Final Fantasy Ugly Christmas Sweater

From my earliest memories, my entire family is cold and distant toward me. When my parents look at my younger sister, Claire Lloyd, their eyes fill with warmth and joy. Yet, when they turn to me, only disgust remains. Claire's life is filled with applause and excessive love, while mine is filled with disdain and suffering. When the explosion erupts at the street corner, I save the stranger beside me. Later, I learn he is Byron Whitmore, a mafia family's Don. He begins pursuing me after I rescue him. Later, I quit my job and move to a new place, but he finds me and proposes in 100 different ways. "Why me?" I ask countless times. "Because it's you," he always answers. The wedding causes a sensation throughout the city. I truly seem to have transformed from an ugly duckling into a swan. That is, until I'm five months pregnant, when Claire needs a transfusion of rare Rh-negative blood after a car accident. The blood bank has a shortage. Because of that, my parents knock me unconscious and send me to the hospital. In my daze, the blood extraction machine hums continuously. As two thousand milliliters of blood leave my body, I see Byron. Tears well up in my eyes. I begin thinking he's here to save me. Instead, I hear him say, "We can't take any more. Sharon and the baby will die." "But Claire has lost too much blood. She'll die, too..." My mother pleads. "No one wants Claire safe more than I do." Byron's voice is thick with pain. "She's my first love. I've never forgotten her. I only married Sharon because her face looks so much like Claire's. "But I can't trade her life for Claire's. Trust me—I'll find another way." So, that's his reason for marrying me. The blood extraction machine continues running, but my heart has already stopped beating. The affection I see in his eyes has never been for me. He's always looking through me at someone else. Everyone in the world loves Claire, and Byron is not the exception that I foolishly believe him to be. That grand wedding is nothing but an ugly duckling's self-deceiving fantasy.

An erotic thriller that is part Fifty Shades of Grey and part Sweet Little Lies, with a character driven exploration of pleasure, sensuality, infinite eroticism and political repercussions.Thirty-four year old Emma Hamilton’s life is comfortable and predictable, right up to the moment she reluctantly enters “The Ranch”, an exclusive club where the wives of the ultra-rich and powerful surrender all inhibitions to meet every tantalizing desire. Far outside her element, Emma is initially swept away by the secret society that promises community, infinite eroticism and the fulfillment of every sexual desire limited only by the imagination. However, she soon discovers that her afternoon of pleasure comes at a shockingly high price. The more she learns about the “members only” club, the more she realizes the dangers lurking just behind the faade of sexual indulgence. With her family, life and the career of one of the most promising politicians in the country on the line, Emma goes up against a cadre of powerful players hell bent on silencing her before she destroys them all.The Fantasy Maker is created by Emily Kendricks, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Elena just believes she is a nobody and perhaps a mistake which was not meant for this world. At every stage in life things become even more harder for her. She goes up feeling she doesn't deserve anything and instead of helping, every one around continue to say it to her face that she is a nobody.. She belongs just no where

In an East London lock up, two film makers, Jimmy and Sam, are duct taped to chairs and forced to watch a snuff film by Ashkan, a loan shark to whom they owe a lot of money. If they don’t pay up, they’ll be starring in the next one. Before the film reaches its end, Ashkan and all his men are slaughtered by unknown assailants. Only Jimmy and Sam survive the massacre, leaving them with the sole copy of the snuff film. The film makers decide to build their next movie around the brutal film. While auditioning actors, they stumble upon Melissa, an enigmatic actress who seems perfect for the leading role, not least because she’s the spitting image of the snuff film’s main victim. Neither the film, nor Melissa, are entirely what they seem however. Jimmy and Sam find themselves pulled into a paranormal mystery that leads them through the shadowy streets of the city beneath the city and sees them re-enacting an ancient Mesopotamian myth cycle. As they play out the roles of long forgotten gods and goddesses, they’re drawn into the subtle web of a deadly heresy that stretches from the beginnings of civilization to the end of the world as we know it. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Betrayed. Broken. Hunted. Maera was once the Luna of a powerful Alpha—until the mate she trusted led her into a brutal ambush that cost her everything. Left for dead, betrayed by blood and bond, she rises from the ashes of her former life and flees across hostile lands, chased by death and haunted by pain. She stumbles into the forbidden territory of Vargthorn—a kingdom ruled not by one, but three Lycan Kings. Cold-eyes Korran, fiercely loyal Zarek, and the mystic Fenrik have carved out a world untouched by outsiders. And yet, something in Maera calls to them… and something in them answers. Taken in as a maid, Maera hides her scars behind obedience—until desire burns, and fate refuses to be silenced. But love is not the only thing awakening. Maera carries a legacy hidden in her blood—one tied to a prophecy the Lycan Kings were born to fulfil. Their bond could be the key to ending an ancient curse… or the spark that triggers a new war. As enemies close in and a dark queen rises, Maera must face her past, embrace her power, and choose whether to let vengeance consume her—or become the Luna the realm has waited for.

Each short story in this sizzling collection explores forbidden attraction, ruthless dominance and the uncontrollable pull of the mate bond. From cold billionaire werewolves to Supreme Alphas no one dares to defy, these powerful men don’t ask for love. They take it. And once they mark you, there’s no turning back.

Legora, the largest capital city in the world. Once one of nine, now there are four. We had lost five cities in the great calamity. Creatures from god knows where poured in from a tear in the earth. A dimensional tear in space and time the scientists called it, but really who the fuck knows? All I know is they were bigger, stronger, looked nothing like us and they outnumbered us hundred to one. An overwhelming amount of refugees flooded the other cities, telling tall tales of heroes rising and taking on four to six creatures at a time. they fought them off while the rest escaped. Delusions, false hope, call it whatever you want we all knew nothing was coming to save us. We sharpened our swords and barricade our homes. The creatures would find us, just like they found all the other cities.

"So.... what would you like tonight to be?" Jasmine asked. Collins paused to consider. His eyes beamed a speculative challenge as he answered, "Whatever two strangers want to make of it." "Without a tomorrow." "Tomorrow I'm gone." Well, that was laying it on the line! "Then I'll just take this one-night experience with the man behind the name," she countered, pride insisting that his schedule did not affect her expectations from this blind date, which had been zero before she met him anyway. Sexual invitation simmered back at her. "I wonder if you will." ______ It was passion at first sight... Jasmine's blind date with Collins Templeton, a notoriously charming  tycoon, was the last thing she needed And more than a one-night stand... The second they met, Jasmine recognized sexual challenge in Collins eyes. Their date led to one unforgettable night - with consequences that would change their lives forever...

Jessica has some explaining to do. Not only has she lied to her best friend, but she is lying to the father of their daughter. But it's not her fault that she fell in love with the man the day they met. Jessica remembers that day like it was yesterday. His smooth skin, sparkling smile, and beautiful eyes are something that haunts her dreams every night. Jessica had told Christine that the father knew about Adamelia, but that was a lie. Jessica had told the father of her child that she doesn't love him, but that was also a lie. Jessica has even told herself that she has moved on. That was a huge lie. Wallowing in shame and guilt, Jessica has decided that it is her punishment. She was the one who created the web of lies in the first place. Now she will do everything in her power to right her wrongs.

It all started with two paper Christmas angels and the Company’s Christmas tree… These were Siel Camden’s only hope for her three-year-old twins to have a happy holiday. But when all her dreams fall apart because of a dreadful boss and an abusive ex-husband, someone else finds those paper angels and makes her children’s wishes come true. But is she ready to find out Vincent Reigel’s real reasons for fulfilling her kids’ Christmas wishes?