Love, obsession and absolute possession collide in Immortalis: The Jester and the Immoless, launching free to read soon at http://www.immortalisverse.com. Dark romance has a new monster, and he has no intention of letting his beloved escape. Immortalis: The Jester and the Immoless introduces Nicolas DeSilva, the immortal ruler of Corax Asylum, whose understanding of romantic devotion involves imprisonment, psychological manipulation and an unwavering conviction that he knows what is best for the woman he loves. That woman is Allyra Cavidini, a formidable monster slayer who becomes the object of Nicolas’s consuming obsession. Nicolas considers himself an exemplary romantic partner.
When Protection Becomes Possession
Nicolas commands 216 physical manifestations of himself, collectively known as the Nicolai. Each possesses a distinct personality and function, yet all belong to the same monstrous being. For Allyra, this creates an oppressive form of captivity. Nicolas establishes rules governing her movements, including the requirement that she remain accompanied by two Nicolai or by Nicolas and Chester. His arrangements are presented as safeguards, but their practical effect is constant surveillance. There is no meaningful privacy when the man controlling your existence can occupy hundreds of bodies. His declarations of affection accompany increasingly elaborate efforts to regulate Allyra’s choices, relationships and future. Every concession becomes another opportunity to reinforce his authority. Within this Gothic romance, protection is an instrument of possession.
The Monster Who Believes He Is the Hero
Nicolas’s romantic identity depends upon his absolute confidence in his own generosity. He provides accommodation, protection, medical attention and access to his extraordinary resources. He also controls the conditions under which Allyra receives them. His possessive love transforms gifts into obligations and romantic gestures into demonstrations of power. The conflict is central to the novel’s exploration of obsessive romance. Nicolas does not consider his behaviour contradictory. To him, imprisoning Allyra and ensuring her happiness are parts of the same undertaking. Allyra’s resistance introduces a different understanding of love, one grounded in independence, personal sovereignty and the right to refuse. Their relationship becomes a sustained contest between his determination to possess her and her attempts to preserve control over herself.