When his vampire blood begins to poison him, dhampir Elio Starling falls into hallucinations. As the delusions get darker, and the line between reality and dreams blurs, he believes he is losing his mind. There is only one soul he can confide in, a mermaid and part-time lover named Lux who suffers from an intolerance to the cold. Unable to live in open waters and fearful of the outside world, she refuses to leave the villa she shares with Lio. When Elio meets Zillah in a bar he frequents, he is instantly captivated and will do anything to get close. But the young stranger plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse and pulls Lio into a world of wicked delights, opium dens, prostitutes, and violence. Prompts used: 43. You have waited a thousand years to find your true love, what's one more day? 51. The problem with red flags is that I'm attracted to them Welcome to my ONC entry! Following tradition, the title of my story has a name/nickname in it. This is my 6th year entering and my 8th story! I've been short-listed 3 times and have enjoyed every year, every story, every new friend made. I hope you'll enjoy My Dark Beloved. Comments and feedback are more than welcome. Now for the disclaimer: dark stuff involved ( drugs, alcohol, cursing, sex, violence, murder, blood, mental health issues, etc.). This story is rated Mature but stays within the guidelines. This tale has been influenced by Lost Souls, Velvet Goldmine, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and a whole bunch of other amazing, dark, and deep stories and movies I've read and seen over the years. My story is only available on Wattpad. If you see it elsewhere, know I haven't put it up or OKed it. Updates whenever. Happy reading!

Buried in the wreckage of a Compound meant to imprison her, Faine awakens a shell of her former self. With no memories and a growing taste for revenge, she is given the ultimate decision. She must save the city, or herself. Round One 》✅️ 2k 》✅️ Round Two 》 ✅️ 8k 》✅️ Round Three 》✅️ 20k 》✅️ Longlisted 》 ✅️ 》Featured on WattpadUrbanFantasy and Fantasy《 || Start Date 2/1/2023 || Finish Date 4/20/2023 || || Open Novella Contest 2023 ||

ONC 2023 Shortlist Astrid, the Princess of Eurovea, a country existing several centuries in the future, had led a happy and sheltered life in the castle ruled by Regent Arcturus, her uncle. Only on reaching the age of ascension when, according to an ancient tradition, all future queens must face a trial, she realised that there were great gaps in her knowledge of the world around her, her uncle, and even the people she thought she knew well. In a world where love doesn't exist, a young girl who understands old novels better than her reality is sent on a dangerous quest to save her country from creatures who, just like love, were not supposed to be true... Mystery, romance, adventure, and magic combine in this tale, in which a young princess who had grown up surrounded by an impenetrable web of lies, has to find her true identity, and free her kingdom from suffering. A young-adult, dystopian, paranormal fantasy-romance. The wonderful cover created by @WakeWriteWrath

Three women, who have never met. Three secrets, never meant to be known. Three lives, tangled together in horrific ways, as fate plays with the strings. * * * * * Rani Altario has a secret. A threat to her life and her country leaves her with little choice but to flee, hiding herself behind a new identity for protection. But make no mistake; Rani isn't running. She's waiting, struggling to keep her flame lit. And it is all too simple for even a small fire to turn into an inferno. Maliha Sarrow has a secret. By day, she's the breathtaking young maiden, whose hand is wanted by what feels like every man in her hometown (never mind that she doesn't want any of them). The ultimate prize to be won. But by night, she's someone - something - different, darker. Something Maliha never wanted to be. But for the people she loves, there's no limit to what she'd become. Rija Nazari has a secret. Injured and betrayed, she leaves behind everything she's ever known for a nation that won't welcome her. It's a risk - scratch that, it's a suicide mission - but Rija is alone, afraid, and out of options. But will leaving truly save her? * * * * * Originally written for the Open Novella Contest 2023! Prompt #15 (MAIN): Three women. Three secrets. Three tangled lives. Prompt #49 (SECONDARY): "Master the rules of the game until you can play it better than they can." Michael Scott, "The Sorceress."

Taylor West is the epitome of self-reliance. Or she must be. Relationships are fickle. Despite finally enrolling in her dream studies and thriving in them, her social life is only skin-deep. When she finds out that her so-called boyfriend is a selfish cheater, her chronic condition flares up again. Walking around as if somebody had thrown itching powder all over you is not fun. Due to the mental strain, Taylor resorts to medication - but pills can only do so much. If that wasn't bad enough, she keeps running into Killian, whose annoying ways are starting to get under her skin. When a mysterious stalker shows up and things take a dangerous turn, Killian's help might be exactly what she needs.

