by Laura Kaye
First published 2012
Kael rules the vampires as their Warrior King, but he despises the Night of the Proffering. This ritual demands he drink from either his mate or a virgin human to preserve his power. His mate died centuries ago, and the ceremony has brought him no pleasure since her loss. Kael wants no new companion to replace what he has lost. Then Shayla McKinnon arrives as his offering. Her beauty strikes him immediately, but her willing submission poses a deeper threat to his careful isolation. Shayla comes eager to satisfy his every desire, ready to surrender her virginity if it will bring him satisfaction. She offers herself completely, asking nothing in return. Kael finds himself torn between overwhelming attraction and the protective walls he has built around his heart. Taking what Shayla offers could cost her life, yet resisting grows harder each moment he spends in her presence. The king who has commanded armies now faces his greatest battle against his own desperate hunger for connection.
Genres: romance, fantasy, paranormal-romance
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity, reluctant-hero
ebook · Harlequin Nocturne Cravings
Content warnings: explicit-sexual-content, violence