Sinister Smirk

Selene Davies was heartbroken when Sunny Dale humiliated and dumped her on her 20th birthday. She felt that she had done everything right in their relationship, and couldn’t tell where things went wrong. After all, she was raised by her mother to be a lady; prim and proper. That night, she gave in to her wildest desires and threw herself into the warm arms of Declan Grayson, the personification of wealth and power. Selene reckoned that there was nothing wrong with letting herself loose and having a great night. However, what if her fling wasn't just a decade older than her but also turned out to be her step-uncle? Well, he was nothing but a fling, no strings attached, or so she thought. Regret was an understatement when she learned that Declan didn't only take her first, but also publicized their affair. He portrayed her as a slut who gave sexual favors for a measly screen time. Now, she has the black market drug, ecstasy in her system, and when it’s effects kick in at random times, she either gets laid quickly or kicks the bucket. Who, or better still, what would be her medicine, when she has no man in her life? *** "Oh my God! Why does my head hurt so much? And my whole body also hurts like crazy. Ouch!!! Selene suddenly spotted a full-grown man lying beside her, “Hey, who the fu*k are you? And why are you in my bed?” Declan only smiled beautifully, a coy smirk lacing his lips. "Take a look around, sweetheart. You. Are. In. My. Bed!” His deep baritone voice sounded in her ear, stirring emotions she swore never to entertain again, or just maybe she never really felt that way before...

Raised by a monster from Transamagei since being abandoned at birth, Zea is hunted down and forced to become a part of the Soul Stealers that killed his family and stole his name. Everything he has known no longer exists. Moon is nothing but a demon with a false name and a murderous desire to slaughter and devour anyone who stands in his way of becoming a true Soul Stealer. Having to work with the young Soul who killed his father, Moon must carry out his own Mission to earn his survival; capture the illusive White Wolf and her family. But as the sinister truth behind the capture is discovered, Moon must decide if his life and those of his friends are worth more than what is morally right.

"Lisa?" I croaked, barely able to form words, my voice hoarse and weak. My heart had leapt at the sight of her, a moment of hope flickering through the haze of fear. "What's going on? Why... why are you here?" But the look in her eyes, the cold amusement that twisted her lips into a smirk, had stopped me short. It wasn’t concern. “Why am I here?” she had repeated, laughing softly, as if the very question was absurd. “Oh, Anna, sweet, naive Anna. You still don’t get it, do you?” I had stared, my mind unable to keep up, still too clouded with hunger and exhaustion. “What... what are you talking about?” And then, her voice had changed, hardened. “I’m the reason for all of this. The reason your father’s company collapsed, the reason your family is dead, the reason Josh betrayed you. Me.” After discovering that her best friend, Lisa, isn't the person she thought she was and is the reason for most of the disasters in her life, Anna dies, only to wake up five years in the past. With a second chance, Anna is determined to protect her loved ones and take revenge for the pain Lisa caused.

Love can be a cruel mistress. That's the lesson Regina learned when she and Richard, the Lycan king of her pack,met. When they met, there was an undeniable spark between them. Regina found herself drawn to Richard's commanding presence and fierce protectiveness. For the lonely Richard, she was the chance at a genuine connection and companionship he had longed for. But before their love could blossom, they faced numerous obstacles and challenges. Their pack got attacked by Charles, a ruthless hybrid who sought to claim Richard's throne for himself. He kidnaps Richard and imprisons his pack in an attempt to seize control. With her love and loyalty tested, Regina embarks on a perilous journey to rescue Richard and save their pack from Charles' tyranny. Little does she know, this mission will not only test her strength and determination but also force her to confront the dark secrets of her own past. Sneak peek "Mate..." My eyebrows shot up in surprise. I can't believe my ears; this was not part of my plan. What am I going to do now? "What? You want to be my queen but not my mate." I stared at Charles in disbelief, my mind racing to comprehend his words. "We don't need to mate for that to happen," I replied firmly, trying to hide the unease in my voice. "Yes, you're right." Charles was walking around his desk and sitting on his chair with a self-satisfied grin. "But you see, being my queen comes with certain expectations. And if you're not willing to fulfill them. Well, let's just say it won't end well for you." "Why do you want me to be your mate?" Charles leans back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "Because you're the only one who can handle me."

'You know I don't take no as an answer so you have one chance, baby girl.' 'Your body or...' He trailed off with a smirk, he enjoyed how her eyes cowered in fear and how her body trembled against his hold. ___ He was the devil and she was the tamer. Jasira found herself being entangled in the cobwebs made by Alejandro to drawn her back, to have her being wrapped under his finger but he doesn't know she was dangerous than what he expected. He was the most feared man in their country and she was a mere waitress. What happened when the devil met his tamer, they fell in love; no! They revenged!

