Worm (Parahumans #1) - Chapter 54: Arc 5: Hive - Interlude (Gregor the Snail)

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.

When the Chinese athlete laughed that video game championships existed, you, as a professional e-sports player, should use your size 42 shoes to measure just how long his smug face is!

When parents, relatives, friends, and all of society squint at your gamer profession as improper, all you, as a true lover of e-sports, can do is to show them a unyielding view of your back!

Have you ever imagined that in four years, e-sports would be one of the events on the Olympic fields. A hair-raising showdown that combines hand speed reactions under a second, great coordination from a five man team, and the ultimate limits of the human response time– –it is the video game competition! Let the enthusiastic followers of the world yell ‘Demacia’!!

- Description from Novelupdates

Shen Xi was the daughter the Jiang family had mistakenly taken home. After their real daughter, Jiang Xue, returned, Shen Xi’s foster mother asked Shen Xi to stay, hoping she could help Jiang Xue get used to life in the city as Jiang Xue had been living in the countryside all this while. Alas, everyone claimed that Shen Xi was clinging to the Jiang family because she refused to part with the family’s wealth. Her foster parents didn’t clarify this accusation. Then, Shen Xi’s fiance ended up getting engaged to Jiang Xue instead.One day, Jiang Xue killed someone when she was driving. Shen Xi’s foster parents knelt before Shen Xi, begging her to take the fall for Jiang Xue with tears in their eyes. Shen Xi agreed to their request to repay their kindness for raising her. However, she didn’t know that the person Jiang Xue had killed was her foster father, in other words, Shen Xi’s biological father! While Shen Xi was in prison, Jiang Xue even indirectly killed Shen Xi’s biological mother! In an instant, Shen Xi became an orphan.After experiencing her foster family’s ruthlessness and persecution, Shen Xi exposed the sinful deeds the Jiang family had committed over the years and Jiang Xue’s crimes after being released from prison! Then, she detonated a bomb, sacrificing her life to take revenge for her biological parents.However, after the bomb exploded, Shen Xi was shocked to find herself returning to many years ago when Jiang Xue was first found, and Shen Xi’s identity of not being the Jiang family’s real daughter was about to be exposed. During this time, she was still a rich young lady dressed in expensive clothes as she sat in the Jiang family’s car on the way to her fiance’s birthday banquet. Shen Xi’s lips curled up slightly. A good show was about to begin.She wanted to change her fate and her biological parents’ fates. However, she never expected that both her parents were heirs to a large financial group. Also, the renowned movie star, a young genius doctor, and a domineering CEO were all her biological brothers! She, who wasn’t loved in her past life, was being pampered in this life! Then, the paparazzi caught her on camera, entering a hotel with a rumored bigshot. The crowd gasped. Was this bigshot Shen Xi’s brother as well? The bigshot hugged Shen Xi’s waist and kissed her. “Nope. I’m her lover!”

[Mind Reading + Drama + Family’s Favorite + Wealthy Family + Entertainment Circle]Ji Fei’s soul was mistakenly hooked, and she transmigrated into the body of a resentful wife about to be divorced from a wealthy family.[Oh my! After the divorce, I’ll be rich, beautiful, and single. Who needs a husband? What? I was framed… Divorce! Quick, divorce! If they discover the truth, I won’t be able to escape!]Mr. Qin, about to sign the divorce papers: ???Soon after, the company’s trusted executive secretary is taken away by the police.With the divorce attempt failing, Ji Fei can only continue being the wealthy family’s wife, fortunately with a drama-watching system to keep her company.[What? The orphan my sister-in-law wants to adopt is her husband’s ex-girlfriend’s child? My brother-in-law is trying to mooch off the family!]The sister-in-law, who was being pressured to adopt due to infertility: !!!That night, the sister-in-law kicks out the ungrateful family.[Shocking! The younger brother-in-law mistook someone for his childhood sweetheart, breaking his true love’s heart. When he discovers the truth, won’t he have to grovel for forgiveness?]The younger brother-in-law, who was defending the innocent-looking girl and criticizing his fiancée: What!A few days later, the younger brother-in-law kicks out the innocent-looking girl knocking on his door at midnight and smoothly kneels before his fiancée’s door.[How wretched! The younger sister-in-law is so blinded by love, about to elope with an arrogant, sleazy man behind the family’s back. She doesn’t even know that the meal was just takeout re-plated by that scumbag?!]The younger sister-in-law, who was describing how her boyfriend cooked a meal for her, making her feel true love, and hoping the family would accept her delinquent boyfriend: …After returning to school, the younger sister-in-law’s head clears up, and she dumps the meal box on the scumbag’s face.[I’ve finished all the drama around me, time to check out others’ drama.]The entire Qin family transforms into drama-hungry spectators: Wait, what drama? Take us with you to watch!!!Life has three joys: watching drama, gossiping, and joining in the excitement!!