The Devil's Betrothed

[MainPlotCompleted]Alovedoomedfromthestart,alostcause,alosingbattle—andyet,neitherheartsarewillingtoletgountiltheveryend.-----ArlanCromwell,theepitomeoftheperfectCrownPrince.Allhewantsistoliveanormallifeofahumanbutthelifeofadragonisanythingbutnormal.Hehasbutonegoal—tofindhisrunawaybetrothedandbeheadher.Whathappenswhenhediscoversthatthewomanwhohassnaggedhisheartistheonehevowedtokill?Oriana,aBlackWitch,disguisingherselfasaman,hasspentherentirelifeontherunwithoutknowingwhatsheisrunningawayfrom.Whenthemysteriesofherpastslowlycatchuptoher,shehasnoonetoturnto…exceptArlan.Butwhenshelearnsthatthemanshehasgivenherhearttoisthesamemanwhowantstokillher,howcansheacceptthecruelcardlifedealther?Twopeoplewithsecretstokeep,identitiestohide,andanswerstofind.WhenthecertaindarknessthreatenstotakeOrianaaway,willtheDragonbeabletoprotecthismate?-----Excerpt-“IfIknewyouweremybetrothed,Iwouldhavekilledyoutheveryfirstmomentwemet.”Arlan'sgazedarkenedwithhatred.“IfIknewIwasbetrothedtoyou,Iwouldhavekilledmyselfbeforeyouevenkilledme!”Orianamirroredthesameemotionsashim.Hepulledoutadaggerandofferedittoher.“It’snottoolate.Justslityourthroatwiththisandyou'llbleedoutpainlessly.”Sheacceptedtheknife,herfingersclutchingitshandletightly.Thenextmoment,hewaspressedagainstthewallandtheknifewasontherightsideofhisneck.“HowaboutItryitonyoufirst,mybetrothed?”“Feelfreetotry.Butwhenyoufail,thisknifewillfirsttasteyourgrandpa'sblood,thenyours.”Angerroseinhereyes,andthenextmoment,bloodwasflowingthroughtherightsideofhisneck.Shecutdeepenoughtosevereanimportantbloodvessel.“Youshouldnothavechallengedme,”shesneeredandsteppedback,waitingforhimtocollapse.Hesimplysmirkedandbrushedhisfingeralongthedeepwoundonhisneck.“Seemslikeyoufailed.”Shewatchedthewoundonhisneckhealonitsownandfeltshockedtoherbones.“You..whatareyou?”“Guess?”