Barnes And Noble Valley Forge Novels & Stories

Her: My husband is not the man I love. No, He is my punishment. No one forced me to marry him, I married him willingly.  I share his bed every night, willingly. I don't love him. I used to love someone else but that man betrayed me and my love. Hence, I punished myself by marrying the man I hated the most. But My husband wants something from me that I am not ready to give.  Children! Him: The first time I saw her, I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was my enemy’s daughter. Proud and egoistic just like her father.   They say there was no better way to bring your enemy to his knees than hurting his family. I did that, I married his daughter to hurt him.  She came to me willingly. She thought I had forgotten the insults she had done to me. But she didn't know that I forgot nothing.  It was time for payback.  There was only one payment I wanted from her: Children.  The day she insulted me I promised revenge. I promised to crush her pride and arrogance. She called me bad blood, she insulted me for being an Orphan. Now my children will have her noble blood in their veins. Now she will be known as the mother of my children!

For centuries, witches and werewolves have been locked in a brutal war of blood and betrayal. But when a cursed prince and a disgraced street witch are bound by ancient magic, the fate of their world begins to unravel. Arielle Thornbrook has survived the streets of the witch dominion with nothing but sharp instincts and sharper words. Born to a disgraced bloodline and branded unworthy, she trusts no one—especially not the ruling witches who let her starve, or the werewolf beasts raised to hunt her kind. When she’s caught stealing from a noble, she’s given a grim choice: execution… or conscription to the infamous Warborn Academy, where witches and wolves are trained to kill side by side. Lucian Draxon was born for war—and cursed for it. The cold, ruthless heir to the werewolf throne hides a devastating secret: a blood curse that binds his fate to a witch. When Arielle’s wild magic triggers that curse, they’re tethered in pain and power—two enemies forced to train, fight, and survive together. As the academy pushes them to the breaking point, a dangerous attraction ignites between them—one neither can afford. But whispers of an ancient prophecy resurface, revealing a chilling truth: only the union of witch and wolf can break the curse and end the war… or doom them all. Hunted by their own kind, betrayed by those closest to them, and bound by a love they never asked for, Ari and Lucian must choose between loyalty and rebellion, vengeance and peace… or risk losing everything.

I stare at the email on my screen, unable to move my fingers. Tomorrow is our company's crucial product launch, and I just learn that the patent for the algorithm I spent three years developing is now filed under Matthew Ashford's new assistant, Sophie Bennett. I storm into Matthew's office to confront him. Sophie sits on his desk with her legs crossed, looking completely innocent. She claims that she filled out the form by mistake. "It's just a clerical error. The patent still belongs to the company. What's the big deal?" Matthew stands up from his chair, positioning himself in front of Sophie. I can't believe what I am hearing. "Matthew, this is my research!" "Emma, you're thirty-five. Why are you picking a fight with a twenty-three-year-old intern?" He frowns. Then, he turns to Sophie. "Starting tomorrow, you're the new CTO. Emma needs… some time off." I'm utterly stunned. A decade of marriage and five years dedicated to building a company together have been shattered by a few casual words from him. Thirty minutes later, Sophie posts a photo on social media of herself sitting on Matthew's lap. They are both clinking champagne glasses. "So lucky to have the best boss ever. I'll make sure to be his loyal kitten." Below that, Matthew leaves a comment—three red heart emojis. I shut my laptop and pick up my phone. "Hello. Is this Mr. David Langley from Novara Group of Sundale Valley? This is Emma Whitmore. I've changed my mind. I'm ready to join you." I pause. "And by the way, about that unreleased algorithm upgrade, I have the complete technical blueprint. Make me an offer." Later, I fly to Tallisport with an eight-figure check in hand, while Matthew goes frantic trying to find me.

