Sena memulai kembali kehidupan sekolahnya di Sma 2 Negeri. Sekolah itu terkenal akan sosok sang pangeran sekolah yang katanya adalah orang yang menyamai kebaikan sang Malaikat, tetapi benarkah itu?

"Aku selalu menjadi anak baik selama ini. Tetapi jika memiliki mu adalah suatu yang buruk, maka aku rela menjadi anak yang nakal demi memilikimu seutuhnya." -Alecz Derya

"Jangan kira hanya karena kau pangeran sekolahnya ini, aku akan terlena seperti gadis lainnya!" -Sena Twirs.

"Sudah kubilang bukan, kau milikku dan aku milikmu, Sena." 

Inspirasi by song aishite aishite aishite (Good kid sydrom) and another psycho story.

"To outplay a man in poker is to own him in mind, wallet, and soul." - Joey Fiore, World Series of Poker champion.

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a millionaire overnight? It was the start of the poker boom and that was the dream of millions of poker players all over the world. All types of geniuses, gamblers, and hustlers flocked to poker rooms with ambitions of making it big. Follow Joey, a teenager with the special ability of an empath, as he rises to challenge the greatest poker players in existence.

Empath: someone with the abnormal ability to experience the thoughts and emotions of others. (*This is a real life ability.)

*Like other sports or game novels, you don’t need to understand poker to enjoy this novel. It’s written in a reader-friendly manner. While I’ll introduce poker basics at a gradual pace in the background, the focus will be on thrilling competitions and dramatic aspects that everyone can relate to.

*A new chapter daily Mon-Thur by 1 pm Est./1 am GMT+8.

"To outplay a man in poker is to own him in mind, wallet, and soul." - Joey Fiore, World Series of Poker champion.

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a millionaire overnight? It was the start of the poker boom and that was the dream of millions of poker players all over the world. All types of geniuses, gamblers, and hustlers flocked to poker rooms with ambitions of making it big. Follow Joey, a teenager with the special ability of an empath, as he rises to challenge the greatest poker players in existence.

Empath: someone with the abnormal ability to experience the thoughts and emotions of others. (*This is a real life ability.)

*Like other sports or game novels, you don’t need to understand poker to enjoy this novel. It’s written in a reader-friendly manner. While I’ll introduce poker basics at a gradual pace in the background, the focus will be on thrilling competitions and dramatic aspects that everyone can relate to.

If you'd like to support the author, please donate to Paypal: https://bit.ly/3lPcYj1

Oikawa Rei the little brother of Oikawa Toru. He loved volleyball just like his brother and looked up to him. However due an incident at school, instead of admiration and love towards his brother is now changed to rage and disappointment behind emotionless eyes and an immovable poker face. He still loves volleyball and ends up joining Karasuno.

Will he let go of the past and forgive his brother? Who knows?

Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, you say it and I can win the game easily. Reina Cardaisseau, the owner of Cardaisseau Company and the famous Gamble Queen. She's one of the richest person in the country but a tragedy occured when she was little. She's a passionate gambler but beside her passion for gamble, she hid her true emotion and behind her warm smile, there are hatred and revenge for her past.

After the great war between gods and dark gods thousand years ago, Dark Gods have taken the Yggdrasil and order in the universe. 
The Humans World suffered at the hands of the Dark gods and the only way to change it's fate is to form a group of powerful people that can match the Dark gods. A group called "Night Poker" is been formed in order to face the Dark Gods and it's army, will it succeed?

The world has became a game after the appearance of the dark tower. Players begins to appeared, they were given a power by the gods so that can they can fight back against the evil monsters that appearing inside the dark tower, As the people worried as the battle get tougher each days.The people are hoping that someday the players can cleared the game and end the war once and for all. A unexpected fate has brought a young man who has class of Tactician Mage and young woman who has a class of Strategies Mage together as their adventure can be the key that can be the key to clear the game and end the war once and for all.

