Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.wownovels.com Sat, 05 Oct 2024 02:32:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.1 http://www.wownovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.wownovels.com 32 32 A Cage of Kingdoms (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #6) Read Online K.F. Breene http://www.wownovels.com/a-cage-of-kingdoms-deliciously-dark-fairytales-6-read-online-k-f-breene Sat, 05 Oct 2024 02:32:18 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-cage-of-kingdoms-deliciously-dark-fairytales-6-read-online-k-f-breene Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Dragons, Erotic, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Magic, Paranormal Tags Authors: Series: Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
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Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
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The resolution of Weston's story in the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Deliciously Dark Fairytales world.

He wasn't supposed to fall in love.

Weston has made a mess of things. Since he realized the woman he was supposed to find and bring to justice was his true mate, things have spiraled out of control. He's gone from one bad decision to the next, and now the situation threatens to topple down around him.

The good news is, Aurelia isn't responsible for hurting people. She isn't the one who should stand in front of the dragons and plead for her life.

If only the dragons and their kingdom agreed.

Weston must try to relay the truth and protect his true mate, all while she struggles to work through her past, his deceit, and her new life in opposition to the one woman she'd thought of as her mother.

Aurelia must go to war, and Weston will do everything he can to ensure she comes out alive.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

This is the conclusion to the duet and ends in an HEA. All loose ends are tied up.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter 1

Weston

“When someone asks you for a ball peen hammer, do you then take out a steel mace and repeatedly hit them over the head with it?” my wolf asked as I walked away from Aurelia.

She stood on the deck of the ship, watching the distance grow between herself and the only member of family she thought she possessed. Granny was alive and had made contact before I could get Aurelia out of this kingdom and away from her greedy grasp. Things just got a whole lot more . . . delicate.

Saying I felt sick to my stomach was an understatement.

“I wasn’t lying,” I replied. “I did betray her. At first I did it on purpose, when I didn’t really care about her emotions. Then I did it out of fear. She should know the truth.”

“She’s open-minded. She would’ve listened to the truth, not your self-loathing summary of it, you moron. Turn around and go back to her. Explain everything to her. She has been very patient with you so far. That won’t last forever.”

“It shouldn’t. I don’t deserve it.”

I could feel my wolf seething within me. “Turn around and go back, you miserable prick, or I will assume this body and do it for you. Be there for her. She’s a smart woman who has been ruthlessly manipulated and abused from a very young age by someone she trusted. Someone she thought of as family. She’s probably damn confused right now. Granny twisted that woman’s head all up with lies, torture, and then gifts. Whatever was in that note probably is an extension of the abuse. It’ll be hard for her to steer her way out of that by herself. She needs support.”

Yes, she did, but the support she needed right now wasn’t mine. I’d damned myself in her eyes. In my own eyes, as well. I’d betrayed my true mate—someone I should be protecting at all costs. It killed me, searing my insides with regret and remorse. No, from me, she needed the truth. Her support right now would come from her budding friendships, people I would also use to help me steer the situation in a way that would hurt Aurelia as little as possible.

Hadriel stood at the bow, leaning over the edge, moaning. He was not great on the water.

“Already?” I asked, stopping beside him. “We’ve barely left the docks.”

The captain of the ship walked up and motioned at me, needing a word. I nodded but didn’t move. This had to be seen to before I checked in on the pack and crew.

“Why the fuck haven’t they invented a boat that doesn’t rock?” Hadriel asked, groaning again. “I should’ve taken Finley’s elixir a half-hour earlier. It hasn’t kicked in yet. Fucking boats. Fucking waves. Fucking fuck!”

He groaned again and leaned farther over the side.

“I need you to pull it together. Granny made an appearance.”

“What?” He straightened up, wobbled, and gripped the handrail. His knuckles turned white. “What do you mean, ‘she made an appearance’? Did she try to board?”

