Novel & Cerita Baxter Family Tree Karen Kingsbury

After seeing her own father murdered by a cultist sect inside her own home, Lariel teams up with her newest colleague and savior, the wizard Eric, to get revenge. However, things are worse than she thinks: these men want to revive the ancient Empress of Hell, and unless they do something, they may succeed.

Staring straight into her eyes, a playful smile curls his lips. "If you agree to be my pet for a year, then you and your father will be free." The devil whispers coldly, with his eyes full of desire. To save her father who stole from the ruthless mafia lord, Theo Rodriguez. Everyone surrenders to him, but she dares to confront him. Even though she is trembling with fear, her tearful eyes show determination. She knows this will drag her to hell, but still, she says yes. Will this deal that started as a pleasure trade by force grow into more? Will they crave and fall for each other? Or will they just break up when the contract expires, leaving their passion behind?

Two brothers. One house. A million ways for everything to go wrong. Khione Kay wanted one thing: a quiet sleepover at her best friend’s house. She didn't expect the shadows of the Graves estate to be so suffocating—or for him to be waiting in them. Noah Graves. Her best friend’s older brother. The boy who has been a thorn in her side since she was ten. He’s dangerous, arrogant, and famous for the rotating door of girls he brings home every night. Khione knows she should hate him—and for years, she succeeded. But hate and desire are two sides of the same coin, and one night of friction finally causes a spark. In a cold bathroom, with blood on her temple and a secret burning between them, the line is crossed. A single mistake changes the game, and now Khione is drowning in guilt. Just as the walls start closing in, Zion Graves—the kind, protective younger brother—steps in. He offers the safety Noah destroys, but his presence only makes the lie heavier. Caught between the brother who breaks her and the brother who wants to save her, Khione is playing a losing hand. How long can she keep the secret before the Graves brothers tear her world apart?

"Olivia Blackwood had it all: a thriving career in London's cutthroat financial district, a beautiful Kensington home, and a loving husband. But when she catches her spouse in a heartbreaking act of betrayal, her world shatters. Throwing herself into work, Olivia's ruthless efficiency catches the eye of Callum Wolfe, the enigmatic CEO of a global conglomerate. Drawn to Callum's magnetic presence, Olivia finds herself entangled in a world beyond her wildest imagination. Callum is no ordinary billionaire – he's the Alpha of London's most powerful werewolf pack. As Olivia navigates the dangerous waters of pack politics and primal attraction, she discovers she may be Callum's fated mate. But the scars of betrayal run deep, and Olivia's growing feelings for Callum war with her fear of being hurt again. When her past comes roaring back into her life, Olivia must decide whether to trust her head or her heart. Meanwhile, a rival pack circles ever closer, threatening everything Callum has built. In a world where boardroom battles are as fierce as those fought under the full moon, can Olivia overcome her fears to embrace her destiny? Or will the wounds of the past doom both Olivia and Callum to a fate worse than heartbreak?"

When I was fourteen, my brother—the Don—brought home an orphan girl to settle a debt of gratitude. From then on, my life within the Corleone family always took a backseat to hers. The girl framed me, claiming I was trying to poison her. My brother slapped me across the face and locked me in the attic. To make it up to her, he even gave her the position that was meant for me. This time, I didn't say a word. I just packed my bags and left. It took a few days for him to realize I hadn't returned to the family estate. Only then did he find out that I’d joined an international medical aid organization—and that I was never coming back to New York. After that, he completely broke down.

Of all the pups in the clan, my parents only loved my brother and sister, but not me. When the fire broke in the pack, they hurried into the flames to save their pups, but only took my brother and sister. Left behind, I suffered facial burns and my wolf grew extremely weak. From then on, I lost interest in fighting for their love. Whoever wanted them, could have them. After all, I was already dying. But I did not anticipate their regret. They held my thin frail body and begged: “Could you throw a little tantrum at us again… just once more?”

