Desert Survival

Life can be cruel. One moment you’re on the verge of reaching the peak of your career, your sweetheart of five years finally down on one knee, promising forever. The next, your world burns to ashes—literally. Now, I’m not just a prisoner; I’m the plaything of the most feared man in the country. I told myself I hated him, that I’d never break. But what kind of woman starts to crave the way he owns her body, the way his touch sets her on fire? How do you survive when the man who owns you is as ruthless as he is captivating? How do you escape a man who makes you question everything, even your sanity? ~~ When her father’s PTSD causes a catastrophic accident, Lucia Castellano finds herself at the mercy of Dante Romano, a man whose name strikes fear into the heart of Chicago’s criminal underworld. Taken as a slave to pay for her father’s alleged crime, Lucia is thrown into a world of power, control and dangerous seduction. Dante’s control is absolute, his touch both punishing and addictive. What starts as a fight for survival turns into a dangerous game of submission and trust. But as the lines blur between captor and captive, Lucia begins to unravel a dark truth: Dante is haunted by a past that binds them more deeply than she ever expected. Together, they must uncover a web of lies to uncover the truth behind the fire that changed both their lives forever. Author’s Note: This book contains explicit content, strong language, violence, and other adult themes that may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

…from his responsibilities as a father, hiding out from his pregnant girlfriend, and working as a groundskeeper in a rural graveyard. He’s running from a lifetime of guilt and bad decisions, but principally he’s running from the murderous entities that have possessed the very ground at his feet. Jim has no idea what these entities are, but they’ve done unspeakable things to everyone in the graveyard and now they’re hunting him down. There is nowhere Jim can hide, nowhere he can walk and nowhere he can run that isn’t under the lethal power of the things in the ground. If he stands any chance of survival he must uncover the link between his murderous tormentors, three mysterious graves and an ancient heresy that stretches back to the beginning of time. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Eva Longwood has been a priestess of the Holy Lunar Convent her whole life, where worshipping the goddess and maintaining her purity are the two most important aspects of her existence. However, that all changes when the ruthless Cyrus Daxen steps into the convent to confess his sins, igniting the bond of matehood between them. Serving the goddess is her destiny, and she never imagined that her fate would be entwined with one of the most fearsome werewolves that ever walked the earth. His determination to have her at all costs creates a drift between them, and leaves Eva torn between choosing to fulfill her duty and giving into her most primal instincts. And matters get even worse when his brother, Nox Daxen, steps into the picture. Eva realizes that she is bound to not one, but two Daxen brothers. Only, this one doesn’t want to mate with her. Instead, he wants to kill her. Eva is forced to fight for her survival in an environment that is a long shot from the safety of the convent walls, one where people harbor resentments toward her for the mistakes of her ancestors, and seek revenge at all costs. At the same time, she must fight and conquer temptation, and strive to reserve her sanctity. Can she fight that which her body craves for with every fiber of her being, or will she lose the battle of her soul, and give in to the wicked desires that have haunted her mind since she met the Daxen brothers?

Born an oddball, destined for power. Avyanna has been judged all her life—too dark, too tall, too different. But with her father’s love and her best friend Alcinder by her side, she endured. Until her father’s death shattered her world, leaving her uninterested in claiming the Alpha title, much to her spiteful Twin brother’s delight. Then the dreams began. And with them, a power she never asked for. Alcinder has always been an anomaly—a werewolf without a wolf, cursed to be mateless. Declared an outcast by his pack, he finds solace only in Avyanna and Elektra, a gifted healer with a heart as fierce as her magic. But when Alcinder’s aunt, Velda, and her vampire mate Salvatore unleash an army to wipe out the werewolf packs of Alparos, their world is thrown into chaos. Now, Avyanna must embrace the power she once feared, Alcinder must uncover the truth of his missing wolf, and Elektra must wield magic stronger than ever. The war for survival has begun. And destiny does not wait for the unwilling.

In a world where forbidden love and ancient prophecies collide, Maeve, an outcast from birth, finds herself entangled in a dangerous game of power and betrayal. As the last of the triplet sisters, her uniqueness is both her curse and her strength. When her unexpected mate bond with not one, but three Lycan kings shatters their world, an unforeseen evil rises, threatening to tear them apart. With a destiny marked by sacrifice and redemption, Maeve must navigate a treacherous path, where the boundaries between love and darkness blur, and the ultimate price for survival may be her very soul.

