Lake, B: Charming the Beast

Hollywood will chew you up and spit you out... Flora Wright never imagined she would leave Wharton, Virginia. She was practically born with the salt of the sleepy, seaside town flecking her cheeks. The sound of the waves lapping against the tetrapods was her nightly lullaby. The wolves that loped along the shoreline were her friends, her family-her pack. She dreamed of stardom beyond the towns' limits, but anything beyond the local Miss Dogwood pageant crown seemed like a fantasy. That is, until Carver Merlotte, talent scout and agent extraordinaire, put her on the next flight to Los Angeles. Flora is thrilled to be discovered, but La La Land isn't quite what she expected. She quickly discovers that everyone is jaded, the glamor is a facade, and a makeup brush can hide any imperfection, especially if you know your angles. Dominic Valentine certainly knows his. With his fame on the decline and his reputation in shambles, Dom is at the mercy of the production company. When they cast him as the villain in a low-budget horror film alongside a trembling ingenue and a volatile director, he doesn't have any choice but to accept the role. Once the cameras roll, the fading superstar realizes there's something special about Flora Wright. Even through the rubber monster costume he is forced to wear, Dominic can smell it.