“No. She made a show of waving goodbye. She threw on a red cloak at the end of the docks. She must’ve seen Aurelia looking out, obviously looking for her, but waited to catch her attention. Then she waved.”

“A red cloak?” He put a hand to his stomach and turned toward the water for a moment. After a deep breath, he turned back. “Like that one Aurelia was captured in? Tanix had to take it off her when he was tying her up because it was getting in the way.”

I thought back, only vaguely remembering what he talked about. I hadn’t paid much attention to her clothes.

Hadriel nodded. “Granny’s good, I’ll give her that. That was obviously a well-received gift with an emotional connection. She clearly used it to remind Aurelia of their ties. What was in the note?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

“You were too busy making a shitshow of the whole situation,” my wolf grumbled.

“I’ll have a look at it. What do you plan to do?” Hadriel asked.

“I want you and Dante and Nova to give her your time and attention. She might not ask for help, but she’ll need it. You need to provide it. After I’ve checked on everything, I’ll tell her the truth and stand in my own judgment. I’ll also pull out her wolf so she can heal and get acquainted.”

Hadriel turned, groaned again for a moment. “What truths do you plan to tell her?”

The captain cleared his throat, his hands behind his back. I needed to see to my duties.

“What do you mean? I need to tell her everything I’ve been keeping from her. Why I didn’t tell her about Granny, why she feels this connection⁠—”

“No.” Hadriel put up his hand. “Fuck, throw up or don’t, you know? This is bullshit.” He spat over the side. “All due respect, Alpha, but don’t tell her about the true mate thing just yet. She doesn’t know what that means. She has zero frame of reference for it and will just view it as more betrayal. She won’t realize you were in the same position she was, and she certainly won’t realize what absolute hell it was treating a true mate like you did, readying to take her to her death. It’s not anything like the Granny thing, which, yes, was definitely pretty shitty and all on you. A true mate bond is special. Don’t tie it into you hiding the fact that you faked both the cold-blooded murder of her quasi family member and that you didn’t care how she felt.”


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A Cage of Crimson (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #5) Read Online K.F. Breene http://www.wownovels.com/a-cage-of-crimson-deliciously-dark-fairytales-5-read-online-k-f-breene Mon, 08 Jul 2024 20:39:13 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-cage-of-crimson-deliciously-dark-fairytales-5-read-online-k-f-breene Categories Genre: Dark, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Magic, Paranormal Tags Authors: Series: Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
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Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 152666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 763(@200wpm)___ 611(@250wpm)___ 509(@300wpm)
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Of all the people in the world, why her?

It was supposed to be find the drug maker. Find her, and drag her back to the dragons to deal with. She deserves death for what she's done.

For someone like Weston, the best alpha in the world, the one who shuts people up just by walking in the room, it would've been.

Until he learns what she is…

Finding a fated mate is nearly impossible. Very few are able to do it. But the call of their bond is unmistakable. Against all odds, and in the worst situation imaginable, he's found his true mate. Her.

Worse? If there could be anything worse than a true mate that has brought the world to its knees - she doesn't seem to realize what she is. Her animal is suppressed. Locked away, leaving her nearly without magic. She doesn't know what the feeling is, and she doesn't care. She claims innocence. She thinks he's the villain in this story, and she aims to kill him before he destroys her.

It doesn't change his duty. He must bring her in, nature be damned. Regardless of how much it hurts, he'll resist the sweet taste of her lips and the heaven between her thighs. She must pay for what she's done.

He just hopes he doesn't die inside for the part he's forced to play in the destruction of his true mate.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

This is a dark and very spicy Red Riding Hood retelling in the Ruin World featuring an anti-hero, a strong heroine, and a humorous supporting cast. It is not necessary to have read the Ruin series to enjoy this installment. Check the website for TWs. This is an enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity story suitable for 18+. It's the first of a dualogy, ending on a cliffhanger.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter 1

Aurelia

“Once upon a time, in a land far away . . .”

