Imagined Community

After his sister is brutally attacked and crippled investigating the rape of a thirteen-year-old, Richard Baimbridge rushes back to his hometown of Wilmington, NC, to assist in her recovery only to come face to face with his tormented past and a dark family secret. Serving as his sister's legs, he fights to stay above the flood of childhood trauma as he is drawn into the dark underside of this quiet coastal community where he becomes the primary suspect in the murders of Wilmington's young girls in this riveting suspense thriller that explores the special bond between a brother and sister. More than 500,000 copies sold worldwide. "Bill Benners is a fresh and welcomed new voice in crime fiction. My Sister's Keeper is a compelling and original psychological thriller. Awesome, powder-keg suspense!" --Andrew McAleer, Crimestalker Casebook/crimestalkers.com

She was forced to accept a marriage proposal from a strange billionaire to pay her huge debt and to take back her inheritance left to him when her mother died. Nathan’s lawyer handed her the documents, including the marriage certificate. Things were moving much faster than she had imagined they would, and everything happening seemed too easy. Too good to be true - a voice in her mind cried out - Be careful! It’s a trap! If it was a trap, though, it was very cleverly hidden. Crystal contemplated the proposal for a moment before addressing Mike, his lawyer. “I only have two questions,” she said. “The first question is this: if I sign it, does it mean that I don’t need to pay my debt?” Mike: “Yes. And your second question...?” Crystal: “Okay, I haven’t reached the legal age for marriage yet, so even if I sign it, it won’t take effect. Is that right?” Nathan quickly raised his hand and said, “If I say that it is effective, no one will dare to say that it isn’t. Do you believe that?” “I suppose so,” Crystal admitted. She hesitated for a moment, and then she signed the marriage certificate. Months later, she asked for a divorce from him. He stared at her in silence, then he uttered, “Have I ever told you how much I love you?” “What does that have to do with our divorce?” Crystal asked. “I’m only asking because I care about you,” Nathan murmured. Suddenly, tears began to stream down Nathan’s face. “I’ll be happy if you say that you care about me,” Nathan continued. “Why must you torture me this way? Haven’t I done enough to prove my love for you?”

" Who was that boy, angel?" He asked coming forward and she started going backwards. She started saying with her shaky voice," My.......umm......my............. Because of fear, she wasn't being able to form any words. She was crying and shivering like a little kitten. " Answer me," he shouted and she replied in one go," My classmate." He asked raising one of his brows," Only classmate?" " And my friend too," She replied hurriedly gulping down her saliva. Hearing her, he continued looking at her with dark suspicious eyes when she requested crying," I swear I don't have anything with him. He is just my classmate and friend. Nothing else." " I see. But, you have to prove that he is only your classmate and friend, nothing special," He said caressing her rosy cheeks. She asked wiping her tears," What do I have to do?" " Nothing much. You just have to punish him for thinking that he can be your friend. And, you know how to punish," He replied calmly and she lost all colour from her face. ************** Orni was like an innocent angel unaware of the existence of the demons which lurks among us wearing human skin. She never imagined even in her dream that a demon was waiting for her very eagerly to crush her in every possible way. ******************** Trigger warning and abusive scene ahead. Kindly read at your own risk. I am not a native English speaker so pardon my mistakes.

Colin is the alpha of one of the strongest packs on the continent. His pack is strong and independent. He knows his mate is out there somewhere. But he is patent, he knows he will find her. Adina has more secrets than most. Her life is a long row of moves between different packs, covens and even nests. Then there is the never-ending list of responsibilities that fall upon her. She was hoping that her best and only friend and bodyguard, Sean, would end up being her mate. Who else would be able to handle her life? But no such luck. Sean is the bodyguard that never leaves Adina's side. He has rarely done so since they first meet when he was fourteen. And although they are each other's one constant in life, he carries two secrets he has sworn never to reveal to her. When mate bonds are discovered, treason is unearthed and friendships are put to the test. These three will have to find a new way of living and trust each other and their allies. Or the magical community will be thrown into chaos.

Elara Hart, a top lawyer on the brink of becoming a partner, sees her career crumble under a scandal. Just when she’s about to give up, Damian Blackwood, a billionaire heir in a desperate race to marry before his 30th birthday, offers her an unexpected deal. With only weeks left and a reputation that scares off most women, Damian proposes a one-year, no-strings-attached marriage. For Elara, it’s a chance to restore her career; for Damian, it’s his only hope to secure his inheritance. As their arrangement begins, will they stick to their no-strings plan, or will they discover that the real gamble is falling in love? And what happens when the year ends, and the stakes are higher than they ever imagined?

