up his coffee don’t drive me to the wild side first.

Rex shattered my heart years ago, and I was sure it would never beat the same… until a single kiss from the man I despise pieced it back together. Do I stay true to my vengeance and steal the heart he needs to survive or do I succumb to passion and allow the maker of the heart to die?

[This debut novel is a little rough around the edges, but there’s an original premise + hilarious banter between the protagonists!]

#16. More than Enough (Postgrad #1) by Bria Felicien

All Jamila wants to do is figure out this “adulthood” thing. Step 1: Find a new job.

With his second career about to begin, TJ is ready to settle down. Step 1: Start dating again.

When TJ and Jamila meet, they don’t know what to do with each other. Other than complicate everything.

#17. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

Vanessa Mazur knows she’s doing the right thing. She shouldn’t feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she’s beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn’t find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He’s asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

[Zapata’s books are famed for being emotionally-intense, slow-burn romances. While my personal favourite is Under Locke, this is worth a read too.]

#18. The Kingmaker (All the King’s Men #1) by Kennedy Ryan

Power. Passion. Betrayal.

Raised to rule, bred to lead and weaned on a diet of ruthless ambition. In a world of haves and have nots, my family has it all, and I want nothing to do with it.

My path takes me far from home and paints me as the black sheep. At odds with my father, I’m determined to build my own empire. I have rules, but Lennix Hunter is the exception to every one of them. From the moment we meet, something sparks between us. But my family stole from hers and my father is the man she hates most. I lied to have her, and will do anything to keep her. Though she tries to hate me, too, the inexorable pull between us will not be denied.

And neither will I.

[Some great diversity here – the heroine is a member of Yavapai-Apache Nation, and the culture constitutes a large element of the book.]

#19. Giving Chase (Havenwood #1) by Riley Hart

KELLAN I wasn’t supposed to fall for my older brother’s best friend. Unfortunately, that ship sailed when I was a teenager, even though Chase Hawthorne always treated me like nothing more than a younger sibling. Things were worse after my parents died. Chase was sweet and supportive, which only strengthened my feelings for him. But then he’d act like I couldn’t take care of myself, and that part didn’t go over well with me. Yeah, I had a habit of screwing up. I’d always been the weird boy in our small town, but just like my big brother, he took overprotective to a new level. Until one night when I was eighteen and Chase and I hooked up. It was a ding to the ego that he left town right afterward. Ridiculously, I’m still not over him.

CHASE I betrayed my best friend, Griffin, the night I messed around with Kellan. So I ran–first to the Marines, then into law enforcement. Ten years later, I’m back home, this time as a patrol officer rather than a troublemaker’s son. Oh, and unable to keep my hands off Kellan Caine. There’s always been something about him…the way he stands strong in who he is, even when he’s standing alone. I’m trapped between someone I want more than anything and Griff, the guy who’s like family to me. Yet the more time I spend with Kellan, the harder it becomes to deny there’s something real between us.

With my dad stirring up trouble, and me going behind my best friend’s back, everything’s a mess. The more tangled the web gets, the more I realize I need Kellan. And that there might be something in the Hawthorne family history that’ll make me lose both Kellan and Griffin for good.

#20. Permanent Ink (Art & Soul #1) by Piper Vaughn & Avon Gale

At twenty-three, graffiti artist Poe Montgomery is going nowhere fast. His second chance comes in the form of a job offer from his father’s best friend, Jericho McAslan, owner of a popular tattoo shop, Permanent Ink.

Between their age gap, tension with Poe’s father, Poe’s struggles to focus, and Jericho’s determination to keep their relationship strictly professional, their chance at love seems as fleeting as a tattoo stencil.

But when Poe makes his deepest desires abundantly clear, Jericho can no longer resist their burning attraction or the idea of his own fantasies becoming reality. If they can find a way to rewrite their rocky start, they might have a chance at transforming their temporary arrangement into something that lasts forever.

[A cute May-December romance featuring a bisexual hero and some daddy kink.]

#21. The Sergeant (Cuffs, Collars, and Love #1) by Christa Tomlinson

Sergeant Logan Pierce: He leads his squad with cool efficiency, taking down rough criminals while keeping his team safe. But behind closed doors he sets a darker part of himself free. As a Dom, he’s controlled many submissives, but never had one for his own. That’s because there’s only one man he wants: Officer Clay Foster.

Officer Clay Foster: Over the years he’s noticed his Sergeant’s secretly admiring glances and suspected his attraction. One night, with one kiss, he’s proven correct. Clay dives headlong into the rough passion of BDSM that Logan introduces him to. He submits to Logan’s control, accepting the sweet shackles that bind him to his Sergeant. But secrets, both his and Logan’s, force him to leave the newfound safety of his Dom’s arms.

Logan refuses to let go of what he’s wanted for so long, Clay as his own, proudly wearing his collar. Can he safely guide Clay through the obstacles that separate them until he can claim his submissive once more?

#22. Call the Coroner (Staniel #1) by Avril Ashton

A clash of wills between predators…

He’s been living underground for a long time, but the only thing guaranteed to bring Daniel Nieto back to the surface is the identity of his wife’s killer. With the whisper of one name, he puts it all on the line for vengeance. He’s got plans for Stavros Konstantinou.

The title of monster fits too well for Stavros to want to be anything other than what he is. Time spent in Daniel Nieto’s dungeon, chained and tortured, will never change that. Starved of food, sunlight, and freedom, he waits for an opening to turn the tables on the only man who’s ever come close enough to scare him.

