“Mine!” he growls in the throes of passion.

“Are you mine too?” I challenge him.

Before he can promise anything, his betrothed shows up at his door.

The demon queen is pushing for a final claim on him, and a war unlike any other rages between us.

I don't stay down, but when she brings in Barbie 2.0, an upgraded version of me, to tempt him, to replace me—

Everything crumbles around me.

Killian

Soon, I'll have to marry the most powerful queen and rule two kingdoms.

But all I want is Barbie, the new girl in my house and the only thing I can't have.

If I take her for my own, she'll be murdered.

I know I should stay away from her, but I no longer can, even if the kingdoms collapse and the world burns as a consequence.

I might be the villain in the story, but without her, there's no meaning to my brutal, miserable existence.

So, I start to push her to the breaking point so she can survive the bride trials and rise above it all.

Only I don't expect it to hurt so much to see my rivals, the other heirs, swoop in to try to make her theirs.