Two months later, Chen Chen stood in the middle of an empty metal room. There was a white card before him that fluttered up and down in his vision.
It was a poker card.
If someone came across this sight, they would be shocked to notice that the card was fully suspended in the air.
Yes, fully suspended.
It was not only suspended. If one got closer, one would find that the poker card was trembling slightly as if an invisible hand was holding it and the tremor was just a natural response of the human body.
Meanwhile, as Chen Chen moved his gaze to the right, the poker card also moved to his right. When Chen Chen turned to look at his left, the poker card swooped to the left too.
Following that, Chen Chen turned around in a circle. The poker card maintained a distance of thirty centimeters in front of Chen Chen the entire time like it was Chen Chen's shadow.
Upon observing this, Chen Chen suddenly closed his eyes.
Nonetheless, even after his eyes were shut, the card still hovered before him. Then, in accordance with Chen Chen's thoughts, the poker card started to twirl around Chen Chen.
It was like a dancing butterfly.
Finally, Chen Chen prodded with his mind. From a table beside him, three or four poker cards flew into the air and revolved ceaselessly around Chen Chen. Every movement of each card was identical.
"My current limit is controlling four poker cards at the same time…"
Chen Chen mumbled with his eyes shut. After that, the four poker cards began to move on different trajectories, but this only lasted for a brief moment.
In the next second, he suddenly lost control over the four cards which scattered onto the ground.
"Trying to focus on four things at once is still too much…"
Chen Chen shook his head, then opened his eyes.
Unlike the protagonist Andrew in the movie Chronicle, Chen Chen had specially designed several training courses for himself. For example, the current training with poker cards was a way to improve the accuracy of his control.　　
By controlling the poker cards, he could increase his brain's control over the electromagnetic force.
Besides, Chen Chen also had corresponding strength training and endurance training. After all, as the movie mentioned, this ability could be enhanced through exercise, just like a muscle.
Therefore, Chen Chen certainly hoped that this ability could be fully developed in terms of speed, strength, and endurance.
At the present, Chen Chen's utilization of electromagnetic force was mainly in the form of field energy, so he decided he might as well name his current power as — Field.
Chen Chen stretched out a hand and turned his palm flat up.
At once, four poker cards flew up in succession and landed into Chen Chen's palm one by one.
As he looked at the messy poker cards in his hand, Chen Chen shook his head helplessly. Compared to Andrew in the movie who casually put away an entire deck of scattered cards, his own control was inadequate.
Chen Chen was suddenly struck by another thought. A tin box of chewing gum, as thick as a finger, flew out from his pocket by itself. After that, it opened with a click and a crystal clear pill floated up.
Chen Chen opened his mouth and the pill flew smoothly into his mouth. At the same time, the box containing the pills snapped shut and returned to Chen Chen's pocket.
He closed his eyes lightly. After around thirty seconds, the corners of his mouth curled up and he gently put out his hand once again.
Suddenly, what was left of the fifty-four poker cards on the table flew up one after another, spun once in mid-air, then dropped lightly into Chen Chen's hands.
One, two, three…
Ten, twenty…
They moved faster and faster. At first, it was just one card after another. By the end, all the poker cards were simply connected in one long chain, tracing a unified arc in the air before landing into Chen Chen's hands like birds returning to their nest.
