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
My family was on the poverty line and had no way to support me in college. I had to work part-time every day just to make ends meet and afford to get into the university. That was when I met her—the pretty girl in my class that every boy dreamt of asking out. I was well aware she was out of my league. Nevertheless, I mustered all my courage and bravely told her that I had fallen for her. To my surprise, she agreed to be my girlfriend. With the sweetest smile I had ever seen, she told me that she wanted my first gift for her to be the latest and top-of-the-line iPhone. I worked like a dog and even did my classmates’ laundry to save up. My hard work eventually paid off after a month. I finally got to buy what she wanted. But as I was wrapping my gift, I saw her in the dressing room, making out with the captain of the basketball team. She then heartlessly made fun of my inadequacy and made a fool out of me. To make things worse, the guy whom she cheated on me with even punched me in the face. Desperation washed over me, but there was nothing I could do but lie on the floor as they trampled on my feelings. But then, my father called me out of the blue, and my life turned upside down. It turned out that I was a billionaire's son.
As far as everyone was concerned, William had married Renee under duress. Now that his one true love was back—and with child—they couldn’t wait for him to abandon Renee. Surprisingly, Renee was candid about the situation. "To be honest, I’m the one asking for a divorce every single day. I want it even more than any of you!" But they brushed off her remark as a paltry attempt to save face. Until William made a declaration himself. "Divorce is out of the question. Anyone who spreads false rumors shall face legal consequences!" Renee was at a loss. What was this crazy man up to now?
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.