Fairy tales. What bullshit.

I’d heard it all in my youth. Handsome princes and thrones made of gold. Dresses and balls and animals that talked.

Sure, why not.

And yeah, maybe I’d believed it as a kid. I’d sit with my mom, reading until the small hours of the morning even though I should’ve been in bed hours before, lulled by her soft tone, held tightly in her arms. I’d dream of one day flying like the dragons. Of leading a hunt with the wolves. She’d said I could be anything, live anywhere. It wouldn’t matter where I started because my prince would find me. He’d save me. He and I would eventually lead the kingdom wearing gemmed crowns and creating a safe space for everyone to co-exist, even those who couldn’t quite feel the magic they were supposed to be blessed with.

Turned out, there were no princes for the magically inept. No friends, either. Most of the time, especially in my youth, there was not even kindness. We were the outcasts. The unwanted. If I wanted to be saved, I’d have to do it myself. There was a freedom in that which I valued, an empowerment to claim my future. Though I will admit . . . it would’ve been nice for a prince to sweep me off my feet.

I inhaled the slightly stale air of the work shed where I spent the majority of my time. Two windows let in the light and a few desks acted as work stations, positioned around the single room space. My fingers moved quickly from years of experience, twisting a particular vine around the Nimfire leaf. After this batch was done, I’d take to my rigged-up contraptions to add pressure and heat, turning the contents into a powerful hallucinogen.

A drug, in other words. The fun kind. The kind that was against the law and would get us all brought in by the royal guards and put to death if anyone should find out we created it.

My life was anything but a fairy tale.

I yanked the vine into a knot. A thorn sliced my calloused finger and little spots of crimson welled up along the cut. The sting of it barely registered.

Another knot, and I dropped that piece into a basin of warm water before picking up another vine.

“You about done?” Razorfang asked. His name was one he’d chosen for himself after taking too much of the particular product I was making. A scratch ran down his cheek and frown lines etched into his ruddy face. The grizzled older man had a slight hunch from many years of tending the village gardens, a necessary element to our operations.

He stopped a few paces away from my workstation, a rickety little desk tucked into a corner with a slight lean to the right. He never dared get too close, which was fine by me. He didn’t bathe as much as he really needed to.


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A Queen of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #4) Read Online K.F. Breene http://www.wownovels.com/a-queen-of-ruin-deliciously-dark-fairytales-4-read-online-k-f-breene Tue, 07 Jun 2022 11:09:37 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-queen-of-ruin-deliciously-dark-fairytales-4-read-online-k-f-breene Categories Genre: Dragons, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Magic, Paranormal, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
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Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 205637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 823(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
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Read Online Books/Novels:

A Queen of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #4)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

K.F. Breene
Language:
English
ISBN/ ASIN:
B09RW9H3QH
Book Information:

The final book in the Wall Street Journal bestselling series!
I thought once we released the curse, I'd only have one enemy to contend with. Wrong.
The queen lives. Not only that, but she knowingly hid herself from me and the rest of this kingdom until the moment the curse was broken. Now she is back, and her desires aren't clear. Neither are her motives.
Will she try to take the throne for herself?
We can stop her…unless she had a hand in that curse. In which case, will we need to battle her and the demon king before we can finally live in peace? Or has this all been for naught?
Regardless, we have very little time before the demon king returns to wipe us out.
Books in Series:

Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
Books by Author:

K.F. Breene


PART 1

ONE

Hadriel

What in the absolute fuck? I thought as silence descended on the after-battle crowd. The prince stood at the top of the steps in jeans and no shirt, in front of the castle, staring down at his mother, the queen.

The fucking queen!

How the hell was she alive?

Well, obviously I knew how—she’d somehow escaped before the curse and hidden in the collection of dragon villages in the Flamma Kingdom, safely tucked away.

