Remnants Of Despair

Welcome back to Clifton Heights. Sheriff Chris Baker and Father Ward meet for a Saturday morning breakfast at The Skylark Diner to once again commiserate over the weird and terrifying secrets surrounding their town. Sheriff Baker shares with Father Ward the story of a journal discovered in the ruins of what was once an elaborate koi pond and flower garden, which regales a tale of regret, buried pain, and unfulfilled debt: “Sophan” – Jake Burns has always been a bit...off. Rude, awkward, sometimes brutish, he's tolerated by Nate Slocum and his friends because he hits a mean line drive, and because they all know but don't discuss the abuse he faces at the hands of his troubled father, a Vietnam veteran consumed by his demons. But Jake is suffering something far worse than domestic abuse, and when Nate discovers what, he faces an impossible choice: help Jake and put himself in the path of evil, or abandon him, only to damn himself in the process. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Ivy Cruz is broke, desperate, and out of options. With debt collectors closing in and her brother fighting for his life in a hospital bed, she has no choice but to accept a dangerous deal from the gangster she owes everything to. His demand? Pretend to be the wife of Damon Williams—a cold, ruthless billionaire who was believed to have died in a fire. The offer is impossible to resist. If she plays the part, Ivy can take whatever she wants from Damon, enough to pay off her debts and save her brother. Refusing means certain death at the gangster’s hands. But what Ivy never expected… is that Damon would believe her. Two years ago, Damon lost his wife, Selena, in the fire. Her body was never found. Now Ivy stands before him—identical in every way, down to the secret birthmark only he ever knew. Dragged into a dangerous lie, Ivy becomes the shadow of a woman she never met. Damon, consumed by grief and obsession, is convinced fate has returned his wife to him—and he will never let her go. As Ivy steps deeper into his dark, possessive world, she can’t shake the guilt of living another woman’s life. But with secrets about the fire beginning to unravel, one question burns hotter than the rest: What really happened the night Selena died? And when Damon discovers the truth, will Ivy survive his wrath… or his love? Because when love rises from ashes—it can either heal or burn everything to the ground.

"Marry me, Isabella. Not for love, but for survival." Alexander Steele’s offer is Isabella Moore’s only way out. Her fashion business is failing, her mother’s medical bills are piling up, and betrayal has left her broken. Bound by a fragile agreement, they step into a world of buried secrets and growing danger. The lines between trust and deception blur as old enemies resurface and hidden truths threaten to destroy everything. Can they fight through the lies and find love, or will their alliance shatter under the weight of betrayal?

Maxine Mercedes is a kind and beautiful woman. Napipilitan s'yang pakasalan si Lawrence upang mabayaran ang pagnanakaw na ginawa nang kanyang kapatid. Labag man sa loob n'ya ay kailangan n'yang gawin ang bagay na iyon dahil wala naman silang malaking halaga ng pera upang maibalik ang malaking nawala sa pamilya Francisco. Hindi lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat na naging manliligaw nang dalaga si Lawrence ngunit paulit-ulit itong tinatanggihan ng dalaga. Kaya ito na ang pagkakataon nang binata upang makontrol s'ya nito. Araw-araw na pagdurusa ang nararamdaman ni Maxine dahil wala naman s'yang pagmamahal sa binata. Matutunan n'ya kayang mahalin si Lawrence tulad ng matagal na nitong gusto? O may iba pa kayang paraan upang makaalis s'ya sa magulong sitwasyon na hindi n'ya ginusto? May pagkakataon pa kaya s'yang umibig sa taong pinili ng puso n'ya?

A Little Note Before You Dive In…Because We Care About You and Your Pulse Hey you… yes, you. 😏 Before you turn these pages, let’s have a quick, honest chat. This collection is for the 18+ crowd only, no exceptions, no sneaky peeks. Inside these pages, we’re turning up the heat. Think slow-burn glances, tangled sheets, whispered dares, and the kind of tension that makes your breath catch. You’ll find romance that runs deep and desire that runs wild: 🔥 First-time jitters and the thrill of awakening 🔥 Forbidden glances at work that turn into much more 🔥 Gay and lesbian love stories that celebrate every curve and edge of intimacy 🔥 Threesomes, group heat, and the delicious chaos of wanting more than one 🔥 Power plays, ropes, and whispered “good girl” (or “good boy”) 🔥 Fantasies that push boundaries, always fictional, always consensual, always hot Some stories might brush up against what’s taboo or tender in unexpected ways. That’s intentional. What’s “also” intentional? Consent, care, and the honest messiness of human want. Expect explicit language. Expect passion that doesn’t look away. And expect to feel things. So go ahead, lock the door, put your phone on silent, and read with both hands or one 😏. Your pleasure is yours. Just be sure you’re ready for it. 😈

My chances of survival are slim. Going west in the 1880s? Dangerous. Fighting rogues and traveling through pack lands where we are unwelcome? A death sentence. But Akecheta awakens a part of me I've never known before. I'm brave. I'm strong. I'm an Alpha's daughter. I will fight for my people--even if it costs me everything. And chances are, it will. If you love steamy wolf shifter romance that will leave your heart racing, read this new adventure from the author of The Alpha King's Breeder.

