Heavy Metal Valentine

Thirty years ago, a progressive rock band called The Yellow Kings began recording what would become their first and final album. Titled “The Final Reconciliation,” the album was expected to usher in a new renaissance of heavy metal, but it was shelved following a tragic concert that left all but one dead. The sole survivor of that horrific incident was the band’s lead guitarist, Aidan Cross, who’s kept silent about the circumstances leading up to that ill-fated performance—until now. For the first time since the tragedy, Aidan has granted an exclusive interview to finally put rumors to rest and address a question that has haunted the music industry for decades: What happened to The Yellow Kings? The answer will terrify you. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

When Lisa Dumont travels down to New Orleans to stay with her mother for the summer, she finds herself entangled in a web of century-long territorial disputes between undead and supernatural forces. Lisa soon realizes that she has become torn between the blood-loyalty to her mother, Voodoo Priestess Madam Dumont, and the intrigue she has grown towards Elder Vampire, Hezekiah Mercier - the enemy. And consequently, the heavy discord between the two factions leaves Lisa with life-changing decisions to make that could possibly alter the fate of both groups and everyone else in between.

“You'll ruin me, Dawn,” I whispered, my words thick with pain as my forehead connected with hers. I caught her full breasts and hardened rosy pink buds under the silvery glow of the moonlighting that soaked the surface of the pool in its celestial touch. “Would that be such a bad thing?” her question came out with a heavy, sensuous effect, completely tipping me over the edge. •••• With a bruised, low self-esteem, and subjected to immense torture at the hands of her step-family, Dawn Griffin could have sworn that there was absolutely nothing life wanted to throw at her that she wasn't ready for but how wrong she was because the essence of her being shattered when her mate dumped her for her stepsister. As though that wasn't enough, they were so eager to get rid of her, tossing her into an arranged marriage she didn't want, and confiscating her freedom. It was a decision that led her to the arms of a strange man at the bar she ended up with to drown out her problems in drinks. Dawn's matrimony, however, came with a twist and brought her right back into the web of the first man she ever got intimate with, the dangerous Alpha and the devil himself, Alpha Rhys Hallowvern. Rhys Hallowvern was that one Alpha that everyone was so terrified of because of his beastly nature and his aversion for commitment led to him getting a wife he didn't want. But two people who despised each other confined to the same space, how long would it take before facades start shedding, revealing their true intentions? Will the sinister forces lurking in the shadows sit back and hand them their happy ending on a platter of gold?

I’d been married to my husband James for three years. On Valentine’s Day, he gave his stepsister, Mia, one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, along with millions in jewelry. I, on the other hand, received a free bouquet of roses. When I didn’t look thrilled, he accused me of being a gold digger. “Mia never had anyone to care for her growing up. Why are you competing with her? Isn’t being Mrs. Smith enough to feed your vanity?” Furious, I stormed out of the house. When a car lost control and came barreling toward me, he instinctively rushed to protect Mia, who was standing a full ten feet from the road. I was the one who ended up in the hospital. Lying in that bed, I finally gave up. I signed the divorce papers without hesitation. “Giving up the title of Mrs. Smith is the dumbest decision you’ll ever make,” he told me, looking down at me from above before walking away. Seven years later, we met again. He took one glance at my simple dress and laughed out loud. I didn’t bother to respond. I just held my daughter close and waited for her father—the richest man in the city—to arrive.

18+ MATURED CONTENT!!! IF YOU FIND THIS TOO SENSITIVE, PLEASE DO NO READ. HEAVY LANGUAGE INCLUDED. –BLURB I could still feel his eyes ransacking my face and I know his eyes were more interested on my lips. His thumb brushes lightly on my lower lip that was still held captive by my teeth, releasing it. "I don't have a big mouth", I managed to say as I looked at him, regretting it. I could see his jaw tightened and his eyes grow darker. If I didn't know the type of maniac he was, I would have said he looks interested in me, but I know him. "Oh you do love... and I imagine how it would look around my hard cock, moving up and down, just like the way you saw Irina do it last time", Nikolai said. I gasped in shock at his words. Of course I remember that day! "You have no shame, do you?!", I asked in annoyance and all I could hear after that was his loud laughter. I swear this is the first time I have seen him laugh. "You're right my Kukolka, I have no shame... that's the only way to rule this world", he concluded and left me there.

