As long as God's light has existed so has the darkness, and thus creatures of the darkness--ancient creatures nearly as old as the devil himself. God, however, in all of His mysterious ways, has a plan. A plan that may yet bring enlightenment to one man and salvation to others. Unfortunately, not all participants in His plan are willing, and being volun-TOLD, for anything, is where Ray Segal draws the line. Ray had his own plans and they didn't involve a mythical sky daddy, a shady priest, a beady-eyed "book collector", and least of all burying the one person in the world who always had his back. Now, Ray must open his mind and his eyes to new possibilities and find a way to deal with the harsh reality of his brother's passing. But, to do so means going deep within the bane of his whole childhood existence...the church. Will he find the answers he seeks? And if he does, can he bear the burden of that knowledge? Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
The hustle and bustle of the bar didn't render my bad mood. Staring down at the empty glass, I tapped my finger and then my leg impatiently. The television sounded loud even through the noises the bar visitors made. I heard it all. The news report about Brad Segal being mauled by some wild animal in an alley--the shit didn't sit right with me. Nothing about the story made sense. An animal? They wouldn't allow me to see the body. His wife said it was even too much for her to handle to just identify him. I definitely don't know how she did it.
"It's a damn shame what happened to him, Ray." The bartender said, taking me out of my daze. "Your brother was a good man." I only nodded, shaking the glass in my hands to gesture to it being empty. He sighed as he poured the contents of the clear liquid back into my glass. With one gulp, it was gone again. "You really believe what the news is saying?" He waited for me to answer, but I didn't. "You really think it's some kind of animal out there?"
I scoffed while massaging my head. "My brother was murdered, Charles. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. The fucking news don't know shit about what's going on." I argued trying to keep my anger at bay, but it spilled over. "Just turn that shit off." It worked. The silence of the TV now caused me to close my eyes at the pounding in my head and the emptiness in my heart. Brad and I were really close, even though we were opposites.
He settled down, started a family. I, on the other hand, was with a different woman every chance I got. My job made it easy for me to meet a lot of sexy ladies. There was no way I was going to turn them down by settling with one of them. Brad was religious, went to church every time the doors opened, not just on Sundays. If there was a sin, he had to confess it. I thought him to be a fool for believing in such nonsense. Everyone knows the dark rumors surrounding the catholic churches, but nevertheless, Brad never judged me, so how dare I judge him.
It was what made him so great. He never judged others, only himself. Thinking of how great he was made me realize how much of a shitty human being I was. His family was mourning. My nieces counted on me, needed me. But here I was drinking my life away at the same bar I visited almost every Friday night. This time, my heart was just heavy and I needed anything to take my mind off the fact my dear brother was now gone.
"It's still a damn shame. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you," Charles offered. I only nodded, holding my glass out, again.
"Just keep 'em coming Charles." This time he didn't argue. The sad look on my face must've convinced him I needed a little extra tonight. After I lost count of the shots and I could barely walk, I stumbled out of the bar, with Charles calling after me but I didn't stop. The night air was much needed as I looked into the sky, feeling the droplets of rain. Just my luck.
My feet lead the way as I continued to stumble into the night air. Before I realized it, I was on the steps of the very church Brad attended. My anger, most likely, was driving me to confront anyone responsible for his murder. I staggered, falling over as I burst into the doors. No one was there. No one I could see, anyway, in my drunken stupor. Taking a cautious step forward, I grabbed on to anything I could. The pews in front of me led the way to the alter.
Once I was out of leverage, I fell on my knees right before the Jesus statue, turning my head to see Brad doing the same thing. It brought me comfort and anguish all at once. "Why didn't you just go home? How could you leave me?" I cried. In my drunken state, I was in no condition to hold in what I truly felt... pain. I sobbed the kind of cry that left you breathless and empty.
"I'm sorry? Child of God are you talking to me?"
I looked up to see the priest, not as old as I thought he should look. He bent down and placed his hand on my back to comfort me, but I sat up aggressively nearly toppling backward. "Don't touch me!"
The priest stood up with a pout of disappointment on his face. "You must be Ray Segal."
"How the fuck do you know me?"
"Mind your words, boy, in the house of God." The priest snapped, face now turning serious as I scoffed with a smirk that didn't reach my eyes.
"Where was this God, or you, when Brad was getting murdered? Why weren't you there to protect him?" I pointed to the priest, taking several steps forward as he seemed saddened by my words, as if I struck a nerve.
"What happened to Brother Segal is truly terrible. The entire mass felt the loss when I told them the news. I, too, am greatly saddened by his ascension. But I have comfort in knowing he is with the Father. It may take some non-believers, like yourself, more time to accept this to be true, but Brother Brad is in a much better place."
I shook my head. "Tell that to his two little girls who are wondering where their father is. Don't pretend to know what I am going through..."
The priest took another step closer to me and this time I was paralyzed with the death glare in his eyes. My body refused to move and the only thing I could do was act tough. It was cooler than shitting my pants, which was sure to happen if he took another step to me. "Brad used to pray for your soul more than anyone, Ray. I could tell he loved you dearly and I see the love you have for him that you don't know how to express. Just try to remember, Ray, you do not want to go down this path of vengeance. You won't like where it will lead you."