In a twist of fate, a contractual employee at Ainsley Enterprise, Iliana Davis, finds herself entangled in a one-year contract marriage with Asher Ainsley, the sole heir of the prestigious Ainsley lineage. The arrangement aims to thwart Asher's impending union with Zosia Thornton, granddaughter of the Ainsley Enterprise's long-standing business partners, the Thorntons. The clandestine marriage becomes public after a month, leading to the cancellation of Asher's engagement with Zosia. Unexpectedly, the Ainsley patriarch, Edward, welcomes Iliana into the family, forcing Iliana and Asher to play their part as a couple for two years or until Edward's passing. The patriarch harbors a terminal illness, and they opt to spare him the news of an imminent divorce. Upon Edward's death nearly a year later, the couple moves forward with their planned separation, only to discover an unexpected twist in Edward's will. Iliana received half of the Ainsley family assets as well as a testamentary trust. Iliana, raised in an orphanage, is the real granddaughter of the Ainsleys. The shocking revelation uncovers an accident twenty years ago that led to their current situation, reshaping her destiny in unforeseen ways.

Praia was still grieving for her beloved father's death when problems flooded on her and she discovered that her family wasn't perfect as she think it is because her dad has a mistress— Florence. At first, she was mad that she wished not to see that woman but upon learning that Florence is the only key to her mother's freedom, napilitan syang hanapin ito. Kaya lang para syang naghahagilap ng multo dahil wala syang makuhang kahit na ano maliban sa apelido nito. She decided to take a risk and seduce Florence's older brother Zurich who was attracted to her para makalapit sa pamilya nito at makuha ang mga sagot na hinahanap. In other words, she played fire with him. May nakapagsabi sa kanya na masamang maglaro ng apoy at nangako sya na palaging maghahanda ng fire extinguisher para hindi sya nagawang saktan ng apoy na pinaglalaruan. Pero mukhang mahihirapan syang panindigan iyon dahil unti-unti na nyang nagugustuhan ang nararamdamang init. Can she put her tempting boss to the fire of seduction before she gets herself burned into the flame of her very own dangerous game? Warning: R18 Language: Filipino

Valencia, akrab di panggil Cia. Seorang gadis ceria, cantik dan pandai di sekolahnya. Feroka Hatcher, akrab di panggil Aka. Seorang cowok cool tak banyak bicara dan justru terkesan sombong. Pintar dan banyak prestasi juga di sekolahnya, jago basket dan atlet karate andalan sekolahnya. Dua tahun sekelas tak lantas membuat Cia bisa mengenal dan akrab dengan cowok bernama Aka. Hingga diam-diam dia sering memperhatikannya dan menaruh kagum yang dalam pada cowok itu. Sebuah ketidaksengajaan atas tugas yang di berikan kepada mereka oleh wali kelas akhirnya membuat jalan komunikasi mereka tersambung. Hingga merubah pertemanan tak di duga itu menjadi sebuah hubungan cinta remaja. Aka yang pendiam ternyata memang memiliki kehidupan yang lain daripada orang kebanyakan. Hidupnya tak lepas dari tangan dan mata bodyguard pelindungnya yang justru membuat kehidupan bebasnya terkekang. Semua itu karena orang tua Aka adalah seorang pengusaha kaya raya kelas internasional dengan musuh dimana-mana. Itulah alasan bodyguard mengikuti dirinya kemanapun meski tak selalu nampak oleh mata, mereka orang suruhan daddy-nya. Kehidupan Cia mulai terseret ke dalam kehidupan Aka yang penuh batasan. Dan kehadiran Jordi sebagai rival Aka untuk mendapatkan cinta di hati Cia menjadi batu kerikil kisah manis cerita cinta mereka di usia muda. Suatu hari Jordi mengajak Aka bertanding balapan liar, dan di sinilah petaka terjadi karena kecurangan Jordi. Aka kecelakaan, koma dan di kabarkan akan meninggal dunia. Cia menjadi stres setengah gila di buatnya. Akankah Aka dan Cia bisa mempertahankan cinta kuat mereka di tengah ujian cinta yang harus mereka hadapi?

(Completed) A vampire with memory loss. A fae with vampire issues. What happens when fate merges their path? -----———————— Willow, a fae, an assassin, and also known as 'whisperer' by a selected few, is ordered to spy on the vampire king by her Guild head. But before she can venture on her task, she stumbles on a vampire in need of dire help. Lothaire, a two-thousand-year-old vampire, also known as the most powerful vampire by a selected few, has only known the life of a prisoner since he woke up in a cage some years ago. But before he can escape his reality he was tied and left to die. What happens when these two meet? Can Willow help him before Lothaire's captors re-capture him to finish the job? Will Willow help him when she learns his identity? Who are those captors? Why do they want to kill Lothaire? Can they find out before it's too late?