Perchance to Dream: A Gothic Tale of Love, Blood, and Redemption

📖 Perchance to Dream

A Gothic Paranormal Romance by Bernard Barnhill

🌙 Trapped in a nightmare. Held in the arms of a monster. And yet... he's the only one who ever listened.

After a brutal assault shatters her world, twenty-two-year-old Anna wakes in a forgotten underground tomb—abandoned, broken, and left to die. But she’s not alone.

In the darkness waits Cael, an ancient vampire imprisoned by betrayal. Once a ruler of immense power, now weakened and starved, he becomes Anna’s only hope… and her unexpected protector.

💔 Bound by pain and fate, Anna and Cael form an unlikely bond—two lost souls tethered by whispered stories, flickers of warmth, and the desperate will to survive. As her body fails and his hunger grows, trust becomes their only weapon… and love their only salvation.

But the world above hasn't forgotten them. Those who caged Cael—and discarded Anna—are closing in. If they’re to escape, he must awaken the darkness he buried long ago. And Anna must decide whether the only one who ever truly saw her… is worth risking everything for.

🩸 Perchance to Dream is a haunting and seductive gothic romance, brimming with:

• 🎻 Poetic tension

• 💔 Emotional vulnerability

• 🦇 Supernatural allure

• 🔥 Sensuality & danger

• 💀 Betrayal, blood, and the beauty of love blooming in darkness

Perfect for fans of: Anne Rice, Holly Black, The Vampire Diaries, and Twilight with fangs and fire.

📘 Book Information

• Title: Perchance to Dream

• Author: Bernard Barnhill

• Genre: 🖤 Gothic Paranormal Romance / Dark Fantasy

• Word Count: ✍️ Approx. 52,00 words, 210 Pages

• Audience: 🔞 18+ Mature Readers

⚠️ Content Warning – Mature Themes (18+)

This novel contains:

• ❗ Graphic depictions of sexual violence

• 🧠 Psychological trauma and themes of captivity

• 🩸 Vampiric blood consumption and supernatural elements

• ❤️‍🔥 Consensual romantic intimacy and dark sensuality

• ⚔️ Scenes of violence, emotional distress, and revenge

🔒 Reader discretion is advised.
This story is intended for mature readers seeking a deep, redemptive journey through darkness—where love is dangerous, and survival is never guaranteed.

📖 Excerpt from Perchance to Dream

"I am a vampire," he said softly, his voice like silk brushing against the raw edges of her fear. "But I am not the monster he thinks I am."
Anna didn’t speak. She couldn’t. Her body ached. Her wrists were raw from the duct tape. But it wasn’t the pain that silenced her—it was the strange warmth in his voice.
Cael stepped closer. Even in the dark, she could feel the pull of him.
"When I get near you," he murmured, "I will need to feed. I won’t be able to stop myself. But I swear on the last shreds of my honor, I will not take more than you can give."
She should’ve screamed. She should’ve curled away.
But instead... she nodded.
And when his lips touched her neck, she expected pain—expected her heart to stop in terror.
Instead, she felt... peace.
A warmth flooded through her, soft and sensual, like a lover’s kiss blooming beneath her skin. Her breath hitched, her pulse slowed. Her fear melted into something else entirely. Something she didn’t recognize.
When he pulled away, his voice was trembling.
"Thank you, Anna," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You've saved me more than you know."
And for the first time in days, she didn’t feel like a victim.
She felt... seen.

🔮 Note to Readers:

Perchance to Dream ends on a powerful cliffhanger — but fear not:

🖋️ Book Two is currently in development, continuing Anna and Cael’s haunting journey toward freedom, vengeance, and forbidden love.

Stay tuned for more secrets, more shadows... and the truths that lie just beyond the dream.

📦 Included with Your Purchase

Your download of Perchance to Dream comes with two file formats for your convenience:

📘 EPUB – Ideal for e-readers like Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and most mobile reading apps
📄 PDF – Perfect for reading on laptops, desktops, or printing for a physical copy

Whether you’re curled up with a tablet or scrolling through on your phone, you’ll be able to enjoy the story however you like to read.

Note: No AI was used to make any of the text or story. This was originally published in 2019.