I didn’t know her story, and already I wasn’t sure I could forgive her. She hadn’t aged. In all this time, she looked exactly the same as the last time I’d seen her in the castle. So did her chief lady-in-waiting. The magic affecting us had obviously impacted them, too, but they’d gotten the fun antiaging side effect without having to pay the price. She’d hung out in that cute little village while her people were slowly dying or being indoctrinated into some pretty fucking weird sexual kinks.

Like…what the fuck?

Had the king known? Probably not. He’d never been much of an actor, and he’d convinced Nyfain his mother was dead.

It took Leala’s wide-eyed glance for me to realize I’d said that last bit out loud.

Almost like he’d been slapped, the prince jerked. Soon after, his body bristled and he unleashed a thick wave of stinging power. It washed over me and threatened to pull me under its tide. My wolf curled up inside of me and did the equivalent of a whimper. The queen flinched, along with almost everyone else in the room. Not Finley, though. Her eyes blazed as she stood beside the ferocious dragon prince. She was the only person in the whole fucking world who liked to bathe in his dominating power, the nutcase.

As if in response, a different sort of power suffused me. A calming magic full of steadfast strength, utterly unbreakable. It was a message of unity. Of pack. Of protection. Power in numbers.

Weston, the alpha wolf, was responding to the dragon’s fury. This was why strong wolf shifters and dragon shifters never really got along. Dragons liked to swing their dicks or tits around, and wolves linked arms and said, “Come at me, fucker!” Too much ego all around.

And now I was stuck right in the fucking middle of it, because my goddess-cursed wolf had connected with that alpha wolf and did not plan to let go. He wanted to join Weston’s pack. To belong. To bask in that sense of unity and try to muscle our strength to its full potential rather than remain a lone wolf curled up at the feet of dragons.

And while I got where the fuzzy bastard was coming from, I needed him to understand that Finley created unity just like that alpha wolf did, only she didn’t have to use wolfsong to do it. My loyalty to her had been earned by her actions alone, no magic involved. She would protect us just the same or better. She’d let us flower within her care.

He was not listening, the horrible cumgoblin.

Within Weston’s magic, my wolf slowly uncoiled. Adrenaline seeped through my blood and my back straightened. For the first time ever, I didn’t have idle thoughts of shitting myself within the prince’s hostile golden stare.

At least that was a nice change.

“Please,” the queen said, a small quiver in her voice. “Give me a chance to speak with you.” She must have felt all the eyes on her, and a lesser woman would’ve looked around at the spectators. But she’d learned mastery of her emotions after living with the late king. She’d had to. She’d had to be the people’s rock within the storm.

Right up until she left us.

She lifted her chin. “Let me explain, and then I will respect your decision about my fate,” she continued in a strong, even voice.

The prince clenched and unclenched his fists, his expression stony and his body straight and tall. Finley, though, let unease crease her expression. Her eyes darted between the prince and the queen, full of concern for one, anger for the other. The prince might not be showing his emotions, but she’d feel them through their bond. He probably didn’t want to hear his mother’s explanation for fear it would damn her, destroying his opinion of the woman who’d been everything to him. The woman he’d put above all the other people in his life.

I took a deep breath, my heart breaking for him. For all of us. The king had been a horrible bastard. I didn’t know if I could handle it if it turned out the queen had been just as bad. It would tarnish all my good memories of this place. Because she was the one who’d made it livable.

Fuck. I couldn’t believe this was happening!

The prince’s nod was minimal before he looked away, not sparing her any more of his attention. It was a slight to her position, both as the crowned queen and as his mother. It must’ve killed him to do it.