"Phew!"
Chen Chen exhaled loudly and opened his eyes again.
At the moment, the deck of cards was tidily stacked in Chen Chen's palm. It was a world of difference from the disordered attempt from before.
"As I thought, after taking NZT-48, even my control over 'Field' increases by more than ten times…"
As Chen Chen murmured, he spread out both his hands. Instantly, the fifty-four poker cards formed a neat circle that floated and revolved around Chen Chen continuously.
Chen Chen suddenly exerted some force.
There was a flash of white light. The trump card of these fifty-four poker cards abruptly raced out, spinning over a distance of five, six meters, before it slowly drifted to the ground.
Following that, the rest of the cards flew out one after another. The furthest of them reached seven or eight meters and even the nearest ones covered four to five meters.
Chen Chen turned to the metal wall and sent these cards into the wall. They thudded loudly as they hit their mark.
After this, Chen Chen wore a pensive look.
"Little X."
Chen Chen suddenly spoke and looked at the monitor in the corner, "Send Qian Wenhuan a message — ask him to cut the imported graphene oxide from the research center into the size of playing cards and send it to me."
"Okay!"
As Little X replied, Chen Chen turned on his laptop and continued extracting crystalline from the USB drive.
After two months of cultivation, Chen Chen felt that his body had recovered to its initial state and could continue to endure the radiation of the crystalline.
One, two, three pieces…
This time, Chen Chen had absorbed twenty-two pieces of crystalline in one go, reserving only 50 kilograms worth of energy within the USB drive.
When the last of the crystalline had been absorbed, Chen Chen wiped away the blood from his nose and stretched himself. His whole body made cracking noises.
Chen Chen could clearly sense that his "Field" had grown stronger…
Therefore, he looked at the poker cards scattered all around and beckoned gently.
Instantly, the poker cards within two meters of him flew up, whirled giddily in the air, and returned to Chen Chen's hand in a neat curve!
Chen Chen smiled. He shut his eyes matter-of-factly and continued stepping forward.
As he moved forward, his hand was like a vacuum cleaner that constantly sucked in the scattered poker cards, which returned to his palm like sheep returning to their flock.
Right, the first time he had only absorbed nine crystalline fragments and his control over his "Field" had only extended to one meter. This time, having absorbed twenty-two pieces, his range of control over "Field" had increased from one meter to around two meters instantly.
He had just absorbed the crystalline, but already Chen Chen felt that his command over "Field" had become more assured.
With a mental prod from Chen Chen, a poker card flew out with a "whoosh", hitting the wall ten meters away with a loud "thud"!
"Boss? It's me, Wenhuan."
At this point, Qian Wenhuan's voice came through the electronic lock.
Chen Chen turned toward the door and gestured gently with his right hand. Instantly, the entire deck of cards floated into the air, then fell gently, but amazingly enough, they landed into a tidy stack on the table behind him, not an inch out of place!
After that, Chen Chen kicked the crystalline pieces whose power had been exhausted into a corner. Only then did he snap his fingers to signal Little X to open the door.
The red light on the electronic lock turned green and Qian Wenhuan walked in with a welded iron box.
"Boss, here's the thing you asked for."
Qian Wenhuan glanced around curiously and noticed the bloodstains on Chen Chen's shirt. His expression changed suddenly. "Boss, are you feeling unwell lately?"
"Unwell?"
Chen Chen cracked his neck and said softly with a smile, "I've never felt better."


