My name is Vinna, and I've been keeping a lot of secrets. You would too if you'd experienced some of the weird shit I have: red-eyed monsters chasing me, markings on my body appearing out of nowhere, a strange power that crackles colorfully over my skin from time to time, and don't get me started on the weapons I can conjure up almost out of nowhere.

When I'm captured by demons and forced into the fighting pits of the Seventh Circle of Hell, I need to stay alive long enough to claw my way back to Heaven and destroy the archangels who betrayed me. Four dangerous men stand between me and my vengeance. A deadly Nephilim in self-imposed exile. Hunger incarnate, ravenous for an angel. The heir to Satan's sinful throne. And the prince who bound my soul to his until I win my freedom. They think I'm still pure. They think I'm innocent.

My one piece of advice: Never kiss a stranger. See, I kind of kissed this sexy man at the bar on a dare once, and it turns out he’s a Royal Fae destined to be my mate. Now I’ve been dragged to the Elemental Fae Academy to control the powers I unlocked that night.

My whole life has been characterized by fighting; fighting my family and fighting for my life. Trust me—the first one is completely voluntary, and a lot of fun. The second? Not so much. To say my family dynamic is weird is the understatement of the century. I held my first sword when I was only five years old, and I learned how to dispose of a body before I turned ten. I may have a penchant for pink and sparkles…but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to kick major ass as well.

Every beat of my heart is the tick of a time bomb, reminding me to squeeze as many thrills out of life as I can. A horde of nightmarish monsters jumping me in the middle of the night? Nope, that's too much even for me. So when three demonic figures leap out of the shadows to my defense, my choices are trust my unexpected champions... or die. Not exactly a tough decision. The beastly men wrench me away from my home, claiming they'll keep me safe. They say there's something special about me—something the others want to devour and they mean to protect.

There were six of us. Caged, turned into monsters, and tormented with brutal tests of our horrific emerging abilities. We had only each other to count on...until our escape attempt ended with one dead, the others recaptured, and me dragged away into a different nightmare.

All I wanted was to keep my head above water. To survive long enough to hit my 18th birthday so I could escape the nightmare that my homelife had become. But all of that was turned upside down the moment they showed up. The best friend from my past. The surly brooder. The kindhearted nerd. The king of campus. The dark one.

A reject—that’s the best way to describe how I’m treated. All because I’m a hybrid. The monarchs of hell revere pure bloodlines and perfection above all else, and in their eyes, I’m a mutt. Good thing dear old Dad, the Grim Reaper, has never once looked at me as anything other than his favorite child. Well, I’m his only child, but semantics. Suddenly, he has tasked me with the job of going to the council summit in his place. An event that happens once every century to determine which royal house will be voted into the supreme position. A position people would kill for.

"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of 20 years packs up and heads for greener pastures, and my son heads away to college, that's exactly what my midlife becomes. A do-over. This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at 40 I'm ready to carve my own path. Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills.

Six years ago, I awoke in a cage with no knowledge of who I was or where I’d come from. Six years ago, I was spared the flesh markets and instead thrown in with a group of savages, where I learned it was fight or die. Now, eight Orders of Assassins are converging on the only home I’ve ever known. All in hopes of purchasing new blade slaves for their ranks. I’m for sale, yet all I want is a life far from death and ownership. Then I meet them, the Order of Scorpions. Their allure is a threat to the freedom I crave, but I won’t fall victim to their sting, no matter how tempting it might be.

When my family died at the hands of a demon prince, I hung up my exorcist hat. I’d failed to protect them, and while I was willing to risk myself, the price had risen too high. Now I’m serving up hot, fresh pizzas to everyone who wants them. I was the only person left to inherit the family business, and I’m doing my best to keep it up and running in honor of my loved ones. These days, my biggest challenge is telling off a rampaging customer, and endless paperwork. That is, until he shows up again.

It was supposed to be simple. All of that changed in a single breath. Because it turns out I'm not human. And I just knocked out the power on an entire city block. In a split second, all of my carefully-laid plans go up in smoke. There's no chance for college because I'm being hauled off to Kingwood Academy. They say it's for my own protection and those around me. But I know one thing for sure . . . I'm not welcome here.

A wolf shifter, gorgeous incubus, and sexy billionaire twins. They're all dangerous. And they all want me. Welcome to the Academy of the Elites. When I somehow summon fire in an act of self-defense, I'm given two choices by the magic cops: attend some stuck-up magic school, or go to magic jail. There go my plans for the next year. Apparently, I have Untamed Magic, whatever that means. And I've got a year to get it under control at this magic academy that's basically a finishing school for the elite. Everyone here is somebody important. And rich. Except for me.

My parents made a deal with the devil, and now I’m a Hell Fae captive. Enslaved. Owned. Thrown to the Hellhounds and expected to survive. Because only survivors earn their mates. It doesn’t matter that I don’t want to be a bride. I’m a Halfling. Part Hell Fae and part girl-who-doesn’t-give-a-shit. But because of a bargain, he owns me. Lucifer. The Hell Fae King who created this godforsaken realm. Also known as the orchestrator of these deadly bride-trial games.

Once upon a time, a handsome prince asked the academy wallflower to the ball. She was blinded by the stars in her own eyes and the pitter-patter of her lonely heart. Little did she know this prince was no prince at all, but a villain disguised behind a charming smile.