A woman with a tragic past learns she has ties to a group of vigilantes and finds herself the target of their leader; a cocky bastard who won't take no for an answer. ***** Two years after the death of her brother and a tricky escape from a volatile boyfriend, Reese Kentwell is living in Manhattan pursuing a career in photography. Her remedy for dismantling her turbulent past is to keep the company of bed buddies who don't hassle her when she tells them to bugger off. Reese's routine veers off course when she meets the Valentino brothers and unintentionally starts a feud between them. Vincent, the eldest, is a well-known philanthropist with a playboy reputation, while Colin is relegated to living in his brother's shadow. But a family feud is the least of Reese's worries. When the truth finally comes out that a dynasty of strange beasties lives in her city, Reese knows there will be no going back to her old routine of love 'em and leave 'em. DISCLAIMER: This piece needs a serious edit. Please bear that in mind as you read. COPYRIGHT NOTICE: This work is owned by the author. If you attempt to plagiarize, a swarm of demons will be released in your backyard. IN OTHER WORDS: If you find this story on any platform other than WATTPAD, I did not allow this. You may also be exposing yourself to malware. If you wish to read this story in its original, safe form, do it here on WATTPAD. COVER ART for this story and the Stone in Love sequels was done by AEKCreates on Etsy

This novel is an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. Blind since birth, Elle Duncan has only ever known darkness, but lack of sight has never hindered her ability to perceive the beauty of the world. Her kind and gentle soul is put to the test when her father sustains an injury that threatens their livelihood, and in desperation, he turns to the most unlikely of saviors-the Rossetti Beast. Don Rossetti is bound for an unchanging fate. He is bad-tempered, with an equally dark and scarred countenance to match. With a heart forged of ice and a soul confined to darkness, he has surrendered to a forlorn existence. But when a peasant man arrives from the village begging for a favor, he is compelled to aid the farmer in exchange for a price-a price that Elle will be forced to pay. Cover Photo © RJ Creatives Cover Art © 2023 by RJ Creatives

"Why do you want anything to do with me?" Nash asked, his steely blue eyes narrowed into slits. "I don't know," I murmured. "Maybe, if I knew, I wouldn't. But I don't, and I'm here, now." ~ Being told to stay away from someone is like being told to not play with fire. You always play with it anyway, but you always get burned in the end. ~ Seb Maris always liked to fight, using a punching bag rather than a sparring partner. She never liked the idea of being punched, just the idea of hitting. When she found out that the guy who annoyed her to no end shared the same interest, minus the fear of being hit, he began teaching her. She wondered where those skills of his came in handy, because the punching bag couldn't hone his skills that much. Maybe she shouldn't have wondered, after all. ~ COMPLETE *UNEDITED

Life Lesson #1: If you are planning on going to a nightclub in the middle of sketchy, dark woods, don't. Life Lesson #2: If there are too many attractive, healthy people in said nightclub, be alarmed and rethink Life Lesson #1. Life Lesson #3: If you were foolish enough to ignore rules 1 and 2, I suggest you haul ass. Aeress is one of those special people who obviously need a couple more life lessons... ----------------------------------------------------------------- He chuckled. It was dry but it was an addictive sound. "No," he brought his nose against her collar, "not at all." His lips skimmed over her exposed skin. She sighed at his touch, riding the sweet, overwhelming waves that came with. "You've barely touched me," Aeress had her hands skimming up the back of his neck and in between his strands. "And I'm falling apart." His voice was a little hollow and this worried her. "The bond we have is responsible for that." She tugged at him until he looked up. For a moment she just basked in how handsome he was. "I don't think so," she leaned in for a kiss, "I think that you are just about the most fascinating man I have ever met. And we have only just met. I don't think a bond can simply erase the will of an independent woman like me." His eyes came to life with a blazing fire. He closed the distance between them and kissed sensation back into her body, setting off every nerve in her flesh. Everything came to a boiling point, sizzling with need. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ °°MATURE AND EXPLICIT CONTENT OF ALL KINDS, AND I MEAN ALL KINDS°° Highest Rank: #7 in Werewolf, #79 in Romance