smoke in the veins

Thirteen Veins: Stars and Crescent – Brotherhood Across Borders In the shadows of global finance, geopolitics, and ancient alliances lie the Thirteen Veins—the invisible arteries connecting wealth, power, and survival across continents. This monumental epic saga weaves together the destinies of men from vastly different worlds: a European noble and jurist, a Southeast Asian strategist, a mountain tribal chieftain, a master of overland and maritime routes, a Middle Eastern tycoon, and an heir to steppe clans, among others—each holding a piece of an enigma that no single man could ever decipher alone. Bound by an ancient oath of brotherhood (Fair and Square), yet tested by ruthless commercial rivalries, political conspiracies, and secrets buried for centuries, they navigate between the opulence of imperial auction houses and the deadly peril of clandestine docks and isolated mountain gorges. What begins as a struggle for control over strategic resources and global trade routes soon transforms into a far deeper journey: the true meaning of camaraderie, loyalty, and unwavering trust. From the galleries and opera houses of Paris to the rugged peaks of Yunnan, from the Gulf deserts to financial hubs and the dark waters of imperial ports, each volume unveils new layers of conflict, wit, and sheer resolve. The Thirteen Veins are not merely financial networks or trade routes—they are the bonds of blood and honor that tie their fates together through every storm. Crafted with sharp precision, financial intrigue, and visceral combat, Thirteen Veins: Stars and Crescent – Brotherhood Across Borders is far more than a story about power and fortune: it is an epic of wisdom, presence of mind, and unbreakable fraternity, proving that even when the world demands you walk alone, true brotherhood never lets a brother fall.

Julian Marlowe never believed in monsters. Not until one chose him. Lucian Devray doesn’t chase. He doesn’t need to. Power bends toward him, and people learn quickly that leaving is not an option once he’s made a decision. Julian was never meant to be part of that world. But Lucian didn’t approach him by accident. He chose him. Pulled him closer. Kept him there. And the more Julian tries to understand why, the more he realizes this was never about chance. There’s something in his blood. Something Lucian recognized before anyone else. Something others are now beginning to hunt. Because Julian isn’t just caught in Lucian’s world. He might be the reason it was built this way in the first place. And Lucian? He isn’t letting him go. Not now. Not ever.

Many young she-wolves have dreamed of meeting their mate, the one who would sweep them off their feet, at least that was what they were told. Sapphire Nightborne once dreamed of the same thing until she met hers, a true monster. Instead of marks of love, he left whip marks , words of love were replaced with those of hate. "Congratulations Damien, you finally broke me." Join her as she struggles to be the master of her own fate.

She gave him a bullet. And he swore he'd never take it off. Then he married her to steal her inheritance—and she fell for the devil anyway. She returned to bury her father. Instead, she was forced to marry his enemy's son. - Rosalind Marlow returns to New York to settle her father's affairs, once one of the city's most feared mafia bosses, only to find he died beside his greatest rival… and left behind a contract binding her to the rival's son. Viktor Marino is cold, calculating, and infuriatingly magnetic. Rosa has no intention of becoming anyone's pawn, not in grief, not in business, and definitely not in bed. But Viktor plays a long game, and with every stare, every challenge, he pulls her deeper into a world of secrets, power, and heat. She was raised to be untouchable. He was born to conquer. And in the space between vengeance and desire, who is going to lose control first? Contains mature and dark content. ***** EXCERPT "Why would you want to leave this behind?' he growled in my ear, his chest rumbling against my back. Because I can't trust you. Because I don't know what I want. 'Because it's cruel,' I whispered. And then he pulled away, leaving me trembling, desperate, and furious.

--- Title: Veins of Power, Heart of Ashes Genre: Billionaire CEO × Secret Mafia Romance Setting: Italy Synopsis: Kairo voletti seo, a 28-year-old billionaire CEO, is the man behind Italy’s most powerful film empire. With a sharp mind, striking brown eyes, caramel-toned skin, and a calm demeanor, he is admired by the world. But behind the glamour lies a secret — Kairo is also the hidden leader of a mafia dynasty built on legacy, loyalty, and quiet power. In a long-term relationship with Celeste Raines, a beautiful and ambitious 25-year-old actress, Kairo believes he has everything — love, success, control. But Celeste’s affection is a mask. She’s only with Kairo for fame and fortune and secretly betrays him for another man who promises her the spotlight. Kairo is blind to the betrayal until he meets Elira Wynne, a soft-spoken and talented 21-year-old newcomer with hazel blue eyes and pinkish pale skin. She auditions for his next film, and something about her innocence and quiet strength stirs a part of him he thought had long turned to stone. As Kairo finds himself drawn to Elira, his once-unshakable world begins to tremble. He still loves Celeste—or so he wants to believe—but Elira’s presence challenges everything he thought he knew about loyalty, trust, and love. Caught between a toxic relationship, a dangerous underworld, and an unexpected emotional awakening, Kairo must decide: protect the empire he built with blood, or risk it all for the one woman who makes him feel human again. ---

