Dark Heart’s Secret Baby

by Celeste King

I don’t do soft.
I don’t do gentle.
And I sure as hell don’t do babies.

Until I found her.
Tiny horns. Golden eyes. A secret no one dares claim.

Now she’s mine.
So is the human woman who looks at me like I stole her heart along with her child.

She thinks I’m dangerous. She’s right.
Because I don’t share. I don’t forgive.
And once she steps into my house, she won’t walk out unmarked.

She’s not just my obsession.
She’s my fight. My fury. My forever.

She ran once. She won’t run again.

Touch my baby and I’ll end you.
Touch her and I’ll burn the world.

I never pictured my fearsome self as a dad…
Turns out I look pretty good with a diaper bag.

Read on for secret babies, dangerous demon obsession, broken mothers who rise again, and a daddy who’d kill to keep his girls. HEA Guaranteed!

Genres: Fantasy

207 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2025

About the author

Celeste King is the author behind the Worlds of Protheka, a collection of interconnected series that promise dark fantasy, intense romance, and washboard abs. When it comes to her stories, there are sure to brooding alphas, sassy humans, and plenty of spice to look forward to.

With the ever growing fantasy worlds, the 'what ifs' are endless, and that is what excites her the most. Even she doesn't know just how far these characters will go, but she's gladly along for the ride.

You can always find her fearlessly diving into an adventure (in this world or another), typically with her husband, and partner in crime, at her side.

She helps keep the excitement alive for the rest us with each of her Prothekan works, where there are no heroes coming to save you and being kidnapped...isn't so bad when your captor is this hot.

Reviews

[Rain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out so good, but lost the thread and meandered into the finish line. Love a single dad story, but this one really needed a deeper character dive.

[ChasxSabri💗🫧 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good…until it wasn’t

I liked the MMC. Then I loved the MMC. Then at the 85% mark, I did not like this man

The way he confronted her? Yeah he was very combative. He said some nasty things, about her and about her ability to be a mother to their child. He disguised it as him being scared she would take the child away from him but that wasn’t the whole case. It stemmed from their romantic relationship and that wasn’t fair to the FMC

Like yeah, you said you loved her, and then she left in the middle of the night (because she was scared and shutting down) but now you basically hate her?

I kid you not, he didn’t even go to check on her, doesn’t even try to fight for her
He basically was like “oh she left me in the middle of night, she doesn’t like me and doesn’t respect me, so screw her“

Like he spent the first half of the book analyzing her behavior and realizing she has some trauma and is considerate of that, but as soon as his feelings are hurt, then everything is thrown out the window. It just felt like he was punishing her for not acknowledging their love and I’m not cool with that🤨

And it felt so out of place too, he was nice and gentle and patient with her and all it took was one time for him to completely turn on her and start being nasty😬like the things he said to her out of anger? I literally said, “who is this man?” My WHOLE face scrunched up

I am all for holding annoying FMC’s accountable, but I felt like how she behaved did not warrant his response AT ALL

*sigh*
And it’s such a shame because after they had that argument (which wasn’t really an argument, he was just going in on her) I couldn’t believe their love anymore. He royally ruined the rest of the book for me 🤷🏾‍♀️

ON TO THE NEXT🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️

[Xiomara]

I started this book since last year and I thought I was gonna finish it but honestly, I think I’m not. It’s been on my shelf just taking dust so I decided to do DNF it I got up to 61%.

[Manda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute story quick story. Got a little mad at him for reacting that way but also for her for letting him walk away thinking that. Glad they sorted it out.

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

'I reach out slowly, carefully, half-expecting her to flinch away. Instead, her tiny hand shoots out and wraps around my finger with surprising strength. The moment our skin makes contact, her wailing stops.
Just... stops.
She stares up at me with those golden eyes, her grip tightening on my finger like she's afraid I'll disappear. There's something almost desperate in the way she holds on, as if she knows I'm her only chance.
But as I look down at her— really look— something shifts in my chest.
She fits perfectly in my arms.'

I absolutely loved this book. Great world building and wonderful characters. I loved both Avenor and Anira. I liked Avenor's personality and my heart warmed at how drawn he was to a half human half demon baby that he just had to bring home. I could have teared up at how instantly attached she was to him and claimed him as her person. He even named her Thessaly. This type of situation always draws me in in paranormal romance. I liked that they had each other first before Anira came into the story. My heart broke for her- the pain of her loss and sorrow. I absolutely loved the way their relationship developed. Slow and respectful. She's been hurt by demons who cost her so much, but she recognizes Avenor isn't like that, that he's a good and kind male, and is falling for him. He was sweet and I liked that he was unsure of things and had vulnerability in that regard- not arrogant or commanding. I also loved the supporting characters- as close as family.

This was such a beautiful romance. I was completely captivated and it's easily one of my favorite stories from Celeste King. 5 stars

P.S.- I love the adorable cover! And the way the baby's dark hair and the color of the demon's skin connects them together amid all the other softer tones.

[Ruisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

needed more🤔

The early chapters kept me interested — the storyline was what kept me turning the pages. Avenor’s character as a demon guard stood out the most; as a reader, I connected with him easily. His personality, protectiveness, and inner strength made him an easy character to fall for.
Anira, the human female trying to heal from a traumatic event that left deep emotional scars and PTSD, was difficult for me to relate to. Her struggles were evident, but the writing created a distance that made it hard to fully feel her pain and growth. I also think the author revealed the twist too early — as soon as Anira was introduced, it became fairly easy to guess the outcome. That made parts of the storyline feel a little drawn out, since you already have a sense of where it’s heading.
That said, there were moments of genuine reader engagement — scenes that pulled me in emotionally and kept me invested in how everything would unfold. The slow-burn relationship between Avenor and Anira suited the story’s tone and concept well. For myself a little more mystery in the storyline would’ve made it a five star read.

