Mysterious Skin

“Cursed child. Bad omen. The Alpha’s doomed bride.” That’s what they called me since the night I was born under the blood moon. ****** Desdemona is a cursed child right from birth, her skin marked by the moon itself. In a society where humans despise werewolves, Desdemona carries the cruel fate of being bound to one. Hated. Mocked. Even her own parents look at her with disgust, showering love only on her perfect sister while treating her as nothing but a burden. But curses don’t break easily. And her destiny waits in the shadows — the day she becomes the Alpha’s Cursed Bride. When she is forced to marry Alpha Alaric. Sold out by her own people, betrayed by her family, she must now survive in a pack of wolves where every whisper and glance could mean death. And the prophecy hangs over her, will she live, or will the curse claim her first?

I was the ultimate pick-me girl at the office, and somehow, I ended up inside a horror game before New Year's Eve. Seeing the bloody lady crawling in the dark elevator, I screamed out loud. "Oh my gosh! Where did you get that lipstick? It's perfect! It makes your skin look three shades lighter!" The bloody lady blinked at me in confusion as I helped her up. She even recommended the exact lipstick shade. Then I turned around and came face-to-face with the chainsaw-psycho general manager with multiple personalities, swinging his weapon around. I tied a little bow on his chainsaw. "Everyone else only cares if your chainsaw is sharp. I'm the only one who cares if you're tired from swinging it all day." The monsters in the room looked at each other, all thinking the same thing… Why did this feel weirdly wholesome?

I had been married to James Tennant for seven years. In that time, he had already kept twenty-nine mistresses, like pretty little canaries in gilded cages. Now, I saw the thirtieth one in our bedroom, young and draped in nothing but a bath towel, lounging across our bed. I turned to him and asked coldly, “Can’t get enough out there, huh? Did you really have to bring her home?” The girl deliberately tugged her towel lower, her pale skin showing as she sneered, “Mr. Tennant says you’re like a dead corpse in bed! He wanted me to teach you how to please a man.” That night, I was forced to watch their little performance right in front of me. The next morning, James was furious at my indifference, resenting me for not reacting. However, he seemed to forget that our marriage was nothing but a contract, and in just one week, that contract would expire.

"Why are you here, Aaron?" The question was charged with the need to really uncover the truth. "Because," he said, his breath hot against my skin, "there's justice in redemption, and you, Roanne, seek for justice in the wrong place." Before I could process the weight of his words, his mouth was on mine, a kiss that stole the air from my lungs and branded me with a hunger I'd fought to forget. It was possession, it was power—it was a battle I wasn't sure I wanted to win. - Roanne is a sophomore who is seduced into a secret campus revenge society by new "friends" promising justice against elite misdeeds, but becomes entangled in an intricate web of romantic obsession, family empires, high society deceit and dangerous underground power plays. The most dangerous game she plays is to seduce her ex’s best friend, but what happens when he becomes the hunter and not the prey? The Revenge Club is created by Amelie Bergen, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

"One wish,” whispered Rica. “A love that will last forever.” Rica jumped out of her bed when she saw a man lying in the bed next to her. She stared at him, fascinated by his handsome face. He had an attractive aquiline nose which complemented his projecting cheekbones and alluring lips. His black glistening hair was coiffed to perfection. She closed her eyes. “This is just a dream,” she told herself pinching her own skin to wake herself up. “This is not a dream and I am your husband.” Her eyes widened as she stared at the manly figure standing in front of her. His perfect amber-colored eyes met hers. She opened her mouth, trying to speak, but no words came out. She was so confused. Yesterday, her boyfriend broke up with her, and now a stranger has appeared claiming they were married to each other. Is he the one she has been waiting for? A love that will last forever?

Cara, a senior Psychology student, has always been haunted by the face of a strange boy from her childhood dreams. As she grows older, the boy is replaced by a mysterious man in her dreams. Determined to understand the connection, she seeks the help of her best friend, a psychologist, to explore the meaning behind these recurring visions. In her waking life, two elusive men capture her attention, but they remain distant. Instead of feeling lost, Cara embraces this mysterious journey, knowing it holds the key to deeper self-discovery. With the support of her friend, she begins to unravel the powerful message her dreams are guiding her toward, realizing that the answers she seeks are within her reach.

"Rather than serving you, I prefer to die." The Outsiders have been subjected to the oppression of the king's soldiers for centuries, especially during the annual Purge, where every fifteen-year-old person - now an adult - is kidnapped. Ystal is only a child when, during his tenth Purge, is bought by a mysterious man. He says his name is Sylien and that he is an Alchemist, the only known survivor of a population that has now been destroyed. He claims to be looking for an assistant, and that Ystal is the right person. Through mysterious spells, ancient books of lost history and unknown feelings, Ystal will make a journey, in search of true freedom, against a tyrant who, for years, has reigned supreme.

When Alina strikes a desperate deal with her father, she enters the forbidden forest—only to be bitten by a venomous creature that should’ve killed her. Instead, she wakes up with fractured memories, a strange mark etched into her skin, and a bond she doesn’t understand… one that ties her to Valerian, the cold, commanding vampire who saved her life—or cursed it. As she recovers among his kind, Alina is forced to navigate the uneasy truce between Lycans and Vampires while uncovering the secrets buried by witches long ago. But the mate bond between her and Valerian grows stronger—and harder to deny. Ancient wars don’t stay buried, and neither do dangerous truths. Torn between loyalty to her pack and the dark pull of the vampire she never chose, Alina must decide what she’s willing to risk… before the blood that binds them becomes her ruin.

My younger brother told me he was overwhelmed by school stress and had developed depression. I tried to help by encouraging him to seek treatment, drawing from my own experience with the illness. However, my mother blamed me, accusing me of passing the depression onto him. She took me to a witch, who locked me in the house. Every day, the witch used willow branches to drive away evil spirits, beating me until my skin was raw, forcing me to drink filthy water, and making me bleed. "This is the only way to banish the evil and bless your little brother." After enduring days of torment, my depression worsened, and I chose to end my life. However, when I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day my brother first confessed his depression. I looked at my body—whole and unharmed. This time, I will make them pay for everything I endured.

Out of desperation to keep her cheating fiance, Samantha pretended to be terminally ill as she was the only one who was interested in their relationship. She thought it was effective since Brandon has been giving her attention. But her assistant's work proved her wrong, when she sent her photos of Brandon and a pregnant woman. Her world collapsed when she saw it with her two eyes. That moment, it felt like she was going to be ill for real. Until she accidentally bumped into Brandon’s uncle, Gavin Palma, when she left Brandon’s house. A mere physical contact that changed the trajectory of Gavin’s life, leading him to meet Samantha, his nephew’s ex. It was almost impossible for him to feel aroused, until that woman appeared before his eyes and their skin touched. As though the stars aligned, Samantha found a sweet vengeful idea when she learned who that man was when they crossed paths in the bar.