A pro hockey player and Hollywood princess form an unexpected bond amidst the scrutiny of the public, growing into a wildfire they both can't tame. ***** Larissa Hepburn, who goes by her stage name "Nova", is a triple threat in Hollywood. A talented singer, dancer, and actress, there seems to be nothing she can't do. In the eyes of the world, she's the model of a perfect human being. However, underneath the glamor, the smiles, laughter, and wall of illusions lies a darker truth - a woman on the brink of losing the tether she holds to this world. And on top of everything, she lost her best friend years ago to fame, a friendship she wants to mend as the final goal in her life. Then she meets Rhys Melton, a pro hockey player addicted to the world of hockey and himself broken in more ways than one. Brutal on the ice, he doesn't have time for romance or sexual relationships, especially after having his heart broken by someone from his past. And posing as the charming playboy to the public eye is the only way to shield his pain from the world. But one single glance and a hilarious encounter changes both their lives in the most unexpected ways. What begins as an escape from the paparazzi turns into an unlikely friendship that forms in one single night. And as they spend more time together, the more they discover the disastrous truth that lies underneath their armors, one that bonds them into a scandalous romance. Even the brightest souls can hide the darkest thoughts. But what happens when two broken people, one more than the other, cross paths? Will they save each other from the darkness consuming them? OPEN NOVELLA CONTEST 2026

There are strange creatures in the water - and TEMPEST RAERIR is tasked with keeping them there. The gods have long since abandoned the Queendom of Khaedel, letting monsters of the deep plague the land with sickness and death. She defends the shores and kills anything that dares to step onto the sand. When one of the queens of Khaedel - Tempest's mentor - falls ill, her duty switches to saving who she cares about most. And she just might be the key to saving everyone. The deeper you go into the Arnstar Ocean, the more powerful the creatures become, and THE WARDEN'S duty is to keep them all in line. For centuries, the magic keeping the most depraved monsters at bay has been waning. Now that cracks have cut through the surface, the Warden faces no choice but to obtain the help of the beings that despise them the most. Tempest and the Warden must band together and venture as far down into the Arnstar Ocean as they can to seal the fissures. Only, getting there might not be as easy as they thought. Can they survive the battles with the leviathans that lurk in the darkness? Or will they prove the gods right that the land is hopeless? ONGOING 2026 © -DeeIsDead-

❝ DON'T GET LOST IN THE WOODS FOR THEY ARE HUNGRY ❞ Vesnyana died a long time ago. As a rusalka, she is now bound to haunt the waters that took her life-and drown hapless folks in their cold depths to sate her endless hunger. However, her greatest desire remains unfulfilled: to become human again. That is, until the summer solstice, which drives young lovers into the trees in search of the magical fern flower. But only one of them is truly determined to find it. Which is but a game for other youths in the village of Lasow, to Yara seems like the only way to free herself from her sorrows. Little does she know there are far greater ones to come: A new priest arrives, eager to fight the old beliefs and driven by his own dangerous desires. Prophecies and dark omens plaguing Yara and her friend Levik speak of fire on the horizon. And the shadows on the wall start speaking. When death comes riding into Lasow, Yara has to decide whom to trust-and what wishes might be dangerous enough they could cost all of their lives. _______ ONC 2026 ENTRY: PROMPTS 16, 104, 114

The Eye has seen-the world will end, unless the apocalypse is properly thwarted. Unfortunately, this task has been handed to the two worst people for the job. Gadowyn Harker is a poison-peddling witch of the Gold City with a curse: if she loves, she will lose her powers-and herself. Beau "The Beautificent" Beguile (not his real name) is a smug necromancer who cons the rich and has a lifelong allergy to love, and all its messy bits. Now they must do the unthinkable: bring a dragon and a future knight-princess-sworn enemy of dragonkind-together, romantically. The world would do well to start praying; the chances of success are slim at best. Meanwhile, the Gold City teeters on the brink of collapse, undead roam the streets (entirely Beau's fault), and the end of the world draws ever closer. Somehow, Gadowyn and Beau must save it all with love-without falling prey to it themselves. First draft written for ONC 2026 | Main Prompts 11 & 98

