Dr. Evelyn Rourke thought she had left the shadows of her father's mysterious disappearance behind. But when she's called to lead an expedition into the Arctic's uncharted waters, she is drawn back into the unknown. A series of eerie, rhythmic whispers haunting the hydrophones aboard the Arctic Endeavor calls her to investigate-whispers that resonate deep within her soul, as if beckoning her toward something terrifyingly familiar. Accompanied by a fractured crew of scientists, a paranoid Captain, and Naomi, a fellow researcher plagued by haunting dreams of an ancient, submerged city, Evelyn discovers a chilling truth: beneath the ice lies a city-a city alive, shifting, and haunted by an entity older than time itself. As they dive deeper into the ruins, strange hallucinations plague the crew, revealing their darkest fears. But it's Evelyn's connection to the city-and its dark, monstrous god-Thal'Azar-that ties them all to a terrifying fate. When the body of a missing crew member is found, its skull marked with glowing symbols, Evelyn realizes the city is more than a mere structure. It is alive, feeding, and seeking something-someone. But the deeper they venture, the more personal the stakes become, especially when Evelyn uncovers her father's journals revealing a horrifying secret: her family's bloodline has been tied to Thal'Azar for generations. Her father wasn't lost at sea; he became part of the entity, and now, the god-like force stirs once more, seeking to escape its prison. As the crew spirals into madness, with Naomi succumbing to the whispers, Evelyn must confront the truth about her mother's involvement in a cult that once sought to contain Thal'Azar-a cult that may have kept her father's sacrifice hidden. Evelyn's drive to save the world battles her desperate need for closure and the truth about her father's fate. But the city has its own plans, and the closer they get to the heart of the ruins, the more reality bends, and the line between ally and enemy becomes blurred. With betrayal, sacrifice, and death around every corner, Evelyn must make a harrowing choice: complete the ritual to bind Thal'Azar forever, knowing it will require a sacrifice from her own bloodline, or risk the awakening of an ancient god capable of destroying humanity. As the walls of the city crumble, Evelyn confronts her darkest fears, the weight of her lineage, and a shocking revelation that could change the world as she knows it. But when the ritual is completed, Evelyn finds herself no longer the woman she was. The entity is not destroyed-it has transferred into her. With Thal'Azar's consciousness now fused with her own, Evelyn must confront a new terror: a life bound to the abyss, forever. The Abyss Within is a heart-pounding psychological thriller that blends suspense, horror, and mystery. With a captivating mix of ancient secrets, betrayal, and personal demons, this tale will leave you questioning what lies beneath the surface-and what might be waiting for you to uncover it.
The Arctic Endeavor cut through the icy waters with a low, steady groan, its hull breaking through frost-coated waves that glittered under the pale light of a steel-gray sky. Snow flurries drifted lazily, carried by the sharp wind that howled across the deck and seeped through layers of clothing. The crew, bundled in thick coats and scarves, moved with practiced efficiency as they prepared to deploy the hydrophones. Clouds of breath hung in the air, mingling with the faint scent of oil and seawater.
Dr. Evelyn Rourke stood near the ship's control station, her gloved hands gripping a weathered leather journal. The edges of the pages were dog-eared, frayed from years of handling. Inside were her father's notes-maps, theories, and cryptic musings that had consumed much of his life. Evelyn pressed her lips into a thin line, her sharp eyes scanning the activity on deck. Her expression betrayed no hint of the unease that coiled in her stomach. This mission wasn't just science; it was legacy.
"Hey, Rourke!" Naomi's voice cut through the cold, buoyant as ever. Evelyn turned slightly, catching sight of the marine biologist adjusting her gloves as she spoke to one of the technicians. "Make sure you don't drop that hydrophone. We're not exactly close to a bait shop if it goes overboard."
The technician chuckled nervously but tightened his grip on the equipment. Naomi's grin lingered only a moment before fading into a look of focused determination. She had a way of lightening the mood when tensions ran high, but even Naomi knew when to get serious.
Not far from them, Drew was hunched over a tablet, mumbling something under his breath. He'd been muttering all morning, his fingers tapping rapidly against the screen as he pored over seismic readings.
"This is where it starts," Drew said, his voice just loud enough to carry over the wind. "The whispers of the abyss. They say the deeper you go-"
"They say Drew spends too much time on Reddit," Naomi interrupted, rolling her eyes. She slapped the back of his parka lightly as she passed him. "Relax. It's just water and rocks. No eldritch horrors today."
Drew scowled but said nothing, his shoulders hunching further as he turned back to his tablet.
"Rourke." The voice came from behind her, low and steady. Evelyn didn"t need to turn to know it was Captain Graves. The older woman was as much a fixture of the ship as the engine itself-stoic, no-nonsense, and with a knack for making people feel as if they were always one mistake away from a lecture.
"Graves," Evelyn replied, her tone neutral.
Graves stepped up beside her, her weathered face unreadable beneath the brim of her woolen cap.
"Keep it tight out here. One slip, one mistake, and we're all going home in body bags. This kind of mission-things go south fast."
Evelyn glanced sideways at her, nodding curtly. "I've got it under control."
"Good." Graves lingered a moment longer before moving on, her boots crunching against the icy deck.
Evelyn exhaled slowly, tilting her head back to watch the sky. The sun hung low, casting the world in shades of gray and blue. It was the kind of landscape that swallowed you whole if you let it. But Evelyn wasn't here to admire the scenery. She was here to uncover what lay beneath it.
