Crystal Shoes

Richard Franklin has left his Midwestern roots behind to live on the coast of Maine with his family. But in the autumn of the year 2000, he must return to his Illinois birthplace on a sorrowful journey. His wife Michelle has been killed in New England by a hit-and-run driver who is never found, so back home he comes with her cremated remains, to fulfill a final wish and on her birthday scatter her ashes in the park along the river in Blackwater Valley—simply Blackwater Val to locals—the small town where they both grew up and fell in love. With him he brings his six-year-old daughter Katie who still grieves for her lost mother: Katie, who can sometimes guess who’s going to be on the phone before it rings. Who can stop all the clocks in the house, and break up clouds in the sky with her mind, and heal sicknesses, and who sometimes sees things that aren’t there...people who are no longer alive. All gifts she inherited from her mother. Only something isn’t quite right in the Val. Sinkholes are opening up, revealing the plague pits the sleepy hamlet was built over in the 1830s, when malaria and cholera outbreaks ran riot. Mysterious bird and fish die-offs begin to occur, and Katie can see ghosts of the dead gathering all around. But what she can’t see is the charred, centuries-old malevolence which has been waiting for her, and wants her for its very own. Or the pale Sallow Man who haunts the town’s nighttime streets...or the river witch—another Blackwater Val, of sorts—each of whom will be drawn one by one into the nightmarish bloodletting about to take place. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

“For the record, I, Alpha Dane of the stonewood pack, reject you, Crystal whatever-your-last-name-is as my mate!” Dane’s cruel words washed away the promises he whispered into my ears hours ago. Rejected and betrayed by her mate, Crystal, a lowly omega, finds herself on the bed of the cursed, dreaded Alpha King Xavier known for his ruthless deeds and his mates dying in mysterious ways. However, there’s a twist, Xavier is drawn to Crystal as it dawns on him that she is his mate, left with no other choice, Xavier takes Crystal back to his pack against Dane’s wishes. Torn between the choice of protecting her from himself and his love for her, Xavier is forced to subject Crystal into slavery in his pack keeping her at arm's length but Crystal fights through, training in secret as she discovers she might have the powers to undo his curse, but having it is not enough. Would Crystal be able to find happiness? Would Xavier be able to let go of his guilt and accept Crystal? Find out in this enthralling tale how Crystal and Xavier navigate their love story despite all odds and destiny itself.

Warning ! Cerita dewasa (21+) Harap bijak memilih bacaan ! Seuaikan usia kalian. ⚠️⚠️ Cerita dewasa!  Bukan bacaan anak kecil, sesuaikan usia kalian membaca ini! "Crys...." Crystal kembali menginterupsi ucapan Chiaki, ia menempatkan jadi telunjuknya di depan bibirnya dengan posisi vertikal. "Kau harus menurut, oke?" Apa-apaan? Menurut? Memakain es krim malam hari? Chiaki semakin terbengong-bengong saat menyaksikan Crystal meletakkan ember es krim di atas nakas, tetapi bukan itu yang membuat Chiaki terbengong-bengong. Yang paling menakjubkan adalah Crystal melucuti pakaiannya sendiri kemudian melucuti pakaian yang Chiaki kenakan dengan cara yang luar biasa berani seperti bukan Crystal yang selama ini ia kenal. "Crys, apa yang kau lakukan?" Crystal menyeringai. "Aku bilang tadi, 'kan?" Kerutan di kedua alis Chiaki bertambah dalam. "Tapi, untuk apa kau mengambil es krim?" Kulit pipi Crystal memerah dan demi Tuhan, Chiaki sangat menyukai setiap kulit pipi Crystal memerah, terlebih lagi mereka berdua telah polos. "A-aku hanya ingin menikmati es krim." Crystal meraih ember es krim. "Kau harus berbaring," ucap Crystal malu-malu. Meski pikirannya diselimuti dengan keheranan, Chiaki mengejawantahkan perintah Crystal juga, ia berbaring di atas tempat tidur. "Crys, jangan katakan...." "Itu benar," sahut Crystal, ia membuka penutup ember es krim lalu menyendok sedikit es krim, meletakkannya di atas dada Chiaki. Chiaki menggeram karena sensasi dingin yang melanda kulitnya. "Crys, akan kubalas kau." Crystal justru tertawa. "Kau ternyata rewel juga, ya?" Chiaki juga tertawa, tetapi dalam sekejap ia menggeram karena Crystal menjilati es krim yang ada di dadanya menggunakannya lidahnya membat  Chiai mencengkeram seprei dengan erat karena gairah menerpa dirinya setiap kali lidah Crystal yang menjelajahi kulitnya. Gadis itu meletakkan es krim di dadanya kemudian menjilatinya hingga es krim itu dengan cara yang sangat nakal, bahkan Crystal melumuri kejantanan Chiaki dengan es krim lalu menikmati es krim menggunakan lidahnya yang hangat.  

Crystal Martini is a soon to be 18 year old junior in high school. Crystal moves to a new city and is starting at a new school. Brooks Milner is a 21 year old ex marine who lives up the street from Crystal. He befriends Crystal with one thing on his mind.

Crystal Martins was nothing but a Pawn in the game of her adoptive father. He wanted the power and fame that came with being related to the Conners, so he gave Crystal to Eric Conner in a loveless marriage. In Eric's house, Crystal was treated not better than a slave. Even maids in the Conners household were better treated than her. Then, she met her long-lost High School sweetheart, Midas, who was ready to take her out of her misery and show her what true love and true happiness really meant. Midas was richer than Eric. Crystal became torn between taking a bold step forward and staying put because of threats from every quarter.

