This story is about an adventurous forest nymph, who loves the snow and a regular human, who doesn't have time to stop and smell the seasons. They both try to help one another but end up stuck in the middle of nowhere during a blizzard. The burning passion in the shelter and sparks flying will keep them warm and happy, while the storm passes, but can they continue their love affair when they leave behind the forest? This is a FIRST DRAFT, the editing will be complete after it's finished! Winner in the 2025 Nov 11 - Dec 10 First Chapter Challenge by @BlueBirdAwards

The Sweet N' Chewy Café -- Where delectable and savory treats run your world. Be it an escape from work, or an escape for work, the café holds the key to an amazing day, everyday! Not for Rayne. No. His life's been nothing but work and people pleasing ever since he was orphaned and taken in by his boss, Riyana, who runs the place. With his magical ability to control water, Rayne has been the star of the cafe for nearly ten years. Exhausted after every performance, on the verge of using his power against Riyana, and constantly looking after his younger co-workers, Rayne has had enough. But a new addition to the band of performers catches his eyes, completely, utterly halting his plans of escaping the café. Conner's goofy grins and optimistic charm are like a magic of their own! Every passing moment Rayne spends with him leaves him even giddier than the last. Rayne is sure he can figure everything out, from escaping Riyana's control to confessing his feelings to Conner, and everything in between. If only a certain tiny, flying tiger could leave him alone for five minutes. UPDATES EVERY WEEKEND (Saturday/Sunday)

A ranger, pirate, thief, herbalist, mage and knight walk into the forest... The King's only male heir has been poisoned and his best options to retrieve the cure is a ragtag group of misfits from the dungeons. They only need to retrieve a rare magical flower from a wyvern's gift and they'll earn their freedom. Shouldn't be a problem...if they can stay on task and don't kill each other before the monsters in the forest have a chance.

28-year-old Calista's life took an unexpected turn when her parents died and left her all of their fortune. Her fiance Trevor came at an opportune time and helped her heal from their loss. Now, she is engaged and having the time of her life at her bachelorette party in Mexico with her friends. All that changes when she receives a message that will turn her life in another direction if she trusts her instincts. If she doesn't, her online protector will have to take things into his capable hands and use his hacking skills to keep her safe. ​‼️​ Trigger warnings ​‼️​ ⛔​stalking ⛔​kidnapping ⛔​manipulation ⛔​gaslighting ⛔​abandonment This novella will be for the 2025 ONC competition. I chose these two prompts: 88. Lately, your phone feels... off. It seems like it's watching you. At first, you dismiss it as paranoia. But one day, each message on your phone reads "I'm watching you." 104. While on vacation, you receive a cryptic message from an unknown sender, throwing your carefully planned itinerary into chaos.

Matthew thought he could escape his past, one filled with constant war, where his powers made him attractive to a crooked regime. They'd forced him to enlist, used him to fight their enemies, and the only way to separate himself from those blood-soaked hands was to wash it all away. His name, his people, his soul, all born anew far away from the corruption and death. In those few moments, he breathed easy, yet as he closed his eyes at night, flames flashed before his eyes, reminding him of what he'd hidden away. Nightmares turn into reality as a shadow from his past stalks him beyond sight, framing him for the murder of officials who sat at the feet of the party who rules his warring peoples. Now Matthew must run with his family or face a trial certain to result in their deaths. Danger licks at his heels as tensions rise within his homeland, the government forcing segregation of those with powers and those without. If he hides and does nothing, the world around him will fall to chaos, but is fighting to save his people worth the price? Will tainting his hands in blood once more take all that is left of him? Will that blood make the difference? Or will it force more into a world of suffering.

What do you do when your heart yearns for something your mind can't embrace? How do you tame the feelings that keep surfacing for someone special, knowing you're committed to another? Ana Rose embarks on a new journey as a secret agent. Although she has a loving family and a supportive fiancé, she feels that something is missing in her life. Her thirst for adventure and desire to push her boundaries lead her to join the prestigious Black Veil company. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she is unexpectedly paired with a strikingly beautiful and mysterious young man for their missions. From the moment they meet, an intense desire ignites within her. Her untamed spirit and daring attitude harmoniously intertwine with his shy, reserved nature, creating a captivating connection that draws them irresistibly together. As they tackle dangerous challenges side by side, an unbreakable bond forms between them. Their playful banter only serves to amplify the undeniable chemistry, pushing their partnership beyond the confines of mere co-workers. Caught in a storm of emotions, Ana struggles with the reality of her intensifying feelings. Is that just a fleeting passion, a powerful attraction, or something deeper? Meanwhile, guilt gnaws at her conscience, reminding her of the possessive fiancé waiting for her at home. Faced with a choice between a stable life and the potential of following her heart, she must decide: will she embrace the unknown, or will she suppress her desires to maintain the comfortable life she has built with her fiancé?

