Gas Strands

History student Alex Palmer is thrilled when his girlfriend, Claire Ryan, buys an apartment in Belle Vue Manor, formerly a Victorian lunatic asylum. But as Alex begins to discover the dark truth about the asylum’s past, he, Claire, and their friend Marianne find themselves on a nightmarish journey. Each will face the deadly consequences of the evil that began with the construction of the first Belle Vue Manor by an aristocratic French émigré in 1789, as well as the cruelty and satanic practices that continued when it became an asylum for the insane. As the two strands—past and present—unfold, Alex uncovers a supernatural mystery where revenge is paramount and innocence irrelevant—without being aware of the price he, and those around him, will pay. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

"I reject you," Bruno repeated, his voice carrying across the hushed clearing. "We are no longer mates. We can never be mates." The warmth that had always softened his green eyes whenever he looked at her was gone, replaced by a glacial indifference that chilled her to the bone. "No. No." Lyra shook her head vigorously, her carefully arranged hair coming loose, dark strands falling across her tear-stained face. She reached for him, clutching at the ceremonial jacket he wore. "This can't happen. You promised to protect me, to be by my side, to love me." Her voice rose with each word, desperation clawing at her throat. "Please, don't do this to me. You can't."

Zhakia lived her life forlornly after her parents’ death. She was raised being hard-headed and having her own beliefs that juct could not be swayed. And that unruliness brought her to Kastello, a place she did not even dream of. Magistrates forced her to join the Knights, a group of warriour, but she refused. However, the head magistrate used the reason kf justice for her parents that was why she agreed. While her days inside the Kastello have gone on, strands of her heart became interwoven with other members’. And as she formed strong bond with them, mysteries started to unravel. And as they became closer and closer, the real danger is also zooming in. Sa isang lugar, ay may nag-iisang grupo, na may iisa ring layunin at nagkakaisang dugo.

“Please, don't kill me…. Please.." she pleaded, trying to grasp fragments of her breath as she stared at the lifeless body and pool of blood before her in fright. "Jason, she might be a good toy for the night, what do you think?" One of the men asked his colleague, stretching strands of his beards. "You must be insane. Have you forgotten the mission statement?" Jason asked and he scratched his head. "Pretty girl, I'm sorry" he said, squatting to the level of the girl who trembled on the floor. "Anyone who sees the hit, goes down with the target" one of them said coldly from behind and the next moment, a bullet hole was formed between her brows as her body convulsed.

It’s not the proposal Cinderella received, but this prince’s proposition will change my life forever… Mysterious and darkly handsome Nick Angelini, of royal descent, requests a secluded patio table at the rundown crab shack I’m desperate to buy and remodel—and he orders champagne for two. This is where he makes one incredibly stunning proposition. To me. Somehow, he knows my name, Bailey Storm. Somehow, he knows I want this property. Somehow… He knows all the right words to murmur about making my dreams come true and just the right way to sweep strands of hair from my face that sends a shiver down my spine. With hot and decadent evenings suddenly looming on the horizon, I’m considering giving him a royal heir in exchange for a restaurant. Seriously.

Sophie Queen and William Locke were engaged for four years when Lily Manse, a woman whom William's been in a one-sided infatuation with, returned to the country. Every day, William would feed her and accompany her until she fell asleep. One day, Lily schemed to have both herself and Sophie poisoned by toxic gas, and she was happy when William kicked Sophie away to come to her rescue. Despite all this, Sophie refused to shed a single tear, but instead chose to silently disappear from his life. Yet, for some reason, William would later have Lily thrown into jail just so Sophie would give him another chance…

There's trouble in the knight's household when a golden necklace worth billions of dollars is stolen by one of the house maids. In the quest of finding it, Lucas Knight finds something extremely terrifying. A shrine made specifically for him. It contains items like his pictures, clothes, his used tooth brush and even strands of his hair. It seems like Lucas Knight has a crazy admirer. Stalking Lucas Knight became Vivian Addams job the moment she set her eyes on his gorgeous face. When she is given a job as a maid in the Knight's mansion, she believes that heaven is helping her. Besides, it's not like he can ever find out right? WRONG. NOTE: The people, activities, and places in this narrative may be implausible because it was written for comic relief. If any of the characters behave in a way that is comparable to SpongeBob SquarePants, feel free to chuck your phone into the ocean.

On my birthday, Jake handed me two bucks and took me to a gas station to buy a lottery ticket. Then he dashed off, claiming he had an urgent work meeting. As I sat alone in the restaurant celebrating my birthday, I spotted my boyfriend, who claimed he had no time for me, having dinner with another woman. Without a second thought, I sent him a breakup text right then and there. Two days later, that lying jerk had the nerve to demand I return the lottery ticket. That's when I discovered it was worth $5 million. I cashed in the ticket and told him to get lost.

I can't believe I just slept with a stranger. And not just any stranger, Liam fucking Rockwell. God, this was so embarrassing. I glanced over at the him, and took time to admire his features. I wanted to pull the strands off his eyes when they fluttered open, a spark of recognition and disbelief in his icy blue eyes. My hands froze midair, my breath caught in my throat. Did he know me? Oh wait, yes he did. “Get off.” He spat coldly. Well, that's one way to handle it. Avery and Evelyn are twins that seem inseparable, even with their personality contrasts. That is until a one night stand with Evelyn's boss throws their entire life upside down. Both sisters must now choose between loyalty and love, their journey unfolding multiple secrets and putting their relationship to the test. Will their decisions make or break them?

Aslan Kennedy was born an Alpha, but his body does not function as it should. He calls himself broken. Then Aslan's life changed when one night he accidentally crashed into a car parked at a gas station because he was being chased by his enemy. He thought the accident would be settled with money, but it turns out that the owner of the car is an asshole. A man a few years older than Aslan demands accountability. But even after the compensation was paid, the man continued to annoy Aslan. He kept showing up wherever Aslan was. As the intensity of their encounters increased, Aslan became used to the man's presence. But on the other hand, Aslan wondered if their closeness was the right thing? Was the man simply interested in him, or was there some other purpose?