Darkbirch Academy: A Twisted Dark Academia Fantasy Romance with Dragons & Witches

Assassin-in-training Esme Salem infiltrates a magical defense academy with a mission: eliminate Kieran Mazrov, a deadly mage whose powers threaten her kind's existence. The task should be straightforward—a poisoned strike, a garrote bracelet, no hesitation. But she encounters Professor Dayn, a figure who defies expectation. Calculating and lethal, he radiates literal heat and bears none of the marks of a true academic. As Esme pursues her assignment, Dayn becomes increasingly dangerous, complicating her objective in ways she didn't anticipate. Caught between two predators—one she came to hunt and one she never saw coming—Esme must navigate a treacherous game where her mission and her survival may be at odds. The story features a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers dynamic and includes a cast of predatory beings: dragons, mages, vampires, dark fae, werewolves, and incubi.