Sylfir is a lone druid; a young bounty hunter hailing from the High Forest who has made a life for herself answering calls for aid from the helpless. When the village of Summerfall issues its plea, she thinks it is no different than any other bounty she has taken, but when she arrives, she gets far more than she bargained for. In the wake of its near-destruction at the hands of an unknown beast, the village has become a confluence of powerful players: a cleric of the gentle but resolute Eilistraee who is unwavering in her conviction, a trio of Uthgardt warriors with unmatched mettle, and a mysterious red-eyed witch who would invite doom on them all. Sylfir finds that she must rally these souls to her side for good to triumph over evil. But amid the sea of chaos, she chances to find islands of calm as she comes to feel for the village people. Of all of them, however, it is the son of a farmer that she's drawn to. She proves all too susceptible to his easy charm, but with all that is at stake, will she let herself fall for him? The Rescue of Summerfall is a DnD story set in the Forgotten Realms' Faerûn in the wake of the Second Sundering (1488 DR) and is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Content warnings: Mentions and depictions of violence, gore, implications of abuse, sexual themes (nothing explicit) Enjoy!

Two ex-best friends are invited back to the reality TV cooking show that caused their ruined relationship three years ago. *** Three years. That's how long ago it was when Luci Baker shoved a cake in Shae Brown's face. That's how long the fifteen-year friendship of Shae and Luci has been extinct. Now, the show the hosted the infamous scene has invited Shae back to participate in a bake-off with other baking "Fiascos" that were featured on Tiana's Kitchen. Shae is embarrassed that their debacle made it into Fiasco territory even though the episode they participated in never actually aired. But, they are also determined to redeem themself from the humiliating experience. The problem? Luci was invited back too. And she wants to be friends again. Will Shae's pride get in the way of their friendship's-and their reputations'-redemption? Let the bakeoff begin! *** Cover from @TaeTaeGinger! WARNINGS: extreme profanity, themes of mental illness, alcoholism, mentions of domestic violence and abandonment, enbyphobia, on page panic attacks and autistic shutdowns with unintentional self-harm during these attacks Chapter Title Teasers for May: • May 13th: 9- I'm Stuck with the Most Annoying Chef on the Face of the Earth • May 18th: 10 - Lemon Cakes and the Moons that Live in Them • May 23rd: 11 - Winner, Loser, Who Gives a Shit? • May 28th: 12 - Maybe the Real Prize Is the Friends We Made Along the Way • May 31st: Epilogue - The Mystery of the Missing E 1st Draft Published: February 28th, 2025 1st Draft Finished: - 1st Draft Word Count: 24,970 Based on ONC prompt 36: Two exes-turned-rivals enter a high-stakes Master Chef competition. Can they set aside their differences in the kitchen or will their simmering rivalry boil over?

Paige de Haan believes in a lot of things, but ghosts aren't one of them. Keane Mahoney, her former best friend, would just like her to believe in herself. ***** After a devastating summer, Paige De Haan is determined to cut ties with her old life--no more parties, no more attention, and definitely no more old friends. Her plan seems to be working until an unexpected run-in with her former best friend, Keane Mahoney, throws a wrench in her plans. The universe pushes them together, forcing them to partner up for their senior project: a ghost-hunting web series where skeptic meets believer. The sudden closeness stirs up unresolved feelings and urges them to confront the past they've been avoiding. Now, Paige and Keane must decide if their relationship is destined to stay buried . . . or be brought back to life. ***** BENNINGTON UNIVERSITY SERIES #2 © 2024 caterina george // all rights reserved

**I LIKE YOUR VENOM SWEET REWRITE** Macheras, an old family with the city of New Berlin, USA, in a chokehold, a ruthless reputation, and every person of import in their pocket. Feared and respected, not one poor sod dare question their authority. Yet the establishment of a new syndicate brings that hegemony under question. The Hydra, a syndicate of five brothers in all but name, fly through the ranks of New Berlin's criminal underworld and rise to the top. With all eyes on them, they must face their last and most challenging obstacle: Vasilios Rex Macheras and his children. All that, however, might have to wait as an unseen enemy threatens to destroy everything the two behemoths have built. A war looms on the horizon, and prior to dealing with domestic matters, one must weed out the pests. Alliances need making, blood needs spilling, and heands need rolling.