Who could have guessed that the accidental discovery of a pitch-black USB drive would one day turn Chen Chen’s world upside down? 
He quickly realizes that this was no ordinary USB drive—and it came with mysterious powers, along with its own hidden rules. Equipped with his skills and intellect as a student of biological science, Chen Chen strives to uncover the limit of the USB drive, and the limit of his own ambition. 
Follow Chen Chen in his pursuit of lofty aspirations—wealth, immortality, and otherworldly powers! It is a path that will lead him to a grand plan, one that will change the fate of humanity forever…


Mo Xi held onto Zhao Ai Yun's hand once she got into the car as she wanted to see if she was alright. She then mentally noted anything that was abnormal after checking so that she could inform Tang Shao Chen and Bai Su Fei about it later.
Meanwhile, Tyler apologized to Mo Xi and the others when he got into the car.
"Lady Boss, I am sorry. I am sorry to have deceived all of you, including Boss."
"Who are you?" Valerie asked in anger as well.
"I am Tyler and I am part of Poker as well."
"It can't be. I have never seen you before. None of us saw you before."
"I am indeed part of Poker. However, unlike you, Xue Yue, Ellington, and Cayden, I am someone unknown by everyone. Only Donovan knows me. I am the Joker."
Valerie looked at Tyler in shock because she never knew Joker existed in Poker. Meanwhile, Vincent's hand almost slipped from the steering wheel due to shock.
"This is something Donovan created when he first got power in Poker. He wanted to have people that were not influenced by the other people in Poker. He wanted to have people that are able to listen to him and only him. However, that doesn't mean that if he does something bad or wants to do something bad, we would help him. He wanted people that he could trust and yet leave the pure side of him to. He wanted people that were able to fight just like Poker but had the heart of gold. This is why we are the Joker. We are almost like the wild card in the deck of cards. Donovan wanted people that were pure on the inside in Poker and we are like purity mirrors for him. Whenever he sees us, he would remind himself of the goodness and the importance of kindness. We don't train with the rest of Poker. We train in secret outside and live a normal life. The other two men that you guys saw are people who are directly in Poker. Everyone knows them, but he selected them to be under me. Those two are people that won't betray him or me and tell the others in Poker about what Donovan was doing. They follow orders only from Donovan and me. This is how Donovan is able to control Poker in certain ways and this is how we are able to save Mdm Zhao."
"If you are the Joker. Then, there must be another one, right? There are two Jokers in a deck of cards and it doesn't make sense to only have one. Besides, you said 'we' this means that there must be more than one Joker, right?"
"Yes. There is one more person, and you guys know that person as well."
Valerie, who was sitting at the passenger's seat, looked at Vincent immediately when she heard Tyler's words.
Vincent jumped up in his seat as he was afraid that Valerie would misunderstand him, "Not me! I swear I am not part of Joker!"
"Who?" Mo Xi asked.
"Xu Zi Fang. Xie Xiu Ling's husband."
Everyone was stunned by the revelation and Vincent's hands slipped from the steering wheel this time around.
Valerie smacked him immediately, "Do you want all of us to die?"
"Sorry!" Vincent said hurriedly as he regained his control on the steering wheel.
"Zi Fang was involved in the accident about ten years ago, but Donovan doesn't even know about Poker at that time. How could Zi Fang be selected by Donovan?"
"Zi Fang is the very first Joker. He was selected by Donovan's mother. In actual fact, the person who truly started Joker was Donovan's mother. Donovan's mother secretly got Zi Fang to become Joker without letting anyone else knowing about it. However, unlike Donovan, Donovan's mother wasn't able to keep her mind free of greed at the end. Donovan's mother ended up committing a lot of evil deeds and Zi Fang wasn't free from her hands either. Zi Fang wasn't part of Poker like the others, so he wasn't afraid of being captured as long as Donovan's mother doesn't tell others about his existence. However, he still knew everything about Poker and had a lot of information about them. Because of this, when Donovan's mother wanted too much, she was afraid that Zi Fang would tell others about her and Poker, and so she got people to kill Zi Fang. Zi Fang managed to escape from everything and started to have a peaceful and normal life. Years later, he met his wife and then they got married. He thought that he could finally have a peaceful life. However, he couldn't, and he was met with an accident that turned him vegetative."
Tyler then continued, "One of the reasons why Zi Fang turned vegetative was that Zhou Dong found out that Zi Fang had betrayed Poker and helped many people escaped in secret. Some day after Donovan's mother passed away, Zhou Dong found things that she had hidden from everyone while he was going through Donovan's parents' things. He also found leads and things that Zi Fang had done in secret. Zhou Dong was furious that an outsider knows so much about Poker, and he was afraid of the consequences, so he got people to hunt him down and eventually, he found Zi Fang. Zhou Dong then sent people to knock him down, but that accident didn't kill Zi Fang like Zhou Dong wanted. When Zhou Dong heard that Zi Fang didn't die in the accident, he tried multiple times to make him die. However, none of it worked because Zi Fang had people like mine, that made sure to not let such things happen. Donovan's mother doesn't know about Zi Fang's men and so there was nothing that could lead to Zhou Dong finding out about them. Hence, Zi Fang's men were able to continue keeping him alive though they were not able to do something about his vegetative state."


Jing Mo Chen fell in love at first smell when he smelt Mu Xi Xing's scent

Jing Mo Chen: Youngest General in the
Military, God-like figure in the business world

Mu Xi Xing fell in love at first sight when she looked into Jing Mo Chen's eyes

Mu Xi Xing: Pervert-like genius, Incredible senses

How did the two of them meet and how would their love story be like?

Mu Xi Xing only wanted to find her birth parents but ended up finding a whole lot more conspiracy.

Jing Mo Chen helped her along the way and the two of them helped others.

What else would they find out and what would they get at the end?


Honest Reviews:

"The development is very happy-go-lucky to me. There is not much depth to situations or conversations and a lot of things are just placed in peoples laps. A lot of the wording of the sentences sounds basic with not much description- like it is what it is because I said so i.e. 'the cat felt sad because the cat felt sad' or the situation goes the way i want it to or people react in a positive way or negative way but not much in between." 

"Picked up this little gem recently. Spent about 5 hours reading continuously to catch up. Great book, great character design, great everything. There are a few hiccups with the grammar and vocabulary but there is significant improvements in each chapter.
The author never fails to entertain. Keep up the good work author."


