Novel & Cerita The Ohio State Library

Three days before my blood oath ceremony, someone planted a silver crucifix in the bridal shop and set it ablaze while I was inside trying on my ceremonial gown. My fiancé — Vampire Lord Damien — had the arsonist thrown into the silver prison, sentencing them to the harshest punishment our laws allowed. I lay in the healing chamber, my body covered in severe burns, refusing to wake fully as the reality of my disfigurement sank in. In my semi-conscious state, I heard Damien speaking with the coven's apothecary. "My Lord, we can still heal her completely with the ancient blood rites. If we wait any longer, Serena will bear these scars for life! You just want Miss Vivienne to be your Consort at the blood oath ceremony. This is cruel beyond measure!" "Let her keep the scars. I'll provide for her for the rest of her life, but if she's healed, she'll definitely cause trouble at the ceremony." "I promised Vivienne that her child would be welcomed into the coven with full honors. Only when Serena is completely disfigured will she be grateful enough to raise Vivienne's child as her own. The scars are necessary - at least this way, she won't dare mistreat the boy." In the corner of the room, where no one was watching, a tear slid down my burned cheek. So this was the truth. The blood oath ceremony I'd dreamed of was nothing but a lie. The blood bond I longed for would be my death sentence. If that's how it had to be, I would give him what he wanted.

My mom died giving birth to me. They couldn't save her. My dad? He dumped me outside a prison and ran. Didn't even look back. It was five degrees. I was basically frozen. Barely breathing. Later, a guard said the whole max block lost it that night. One hundred eight inmates—death row, life sentences—went crazy. Slamming doors. Smashing windows. Yelling they wanted to keep me. In the end, they filed a letter. Not a breakout plan. A custody request. Somehow... it got approved. From that day on, I had 108 dads. But growing up, I found out the truth. They weren't criminals. On paper, they were dead—killed in the line of duty. In reality, they were still out there, serving. Eighteen years later, I got into one of the top high schools—with the highest score in the State of Ashford. On the fifth day, I beat the rich girl, Vivian Cobbley, by one point on a mock exam. Next thing I knew, my name was all over the bulletin board: [Riley Ray, daughter of murderers!] Vivian cornered me in the bathroom and shoved my head into a toilet. "Your dads are killers. That filth's in you too." She beat me so hard I dragged her down when we went over the second-floor railing. When I woke up, the Dean of Students was right in my face, finger in my face. "No surprise you're violent. It's in your blood. Call your criminal dads. Now." I shook. "Mr. Todd... you sure you want me to call them?"

Three years after I died, my mother sent me twenty dollars for living expenses. Three years before that—the first time I ever asked my family for money—she said to me, offhand, "Sometimes I think you're just putting on an act. What's so unsanitary about a thirty-cent boxed meal? And why can't you wear a five-dollar down jacket? Face it, you're just more high-maintenance than your little brother." Later, when I needed twenty dollars to buy some cheap medicine for my stomachache, she blocked me immediately and cut off all contact—along with every relative we had. "Don't contact me anymore. I'm clearly not a good mother. I can't afford to give my son a life of luxury." But for my younger brother, who had just started high school, she spared no expense—renting him a three-bedroom apartment. Even the family dog got its own room. In the end, on the day my brother became the top scorer in the state, she finally remembered me. She took me off her block list and transferred twenty dollars. "It's only twenty dollars. Was it really worth giving your family the silent treatment for three whole years?" What she never knew was this— On the night my stomach ruptured, three years ago, I had already died. I couldn't afford to go to the hospital. I froze to death in the snow.

