/0/22085/coverbig.jpg?v=9c8d042accbe28222e7aa6817c2f600b)
Tempest City find themselves with elemental powers bestowed upon them by a council of gods. Now their challenge is to avoid a government that seeks to capture them and a syndicate that wants
Anomaly - n. (pl. anomalies)
Something that deviates from what is standard or what is normal.
Racing through the dark sewers beneath a metropolis with a bag full of irreplaceable jewelry in her hand.
The clatter of her shoes against the hard cement while she ran; water splashing as she strode across shallow puddles.
It was dark, yet she could see. Escaping her pursuers and baffling them with her precise movements and wicked speed advantage over them... this was truly a rush for the girl cloaked in darkness that was escaping with her latest claim in a series of thefts.
"Get back here, you damn thief!" a guy's voice cried out after her. She, of course, wasn't going to listen. The two guys trailing her weren't regular cops, they were something above and beyond: a special task force designed to deal with unique criminals like her.
If they caught her, it would be all over... permanently. She was in her element however, surrounded by rushing water that - to her - was as in tune with her body as the air she breathed. Alexis-Lynn Carlyle was no ordinary human, no, she was...
"An Anomaly, just as we thought," the task force member on the pathway to the left of the rushing water down the center spoke both to his partner and into his communicator, "it's probably the same one who hit the museum three nights ago."
"You can't be sure of that, Collin," a voice spoke back to him and his partner through an earpiece, "the effects on the surroundings of each of the crime scenes have been different: different elements."
"This one was Vapor for sure," the boy racing along the right side of the sewers spoke into his communicator as he looked ahead and began to pick up his pace, "I can hear her footsteps. I'm rushing forward to get her!"
"Roy, wait!" Collin cried out as his partner ran as fast as he could, increasing his speed beyond what a normal human could attain. Collin wasn't sure if this was a good idea; they had no idea what their enemy was capable of and in this dark setting their flashlights only gave them so much light to work with.
He noticed however, that their perpetrator didn't even need a flashlight to navigate the sewers. She was using her Affinity, her elemental power she had been gifted with, in a special way that gave her knowledge of her surroundings. He wasn't sure how she was doing it but that put them at a huge disadvantage!
Roy dashed down the tunnel, his dirty blond hair tied up in a ponytail whipping out behind him as he ran, chasing down the girl he sought to capture. He was running with ease in his large army boots, losing no traction even on this slippery path. He was also wearing black jeans and a heavy green vest that seemed to be part of his military attire. As part of APS - the Anomaly Police Squad - his job was simple: to capture any and all Anomalies before they could use their powers to upset the natural balance and expose the existence of these mysteriously powered beings to the world.
Anomalies were to be kept a strict secret; the government was trying to make sure of that.
"Here I come!" Roy yelled out as he bounded forward through the air at top speed, reaching both of his hands over his head and brightening up the whole sewer as he did. Collin watched from behind as Roy had literally formed a sword out of pure light with his Light Affinity. The wide sword extended upward from his right wrist as he gripped that wrist with his left hand; trying to keep it steady.
As Roy lit up the area with his shining weapon, the girl they were in pursuit of stopped running and turned to look up at what was causing such an effect. Collin narrowed his eyes at her, homing in right on her face to try and get a good look at their thief.
"Curses... she's wearing a mask! I can't identify her!"
Suddenly Alexis cast out her right hand and materialized a weapon of her own within it! Collin knew that every Anomaly was able to form a weapon of choice to aid them in battle but he didn't expect her to be wielding such a dangerous one! Roy's eyes widened in alarm as he flew toward Alexis, unable to stop himself now!
"Uh-oh."
Alexis thrust her long trident up toward Roy and blocked his sword with the three-pronged tip of her extended weapon! Roy was surprised she didn't simply skewer him with her longer reach as his sword slid downward and locked into the base part of the trident where the three blades were extending from. He pulled back and took a leap to get some distance from her; just in time to notice her wearing a smirk on her face.
"Haah!" she cried out as she slashed the trident in front of herself. the blue pearl that was protruding from the shaft glowing a serene blue color, and unleashed a massive wave of water from the center of the sewers at him! Roy was alarmed as this water rose up out of the pipeline in the center and began to freeze; becoming multiple spikes of ice bearing down on him with malicious intent!
Roy immediately disassembled his light sword and fell backward, hitting his back against the floor of the pathway before one of the ice spears rammed right into his chest! Alexis stared from the other side at the wall of ice she'd created, taking a few stunned steps back, before she turned and continued to flee.
"Whew..." Roy gasped as lay sweating on the ground, surprisingly unharmed, "if I hadn't armored up I'd be quite dead right now."
In addition to shattered ice lying across the ground, Roy was also laying there with his body now coated in a black and silver armor that was similarly designed as Alexis's trident. He was glad for the strong chest plate he wore as one of the massive ice spears was pressed right against it, having shattered upon impacting the stronger material.
"Now..." he muttered as he tried to get up but was subsequently pressed against the ground by the ice pillar, "... I'm a little stuck. Yo Collin, you mind-"
Collin leapt right over him, ignoring him, as he smashed through the ice with his own weapon in hand. Roy wasn't freed by this though and simply glared after his squad leader.
"Yeah, thanks."
"If we don't catch her now we might not get another chance!" Collin yelled back at his partner. The more slender boy with short brown hair was hot on her trail now after Roy had delayed her, especially now that he was on the same side she was on. He was dressed similarly to Roy with the green vest and was gripping his weapon: a rather thick knife whose blade flipped out from the grip.
Collin scanned his eyes along the wall, hoping that as they dashed, he'd see what he was looking for. He could hear her running ahead of him, so he knew he was close to her, but he wasn't going to leap in recklessly like Roy. Finally he saw what he desired: a fuse box!