When songwriting major Anya Scott goes to a prestigious college, she believes her unfortunate fate will forever change its course. Her supportive boyfriend lavishes her with attention, and she receives financial assistance from a mysterious benefactor. Despite her traumatic past, she’s doing better than she ever imagined and is on the cusp of achieving her goals. Until she’s not. She encounters a man who is brilliant, rich, and obviously unobtainable. Julian Sebastian—a renowned Hollywood composer and her new professor. Anya soon realizes she has stronger feelings for him and tries to suppress them for all the right reasons. Julian, too, is captivated by Anya's wit, beauty, and resolve. A forbidden, passionate affair awaits them. It’s a wrong and dangerous ride, but it feels so right that she wants to explore her own desires. Just one . Only one touch. They are all it will take to cross the line.

Farrah Evans is the definition of the modern-day liberated lady. Get drunk, get laid, and get your freedom. That was what she wants for the rest of her life. Not a percentage, not even in her dreams she imagined of being married and committed to only one man. The plan is to be a forever rich single Auntie who lives alone in a mansion, wears a pair of Gucci gloves on a wedding, and brag about traveling around the world while holding a limited edition LV bag on her Amigas.However, Uno Saldivar is the most persistent and longest suitor she encountered in her life. The man started to pursue her back in senior high days. Uno is a certified nerdy boy who got no fun, he's a studious, hardworking geek who aims to be one of the most successful men on their generation. And the one who will marry Farrah, the girl of his daydreams. Farrah doesn't know that she's falling for him. She is a known playgirl who hooks up with rich handsome boys and being with Uno will taint her image. She planned to escape the humiliation she'll experience so she never admitted to herself that she likes the man and covered it with anger. Annoyed and exhausted of him chasing her, she made a deal. "When I reached the age of twenty-seven and I'm still not married nor have a boyfriend, I'll marry you. If anyone of us refuses to get married, the one who rejects will pay the other million dollars." After years of being apart from Uno, a tragedy happened which turned her life upside down.

Hudson Ford and Callie Clarke fall in love but never once discuss it, until a single night turns everything around. They finally consummate their relationship, only to have Callie disappear the next morning. Hudson wakes up to discover that she is missing, and his world is turned upside down. Years go by before Callie reenters Hudson's life. Now a stunning, poised architect, she struts into a conference room with poise and confidence. Men glance at her in admiration, and Hudson is shocked. He never imagined seeing her again, but here she is, more seductive than ever. As soon as Callie lays eyes on Hudson, her world freezes. All the self-discipline she has constructed around herself starts to disintegrate. She questions whether she will surrender to her need for Hudson or whether she will fall into the deep peril she initially escaped. Convinced not to lose Callie once again, Hudson makes a decision to reclaim her no matter what. He demands answers from Callie as to why she vanished from his life. His pursuit sets off a storm of memories that risk destroying their relationship.

Adelaide is a wolf who has been scorned all her life. Being the daughter of the Alpha to the Brairwolf pack, she has been an utter disappointment from birth. She is demoted to the post of pack slave despite being the Alpha's daughter and after she is almost beaten to the point of death, she finally makes a decision to run away. Her parents get to her first. Their plan for her is simple. Sell her off to the Lycan king of the north. But what happens when Adelaide gets to the Lycan king's home and meets a man more complex and scary than she could have ever imagined? Lyros is a cold hearted and ruthless man, but when the small, scared omega is offered to him as a sacrifice, he finds himself sparing her life. First out of spite to her parents. But then later, out of something else. Something that confounds him and makes his heart beat in an unwelcome way. Will she be the one to unravel the folds of ice the Lycan king has wrapped around himself, and will he ever find it in his heart to love another? He tells her from the onset "I can never love someone like you." But slowly, even in the midst of the difficulties around them, feelings blossom. Adelaide tries to look past her resentment for Lyros and see the warmth in him, but the Lycan king has proposed a deal. "Instead of being a wife I'll kill soon, become a weapon for me Adelaide. If you can do that for me, then I'll set you free, but if you can't, I'll make your life a living hell." Will she refuse this, despite all her suffering? Or will she become the weapon that kills the Lycan king instead?

I grew up without parents and belongs to the line of omegas. I got used to serving my Alpha and bowing before him in homage. I also experienced being hurt by my aunt; slapping me in the face, pulling my hair while yelling the word worthless slut and being sold by her to the other pack where a cruel Alpha was in charge. That's why, I'm used to living in the lowest rank and enjoying the tragic life, but I didn't expect to be among the wolves working in Alpha's company. That's kinda odds for me but on the day of my 21st birthday, my tiring life suddenly changed, I was recieved a moonlight calls and became a powerful white wolf. According to the Alpha, I seem to come from an unscented bloodline and I am not the daughter of a rouge just like they used to know me. The power I possess is a mystery to the whole pack. Suddenly, I don't know who I really am, but apart from the questions in my mind, I discovered something which I never imagined; I am the Alpha's mate that he waited for a hundreds of years.