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A Kingdom of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #3) Read Online K.F. Breene http://www.wownovels.com/a-kingdom-of-ruin-deliciously-dark-fairytales-3-read-online-k-f-breene Tue, 15 Feb 2022 09:43:46 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-kingdom-of-ruin-deliciously-dark-fairytales-3-read-online-k-f-breene Categories Genre: Dragons, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
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Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 136061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 454(@300wpm)
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Read Online Books/Novels:

A Kingdom of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #3)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

K.F. Breene
Language:
English
ISBN/ ASIN:
B09LNCYFCB
Book Information:

Never sell your soul to the Demon King.
Too late.
In an effort to save all that I love, I have to finish the job Nyfain started… and ruin myself.
I've made a trade with the most cunning creature alive. Me for them.
The dungeons will be my new home. Dolion's destruction will be my new goal.
I just have to get out of here and back to my golden dragon. Preferably alive.
Books in Series:

Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
Books by Author:

K.F. Breene


“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.”

– Og Mandino

ONE

FINLEY

I slid off the demon king’s shoulder and crashed down into the soggy mud and weeds. My left hip struck a rock, and pain exploded through me, adding to the aches and bruises I’d accumulated on our three-day journey to this accursed place, the demons’ kingdom. My sword was still sheathed at my side. The demon king, Dolion, had allowed me to bring it, knowing I didn’t know how to use it. It was his little joke.

“Yeah, sure, just put me anywhere,” I mumbled, wincing as I pushed away from the rock.

The large, magically powered boat that had borne us to this dark and rain-streaked island bobbed in the murky sea behind us, anchored. Rowboats floated from it, washing onto the sandy shore and unloading the demons and various cargo.

Boots squelched in the mud next to me before Jedrek, my dipshit betrothed, crashed down beside me, crying out.

“Quiet,” I told him in a low voice.

Too late.

His previous transportation, a hard-faced demon with plenty of strength hidden within his wiry frame, swung a foot into Jedrek’s middle. Jedrek cried out again, rolling through the mud and weeds to get away.

“It’s fine. He’s just getting used to this.” I put out my hand and leaned toward Jedrek, doing very little to shield him with my body. I’d learned by now that if they really wanted to lay into him—or me—they were going to do it. Still, I couldn’t help trying to intervene. The only reason Dolion had lifted his magical suppression spell from our people was because I’d agreed to marry Jedrek. Which meant he needed to stay alive for the time being.

“Welcome to my castle, princess.” Dolion looked down at me with a smirk on his blue face. Rain slid down the dark horns curling from his head. “Your new home.”

Sorrow rose and squeezed my heart. The hollow pang of loss threatened to bring tears to my eyes as I remembered the way Nyfain looked at me before I was taken away. His utter despair. His desperation to keep me with him, in his kingdom and in his life.

In the end, he’d let me go. I knew he believed it would be forever. He thought I would break free from the demons, something he was confident I could do, and live my life elsewhere. My happiness mattered to him, and he didn’t think he had anything to offer. Idiot. I would absolutely go back to him. The only reason I’d agreed to this farce was to get the suppression spell lifted. I would suffer anything to free my kingdom and my mate. With that spell gone, Nyfain could use his alpha magic to pull out everyone’s animals. He could give our people a fighting chance… Because I would escape—straight back to Nyfain—and we would break the curse together. Then it would be time to fight.

I held on to my resolve with everything I had and looked up through the driving rain, determined that Dolion would never see my pain. He would never know what all of this was costing me…or Nyfain.

“Quite the welcome mat you’ve rolled out,” I said, lifting my hands and turning my palms up to look at the mud now caking my skin. “Did you do the landscaping yourself?”

He scowled at me, his gaze roaming my face. Darkness cascaded around his narrow shoulders like a cloak. “So strong. So stupid.” He stepped forward and kicked, his heavy boot landing on my upper thigh. Pain vibrated through me. “Look at it!”

I tsked, but did as he said to stave off another kick. He’d done a good job at acting suave and balanced within Nyfain’s castle—except when Nyfain was thwarting his commands—but he had a volatile temper. Not just directed at Jedrek and me, either. He doled out harsh punishments to his own people if they didn’t follow his commands quickly enough. Do something wrong, even by accident? The punishment was worse still. He used his power and position to bully others. He led through fear.

