Isolation, darkness, and rotting flesh, Surrounds me, suffocates me, But I am the vile ruler who controls it all.

I long for warmth, Yet, all that I touch, Is cold.

Then, she stumbles in to my domain, Lost and frightened, Alone and confused.

And I terrify her even more.

She calls me the devil, So I show her pleasure, Like only the devil can.

I am the heat that stirs her flesh, The longing that trembles her bone.

She begs her body to refuse, To escape my embrace, But I am her master, The puppeteer of passion. I am the King of Flesh and Bone.

Welcome to my court, little one.

King of Flesh and Bone is a full-length dark fantasy novel, the first book in The Pale Court duet. The two-part story features a ruthless man, the woman who can't escape his love, and a Happily Ever After. This world contains dark themes, violence, loss, and elements of horror some may find disturbing. What this book doesn't contain is a hero—because villains do it better.