For twenty years, Lucien Ashfall has been caged by the very men who profit from his blood.

He's dangerous, uncontrollable, and deadly.

He's also the only one carrying his bloodline and they need another.

Every six months, thirty girls are sent into his prison and tasked with one goal: Make him create an heir by any means necessary.

But everyone who goes in, never comes out.

Until Rook Snowdon is thrown into Cinderkeep by mistake.

She isn't a seductress.

And she certainly isn't there to save anyone.

In fact, she only has three goals in life:

One, hide her true identity for as long as possible.

Two, nap and self-medicate with wine.

Three (and most problematic) ignore the fact that stress is slowly killing her.

Lucien only has one goal: escape and burn everything to the ground.

Unfortunately, everyone has their secrets and these two have many.

They just don't know it yet.

Because she might be the key to getting him free.

But if he gets out, it's not the world that will burn.

It's him.

This isn't just a Dark Romance.

It's fated, feral, and dangerous—until it becomes something else entirely.

Tropes include:

morally grey, caged & tortured antihero

chronically ill heroine with a twist

emotional support pet (unalives for fun)

captive / captor

touch-her-and-die energy

her touch terrifies him for a good reason

luxury palace built to cage a monster

slow-burn obsession → forbidden, fated bond

modern dark romance that mutates into fantasy