J'étais le chef Bêta d'Alpha Damien. Pendant six ans, j'ai été sa partenaire au lit et sa seconde. Lorsqu'il a annoncé notre cérémonie d'accouplement, toute la meute a fêté l'événement. Mon rêve était enfin à portée de main. Mais ensuite, à l'extérieur de sa salle des trophées privée, je l'ai entendu se vanter de ses « essais de Luna ». Et comme ça, j'ai appris la vérité. Je n'étais pas sa seule et unique, j'étais l'une des trente candidates. Il avait passé un mois avec chacune d'entre nous, évaluant nos corps, notre soumission, nos performances. Mon score ? Plus bas que celui d'un Oméga, plus bas que celui de Lilou. « Baiser Lilou était incroyable ! » s'est-il vanté. « J'avais du mal à m'en détacher. Puis j'ai regardé Élise, si raide, si contrôlée, et je me suis juste... ennuyé. » La glace a inondé mes veines. Mon corps s'est figé. Six ans de dévotion, d'innombrables nuits passées dans ses draps, tout cela ne valait pas plus qu'un frisson bon marché et une louve qui savait s'agenouiller. Mon chagrin d'amour s'est transformé en glace. J'ai envoyé un message à un Alpha qui m'avait désirée il y a longtemps. « Adrian, tu as dit un jour que ton offre d'accouplement était permanente. Est-elle toujours valable ? Damien et moi nous sommes fini maintenant. »

“I, Arianna De Mori, reject you, Alpha Dean Ivanov, as my mate and Alpha.” She said, ignoring the clench that she felt in her chest as she held onto her baby. The Alpha frowned for a second before nodding. “I, Alpha Dean Ivanov, Pakhan, and Alpha of Alphas, accept your rejection.” *********************** It started as a mission, one with no remorse against the rivaling pack. But when Arianna gives into her mating bond, complications occur. Would the Alpha and his Luna be able to surpass those apposing to their bond? Or would their rejection be their end?

I fought with my husband, Alessio, the Don of the Moretti family, over the mistress who'd given him twin sons. The next day, he stormed into my bedroom and put a gun to my head. "Did you take my sons?! You vicious bitch!" While I was still in shock, he ordered his men to lock my eight-year-old daughter, Lucia, in the icehouse for three whole days of "training." He gave me an ultimatum: Lucia would stay there until I brought him his sons. Lucia froze to death in that icehouse. I returned with her death certificate in my hand, my heart a hollow stone in my chest, only to find him moving his mistress and their sons into the home we once shared. He was cheerful, dismissing the whole thing as a misunderstanding. He even had the audacity to tell me to go get Lucia to meet her "new little brothers." I just stared, tears tracking paths down my face, the life inside me extinguished. It wasn't until that thin piece of paper—the death certificate—fluttered to the floor that the color drained from Alessio's face. He finally realized Lucia was gone. Killed by his own blind, cruel pride.

A mysterious plague swept through the packs, wiping out every last she-wolf. To continue their bloodline, these ancient predators turned to the human world, bringing with them centuries of wealth and power. They struck a pact, sealed in blood, with the most powerful human families: every summer solstice, the finest daughter would be chosen as a "Breeding mother," destined to mate with a wolf. And the one Breeding mother who could birth a female hybrid would be crowned, becoming the Queen of both the wolf and human worlds. In my last life, my sister Selena, the family favorite. She chose the Alpha of the warmest, richest territory. And me? I was the family’s sacrificial lamb, thrown to Colton, the most brutal Alpha of the Frozen Wastes. But who could have guessed my sister’s life of warmth and riches was all a lie? Her Alpha treated her like a disposable toy. She froze to death in a damp cellar, forced to listen to the fireworks that celebrated my coronation. Yes, I successfully gave birth to a girl. But those brilliant fireworks were also my funeral pyre. I died on that cold throne. Now, I’m alive again. We’re back on the day of the choosing. “I choose Alpha Colton of the Frozen Wastes!” The voice belonged to my sister, Selena. I slowly opened my eyes. Seeing the undisguised triumph and cold calculation in her eyes, I knew. She was reborn, too. But she didn't know，this time, she would be the one to fall into the very hell I just clawed my way out of.

My sister poisoned me. All because her mate was a pale shadow next to mine. Now, I'm back where it all began. The Mating Ceremony, five years ago. In my last life, Sarah and I chose our mates at the Pack Alliance gala. She chose the most powerful Alpha, the future Alliance leader, Damon. But she could never bear him a pup. Damon despised her. He abused her. He even went feral during his curse and nearly killed her. She shoved me toward Liam, the Alpha of a failing pack. She never guessed Liam’s power would explode, that he’d one day tear the title of High Alpha from Damon’s grasp. Then, on the day of Liam's coronation, Sarah poisoned me out of jealousy. I opened my eyes again. We were back at the mate selection ceremony. Sarah announced to everyone she was choosing Liam, and I was shoved toward her ex-mate, Damon. But I suddenly heard her inner scream: [Die, Elena. Just die! You and that rabid wolf Damon can go to hell together. Liam will still be High Alpha, and I will be the ultimate Luna!] But I just smirked as I stumbled into Damon’s arms. Sarah had no idea. The “perfect mate” she’d chosen was already plotting to consume her very soul.