Ancient Mesopotamian Religion

MARKED is book #4 in a new paranormal romance series by bestselling author Bella Lore, whose series MY TRUE MATE and THE ALPHA’S MATE have over 500 five-star reviews. “I couldn’t stop reading.” --Amazon review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When her father suddenly dies, Winter Grace, 17, is forced to fly across the country and attend a mysterious prep school, an ancient castle in a fog-covered island on the coast of Maine. Nothing here is what it seems, and it isn’t long before Winter, feeling a surging power for the first time, realizes that she is not who—or what—she thinks she is. But when Winter feels an inexplicable crush for an elusive and dangerous boy at the school, she realizes a greater destiny is at play. She knows the relationship might destroy them both—yet she also knows that they can never be apart. In MARKED, it is time for Winter to return on the epic quest back to save her school—but first, it is time for her to now sacrifice it all, and find—and save—her lost love. Creating an unforgettable world of vampires, werewolves, shifters and magic of all sorts, a world of fantasy, love and sacrifice, MORTAL will take you to another place, rife with shocking twists and turns. Fans of books such as Vampire Academy and Twilight and Crush are sure to fall in love! Future books in the series are also available. "The story was very well written and was unique as compared to other shifter stories.” --Amazon review (The Alpha’s Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Excellent from start to finish and leaves you wanting more.” --Amazon review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the ruthless underworld of Los Angeles, an ancient feud between the Moretti and Volkov mafia families has simmered for decades. After a fragile truce is established, Alessia Moretti, a headstrong university student, believes she can escape the criminal life that has defined her family. But when her reckless brother, Lucas, accumulates a five-million-dollar debt with the infamous Nikolai Volkov, everything changes. To settle the debt, Nikolai demands Alessia’s hand in marriage. Forced into a union with the enemy, Alessia finds herself trapped in a dangerous game of power, deception, and forbidden desire. Nikolai has harbored an obsession for her since childhood, and now that she is his, he refuses to let her go. As secrets unravel and long-buried betrayals come to light, Alessia must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she fight for the family that raised her, or will she surrender to the man who has vowed to claim her as his own?

Elena grew up under the strict gaze of her mother, a woman who had no tolerance for failure. Mistakes weren’t just frowned upon—they didn’t exist. For Elena, life was a relentless climb toward perfection, where only one goal mattered: being mated to a high-ranking werewolf. Her mother’s relentless mantra echoed in her mind—anything less would be a disgrace. When her younger sister Serena is mated to their pack’s Beta, Elena’s hope of fulfilling her mother’s dreams shatters. Consumed by despair and humiliation, she flees into the night, leaving her pack behind. But fate is a trickster, and her journey leads her to the forbidden lands of the Nightshade Pack—a savage domain ruled by fear and blood. There, the Moon Goddess delivers her to Alpha VuK, a name whispered in terror across the werewolf world. Ruthless, cunning, and brutal, VuK is everything Elena has been taught to avoid. But the bond forged by the Moon Goddess is unbreakable, and despite their mutual resentment, they are tied together by destiny. As she navigates the treacherous waters of her new life, Elena finds herself at odds with VuK’s merciless rule. Her defiance stirs something long buried in him, even as it threatens to ignite a war between their packs. Yet, beneath the bloodshed and conflict lies an ancient legacy: the title of "Elder's Blood," a symbol of forgotten honor that could either unite them—or destroy everything. Will love and courage rewrite their fates, or will their differences tear them apart?

Betrayed and shattered by love, an Omega named Celestia released a terrible curse upon Alpha Cassius Moonveil and all the women of her family, so torturing them to experience the same agony once killed her. The curse cannot be broken except by this. A Moonveil woman has to discover real love with a man descended from Celestia personally. The curse never lived only as a myth. Under the full moon, Willow, the seventh-generation Moonveil, she was kissed by Xander and the ancient curse wakes her inside like a sleeping ancestral spirit, horrified, she swears never to have a mate. But her beauty sets off a violent frenzy that transforms competing packs into ravenous wolves defending her favor. Branded a cursed omen, blamed for the anarchy and death, Willow is sought—marked as a sacrifice to bring peace. Only two packs remain loyal: her own Moonveil bloodline and the fearsome warriors of Iron Cliff. MOONVEIL: The Blood of the Last Curse is a dark, epic saga of forbidden passion, vengeance, and the war between destiny and defiance. Will Willow rewrite her fate, or will she be the final casualty of a legacy drenched in betrayal?

Synopsis Rhea, the last surviving white witch, has spent her life hiding from the horrors that wiped out her kind. Taken in as a child by a kind but childless couple, she concealed her identity with colored contacts to mask her silver eyes, blending into a human world that would never accept her true self. For twenty-two years, she lived in peace—until the relentless hunters seeking her power finally caught up. Their pursuit turned her life into a nightmare, leaving destruction in their wake. Rhea managed to escape using her dormant magic, only to collapse from exhaustion. When she awoke, she was in a luxurious hospital, under the watch of the most feared Alpha in the werewolf world—Kieran Reign. Kieran, the cold-hearted and ruthless leader of the strongest pack, had no intention of ever needing anyone. At twenty-seven, he was still without a mate, and his icy demeanor kept everyone at a distance. But when he met Rhea, a strange and undeniable bond formed between them, one he loathed to acknowledge. Recognizing her potential value, he allowed her to stay, assigning her as his personal assistant. Though Rhea detested Kieran’s harshness and temper, her heart betrayed her, pulling her closer to the man who seemed incapable of love. As their connection deepened, a deadly threat emerged—a shadowy figure determined to claim Rhea’s powers and destroy Kieran’s pack. With enemies closing in, Rhea discovered the horrifying truth about her identity: she is the key to an ancient ritual that could unleash unspeakable evil. Kieran, now bound by love, must protect her at all costs, even as war looms on the horizon. Can love defy fate and save them both, or will Rhea’s sacrifice spell the end of everything they’ve fought for?