Everyone has their dark side but some— like Ruby Fridays, have the darkest. High school can be tough for many teenagers, but for her, it was peculiarly hellish. Clever as evil and twice as pretty, Ruby's beauty was both dangerous and lethal. Trouble always follows her, and strangely enough—she's familiar with the feeling of blood on her hands, and the glimmer of naked secrets and truths that keep her enemies up until sunsets and dawns. But when she got enrolled in a prestigious institution—the infamous, "Rosbite Lustro Academy," despite her tainted school records, she realizes that her ruined fate is already sealed by the almost perfect image of the school— that is nothing but a façade to masked the darkness that lurks within its vicinity. Like a twisted fate, as if reflecting Ruby's name, the Academy holds a sinister game of Truth or Dare every Friday Nights. And the official rules are simple yet sinister. Choose truth? You must reveal your deepest, darkest and most hideous secret. Choose dare? Well, that could be even more dangerous—even deadly. When the game takes an even darker turn with her appearance, suddenly no one at the Academy knows who to turn to and trust with the day by day murders in the broken mists. Yet in the darkness, Killian Wilde, a disguised angel who's surprisingly Ruby's counterpart, decides to interfere with her ruined path. Together with him, they will try to venture into the unknown, to understand the world created on their own. Together, they will look for the missing pieces and connect them. Together, they will unravel the cases and reveal the secrets beyond the broken glasses of their hearts. But with them versus the twisted game, can they win against it, even if it's their own secrets and lives at stake?

Elena, a young girl known as the disgraced wolfless princess, confronts the harsh reality of royal life, discovering that her trusted friends are not as loyal as she thought. Meanwhile, Ryker and his family are bound to a life of servitude to the goddess. They learn fate and love are not always intertwined. Between Ryker’s obsession with young princess, his brother’s dark past, and his sister’s unforeseen destiny, twists and turmoil intertwine them with the royal family, leaving them shattered and their mission to the goddess unfulfilled. Jealousy, betrayal, lust, and love weave a complex tapestry, leading them through unexpected twists. Preview: “You try to belittle me, but it’s not going to work,” I taunted. “Do I look like a little girl?” She straightened, her glare fierce and untamed, canines protruding as she challenged me. “On the outside, you look like a warrior goddess, but I see in your eyes the little girl begging to be played with,” I retorted, trying to get under her skin. “And you look like a sick man with too much power on the outside, but I see the impediment boy whose daddy never really loved him inside you,” her smirk revealed she’d struck a nerve. I couldn't hold back. I stood, pulling her up by her neck and slamming her into the wall, my feral growls echoing. “You’ll be careful how you speak to me. I can sense your strength, but trust me, I will overpower you.” Her claws dug into my wrist, more growls erupted. My canines poised to end her life, but she welcomed the confrontation. “You’ll never control me!” She declared defiantly. “No? You don’t think I can make you submit?” I challenged, my wolf and I ready to teach her a lesson.

In the quiet of the forest, the darkest fears are born. The people of Dunballan, harbour a dark secret. A secret more terrible than the Beast that stalks the dense forests of Dunballan. A secret that holds David McCavendish, last in a long line of Lairds, in its unbreakable grip. It’s down to Sally, David’s lover, to free David from the sinister clutches of the Beast. But, with the whole town against her, she must ally herself with an ancient woodland force and trace Dunballan’s secret back to its bitter origins. Those origins lie within the McCavendish family history, and a blasphemous heresy that stretches back to the beginning of time. Some truths are too terrible to face, and the darkest of these lie waiting for Sally, in the Quiet Places. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Attending a high school reunion, I rode my motorcycle to the venue. By the time I arrived at the Moon Valley Hotel, most of my former classmates were already there. Everyone seemed to be doing well for themselves. The parking lot was filled with luxury cars belonging to high-ranking pack members. There was even a Rolls Royce that belonged to the son of an Alpha. As I dismounted from my motorcycle, a former male classmate I barely remembered looked at me with disdain. "Well, well, if it isn't our former class president. Still riding a basic bike like an omega, I see." During dinner, everyone was fawning over the Alpha's son while completely ignoring me in the corner. Only Derek, our former class monitor and now a beta, sat beside me with a sympathetic look. "Don't worry about it. Even though you're still just an omega like your parents, I'm sure one day you'll rise up in the pack rankings." I couldn't help but smirk, whispering under my breath: "This isn't just any motorcycle. It's the Royal Guard's official vehicle."

‘It’s not that there aren’t good people in the world. It’s that the bad ones are so much easier to find.’ A teen mother raises her daughter on a looping road trip, living hand-to-mouth in motel rest stops and backwater towns, stepping occasionally into the heat and chaos of the surrounding cities. A life without permanence, filled with terrors and joys, their stability is dependent on the strangers—and strange men—they meet along the way. But what is the difference between the love of a mother, and the love of a friend? And in a world with such blurred lines, where money is tight and there’s little outside influence, when does the need to survive slide into something more sinister? ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing