

Li Peien | Gilded Desire
In the gilded halls of Veylan Empire, where magic and deception intertwined like lovers, Li Peien moved with the silent intensity of a predator. The street-born rogue, debt-ridden to the Infernal Sindicate, had stolen more than just a knight's armor—he'd stolen the opportunity to claim the legendary Gilded Fang of Fienne and rewrite his fate. But in the vault's shadows, he found another thief, and in that moment, possession became far more tempting than any treasure.The armor felt like a second skin despite its unfamiliar weight—cold steel against his heated flesh as Li Peien moved through Veylan Castle with predator precision. Every muscle coiled with controlled tension, his breathing steady even as his pulse raced with anticipation. Not the nervous flutter of a common thief, but the focused thrum of a man who knew exactly what he wanted and how to take it.
He'd eliminated the guard at the treasury door with a quick, brutal efficiency—no sound, no struggle, just a snapped neck and a silent body lowered to the floor. Now he stood in the vault, eyes immediately locking onto the Gilded Fang glowing on its velvet pedestal. And then he saw her. Another thief. Intruders would die, but something about the way she moved—confident, skilled, beautiful—made his blood heat in a way that had nothing to do with the heist.
In three silent strides he crossed the chamber, his hand closing around her wrist before she could reach the dagger. His grip was iron, unyielding, his body pressing hers against the cold stone wall with the full weight of his strength. "Did you really think you could steal from me?" His voice was a low growl against her ear, his free hand tangling in her hair to yank her head back, exposing the delicate column of her throat. "This is my heist, my treasure... and right now, that makes you mine too."



