No Sweeter Death: A Dark Romance Short Story

by Izzy Ravas

Marina

Halloween isn’t for the living—it’s for the ones who ache to feel alive.

I came to the masquerade hoping the noise will drown the quiet in my head.

Then I see him—no mask, no mercy in his eyes.

He looks at me like he’s already chosen me.

Maybe that’s why I follow.

Maybe I want to know what it feels like to be wanted enough to die for it.



Lucien

I kill to remember I’m human.

One night a year, I let myself feel.

Until her.

Marina looks at me without fear, as if she’s been waiting for my hands, my knives, my hunger.

She should run. She doesn’t.

She whispers she wants to learn how I make death beautiful.



Now I don’t know if I’m making a lover or a monster—

only that when her pulse beats beneath my palm,

there’s no sweeter sound.

45 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2025

Reviews

[manu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having a novella so good should be criminal. MAKING ME YEARN FOR A FULL LENGTH NOVEL HERE UGH.

It’s always Halloween in my household. Say when and I’ll have diggy graves blasting while we binge read spicy spooky stories. This will definitely be something I reread next October 🥵

[g33kgirlr3ads · Rating 5 out of 5]

IZZY, Babes I ADORE your brain!! This short story grabbed me and I could not put it down till the last word! If you have not read anything by this talented author I beseech you to! She has a way of writing that not many others have. I have read almost every one of their stories published or not and ADORE EVERY ONE. From horror to a cowboy romance Izzy just knows how to tell a story.

This little horror gem was beautiful in that old gothic way but relevant to now as well. Amazing!!

[Sladjana Svendsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly a man dressed in all black, who is a serial killer and says eyes on me! This is me 👰🏻‍♀️

[kym.etherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

PERFECT.

LITERALLY.

IM OBSSESED.

okay,this is a lil short story i got the pleasure of getting my mucky little paws on & it was a joy. literally. from characters too plot line,to spice. to pacing. it is literally all perfect in every single way.


we follow marina and lucien throughout this,we have a sneak peek into marina but primarily we hear from lucien,he is a serial 💀 & has fun little erm task/job that he does.. call it witchy magick if you will. he has been doing this for some time but then in comes marina. and boy does she spice up everything in every way. she comes in with a nag and rocks our world.

think librarian meets dark romance man. then the rest is history. and if you know dark romance,you know what you can expect from lucien.

we have br@tting.. we have d0min@nce. we have power struggles. and it all works. all of it.

the spice. is PERFECT. in every way. conventional in some categories but also written with 🐝dsm in mind and written beautifully might i add.

the pacing is super quick,as you might expect but it works! all spice,low plot. what is not to love?

[✨The.PNW.Dark.Reader✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need a quick dark Halloween novella? Perfect, read this bad boy. I mean seriously, go read it. It’s a damn good fast paced read.

I need more of these two! Lucien was out looking for his latest victim, but Marina had other plans. She was ready to live again, just wanting to feel something. So she decided to embrace her darkness by pushing the limits with Lucien. Only to find they have a bond stronger than they expected.


If you need a last little push, I’ll give you these quotes.

“Here Lies Marina Cortez, age twenty-eight, the dumb librarian who fucked her serial killer. 10/10, the dick was worth it.”

“Instead, it feels like worship—hers for me, mine for her.

[Dayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is short, it is captivating, it pulls you and sinks its teeth into you until the final sentence.

There is just something about the way Izzy writes that I feel in my soul. They have the ability to just capture every ounce of my attention with their words and I stay wrapped up in the story until the very end. The writing is done so well in this short story that i was sad when it was over because i could’ve read a full length novel about these two MCs!

What do you do when a serial unaliver whisks you off your feet and takes you away from a masquerade ball only with plans to unalive you? Well you derail those plans of course and make him fall in love. It’s a love story for the books!

Check your triggers and dive into this quick read!

[K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great short story! It’s mostly violence and spice but duh, what can you expect in 45 pages! With that said though, it still has the depth of everything Izzy writes. These are clearly two very complex, very dark people who manage to find each other.

I love the way the story progressed and the “let me be broken with you” vibes. As a knife kink girlie, I can absolutely say I’m happy how this turned out for Marina because … same girl.

Highly recommend. Loved it.

[Simply alenaaaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ATE. THIS. UP.

I honestly would love to see this become a full blown novel because even as the Novella the story didn't disappoint and has so much potential.

There's not a heavy plot but man it still had me hooked. And the Bonnie and Clyde bond between Lucien and Marina was so hot! And am I questioning why I loved certain things...yes but will I still re-read and enjoy it even more...also yes

[Marlena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooh…. Okay!! YES

This was a quick novela and it was spicy!!!
I didn’t see the twist coming and I was obsessed. These two little psychos were amazing and I would love to read more of them.

The bratty behavior and the dominance was perfection. The plot? Smutty, dark and unhinged and I was here for it. 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Izzy can do no wrong. 😘

[Kalene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beta review:

Ahh I got to read this as a Beta and it was amazing!!! I finished it in one sitting because it's a novella it was short but bitter sweet. This was another amazing Izzy novella. Can't wait for what's next!

[Ariel Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, twisty and smutty!

This quick read is all of the above. A serial killer and a librarian meet cute. It's short, dark and sinfully sexy... also a perfect quick page turner for spooky season.

[thekatz_meoww · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good short evening read while it was cold and rainy. It’s like a dark twisty little meet cute…definitely would like to see these characters again 💜💜

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

What should be an end, becomes a beginning. I kinda want more from them! This was delicious for 40odd pages. 2 people finding themselves & each other in the most unhinged way. Im sold

[saf🧿🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good I wanted more of Marina and Lucien 🖤

[Torylee Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark and spicy. I loved this 45 page Halloween novella. Izzy never disappoints. Absolutely LOVED this.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

can’t really say ‘nice’ short story.

But it’s a deliciously dark short horror/murder story. Maybe if we’re lucky we’ll see more of Marina & Lucien in the future. Great job Izzy!

[Ariel Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, twisty and smutty!

This quick read is all of the above. A serial killer and a librarian meet cute. It's short, dark and sinfully sexy... also a perfect quick page turner for spooky season.

[DMesser · Rating 5 out of 5]

short and bloody

She said she was waiting for death but ended up with so much more. Short and spicy story with a bratty FMC.

[Kimberlee Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Izzy writes it, I read it, and I LOVE IT.
This novella was short spicy and absolutely amazing. It left me yearning for more!

It’s Halloween all the time for me so I absolutely loved having a novella to read even after everyone has finished their spooky season.

[Ashley Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Izzy absolutely NAILED this short story. The characters, the vibes, the spice... all of it is top notch.

I'm not gonna lie, I would absolutely eat up a full-length novel of Marina and Lucien. Their chemistry and dark bond they've got... oof. Love it.