[Amanda B · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a miss for me. First of all, it’s a sequel to The Demon’s Little Girl and the author has shown a kind of startling lack of originality in coming up with a plot. Is every book in this series going to feature a human woman raped by a demon, gives birth to a half-demon baby, and then meets another demon who teaches her how to love again? Second of all, I can’t get over the fact that Avenor gave zero effort to finding Thessaly’s people. He found a baby abandoned in what had clearly been a fire. The idea that there could be a parent or other family who love and miss this baby doesn’t seem to have occurred to him. All he had to do was go around the neighborhood asking people if they knew of anyone who had lost a baby in a fire and he probably would have found someone who knew of Anira and could point him to the hospital where she was recovering. Instead, he hangs out for an hour or so to see if anyone comes for the baby, shrugs, and decides that the baby is his. Then HE has the nerve to get upset with ANIRA when she realizes that he stole her baby. It takes me out of the story in a bad way.

[Livey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult world for humans

Anita really had it rough, at a disadvantage from the start. In this alternative world, demons are the reigning majority and humans are required to be deferential to the magical beings. Previous before the book started she was attacked by a demon at her father’s bakery and had a little girl. Then Anita was injured in a die the demons set in the human living area, she is hurt and separated from her daughter as they try to escape the flames. When Avenor finds a half demon baby girl and bonds with her, she becomes his daughter without knowing that the baby’s mother is looking for her. As a seamstress looking for supplies at the market, father and daughter meet her and they are all captivated. This was a sweet ending that could have gone bad due to Theo societal norms.

[Debdutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Dark Heart’s Secret Baby” by Celeste King

-This is a dark, protective, and surprisingly sweet demon daddy romance.
I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.
Avenor, a ruthless demon guard finds a beautiful horned baby. It is amazing how a small child can bring out tenderness in a tough guy. There is beauty in finding your person. Anita is a human seamstress who has lost her family and baby. Instant attraction turns into tenderness for the demon, the human and child.

What begins in danger becomes a story of fierce love and family redemption. The child Thessaly’s bond with both adults is sweet and heartwarming.

[Leanne Bryson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avenor, a tough demon guard, finds an abandoned horned baby, Thessaly, who softens his hardened heart. Anira, a grieving human seamstress who lost her family, meets them at a market and feels an instant bond with the sweet child and her guardian.

As Avenor and Anira spend time with Thessaly, their attraction grows, hinting at a possible family. Anira’s grief holds her back, but Avenor’s tenderness emerges as he opens up to her and the child. From a dangerous start, their story becomes one of love, healing, and a heartwarming bond with Thessaly that unites them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry One Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Avenor is amazing

This is a sweet story with sweet characters. This is a heartwarming tale. A fierce demon warrior Avenor finds a hybrid baby in an alley abandoned. Now Avenor is thinking someone is coming for this baby, he waits a long time, but no one comes to claim the baby. So Avenor does the right thing and keeps the baby. It’s funny too because the baby imprints on Avenor almost immediately. There is a happy ending after they go through some things. Avenor’s best friends Ravnor and Liora are sweethearts along with sweet Nalla. Read On!

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Heart’s Secret Baby is a sweet heartwarming paranormal romance book. Avenor & Anira's story was well developed and refreshing in their uniqueness. It was easy to get absorbed into this story with baby imprint, humor, protectiveness, love, loss and found family. It is a delightful way to spend some time reading and enjoy this book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Faith LeMay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Almost Unreadable

If this book wasn't so short, I wouldn't have finished it. The characters are compelling, but there were so many continuity errors that it was almost unreadable. Lengths of time kept changing from page to page as well as other details. On one page, it said she moved away from the city and then came back, but a few pages later, it said she never left. I could go on. Very disappointing.

[Gina_M_N · Rating 2 out of 5]

Storyline was Okay

Execution was poor, Its just very inconsistent, And it feels sort of incomplete, there are to many things that change from one chapter to the next, it almost seems like it was written by two people that don't communicate what was written in the previous chapter, I still don't know who she trusted, and what does it have to do with her attack, what happened to her dad? So many questions.

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story, lots of emotion. But, the child talk of a 2yr old was way off and the book was way too short IMO for the price paid. I finished within a few hours, maybe 3 hr read at most. Also, the magic made no sense when I had no back story to go by, maybe this is part of a series? It doesn't state that, but it reads that way and makes less sense if you don't read it in order if it is part of a series.

[Chrissi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does a dark elf do when he comes across an infant alone in an alley? Why take it home with him, name her, keep her of course! Life with an infant presents challenges he never thought he’d be dealing with. Luckily his best friend and his human mate are there to help learn how to parent this tiny life.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

awesome cover

Story was about grief, depression and slowly healing. As well life path changing because of bonding with child.
Liked the characters wanted to slap both against the back of their heads a few times but that means I was drawn into the authors world and wanted them to see their worth and future goodness.

[Haley Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

a side I haven’t seen

This book is a breath of fresh air. The characters are engaging and new. The plot is beautifully written. I kinda want to see where they will be 10 years down the line.

[Carrie Sunshine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning to trust

Such a touching, beautiful story. I honestly think there's a little bit of ani in all of us. She's been hurt before and has a hard time trusting until a little golden eye girl and a not so monstrous demon walk into her life and won't take no for an answer

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a good palette cleanser

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!

I'm new to this author, I have to say I enjoyed this book. Interesting characters and good storyline. HEA. Well written. I'm looking forward to reading more💖

[Sandy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

I absolutely loved this story and its characters...its quick read and I can't wait to read more from this author

[Eva Parente]

Bored DNF 30%