

At the birthday party for my Mafia husband, Galvan, I touched one of his blood-stained cufflinks and suddenly gained the ability to read minds. I read Galvan's thoughts. He was thinking, "Tracy's body is so tempting. Much better than my cold wife." Tracy, his employee, was with her broke boyfriend, Reuben. Her thoughts dripped with contempt, "Reuben is useless. His gifts were cheap. Once I dump him, I’ll be with Galvan." Interestingly, Reuben, the supposedly worthless boyfriend, was actually thinking, "My father's test is almost done. How do I tell Tracy I'm the heir to the largest Mafia family?" Fascinating. Galvan, the man I stood by, appeared wealthy on the outside, but the true heir was treated poorly. I lifted my wine glass and elegantly approached the penniless Reuben.

"I was the daughter no one wanted. Then the Dark Blood Duke claimed me in front of the entire court. Edwin declared I was his fated bloodbound mate — the one his ancient blood had longed for across centuries — and carried me away to his castle deep in the Eternal Forest. He filled a night garden with roses that bloomed only under the blood moon and gave me a wedding that made every woman in the kingdom envy me. For the first time in my life, I believed I was chosen. Loved. Safe. Seven months pregnant with his heir, I attended my father’s birthday feast. That night silver fire erupted. My father and brother only screamed for Kelsey. They dragged her to safety while I choked on smoke and called their names until my voice broke. Edwin was the one who carried me out of the flames. In the Blood Healing Tower I finally overheard the truth they never meant for me to hear. Kelsey was not dying. She had faked the blood core degeneration all along. And the childhood savior Edwin had worshipped for centuries… the one whose piano melody still lived in his blood… had never been her. It had always been me."

Fifteen years after her family was slaughtered, Ava rises as the feared prison warden “Hades.” Back in her hometown, she battles local gangs, protects her orphanage, and reunites with her siblings—unleashing her power to hunt the killers and claim the justice.

To fulfill her grandpa's last wish, the Queen of North hides her identity and marries into a southern family. After suffering enough humiliation from her new husband, she finally decides to reveal the power behind her disguise and make the South remember who she truly is.