I struggle with all my might, but Dad restrains me, and Mom breaks my limbs. Then, my sister seals me into the concrete. "Concrete is only brought to life with an actual person sealed inside. It looks so much more defined! It's not like you'll die after being sealed in there for a few days. How can you be so insensible?" The pain of having my limbs broken and my oxygen being cut off leads to me dying within that block of concrete. My body rots and festers inside, but my soul sticks around to watch how my parents dote on their adoptive child. They seem to be happy without me. Finally, I lose all hope in them. But when the liquid from my body seeps out of the concrete, they all lose their minds.

Six years after the Jennings family threw me out for being their fake daughter, I was surviving by selling my blood. I had just been handed a few bills and was about to call my doctor for more medication when a bodyguard kicked the back of my knee. My knees hit the floor, and I heard a scream. "You ungrateful brat! What are you doing here?! Are you still trying to kill Tina?!" Then, there was a slap on my face. Only then did I realize that the woman in front of me was my mother, Florence. She had come looking for blood for her precious daughter, Tina. My older brother, James, stood beside her and watched her break down. Then, he ordered the bodyguards to throw me out. He looked down at me, saw the cash in my hand, and sneered. "Looks like the past few years aren't enough to wipe that temper out of you. To think that you're willing to sell your blood just for some money to satisfy your vanity. Tina graduates in two weeks, and she'll go abroad to further her education. "Once she leaves, the family won't have to spoil her alone anymore, and you won't be able to bully her again. When that happens, I'll explain everything to Mom and Dad and bring you home. You'll still be the family's princess." "Home... Princess...?" I muttered under my breath. Then, I shook my head and laughed. My amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) had progressed too quickly. I would not last for another month. From the moment James accused me of being a fake heiress for Tina, I no longer had a home.

Being the only daughter of the Calhoun family, a mafia family in Merovia, I am doted on like a princess. This changes when I turn 18, when Mom dies. On the way back from a family meeting, the car blows up, and Mom shields me beneath her. Even as she lies in a pool of blood, her gaze is tender as she says to me, "Don't blame yourself, sweetheart. I love you." Still, after Mom's death, everyone in the family starts blaming me for what happened, including Dad and my older brother, William Calhoun. I go from being the princess of the family to the jinx that everyone hates. Soon after that, Dad brings home a new adopted daughter, Juliet Calhoun. William favors her and detests me. Even my childhood sweetheart, Shawn Kramer, takes a liking to her and ignores me. Dad says his new adopted daughter is way better than his biological one. They all agree to attend my college graduation ceremony. But on the day, they end up taking Juliet onto our family's yacht and holding a cocktail party out on the water to celebrate the official addition of a new family heir. This is the 100th time they ditch me for her. Unable to stop myself from an emotional breakdown, I cry out, "I'm the one who's related to you by blood!" Dad shields Juliet, who backs away from me out of fear. Then, he slaps me on the face. "I wish I'd never had you." "Who wants to have a younger sister like you? I wish you'd died with Mom!" William roars in contempt. This time, I've decided to let it all go. I call Aunt Marissa, Mom's sister. She's the founder and a therapist at MindCare Treatment Center. "Come here. This is your home now." I know that Mom's death was a conspiracy. This isn't just me leaving, but withdrawing myself from the family entirely. I hope that the next time I meet the Calhouns, there won't be tears on my end. Instead, judgment will befall them.

I'm cursed with the most deadly spell of the werewolf pack—leaving me with only a month left to live. However, no one in my family knows about this. Ever since they'd adopted Natali Fisher, an orphan who greatly resembles my older sister, they've poured all their love and attention into her—and stopped caring about me. And at that very moment, I'm curled up in a corner of the woodshed, with blood steadily dripping from the corners of my lips. Dad, Mom, and my older brother, Kent Greene, probably think that I'm throwing another tantrum and am deliberately hiding from them. But that isn't the case this time. They are currently outside cooking Natali's favorite mushroom soup in the courtyard. Their happy laughter fills the air, painting the picture of a warm, loving family. Maybe I could even believe this is a happy family if I weren't about to die soon.