Kimberly Powers is a 28 year old artist and gallery owner who is all too familiar with the dark alleys of life. But if that's what she has to go through to protect her younger sister, so be it. Finally living the life she has always wanted, she knows it's only best for her to stash her ugly past away into the dark cellars of her mind, away from the woman she has become and all that surrounds her. With her daily interactions, she's had to hide the dead part of her soul and the internal mess she is from the world. She's determined to keep her demons in her head but exactly how much can the expensive three piece suits and sleek haircuts hide? Especially when she meets a man whose honey coloured eyes seem to unravel her being and pierce right through her soul. Will she finally be able to embark on the journey of self love? And when the shadows of her past begin to creep up into the open, will she be able to face her fears and let love lead?
15th January, 2010
Her mum was stoned again. Hard. The seconds ticked by slowly as they sped down the dark highway, the small space of the car practically vibrating with the sound of the music turned on so loud and her mother singing along. Despite the noise, all she could think in her head as she clamped Tiana's sweaty hand tightly in hers was "Lord, let's get home safe please". He mum sat alone in the front seat and her usual smell filled the whole space. Bad breath.....sweat....weed......and a faint smell of what she hoped was not urine. It happened a few times. She would completely pass out when she had had enough and would sometimes pee herself. Not minding to take a shower when she finally awoke, she would merely have a change of clothes and move on to the next aspect of her life. Getting stoned again.
It had surprised her greatly when Natalia had offered to come get she and Tiana from Tiana's school. Today was PTA and of course her mother wasn't going to attend. Kim went.....like she always did. Despite her reassurances that they could get the bus home safe, her mum had insisted on coming and for a moment, she had let a sliver of hope worm it's way into her heart. Was she finally coming back to them? Of course that had been stupid of her. After the PTA ended by roughly 3:30, they had sat at the parking lot, anxiously awaiting her mum's arrival. Her baby sister had come third in her class and she had been so excited to share the news. She was looking forward to sharing the news with their mum even more. Her behavior had been impeccable all year too. Kim was well and truly proud of her. She was turning out to be everything she wanted her to be......which was everything Kim herself wasn't. At the beginning of the wait, she had kept up the cheerful mood, telling Tiana what a good girl she was, how proud she was of her, and how Mama would be proud of her when she heard.
"You really think so, Kim?". Her 11 year old sister had asked while looking up at her with those eyes that crippled her soul. It broke Kim to see her younger sister so broken. The girl had gone through a lot, so many things she didn't deserve.....no one deserved. At the end of it, she didn't even want much. All she wanted was their mother's love and approval, something a child shouldn't even have to yearn for. Her mum knew exactly how much Tiana needed these too, and that was all the reason she needed to deprive her of it. Like it was the child's fault that her mum had stupidly gone on to get herself pregnant with her, the possible fathers too many count and too worthless to matter either ways. As she constantly liked to say, the only reason she hadn't gotten rid of Tiana in her belly was because she had been far gone before she even realized she was pregnant. Seeing how deep those words hurt Tiana, it had become her mum's favorite thing to say, till Kim had coldly told her one day that if she ever repeated it again, she would personally go down to the police station herself to report her mother of drug possession and abuse. That had been the only reason Natalia had shut up. The fierce protectiveness that burned in Kim's heart for her sister blazed just as brightly as her distaste for her mother. Natalia had failed them as a mum, something she would never forgive her for.
She had raised her hand to pat Tiana's head and given her her most beatific smile. "Of course, kitten. Mama would be very proud of you". And just by those words, Tiana had clutched her report sheet tighter to her chest and continued to stare down the road expectantly, not minding at all that it was in fact almost 6:30 now and their mum still hadn't shown up.
She had finally shown up roughly an hour later, heavily stoned. She hadn't even bothered to apologise. Tiana had jumped excitedly at the sight of their mum's battered Toyota rounding the corner, but Kim had merely eyeballed the ugly grey car till it finally screeched to a halt in front of them. As they approached the car, Kim had paused at the driver's seat window and stared down at her mother's face.
"You can't drive like this, Mama". She had said shortly, gripping Tiana's hand protectively.
Her mum had rolled her eyes and jerked her head towards the back of the car. "Get in the car, Kimberly. I have places to be".