❝ DEATH IS COMING. BUT SHE DOESN'T FEAR HIM. ❞ For the people of Khaya's little village living amidst the woods is quiet, and even more, so it became since the creatures lurking in its shadows turned into mere fairytales. Little does Khaya know that the stories she loves to tell are true. But then on a cold winter night, an odd priest and his young soldier appear in Lasow and bring with them the message of death. For Karachun, the God of Death is to revisit them. While they are worshipped like saviors by the villagers Khaya cannot shake the feeling of mistrust in those mysterious strangers. However, if their prophecy turns out correct she might get the chance to meet the one who took her most beloved years ago. And Khaya is not afraid to face him. Yet, she does not know what battling the god of death himself means - nor what secrets can be revealed only in the deepest dark. _____ Entry for the Open Novella Contest 2023 under prompts 50 & 62

A deadly fae assassin needs to uncover the truth about her existence while also carrying out the task she's hired for. Only, she never planned to fall in love with the biggest adversary in her mission-or rather fall in love at all. 💜💜💜 Larkspur is one of the deadliest assassins the fairy world has ever seen. Consumed by hatred, ignorant of here past and shunned by everyone, she will stop at nothing to take revenge. Until she starts falling for someone who might just be the thorn in her path to accomplish her goal. In a world forged with dark magic, fae secrets, hidden truths , friends, foes and ruthless wars, she might have to pay the price of love with her life.

| 𝟳𝘅 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗗 ·|| HUNGER GAMES x CINDER || ONC 2023 Honorable Mention Amidst the escalating unrest between the windborne utopian city of Lighthaven and its seedy, oppressed underbelly Fumedge, the Grand Duke of Lighthaven, Lucius Sextus, comes up with an ingenious solution. To provide much-wanted respite from the brewing conflict, and achieve the apparent-if-temporary unity, he organizes Gaslight Trials - a highly entertaining panem-et-circenses combat event in the Pits. The combatants may use all steam and thaumaturgy powered augmentations at their disposal, and there is only one rule: defeat, or be defeated. The reward for the last one standing? A chance to start their life anew. A brass key to the city of Lighthaven with a luxurious mansion to call their own within, as well as an aeroship to command. When eighteen-year-old Veda Igglesden steps forward to take her timeworn adoptive father's place in the fight, she might as well be signing her death-sentence. With her eyes fully set on the prize, act-first-think-later Veda must harness the power of technology to try and win for her Papa Otto. Decades of breathing in the toxic air of Fumedge did a number on the old inventor's lungs, and being able to live in the air-filtered Lighthaven would sure come in handy right about now. A high-flying adventure full of gadgetry and intrigue; a pleasing blend of steampunk and postapocalyptic. See Veda unravel the mysterious ploy behind the game's organization, and uncover the truth about her secret origins. Can she cope both with the trials of physical and intellectual prowess, as well as with the trials of life itself: those of love, loss and regret? © 2023 EvelynHail Exclusively on Wattpad Based on prompt 49! Which is (I shan't leave ye hanging :P): "Master the rules of the game until you can play it better than they can." Michael Scott, "The Sorceress" Get ready for steampunkish tinkering,

| 𝟏𝟐𝐱 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 | An ex-gamer enters a virtual reality ruled by a rebel AI in order to rescue her younger sister and shut down the death game. * * * Eight years ago, Mori Fukutomi held the rank of number two player in the tactical hero shooter game SniperX. But fate and her parents had other plans and Mori now works as an accountant with her dreams of being a pro gamer long since buried. Games like SniperX are old relics in the face of virtual reality tech and their latest gem, Facing Fear--a simulation designed to analyze the psyche of its players and adapt itself accordingly, creating a safe terrain for players to take risks and discover themselves. Until FEAR, the AI governing the virtual world of Valor, decides the thing humanity fears most is death. Despite the rising death toll and Facing Fear closing its doors, when Mori discovers her sister Shiori is trapped in the game, she does the unthinkable. She goes in after her. But she'll soon discover they're not the only ones desperate to make it out alive and there are worse things in Valor than the monsters. There's more to FEAR than fear itself. ✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 ✧ 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 ✧ 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 ✧ ─────────────────────────────────── Completed: 4-23-2023 Word Count: 35,000 - 40,000

❝ 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐄, 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄. ❞ Saskia Vrana knows what to do when the Nights of Smoke come: Close the windows and doors. Don't look out into the darkness. Sacrifice and pray. And never dare to leave the convent. These are the sacred rules to follow if you want to survive the creatures lurking outside - and the Order of Wolves, which ensures the village's safety with watchful eyes. So, what to do when you accidentally violate one of them on the very first night and receive a divination you shouldn't outlive? However, it's not Saskia they hold responsible, but her fellow sister Katinka. When coldblooded Prince Silvan von Winterthal and his order take her, Saskia is eager to break all those rules at once and more to get her back. And if she must risk her own life making a deal with a devil while the Wild Hunt ravages the lands, she will. ______________ ONC 2024 ENTRY: Prompts 25, 28, 95