Edith Cushing Crimson Peak

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.

“Are you going to kill me?” Shawn whispered. Owen’s fingers slid up his throat, squeezing lightly as he backed him against the wall. “If I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t still be talking.” Shawn swallowed hard. “Then what do you want?” His mouth curved, giving him that dangerous rugged smile. “I’m deciding.” *** That morning, Shawn only wanted to finish his shift, collect his pay, and get back to the real problems waiting for him outside the hotel: tuition he couldn’t afford, a mother dying in a hospital bed, and a younger sister who still believed he could fix everything. Then he walked into the wrong suite. There was blood on white sheets. Fangs buried deep in a dying man’s throat. Crimson eyes meeting his across the room. The creature should have killed him. But no, it didn't. It let him run. Now it’s everywhere. In his dreams, his space and in his thoughts. Watching him. Waiting… And just when he thinks the nightmare can’t follow him into daylight, he learns. The vampire has a name. Owen Rothwell de Valemont, as old as history. And he’s Shawn’s new boss. Owen doesn’t chase him. He doesn’t threaten. He simply moves closer, adjusting the world around Shawn until escape becomes impossible. And Shawn, fear should drive him away. Instead it turns into something darker. Something harder to resist.

Luna never wanted to be special. She only wanted to live quietly with her family, to prove herself at the Moonlight Festival, and to escape the shadow of failure that had haunted her bloodline for generations. But the Goddess chose differently. When she was marked as the Saint of the Moon Goddess, her life ceased to be her own. Saints carry blessings, but they also carry chains—chief among them, the law that a Saint can never claim a mate. That law shatters the moment she meets John. John is the Alpha of the most feared pack in the clan, a man whose crimson eyes strike terror even into his allies. To Luna, he is supposed to be the enemy. Instead, he becomes her savior—rescuing her from hunters, shielding her from danger, and igniting a bond that no divine law can erase. But the Moon Goddess’s blessing is also a curse. Every step closer to John is a step toward rebellion, and the packs are already watching her every move. The Lightning Pack wants her captured. The clan elders want her controlled. And in the shadows, enemies whisper about the Astex Token, an ancient relic tied to Luna’s bloodline that could change the fate of the supernatural world. As battles erupt and loyalties are tested, Luna is forced to choose between duty and desire. Can she obey the Moon Goddess and abandon her mate, or will she risk everything—her title, her family, and her life—for forbidden love? In a world where betrayal waits at every corner and even her destiny is a cage, Luna must decide what it truly means to be the Saint of the Moon Goddess… and whether a heart bound by fate can ever be silenced.

Alpha werewolves should be cruel and merciless with unquestionable strength and authority, at least that’s what Alpha Charles Redmen believes and he doesn’t hesitate to raise his kids to be the same way. Alpha Cole Redmen is the youngest of six born to Alpha Charles and Luna Sara Mae, leaders of the Red Fang pack. Born prematurely, he is rejected without hesitation as weak and undeserving of his very life. By adulthood, his father’s hatred and abuse towards him has spilled over into the rest of the pack making him the scapegoat for those with the sadistic need to see him suffer. The rest are simply too afraid to even look his way leaving him little in the way of friends or family to turn to. Alpha Demetri Black is the leader of a sanctuary pack known as Crimson Dawn. It’s been years since a wolf has made their way to his pack via the warrior’s prospect program but that doesn’t mean he’s not looking for the tell tale signs of a wolf in need of help. Malnourished and injured upon his arrival, Cole’s anxious and overly submissive demeanor lands him in the very situation he’s desperate to avoid, in the attention of an unknown alpha. Yet somehow through the darkness of severe illness and injury he runs into the very person he’s been desperate to find since he turned eighteen, his Luna. His one way ticket out of the hell he’s been born into. Will Cole find the courage needed to leave his pack once and for all, to seek the love and acceptance he’s never had?

A betrayed politician’s wife. A rebel alpha with nothing to lose. A town crawling with secrets. And a war waiting to ignite between blood and fang. Calla Hart thought the worst thing her husband could do was cheat. She was wrong. After catching Senator Blake Hart in bed with a vampire and learning he’s part of the Crimson Order, a vampire mafia that wants her blood. Calla runs. Not for love but for survival. Because what’s in her veins isn’t normal. She hides in Ravenridge, a decaying supernatural border town where monsters walk like men and shadows bite back. A place where the veil between worlds is wearing thin. There, she crashes—literally—into Axel Cain, the 20-year-old Alpha of the Vanguard Pack, a feral biker gang that patrols Ravenridge like outlaw wolves. Axel doesn’t do politics. Doesn’t do mates. And definitely doesn’t do soft, wealthy women from the city. But something in Calla’s scent sets his wolf on fire. And when he learns who she’s running from—and what she really is—he makes a choice that will cost him everything: Keep her close. Claim her. And start a war that could burn the veil between their worlds. --- Extra Note for Readers This is a slow-burn paranormal romance with steamy heat, deep emotions, and an age-gap dynamic. She’s older, hunted, and secretly powerful. He’s younger, dominant, and doesn’t play nice. Together, they might save the town… or destroy it.

