[COMPLETE] ONC SHORTLISTER 2024 Senar Kil is a powerful vampire who harbors a deadly secret: she can no longer drink blood. If her secret gets out, the other vampires will kill her in order to claim her status. Adrian Namgung is an infamous vampire who knows Senar is hiding something and will do anything he can to find out what it is. Problem is, he has a deadly secret of his own. The two vampires are thrust into a game of cat and mouse as they try to figure out who knows what. It should be easy, but, as they spend more and more time with each other, the tension between them becomes all but impossible to ignore. Except keeping secrets from vampires is easier said than done, and soon, both Senar and Adrian have to confront their own demons if they want to make it out alive. ~~~ 🥇HORROR/SUPERNATURAL - LILAC AWARDS 2024 ~~~ First wrote: 02/14/24 - 04/21/24 First published: 02/14/24 - 04/27/24 Total word count: 32.2K

"Do you normally make-out with the people you're hired to kill? It doesn't strike me as very professional." "Put the gun down," Gabriel panted, not answering her. "Why on earth would I do that?" "Because you're not going to shoot me," Gabriel replied, noting that she still had the safety on. "I bet you've never shot anything in your life." She studied his gun with a smile. "Maybe you're right," she replied. Then she pointed the gun back at him, taking off the safety and cocking it. "Are you willing to bet your life on it?" she asked him coolly. *** He didn't know anything about her - her name, age, even what she looked like. He only knew it was his job to kill her. But when Gabriel comes face to face with his latest target, he finds himself completely mesmerized and can't pull the trigger. Left with few viable options, he decides to kidnap her. Unfortunately for him, she's not willing to come quietly. Instead, their encounter sets off an intense game of cat and mouse, unraveling Gabriel's entire world in the process.

"Do not fall in love with that girl, agent. That's an order." "I won't," I promised. But I'd never been good at following orders. ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Revenge is 17-year-old Seth's first and only priority. Ever since an Anomaly - an evil, destructive being created from mutations to the human genome - murdered his father six years ago, he has trained at a special government facility to avenge his father's death by hunting Anomalies himself. But when he receives his first undercover mission - to pose as the son of two other agents in the small, rural town of Eastbrook - he meets a girl who makes him wonder if there is more to life than vengeance. Unfortunately, the danger in Eastbrook is growing. And when an Anomaly threatens the life of his new companion, Seth will be forced to choose between love and revenge. Written for the 2024 Open Novella Contest

For the Slates, demon slaying is the family business. And eighteen-year-old Perrin has fully embraced her chosen profession. But when her sister, fifteen-year-old Ace, declares she's ready to join the cause, Perrin has her reservations. First of all, the case she's picked involves not one, but three demonic foes. A tricky proposition for any new slayer. Second, something eerily familiar lurks at the heart of the infested town. A red-eyed presence that may or may not be the demon who murdered their brother a decade ago. Third, Ace refuses to listen. To reason, to orders, to sense. And in this line of work, one false move can get you killed. Along with their exasperated father and an overeager grocery store clerk, Perrin and Ace set out to raise a little hell and bag a trio of baddies. But demons aren't the only ones to fear. A secret society has discovered their connection to an ancient bet. One involving their very souls. And as enemies close in on all sides, the Slates will need to trust each other and their training to stay one step ahead of the coming storm. Set against the backdrop of 2010 Middle America, Slate Gray is a nostalgic tale of demons, driving and destiny. Will Perrin sacrifice herself to protect her sister? Will Ace make a deal with the devil to bring their brother back? Only time will tell. Featured on: @Fantasy @CelestiaCove @CitifiedFantasy @HalosAndHellfires @JustWriteIt @PrideReads @Project_Athena @QuickFantasy @StoriesUndiscovered **Trigger Warnings for Language, Violence and Gore**