Following a nuclear holocaust, Nathan Taylor and his family face grim choices in order to stay alive. Fleeing deadly radiation, plague and desperate men, Nathan, an army officer, leads his wife and their two teenage sons away from chaos and madness toward his ancestral home in Kentucky. Horrors lie in their path. From the prison struggling to maintain control of its inmates, to the desperadoes who enslave anyone who comes their way, even survival may cost Nathan his humanity...or that of his sons, Joshua and David. Nathan struggles to keep his family intact, but it requires making brutal choices. He wants to protect his sons, but knows they now must be deadly and cold at times. Nathan's home has been spared from the worst of the destruction, but a larger conflict over scarce resources erupts. For the survivors to have any chance they will have to fight and the desperate journey has transformed young Joshua and David into men called upon to lead and sacrifice. Torn between harsh realities, and wanting to hold onto fleeting childhoods, they are often conflicted and angry about the roles thrust upon them. Much will depend on how Nathan and his sons respond to a madman and his military regime seeking to conquer the fledgling community they are helping to build. GLIMMER OF HOPE is an epic tale of one family's endurance and triumph after tomorrow's apocalypse.

Anchor Morningstar owns and operates the Resting Point, a hole-in-the-wall tavern sitting right on the border between life and the afterlife where travelers catch a brief respite before passing through a portal for judgment day. For years, Anchor has lend a kind ear to those desperate souls and has offered words of encouragement as he polishes glasses and serves drinks. All this changes the second Cass stumbles into the bar. Carrying with her a tremendous amount of guilt and remorse, she begs Anchor to let her stay, so he offers her a warm bed and some tender loving care for the night. The outcome is not as expected. In hell, they say that soulmates are real and dangerous. They hold the power to bring someone back from the brink of death or tear their soul in half. Only the devil has no heart, and he has already claimed Cass as his soulmate. Warnings: 🌶️ High Heat Level 🤬 Swearing ☠️ Touch Her & Die 🦸🏽‍♂️ Anti-Hero 💓 Dangerous Love 💋 Two domineering, broody love interests who are hot and larger than life (but might deserve love) 😈 Dark Humor Read with caution! ~~~~~ This is my entry for ONC 2024 based on the following prompts: Prompt #7: You are the barkeeper, the owner and operator of the resting point between life and the afterlife, being a kind ear to those who have passed on. Prompt #25: Soulmates are real and dangerous. They hold the power to bring you back from the brink of death or tear your soul in half. And a devil with no heart is the soulmate that awaits you. Prompt #32: A drunk dare and the biggest mistake of your life. A sin you can't wash off your hands. After all, blood leaves its traces and so does the taking of a soul. | Round Two AMBASSADORS' PICK | ~~~~ © Sal Mason/Fire Rose 2024

A union which was meant to bring peace An encounter in the woods which might destroy it all A scorned mate hell-bent on destruction And two star-crossed lovers whose choices could make or break the balance of nature. In an unforgiving world where teeth and claws rule and life is measured by the survival of the fittest, Raelyn is forced into an arranged union to save her native werewolf pack from war. Struggling to adjust to the life of a submissive she-wolf, she rebels against her abusive mate and his dominant Alpha family, only to be coerced into an inferior role until she finds powers buried deep within her. Far away in another part of the country, Kendrick Raynes, the Northern Light King, is the Alpha at the top. An encounter in the woods turns his life upside down, making him question his loyalty to his pack and his ability as a leader. Following his heart could bring him happiness -- but it could also eradicate the werewolves from existence. Since the beginning of time, the Sentinels have been tasked with guarding the balance of nature. Marush, Sentinel of Metal, wants none of that. Born under the dark cloud of the malediction, he is considered the strongest and most powerful warlock alive, and his sole mission is to find his Na Miodóg, the sacred dagger that is the only weapon that can kill his kind. Nothing will stop him, even if that means he'll wipe the entire werewolf population off the planet, with Raelyn and the Northern Light pack being the first in line. In the end, it will come down to a simple choice -- and a final battle under the watchful eye of the Lunar Eclipse.

| 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,

Albanian nurse Alexandra Martinaj doesn't hesitate to follow a dark, handsome stranger to safety when her mother is abducted during a violent shootout. He introduces himself as local gang member Liam Cavanaugh, but instead of running from him, Alexandra finds herself drawn to his gorgeous looks and charming personality. When Alexandra discovers she is the daughter of Liam's boss, notorious crime lord Kieran "The Knife" Murphy, they strike a deal - Liam will help Alexandra rescue her mother, and in turn, she will help him bring Kieran's criminal empire down. The more time Alexandra spends getting caught in the whirlwind of the mafia, the more she finds herself falling for Liam. But when the lines between the coalition and fatal attraction begin to blur, and Liam's plan threatens to fall apart, can the two find a way to honour their promises, keep each other alive, and protect the love that blossoms between them? Season 1 of Emerald Eyes WARNING: This story contains mature themes including strong language and violence. Reader discretion is advised.

A monster emerges from the shadows. He is followed by another, and another, until the world is inhabited by new beasts of its own creation. This anthology incorporates stories from various genres and timelines, exploring what makes us who we are.