I knew from history books that those types of leaders often had precarious perches on their thrones. I wondered how easy it would be to topple him.

“It’s nothing like that dragon hovel you’re so fond of,” he said, and I could hear the smug pride in his voice.

He’s got that right, my dragon murmured.

A formidable castle sat on top of a hill. Pale moonlight peeked through a break in the heavy clouds, washing across thin spires, bulky towers, and the castle’s sprawling, disjointed architecture. Arrow slits punched through the first two levels, giving way to more modern rectangular windows for the next two. The fifth level looked like a sort of fortress, with sleek stone walls and a fresh feel that suggested it had been built sometime in the last hundred years.


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A Throne of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #2) Read Online K.F. Breene http://www.wownovels.com/a-throne-of-ruin-deliciously-dark-fairytales-2-read-online-k-f-breene Thu, 18 Nov 2021 05:08:15 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-throne-of-ruin-deliciously-dark-fairytales-2-read-online-k-f-breene Categories Genre: Dark, Dragons, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
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Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 144676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 579(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
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Read Online Books/Novels:

A Throne of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #2)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

K.F. Breene
Language:
English
ISBN/ ASIN:
B09GZTSY2K
Book Information:

The only thing protecting me from the demons...is the beast.
Nyfain, the golden dragon prince, tried to set me free. But there is no freedom in this kingdom. Not for anyone.
The demons have sought me out. They want to trap me. To use me against Nyfain. It's only a matter of time before they call in the demon king.
Nyfain thinks I should save myself. That I should barter with the demon king to escape this place.
But can I give myself to the creature responsible for torturing the people I love?
In order to save them, though, I might not have a choice.
Books in Series:

Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
Books by Author:

K.F. Breene


One

My heart thudded in my chest as I searched the Forbidden Wood for the beast, the same ground-bound dragon I’d once run from in terror. My animal roiled inside me, stalking him with me. I’d left home hours ago, in late morning, and there was still no sign of Nyfain. Granted, he had a substantial head start, since he’d left my family cottage last night after feeding us sleeping herbs to keep me from following, but I couldn’t shake the fear that I’d stumble upon his broken and bloodied form.

His duty might be to guard the wood, to protect our kingdom’s villages from the creatures the demon king unleashed on us each night, but he was in no shape to play Mr. Hero. It didn’t matter that he was our prince, our only hope of escaping the curse. The tracks I was following only proved he needed time to recover, curse the goddess. They zigzagged on the trail, bumping into a tree here, stomping through thorn bushes over there.

Everlass made for a potent cure, and I’d learned that the leaves of a crowded plant, which could be lethal if used incorrectly, were capable of reversing the effects of poison. Still, it was obvious the elixir I’d given him hadn’t fully restored him. The effects had worn off, and he was in pain.

But he’d refused my request—my order—for him to rest.

The dappled light highlighted a huge splotch of deep red on the ground. My gut twisted as I slowed, panning my gaze over the area. I spotted the extra set of tracks mingled with those of the dragon. These were slender and long, with three toes and an imprint in the dirt that suggested claws. The creature, whatever it was, walked on four feet. It must’ve lunged out from the trees, because its tracks seemed to come from nowhere.

The bark of the closest tree had been abraded by a tough hide. Branches lay on the ground, ripped from the trunk.

This was the third battle scene I’d come across since leaving home. Evidence suggested Nyfain had won the others, but panic still skittered through me as I followed it away right. A large hole had been chopped through dense bushes, Nyfain’s huge dragon form forcing the foliage to make room. Blood smeared the green and streaked the ground. On the other side, I heaved a shuddering sigh.

A strange creature with oily, grayish scales lay twisted, its back broken and its head torn off. Nyfain’s tracks led away, heavy and clumsy. Blood splattered the ground. He’d taken damage.