Ariana Delaney, a middle class girl who went about her daily life with little or no excitement to it but all that is about to change when she finds out that she has been arranged to marry into the most famous and absolute richest family in the state and that too to the breadwinner. Damien Kingston, a young business tycoon, a billionaire and a force to reckon with in the cold world of business needs a simp for a wife just to keep up appearances and Ariana seems to fit into the description but he sure is in for a surprise. Follow these two as they weave through their relationship fully aware that they are from two entirely different worlds. Maybe there'll be a happy ending or maybe not. ~~~ He watched like a hawk, eying her every move hoping to swoop in at the right moment and catch his prey. Her smile, her hair, her innocence and of course, her curves. Those curves could have any man turn in her direction and it sure did. He couldn't let her go, she couldn't have been who he thought she was. No, maybe he wasn't in love with her but he sure knew one thing, she was his and his alone. ~~~ She watched his as his beautiful eyes swallowed her up. This man was beautiful but she couldn't fit into his world. It was too much for her and she just had to admit it into herself. It was never going to work.Disclaimer:This work is purely a work of fiction and any similarities in names and characters are purely coincidental. The sequel is up: Meant to Be HIS. Check it out❤️

My dad worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant, earning a measly $400 a month. My mom had bad legs, so she could only scrape by collecting trash. When my academically-gifted younger brother was in middle school, they pulled him out of school and made him work to earn extra money so that they could afford to send me to the best school in the state. I didn't let them down and aced my high school, becoming the top student in my state. The day I got my SAT scores was also my birthday. Dad, all hunched over, came to my school with a pink cake, followed by Mom in her tattered clothes and my brother with his face covered in grime. But instead of being grateful, I grabbed a sharp compass and threw it at Dad, drawing blood. "You think you can buy me off with a cake? Get lost! Don't let me see you again!" The principal stared in disbelief. "Yvonne, what are you doing? If it weren't for your family working hard to support you, you wouldn't be this successful!" I held my head high, unperturbed. "So what if I'm the top student in the state? It's no big deal! If they really loved me, they would give me a million dollars so I could live a life of luxury!" Dad's tears hit the ground as he called me an ungrateful brat. Mom wanted to slap me but was held back. Meanwhile, I silently opened the cake box and cut the cake. The next second, everyone was shocked.

Sophia Carter, a struggling teenager, in a quest to save her mother's life, faced a life-altering pregnancy after having a passionate one-night stand with a billionaire by the name of Damien Knight. Her mother later died, and she was devastated, having to deal with the loss of her mother and the pregnancy she was carrying. Damien Knight left the state before she could tell him about the pregnancy. Tragedy strikes as she walks into her miserable life alone. With the help of her friend Kattie, she was able to give birth, raise her son, Ethan, rebuild her life, and become a successful career woman. Years later, she married Lucas Knight, Damien's younger brother. Lucas accepted Ethan as his son, unaware that Ethan's biological father wasn't  Damien, his elder brother. The truth about her past crashes down when Damien hosts a school contest where Ethan gives an excellent performance. Damien demanded the identity of Ethan's parents. They were called for accolades for their son's performance. Damien was shocked to see Sophia and Lucas as Ethan's parents. Secrets, lies, and emotions unfold as both Damien and Lucas demand the true identity of Ethan from Sophia. Lucas got furious at Sophia for deceiving him. Damien stood with nothing to gain the hearts of Sophia and Ethan back.  Sophia was facing a choice: Fight for Ethan—face the real father or lose the boy she nearly died for.  What decision will she make, fighting for Lucas's love or accepting Damien back? Find out in this intriguing story.

Warning : mature sexual contents, read at your own risk. "Where are you going? " his deep morning voice rumbled. There goes my plan for a quiet escape. My throat clogged up tight, I couldn't face him... I didn't want to Those intense orbs made me squirm internally, my state of undress not helping the situation. I swallowed hard and met his gaze squarely. "last night was a ..mistake ..a lustful fling .... It's over, you should leave " I said tonelessly, my face void of any of the emotions I felt inside. How he moved so swiftly I didn't know, but next I was pressed against his naked hard chest. "Is that what you think? " I didn't want to look into his gaze, but his voice compelled me to. "That's exactly what it is " I repeated. I followed the trail of his gaze down to his belt which lay carelessly the floor. The one he had used on me , in many ways so dirty and sinful. The corners of his lips twitched in a smirk that made my heart leaped at a furious pace. "You are so wrong about that, i'll fucking show you just how much! " he growled, grabbing a fist of my air, he feasted on my lips. It was supposed to be just one night, I was supposed to leave before he awoke. So how did one passionate night lead to such a consuming obsession that threatened to scorch me and scald me until there was nothing left. Find out in the story of Mel and Sebastian (this is a sequel to the bully's obsession) I recommend you read book one before this for better understanding.