"Like you had places to be by 3:30 when you were supposed to come get us?". She had shot back accusingly, all the pent up anger fast rising to surface. "What kind of mother are you?".
"Now you watch your mouth, young lady". There had been a short staring contest between them till her mum had finally turned to glance at Tiana, almost like an after thought. "How was your result, girl?".
From the corner of her eye, Kim had seen Tiana glance up at her nervously before turning back to their mum. She had only gripped her hand tighter in assurance but continued to glare down furiously at Natalia.
"I came third, Mama". Her voice shook slightly with what Kim knew was excitement and underlying nervousness.
"Third? You didn't come top of class?". Their mum, had asked, her voice dripping iirritation.
"That's the highest she's been so far, Mama". Kim had cut in, waiting for her mother to say one more wrong thing, just one more. That would be all the excuse she needed to pour out the raging words that zapped through her mind, dying to be let out. But her mum had merely shrugged, jerking her head towards the back of the car again.
"Get in girls".
A fallen heiress. A broken alpha. A plot for revenge…..and an unexpected twist of fate. When calamity strikes her pack, Valeria does everything within her power to save her people. Even if it means begging for help from the arrogant alpha of the rival pack. But fate has other plans in store for her and when things take an interesting turn, she's left with two choices. Sign her life away to her unexpected mate, or watch her people die. Beneath the icy demeanor and long sleeved clothes of Draaven Ventura lies a den of secrets….and a vengeful heart. When his feisty mate comes breezing through his door, seeking for help, he doesn't hesitate to use the situation to his advantage. His long assembled plan for vengeance is finally coming together, and he has the perfect pawn to use in his game.
A billionaire who hides his bleeding heart with a tough exterior and a soft, family oriented 24 year old woman. Who would have ever thought? Vanessa Higgins lives in constant reminder of how indebted she is to her aunt for taking she and her sister in when they lost their mum. But the ultimate favour was asked of her when she was asked to marry a man she barely knew to enable the family business. In an unexpected turn of events, she ends up marrying another man on that same day, a cold hearted billionaire who is willing to go to any length to have the debt he's owed paid back. Damien De Luca never imagined he'd be getting married when he woke up that morning. But after a look at Vanessa, he had to keep her around him, even if that meant entrapping her with her family's debt. He has married her alright, but not for the reason everyone thinks. What happens when his true reason dares to burst out, exposing the man in him whom he has spent so long trying to erase? A marriage based on a contract might not be so bad after all, but what of a marriage based on lies, warped truths and secrets?
A traitorous history. A vengeful spirit. A heart caught somewhere between love and hate. A story that tells it all. Marissa Randall's 20th birthday and awakening takes a turn she never saw coming. The alpha of her pack turns out to be her mate and her wolf is the exact replica of a woman whose name no one mentions. When the sins of a mother come back to haunt a child, how far must she go to free herself from the bondage? Alpha Lazarus is beyond elated to meet his mate after so many years of waiting. But what happens when his destined partner is the daughter of the biggest traitor in the history of the pack, whose treason cost the lives of his parents and many more loved ones? Will it really be that easy to put the past behind? Or....will the powerful drive for vengeance mark the beginning of the end? Let's find out.
"You feel it don't you?". He whispered. She gulped nervously and remained silent, her gaze holding his firmly. "You do feel it. You are my mate, Ariella". And before she could get a word out, his lips came crashing down on hers. Ariella has lived all her life in hiding among humans as a werewolf who could be killed if discovered. While she hates that her mother had been cast out of her pack, she's mostly content with her quiet life among mortals. But everything comes crashing down one day when her family is arrested for owing taxes. Right as things seem to take a turn for the worse for her and her family, a stranger appears and saves her. He's Draaven, her mate whom she would be meeting for the first time and alpha of the Lycans, a pack which has had a lifelong feud with the Cecils, her mother's birth pack. Draaven manages to save only Ella and while he realizes she should know the truth, he refuses to tell her for fear of losing her. Will their love be able to triumph over secrets, rivalry and pack wars? Will Ariella finally be able to own her wolf identity and take her rightful place in the same pack that her mother had betrayed? Read on.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”