Antique store owner Liz brings home a Victorian taxidermy hound from auction, unwittingly unleashing dark forces on her wife and son. ***** Nat Loman has finally married the love of her life, Liz, and is getting used to her role as stepmother to Liz's 5-year-old son, Liam. The Loman family runs a bustling antique business so they attend a sale where a striking, black taxidermied hound is up for auction. Liz picks it up for the business, but it ends up being stored in their home, where Nat notices strange things occurring. She quickly discovers the past residents had died violently. Then she hears from a friend about the myth of "the devil's dog", a hound that perches in the shadows, tearing families apart from the inside. Soon, people around the Lomans are dying, and Liz is changing, darkening. It's up to Nat to save the woman she loves from the darkness closing in, and to save Liam from danger no matter what she has to sacrifice. [[Winner of the 2018 Wattys "Hidden Gems" category]] [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]

❝I've already made up my mind, I want you and only you. No one else... because to me, you're my kind of perfect,❞ In the ruthless world of wealth and power, Adrian Ivanov reigns as a cold-hearted man, devoid of remorse. Love holds no meaning for him, as he indulges in a life of opulence and privilege, yet remains hollow. However, his carefully constructed existence is about to be shattered when an unexpected encounter brings Valentina Russo into his life. Valentina, an Italian girl struggling to make ends meet, crosses paths with Adrian at his exclusive club. Little does she know, this chance meeting will unravel the fabric of her entire existence. Will Valentina possess the strength to weather the storm that threatens to consume her? As their lives intertwine, a profound question lingers: Can Valentina be the one to thaw the ice in Adrian's heart and fill the void that has haunted him for so long? Witness a tale of passion, transformation, and the tumultuous journey two souls must undertake in search of redemption and unyielding love. https://www.patreon.com/c/arihartwattpad