Novelette Word Count

“Camille, I’ll love you forever!” Jameson let out a low, agonized growl. Just as he was about to climax, his phone suddenly began to buzz. He ignored it, of course. Now was hardly the time. However, his phone lit up again. The moment he saw the text on the screen, his body froze. Camille heard him answer the call. “Hello?” In the deep silence of the night, the voice on the phone cut through the stillness, clear and unmistakable. “Jameson, did you know that Sylvia—” Jameson switched languages and cut in with a sharp command, “Keep it down. It's not a good time.” The other person switched languages too, though he was still loud. “The hospital results came in. Sylvia is in the final stages of cancer. She only has a month left! Her last wish is to become your wife. Can you grant her that before she passes?” Jameson’s expression changed immediately. “What?! Wait for me!” He ended the call and turned to Camille. “Camille, something urgent came up. I need to step out for a bit. Be good and stay home. I’ll be back after you’ve had some sleep.” Before she could respond, he rose to wash up, changed his clothes, and left without looking back. Moments later, her phone buzzed. Sylvia: [Camille, you lost. I told you—Jameson has always been mine.] Right above it was a message from three days ago: [If I tell him I have cancer, do you think Jameson will leave you and come to me? I bet he will.] Camille’s gaze slowly shifted from her phone screen to the open bedroom door. What Jameson did not know was that she had already picked up a new language. She understood every word of that call. After a long moment, a faint, bitter smile appeared on her face. “Yeah, I lost...”

“I’m giving you one last chance to Run, Ven. I’ll count to five and I’m going to chase you, if you pass these woods and the pack’s boundaries before I catch you, you are free to go from there, back to the human world you love so much.” “What happens if I can’t escape? You’d chain me up here forever?” I folded my fists in anger. “If I catch you before you reach the boundary, I’ll mark you, I won’t care if your answer is yes or no, you will be mine, and the gods help me, Little mouse, because I won’t mind breaking every Will power and walls you’ve built until you accept it, you will belong to me, Every. part. Of. You.” **** After being betrayed by her best friend who she slowly began to develop feelings for, Venetta runs off to the human world for a new beginning but fate pulls her back into the wolf pack she ran from. Will she be able to forgive and fight the obstacles being thrown at her or would she run, like she always has

"You don't simply stop playing a game. Especially when it's mine; you either win. Or loose." Vasili had told her this eight years ago, and eight years later she'd said, "Wrong. Allow me to introduce you to the word 'draw'." *** Emily Moralez was certain the universe was determined to screw her over. She's been caught in a crossfire between two rivaling syndicates, her father's made arrangements for her to get married to a don twice her age--despite knowing she has a boyfriend. And said boyfriend cheated on her the day before their engagement. And it gets worse. Vasili Romanov. The name was feared, revered, respected: hated. Emily knew where she fell. In the percentage that hated him. Vasili Romanov was back for her family. Back to destroy it, her, and everything she held dear with a vengeance that burned as hot as the passion he ignited in her.

Ashlyn hasn't spoken a word since the age of eight, and her heart's never felt more protected. But, when the confident and ever so charming Derek stumbles into her quiet little world, her emotions-and forbidden desires-have never been so loud. For twenty years, silence is all Ashlyn Holland has known. Haunted by the memories of her father, and the harrowing song of the ocean that stole him from her, Ashlyn maintains a safe distance from the rest of the world. Treading carefully the sea of fear and anguish that surrounds her, Ashlyn is determined to do all she can to protect her heart from such a tragic loss striking again. In silence, she grieves. In silence, she is safe. In silence, she finds the strength to breathe. But the silence can only last so long... Derek Moreno is charming and devoted, and quick to see through every wall Ashlyn erects. With his arrival in town, defences fold and walls begin to crumble, the songs of her heart reaching new heights. Together, they crest twin tides of fate, the silence she'd once sought engulfed by his gentle touch, and the whispers of a love thought impossible. For the summer, Ashlyn welcomes the noise. The disruption. But, the ghosts of Derek's past will no longer remain silent, and their deafening power has the potential to drag them both into a current strong enough to drown them amidst their heartache.

"You haven't seen the last of me," a word her father had taught her to say to the bullies. Sloane West adapts to the lifestyle of crime and operates mainly in Rhode island. When things get bad for her she decides to move to California where she meets the handsome young looking CEO of the first Jewelry company in California. She tries to manipulate him into giving her gems by playing with his feelings, as time goes on she realizes he, Fred Manchester was one of the kids who had bullied her back then, she seeks on not only stealing from him but also breaking him. But what happens when Sloane starts developing a soft spot for him, is she as manipulative as they think or she truly had fallen for her target?