#ENTRY FOR:#1 Inescapable Bondage: Becoming the Forbidden Possession of the Mafia Boss Late at night, a drunk Eugene finds himself deep in a New York back alley to relieve himself when he witnesses a murder. Momentarily stunned by the killer's appearance, he tries to escape before being discovered, but the killer's gun barrel points toward Eugene... The blonde killer, called Valentine, proposes to the witness Eugene that if he can guess the flavor of the candy in his mouth, he'll let him live. Emboldened by alcohol, Eugene steals a kiss from the killer to taste the candy. However, the blonde killer says he's changed his mind and points the gun at him again...

Three months after my death, my brother is hospitalized due to leukemia. That's when my family finally remembers me after kicking me out. My sister, Ruby, texts me. "Caleb is sick, so get the hell back here for a bone marrow transplant. Mom and Dad will stop holding a grudge against you for stealing money." Dad calls me a few times, but they go unanswered. He curses, "How dare she! She didn't even bother calling since we kicked her out a few months ago!" Mom holds my brother, Caleb. Her gaze is full of heartache. "Jolene is an ingrate. She must be hiding because she doesn't want to save you. I'll find her, even if I have to scour the world!" None of them care about me. They have no idea that I died on the night they kicked me out of the house. When they tossed me out, my head bumped into a stone hidden beneath the snow. The snow was particularly heavy that night. It kept falling and falling. Later, when they finally start looking for me, they find my frozen body underneath the thick snow.

17-year old Star Sullivan was no stranger to loss, having recently endured the heartbreaking passing of her parents. Struggled to come to terms with her grief, she found herself uprooted from her familiar surroundings and thrust into a new town under the care of her godparents. The weight of her sorrow hung heavy on her shoulders casting a shadow over her once bright spirit. Star navigates the unfamiliar street and faces of her new home, a glimmer of intrigue caught her eye - a student with eyes as silver as moonlight, a captivating mystery etched in every glance. Drawn to this enigmatic figure, she found herself unable to resist the pull of curiosity that tugged at her heart. His mysterious past whispered secrets that beckoned to be unraveled, a puzzle waiting to be pieced together. With each passing day, Star found herself entangled in a web of intrigue and emotion, her heart torn between the allure of the unknown and the safety of familiarity. As the threads of secrets began to unravel, revealing truths that shook the foundation of her newfound life, Star stood at a crossroads, her heart torn asunder. Would she choose to stand by her new friends and family, embracing the complexities of their intertwined destinies, or would she heed the call of uncertainty, fleeing to the safety of the hills, away from the tumultuous storm that threatened to consume her? Only time held the answers to the questions that plagued her restless mind. The clock ticked away, each passing moment a reminder of the choices that lay ahead, the paths diverging into the unknown. In the quiet of the night, as the stars whispered tales of destiny and fate, Star found herself standing on the precipice of a decision that would shape the course of her future.

Ean's face twisted with anger as he grabbed me by the arm, dragging me toward the old, rusted freezer in the corner of the warehouse. "You're going to feel what Helen felt," he spat. "Maybe that'll teach you not to mess with her." I struggled against him, panic rising in my chest. "Ean, this is insane! It was an accident! Let me explain—" He wasn’t listening. He shoved me inside the freezing metal box and slammed the door shut. The echo of the lock clicking into place made my heart pound in my ears. I banged on the door with my fists. "Ean, please! You can’t do this!" I screamed, but the sound of his footsteps grew fainter as he walked away. He left me with nothing but a single bowl of water, like I was some kind of prisoner. I slumped against the cold metal, shivering. The temperature plummeted almost instantly. The hum of the freezer kicked in, and I realized too late—it wasn’t broken like he thought. It was working, and I was trapped. My body shook uncontrollably as the cold seeped into my bones. I screamed for help until my throat was raw, clawing at the walls in desperation. My bloody handprints smeared across the icy surface, a silent plea for mercy that no one would hear. Seven days passed. When Ean finally returned, the look on his face was one of smug satisfaction. He had expected me to beg, to apologize. But when they pried open the freezer, all they found was my frozen body, stiff and silent, my suffering long over.

Broken, betrayed, tortured and losing the two most important things in her life. Eleanor Antonio vowed to be a survivor in the royal household of Alexandria. She was taken as a slave, inflicting her to encounter a lot of trials for a terrible misdeed she claimed she never executed. However, Alexandria Spencer... A great insurmountable king was hell-bent on making certain he grasps a life outta Eleanor for her evil sin. This unusual story beings with these two different worlds; heavy storms, and fiery emotions began to surge through their ways and into their lives. Lies, secrets, mysteries and perhaps, death. **************************************** “I will burn your soul just like you burned mine”