Allure of a Country Maiden - Chapter 1187 - 184_1

[Mature Content:]Alaric was too close to Nicolette.Her mouth was just inches away from his.He could smell the lavender on her skin, the heat radiating from within her.But he held back, refusing to be carried away by her charm…“Mr. Allens…” she purred, and he looked down at her.Her eyes widened with desire, and he knew, in that moment, that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.The last thing he wanted was commitment. He knew that Nicolette didn’t want that either.But why was she this tempting?So willing?It was that willingness that confused him.She blinked, then swallowed as she pulled the jacket off her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her exposed neck.God.He just wanted to bury his mouth in that hollow spot.“Here,” Nicolette said calmly, extending the jacket to him.He took the jacket, his hand brushing hers just a second. She flinched, her face turning pink as she clutched the towel against her chest.His stomach flipped at the sight.If only that towel would give way to…Before he could stop himself, Alaric pressed his arousal against her stomach, pushing her against the wall, cornering her.She gasped at the sudden movement and for a moment, he lost his mind.“Cole…” he breathed, crushing himself against her.Her eyes gleamed with desire and a vulnerability that rocked him to his core.He would be foolish not to give in to this feeling.But he would also be a fool if he did.She had chosen to marry him.Not her boyfriend.And definitely not Lucian Crawford.Yet, he couldn't help it.She was only his for a year.But still…***************When her business and the gallery she inherited from her mother burn to the ground, Nicolette Voss is determined to rebuild—and get revenge on her father.She turned to her father’s rival, Alaric Allens, for an alliance.Alaric is willing to help, but on one condition—she must be his wife for a year.They called him Ruthless Alaric after an infamous incident 6 years ago. Alaric is back in town, and so are the crumbs of his past. But he is determined to change everything with a wife.He has his hidden agenda.She needs her revenge.But will this marriage between storm and steel survive the heat? And what will they do when deep secrets threatens to destroy them both?

A polite and lethargic boy was reincarnated in another world as a vampire bishoujo.

[Name: ??, Age: ??][Race: Mechanical Life][Profession: Mechanical Apostle][Level: Tier -6 (damaged)][Physique: ?????][Spirit: ?????][Description: A broken Mechanical Life, one of Mechanical God -'@#$^&#@@%^#!'s most advanced and powerful creations, from an advanced technological world.]“Is this the World of Gods? Can anyone become God? Then why am I still just a Tier-1 Spiritual planter?” Ram pondered, after looking at the Divine Creature for the first time.Ram reincarnated in this world without the ability to awaken any profession. As he celebrated becoming a Tier-1 Spiritual Planter, he discovered that Gods, Divine Beings, Evil Entities, and Nightmare Creatures were exploiting humans and other beings, manipulating them to harvest the power of Faith or Fear.Inexplicably, he became entangled in this conflict. But he was lucky enough to turn his destiny through... Evolving Spiritual Plants and Monsters using Life Energy and Spiritual Power, becoming Spiritual Plant Lord to fight against the Gods.[ Holy Source Seed: Sylvan Soul Tree][ Type: Source Seed][ Level: Same as host][ Quality: Holy][ Attribute: Life/Soul/Wood][ Description: A seed born from the fusion of the seeds of the Life Spirit Tree and Astral Soul Tree, transformed into a Holy Source Seed through a special method.][ Holy Source Seed Characteristics:1. As a Holy Source Seed born from both powerful entities it perfectly inherited the abilities of both the Life Spirit Tree and the Astral Soul Tree.2. Gains additional functionality with every upgrade.3. Binding the Holy Source Seed grants the host full access to all its abilities.][ Abilities: Life Spirit Tree][1. Life Spirit Body]: Converts the host's body into a Life Spirit Body, greatly increasing the host’s capacity for Life Energy and Spiritual Power by tenfold, while boosting recovery rate by 300%.[2. Kingdom Creation: Sylvan Soul Kingdom (Unopened)]: Upon activation, the Sylvan Soul Tree converts the host Spiritual Realm into a virtual forest that becomes the foundation of the Sylvan Soul Kingdom. This forest spans across dimensions, rooted in both the material and spiritual realms.[Effect]: The host becomes the Lord of the Sylvan Soul Kingdom, gaining the ability to expand and rule this virtual domain.][ Abilities: Soul Tree]:[1. Soul Tree]: At the heart of the Sylvan Soul Kingdom, the Lord can summon the Soul Tree, a sacred tree that acts as a conduit for life and death.[Effect]: The souls of those who die within or near the kingdom are absorbed by this tree, where they are nourished, healed, and can be reborn as Wood Spirits.[2. Soul Tree Seeds]: Host can create seeds of the soul tree that are connected to the mother tree, which can be planted outside the Sylvan Soul Kingdom.[Effect]: Souls absorbed by the Soul Trees are transported to the mother tree within a certain distance, depending upon the strength of the Sylvan Soul Tree.]

WARNING: DARK AND MATURE CONTENT. Readers discretion advised.Serena Alaric wanted nothing more than a quiet life, far from the shadows of her family’s dark past. But when masked enforcers storm her home and drag her into the clutches of the Council of Vitae, she learns her blood is the key to a deadly legacy she never asked for.Lucian Draven is the cold and ruthless leader of a powerful mafia syndicate, cursed to endure unimaginable pain. The Council claims Serena is his only salvation. Yet beneath the Council’s polished facade lies a web of lies, experiments, and betrayal that runs far deeper than either of them imagined.Forced into an uneasy alliance and given a time limit to produce an heir, Serena and Lucian must navigate a treacherous world of power and manipulation, where trust is a rare commodity. As they uncover the truth about the Council’s sinister plans, their hatred begins to give way to something unexpected—a bond forged in fire and blood.But with enemies closing in from all sides and time running out, Serena and Lucian must decide: will they fight their fates, or embrace the dangerous connection that could either save them, or destroy them both?