Disclosure:

Most readers that don't like this story falls into the following two categories:

1. Grammar mistakes 
2. Illogical

Most readers that love this story falls into the following two categories:

1. Alpha male and female lead with their love for one another
2. A new type of story


There are good and bad reviews. So, it is up to you to decide.

Dozens of poker cards floated in mid-air and although it looked like a messy distribution, there were no two poker cards that overlapped each other. Shi Xiaobai even realized that in his range of vision, all the backs of the poker cards were facing him. It was probably deliberately done by Hisith. 
"Make your choice. Choose one card out of these fifty-four poker cards. If it has more than ten points, I will help you conceal your identity. If it is ten or below, I will directly eliminate you from the rookie line up. Make your choice, my beloved little toy."
Hisith said those words with a sinister smile on his face. He had a savoring expression, but his tone was not to be doubted.
Shi Xiaobai suddenly found his body relaxed. The invisible binding energy had been removed, but once he looked up, his eyes met Hisith's, causing a biting chill to immediately suffuse, as if he had been thrown into a dark forest where danger lurked at every corner.
Shi Xiaobai instinctively felt fear, but he was unusually furious. The words Hisith said, "make your choice", made him recall that unforgettable sunset, as well as the cold voice that rang in his head.
"Compared to filling in the blanks or short answer questions, This King prefers questions with options, but This King does not like being forced to make a choice. Why should This King choose from the options you provide? This King refuses. This King chooses—not to choose!" Shi Xiaobai said with a sneer as he looked straight into Hisith's eyes that were narrowed into a slit. He felt like there was the coldest blade hidden behind those slits. Every moment he looked at them made him lose a bit of his courage, but Shi Xiaobai did not shift his gaze.
"Very good! Very good! Very good!"
Hisith suddenly looked up and issued a harsh and sharp laughter hysterically. It was terrifying. Then he inserted his five fingers into his flaming red hair, his mouth pursed into a sinister arc.
"Shi Xiaobai, O' Shi Xiaobai, my liking for you is truly increasing. Your choice makes me surprised, so I am very satisfied."
Hisith put out his tongue to lick his lips. Suddenly, his body seemed to teleport through the densely hovering poker cards without them moving, as Hisith appeared in front of Shi Xiaobai.
Shi Xiaobai's pupils contracted as he could not help but draw a gasp. Suddenly he found his body bound by that invisible force once again, there was no way to move his stiff body.
Hisith leaned his face close to Shi Xiaobai, and whispered, like how lovers exchanged whispers, "But the game has already begun. I will not allow you to quit midway. So you still have to make a choice. If you don't, I will..."
Hisith dragged out the word "will" before suddenly closing his mouth. This dragged out word that suddenly came to an abrupt stop sparked boundless imaginations. Shi Xiaobai could not help but begin thinking. If he insisted on not choosing, what would this depraved person do?
Shi Xiaobai felt his heartbeat increasing rapidly, and his back was beginning to ooze with sweat. The fear that came from the bottom of his soul occupied his mind. The sinister face that was inches away from him looked like the face of a most ferocious wraith.
"Relax, relax. Don't be nervous."
Hisith laughed softly as he reached out his right hand, gently caressing Shi Xiaobai's cheek with a sharp nail .
The cold nail moved across Shi Xiaobai's face, immediately giving him goosebumps.
"It's just a little game. This King can join you in this game, is that fine? Hurry up and take your hand away."
Shi Xiaobai was extremely furious, but he no longer dared to put on a brave front. His intuition told him that the depraved person in front of him was very "dangerous".
Upon hearing this, Hisith slowly retracted his hand. He had a slight disappointment on his face, as he turned around to take a step. In a blink of an eye, he had returned to the other side, across the poker cards.
