He wore gloves to protect others from his sins. She wore kimonos to reclaim her identity. Willing Prey is a romance fantasy novel about a disillusioned ex-colonel, Gerald Aldrick, finally feeling his dead heart beat again after getting unfairly yelled at by a fearless geisha, Robin Taylor. But instead of anger or annoyance, Gerald feels nothing but admiration for her fervor and personality. Robin isn't as impressed with him, but fully plans to take advantage of his legendary colonel status for her own benefit with the help of her mind-reading ability. The question is, will she find herself feeling more for him than she initially expected? Genre: LGBTQ+ ROMANCE FANTASY Themes: psychology, trauma, identity, politics, sexuality, discrimination, wealthy privilege Tropes: love at first sight, enemies to lovers, millionaire boss, size difference, rivals love triangle Setting: modern urban fantasy, dark academia Rated MATURE for a reason-please, refer to the chapter titled 'disclaimer' for the full warning list.

They broke her trust. They broke his mind. Now the past is back-and this time, it wants blood. Victoria learned early how to survive in silence. Grief became her shadow. Guilt, her constant companion. Because if she had died that night instead of her mother... maybe everything would have been different. But the past doesn't stay buried, and when it drags her back into a world she barely escaped, silence won't save her anymore. Xavier learned how to disappear behind scars, rage, and the monster his past made him. A man shaped by violence, and driven by retribution. Victoria was everything he should avoid- soft yet unyielding, broken but still standing. She had the kind of pain that mirrored his own. She saw too much, pushed too far and worst of all, she made him remember something he buried a long time ago. He hated it. Hated her. Because she made him feel. What exists between them isn't gentle. It isn't safe or healing. It destroys. And when the truth comes for them both, they'll have to decide: Run. Burn. Or destroy everything in their path.

In 1998 New Orleans, Isadora Harding purchases an antique patent secretary desk from her best friend David's antique store in the French Quarter. Later that night, while discovering that one of the hidden compartments has a false bottom, she discovers an ancient letter written in 1887. But what she doesn't expect is that the letter is addressed to her.

In the enchanting kingdom of Veridonia, where magic flows through every part of daily life, traditions and ancient spells hold a quiet power over the realm. Lady Adeline Wycliffe, the adventurous and spirited daughter of Viscount Wycliffe, dreams of a life unfettered by noble expectations. With a sharp mind, a kind heart, and a secret gift for magic, she yearns to explore the world beyond the rigid walls of nobility. But her aspirations come to an abrupt halt when her family arranges her marriage to the enigmatic Duke of Wintermere, a man she's heard of only in whispers. Duke Lucien Valenhart is known for his honor, his strategic brilliance, and the aura of winter that seems to follow him. Steadfast in duty but guarded at heart, Lucien sees marriage as a necessity, a way to strengthen alliances. Love, to him, is a luxury he cannot afford. Bound by duty but brought together by circumstance, Adeline and Lucien find themselves navigating the grandeur of court life and the quiet magic that fills the Duke's estate. Facing unexpected dangers, enchanting mysteries, and the warmth of small, shared moments, they begin to see each other in a new light. But to truly find one another, they must first let down their walls and open their guarded hearts.

- A slow-burn romantasy with fae courts, false identities, and dangerous choices - "I was taken from my world to replace a girl who was already dead. They dressed me in white, gave me her name, and promised me safety if I stayed silent. I was meant to be a bride. A symbol. A lie. But the prince I was promised to doesn't see me the way he should. And the man who brought me here is watching, waiting for me to break. I am not the girl they think I am. And if the truth comes out, it will destroy us all." #fantasy #fae #fairies #romance #slowburn #enemiestolovers #royalty #forcedmarriage #fakeidentity #darkfantasy #forbiddenlove Note: This story is taking part in the Open Novella Contest 2026 #ONC #OpenNovellaContest Court of the Fae Rankings: #1 ONC2026 out of 1.22K stories #10 aesthetic out of 32.4K stories #13 fairytale out of 19.1K stories #5 fairies out of 14.9K stories

