Victorian Last Names

I woke up staring at divorce papers—from the guy I'd crushed on all through college. My name. His. Right there on the page. He said I cheated. Last thing I remembered? Getting ready to finally tell him how I felt at our graduation party. Now suddenly, we've got a four-year-old. And him? He looked at me like I was some rando off the street. No trace of the sweet, soft guy I used to know. Just ice. What did I miss? What the hell happened in the last five years?

The Forgotten. Massacre and regicide under the orders of an unspeakably evil priesthood decimate the ranks of the honourable Galadon Knights, and destroy the Royal family who the Knights are sworn to protect. Now outlawed and despised, the Knights are forced, for four generations, 120 years, to hide in secret as they regain their strength for their final confrontation with the religious order. But their biggest secret is that they also hide the last surviving member of the Royal family. Finally strong enough, the last surviving Royal is brought out of hiding and told of her heritage and true identity. Unfortunately a key part of her heritage, a mysterious and magical amethyst pendant, is lost and without it her legitimacy to the throne can not be proven. So starts a desperate quest to search for the pendant to prove the claim of Princess Astrid who must be crowned before the first full moon after her 21st birthday. As more of her heritage is discovered so is passionate romance, bloody battles, betrayal, magic and alliances with the mysterious Elves, Dwarves, Dryads and Mrawlers of the planet. With her 21st birthday quickly approaching, the amethyst lost and the armies are moving into position for a final confrontation, this is their last chance, and time is running out.

When Kristina got her job as the secretary to the CEO of Black’s textiles, the last thing she expected was to end up in his bed, while he was married to her sister. **** “We need to stop doing this,” Kristina muttered silently to the beautiful man lying next to her. He chuckled silently as he dabbed her cheek with his finger. “You're having so much fun with this,” he teased, She closed her eyes, savoring the moment. As much as she hated admitting it, it was indeed true. She wasn't supposed to be happy nor satisfied in this situation with her in-law. She was betraying her only sister. Her only sane family. She needed to break up with him. She would break up with him, she decided. But as soon as she opened her eyes, the words disappeared from her tongue. “Well, one last time.” She agreed to his pleading eyes. Only that, deep down she knew it wasn't one last time. This unending desire for her in-law would consume her.

Grandpa died, and we immediately went for each other's throats over the inheritance. Then a blizzard hit, trapping us all in the family estate. An app appeared on our phones: [THE LAST ZOMBIE: FINAL RECKONING]. We had to pick a hiding spot. The last one standing—the last human standing—would inherit everything. I chose the dark, silent recording studio in the basement. Away from them all. When it was time to pick special powers, my family chose powerful weapons or pocket dimensions full of supplies. I chose Bio-Stasis. It slowed my cells to a crawl, and my body along with them. My stepbrother's fiancée, Chloe, called me an idiot. "Hiding from your family and picking a useless power? You're on a suicide mission." They threw a zombie-slaying party upstairs, already celebrating an inheritance they hadn't even won. Until, one by one, they turned. And started tearing each other apart. What they didn't know... was that I'd rigged the game from the start. The only way to win was to stay completely silent.

Demitri and Becca are inseparable from birth. But when two friends become academic rivals, they may reconsider their bond. Will it last, or will jealousy get the best of them?

Hannah has spent the last ten years in an orphanage, ever since the night her entire pack was murdered. The daughter of Alpha's, she has been a rogue since that fateful night. Her life is turned upside down once again when she meets her mate. Her joy at his acceptance of her as his mate, even with he rogue status is short lived as a previously unknown threat makes itself known, revealing Hannah's true heritage in the process. Will she rise to the challenge and claim her rightful place on the Were-throne, or will the enemy of her parents succeed in eliminating the last wolf in their way for taking the throne?

EXCERPT: Students were running for their lives, vampires were hunting down their preys, friends betrayed friends by leaving them behind and saving their own lives first and soon, they all spread across the streets, causing chaos and killing anyone that they came across. There was carnage everywhere and from where Amber and the others stood, horror filled their eyes and Amber knew just what was happening. It was like the story that Hazel had told her back at the bookshop. The Chosen One didn't make a sacrifice. She wanted revenge and these were the army she was after. The last war was not really the last after all. Now, the fate of mortality lies in her hand. She was the Chosen One, but she does not remember any of that, even though she has a feeling that she knew these people. *** This is a story of Amber Willow, a seventeen year old girl living in a small City called Cinder. Though, her life doesn't always go according to the way it should, she believed she was just as normal as the rest of the kid out there but what she didn't realize was that, she was the One sent to bring an end to the existence of the wild creatures and because of that, other covens wanted her dead. The day she remembers who she really is, is the day the war would continue from where she last ended it and this time, she would not make the same mistake she made the last time. Her revenge would begin and it would start from the ones who took away the people dear to her. One by one, she would haunt them down and put an end to their immortality. ---Kyra Blackburn

Maya Rivers never thought desperation would lead her back into the arms of the man who once shattered her. To save her sister’s life, she agrees to become a surrogate through a private, anonymous agency—no names, no attachments, no complications. But when the intended father is revealed, her world comes crashing down. The baby’s father is none other than Adrian Knight—her cold, ruthless ex-husband and the billionaire who accused her of betrayal, tore apart their marriage, and left her heart in ruins. Adrian wants an heir more than anything. What he didn’t expect was Maya—the only woman he ever loved and lost—carrying his child. Bound by legal contracts and unresolved emotions, he demands she move into his estate, forcing them into a tense, unwanted reunion under one roof. As Maya’s belly grows, so does the tangled web of secrets between them. Old wounds resurface, passion rekindles, and truths long buried begin to unravel: the betrayal that destroyed them was a lie, their divorce was never finalized, and this pregnancy is far from ordinary. Now, with their future—and their twins—hanging in the balance, Maya and Adrian must face the question neither dared to ask: Is love enough to heal what was broken, or will pride and pain tear them apart forever?

“Coming back after just leaving a few hours ago with no injury on you, I guess you must have chicken out” his mocking voice said making me stop in my tracks, turning around. “Seems you have something against me, elder” I said, looking at him. “I have nothing against you, girl. I have something against the creature living rent free inside of you” he said. Guess someone is blunt today. “What happened to the creature inside of me?” I asked, looking at him calmly. “They are vile, unfit and too weak to stand against a demon like us” he spat at me. “And what is your solution, elder?” I asked. “Leave the king and go back to where you came from, we don’t want you here. Our king deserves better” he said, glaring at me hatefully. Hated for being a wolf Being abused physically and mentally by a demon who has an unhealthy obsession over her mate Trying to prove herself to her mate’s kingdom while trying to protect her loved one’s, Lillian definitely have enough on her plate, will she prove herself she is not the names she is being called or will a bigger threat, not only claim her life but the one’s around her and the throne?

Married three years. Stood up three years. Today was the last time I bothered showing up. Surprise—he bailed again. Still clinging to hope like a total idiot, I called. One last shot. "A-Aurora, I'm busy. Just wait," he muttered. And then her voice cut in. All breathy and smug: "That old woman can't satisfy you, huh? Paolo, be gentle." Click. Right on cue, Marco Medici—loyal, patient, saint-like Marco—sent his 99th proposal. This time, I didn't leave him hanging. [Want to come over for bollito misto?]