Within a Hollow Heart - Chapter 22: Volume 1, : "Beneath the Guardian’s Shadow"

Zev prowled towards her, all shining, brutal beauty, his chin low and those incredible, piercing eyes fixed on her. He didn’t stop until they were toe-to-toe and he blocked her view of every other male in the circle.

His eyes dipped to her mouth as he leaned in, his whisper playing on her skin.

“You. Are. Mine.”

His deep voice twanged in her belly as the howls of the wolf pack rose from behind him to echo across the mountains of Thana, while the other Chimera protested his claim.

Fighting the urge to stroke his broad, bare chest with her shaking hands, Sasha forced herself to tilt her head and raise an eyebrow. “So bold for a pup who just found his fangs.”

The other males roared with laughter.

Ignoring their taunts, Zev’s eyes sparked and he leaned even closer, the scruff on his jaw tickling her cheek as he smiled. “So bold for a human who already knows the pleasure of gasping my name.”

She shivered when his teeth grazed her ear.

*****

Just days after Sasha gave herself to her childhood love, he disappeared. Five years later, on a dark city street, Zev came back—with danger on his tail.

Zev is Chimera: Half-human, half-wolf. Made in a secure research lab, his existence is a secret. But when the powerful men who created him try to kill the only woman who ever made his heart sing, Zev snaps their leash and steals her away to the brutal, hidden world of the Chimera clans.

Torn between the magnetic draw of her first love and the painful betrayal of his disappearance, Sasha tries to keep Zev at arms-length. But when they reach this mysterious world, Zev discovers that in his absence the humans took control and stole almost all the females. The Chimera are dying—and Zev isn’t Alpha anymore.

Now, Zev must fight his own people to win the right to mate his only love. Can he prove to her that his long-ago promise to protect her heart, as well as her body, was true? Or will the humans cross worlds to hunt the wolf and tear the lovers apart forever?

[Mature content, no sexual assault]

Annan transmigrated to a new world – the Land of Dense Fog. He had become a rare elite NPC who possessed the player’s system.

However, he had the heart of a player.

I like to stir up matters, and unbridled. But, I’m a kind player. The ally of justice who is favored by this world.

I’m on a main mission. As the righteous player, I’m following my destiny to eradicate you, the evil NPC!

Dear player, I’d recommend you to stop running away. The mission is completed. I’m the righteous NPC now to punish you, the evil players…

—

In the long dark night, the crimson moon hangs high in the sky.

Hoarse whisper patrols the streets. The brass steam engine is emitting blood mist.

Your brain is in ecstasy; your eyes are enchanted.

With cracked skins, it sprouts new flesh.

In the gray mists, shirek cries come from the flesh wall that consumes thousands of corpses…

“Stop crying, our players don’t bite. They just want to play with you.”

The Solitary Schemer, Number 1 Player, Land of Dense Fog’s Savior, Leader of 13 Saints, Friend of 12 Upright Deity, Pioneer King, “The Righteous One,” Gatekeeper of Forth Disaster, Crownless Deity, the great Annan advised kindly.

[Status: COMPLETED]In her previous life, Adrienne Jiang had used all means to save her mother’s life. Her father had neglected her after marrying his mistress, allowing the mother-and-daughter pair to bully her to no end. The older brother whom she thought she could rely on gave her a cold shoulder and chastised her instead for not cutting their mother’s life support.In her despair, Adrienne almost fell into the trap set by her stepsister. In the end, she entered a contractual marriage with her best friend’s brother, Alistair Han, a man she’d been carrying a torch for from a young age.Only then did she realize that the man was manipulative and obsessive, not wanting her out of sight. She had been treated like a bird trapped in a golden cage.In the end, she met her demise at the betrayal of her brother and everything was lost in the fire. After being reborn, she was determined not to continue being a good-for-nothing person.Lennox Qin, the vicious young master of the Qin family, was set to become the next head of their family. However, because of an incident, he was crippled and deemed unworthy. When he and Adrienne’s paths crossed, they came to an agreement.“I’ll marry you to remove your bad luck and be your wife for two years. In return, allow me to use you to destroy the Han and Jiang families.”The man seated in a wheelchair merely raised a brow at her declaration. His lips then curled into a dashing smile and he agreed without batting an eyelid. However, when the time was almost up, he rushed to convince her to stay in their marriage.“Madam Qin deserves the best. If it’s the world you desire, I’ll bring it to you on a silver platter. You can have the entire world, but darling, do not forget that while everything belongs to you, you belong to me.”Adrienne furrowed her brows.“But you don’t even like me...” She reasoned out, thinking that her husband might have lost his mind.“No, I didn’t, but I do love you now. In fact, you are the only one I think of these days.”However, it seemed to her that not only her husband was trying to get her attention but her in-laws as well.Editor/proofreader: ninaviewsWarning for future r18 scenes and themes not appropriate for young audiences.Copyright2023 anjeeriku

In an era brimming with noise, where danger and opportunity coexist, the practice of martial arts, various folk customs, strange tales, taboos, imperial courts, and the world of martial artists abound. Among these are the grandmasters, magical duels, ghostly encounters, divinations, invoking the divine, ritual plays, esoteric Buddhism, and the pursuit of immortality.In this diverse and complex world, where the three teachings intermingle and all kinds of people abound, the sphere of mysticism is filled with folklores and bizarre stories.It's a tumultuous time, where danger and opportunity exist side by side.Striding with his saber, Li Yan is determined to dispel all evil and embrace a world free from any taboo!