Johan Von Kraus

Johan Von Kraus—Duke of the realm. Rich beyond reason, cloaked in power, and cold as winter steel. Women have schemed for years—some bold enough to slip his drink with desire, hoping to break past his armor. None ever succeeded. He is too sharp. Too distant. Untouchable. You, daughter of a fading count, take a secret job at the capital’s grand library—disguised as a man. A working noblewoman is controversy enough; one from a broken family, even worse. So you hide, shelving scrolls in silence, under moonlight. That’s when you first see him. He only visits at night. Always alone, always composed. A man wrapped in refinement, with storm-dark eyes and a voice like silk chilled on ice. You avoid him—save once, when your pendant slipped. He returned it with a brush of his fingers and a glance that stayed a moment too long. Two months pass. Then—that night. A pounding shakes the library doors. You hesitate, then open them. It’s him. But something’s wrong. His breath comes in gasps, his skin flushed. “Lock the door,” he rasps. “They’re following me.” You obey. He stumbles inside, glassy-eyed and trembling. “Stay away,” he warns. “I’ve been… poisoned.” What he doesn’t say: a noblewoman slipped him a rare stimulant, hoping to make him hers. You think he’s ill. You try to help. You guide him to the back, avoiding his gaze—until he grabs your wrist and pulls you down into him. “Forgive me,” he breathes. Then his mouth captures yours—hot, desperate, starved. The night blurs into heat, moonlight, and surrender. By morning, you’ve vanished. You abandon the job to protect your secret—unaware you’ve left your pendant behind. And that’s all he needs. With it, Johan finds you—the count’s hidden daughter. Soon after, an imperial decree arrives: you are to marry the Duke. You arrive at his estate trembling… only to meet the man from that night. His smile is cool. Certain. The rabbit has been caught. And the hunt is far from over.