A prophecy followed Dmitri Volkov like a curse. It claimed he carried the soul of Olkov, the first vampire, a creature so ancient that even legends faltered when speaking his name. Dmitri never cared for prophecies, but the world did. His parents feared what lived in him. His people bowed to him. One wrong look from him could decide who survived the night. Still, there was a truth he never admitted. He wanted the bond his kind had lost. The kind of love that could break an immortal in half and rebuild him. He mocked it when he saw it in others, but he longed for it in silence. He sat hidden in the darkest corner of his Russian club, bourbon sharp on his tongue, bass shaking the floor under his boots. The room pulsed with heat and sin, but none of it touched him. Then it came. A scent. Soft. Warm. Alive. It hit him so hard his chest tightened. His guards tensed as he sat forward, hair falling from his face. The noise faded. The crowd blurred. He followed the scent like it pulled him by the spine. A voice followed it. Gentle. Shy. Tinged with irritation. It slid through the room and wrapped around him like a tether. His eyes found her. Red hair cascading to her waist. Golden skin lit up by the neon glow. A camera at her side. She stood in a world she did not belong to, unaware of the predator watching her from the shadows. He begged her to turn. She did. Their eyes met, and her soft gasp shattered something inside him. For the first time in centuries, Dmitri Volkov felt his dead heart try to wake. * I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE *

Another book in the Family Comes First Series by Mason Fitzgibbon. It's 1896 and Wilcox family traditions are forming. Belle has been alone ever since her parents died when she was a teenager. After leaving the orphanage, she meets Winston who promises her a better future. Winston is not the loving husband she expected, but fills her life with abuse and misery. One night during a fight in a tavern, a mysterious man intervenes and Belle's life takes a drastic turn. Belle is brought to the Wilcox farmhouse against her will and trapped inside. She learns that Miles is the mysterious man at the tavern who brought her into his family to be his son Jasper's wife. The family promises her love and protection. It all sounds nice, but much like when she married Winston, Belle knows it is false promises. She is desperate to get out, but the family slowly chips away at her mind. The more she learns about the Wilcox family traditions, the harder she struggles to maintain her sanity. *This story can be read as a standalone *updates every Friday

Origin story to the Family Comes First series by Mason Fitzgibbon. The Wilcox family's horrifying and twisted traditions all began in 1873. Joseph: After the death of their parents, Joseph's younger brother announces he is leaving the farm and moving his family to New York City. Joseph is overcome with betrayal and is terrified that the Wilcox family will disappear. His son, Miles, is the only one to carry on the family name. The only problem is that Miles has always been...different. His odd behavior made him the scapegoat for the church fire a few years ago, and now, no one nearby will associate with the family. When Joseph meets Maisie, at a tavern, he realizes what he must do to ensure the survival of the Wilcox family. Maisie: Having a family was always a dream for Maisie. Her own family was full of abuse and abandonment. She only had her grandmother to rely on, but after her death, she was trapped in hell. Desperate for money, she begins selling herself to the men at the local tavern. She has a series of regulars that take turns tormenting her each night. When Joseph walks into the tavern, she sees a potential new customer. Completely unaware of his sinister plans, she leaves with him, not knowing that her life will never be the same. She finally gets a family, but at what cost? *This story can be read as a standalone *Thank you to @iamrodneyvsmith for the amazing cover

An ancient Italian estate. A vineyard full of secrets. A bloody legacy-and a young intern with mismatched socks and a hunger for mischief caught in the middle of it all. La famiglia Orsini Di Montepietra makes quality wine worth millions and harbours secrets that could stain it darker. Known for their vast fruitful vineyards, respectable reputation and intelligent minds, they are Tuscany's finest- and most feared. Marli Tavares is determined to find the skeleton in their antique cupboards. She's a young woman with a unique personality who left her home in Bahia to seek greener pastures-well, she found a whole vineyard; one whose grapes taste like bitter truth. Landing an internship at the estate's library was as easy as wearing her typewriter key ring. Surviving a year under the frescoed Orsini roof? That's another story-especially with a cold mistress, a brooding cleric, an annoyingly devoted first son, his Casanova of a younger brother, and oh! a brat of a younger sister all watching her every move. Would you like a tour of the Orsini estate, a taste of their darkest wine, or...both? ~ ✨ Highest Rank ✨1st in estate out of 6.2k stories on 18/11/2025 ✨3rd in unsolved out of 1.11k stories on 16/11/2025

I walk backwards with Silva slowly stalking towards me with a crazed look on his face. He had his shirt unbuttoned and his hair damp from sweating. "Why are you here?" I ask him calmly trying not to show that I am scared, he chuckles darkly rubbing his hands through his hair something he did when he was upset. "What do you mean? I just came to bring my girl home; you still are my girl, right?" "I never said I wasn't. But you're acting insane right now." I tell him. Sweat formed with from the fear of what is to come. "I'm insane? You're the one with the knife in your hand not me! Look what you did to me!" I don't even look at his torso already aware of its damage. "Look what you did to me! What did you expect me to do Silva?! I don't want to hurt you anymore but I fucking will if you keep pushing me!" I was screaming on the top of my lungs waving the knife like a mad women. "Be a good girl and use it on me like you want." I wipe my endless tears shaking my head. "Come on Nastasia do it!" I scream as I watch him lunge at me, on instinct I swing the knife slicing into his arm. I gasp instantly dropping it and we both stand still as his blood drips . We stood in silence until he silently began laughing, I watch him touch his arm to feel the blood in his hands. "That's it Stasi let's play." He takes shirt completely off before coming at me again.

Emery is a sweet and innocent 19 year old girl with a dream. It all changes when she gets kidnapped by mafia leader, James. Will she break free or will she let love come in between? "You're mine and only mine. Do you understand?" He asked walking up to me with a possessive look in his eyes. ⚠️Warning: Contains physical and sexual abuse and gang violence⚠️

"I saved your life Kleine, how are you going to repay me," Elias Schneider said to the poor girl. "I-I-I-I never asked you to save me," Jendayi stammered out while biting her lip to prevent herself from breaking down in tears. He grabbed her by her throat roughly and squeeze it enough to lock off her oxygen. "Oh but if I didn't you wouldn't be here now would you." Tears ran down her dark skin as she struggled to breathe.

She's been at his hip. Ever since that day he saved her from the mean big kids. That day he saved her, he knew she was his. Even if they were so young. When he left, she felt damaged. Broken. Torn. She thought she would never see him again. 8 years pass... And he's back. And back for her, and her only.

"𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠.."