"He has the same percentage that Brother Brad has." A voice said as I turned my head to see who spoke. I could only look horrified as the priest, finally, took a step back releasing me from whatever hold he had on me. I fell back hard with a thud.
"Who said that?" I asked in a panic.
The priest didn't even seem too worried. "He has the potential, but he is a non-believer. This could go very wrong." I looked even more confused as to what they were talking about. "Ray is just grieving, as we all are, for his loss. He just needs to forget." I opened my mouth to protest, but the priest stepped forward to me, again, and placed his thumb on my forehead before I could open my mouth to say anything. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and everything went black.
The world is full of corruption, tragedy, and disaster. Rape, murder, embezzlement, human trafficking. You name it. There is nothing humans won’t do for money, power or self-gratification. More than that it always seems that the downtrodden and the good-natured always suffer the most. The cherry on top? All this suffering is supposed to be rewarded in heaven when you die…if you make it there that is. Sounds ridiculous, right? Don’t worry you aren’t alone. My name is Jasmine Peters and I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired as the world around me crumbles while Sky Daddy watches from his ivory tower. I was cursed with the ability to read minds and now I’m owning this curse on my own terms and saving whoever I can with it. If God won’t help us… I will.Gabriel: I’ll never understand The Almighty’s infatuation with these creatures. Humans demand so much, but yet they give so little and whatever they are given they destroy. The audacity of this human especially leaves me particularly annoyed. She dares to defy divinity and scoffs in the face of The Almighty when it was divinity that has gifted her with the ability to do so in the first place. Only a creature as lost as a human would be given a gift and label it a curse. Nonetheless, as the hand of The Almighty, I will do as I am asked by tending the flock and heard this lost sheep back to pasture. As troublesome as she may be, I fear there is something much more sinister at play and she appears to be at the epicenter of this chaos. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
If Amarria Martin knows anything in life then it's definitely heartbreak. Once she meets the inhumanely strong and handsome Savion however, she soon learns that she, like her fierce new protector, is much more than what meets the eye. Overcome with an inexplicable attraction Savion has placed himself in the beautiful Amarria's path - and potentially placed her in the midst of danger as well. Will these unshakable feelings be explored or will she high tail it out of Savion's inviting reach to reclaim the quiet life she has always known? Will their time together lead to an amazing adventure filled with challenges they can only overcome together or will Savion’s judgment now intertwined with desire lead to unspeakable tragedy? Indulge yourself in a world of secrecy, passion, rage and preternatural feats then decide. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
Undisclosed Desires A G.E.M (Government Enhanced Men) series is a romance, action, choose your own path story. The government has kidnapped and tortured children transforming them into super beings to carry out their own agenda. This story follows the bravery of Savion and Shadow, twin brothers and their adopted family David, Melody, Sara and Jet who escaped the government fiends who call themselves the Cloak, which includes five members total. Savion’s and Shadow’s mission is to protect their family from the Cloak’s advances while unveiling the secret plot that threatens to consume the world. Enthrall yourself in this action-packed romantic novel with superpowers.With Savion and Armarria on kiddie detail his twin brother Shadow, as a result, is left alone to do the grunt work which is to locate the next cloak member poised to fill Raul's newly vacant role. As if that in itself weren't enough of a headache, he is also on the hunt to track down a water elemental by the name of Sephora. However, when Sephora and Shadow finally do cross paths he finds that she won't go along so easily as she is on a grueling quest of her own - to find her long-missing sister. While she may be somewhat enamored by Shadow’s quick-witted charm it doesn't change the facts: 1) he's a heartless killer and 2) they both have important yet conflicting missions. With nothing but a darkened past behind her and an uncertain future ahead, she has to make a decision about Shadow and soon. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
If Amarria Martin knows anything in life then it's definitely heartbreak. Once she meets the inhumanely strong and handsome Savion however, she soon learns that she, like her fierce new protector, is much more than what meets the eye. Overcome with an inexplicable attraction Savion has placed himself in the beautiful Amarria's path - and potentially placed her in the midst of danger as well. Will these unshakable feelings be explored or will she high tail it out of Savion's inviting reach to reclaim the quiet life she has always known? Will their time together lead to an amazing adventure filled with challenges they can only overcome together or will Savion’s judgment now intertwined with desire lead to unspeakable tragedy? Indulge yourself in a world of secrecy, passion, rage and preternatural feats then decide. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
Ken has always hated who he is: a half vampire. His guardian, Allen, encourages the young man to embrace the darkness within. Vampires can’t help but feed on humans. Why fight something that’s a part of you? Ken knows that behind Allen’s charismatic demeanor lies a monster. He also realizes that every step he takes into the world of blood and brutality moves him further away from love and humanity. Ken has managed to carve half a life for himself by refusing to give in to his temptations, but that all changes when he meets Teya. Teya is a lonely college student who is recovering from a painful breakup. After she witnesses several vampires savagely murder her roommate at a frat party, she finds herself in grave danger. She has information that vampires would kill to keep secret and that vampire hunters would just plain kill to keep. Ken vows to protect Teya but begins breaking his own rules as he grows closer to her. Ken has always believed he can never be with a woman due to his nature, but Teya just might inspire him to start thinking differently about his identity and his future. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