"Hydrophones are ready!" someone called from the deck. The crew shifted into action, moving to secure the cables and double-check connections. Evelyn moved closer, watching as the first hydrophone was lowered into the water. The cable unspooled with a steady hum, disappearing into the dark, icy depths.
The operation was routine. The Arctic Endeavor was outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment designed to withstand extreme conditions. Evelyn had overseen every detail of the preparation herself. Still, her stomach churned as she watched the hydrophone descend, vanishing into the void.
In the control room, the team gathered around the consoles. The hydrophone feed crackled to life, filling the room with the ambient noise of the ocean-a low, steady rumble punctuated by the occasional creak of shifting ice. Evelyn stood at the center, her eyes fixed on the monitors.
"Sounds normal so far," Naomi said, leaning over one of the consoles. Her tone was casual, but Evelyn could see the tension in her shoulders.
Drew stood a few feet away, arms crossed tightly over his chest. He didn't say anything, but his eyes darted between the screens with an intensity that bordered on obsessive.
Then, the sound changed.
At first, it was subtle-a faint rhythm buried beneath the ocean's ambient noise. It was easy to dismiss as interference or mechanical feedback. But as the crew listened, the rhythm grew clearer, more deliberate. It was a low, pulsing thrum, like a heartbeat reverberating through a cavernous space.
Naomi frowned, her fingers hovering over the controls. "What is that? A whale, maybe?"
"Not any whale I've ever heard," one of the technicians muttered.
The pulses continued, steady and unrelenting. And then, almost imperceptibly, the whispers began.
They were faint, more felt than heard-a soft, unintelligible murmur that seemed to drift in and out of the feed. The room fell silent as everyone strained to listen. The whispers grew louder, intertwining with the rhythmic thrum. There were no words, just a haunting melody of voices that seemed to echo from the deepest recesses of the ocean.
Evelyn"s breath caught in her throat. Her hands gripped the edge of the console so tightly her knuckles turned white. The sound wasn"t unfamiliar. She"d heard it before, years ago, in her father"s recordings.
"Cut the feed,"she said abruptly, her voice sharp and trembling.
Naomi looked at her, startled. "What? Why?"
"Just do it!" Evelyn snapped.
Naomi hesitated but complied, her fingers moving quickly over the controls. The whispers vanished, replaced by the sterile hum of the equipment.
The silence in the room was deafening. Drew was the first to speak.
"Told you,"he said, his voice low and unsteady. "It's the abyss calling."
Naomi let out a nervous laugh, trying to break the tension. "Come on, Drew. It's just-probably geological activity. Or feedback. Right, Evelyn?"
Evelyn didn"t answer. She stared at the console, her face pale, her mind racing. The whispers had felt alive, tangible in a way that defied logic. She could still hear them, faint and lingering in the back of her mind.
"It's nothing," she said finally, her voice flat."Just interference."
But even as she spoke, she knew it wasn't true. The whispers weren't interference. They were a warning.
As the crew dispersed, muttering amongst themselves, Evelyn remained rooted in place. Her hand drifted to the journal at her side, fingers brushing over the worn leather. Her father's words echoed in her mind: "The deeper you go, the louder they get."
She swallowed hard, her gaze fixed on the dark water outside the window. The abyss was calling. And it had already begun.
Elena, a once-proud Luna, has been cursed by an ancient witch to live through an endless loop of love and heartbreak. In each reincarnation, Elena finds her destined mate-only to suffer rejection. The curse condemns her to repeat this cycle one hundred times, each life marked by fresh heartbreak and loss. Now, on her hundredth life, Elena awakens with memories from each past life intact and a fierce determination to break free. But time is running out, and her power is tied to the pain she's endured in each life, making each new encounter both a gift and a weight. This time, she has more allies and enemies than ever before. She meets Rylan, her current fated mate, an aloof and skeptical alpha scarred by betrayal in his own past. He doesn't want to be tied down by destiny, especially not to a mate who seems too mysterious to trust. But Elena is different now-older, wiser, and able to draw on powers she didn't realize she had. Her past lives have given her hidden strengths, but they're only unlocked through moments of great emotional clarity. To break the curse, she must gain not just Rylan's acceptance but also his trust, all while staying one step ahead of the witch determined to watch her suffer forever.
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
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."
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
"I'm going to tell you what I have in mind," he murmured. "First you're going to strip down until you're completely naked," he whispered against her ear. "Then I'm going to tie you up so you're completely powerless and subject to my every whim." "Mmm, sounds good so far," she murmured. "Then I'm going to insert a plug to prepare you for me. After that I'm going to spank that sweet ass of yours until it's rosy with my marks." She shivered uncontrollably, her mind exploding with the images he evoked. She let out a small whimper as he sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth. God, she could cum with just his words. She was already aching with need. Her nipples tingled and hardened to painful points. Her clit pulsed and twitched between her legs until she clamped her thighs together to alleviate the burn. "And then I'm going to f**k your mouth. But I won't cum. Not yet. When I'm close, I'll flog you again until your ass is burning and you're on fire with the need for relief. And then I'm going to f**k that ass. I'm going to take you hard and rough, to the very limits of what you can withstand. I won't be gentle. Not tonight. I'm going to take you as roughly as you can stand. And then I'm going to cum all over your ass. Are you ready to be completely and utterly dominated?"
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.