A dragging thirst and hunger for power, a desirous depraved woman, the one and only rightful heir to the throne and ruler for the people, scoundrels of vicious leaders, one crown. Who would be victorious? Fiora was only ten years old when everything was taken from her-her sovereignty, her family, her right to live. The all high and mighty Queen Helen, craftily worked her way into the life of his majesty, King Bard, alongside her twelve year old son. Months later, an unfortunate tragedy struck and claimed the life of the king, making Helen the ruler of the Central City. Her first decree as the queen commanded the banishment of poor Fiora, declaring it to be a punishment for murdering her own father, the late king Bard. The good doings of her late father attracted an uncommon favour as she finds herself in the domain of some good companions who risked their lives daily to inhabit her. Years later, she discovers there was more to her life than hiding in the corners, running from her true responsibilities. For the sake of her survival, along with everyone around her, she must find a way to break free of the invisible chains that encaged her from her true potentials.

Amber is a simple, kind, and brave girl. She’s the eldest among three siblings. Despite having a complete family, they lack one thing that is essential for survival—money. Her father works as a security guard in a well-known construction firm while her mother is an online seller of thrifty clothes. At a young age, she saw how her parents worked hard to provide the needs of their family. That is why she promised herself that she will do everything to help her parents once she graduated—but things won’t be that easy for her. Amber is a third-year college student in a well-known university, but unlike most of the students, she got in because of her scholarship. She was never the type of student to ace her academics, but her marks are enough to lessen her school fees by 50%. In order to pay for the remaining half, she applied as a student assistant in their university. William James Walton, he's one of the most sought after business man in his generation. He's young, good-looking and smart. Many of his business opponents envy the his charm and strategies. Will these two people from two different world be able to find happiness in each others arms? Or will their differences hinder the chance of a happy ending?

Olivia, heartbroken by a cruel rejection, finds herself at the mercy of a mysterious man with an even more mysterious offer. She was sold and bought by this man whose life hangs in a balance. His only hope for survival lies in the hands of his unlikely savior - Olivia herself. The catch? She must marry him for six months, in exchange for her freedom. But when love blossoms between the two, dark forces conspire to tear them apart. Can their love survive the challenges that threaten to destroy them?

Amidst the dimly lit room, the tension was palpable as Clyde's vice-like grip closed around Isabella's neck. She struggled to gasp for air, her defiance clear in her eyes. "You are no one for me, do you understand?" Clyde hissed, his fingers digging into her skin. Isabella, her voice trembling but unwavering, met his intense gaze. "And you are the most darkly comedic and nightmarish chapter of my life." Clyde, cruel laughter in his eyes, flung her onto the bed with a brutal force that left her breathless. "Then let's make this chapter even more nightmarish," he taunted, a twisted grin dancing upon his lips. The story takes an electrifying turn when Isabella, longing for a peaceful visit to her grandmother, finds herself back in her home country. However, fate has other plans as Isabella's suitcase, filled with her belongings, gets exchanged with Clyde's bag - full of illicit weapons. Clyde, a dangerous figure entangled in the criminal underworld, cannot allow Isabella to simply walk away after discovering the dangerous secrets within the swapped bag. As the noose tightens, he's left with a limited choices: kill her or hold her captive, forever altering the course of both their lives. Amidst this high-stakes power struggle, a relentless battle for survival and freedom unfolds, painting the pages of this thrilling tale with suspense and danger.

He wasn’t searching for love. He wasn’t ready for him. But some things—like family, and falling—happen when you least expect them. When Ezra Anderson's sister dies, he inherits three young children and a crumbling rural property he's nowhere near prepared for. Overwhelmed, heartbroken, and freshly dumped, Ezra turns to the one person he shouldn't: Sebastian Brown—the gentle, steady Omega child psychologist he once shared one reckless night with... and never dared to call back. Sebastian offers a safe harbor. Routine. Warm hands and a softer kind of strength Ezra didn’t know he craved. What starts as survival—two men building a life for three grieving kids—soon strains under the weight of something deeper. The Omega in Sebastian draws Ezra like gravity, making every glance burn and every touch linger. The lines between family and something more blur until Ezra can no longer pretend. One night becomes two. Secrets slip into routines. And somewhere between sneaking into beds at night and morning coffee, Ezra faces the one truth he swore he'd never have to: He might not be as straight, or as strong, as he thought. As his Alpha instincts pull him closer to Sebastian’s Omega warmth, the world outside keeps pressing in. Desire stops hiding. And when the outside world comes knocking, Ezra is forced to choose: Keep pretending... or hold on to the only thing that feels like home. SNEAK PEEK: “I’m not in love with you. I just… don’t know how to breathe when you’re not there.” - Ezra “I’m not gay. I’m just yours.” - Ezra “You keep saying you’re not mine… but you keep choosing me.” - Sebastian “You’re allowed to love me, you know.” - Sebastian NB: 18+ (Tissues highly recommended.)