Somewhere between the slide of knife against skin, and the drip of blood on cold concrete, things change. Grief and hatred collide with lust and obsession, and this time Daniel and Stavros are on the same side. This time, they’re fighting a losing battle against a connection forged by much more than a love of violence and bloodshed.

In a war this bloodied, what do you do when the bodies start hitting the floor?

[Warning: a very dark M/M romance.]

#23. Nothing Special by A.E. Via

Detective Cashel ‘Cash’ Godfrey is big, tattooed and angry so people typically keep their distance. He’s fresh out of the police academy, however, no one is looking to partner with the six foot four beast with a huge chip on his shoulder and an inability to trust. When Cash scans the orientation room he wasn’t expecting to find sexy hazel eyes locked onto him. Eyes of the handsome Detective Leonidis ‘Leo’ Day.

Leo is charming, witty, hilariously sarcastic and the only one that can make Cash smile. He’s proud, out and one bad-ass detective.

Together Cash and Leo become the most revered and successful narcotics detectives Atlanta’s ever seen. Able to communicate and understand each other, without even having to voice it, they quickly climb up the promotional ranks.

When Cash saves Leo’s life in a raid that turns deadly, Leo begins to see something in the big man that no one else does…something special. But Leo fears he’ll never break through the impenetrable wall that protects Cash’s heart.

#24. Vicious (Sinners of Saint #1) by L.J. Shen

Emilia They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true. The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares. He is a brilliant lawyer. A skilled criminal. A beautiful liar. A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover. Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.

Vicious She is a starving artist. Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom. Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down. She paid the price. Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate. That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t. So she hates me. Big fucking deal. She better get used to me.

#25. Six of Hearts (Hearts #1) by L.H. Cosway

When Jay Fields, world-renowned illusionist, walks into her dad’s law firm Matilda is struck speechless. Not only is he one of the most attractive and charismatic men she’s ever met, he’s also a mystery to be solved.

Jay wants to sue a newspaper for defamation, but all is not what it seems. Matilda is determined to discover the true story behind Jay, however, when he becomes an unexpected roommate, she is not ready for how he will wheedle his way into her affections and steal her heart.

The man is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and though she can’t yet see the bigger picture, Matilda can’t resist following along for the thrilling and heart-stopping ride.

[A bit of a fever dream of a book, full of tricks and illusions.]

#26. Titanium (Breathless #1) by Anna Katmore

My world shattered when I met my match.

I pride myself on keeping control of everything. Always. My only weakness?Reckless challenges. After losing my car to the new street racer in town, Sebastian gives me a chance to get it back. His condition: two hours in my playroom. No safewords allowed. While I only ever do girls in there, I accept. And when he kisses me, I reach my fucking limits.

Once in a lifetime, you meet a unicorn.

Raffael is pure Nordic ice. Controlled. Determined. And drop-dead gorgeous. Winning his car was a lucky strike. Winning his heart when he’s so afraid of the truth, turns out to be the hardest challenge I’ve ever raced to complete.

[While this an adult M/M romance, Katmore really excels at YA contemporary romcom. Her Grover Beach High series is also on KU and I highly recommend it!

#27. The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar

They say it takes twenty-one days to form a habit. They lie.

For twenty-one days she held on. But on Day Twenty-two, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death.

Because on Day Twenty-two, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves.

#28. Melt for You (Slow Burn #2) by J.T. Geissinger

Socially awkward Joellen Bixby has a date every Saturday—with her cat, a pint of ice cream, and fantasies of the way-too-handsome Michael Maddox. She’d give anything to win over the unattainable CEO of her firm, but how can she when she blends in so well with her cubicle? The answer may be closer than she thinks.

Cameron McGregor is a cocky, tattooed Scottish rugby captain who just moved in next door. He’s not Jo’s type—at all—but the notorious playboy is offering to teach the wallflower everything he knows about inspiring desire. Though a lot of women have rumpled Cam’s kilt, Jo is special. Far from the ugly duckling she thinks she is, in Cam’s eyes she’s sharp, funny, and effortlessly sexy. Now, thanks to him, Jo is blooming with confidence and has the man of her dreams within reach.

Unfortunately for Cam, he’s just helped to push the woman of his dreams into the arms of another man—and now he’s in the fight of his life to keep this beauty from getting away.

[SUCH a great book, with sizzling UST between the characters. Also one of my favourite tropes! Can be read as a standalone.]

#29. The V Girl by Mya Robarts

In post-apocalyptic North America two emerging nations are at war and sexual slavery is legal. Lila Velez desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend. Lila does not love him, but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute for love.

Lila hides a secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey Fürst, a foreign, broody man who she distrusts because of his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. He offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself.

With threats looming at every turn and no way to escape, Lila fears that falling in love will only lead to more heartache. The consequences of laying down her arms for Aleksey and welcoming hope might destroy more than her heart. They might force her to face the worst of her nightmares becoming a reality. Is love possible in a world that has forgotten what the human touch is?

#30. Falling for a Knight (The Wild Knights #1) by Té Russ

While vacationing in Trinidad, world-renowned photographer Roman Knight unexpectedly acquires a new muse, Cynthia Tremaine. Their chemistry is off the charts and they can’t resist giving into a night of passion together.

Neither of them expected to see each other again after they parted ways…but fate seemed to have other plans.

See here for more recommended KU books!

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/30-best-kindle-unlimited-romance-books-available-right-now