-Who are you?" Finally, he stopped the silence. His words were strong, angry, and loud. "-What?" I felt so confused still couldn’t let my eyes from his new look. And his actions of killing without any emotions made my voice trembling. "-I...TOLD...YOU...WHO... THE FUCK... ARE... YOU...?" With stiff teeth he seemed to lose his patience, slowly and frighteningly, he asked, no, ordered to me, without lifting his eyes from me, with every word he took a step closer to me until I could smell the sweat, dirt smell of his ammunition from him. His hard chest-like rock was so close that it barely touched my body. I was shivering he was so scary and I still wanted him badly. "-Are you joking with me? How to understand, who am I?" I whispered... I stopped our deep gaze, even though it wasn't easy. -"What's happening here? Where are we? Why are you...." I couldn't finish one of my hundreds of questions when my husband turned his eyes away from me to his men. -"Take that strange ‘pause from his lips, his eyes traveled from the top of my head to my legs" bitch, to the cell, that little mouth soon will be open for me. And she will talk as well too."

Being a Vampires pet is a fate no Human wants to endure… I was 6 years old when my parents were killed and I was taken to the pet store. A 6 year old cannot make choices for herself, so why am I punished for something my parents did? This question haunts me. Instead of playing outside with other kids, I was groomed and trained to obey my Master… I was to be the perfect pet. A maid, a sexual partner, a nurse, a blood bag… Anything my Master wanted, that was what I was expected to give. Obedience… That is what the Ringmaster prided herself on with her selection. She didn't get so lucky with me. Madame Vienna and I clashed hardcore. I learned quickly not to speak out of turn, but it didn't stop me from throwing a snarky remark here and there when I felt that I was healed enough to handle another punishment. This may be the only reason I lasted so long without being sold. But my time had come. I was on display for the world to see. Tattered and torn, but it didn't seem to matter to the man with the rose gold eyes who made the Vampires tremble without even saying a single word… What kind of creature was he to cause this type of reaction in an apex predator? I clenched my eyes shut as he brought me to the counter to check out. "Come, Ambrosia." The man purred after a moment. Shaking, I followed him, trying to take in any and every small detail of the outside world… "You can do this. Pretend it's just a bad dream… You know how to survive." I whispered to myself, as I followed my new Master to what was sure to be my death.

"No. I can't, baby. How can I possibly stay away from you, when you're carrying my heart wherever you go to?" ~ Ugo Noguchi [Uno] ___ Sea Ivory McCain, a teenager with a not so normal condition. She's living her life with full of routines, boundaries and self-control 一 all of which get put to the test when she meets Uno, an impossibly hard-headed teen who has the same illness. There's an instant flirtation when they met but then, with each other's presence, would they realize the importance of life, friendship, family and faith? "Chase your stars. Make each day count, because this is just life. It will be over before you knew it."

My husband and I have been legally married for five years. This is the tenth time he's canceled our wedding ceremony. This time? His student, Laura, is competing in her first international violin competition—and he 'needs' to be there. I still remember the last cancellation: an awards ceremony he had to attend with her. The time before that? She fell ill, and he stayed at her hospital bedside. The other times? I've lost count of the excuses, but it doesn't matter. The reason is always Laura. Her needs always outweighed my wedding. My marriage. My life. Fine. If he wanted to stand by Laura so badly, he could stay there forever. This hollow, five-year farce of a marriage? It's over.

"Huh? Innocent and pure male god?" Albrey Hamilton's cold thin lips brushed Oakley's cheeks gently, his hand gripping the person's pale and smooth chin. "Very funny, isn't it?" Albrey Hamilton's hand ruffled Oakley’s hair, tousling it. "Aren't you just a plaything?" Albrey Hamilton sneered coldly and domineeringly captured the lips of the person beneath him. Immediately, Albrey pinned down the person's waist and thrust into the person fiercely creating a loud papapa noise that resounded in the low-key luxurious room Oakley's eyes and face reddened which wasn't known if it was due to pleasure, fury or embarrassment. Oakley's eyes pooled with tears that slipped past his cheeks rapidly yet he only bit his lower lip, a stubborn and defying expression on his face. He refused to part his lips, speak or acknowledge the cruel words of the person hovering over him. "Naive." Albrey's thin lips curved in a cynical disparage. "How do you think your fans will react when they discover their pure idol sold his body to me to become famous?" Albrey sneered coldly, his eyes darkening with coldness at Oakley's silence. Oakley stiffened after hearing the ridiculing word that emitted from Albrey's lips.