In a world where ancient Veins of Creation grant power—and corruption—to those born with the mark, Raze Drakan is an outcast whose strength awakens only after he’s betrayed and abandoned by his own family. Now, with the Iron Vein surging within him, Raze returns to seize control over the Veinborn and shatter the power structures that cast him aside. Driven by vengeance and relentless ambition, Raze isn’t interested in being a hero. He’ll use any means necessary—manipulation, betrayal, forbidden techniques—to rise above his enemies and carve his name into legend. But the path he’s chosen leads into a dangerous world of rival sects, ancient relics, and a dark power that threatens to consume him. For Raze, there’s only one rule: rise, or be destroyed.

They spilled his blood to protect their crown. Now he’ll drown their kingdom in it. Once a devoted knight of the Silver Court, Kael Morvain was betrayed by the royals he served—offered as a living sacrifice to seal a cursed blood pact. But death was only the beginning. Reborn as a vampire in the ruins of forgotten gods, Kael awakens with no soul, no mercy, and one burning purpose: vengeance. The kingdom of Solrath flourishes on lies, its golden heir worshiped like a savior. But Kael knows the truth: the blood on their throne belongs to him. When he kidnaps the last surviving princess, a fierce woman marked by prophecy and hiding her own monstrous bloodline, Kael’s revenge spirals into a war between old gods, cursed blood, and forbidden desire. In a land where power is written in veins and vengeance never dies, only one truth remains: The dead don’t forgive. They return.

This is the right version of the story on my account the other one had some problems on webnovel. A story about traveling through a system! Incest, multiple blood relatives, harem, pony cart, and light training. The protagonist's soul traveled through time and space to a newborn baby, and he was sent to Xia City when he was just born. At first, he didn't know that he was Liu Ruyan's son! The most important thing is that he was bound to a very bad system called the money exchange system, so after he could speak, he showed a melancholy temperament! Others thought he was sad about something, but every time someone asked him, he shook his head lightly and said no! But only he knew the pain in his heart! He guarded a system, but the system asked for money. It gave money for intelligence, but I still gave money for strength! Unfortunately, Liu Xuan, who was thrown into the welfare home, lacked money! Otherwise, he wouldn't have been hungry every day and bullied. Until Liu Ruyan came and handed over a 10 billion black card, the world finally changed. The beautiful mother's soft breasts that made people linger, and the long black legs that were longer than his life, yes, that housekeeper, the loose maid clothes, weren't they just waiting for him to fuck them? At this moment, Liu Xuan, who had been single from the previous life to this life, immediately notified the dog system after receiving the black card handed over by the beautiful mother, and directly blessed his bird gun that was growing well into a thick cannon...

Sarafina Ainsley died on her twenty-fifth birthday. The problem is… she woke up again. Now her blood burns with something unnatural, her senses are sharper than they should be, and the city she once called home suddenly feels different—like it’s watching her. Valerie’s City hides more than ordinary secrets. Vampires rule from the shadows, hunters lurk in silence, and ancient bloodlines control a world Sarafina never knew existed. But somehow… she is at the center of it. Someone knows what she is. Someone has been waiting for her return. And someone clearly failed to kill her the first time. Two men stand dangerously close to the truth. Alistair Draven—a powerful hybrid whose presence awakens something wild inside her. Cassian Crowley—her best friend, who seems far too prepared for the chaos unfolding around them. As buried secrets begin to surface, Sarafina realizes her death was never an accident. It was the beginning. And whatever she has become… the supernatural world is already coming for her.

Nyra lives two lives, and neither can afford the truth. By night, she rules the shadows of the city a beautiful, sharp-tongued hustler selling weed under the protection of Torry, the feared drug lord known as Shark. She knows the streets, the silence they demand, and the price of being noticed. Shark calls her his favorite, and in his world, that is both a blessing and a threat. By day, Nyra disappears into a different kind of power. An IT prodigy with a mind built for breaking systems, she earns a coveted place at ValeTech, an elite technology firm run by the cold, brilliant, and dangerously controlling Adrian Vale. He sees her talent immediately and something else he can’t quite name. Hunger. Defiance. Fire. What begins as professional tension turns into an obsession neither of them is prepared for. Adrian wants to protect her, possess her, shape her future. Nyra refuses to be owned by him, by Shark, or by the streets that raised her. Caught between dirty money and clean lies, smoke and code, she must decide how much of herself she’s willing to lose for love. Because when two powerful men want the same woman, survival isn’t guaranteed. And love might be the most dangerous addiction of all.