BORN FOR LUCIAN DRAVEN

POV: Aria Aria Vale had always known something was wrong with her. Not the kind of wrong people could see. Not madness. Not sickness. Something darker. Something impossible. Because normal girls didn't wake up in the middle of the night with their bedsheets smoldering beneath their skin. Normal girls didn't burn mirrors simply by staring at their reflection too long. And normal girls definitely didn't dream of a man with golden eyes standing in fire, whispering her name like a promise and a warning. Run, little flame. Before I find you first. For years, Aria had convinced herself it was stress. Exhaustion. An overactive imagination. Anything but the truth clawing beneath her skin. Tonight proved she had been lying to herself. Because tonight, something was hunting her. Rain crashed from the sky in violent sheets as Aria sprinted down the empty countryside road, breath tearing painfully from her lungs. Mud splashed up her legs. Her heart slammed wildly against her ribs. Behind her came footsteps. Heavy. Fast. Not human. A deep growl ripped through the darkness. "Don't let her escape! Fear sliced straight through her. She looked back and nearly screamed. Three creatures moved through the storm like living nightmares. Tall. Black, eyed. Their skin cracked like burnt stone, glowing red beneath like lava trapped under flesh. Their mouths were filled with razor teeth. Monsters. Real monsters. And they were chasing her. "Please…" Aria gasped, stumbling over roots cutting through the muddy road. "What do you want from me?" One of them smiled. Its mouth split too wide. "Your blood." Cold terror gripped her spine. Her blood? Before she could run faster, pain exploded in her shoulder. Something sharp, dark as smoke, pierced straight through flesh. Aria cried out and crashed hard into the wet earth. Rainwater mixed with blood beneath her trembling body. The creatures closed in slowly. Hungrily. Their leader crouched before her, nostrils flaring as he inhaled her scent. Then his black eyes widened. Shock flashed across his monstrous face. "The scent…"he whispered. Then terror replaced it. "No." He staggered backward. "That's impossible." Lightning split the sky, and for one brief moment Aria saw golden light glowing beneath her skin. Her blood was shining. The first drop touched the earth. The world exploded. Golden fire erupted from the ground like heaven itself had opened. The road split apart. Trees burst into white flames. The creatures screamed as sacred fire consumed their bodies whole, their flesh melting into ash in seconds. Aria stared in horror at her glowing hands. Flames danced over her skin yet didn't burn her. Her eyes reflected gold. Heat rolled from her body in violent waves. Her voice trembled. "What… am I?" Then everything went still. The storm stopped. The wind died. Even the fire bent low, as though bowing to something darker. Something stronger. A shadow appeared at the far end of the burning road. Tall. Broad shoulders. A black coat moving like smoke. Slow, deliberate footsteps. And eyes, golden eyes burning brighter than fire itself. Beautiful. Terrifying. Ancient. Power rolled off him in waves so heavy Aria could barely breathe beneath it. He stopped inches away. His gaze moved over her face like he was seeing a miracle, or a curse. Then he whispered, low, rough, almost broken. "…Impossible." Aria's breath caught. She knew that face. From her dreams. The man on fire. The one who whispered warnings in darkness. He slowly crouched before her. Rain hissed into steam when it touched his skin. His fingers lifted, then gently brushed her cheek. The second skin met skin, he gasped sharply. Dark cracks of glowing gold spread across his chest beneath his shirt, like chains breaking under flesh. His eyes widened. Pain twisted across his beautiful face, then vanished. Warmth flooded into him for the first time in a thousand years. His dead heart beat once. Then again. His voice turned dark with hunger, wonder, and dangerous possession. "I found you." Aria's breath shook. "Who are you?" He smiled slowly. Sinful. Deadly. Heart-stoppingly beautiful. "My name is Lucian Draven." His thumb brushed softly across her lips. The fire around them rose higher. "But little flame…"His golden eyes darkened. "You are not human." Aria froze. Then a new voice split the night. Cold. Female. Filled with hatred. "Kill her before he bonds with her!" A spear of black fire shot from the sky, straight toward Aria's heart. Lucian moved instantly. He pulled Aria into his arms and took the strike in his back. Dark blood spilled from his lips. Aria gasped. But where his blood touched her skin, a glowing mark burned onto her wrist. Ancient. Golden. Alive. Lucian looked down at it, and for the first time, fear entered the Demon Prince's eyes. He whispered, "No…" Then looked at Aria, his voice dark with shock. "They lied to me." A pause. His face hardened into something fierce and possessive. Something terrifying. "You're Heaven's daughter