Vida was a waitress who put in eight hours a day in order to afford her $300 monthly rent and three square meals a day. She enjoyed each and every fantasy story as if it were true, and she longed to live in and explore the worlds depicted there. But she was shocked to find out it was true. Meeting a royal is the last thing she expected, but it happens. She does, indeed. Her visions morphed into steamy fantasies, and before she knew it, the handsome stranger was standing outside the bar where she worked. The question recurs, "Am I dreaming again?" They repeated in unison, looking into each other's eyes in disbelief. What happened afterwards is ancient history. And the ride was quite exciting.
Vida
New York City, Planet Earth
"Uhm, hello? Earth to Vida?" Tessa waved her hand in front of Vida in an attempt to pull her back from reality.
Vida looked up from the page she was reading and pulled her glasses that were slipping off of her nose. "Sorry, you were saying something?"
Tessa let out a huff and dramatically sat down beside her best friend. "You never seem to listen to me! You always have your head behind that book." She took the book from Vida's hand and playfully kept it out of her reach.
"Hey!" Vida giggled. "Stop it, Tessa. You'll get my page messed up."
Tessa would not actually lose Vida's progress in the book. She still sensibly kept her finger where Vida was reading and turned to take a look at the cover. "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief," Tessa rolled her eyes. "Ugh, again? How many times have you read this book?"
Vida looked up and actually thought about it. Fantasy books have always enthralled her. There is something about these stories that make her fall in love a hundred or maybe even a thousand times.
Ever since Vida was a little girl, her grandfather would always give her books for Christmas and her birthdays. It started out with picture books until she could read and then she was a goner. Out of all the books she has read, it was Percy Jackson who really left a mark on her heart.
"I think, I've read it for about four times," Vida replied.
"Shut up. Don't fool me, you've read this more than four times." Tessa said as she handed her the book back to Vida. She looked at her friend to gauge her reaction. "They're not even real, Sades."
Vida reached for the bookmark inside the pocket of her Burn's Bar uniform and carefully placed it in between the pages. She took a deep breath and replied. "I know that. I'm just interested about their lives being a demigod, you know?" She knew that Tessa was genuinely curious as to why she was so invested in this book. Nobody actually really knows the real reason behind why she loves to read aside from Tessa. It was her escape from reality. Something she can call home whenever she hops from one apartment to another.
"Besides, wouldn't it be great if the actual Greek gods of many eons ago do exist in this modern times? I mean you could just imagine how they would be so freaked out about cellphones and computers? But in the book, technology is not a thing that jives well with the Mist. It's what they call the mystical veil that separates the world of demigods and mortals. Like for instance, that man over there," Vida gestures towards the man across the street with her head, hoping that she was not too obvious about it. "If we were, let's say, gorgons with snakes for hair, he would see us as normal girls on our way home from Burn's."
Tessa chuckled. "Out of all the mystical creatures in there, why would you compare us to snake-haired gorgons?"
Vida shrugged. "It was the one thing on top of my head! I'm sorry. But no worries, you my friend, are no gorgon in my eyes."
Her best friend rolled her eyes and gave a meaningful glance at the man across the street. "We never know, he might be the gorgon and we are just blinded by the Mist."
They both laughed. Vida silently thanks the universe for her best friend. She wouldn't be able to survive life in New York City if it was not for her.
It was nearing midnight and thankfully the bus arrives as scheduled. Friday nights were always the busiest nights of the week at Burn's Bar. It was always a given that the girls would be staying for more than 8 hours of duty. And since it was Tessa's turn to render overtime service, Vida was more than happy to accompany her friend in her shift. It was something Peter, the manager and owner of Burn's Bar, was grateful for.
Vida and Tessa waited as a handful of passengers got off for this stop. Once it was in the clear, they boarded the bus and swiped their bus passes. Since the bus was not very crowded at this time of the hour, they got the luxury of choosing their seats and those at the very back were their favorite one.
Once they got settled in, the bus doors closed and off they went. Vida stared out of the window and watched as the city lights flashed by. New York City at night is not very different from New York City in the morning. After all, it is the city that never sleeps. At 12:00 midnight, people were still out and about doing their usual Friday night businesses of club hopping and getting themselves shit-faced until Sunday. Oh, what would Vida give to have that kind of carefree life? Having the time of her life whenever she wishes to and not having to worry about paying the bills because she has a steady job to support herself.
But sometimes, life throws the worst of all curveballs and hands you the shittiest of cards.
At a very young age, she has seen the world as it is. Hard as it may sound, Vida has learned that people come and go and that you only have yourself to rely on. That is the reason why she relates so much to the characters in her book. She very much feels like her very own protagonist in her own story.
Vida shook her head. What a ridiculous thought. She needs to get a grip because her monthly rent is due next week.
She nudged her friend by the shoulder. "Hey, Tessa?"
"Hmm?" Tessa replied as she was rummaging her bag for a snack bar.
"Have you ever imagined yourself with super powers?"
She stops for a while and considers Vida's question. "I honestly have not thought about that." Tessa loves how her friend comes up with these quirky questions that actually makes you think about your answer. Her friend might be a bit out of touch with reality sometimes but that is what makes her unique and lovable in her own way. She indulged Vida and replied. "I think it would be cool to actually you know, be able to pass through walls and objects? I mean, it would save me some time serving the customers."
