ONC 2025, it's that time of the year again!
23 stories
How to Feed your Demon (without dying from blood loss) | bxb by Easterhead
Easterhead
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I summoned him to protect me. Not to kiss me and make me feel things. Prince Leonard is a paranoid wreck-hated by his court, haunted by his past, and one imagined assassination attempt away from losing the only person still on his side. So when his own guards turn on him, Leo makes the one move no sane person would: he summons a demon. What he expects is a bloodthirsty monster. What he gets is Razvain Nyxbourne-dangerously attractive, infuriatingly flirty, and far more interested in kissing than drinking blood. Leo is unprepared for his sharp smiles or the avalanche of inconvenient emotional intimacy that comes with them. Bound by magic to keep Leo alive, Raz and his disarmingly cute shadows have their work cut out for them, because every member of the court seems to be after the newly crowned king's fragile life. If Leo wants to survive, he'll have to confront the demons of his past to keep the one at his side strong enough to protect him. Mature rated for explicit sexual content
Returnal | ONC 2025 ✔️ by EvelynHail
EvelynHail
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Haunted by the past, Rhiannon Carmichael returns to her hometown for her father's funeral, only to uncover a web of secrets and a possible murder, forcing her to confront the family she left behind. *** Victor Carmichael, the titan of local construction industry, is dead. Officially, it was his failing liver that finally did him in. Off the record? He's been murdered, and the only one who suspects it is his prodigal daughter. Gaffney, South Carolina, holds the ghosts of Rhiannon's past - the past she desperately tried to escape. Forced to sift through fractured memories and lies, she must expose a killer possibly lurking in the heart of her family. Every smile hides a secret, and every hug is a potential weapon. Whodunnit? Her mother, Lorraine, who seems to hold back more than tears? Her resentful brother, Tom? Then there are Beverly, the enigmatic interior designer with a past as murky as the swamps surrounding Gaffney, and Aubrey, the glamorous influencer whose connection to Victor runs deeper than anyone knows... Each clue, each whispered secret, pulls Rhiannon deeper into a dangerous game. As the idyllic charm of her quiet hometown crumbles, the lines between friend and foe start to blur. The more time passes, the more she realises: her returnal to Gaffney is not a blissful family reunion. It's a deadly reckoning. © 2025 EvelynHail Exclusively on Wattpad Based on prompt 61: "The silence in room is deafening, as though it has a life of its own. It's time to rewrite the fairytale, but this time, the ending will be yours, and it won't be happy."
✔️ Lion, Rise (ONC 2025) (Lion Book One) by erifnidne
erifnidne
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A war won. A triumphant return home. Ell is a member of the Lion Regiment, a special forces squad trained to be the very best. After years spent fighting insidious demon armies, he returns with his squad to their barracks on the outside of the royal capital. Just as the yellow sun breaks through the turbulent, volcanic clouds above, just as the blissful days of silence, of a job well done wash over him and his fellow squadmates, trouble arises. GENRES: *action,* fantasy, tragedy, romance ~~~ ONC 2025 Entry |PROMPT 31 WITH SOME OF 61| First Draft version Prequel to an unwritten story Word count for project: ~34,000 COVER ART NOT MINE TAKEN FROM PINTEREST AND FILTERED
Bound Souls by wdhenning
wdhenning
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Twenty years ago, magic vanished from the world, presumed forever gone. Yet it still existed, tangled within its own domain, along with Naamah, its dark personification. Naamah schemes return to complete her desire for humanity's subjugation and to avenge her earlier defeat. But with a soul barren, Naamah needed another to complete herself. Psalm, a blind young woman pure of soul, enjoyed a simple life with a loving family. She had no idea of her heritage, nor her magical potential as a powerful Oracle, nor that Naamah would target her. When the magic burst back into the world, Psalm and Naamah found their souls bound by a destiny written ages ago. This story was written for the 2025 Open Novella Contest, using prompt #129: The ink of our souls binds us beyond the pages of time.