In a war-torn world where supernatural beings known as "subnaturals" or "subs" have emerged from hiding, triggering a global conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, eighteen-year-old Lena Hargrove has spent the past six years as a ward of the state following her parents' deaths. Renowned as war heroes who sacrificed themselves to rescue their daughter from kidnappers, Lena's parents were largely absent throughout her childhood, leaving her with complicated feelings about their legacy and her own identity. As Lena struggles to understand her newfound identity and the abilities that begin to manifest, she uncovers a web of secrets about her parents' true role in the war. They weren't just fighting for humanity; they were part of a hidden movement working toward peace between humans and subnaturals. More importantly, Lena learns she was kidnapped not by chance. Hunted by extremists from both sides who either want to use her power or eliminate her entirely, Lena must navigate a dangerous landscape of political intrigue and ancient supernatural factions. Along the way, she assembles an unlikely group of allies—humans sympathetic to the sub cause, subs living in hiding among humans, and others like her caught between worlds. As her powers grow and her understanding of both sides deepens, Lena realizes that ending the war might require more than diplomacy or combat—it might demand a fundamental reimagining of what it means to be human or supernatural in a world where the boundaries between the two are increasingly blurred. But to fulfill her destiny, Lena must first confront the truth about her kidnapping, her parents' sacrifice, —a truth that will test her loyalty to both sides of her heritage and force her to decide what kind of world she wants to fight for.

"When Zack Wallace’s uncle offered him the chance to fulfill his dreams with a job flying for his Alaska charter service, no way was Bailey George going to hold him back. Flying was Zack’s life. Which is why she never told him about the unexpected, unplanned pregnancy. Or answered his letters or returned his calls. Instead, she moved away, got her law degree, and raised her son with the help of her family and friends. When Bailey is charged with running a retreat for her law partners at Casa Blanca Resort and Spa at Barefoot Bay, the last person she expects to run into is Zack. But any chance of a future comes to a shrieking halt when Bailey’s son, the image of Zack, shows up at Barefoot Bay. Part TwoIt was bad luck that had Robin Hanna working late the night her boss, already in trouble with the feds, had two late visitors. Worse luck for him when they shot him dead. In less than twenty-four hours the FBI whisks her out of town and off to the Casa Blanca Resort and Spa in Barefoot Bay, Florida. If she has to hide a way, she gives thanks for the hiding place they picked…a luxury resort. Trey DeMarcus. He had his life all mapped out: a beautiful wife, a career in JAG, and then retirement to Montana, a state where he’s always wanted to live. Neither his wife nor the law practice worked out and now he’s at the Casa Blanca Resort and Spa, trying to figure out his life. When these two meet up, they have nothing in common except lives in chaos. Sunstroke is created by Desiree Holt, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author."

This book is authored by Dripping Creativity. “Stay away, stay away from me, stay away,” she shouted, over and over. She kept shouting even though it seemed she had run out of things to throw. Zane was more than a little interested in knowing exactly what was going on. But he couldn’t focus with the woman making a ruckus. “Will you shut the fuck up!” he roared at her. She fell silent and he saw tears start to fill her eyes, her lips trembled. Oh fuck, he thought. Like most men, a crying woman scared him shitless. He would rather have a gunfight with a hundred of his worst enemies than have to deal with one crying woman. “And your name is?” he asked. “Ava,” she told him in a thin voice. “Ava Cobler?” he wanted to know. Her name had never sounded so beautiful before, it surprised her. She almost forgot to nod. “My name is Zane Velky,” he introduced himself, holding out a hand. Ava’s eyes grew bigger as he heard the name. Oh no, not that, anything but that, she thought. “You have heard of me,” he smiled, he sounded satisfied. Ava nodded. Everyone who lived in the city knew the name Velky, it was the largest mafia group in the state with its centre in the city. And Zane Velky was the head of the family, the don, the big boss, the huge honcho, the Al Capone of the modern world. Ava felt her panicked brain spin out of control. Trigger warnings: Talk about SA Body image issues Light BDSM Descriptive descriptions of assaults Self harm Harsh language