"Choose. Choose the poker card that you think is greater than ten."
Hisith stressed the rules once again. As he said, this was a game no one could guess the outcome to. Success and failure only depended on luck.
Of course, this game was considerably unfavorable for Shi Xiaobai. Amongst the fifty-four poker cards, the number of cards with faces greater than ten only numbered fourteen.
Shi Xiaobai focused on the floating poker cards but could only see the six-sided star with the short sword face on the cards. He could not tell the difference, much less be able to find the fourteen cards amongst the fifty-four cards. It looked like he needed a certain amount of luck..
"This card!"
In three seconds, Shi Xiaobai had made his choice. He stretched out his hand to point at an unnoticeable card out of the dozens of cards. It was not at a corner, nor was it at a particularly unique location. In fact, it looked extremely ordinary.
However, Shi Xiaobai's eyes were brimming with confidence. The demeanor of his expression and his tone was extremely determined, as if the choice he made was definitely correct. It seemed like he was destined to win despite the outcome of this game of luck being completely unknown.
Hisith was standing on the other side of the poker cards, so he could immediately see what card Shi Xiaobai had chosen. His gaze stared intently at the chosen card, as he fell into a long silence.
"You passed, my little friend, Tu Dahei. I look forward to the upcoming rookie training. I will definitely give you 'my love'."
After a long while, Hisith finally announced the game's outcome. His voice was still coquettish, but was now apparently exceptionally cold. When he said the two words "my love", he even enunciated it with a tone that was absolutely terrifying.
Shi Xiaobai felt the invisible bondage disappear immediately once again. Without another word, he hurried out of the office. He felt that every second he spent with this depraved person was dangerous.
After Shi Xiaobai left, Hisith was still maintaining the same posture. His eyes were still on the poker card Shi Xiaobai chose.
"A one in fifty-four chance. Was it by coincidence or simply inevitable?"
Hisith stretched out his hand to hold the poker card Shi Xiaobai chose. The other fifty-three poker cards suddenly transformed into plumes of blue flames, turning to ash after burning for a moment.
As for the poker card in Hisith's hand, it revealed its front side—it was the highest trump card, "Red Joker"!
"It looks like you indeed possess the Perception of God, and it's the strongest one at that. Interesting, definitely interesting. As a toy, you are truly too extravagant for me."
"However, the game has only just begun. I will 'teach' you well, and I hope you will not disappoint me."
Hisith placed the "Red Joker" into his breast pocket as a sinister smile suffused on his lips.
...
...
After walking out the office, Shi Xiaobai still felt panic-stricken. He hurried his footsteps, afraid that the hateful, depraved person would chase after him.
"Yet another monster that covets This King's divine body. Thankfully This King was fast in getting away!"
The more he thought, the more he felt fear after the event. However, just thinking of himself being able to choose a poker card that was greater than ten out of fifty-four poker cards made him happy. 
"There is indeed nothing This King can't do! Isn't it just a bet on luck? This King has never feared it!"
While Shi Xiaobai was choosing the poker card, he thought of how he had blindly made a shot during the rookie evaluation's ability test. Immediately, he had felt like he had invincible luck, so he chose without any hesitation.
His intuition told him that the poker card was greater than ten.
"Strange, why does This King keep having the thought that the poker card is the "Red Joker'?"
This bizarre idea flashed in Shi Xiaobai's mind, but soon vanished.
"Heh heh, there is nothing strange about that. The card chosen by This King is definitely the 'Red Joker'!"
Shi Xiaobai felt at ease and justified as he accepted his own explanation.