"Hey thief, time for you to see what the Plasma affinity can do!" Collin yelled out at her as he slammed his palm against the metal box attached to the wall. Sparks flew everywhere as he sent an electrical current through the wiring and caused the ceiling before her to explode! Alexis slid to a halt as debris and electrified wires fell before her, barring her path.
"Nowhere to run now!"
"You think so, huh?" Alexis responded in a rather arrogant tone, speaking to them for the first time, "you're so naïve, no wonder APS is useless."
"What!?" an annoyed Collin yelled out at her.
"Ciao," she said, waving at him before diving straight into the waterway! Collin ran over to the side of the pathway, quite befuddled by her swift escape. With her Vapor affinity, she could probably breathe underwater and swim fast even with the current... they'd never catch her now.
"Ahh... damn it," he muttered, falling backward and sitting down to catch his breath, "she got away again. Who IS that girl...?"
"Why didn't you just fry the water?" Roy asked, approaching his partner after he'd finally freed himself. He was still wearing his heavy armor, which was the form of his materialized weapon, so it took him a little bit to catch up.
"We aren't trying to kill her. That's not how APS works."
"She sure tried to kill ME."
"You know, if she wanted to kill you, she'd have skewered you the first time she had you with her trident," Collin noted, quite confused with their mystery girl, "... yet she gave you a moment to back off and even protect yourself."
"What are you getting at?" Roy wondered, staring down at his exhausted ally. Collin shook his head, de-materializing his knife as he didn't need it anymore and wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"I want pizza is what I'm getting at."
"Well I want tacos."
Collin stood up and began to search for the nearest ladder out of this smelly underground hell, "Well you're getting pizza if you want me to pay for it."
Roy hesitated for a moment before following his leader, "... yeah, I'm down with that."
As the two APS officers made their way out of the sewers, Alexis emerged from the water at the same point she'd dove in from. As her soaking wet body crept back up onto land, it dried almost instantaneously thanks to her manipulating the water molecules. She looked down in her right hand, she still had the jewelry; she'd won.
"Men. So pathetic."
Alexis turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind a battlefield beyond what any normal human could comprehend. As children, the three of them could never have imagined they'd eventually possess these amazing powers. Now they were caught up in the power struggle that reigned over this city; between two forces seeking these mysterious Anomalies. One side to contain them and the other to use them; and thus the stage for our story is set. Now begins...
Asher Blackwood, billionaire CEO of Blackwood Industries, had it all: wealth, power, and a string of glamorous girlfriends. But when his grandfather, the company's founder, threatens to cut him off from the family fortune, Asher is forced to comply with one condition: marry the naive village girl, Sophia, chosen by his grandfather. Sophia, with her simple charm and kind heart, is the complete opposite of the high-society women Asher is accustomed to. As they embark on a reluctant marriage, Asher struggles to reconcile his arrogant persona with the genuine feelings Sophia stirs within him. Will Asher's icy heart melt under Sophia's gentle touch, or will their arranged marriage remain a loveless business transaction?
Ty, just another skateboarding HS junior, was minding her own legal business when she gets stuck in the middle of a mafia fight with guns, knives, and potato launchers, only armed with her trusty skateboard. What does she do? Runs for her life only to get captured and asked to marry one of the three sons of the don. And then people want to kill her. Obviously.
Stonehall High isn't your average school. Although the student body is mostly comprised of humans, it isn't too strange to come across zombies, vampires, werewolves and a whole manner of other ghastly creatures. An all-rounder story that comprises of Supernatural, Action and Romance in a high school setting.
For years vampires and werewolves have waged war on one another. At last the blood war is near its end. Currently, the war is at stand still granting both sides a chance to live what could be their final moments and to prepare for one last battle. For Vampire, Angel and Werewolf, Raven the blood war is least of their worries. (Warning: Rated M Sexual Themes and Language.)
After a tragic accident, Rebecca Rhodes is forced to move to the small town of Wallace, Idaho where she stumbles across a supernatural world of Werewolves & vampires. After a series of events she is claimed as the Alpha wolf's mate but refuses to be forced into this new life. She refuses the claim but soon becomes a target for a rogue werewolf who is wreaking havoc on Wallace
As the last Great War rages on, a boy and a girl struggle to forge a new future together. However, a spirit from their youths will come back to haunt them, and remind them how the past does not easily forget. Peter Daniels and Tanya Koslova have returned home after a harrowing escape from Stalingrad. With the worst seemingly over, they now must confront their feelings for each other if they are to live together as they had hoped. But as they fight their own internal battles, an old enemy lurks in the shadows, waiting to strike. It is a story of love, heartbreak, and revenge.
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
Elin spent twenty years deeply loving her husband, finally marrying him just as she'd always dreamed. But reality shattered her illusions—he wasn't the man she believed. Instead, he callously destroyed her family, crushing her heart beyond repair. At her lowest point, Ruben, equally betrayed that night, approached her steadily. "Marry me, Elin. I'll help you take revenge." Yet, after their wedding, she quickly discovered he was dangerously unpredictable. "I made a mistake. Let's divorce..." Ruben slid his arm possessively around her waist, whispering a chilling promise, "Only in death."
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
"You're my wife in name only, on paper only. My heart and love will never be yours." Edward made it clear to Daisy that she was nothing to him. They were both victims of family greed -- the marriage was arranged for them. Six years passed. She remained quiet, gaining a reputation in the army as a tough-as-nails colonel. When she walked into his life again, Edward fell in love with this woman, unlike any he had known. She surprised and delighted him. But will Daisy take him back? Can their son keep them together? Can the rift between them be healed? Pick this one up and find out!
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.