Her Elora | ONC 2025 by _p1nk_tr4sh_
_p1nk_tr4sh_
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Elora isn't like other girls. Because she's a faerie. The wings, the pointy ears, the sparkles-- she's got it all. She's also not like other girls because it's not often that one is ripped from royalty, whisked away by a thief with long dark hair and stormy blue eyes. With her new captor in tow, the flames of a potential uprising boil over, and Elora is caught in the crossfire. Life is about to get a lot more spicy. And not just because her captor is hot. Definitely not because of that, even if it's true. Um, Stockholm Syndrome who? Will Elora manage a chance at better days, even with her turbulent fate? Or is she forever someone else's treasure and nothing more?
The Prince's Ransom (bxb) by DomiSotto
DomiSotto
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A companion prequel novella for 'To Marry a Dragon'. When a mysterious thief steals a treasure from a reckless prince, his knights spring into action. They're hunting for the precious necklace intended for the prince's bride, but the prince knows better. His heart was stolen, and his heart is priceless. The only way he can recover from this loss is to find his thief before the knights. Only, he can't court the thief and still be the same prince he's always been.
A Lethal Taste of Love | ONC 2025 by SophieKestrel
SophieKestrel
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The prophecy had warned Princess Katyani that she would die at the hands of the man she grew to love. Unfortunately, it had failed to mention that a sexually transmitted infection might kill her first. Or that the fae responsible for said STI would turn out to be such a dick. ~ Book 2 of The Murdery Marriages ~ Standalone ~
When Water Burns | ONC 2025 by laurendoubleu
laurendoubleu
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As water is depleted for its magic, a vigilante uses a cold heiress to infiltrate high society and steal their water before the world--and her family--burns. 🜄 After washing up in the desert, nearly dead and with no memories, twenty-something-year-old Lana had a feeling she was involved in something dangerous. "Vigilantes targeting the wealthy" fits the bill, especially when the main perpetrator is still at large. Not that she would blame her past self, for the rich are intent on destroying the world, draining water of its magic and leaving behind its toxic remains. So Lana's surprised to learn she's the bodyguard for one such wealthy heiress. Virre Averten lives up to her fearsome reputation, despite only recently inheriting her fortune at twenty-three. Harsh and cold-hearted, Virre hoards water's magic just as much as her family's trade secrets, and she throws Lana back into her employment to protect them all. Lana has no idea how she tolerated the woman, but she's certain it was for a good reason. For instance, gaining access to the most exclusive events in the city. Thanks to each extravagant gala and lavish feast, Lana dissolves not only the facade of the wealthy, but that of Virre as well. Except she's not the only one fishing for secrets. With their enemies closing in and the world's magic running dry, the women must work together to reveal the truth before they, and all the water, burn for good. 🜄 INCLUDES ✓ Sapphic bodyguard-heiress romance ✓ Magical fight scenes ✓ Environmentalism and sociopolitical commentary ✓ Secret spy stuff ONC 2025 LONGLISTER Word Count: +39k Genres: High Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance Written: 05 FEB 2025 - 28 FEB 2025 Narrative: Third Person Limited, Past Tense ★ This story is only available on Wattpad by @laurendoubleu.
Windsor Lane by spelunkadunk
spelunkadunk
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When Rosie's new husband ignores her, she begs the harlot next-door for lessons on seduction (1980s suburban dystopia with a spicy lesbian romance) *** It's 1982, and newlywed Rosie McGee has just moved into an idealistic suburban cul-de-sac called Windsor Lane. As a good Christian girl, this is Rosie's dream come true... or at least, it should be. However, next-door-neighbor Scarlett Everly doesn't fit in with the rest of the good Christian wives in their neighborhood (she drinks, she sleeps around, and she doesn't even attend church!). Worse, Rosie's new husband suddenly seems utterly uninterested in her. Has he already been seduced by Scarlett? Or is Rosie simply too boring? After a honeymoon more closely resembling a funeral, Rosie gathers her courage and marches right up to Scarlett's door with a plea: teach me your ways. Scarlett agrees, with one condition: Rosie must model for her next painting. When the agreement leads to unexpected attraction, Rosie begins to question her own priorities. The warmth she once felt when holding Thomas's hand is nothing compared to what she feels when Scarlett is painting her. But a good Christian girl should not think of such things. Especially not in Windsor Lane. Grand Winner for the Pride Awards 2025 Honorable Mention in ONC 2025 ONC 2025 prompt 53: On your honeymoon, you discover the most shocking truth about your spouse--one that could change everything. Also prompt 118: You're feeling trapped in your current relationship and can't shake the urge to break free.