Luminous Scan

She was always the shadow. He was always chasing the light. Lavinia Hartwell had learned early that love was rarely for girls like her. She was the quiet one, the overlooked one—always second to her luminous best friend, Verity Langford. Even Henry Wynthorne, the boy whose compassion had unexpectedly caught her heart in high school, only had eyes for Verity. But years change people. Henry’s dreams of studying abroad collapsed with his father’s death. Verity left. Success became his only compass, and alcohol his only escape. And somehow, in the wreckage, there was Lavinia—never demanding, never judging, quietly holding him together in ways he never noticed… until she was gone. When an arranged engagement threatened to give her to him, Henry assumed she was being forced into it and set her free. Lavinia smiled, thanked him—and walked away, taking with her the steady presence he had taken for granted. Only then did Henry begin to notice the ache. The way her absence unsettled him. The way another man’s hand on her waist ignited a heat that was not anger, but something darker, sharper, and dangerously possessive. A single night blurred the lines forever—her lips on his, soft at first, then desperate, as though she’d loved him all her life. Desire flared, undeniable. But in the morning, she was gone again. Now, with Verity back and the past colliding with the present, Henry must face the truth: he no longer loves the woman he once chased. But has he realized too late who truly held his heart all along? Slow-burn, sensual, and laced with aching restraint, this is a story of unspoken devotion, of a man’s reluctant fall, and of the quiet girl who was never anyone’s first choice—until she became the only choice.

The day Ruben Luisetti (Overlord Vampire of New York City and heir apparent to the Vampire King throne) first saw the feisty, golden haired beauty with the large luminous emerald green eyes, he had a ‘feeling’ He was shocked, he hadn't had one of those for many years and this one was strong attraction. He became intrigued, when during his investigations into some underworld murders, he kept bumping into her. This 'feeling' should have worn off, it didn't. In fact it just got even stronger, as a deep desire to possess this creature crept up on him. When he saw that she was clearly being enslaved and controlled, he felt obliged to save her and free her from her bonds. And able to be with him! But what is she? He thought she was perhaps Fae…boy, was he wrong and shocked to discover she was a Demon! . Katarina is a soldier demon, owned by Demon Lord Basille. Lent out to the human Scott McGowen as part of a blood pact contract to make him more powerful and rich while at the same time collect the souls of two hundred mortals for her Master to bolster his ranks in the Demon Realm. Until Ruben Luisetti steps into her life and shows her that what she thinks is her 'normal' in life, doesn't have to be… Well used to being merely a tool Katarina finds herself strangely entranced by the delectably handsome and powerful Vampire Lord and finds herself enthralled by Ruben's dominant, possessive yet gentle and caring nature for her, showing her a new way of being treated by someone…being treated with respect, care and…. Love?? . Can Ruben free his beloved from the Demon Contract? Can he free his beloved from Demon Lord Basille? To become entwined by Fate?