Vida laughed. Tessa can be candid at times and can really take her stress away with her wit and practicality. "Do you think Peter would give you a raise then?"
"He better! He won't be getting someone as pretty as me with an extra little perk of being able to walk across the tables." Tessa exclaimed.
They continued to chat about their theories about super powers and the convenience of what a world with magic could bring. When all chatter died down, Tessa asked a question that made her entire night. "But what if magic is real? What if there is another universe where humans have magical powers and they just didn't want us normies to know? Have you thought about it? With the discovery of UFOs, there might be a possibility to it."
Vida loves how her friend does not see her as a weirdo and engages with her wild ideas. Vida could not have asked for a better friend than Tessa. She laughed at Tessa and Tessa in return gave her a look of bewilderment, "What?"
"I mean, think about it Sades," Tessa looked up and saw that her stop was approaching. "The world is big and we haven't even explored the depths of our oceans. Anything is possible!"
"You know, for someone who does not consume fictional content on a daily basis, your theories are a bit too much."
Tessa pressed the button near the handle bars to signal the driver to slow down. She got up as the bus slowed down and looked down at Vida with a warm smile. "I swear, Sades. I got it all from you."
Vida returned it with one of her own. "You're crazy. See you on Monday, Tess."
Tessa made her way down the aisle of the bus and before she exited, she looked back and waved goodbye. "Don't let the gorgons get you!"
The few passengers on the bus looked behind at Vida with weirded out faces. She just gave them an apologetic smile and pulled out her book out of her bag to return to the world of modern Greek gods.
Tessa's words echoed through her head, as she thought about the possible existence of alternate universes. Excitement flooded her body. What if they are real?
He was the cursed prince, and the only thing that would break the curse was when he mated with the Alpha King's daughter, Lauren. For years, he prayed that the portal would open. Looking at her now while eyes were glaring, "Found you, Bitch..I would make you my wife and be my sex slave! This all happened because of your father's betrayal!" Limos could not help his anger and strangled her neck. He told Lauren the truth. "I will help you get revenge. My father will no longer reign in the kingdom. It's you and me now." Lauren said as she kissed the cursed prince.
Stanley Robbins was a single hot daddy. His wife left them when their daughter, Heather, was still a baby. They had never heard of her ever since. Leaving the responsibility of raising young Heather in the care of a first-time dad. Stanley had worked hard to give his daughter a bright future while establishing a reputable image in the city of Newark as its top businessman. Maxine Ballard was a simple girl living her simple life. She was living away from her family. She wanted to be independent. She hated complications. She wanted everything to be simple and smooth flowing. Until one day, a billionaire hired her as his daughter's mommy. How long can they pretend that Maxine was Heather's mommy? What if true love blossoms between the real daddy and the hired mommy? Can they escape what destiny had planned for them?
Madison Lopez is a simple girl living a simple life. She needed money for her mother's hospital bills. Her father died when she was still a child, and she has become the family's breadwinner ever since. She had no other choice but to work as a maid in the city to earn a lot. Dylan Carter is one of the hottest bachelors in town. He was the only son of the CEOs of the Carter Empire. He has everything he wants in life - money, fame, and love. He has been in a relationship with his girlfriend for quite a long time. But why does he feel something is still missing in his life? What would happen when the pure, innocent maid crossed paths with the hot billionaire? Will love blossom between the two? Will Dylan find the happiness he has been looking for in Madison? Are they "maid" for each other?
For three years, Jessica endured a loveless marriage while her husband pretended to be impotent. His lies unraveled when a pregnant mistress surfaced. After six months of secretly collecting proof, Jessica threw him out and built her own billion-dollar empire. After the divorce, she transformed into an irresistible figure, attracting admirers. As she left her office one day, she met Kevan, her ex-husband's brother. He stepped in, confronting her. "Was I just a tool to you?" Jessica's lips curled into a calm smile. "How much compensation do you want?" Kevan's voice softened. "All I want is you."
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
For the sake of their company, Atasha Rae was forced to marry the known heartless billionaire, Lorcan Amadeus. But it only took her a week as his wife because later on, he suddenly wants a divorce immediately. So as he wished, she signed the divorce paper even after admitting to herself that she was somehow starting to fall inlove with him. Heart badly wounded, she ran away from his life. Until she discovers that she's pregnant with his child and as a result, she ends up with no choice but to keep it a secret. Out of Lorcan's awareness, she's keeping a secret that would lead him to an overflowing regret. Because for a week of their fallen marriage beyond repair, she's carrying the billionaire's heir.
Sophia Drake braced herself for the worst when she was forced to move across the country in the middle of her junior year. Desperate to escape her shattered home as soon as she turns eighteen, her plans are disrupted by the enigmatic and captivating Ashford twins. Sophia can't fathom the intense attraction she feels for the twins and tries to avoid them at every turn. As she's thrust into an unfamiliar world, her past demons resurface, making her question her true identity. Will Sophia flee from her past's secrets, or will she embrace her destiny and take control of her future?
After three years of loveless marriage, Kira was slapped with divorce papers. She has shown him her unrequited love throughout her entire marriage with him, but he decided to turn blind eyes all because of his lover. Distraught and heartbroken, Kira choose to sign the divorce papers with bitter heart. But then and there, she promised herself that when she's back, he will come crawling to her, but she will make him pay for hurting her. Join Kira as she transform to a wealthy heiress and soared as the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, a remarkable healer and make her ex-husband pay!