An alarm wakes everyone up at 1:00 am. It turns out that a few college students have gone missing during their exploration in Wolffang Valley. My heart goes tense at the news. After all, my stepdaughter, Nancy Campton, had told me yesterday that she'd be exploring that place! Since Nancy has asthma, I specifically prepare medication that's meant to treat asthma in my medical kit just in case anything happens. After carrying my backpack, I begin urging my husband, Jack Campton, who's also the leader of the rescue team, to set off right away. But he keeps stopping me in my tracks. "What's the rush? Let's wait for Dakota to finish doing her makeup." Half an hour later, Dakota Sweeney, who has a face full of makeup and is wearing a pink rescue jacket, begins complaining in a high-pitched voice. "Why did you keep rushing me? Thanks to you, my eyeliner came out all crooked!" On the way to the valley, Dakota actually pulls out a pair of pink lace panties. After unscrewing the cap of a bottle of life-saving water, she starts washing it with said water. I can't endure her stupid antics anymore. "Have you gone nuts? This bottle of water could potentially save someone's life!" But Dakota replies in a matter-of-fact tone, "I'm a woman with principles! I must wash my underwear that I've changed out of on the same day!" Jack shoves me away at that moment. He then snatches the bottled water from me before passing it to Dakota. "Willow Armstrong, you're the crazy one here! Is it wrong for Dakota to take care of her hygiene?" As I stare at Jack, a cold smile slowly spreads across my face. It's not wrong for Dakota to take care of her hygiene. I just wonder if Jack is capable of facing the consequences behind Dakota's tendency to drag things out.

Photo by Anastasiya Doborvolskaya via Pinterest A hundred years had passed since the war against witches reached its conclusion, leading the Kingdom of Londeve to a century-long peace. Everything's all well either for the young village baker boy, Tristan who lives a simple life with his two younger siblings not so far away from the country's capital. As ordinary as he might seem, it is not to be expected that he's actually acquainted with the only living royalty residing in his homeland, Crown Princess Anne of Londevè. Even so, their decade-long friendship never brought any significant change in each others' lives throughout the years, and for the humble young man, it is something to be relieved for. However, fate seem to have its own mischievous way of twisting the humble orphan's life. It was a remarkable encounter that turned his seemingly normal life into a dangerous rollercoaster ride as he got involved with the epitome of misery herself — the manipulative and mysterious lady, Serina Lourdemayne, who has been ironically keeping the peace at the Kingdom as a substitute Queen despite being a witch herself. Will this accidental and unwanted engagement ever reward him? Will they be able to work progressively despite their obvious and huge differences with their loved ones, responsibilities and aspirations in line? Dive into the world of magic and witness the journey of Tristan and Serina together with the noble Paladins as they protect the Kingdom from the coming calamities and from the new enemies that could possibly be more powerful and sinister than the wicked witches the human race had faced before.

My father had always been against my marriage to Ryan Kane, a vampire of noble birth. He believed that as a human, I had no place in the vampire world. He warned me that if Ryan ever changed his mind, without his protection, my half-blood child and I would be nothing more than walking blood bags in the eyes of vampires. But I believed in Ryan—and in our love. My husband had always been gentle and attentive. He had even defied everyone to make me, a human, his vampire bride. That was before Ryan's human ex-fiancée had her engagement called off and returned to the country seeking his help. I went to the hospital alone. While I was learning that my pregnancy was high-risk, Ryan was there attending her prenatal checkup, even introducing her to the doctor as his wife. All he had for me was one cold line: "Keep pushing me and I'll file for divorce." I pressed my hand against my stomach and dialed a number I hadn't called in years. "Dad, you were right... I want a divorce." Two weeks. That was all it would take for me to disappear from his life completely. But later—that same vampire who had discarded me like I was nothing showed up at my wedding to another man, trembling all over, calling my name in a broken voice.

