What happens when Death falls in love with the paramour he is gifted? Cursed to kill everyone he touches, beastly Lord Damien Casteel lives in anger and loneliness. During a rare game of poker, he wins the final hand against a petty criminal named Luca. The prize is a pouch of twelve precious gemstones. But Luca is determined to get the stones back, no matter what. Breaking into Damien's mansion to exchange the real gems for fakes, he is captured and threatened with death. Begging for his life, he strikes a deal: his freedom in exchange for his adopted son, Jemison, who will serve the lord as his paramour for twelve days; one day for each stone. Although he is reluctant to let anyone into his life, Damien is desperate to keep Jem away from Luca's abuse, so he agrees. What he does not expect is to fall for the tormented young man. Prompt used is number 46. We love broken, beautiful people. And it doesn't get more obviously broken and more classically beautiful than you. (Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid) My writing is AI-free. Any emdashes are here because I LIKE them. The poetic purply prose is here because I LIKE it. Computers don't write my stuff. The Muse inside my head who keeps me up till 3 AM and wants to drive me bonkers, does. Warning for: spicy situations, alcohol, some swearing, blood, abuse, and typical Christine darkness. There's no graphic sa, torture, gore, or animal abuse.

Clara Morel arrives at a fashionable Riviera resort after a most determined journey, fully prepared to prevent a wedding she considers both foolish and ill-advised. Unfortunately, she arrives a day too late. The ceremony has already taken place with admirable efficiency. What remains is a nearly empty hotel, a quantity of unused champagne, and a handful of guests whose politeness seems somewhat strained. Each of them appears to have a private grievance, an awkward history, or an inconvenient secret. Clara soon discovers that while she may have missed the wedding, she has arrived in perfect time for something else entirely. After all, in a place where everyone has a reason to resent someone, it rarely takes much for resentment to become murder.

Netra Roy attends her long-awaited school reunion, hoping to revisit fond memories and perhaps rekindle a lost connection. But as fate takes a sinister turn, she finds herself trapped with her classmates amid a rising tide of chaos. A sudden zombie apocalypse has erupted, turning the tranquil mountains into a nightmarish battleground. Prompt 59: You're at your school reunion when there is a zombie apocalypse.

Liv Sutton has been surviving for years, fiercely independent and holding onto a dangerous secret, and falling for her best friend could ruin the only safe thing she has left. . . . . England, 1960. As a closely kept secret threatens to swallow Liv Sutton whole, she finds solace in her best friend, Theo Callaghan, and his rising band. And as the gritty music scene pulls Liv and Theo into smoky clubs, ambition, and tangled dreams, something shifts between them. Friendship with Theo begins falling into something deeper, risking everything they've built together. "The person who had always been by my side had somehow shifted into the center of my heart." (Extended Summary Inside) . . . . This is a mature story, and as such, there is swearing, shagging, some drug use, violence, angst, and explicit adult situations (all characters will be over 18). Please note the *trigger warning* for physical abuse in the early chapters. I do promise that happier times follow. . . . . Comments, feedback, and votes are always very much appreciated. I will reply to you as quickly as possible. Thank you so much for reading x

Adrasteia 'Teia' Cloto arrives in Naples believing all she needs is a vacation. And to finish her master's thesis on an expedited schedule. What Teia doesn't need is for four matchmaking retirees to arrange a blind date before she's even unpacked. Then, she meets Alden Colle. Worldly, charming, and mildly infuriating, Alden is a serious writer with a slight obsession with Greek mythology. One date turns into two, then three... They sail the Neapolitan coastline, wander ancient ruins, and fall into a connection Teia has no sensible way to explain. Around Alden, Naples feels oddly familiar. Hidden frescoes come alive. Mirrors show glimpses of another reality. And when he speaks of Theseus, Alden's sadness feels a little too personal. On their final night, Alden makes her a promise: Naxos. Two years. Five years later, Teia has a successful career, a dependable fiancé, and no intention of dwelling on Alden Colle again, especially when her ancient dating history suggests men like him rarely keep their promises. But when Teia returns to Italy, the past begins tugging at threads she thought she had severed, and Alden is waiting at the other end. Now Teia must decide whether to protect the sensible life she has built or risk everything for a love story Fate has been retelling for thousands of years. *** Water and Sand is a contemporary love story that reimagines the myth of Theseus and Ariadne, where love is a labyrinth and friendship feels like the safest way out. #Wattys2026

Two teachers at the same school are determined to outdo each other by having the top- scoring class. But when their students start enthusiastically shipping them, the rivalry takes a very unexpected turn.

Mallory has a mission, a purpose, an end in sight. She doesn't need fun or distractions. She's driven and focused to the point of inattention to any and all things going on around her. And that's how it happens. One moment she's checking her mail before heading to her last class of the day, and the next she's staring at the remains of her emotional support coffee all over her shirt, the floor, and the handsome neighbor she's never even noticed until today. His presence in her life is a nuisance and the absolute last thing she would have wanted, but maybe, just maybe, he might be something she needed. __________ Open Novella Contest (ONC2026), prompt 19: when you accidentally spill coffee on someone, the moment that should've ruined your day becomes the beginning of a surprising and life changing friendship. I told myself I wasn't going to do it, I wasn't going to attempt two novellas at once when I have so many other things started. But clearly the muse is strong and the will is weak.

Nakeeta has spent her entire life training to enter the healer division of the army, but when initiation day comes around, she is assigned to the hunters; an elite group of fighters that are gifted the ability to shapeshift in order to fight the spreading corruption. Left with no other choice, Nakeeta must either adapt, or die. This is an entry for #ONC2026.

He was sent to rescue her. Not to care. Not to stay. Definitely not to fall. Leonardo Nico Russo, the youngest heir of one of Europe's most feared crime families, has built his life on discipline, precision, and impossible missions. Loose ends don't exist in his world. Until April Holloway. Three years after he pulls her from the horrors of human trafficking, fate brings them together again. But the girl he rescued is no longer the same-and neither is the man who walked away believing some people were never meant to become more than a mission. As April finds herself pulled closer to the enigmatic man who once saved her, she must decide whether loving him is worth embracing the dangerous world that comes with his name. And when the past returns, determined to destroy everything he holds dear, Leo discovers that there are some wars you don't fight for an empire... You fight them for one person. Set against a world of hidden wars, family loyalty, and impossible choices, In His Arms is a story of rescue, resilience, and a love that refuses to surrender. Because sometimes, the person who saves you... doesn't just change your life. They become your home.

'He had spent his life chasing a reflection, never noticing the life waiting for him behind his own back.' A mirror. A lighthouse. A curse whispered across generations. Silas Hale dreams of a lighthouse that calls him, and a mirror that whispers his name. Every time he follows it, misfortune follows too. The wind never quiets. The mist never lifts. And the sea ... waits for him to return. Prompt-34. "You have to sail the seven seas to find the lost treasure, but treasure means different things to different people, what treasures will you find at worlds' edge ."