The Old Man Of The Mountain

“What can you pay in return for my protection, Ms Ferrari?” His deep velvety voice greeted my ears. “Anything!” I breathed out without weighing my options. Because I was more than desperate at that moment. He stood up and stepped near me before caressing my cheek with an unrecognizable glint in his eyes. “Then be my bride, Bella.” And just like that I sealed my destiny in his tainted hands. It was my first mistake. Second was, to fall in love with him, madly and irrevocably without knowing his hidden lethal identity. ……. Aaron Salvatore Knight! He emanates power, affluence, confidence, and the luggage of forbidden deeds. His eminence stirs the souls of the city with his domination, elusive games and title of ruthless Heir of the Knight family. Eligible billionaire? Not only that. He is the next boss in line of 'Cosa Nostra', one of the crime families in New York. He is known by the name of "Velenoso" in the underworld because whoever meddles with him or becomes a barrier in his way, has tasted his poisonous side. But Even The Devil is bound to some Traditions. To get the title of ‘Capo dei capi’ He needed to follow the tradition of marrying the Italian breed so He began his search for his prey. But what happens when some ordinary religious girl, a believer of Mother Mary's teachings, strikes his life unexpectedly with her not-so-called appearance and shakes his identity among the people? Would He be able to get her into his twisted life or would she try to escape his entanglement of games? Would she serve him the purpose of finding something He wants? The Italian Bride! Well, dive into this dark journey of these two different burning spirits where The Devil meets his innocent Angel!

Matthew Hunt and Ambrose Donovan. Two millionaires, married, but not in love. Both in their mid-thirties and single, it's either they marry each other or their families would set up an arranged marriage with a stranger so the two decided to get married. They were best friends since they came out of their mothers' wombs so they were each other's next best choice. It worked. Their parents stopped hounding them. They lived in the same house, same room, do everything a married coupled would do (except sex), especially around other people, that is until their parents wanted grandchildren.

Everything happened too fast after I completed the sentence, one minute I was staring at the back of Damien's head, and the next minute I was pinned against the wall. His face was so close to me that I could feel his minty breath, "You can try to run but I will always catch you, you can try to hide but I will always find you. Get one thing clear, Nora, no matter what road you take it will always lead you to me." I licked my lips unable to utter any word. His thick eyelashes fell on my lips and my heartbeat sped up instantly. "Are you scared of me, Nora?" the corner of his lips curled up giving me a full blown smirk. I gulped, "No," the word came out weak between my shallow breaths. I tried to keep my face stoic even though my nerves were no longer in my control. I shut my eyes tightly as his face inched forward. I inhaled a sharp breath feeling his soft lips on my ear, "Then why is your heart beating so loudly?" ......................................................................... Eleanor has it all, loving parents, a good career, everything is presented to her on a silver platter or that's what everyone thinks. What happens when she gets tangled in a world she never knew existed because of a prince who seems to hate her but can not let her go. Will she ever be able to get her normal life back or will she become a part of his ruthless plan?

The biggest mistake I had ever made was falling in love with my Alpha stepbrother, Cayden Gates. I was 12 when my mom remarried, and he was the only one in the new pack who treated me kindly. I fell for him at first sight. When I was 16, I was attacked by rogue wolves, and he fought off ten of them alone to protect me. At 18, he was poisoned by silver. He nearly died. That was when my wolf told me he was my fated mate. Without hesitation, I donated my bone marrow to save him. That night, watching him asleep with a pale face, I couldn't help but kiss the corner of his lips. He opened his eyes at that exact moment, his face flushing red. "Tessa, we're siblings. You shouldn't cross that line." From then on, he started avoiding me, like I was a mistake he couldn't afford to make. His fiancée, Rosie Lloyd, had been diagnosed with a rare blood disease, and I was the only compatible donor. For the first time, he pleaded with me. "If you're willing to save her, I'll agree to anything." But I was already weak from the marrow transplant. Giving blood again might kill me. I said no, and Rosie died in the end. He didn't shed a single tear, like nothing had happened. But at her funeral, he smashed the portrait I'd painted of him in front of everyone and said coldly, "How filthy of you to dream of being with your own brother." Later, I became a disgrace, a walking joke. Humiliation and despair swallowed me whole, and in a haze, I fell into the lake and drowned. When I open my eyes again, I'm back at the moment he begs me for blood. I say yes calmly. I consider it the final debt I owe the Gates family. Cayden, from now on, we're done. There are no more ties between us.

“Your husband wants you dead!” The voice on the phone said to Evelyn. Just then, the car started acting weird. As she tried to control the vehicle, it malfunctioned and crashed into a tree. Evelyn hit her head and lost consciousness. ***** Evelyn had the perfect life - a beautiful home, successful law firm, and a loving marriage. Or so she thought. Shattered by her husband's brutal attempt to end her life, Evelyn decided to take her revenge and make her enemies pay. As she plotted her revenge by pretending to have lost her memories, a new threat emerged. Two men claimed to be her husband— the one she thought she knew, and a mysterious, ruthless billionaire. Now, Evelyn's survival depends on this unexpected twist— will it change her plans or will it influence her revenge?