I could feel my animal holding her breath. Pain and sadness radiated from her, the effect of Nyfain’s dragon ripping away our connection to them. Nyfain hadn’t said why, other than that he wished to grant us freedom. She was just as terrified to find a broken dragon at the end of this trail as I was.

Nyfain’s mouth-watering smell of pine and lilac tinged with honeysuckle dusted some bushes. His tracks led left now, not going toward the castle. Stubborn man that he was, he’d been looking for more creatures to dispatch.

After another hour and more blood splatter, I saw that he’d found one. A large biped with small arms and a large jaw. It had its stomach ripped out. Even more blood led away from this battle.

I don’t like this, my animal said as we took in the scents and followed the tracks. He lost too much blood.

As a man, yes. But his dragon is big. Maybe if he just stays in beast form until he heals it’ll be okay?

She didn’t answer. She probably didn’t know, since I’d never shifted. The same curse that haunted these woods had sickened the villagers throughout the kingdom, paused time at the royal castle, and, perhaps worst of all, prevented our people from shifting as nature intended. As far as I knew, only one person still could—Nyfain—although it had cost him dearly. His dragon’s wings had been shorn off.

I could hear my animal’s thoughts, feel her emotions, and use her primal senses, but that was where it stopped.

We wound deep into the wood, the gnarled trees bent and twisted, much like the dead bodies of the demon creatures that had been set loose last night. Scraggly bushes reached across the path, some of them stomped and broken from Nyfain coming through. I didn’t even need to follow his tracks now, just had to watch for the crimson droplets that announced his passage.

A bird chittered in the treetops, answered by another. A small rodent scrabbled out of the way. My connection with my animal had also increased my sense of hearing. Not much farther and I heard voices, a man and a woman talking.

I hefted the dagger I held, content to keep the pocketknife stowed, and crept closer, staying behind a wall of browning and crackled greenery. My animal plucked smells out of the air, analyzing them as we made our way. Clean smells, like laundry and lavender soap, layered over the more pungent scents of sweat and blood.


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A Ruin of Roses (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #1) Read Online K.F. Breene http://www.wownovels.com/a-ruin-of-roses-deliciously-dark-fairytales-1-read-online-k-f-breene Wed, 13 Oct 2021 23:53:37 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-ruin-of-roses-deliciously-dark-fairytales-1-read-online-k-f-breene Categories Genre: Dark, Dragons, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Magic, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
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Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 89310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
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Read Online Books/Novels:

(Deliciously Dark Fairytales #1) A Ruin of Roses

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

K.F. Breene
Language:
English
ISBN/ ASIN:
B09CN4DNCP
Book Information:

A spicy new twist on an old classic - a deliciously dark Beauty and the Beast reimagining. I could save him, but he would ruin me.
The beast. The creature that stalks the forbidden wood. The dragon prince.
He has suffered a fate worse than death. We all have. A curse put upon us by the mad king.
We are a kingdom locked in time. Shifters unable to feel our animals. Stuck here by a deal between the late king and a demon who seeks our destruction.
The only one keeping this kingdom alive is Nyfain, the golden prince to a stolen throne. The last dragon shifter.
He’s our hope. He’s my nightmare. When he catches me trespassing in the forbidden wood, he doesn’t punish me with death, as he’s entitled.
He takes me, instead. Forces me back to the castle as his prisoner. Seeks to use me. Apparently, I can save him. I can save the whole forgotten kingdom, locked away by the demon king’s power.
But it would mean taming the monster beneath his skin. It would mean giving myself to him. It would mean my ruin.
_ _ _ _ _ _
This is a dark and sexy Beauty and the Beast retelling, featuring a strong heroine, a dangerous anti-hero, and a humorous supporting cast. It is a full-length novel at 80k words and suitable for 18+. This is the beginning of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. Buckle up. The author was let off her leash.
Books in Series:

Deliciously Dark Fairytales Series by K.F. Breene
Books by Author:

K.F. Breene


Prologue

A low growl rumbled through the Forbidden Wood. My heart jumped into my throat.

