The Runic Alchemist - Chapter 13: Rewards & New Rank

Lucinda Perry, a social recluse and a workaholic, makes a pledge to herself to go all wild on her twenty-fifth birthday and even score a one night stand if she gets her long deserved promotion at work. Few days to her twenty-fifth birthday, she gets promoted to not just a higher position but to the head office in a different city.

Having to spend her birthday night in a new city, she goes to the club where she meets a very handsome stranger, Thomas Hank, who offers to be her one night stand after catching a glimpse of her dare-to-do list, which included having a one night stand.

Thomas Hank, after having been used by several ladies in the past, is bent on getting the lady of his dreams who would love him for himself and not his wealth. So when he meets the cute and naive Lucinda Perry at the club, he decides to keep his true identity from her and find out if she was worth keeping.

***********

***Excerpt***

“What are you doing here?” Lucy asked in alarm when she walked into her boss' office and saw Tom standing by the window,

“Who let you in here? Come with me, you should leave now before he comes in and sees you here. He can be really mean.” Lucy said reaching out to grab his hand, but he made no move to reach for her hand, and just kept staring at her with a slightly amused expression.

“I came to fulfill your fantasy.” Tom said looking into her eyes with an unreadable expression.

“Fantasy? What fantasy?” She asked with a frown as she hurried to the door to shut it so her boss wouldn't walk in on them.

“You've forgotten? You said you would love to have sex with me on your boss' table. I want to make it happen.” Tom said making her heart skip a beat.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?” She half yelled as she took his hands and tried to drag him to the door, “I could lose my job if my boss finds you in here.” She snapped at him.

“Nevermind about that. Tell me the thought of this doesn't turn you on? I'm here, you're here, and the table is right here. I could have you on your back in a second and you'd be crying out my name...” Before Tom could finish, the office door was pushed open.

“Sup Tom? Can I talk to you for a sec?” Harry asked as he walked in, his eyes on the documents in his hand. He stopped when he raised his head and realized Lucy was in the office. He almost kicked himself when he saw the frown on Lucy's face, “Shit!” Harry muttered, and gave Tom an apologetic glance when he realized he had just screwed up.

“I thought you were going out?” he asked her with an awkward smile.

“Tom? You know him? I mean... other than him being my driver?” She asked both men, looking from one to the other when she noticed Harry didn't look surprised to see Tom in the office.

What was going on here? What was she missing? Lucy asked herself as her gaze shifted from Harry to Tom who was glaring at Harry. There was no way Tom could be her boss, right? All the pieces of the puzzle was beginning to fit now. It was all beginning to make sense now, she thought as she glanced at Tom one more time before walking out of the office.

“I am Bianca Valestra, Witch of the Frozen Night, an enemy of Humanity. By choosing to follow me, you will be fighting not just humans—but the entire world. I no longer wish to lie to you, Elian. If you wish to walk away or choose another path, I will let you.”Yet the boy shook his head and laid his hand gently over hers.“I am no longer human. I just committed what I think to be genocide. I am not afraid. For you—the one who saved me, gave me purpose, and my only desire—I will fight. I do not care how many come. I will kill them all.”___In the year 2030, everything changed.Portals to other dimensions appeared without warning.We called them dungeons.And from them came monsters that knew only destruction.But in humanity’s darkest hour, a sliver of hope emerged.People began awakening strange abilities—Talents—to fight back.Years passed. A fragile normal returned.Our story begins with Elian Reeds, a teenage student born in this new world—without a Talent.A Defect, they called him. Useless. Broken.That is, until he meets her.A fallen villainess whose name still strikes fear and reverence alike:Bianca Valestra—divine in beauty, and colder than death.This is the tale of their meeting.The chronicle of their journey.And the legacy of their triumph.

In order to be loved, she changed her whole personality, but all she got in return was a cold husband and her unrequited feelings.Now that she lost her memories and went back to her old self, she's determined to never love again. She wouldn't let anyone trample on her anymore.But then, why is her husband coming back around again - turning over a new leaf and wanting to take her back so desperately?“You should know well by now, my beloved wife. Didn't you change yourself for love...?” he muttered vehemently, voice low and smoky.His unwavering eyes are blazing with passion and a deep sense of endearment that she'd never seen before. This isn't her husband at all - instead of cold, his gaze appears to be on fire.“The same goes for me... So, love me, love me not - you're going to take responsibility.”---Impassive, strait-laced, stiff and very compliant - that's how everyone sees Cassidy Eleanor. She's an underdog wife who's desperate to gain her husband's affection and would even sacrifice her own freedom. Coming from an unknown background, she was neglected by her spouse, persecuted by his family, and misjudged in her workplace.That's all until it came to a point when she already had enough. In an effort to flee from the clutches of a loveless marriage and all the obligations that were forced on her, she got herself a ticket and boarded a plane.Little did she know that a bombing incident would ultimately ruin her plan to start anew.Then, before she knew it, she woke up to find herself with a type of amnesia that caused her to forget everything that happened to her when she's past the age of eighteen-years-old.To be exact, Cassidy had gone back to her old self - right before she met her husband, Adrian Millicent.---Cold, distant, steely and iron-willed - that's how everyone sees the owner of the country's richest conglomerate. Adrian is known to be a prodigious figure in a variety of fields and commerce, a prestigious individual with billions of assets, and a man of outstanding achievements overall.He used to be the most-sought-after bachelor of the country, but only to get in an arranged marriage by his grandparent - with a woman of unknown origin, to boot. He really couldn't care less, though. After all, he never needed love to begin with.That's all until Adrian found this reserved and amenable wife of his acting like a wild and boisterous teenage girl one day.

Alexander Blackwell has always been a man of taste, charm, and relentless ambition—traits he inherited alongside the world’s largest fortune. When his legendary father, a trillionaire who built an empire from nothing, passes away, Alexander wakes up to a reality most could only dream of: unlimited power, endless wealth, and a blank canvas to shape his legacy.But Alexander isn’t content with simply inheriting the Blackwell name; he’s determined to redefine it. From purchasing private islands to creating monuments of vanity, hosting the most exclusive events, and launching ventures that blur the line between brilliance and indulgence, he sets out to make himself unforgettable.To Alexander, ambition and excess go hand in hand. After all, what’s the point of having everything if you’re not building something bigger? What’s the point of having it all if you aren’t living like it?Disclaimer:This work is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All trademarks, brand names, and other proprietary rights mentioned or depicted are the property of their respective owners and are used for illustrative purposes only. This work is not affiliated with or endorsed by any brand, company, or individual mentioned. All rights reserved.