When two ex-best friends turned rival assassins cross paths on a mission, they must work together to uncover the truth, reopening old wounds and buried feelings while battling monsters.

Fallon never meant to survive the night. Broken by grief and haunted by shadows that she can no longer outrun, she throws herself from the cliffs into the storm-torn sea-choosing darkness over another dawn. Instead of death, she finds fire. A dragon rises from the waves and pulls her from the abyss. Ancient. Wounded. Hunted. When the beast vanishes, and a stranger with molten-gold eyes takes his place, Fallon learns the truth: dragons are not the mindless monsters the kingdom fears. They are shifters-rare, powerful, and nearly extinct. And Ambrose is the last of the Draco. The realm has already sent its most revered knight to finish what generations began: the eradication of dragonkind. If Ambrose is found, the Draco will fall forever. Fallon owes her life to the creature the world calls a monster. As soldiers close in and secrets of the old magic awaken in her blood, Fallon must choose between the safety of the kingdom that failed her-or the dragon who saved her. Protecting Ambrose means defying the crown, confronting the knight sworn to destroy him, and risking her heart to a being of fire and shadow. Because the greatest danger isn't the blade hunting dragons. It's falling for one. [Entry for the Open Novella Contest 2026]

When one morning, Zabava finds a wounded man in her garden, there is no doubt she ought to help him. But the more she gets to know about him, the clearer it seems that destiny had delivered a gruesome strike with this stranger. For her unexpected guest is Zmey, the dragon haunting the country of Skazoviya with his endless appetite for the hearts of girls. Everyone knows how this would have to end in the tales-a powerful witch in the woods, a terrible dragon, a dashing hero. But this is no tale. Zabava is no witch. The brave bogatyr has failed to kill his enemy. And the dragon doesn't seem to be quite the kind of monster the rumors make him out to be. Soon enough, he spins Zabava a tale of woe about his innocence and traps her in a bargain to rescue him. Caught between plans to trick this beast and the chains of their pact, she slowly starts to believe Zmey's story ... but what if the tales are true and what's at stake is her very heart? _____ ONC 2026 ENTRY: PROMPTS 3, 4, 11

For Centuries Grim has been collecting souls. It's what he does, it's his purpose. One day, while collecting a soul in the park, he comes across a lost puppy. For reasons he can't explain, the urge to return the small dog to his owner is overwhelming. He soon finds the animal's owner, a woman in her mid-twenties named Maria. He is struck down by her beauty and realizes that he had once claimed the soul of someone she loved. He becomes even more conflicted when he realizes he has just one year to claim her soul.

Summer Xuě and Winter Meadows are a pop rivalry for the ages -- which is all the more infuriating because they sure love kissing each other. ***** Summer Xuě returns after a nearly two-year-long hiatus brought on by an injury to headline one of the country's biggest music festivals. The problem? The other headlining acts are her ex-boyfriend, Marche Abrams, and her biggest rival in the industry, Winter Meadows. The same Winter Meadows that she's been secretly hooking up with behind the scenes for the past few years, barring the radio silence Winter has given her since the accident. For a week during rehearsals leading up to opening weekend, the three stars orbit around each other, trying not to collide. But that's easier said than done with all the unfinished business between them. All Summer needs to do is survive this one festival and return to glory without anyone finding out about the feelings she's secretly harboring toward her biggest rival, including Winter herself. ***** OPEN NOVELLA CONTEST 2026 -- prompts 30 & 24

#ONC OPEN NOVELLA CONTEST 2026 What do you do when your best friend's brother-who just moved into your shared house-turns out not to be entirely human? You scream into your pillow so no one hears. You question your grip on reality. You start double-locking your bedroom door every night. And then-you begin watching him. *** ONC PROMPT 25: You live with four other housemates, but one of them is secretly an alien trying to learn how to act human.

After overthrowing her family to wed their sworn enemy, an ambitious princess swears to restore them to their rightful place. But to do so, she must overcome the two greatest opponents she's ever faced: her new husband and her own powerful magic. ____ ~*~ ____ Based on the ONC prompt 11: The daughter of the most powerful witch is nothing like her mother.

Life's a mess. She's a mess. Claire gets fired from her coffee shop job, has her designs called 'trash' by the rude prick who was supposed to sponsor her first fashion collection... And then, her best friend, the love of her life, announces his sudden engagement and wedding next month in Hawaii. And guess who gets to be maid of honor? This is the last fucking straw. This book contains: Cussing & An absolute disaster of a protagonist. You have been warned.

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.

I went looking for my missing best friend... and kidnapped a stranger instead. He's strong, dangerous, and nothing like anyone I've ever met. Now, trapped in the woods with him, every move could be my last-and every word I say might be the only thing keeping me alive.