The beast!

I darted behind the nearest tree and flattened my back against the rough bark. My tweed bag hung across my torso, filled with the precious cargo I’d stolen from the everlass field. If the beast found me with this—if it found me in the Forbidden Wood at all—I was done for. It would kill me as it had done countless others, regardless of the fact I was only fourteen.

It didn’t matter that I was too young to shift, if shifting were still possible for us after the curse. If I was old enough to steal, I was old enough to die for my sins.

A tree branch cracked. What sounded like a large foot crunched brittle grass. Another touched down, the creature slowing. It either sensed someone close or had caught my scent.

I sucked in a breath and squeezed my eyes shut, my hands shaking. Loud snuffling filled the silence. The beast sniffing out its prey.

My parents didn’t even know I’d come. Nana had fallen ill, the effects of the curse that had damned our kingdom. Everyone said there was no cure. But I’d found a way. I could slow the effects, at least. I needed the everlass plant, though, and we hardly had any. I was still learning how to properly grow it. No one else in the village could do much with it at all. Something about it spoke to me, though. I would figure it out eventually, I knew I could—but right now, I was out of time.

My lungs burned. I was afraid to breathe.

More grass crunched under the beast’s enormous feet. It was moving in my direction!

A whimper escaped my lips. I slapped a hand over my mouth, but it was too late. The footsteps ceased. It had heard.

The darkness lay thick around me. Silence.

The beast roared, making me jump half out of my skin. Fear doused me in adrenaline, and then I was running. Sprinting as fast as I could go. I crashed through the brush. Rounded a tree.

Its footsteps gained. It was coming so fast! How could I possibly escape?

Loud grunts sounded way above me, its breath puffing out as it moved. If its head was that high off the ground, it was much bigger than the rumors had said.

A wall of brush waited up ahead. Two trees crossed within it, creating a narrow opening between the thorns. I took a chance and dashed between them.

Sliding sounded behind me, and I glanced back to see two enormous feet ending in long, sharp claws churn the dirt. They stopped just before the opening.

Crying now, unable to help it, I kept going, getting onto my hands and knees and crawling. Dense foliage covered me overhead. Thorns ripped at my flesh. I continued to crawl, now on elbows and knees.

Breath blew out behind me. It was tracking my scent.

The dark hollow up ahead announced the end of this natural tunnel. Blood trickled down my cheek from where a thorn had ripped through. The bag of everlass crunched under my body. I knew that would be bad for the elixir, but I didn’t have much choice.

I needed to get it out of here. Nana’s life depended on it. Her cough was really bad, and her breathing was shallow. She needed help.

Summoning my courage, I pushed up to a crouch in the darkness, looking out at the starless night. Trees rose all around, and the ground was a tangle of weeds and brambles. Nothing moved. Could the beast have moved on?

In my heart of hearts, I knew the answer, but my fear was out of control.

I thought about staying put, but it could wait me out. Or come in after me. It had an armored face, everyone said. A few vines and thorns wouldn’t trouble it.

I sprinted forward, sobs choking me.

Its roar followed me, ever closer. My breathing came in harried, haggard gasps. I pumped at the air with my fists and rounded a tree. The edge of the wood was just up ahead. Although other horrors could cross that line, the beast, the guardian of the Forbidden Wood, could not.

Lights in the village jiggled in the wet haze of my vision. Candles in windows. Fires in yards. They awaited me. They were right up ahead!

The roar rattled my bones, much too close.

The end was near.

1

Glowing golden eyes tore me out of sleep. I sucked in a terrified breath and sat up in a rush. My hair was plastered to my face with sweat. My shirt clung to my back. A nightmare.

No, worse than a nightmare. A memory.

I still remembered busting through that tree line at fourteen and catching my foot on a rock. Falling and skidding on my face. When I’d stopped rolling, I lay sprawled out, facing the wood.


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