I was born into the Valerie family, with the noble blood that could give a vampire a powerful hybrid heir. I was meant to marry Ethan, heir to the Prince. But the night before the engagement, his younger brother Adrian knelt in the rain in front of me. “Elena, I’d give up everything.” “I love you. You’re all I want.” So I broke the engagement, let my family disown me, and married him without a backward glance. Then I got pregnant. He started keeping me at arm’s length, finding reasons not to touch me, not even willing to stay in the same room as me. Until the night I heard him tell his men: “Once Elena has the baby, we’ll hand it over to Ethan and Sophia.” “Sophia’s health is fragile. I can’t bear to put her through a pregnancy.” That was when I finally understood. Adrian had never loved me. He’d married me only to free up the place beside Ethan for my cousin Sophia. Even the child I’d struggled so hard to carry had already been promised away to the woman he truly loved. I rested a hand on my belly and called my father. “Dad, I was wrong about him.” Adrian thought I’d stay trapped in his web of lies forever. He had no idea. Two months from now, I would vanish from his world for good.

Lendon Martin was a renowned Duke of England. It said that he would lead world politics and business in the future. Everything was served to him on a silver platter, and his noble status was feared by many. His ruthless and cold temperament made everyone shivered, yet a dark secret lies on his deceiving look. For many years he suffered a series of attacks, and his body has been deteriorating. Kendra stumbled on his way, and he treated her like his possession. He gave passion yet caged her. One full moon night changed their lives together. “What is that smell?” The man suddenly got close to Kendra’s neck and whispered. He smelt Kendra’s body carefully. He had never smelt this fragrance before. It was not like the smell of rose or lily, but he was attracted. Who was this girl? How did she dare to come here on a full moon night? Wasn’t she afraid of death? The man stared at Kendra and wondered. Kendra moved back in horror, but the man kept coming to her. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” The man's voice came again. When the man opened his mouth to speak, Kendra thought he wanted to eat her alive. “Don’t come here! I…I just happened to come across.” she hurriedly retorted. “What a coincidence!” The man sneered. The next moment, the man rushed to Kendra and pushed her down.

Blurb “Tell me you want it, Rainey,” he whispered, his breath warm against my ear. I felt my pulse quicken, my resolve wavering under the intensity of his gaze. “You know I can give you everything you’ve ever desired.” My heart raced as I swallowed hard, torn between fear and the allure of his promises. “You think you can just take me? You don’t understand what you’re dealing with.” He chuckled softly, the sound sending shivers down my spine. “Oh, but I do. You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this moment.” **** In a world shrouded by secrets and power struggles, Rainey is unwittingly thrust into a dangerous game after discovering she is the hidden child of a long-lost lineage. Caught between the ruthless desires of Silas, a man who has been watching her from the shadows for years, and an unknown destiny that threatens to unravel everything she believes, Rainey must confront her past to seize control of her future. As heat ignites between her and Silas, Rainey must decide: will she succumb to the passion that draws her in, or will she fight back against the chains of control and forge her own path? Will she embrace her true power or be consumed by the shadows of her past? But what happens when secrets are uncovered, and the fight for freedom ignite a fire neither can resist?

Samson Carroll's father, who is the CEO of Carroll Group, is hospitalized, and my sister decides to return to the hospital to work as a nurse. She throws herself into the role—donating blood, helping with emergencies, and keeping watch at his bedside around the clock. Soon, everyone's calling her a hero in scrubs. One night, she blocks the hospital room's security camera. She plans to kill the patient and forge a will so that Samson will marry her. I tell her it's too dangerous. The Carrolls are an influential family with deep pockets and powerful connections, after all. A few kind words and a forged will aren't enough to sway them. But she lashes out at me, calling me an idiot. She says that everyone in Jansbury knows Samson does whatever his father tells him to do. I drag her home, still trying to talk sense into her. "The Carroll family has ties to both the authorities and the underworld. They're untouchable," I explain. "If Samson finds out you lied to him, the consequences are unimaginable." Halfway home, she grows increasingly agitated. "Tonight was my only chance, and you ruined it! You're just jealous I'm about to become a rich man's wife! Go to hell!" Then, in a fit of rage, she shoves me into an open manhole by the side of the road. When I open my eyes again, I'm back on the night I brought her dinner at the hospital.