Novels by Jannie

Silas didn't break eye contact with me immediately, but after a long, tense second, he slowly let go of his dagger and took a half-step back, bowing his head slightly toward Rowan. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I only seek to protect you from potential threats.""I am well aware of what you seek," Rowan said, his dark eyes shifting from Silas to me. "Zelpunrap is my wife now, Silas. Whatever news comes from the northern border, she has a right to know if it affects the palace."Silas looked like he had just been forced to swallow a mouthful of needles. He looked at Rowan with disbelief, then shot another glare in my direction. "She is a foreign vampire from Veyrath! Her family locked her away for a reason! We know nothing about her motives or what her father instructed her to do before she arrived!""My father hates my guts," I chimed in cheerfully, leaning against the wooden wall paneling. "He shipped me here hoping Rowan would execute me so he wouldn't have to feed me anymore. If you w

Rowan rolled his wheelchair past me without another word, his expression entirely composed again, as if he hadn't just radiated enough heat to melt steel. I stood near the center of the bedchamber for a few seconds, staring at the closed heavy doors. My lips still tingle slightly where my fangs had pressed against his neck."Dragon trenches," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. "Flames not turning blue. Right. Because normal human kingdoms always deal with magical ditch fires at two in the morning."I wasn't about to sit in that room like a dutiful little wife waiting for her husband to finish his late-night business. That wasn't my style. I smoothed down my dark dress, checked to make sure my claws weren't showing, and slipped out into the corridor.The castle hallway was quiet, lit only by dim wall sconces that flickered faintly in the draft. I didn't have to walk far before I heard voices echoing around the corner leading toward the private study. One was Rowan’s quiet, st

I stared down at him, my mind working fast. I had lived around death and blood my entire life. Locked in that tower, I had spent sixteen years studying how human bodies worked, learning where every vein sat, how their blood flowed, and how easily they broke. Mortals were fragile, cold, easily terrified creatures.Rowan was sitting in front of me with a body that felt like a living ember, looking at me as if he held every secret in the world and had no intention of sharing a single one."Not cold," I repeated slowly, letting out a dark, sarcastic breath. "That's a very diplomatic way of saying your blood is practically boiling. Do your royal doctors know about this? Or do they just heap blankets on you and pray you don't burst into flames?""My doctors know only what I allow them to know," Rowan answered smoothly. His fingers remained wrapped around my wrist. His grip wasn't tight enough to hurt…nothing a human did could hurt me…but it was steady, deliberate, and entirely unbothered by

"You are an absolute menace, Rapunzel," Rowan said, his voice quiet, low, and completely unbothered as he looked up at me from his wooden chair. He didn't look angry. He didn't even look surprised. He just looked at me like I was a storm that had suddenly blown into his peaceful, orderly room. "And if we are going to survive the people in this castle, we need to work together.""Don't call me Rapunzel," I snapped, glaring at him. "My name is Zelpunrap. Rapunzel is the useless twin they kept locked in the dark while her sister played saint.""As you say, Rapunzel," he replied smoothly, a faint, infuriating smirk touching his lips. He didn't flinch as I strolled closer, my hands clasped loosely behind my back, letting my gaze sweep over him with exaggerated pity."Rowan, darling, look at you," I said, leaning down until my face was inches from his. "You sit in a wooden chair all day while your guards tremble at shadows and your court whispers behind your back. What exactly do you bring

My throat felt like dry sandpaper by the time morning came. I sat on the edge of the plush velvet bed, my dark hair falling messy over my shoulders while my blood throbbed wildly behind my eyes. I needed to feed, and I needed to do it soon.The heavy wooden door opened slowly, and a young maid stepped inside holding a silver tray with a pitcher of water and bread. It was Nessa, the girl assigned as my personal maid yesterday.She walked over to the side table, set the tray down without making a single sound, and turned around to face me. I braced myself for the usual routine…the trembling hands, the wide terrified eyes, or the whimpering apologies I usually got from humans whenever I stared at them too long.Rather, Nessa just stood there, looking directly into my face with a flat, calm expression. She didn't flinch. She didn't bow down to the carpet. She just stood there waiting for my command like I was an ordinary noblewoman asking for tea.I narrowed my eyes on her, leaning forwa

The official coronation ceremony happened far faster than I expected. One moment I was waking up next to my infuriating new husband, and the next, heavy golden velvet robes were being draped over my shoulders and a jeweled crown was being placed onto my head.Just like that, Rowan was officially the King of Averaine, and I was its Queen.I stood beside his grand wooden throne at the top of the marble dais, looking down at the endless sea of human nobles filling the grand hall. I smoothed down the front of my heavy dark dress, a slow, wicked smile creeping onto my face as the full reality of the situation sank in.My miserable family back home had shipped me across the border like unwanted trash, thinking they were dumping their cursed, monster daughter into a life of quiet embarrassment with a disabled prince. They had literally handed me a throne on a silver platter.I almost chuckled out loud right in front of the high priest. If my father could see me standing up here right now, hi