Novels by A.K.AN NUR

Isabella's grip on Caleb's neck tightened fiercely. Her body, trembling from blood loss, pressed flush against his broad chest. Her rapid breaths fanned warmly against his sharp jawline. In the middle of the freezing Black Castle lobby, surrounded by three elite hitmen who had been reduced to mindless slabs of meat, the woman had instead found a blazing, intoxicating lust."I need a man like you, Caleb Thorne," Isabella repeated, her voice huskier and more urgent. Her torn silk gown exposed her long thighs, intentionally rubbing against Caleb's dress pants. "My own family is hunting me. They threw me away like trash. But with a monster like you by my side, I can destroy them all."Caleb stared into Isabella's wild eyes. He didn't back down an inch. Instead, he snaked one arm around her slender waist, pulling her even closer until there was absolutely zero space left between them. Blood from Isabella's shoulder stained Caleb's shirt, but neither of them gave a damn.

"Keep your wine, Doctor. We have bigger business tomorrow morning," Caleb said flatly, his eyes glaring sharply at Dr. Hans Gruber, who was still offering the bottle of Pinot Noir left by Isabella."What could possibly be more important than celebrating our beautiful alliance, Mr. Thorne?" Hans placed the bottle on the table, his signature crazed smile plastered on his face. "Killing some big shot for a warm-up?""No." Caleb grabbed his new coat draped over a chair. "We're moving. I need to buy a throne fitting for my army."***The following afternoon, the Geneva air was bone-chilling. "Mr. Thorne, I must warn you one last time. The bank didn't confiscate this Black Castle just because of defaulted loans!" The real estate agent broke into a cold sweat, trembling outside the massive, rusted iron gates. "The last three owners hung themselves in the exact same basement, one after another. The locals refuse to even come near. This place is... absolutely cursed.""How much is it?" Caleb

Meanwhile, in Lisa Thorne's shabby apartment.Lisa was sitting on the floor, surrounded by old suitcases filled with clothes. She was crying while folding her mother's sweater. She was ready to run. She was sure her brother would fail or even be arrested by the police."We have to go to the train station, Mom," Lisa sobbed. "We'll go to Auntie's village in the South of France. It's safe there.""But Caleb hasn't come home," Martha groped the air anxiously. "We can't leave Caleb.""Brother has gone crazy, Mom! He went to the mafia headquarters! He won't come b—"TING!A loud SMS notification sound from Lisa's phone cut her off. The cracked-screen phone vibrated on the wooden table.Lisa wiped her tears roughly. Maybe it was a threat from Julian? or a warning from the police?With trembling hands, Lisa picked up the phone. The screen lit up brightly in the dim room.SMS FROM: BANK OF ZURICHMESSAGE: Transfer received from Account XXX-STERLING.AMOUNT: CHF 500,000,000.00ENDING BALANCE:

"Superior?!" Marcus wept, tears and mucus mixing on his expensive face. "Let go! Please let go!"The ghost general did not let go. Instead, he crushed Marcus's wrist.CRACK.The sound of Marcus's breaking bone echoed in the silent room.Caleb still stared at Marcus with a cold gaze, as if enjoying the sound of the snapping bone."ARGHHHH!" Marcus dropped his pistol. His hand was now bent at a gruesome angle. The ghost retreated into the shadows, but its cold aura still choked Marcus's neck.Caleb leaned forward, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers."Your laptop is in front of you, Marcus," Caleb said softly. "The biometric system is active. You have one left hand that still works. Start typing or your other hand will be crushed too.""I... I can't..." sobbed Marcus, clutching his broken hand. The pain was excruciating, but the fear was far greater."Human resilience is funny," Caleb stood up slowly.He walked around the desk, approaching Marcus who was now cornered between the

Floor 30. CEO's Office.Marcus Sterling was pouring a drink into a glass. He heard the alarms below, but he was confident his forces had already taken care of the intruder."Probably just a madman with a toy bomb," Marcus muttered, trying to calm himself.Ding.The sound of the elevator was heard from the end of the hallway outside his office door.Marcus put down his glass. He opened his desk drawer, taking out a pistol. He aimed the gun at his office door.Footsteps.One. Two. Three.The footsteps echoed.Then stopped right in front of the door."Who's there?!" shouted Marcus, trying to sound brave. "I'm armed! Come in and I'll fill you with holes!"No answer. No words.BAM!The five-inch thick door wasn't opened. It was kicked.The hinges holding it were torn from the concrete wall. The heavy door flew across the room like a sheet of cardboard, smashing into a display cabinet and shattering it to pieces.In the now gaping doorway, Caleb Thorne stood. Thin smoke rose from the tips o

"We have taken care of everything, Mr. Sterling. No media will report on it. The official report is a gas explosion caused by an old pipe leak."The voice on the phone line sounded nervous, breathing heavily as if speaking to an angry God. It was the voice of the Zurich Chief of Police.On the top floor of a black glass skyscraper in the heart of the Bahnhofstrasse financial district, Marcus Sterling listened to the report while swiveling his chair to face the window. Down below, the city of Zurich looked like Lego toys he owned."Good," Marcus replied flatly. He puffed on a Cuban cigar that cost more than a semester's college tuition. "And what about my son? Is Julian still raving about ghosts?""Young Master Julian... is being sedated by a private doctor. He... he is still hysterical, Sir. He keeps screaming about black eyes and shadows eating people."Marcus shook his head, refusing to believe what Julian had said about ghosts attacking him and his men.Marcus snorted softly, extin