Teya never realized how much she would miss the pleasures of having a normal life. From lifestyle changes to relationship altering circumstances to an army of nocturnal, blood-lusting New Breeds trying to sink their teeth into her flesh, Teya needs more help than what she thinks. As her love for Ken grows, she becomes desperate for her fight for normality and begins to search for it. This leads to some interesting finds... Meanwhile, her lover, Ken, is trying to adjust to his new life as well. With the darkness of his vampiric ancestry coursing through his mind and body, he is fighting barbaric nature in order to stay sane. With the threat of the New Breeds lurking, he will need assistance from his father, Kenneth and the Leader of the Vampire Association, Markees, to bring the fight to the New Breeds. Ken, in a blood rage, embarks on a search for the one thing he wants. To kill the one who turned him into this God forsaking Vampire. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
"Carroll Brown is dead! But you have to marry him in your sister's name." My mother said to me in a cold tone. My sister was engaged to the hottest billionaire. It should have been a perfect marriage. Unexpectedly, Carroll was dead in an accident. My sister didn't want to become a widow, so she forced me to marry her dead fiance. And I had no right to refuse her. Actually, I was the biological daughter of the Smith family. My sister was an adoptive one. My sister and I had been swapped at the hospital when we were just born. My parents had already had a deep relationship with her. So they chose to sacrifice me. On the wedding day, I was taken to the mourning hall. "Ma'am, please keep Master company and let him feel warm." The housekeeper said with a cold expression. I couldn't help but look up at the portrait above the coffin, and my heart skipped a beat at this glance. The man in the portrait was more handsome than the superstars in Hollywood. Carroll Brown? My dead husband? Wow, he was really handsome! I didn't know how long had passed when my stomach began to rebel. After one glance at the coffin, I swallowed my saliva and then begged with my fingers crossed. "Mr. Carroll, I'm starving! May I eat your pastries? You don't mind, do you?" "I do." "Ah!" Scared, I broke out in a cold sweat. My legs went limp, and I fell to the ground. I shouted, "Ghost!" Carroll curled his lips, leaned over, and touched the black coffin. "Mr. Carroll has risen from the dead. What do you think of this headline tomorrow?"
When they were kids, Derek saved Norah's life. Years later, after Derek ended up in a vegetative state from a car crash, Norah married him without a second thought and even used her medical knowledge to heal him. For two years, Norah was devoted, seeking his affection and looking to settle her life-saving debt. But when Derek's first love returned, Norah, faced with divorce, didn't hesitate to sign. Despite being labeled as forsaken, few knew of her true talents. She was a race car driver, a famed designer, a genius hacker, and a renowned doctor. Regretting his decision, Derek begged for her forgiveness. Just then, a charming CEO intervened, embracing Norah and declaring, "Back off! She's my wife!" Taken aback, Norah blurted out, "What did you say?"
Drugged and deceived, she bore a child amidst tragedy-her son, falsely declared dead at birth. Fueled by the agony, she disappeared, only to return years later with both her daughter and an adopted son, driven by an unyielding desire for revenge against those who had wronged her and her late mother. The plot takes an unexpected twist when the haunting truth surfaces: her son is alive, and his father is a powerful CEO.
She was a diamond covered by ashes.... King Dakota was known as the most Powerful Alpha King of all times - more powerful than any other King that had ruled from his lineage. He was cold hearted, introverted and dangerous in anger. Cursed by the Moon goddess, King Dakota had to get married to three wives all in search of a male child that would become his heir, but it was impossible as the curse would only let his wives bear she -wolves. But on a different day, the King meets a lady who offends him and as a punishment, he took her home as his fourth wife. Her name was Shilah. Shilah was a powerless wolf and as a result, was disregarded and intimidated by all. But, when she begins to do things that the King had never felt for years, he began to wonder who she really was. Slowly, she crawled her way into his icy heart and turned out to be something nobody ever expected - a storm.
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
Loraine was a dutiful wife to Marco since they got married three years ago. However, he treated her like trash. Nothing she did softened his heart. One day, Loraine got fed up with it all. She asked him for a divorce and left him to enjoy with his mistress. The elites looked at her like she was deranged. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so willing to divorce him?" "It's because I need to return home to get a billion-dollar fortune. Besides, I don't love him anymore," Loraine replied with a smile. They all laughed at her. Some believed that the divorce affected her mentally. It wasn't until the next day that they realized she wasn't fibbing. A woman was suddenly declared the world's youngest female billionaire. It turned out to be Loraine! Marco was shocked to the bone. When he met his ex-wife again, she was a changed person. A group of handsome young men surrounded her. She was smiling at them all. The sight made Marco's heart ache severely. Putting his pride aside, he tried to win her back. "Hello, love. I see that you are a billionaire now. You shouldn't be with suckers who just want your money. How about you come back to me? I'm a billionaire too. Together, we can build a strong empire. What do you say?" Loraine squinted at her ex-husband with her lips curled in disgust.