A world filled with heroes with superpowers. A world attacked by calamity fiends. A modern world filled with wonders and dangers.

Shi Xiaobai, a child from normal Earth, walked into such a world, proclaiming to be its king. But at the first signs of danger, he is forced to make a choice, one which he cannot refuse for time would repeat, making him face the choice again.

He is not humble nor is he modest, but neither is he delusional. Yet, the Absolute Choice seems to make fun of him. Will the joke be on him or will he laugh at his opponents? There will be many watching his escapades, and there will be some joining him in his adventures.

To see through the world and to grasp its truth, that is the destiny of the King.  


“Isaac, she can’t see you here.  You can stop this.”  Lavinia sat up in the armchair, every muscle in her body tensed.  His own stance did not soften.  He looked unsteady.  His weight was shifting rapidly, his feet needing to readjust to support him.
	“I certainly could.”  He whirled the fireplace poker to point at Lavinia, his grip alarmingly precise.  The poker did not shake as Lavinia stared down its iron range.  Suddenly, he slammed the point down into the wooden floor, leaning on it like a cane.  The poker sank into the wood, digging a narrow hole into its hardened surface.  “But I don’t think I will.”
	He ripped the poker out of its notch, the motion overbalancing him back towards the fire.  The flames illuminated his white eyes making them look like swirling smoke.  He was entirely vacant.
	Lavinia slowly stood up from the chair, raising her hands out in front of her.  “Just calm down.  We can figure this out.  Your mother doesn’t get to control you.”
	Isaac laughed outright.  “Now you know that isn’t true.  I have no choice in the matter.  What she says goes.”
	He snaked his hand around her waist, pulling her close.  Her body pressed up against his side. 
	“The human body is so fragile,” he set the poker on its stand over top of the fire.  The handle and the pointed tip remained in the cold of the air while the center started to heat from its proximity to the flames.  
	“When I was mortal my mother devoted a large portion of my education to all of its weaknesses.  You are susceptible to so many things.”  He looked down at Lavinia, raising his hands to cup her face, his large hands spreading his fingers down onto her neck.  “Your little pulse beats so quickly, ferrying your blood around, trying to keep all of your organs going.  Any damage to your skin puts the insides in peril.”
	His hands slid down to her waist, fingers working the buttons on the back of her gown.
	“But not everything affects you the same way.  A puncture will make you bleed.  A strike will make you bruise.  But a burn,” Isaac stared into the fire.  “A burn, though it will break your skin, will cauterize it.  No blood will spill and no vessels will break.  Mother used to be obsessed with this.”
	Hitting the last button, Lavinia’s bodice came loose.  Shifting forward.  Isaac pulled it off, dropping it to the floor.  Stepping back, Lavinia glared at him.
	“You don’t scare me.  I know who you really are.”
	“Do you?” He stalked behind her, leaning over her shoulder to whisper against her neck.  “You have no idea what I am capable of.”  He pulled the knot of her corset, leaving her in her chemise and supported skirt.  She fumbled backward, trying to separate herself from Isaac.
	“This isn’t what you want.  You’re not your mother’s pawn.  You can make your own choices.”
	“Oh, but listening is so much easier.  And I must admit, there is something deeply enjoyable about following orders.  And seeing the fear on your pretty face.”
	He reached out to the fireplace, lifting the poker.  His hand lazily gripped the handle, twirling it in his fingers.  Lavinia moved back from him, reaching out behind her to feel for furniture.  She realized then exactly what was happening.  Her Isaac, the one with bright eyes and secret smiles, was absent.  The man standing before her was the monster that the girls from the basement had seen.  He was a volatile brute, intent only on the pleasure of destruction.
	In a leisurely movement, Isaac drew the poker across the armchair.  The leather creased and charred.  The smell, Lavinia realized, was the same smell that she had first noticed on Isaac.  The almost savory smell coiled off the smoking material.  In a sudden slash, he dragged the poker forward, the cooled tip ripping through the already burnt patch.  Wood wool spilled on the floor, hemorrhaging from the gouged hole.  
	“Please don’t do this,” Lavinia pleaded.  “You’re going to come back to yourself and realize what you’ve done.”
	Isaac advanced towards her silently, raising the poker to strike.  His eyes, cloudy and blank, glared down at her.  She watched in horror as the poker came swinging forward.  The scorching edge scraped her skin, the thin material of her chemise doing nothing to stop the searing pain.  Lavinia cried out in agony, her cry crescendoing into a scream as Isaac finished his blow with the slashing tip of the poker.
	Her skin tore along its already branded streak.  Blood blossomed up to the surface, spilling through her fingers.  She fell backward, sitting up in a kneel.  Lavinia stared up at Isaac, her own vision blurring from tears. 
“Isaac-” she choked.
For just a moment she caught a flicker of blue in his eyes.  Understanding dawned on him, but was quickly replaced by a snarl.  He raised the fireplace poker again, striking her neck backhand.  Her hand could barely staunch the flow as he wound up again.
	Suddenly there was a bang against the door.  The thick wood shuddered.  A muffled voice shouted from outside.  Lavinia could barely make it out.  She felt like she was swimming.  Sinking backward, her head hit the floor.  Isaac was reduced to a shadow standing above her.  A heavy bang jolted Lavinia and she could see a second shape appear next to Isaac before her eyes blinked closed.


When Lavinia Devon is chosen to be fed on by Isaac Astor, the cold and charming heir to a Vampire Empire, she prepares for the worst: a painful end at the hands of a cruel aristocrat.  But something about Isaac can’t help but entice her and she finds herself falling for the bloodthirsty young man, coming to realize there is more to him be-neath the icy surface.

Bound to the Vampire's Heir is created by A.D.R. Brown, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

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