A story told from both sides of the blade. Eleanore: My husband rode off to war with a kiss and a promise. Days later, I received news of his death and the name of his killer—Perseus, the ruthless Lycan King. Now, I'm his bride. A pawn traded for a treaty. They say power demands sacrifice. I say vengeance deserves patience. I won’t scream. I won’t break. And I sure as hell won’t fall in love with the monster who destroyed my world. He expects a Luna. He’s getting a storm in a black dress and a sword in his chest. Perseus: I killed her husband. She’ll remind me every day. I ripped her black wedding gown. She hasn’t forgiven me. I gave her my name. She threw my gift into the fire. But I see it in her eyes—the fire, the fury, the pain, the heartbreak all that I made her feel. And it calls to something ancient inside me. She wants to bury a sword in my chest. Joke’s on her—I already gave her my heart.

After being rejected by her fated mate and betrayed by her best friend, Nyra Storm runs away from The Crescent Moon pack, vowing never to return. She was left heartbroken with a secret in her belly that could change her life forever. Soon, she builds a new life far from the world of wolves. Years later, fate pulls her back to the very pack she swore to never return to—this time with a son who carries a powerful legacy and a heart that has learned to survive betrayal. Draven Black, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, regrets the day he let Nyra slip through his fingers. When an ancient threat resurfaces, endangering his pack and the future he fought to protect, he’s forced to face the one woman who holds the key to their salvation. Nyra. But Nyra is no longer the meek, heartbroken wolf he rejected—she’s stronger, wiser, and has learned to love herself without him. Will Draven win her back before time runs out, or will the dangers and threats tear them apart forever?

The story is about Erina Saul, the daughter of a wolf hunter who is captured by werewolves and sold to the feared werewolf king, Magnus the Lycan. Despite mistreatment by the pack, Magnus desires Erina because of an ancient prophecy. At first, he fights this attraction to her, knowing that if he gave in, it might mean his death. Erina's father orchestrated her capture to fulfill the prophecy of an unspoiled maid conquering the Lycan. However, Erina, who never wanted to harm anyone, eventually stood up to her bullies with the Lycan's support. She eventually lets Magnus turn her into a werewolf and falls in love with him, only to be betrayed by both him and her father. Erina leaves the pack, raises her pup in France, while Magnus realizes his mistake and searches for her. The story questions whether Erina will forgive Magnus for his actions or will she live as a rogue forever.

In the shadowed alleys of Ravenwood, Celeste Osborne finds herself irresistibly drawn to the enigmatic and dangerously alluring Lucian Bathory. Hired as an au pair for the mysterious Bathory family, Celeste quickly discovers that Lucian is no ordinary man—he’s a centuries-old vampire with a thirst for blood and a hunger that goes far beyond the physical. As Celeste is pulled deeper into Lucian’s dark world, the boundaries between fear and desire begin to blur. Her days are filled with tension, but it’s in the secret hours of the night that their passions ignite. Lucian’s touch awakens something wild within her, something she never knew existed, but it comes at a price. His world is one of power, danger, and ancient rivalries, and loving him means embracing a darkness that could consume her whole. As their forbidden romance intensifies, Celeste must decide if she’s willing to surrender to the seductive pull of Lucian’s world, where every kiss could be her last and every touch could bind her to him for eternity. In this tale of love, lust, and immortality, Celeste will learn that some desires are worth risking everything—even her soul. "Crimson Shadows: Forbidden Thirst" is Book I of the Crimson Shadows series. It is a dark and passionate story where love and danger entwine, pushing the boundaries of what it means to surrender to desire.

A Dark Paranormal Romance | Fated Mates | Slow Burn Obsession He came to her in chains. But it’s her rules he’ll beg to obey. By day, Ronan Thorne is an Alpha shifter - commanding, ruthless, untouchable. By night, he's something else entirely: a feral beast cursed by a vengeful moon goddess after he dared to seduce her sacred virgin. Every sunset splits his soul, forcing him to live half a life—and leaving behind blood and desire he can’t remember. Desperate for control, he seeks out Eidolon, the most exclusive underground dominatrix club in the city. But he doesn’t expect Talia, a woman with a voice that stills the storm inside him and eyes that see too much. Talia doesn’t do emotional entanglements. Her clients submit. They don’t haunt her dreams. But Ronan is different. Dangerous. Addictive. And when she touches him, something ancient stirs inside her a legacy tied to the very goddess who cursed him. He wants to surrender. She was born to command. But what begins as a game of control quickly spirals into obsession, forbidden lust, and a choice that could destroy them both. Can she tame the beast without losing herself… or will she awaken a hunger no one can contain? --- Author's Note Welcome to Marked by the Beast — where dominance is delicious, secrets are deadly, and the line between pleasure and danger? Paper-thin. This story contains mature themes, dark romance, and explicit scenes that may not be suitable for all readers. If you're into primal bonds, forbidden heat, and a heroine who doesn't just tame the beast—she owns him— Then, darling, you're exactly where you need to be. Read responsibly. Hydrate. And don’t say I didn’t warn you. From your favorite dark romance author Elle Targaryen😉