➳➳➳ new cover by x_luminous_x ➳➳➳ What if the dragon wasn't the knight's worst adversary, but their brother in arms? What if the wolf, instead of being the hunter's age-old enemy, became their closest companion? ➳➳➳ After 150 years of peace, dragons wings once again darken Sïrvean skies. At 18 years old, Soera is little more than a rebellious young woman. She spends all her days hunting in the forest, her faithful wolf by her side. Until the day her father reveals the purpose she was born to fulfill. Her ancestry is one of guardians of an ancient shrine... And the soul of a 150 years old Dragonslayer bound to it, with boredom and viciousness matching her age That same day, a dragon rider lands on Sïrvean ground. She is supposed to end his life immediately. Instead, she ends up stranded in the wilderness with him and his dragon. If she wants to survive, she must join forces with her sworn enemy. ➳➳➳ The ancient walls scream for revenge. The spirits of Soera's ancestors yearn for blood. Soera must choose between duty to her bloodline and the call of her heart.

Someone once said: >>>monsters don't live under our bed. They live in the recesses of our minds<<<< (variation of Edgar Allen Pope's famous quote). Afraid this saying might be literally true, and that one truly resides in her mind; Tormenta runs, trying to escape from herself and the monster that lurks in the dark. She'd been running from death, before encountering something more formidable than death; something even death fears; always residing in the midst of the darkness and in her head. He's sinfully beautiful, but also the root of all evil. He's the embodiment of doom and darkness for mankind. He puts her in a coffin, throws her off a cliff, chokes her till she feels death caressing her cheeks; yet, she begs for no mercy. What would you do if you find out you just tied your fate to that of a being worse that death's? Lest I forget, death is never an option, cause he saves her always at the brink of death. ... Open Novella Contest, prompt #80

A counterfeit claim against a legendary wine ignites a high-stakes investigation in which a neurodivergent restaurateur and a forensic wine analyst must navigate forgery, deception, and their own unexpected connection to save a century-old legacy. Luc, owner of London's prestigious Le Rêve restaurant, faces a devastating crisis when a valued patron declares a prized vintage a fake. To protect his family's century-old reputation, he enlists Izzy, a brilliant but socially unconventional forensic wine analyst, eager to prove her mettle. Their shared autism initially creates an unexpected but undeniable spark of attraction, challenging their focus. But as they delve deeper into the complex world of wine fraud, they suspect a widespread conspiracy that threatens to destroy Le Rêve. Together, they must harness their unique abilities to expose the truth, safeguard the restaurant's legacy, and navigate their intensifying relationship, even as they battle their own internal worlds.

The stars whispered to amateur astronomer Levi, and to his alarm, one by one they disappeared within the abyss. But when he witnessed one such disappearance, the star fell to him and took a human form. Explaining Celesta's sudden appearance to suspicious townspeople became an insignificant problem when a Darkness threatened to consume the universe, one star at a time, including the one that warmed his world. A fantasy story written for the 2026 Open Novella Contest, utilizing prompt #69: The stars are disappearing one by one, and only you can hear their whispers.

**Wattpad Original Story** ONC 2026 In a hidden town of Sundale, Kentucky, Kia Bradford, the daughter of the most powerful witch Holly Bradford, yearns for adventure and escape from her mother's shadow. When she encounters the dangerous and alluring supernatural being Dayton Edgewood, a warlock-vampire hybrid, Kia is drawn into a dark romance filled with magic, mystery, and dangerous desires. As Kia navigates her newfound attraction to Dayton amidst her mother's disapproval and the growing darkness around them, she must confront the looming stakes of losing herself to the forbidden allure of Dayton's world.

Since a tragic skiing accident took Elodie away, Sophie's world has lost every shade of color. A devastating injury on the ice shattered her dreams of glory, leaving her trapped in a limbo of medication, resentful memories, and the sheer terror of ever wearing her iconic white and gold skates again. While her doctors and family struggle to piece her life back together, Sophie is drawn by a dream into an obsidian temple, the domain of an enigmatic and primordial being. He is an entity accustomed to reading every fold of the human soul, yet, before Sophie, he finds himself powerless for the first time: he cannot decipher her. Captivated by the impenetrable darkness she guards, the God begins to haunt her, goading her to break free from her isolation with a dangerous and visceral intensity. Sophie finds herself torn between two worlds: a grey reality that wants her fragile and protected, and a magical abyss challenging her to return to the ice to reclaim her strength. But accepting the entity's call means exposing herself to a pain that could either destroy her or, finally, set her free.