Once in a millennium, the Phoenix will rise. The earth, the shifters, even the planet will call to her, pleading for her help. When they do, she always answers their call. Each time, she will choose a young woman who is deserving of carrying her fire, someone who is loving and caring, but with an inner strength that is difficult to break. Emmi Johnson is a human orphan who was kidnapped by The Mean Ones, grotesque shifters who wanted to create an army to destroy the elemental dragons and other hybrids. The dragons saved her and the others who were being held hostage, but the damage was already done. The Mean Ones were injecting her with their Komodo dragon DNA to make her into a shifter. The pain was excruciating, but the headaches that began soon afterward were worse. Ajax is a human runaway that was captured and experimented on by The Chief and Oliver. They injected him with earth dragon and elf DNA, turning him into a dragon hybrid. When Emmi senses chaos around her, something inside of her begins tearing at her insides. The screeching in her head makes her head throb. Ajax is the only one who can calm the fury inside her. Emmi is terrified that something’s wrong with her. Doc Everett can’t figure out what she is. That is until one day when the danger becomes so great that the Phoenix rises, melding itself to Emmi in a dangerous display of fire that is stronger than any fire dragon’s. Can Ajax help Emmi to find herself? Can she accept that she is no longer human, having been chosen by the ancient Phoenix? And can she become one with her shifter spirit before the danger that threatens them all comes for them?

"We are enemies." "That doesn't stop me from possessing you." He breathed and every word he whispered later on sent chills down my spine, "You are mine, Amara. From the pale blonde strands of your hair to your faded nail-polished toes. Every breath you take is mine. Not excluding the freckles dusting your cheeks to the pimples on your face. Your misery is mine, which I shall bring upon you myself. From your giggles to your random nonsensical chatter, I own them! Your darn strawberry moments are mine. Every drop of blood that flows through your veins belongs to me and so does your last breath when I snuff life out of you, watching as your pretty green eyes lose their shine and your heartbeat goes dull beneath my palm." His hand traveled to my neck, fingers lacing around it, and he squeezed a bit, "Who do you belong to?" He asked capturing my ear lobe between his lips and I shivered. "Myself and you can't have me!" I swung my head back and crashed it against his, sending him reeling backward. **************** You have got to let your loved ones know what's happening with you' Amara snow Dardanos learns this the hard way when her perfect world is crushed by a secret she kept away from her family. Orian Wolfe Akanther, one of the leaders of the underworld is given the task of taking the werewolf princess as vengeance for the injustice and treachery done to his kind. The plan was simple, to take her, watch her family and kind crumble beneath his finger tips and then kill her but that plan seems to foil when his nonexistent heart leans towards her and he is at the risk of breaking a blood oath.

Marcus Adrian Lee. Adrian. Just saying your name makes my heart race so fast that I could barely breathe. I never wanted to fall for you...but I did. It was a cliché really, but I just couldn't help myself. I'm not sure if was your subtle charm or that certain sadness in your voice that drew me to you but all I know is that you're a habit that I could never kick. Will you ever see me the way that I saw you? Will I ever have the courage to finally admit my unrequited feelings? And will the day ever come when I'll finally be able to hear the words, "Madison Rain Rivera, I am in love with you, too."? Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Just before my wedding, I did the unthinkable—I switched places with Raine Miller, my fiancé's childhood sweetheart. It had been an accident, but I uncovered the painful truth—Bruno Russell, the man I loved, had already built a happy home with Raine. I never knew before, but now I do. For five long years in our relationship, Bruno had never so much as touched me. I once thought it was because he was worried about my weak heart, but I couldn't be more mistaken. He simply wanted to keep himself pure for Raine, to belong only to her. Our marriage wasn't for love. Bruno wanted me so he could control my father's company. Fine! If he craved my wealth so much, I would give it all to him. I sold every last one of my shares, and then vanished without a word. Leaving him, forever.

Celeste Rodriguez and Trevor Fleming have been married for seven years. He treats her coldly throughout the marriage, but she faces it with a smile because she loves him deeply. She also believes she can melt his heart one day. However, all she gets is the news of him falling for another woman at first sight. He gives her all his care and concern, but Celeste stands strong. On her birthday, she flies abroad to be with Trevor and their daughter, Jordyn Fleming. To her devastation, Trevor brings Jordyn to meet his true love. They leave Celeste to spend the day alone. She finally gives up on him. She's also no longer hurt when Jordyn wants the woman to replace her as her mother. Celeste prepares a divorce agreement and gives up her custody rights. She leaves without another look back, cutting Trevor and Jordyn out of her life. All she needs to do now is wait for the divorce to be finalized. After giving up on her family and returning to the workplace, she easily makes a fortune. She shows the people who once looked down on her that she's better than they think. Celeste waits for her divorce certificate to arrive, but it never comes. She also notices that Trevor starts coming home more often when he's always refused in the past. He clings to her, too. When he learns that she wants a divorce, he drops his usual aloofness and pins her to the wall. "A divorce? That's not happening."