Cameron's first love is baseball, but when he falls for a softball player he can't be with, he realizes he's signed up for more than he bargained for. Between teaching baseball to a rag-tag team of kids and pursuing his dreams of coaching professionally, he shouldn't have feelings for Norah. But attraction is hard to fight, even when pasts and pain threaten to hurt him even more than they already have. ******* Cameron Shaw, the quiet and reserved assistant for an esteemed collegiate baseball team, has one goal in life: to coach professional ball. After one wild, unforgettable kiss on a dance floor with a stranger, his dreams are at risk of crashing down all around him. Again. Fun-loving Norah Young has two goals. First, to prove to her coach that she can be a starting player on the Saint Helena University softball team. Second, to find out why the stranger at the bar left her standing alone after the best kiss of her life. Infatuation turns to hate when he leads her to believe that he wants nothing to do with her. As the baseball assistant and a student athlete, Cameron and Norah aren't supposed to be together, but they can't seem to stay away from each other. Especially when Norah wakes up hungover in Cameron's bed, only to find out that he coaches a team of kids who don't know the first thing about baseball. While Cameron silently endures the chronic pain that stole his baseball career, Norah aims to figure out what it was that stole the promising young player's talent and smile, without getting too close to him. But they can't seem to stay away from each other, no matter how hard they try. FEATURED ON: Newly Written Books CONTENT: Women in sports Chronic pain and disability Gay rep in sports Steamy, but not spicy GENRES: Contemporary, college sports romance, new adult Marked mature for language and a few steamy scenes.

(Nocturnal Law Series) Vampire lawyer Lucius Bloodworth knows the law isn't black and white. Its hazy shades of gray and blood red. When Lucius' new client comes to him as a ghost, begging for him to save her granddaughter from a wrongful murder charge, he realizes he has no choice but help unless he wishes to be haunted for the remainder of his eternal life. Merritt Lark is an advocate for the dead. Working as an intern under Bloodworth's wing, he finds himself in a haunting predicament when he lets a spirit get attached to his new boss. The dead have followed Merritt all his life, and even in a new workplace full of vampires, that hasn't changed. All Merritt wanted was a simple internship to help boost his career as lawyer, but what's a witch to do when the dead come begging them for help? The case brings them very close together as newfound feelings blossom into something much more. But neither are ready for romance or relationships. Not with all the skeletons in Bloodworth's closet and the past Merritt just simply cannot bury. Beautiful cover featuring Merritt created by Neige❤️ Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Thriller (Gay Romance) Current word count: 77,000

At nineteen, Felix Morel's life is already crumbling. Between the music classes he clings to in pursuit of his dream and two jobs to support his cancer-stricken mother, every day feels like a battle he's barely surviving. Elias Gray, twenty-six, has never known struggle. The spoiled son of a powerful politician, his world is privilege, recklessness, and indulgence-until one night, when he crashes into Felix's world. Literally. Their lives collide in the most twisted way, leaving Felix scarred with trauma he can't outrun and Elias burdened with a guilt he can't escape. But in the wreckage, something unexpected sparks. What begins as a strategy, a reckless game Elias convinces himself he can control, soon grows into something more-something fragile, dangerous, and undeniable. As secrets unravel and the weight of the past presses closer, one question remains: When love is born from ruin... can it survive the truth? ⚠️ Content Warning! This book explores trauma, PTSD, and the difficult ways people struggle to cope with both physical and emotional scars.

☆ SLOW BURN • DARK ROMANCE ☆ 〜 They burned her kingdom to ash. Now she sleeps beneath the roof of its conqueror. Clarice, last princess of Sahradyn, was meant to die with her family. Instead, she was spared, dragged across enemy lines and locked in a tower by the man who shattered her world. King Caelen of Velmoras is cold, calculating, and ruthless. He offers her only one choice: become his concubine, or rot in the tower. Yet even as Clarice plots her survival, something stirs between them. A pull. A thread. The old texts call it the soul-thread: a bond said to bind enemies as often as lovers, rare and perilous, long dismissed as myth. But Clarice feels it now, in every glance, every silence, every clash of wills with the man she should hate above all others. As war brews on the borders and kingdoms begin to fracture, Clarice must decide whether the thread binding her to Caelen is a curse to be severed, or a weapon powerful enough to change the fate of empires.