In a world of werewolves and pack rivalries, Jasmine Wilson, Alpha of the Blue Crescent pack, has resigned herself to a life of loneliness after losing her mate in a rogue attack. But fate intervenes when the goddess grants her a second chance at love, only to pair her with Lucas Oswald, the fearsome and ruthless Alpha of the Crimson Shadow pack. Lucas is everything Jasmine never wanted in a mate; his reputation for being incapable of love precedes him. Determined to maintain control over her pack, Jasmine resists his advances and refuses to surrender her authority. The stage is set for a battle of wills as Lucas demands her submission and loyalty. As they navigate their turbulent relationship, a looming threat from their past emerges, leaving people missing and a mystery to unravel. Forced to work together, Jasmine and Lucas must set aside their differences and join forces to confront the enemy that threatens their existence. Caught between her duty as an Alpha and the possibility of a second chance at love, Jasmine finds herself faced with an impossible choice. Will she sacrifice her pack and the life she has built for herself, or will she risk everything for a shot at happiness with Lucas? In this gripping tale of power, love, and redemption, Jasmine and Lucas must find a way to unite their packs and solve the mystery before it tears them apart. The stakes are high, and the future of their packs hangs in the balance as they embark on a thrilling journey that will test their limits and challenge everything they once knew. Book 2 of the mated series. It can be read as a stand alone, but it is advisable you read the first part of the series, "The Alpha Luna" to better understand back story.

I pulled out my ring and held it in front of him. "I'm calling off our engagement. I won't - won't marry a cheating bastard like you. You can live happily ever after with someone else, like Blair Anderson. Smile, Jayden - you're finally getting rid of me, may you live happily ever after with your dear girlfriend." I said with a fake smile and cold eyes. "Oh, and before I forget, I, Ashley Van Smith, of the Red Moon Pack, reject Jayden Ronan Keller, of the Crimson Pack, as my mate and fiancé, we are hereby no longer related." ******************************************** In which Ashley Van Smith and Jayden Ronan Keller are mated and engaged. Because of the arranged marriage made by their parents. Problems arise when Ashley finds out that Jayden is involved in an unfaithful relationship. Ashley never thought that she would be in a relationship with a cheater. So she wants to end this engagement because he cheated on her, but fate decides to intervene and Jayden suffers from amnesia that only she seems to be able to deal with. Ashley, despite not having deep feelings for him, feels there is still a bond between them and has a sense of responsibility to help recover his memory and guide him through his difficult times. In the midst of her efforts to help Jayden recover, Ashley is faced with a difficult decision. Will she stay by his side and help him through this difficult time, even though Jayden is in love with someone else? Or should Ashley simply let Jayden go?

I was born a liar. That was the label my mother gave me. In the Dark Moon Pack, every pup carries a Lunar Mark on their wrist. Green means truth. Red means liar. My twin sister Maya slashed Mommy's ceremonial dress with a blade and blamed the pack hounds. Her wrist stayed soft and green. My mark went crimson when I said I was cold. "Mommy, I'm telling the truth. Please believe me." Elena would crouch down, look me in the eye, and say the same thing every time. "The Goddess's mark is absolute, Selena. Your own heart betrays you." She never touched me. She just looked at my wrist with disgust. No matter how honest I tried to be, my heart would race when I was scared. And every time my pulse spiked, the mark turned red. I lied when I said I was hungry. I lied when I said I loved her. I lied when I cried. After enough years, I stopped fighting back. I started to believe her. Maybe I really was broken. Maybe I was just born wrong. The night I died, I wrote one last line in my Penance Journal. "Mommy, help me. It hurts. Please — just believe me once." She never saw it. She had already locked the door and walked away. I'm sorry, Mommy. I died still trying to get it right. In my next life — will you hold me?

Celia Johnson, my boss's sister-in-law, joined the company as the finance director and announced that all reimbursements must strictly follow the standards. I spent an entire week running around for the company and finally closed a five-hundred-thousand-dollar deal. Because the client had used two extra packs of paper towels, the per-person amount for their meal ended up eight dollars over the limit. Celia folded her arms, glanced at the reimbursement form on my desk, and sneered. "Five hundred and eight dollars?" "Yes. Last night at The Peak Restaurant, where we closed Richard's deal. Zack was there too," I explained patiently. "Eight dollars over the per-person limit. Not reimbursable," Celia said coldly. I tried to reason with her. "This was a special case. The client is high-level, and the deal amount is large, and Zack personally said it would be fully reimbursed last night." She returned the reimbursement form to me. "I don't care who said that. Don't think closing a five-hundred-thousand-dollar contract lets you ignore company rules. Reimbursements must all follow policies. Everyone will follow them to the letter." I took a deep breath. I knew arguing with her head-on would get me nowhere, so I called Zack directly. Zack said, "I did say it would be reimbursed, but I never said company rules could be ignored. It's just five hundred. And you still get commission from closing the deal. You young people need to have perspective." I stopped arguing. I turned around and refused the delivery containing the hard copy of the five-hundred-thousand-dollar cooperation contract, smiling as I explained, "Company rules say all cash on delivery packages must be refused. "Also, today is my last day here. Starting tomorrow, I work for Richard's company. As the client, I will be setting the rules this time."

*SNEAK PEAK* "Olivia wait." "Just stop and listen to me..." "Olivia!" he snapped. I stopped in my tracks before I turned around and glared at him. "What the f**k do you want? I'm done with you. I'm done trying to win you over okay!?" I felt my eyes burn as I panted. Emotion after emotions swirling around like a f*****g whirlpool. I hated this feeling...I wanted it gone. The overwhelming feeling of betrayal piercing at my heart the longer I stared at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to get hurt." I took a deep breath as I silently cursed when a tear escaped and trailed down my cheek. "It's not that you didn't intend to hurt me; I just wasn't meant to find out, was I." "It's a lot more complicated than that." I shrugged and wiped at my face before looking off into the distance. After staying in silence for a minute or so I met his gaze. He took a step forward as he frowned. "Olivia..." "We all have the right to love someone right?" He hesitated before he nodded his head in agreement. I faintly nodded my head agreeing with myself before I sighed. I have to do this. I could almost feel my heart breaking into a million pieces. "I, Olivia Steel from the nightingale Pack reject..." Before I could continue Damon's eyes darkened before he stalked towards me and pushed me against a tree causing me to gasp at the impact. "Don't you f*****g dare."