After the death of his father, a young prince meets a strange masked figure who changes his life forever, setting him on a new path of pain and suffering which he must traverse, to become the most powerful and feared man in his world...and other worlds...... CONTAINS EXPLICIT SCENES OF SEX, VIOLENCE, RAPE, TORTURE AND ABUSE – ALSO CONTAINS HOMOSEXUAL CONTENT AND SEX SCENES BETWEEN MEN
Prologue
The four masked figures walked on through the woods until they reached a clearing. They stopped and placed the stretcher they carried between them carefully on the soft grassy earth in the centre.
The clearing around them was beautiful in the morning sunlight, bathed in a golden glow; all around leaves slowly fell from their trees, landing softly on the forest floor.
The four figures all wearing plague-masks waited, standing at four points around the body and looming silently over it.
They waited.
The body was still. Not breathing.
Then all of a sudden, his eyes opened, and he took his first steady breath.
He sat up, resting with an elbow upon a knee. He looked at his hands, grinning widely. He spoke.
'It worked? Are those my hands?'
He touched his face then, feeling only smooth skin, and no scarring.
'I can see clearly now' he said beginning to laugh. 'I can see. I can feel.'
'Did you ever doubt us for even a moment?' one of the masked figures asked him leaning forward.
The masked figure spoke the man's name.
The man glanced up at the figure, seeing the gloved hand of his offering him a mirror. He took it, staring back at his own reflection. He began to laugh out loud, touching his skin, his hair, his nose, his lips.
'Handsome' he beamed, showing himself perfect white teeth in his reflection. 'I'm perfect.'
He handed the mirror back to the figure, rising to his feet.
'I remember you' he told the figures as he looked around at the four of them. 'All of you' he said turning on the spot. 'But I don't know who each of you are behind your masks.'
'You don't need to know' another of the figures spoke, this voice was female.
'What happened to me?' the man furrowed his brow. 'I...I remember my own name, and I remember her...' he thought further. 'I remember my body was scarred, I remember pain, but not where it came from. I remember my legs were burned, but I don't remember why. I remember....I remember...'
'Only what's recent' one of the masked figures finished.
'I don't remember anything of my childhood' the man realised.
'You suffered' the masked figure said. 'Horribly. Both mental and physical pain and for very a long time, most of your life in fact. We gave you a new body. Your memory reaches only as far as a few days ago when you first saw your new body; and nothing after or before that. Except for your memories of Lucy. They stretch as far back to the time you first laid eyes on her. You chose to have everything else erased.'
The man listened to these words closely.
'I remember when I first saw her....from the tower' the man realised. 'Yes. I remember. But...' he lifted his head to the others, 'why would I choose to erase my own memory?'
'You made the choice yourself' another masked figure reminded. 'You want it to be this way. So it's best we don't tell you.'
'Lucy' the man said. 'All I can think of is Lucy.'
'The love you have for her still burns strong' the other said to him.
'Yes' the man nodded. 'Yes I know.' He drew a steady breath. 'I know where she lives. I know she is waiting for me.'
'Before you go' one of the figures spoke up, stopping him in his tracks, 'there is one last thing we want you to do. For your own benefit...well...for someone else's....it's just best that you do it.'
'What?' the man asked.
'Three days from now, at midday...' the masked figure said, 'I think it's a good idea if you stand by the clock tower in the town where she lives in. Bring her with you and wait. Wear that coat' the figure indicated, and the man glanced down at the long coat he wore, bright blue it was and beautifully decorated. He would surely stand out anywhere wearing this. 'A man will come to see you' the masked figure continued, 'but he won't speak to you.'
'Do I know him?' the man asked.
'He is someone from your past' the masked figure replied vaguely. 'You knew him before your memory was erased, and he still knows you. He just wants to see that you are well, then you will never see him again.'
'Who is he?'
'It's best you didn't know.'
'But...he knows my memory was erased?' the man asked.
The masked figure dipped her head slightly. 'Yes.'
'Then why can't I know him?' the man asked, feeling suddenly a bit sad. 'He must have been someone important to me.'
The masked figures glanced at each other, one of them sighed.
'We shouldn't tell you' this one said. 'But the reason he wants to keep a distance from you is because he wants you to live a normal life. You didn't have a normal life before. You lived happily with Lucy for a short time, until things changed.'
'All he wants' another figure spoke, 'is to see that you are alive and safe and happy. That is why he chose for things to be this way. For you.'
'So' said another masked figure. 'Can you do that? Can you wait by the clock tower three days from now, wearing that coat, with Lucy by your side?'
The man stared at the blank faces of the masked figures silently as they waited for his response.
'Yes' he said at last. 'I will do that.'
Chapter One
The queen leant forwards on steepled fingers, listening to the advisor ramble on. He had been going for quite some time, but she waited until his mouth stayed closed for more than five seconds, before drawing breath to speak herself.
'This is all terribly interesting' she said without sounding terribly interested, 'but why should we care about what the peasants do?'
'They may be on the very bottom of society' the lord reasoned, 'but they are the ones who grow our food.'
'They are at the very bottom for a reason' Miranda retorted. 'If they don't like the way things are then they shall just have to suffer in silence, and anyway' she spoke up quickly as the advisor opened his mouth to interrupt. 'I thought you brought us here so we can talk about something important. Like the war. Not filthy peasants.'
'Many people would find the way you talk about them disagreeable.' The second advisor beside the first said.
There were many here now, all watching the queen with scrutiny and distain. They hated her; she could see it in their faces, though she couldn't have cared less.
'Many people think many things' the queen spoke aloud. 'And I do not care for any of them. This war' she spoke suddenly louder, to emphasize the fact she was speaking and wished not to be interrupted, 'has been going on for nearly five hundred years. I wish to see it finally come to an end. In my lifetime.' She spoke quieter now. 'Slaughter should not be a way of life.'
'But my queen' another advisor spoke up, a small and dull man, just as dull as the one that sat beside him. 'Our soldiers are forced to invade other lands because of what the peasants have done in our own.'
The queen could not suppress a sigh now, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, wishing it would all just go away.
'The peasants' she began, 'protest high taxes to pay the war, by burning the food they grow to feed the soldiers, in doing so they cause more suffering than would otherwise be....starving themselves as well as the rest of the country...'
'They are aware of this' another advisor spoke out, leaning forwards on the marble table. 'But many believe that their suffering will shine a brighter road for their future.'
'They think we will give in' the queen put simply. 'They think we will reclaim our men, and bring them back home. In truth they are only giving more incentive for us to attack others for food.' Miranda sighed again, scratching her forehead briefly before looking up. 'If we cannot control even peasants...'
'We cannot punish them' one of them spoke up hastily. 'There are too few of them as it is, and many are already willing to die. So what can we do?'
'Maybe we should ask the king what he thinks' the one beside him spoke.
Miranda glanced sideways to her husband. The king was sitting with his head down and hands covering his face as he leant on his elbows. It was as if he were in deep thought. But Miranda knew otherwise.
'Carl' she spoke firmly. 'The council wish to hear your view.'
The king lifted his head reluctantly. 'Anything my wife says' he spoke in a mumble.
The council exchanged unsatisfied looks and began to murmur amongst themselves. Miranda leant forwards, speaking to the king in harsh whispered.
'Sit up straight and look livelier. You look on deaths door as it is.'
'I would like to express my concerns in...'
'Another time perhaps' Miranda spoke over the lord as she rose to her feet. 'I'm afraid I feel unwell and a bit light headed. Please will you come with me my dear husband' she said to him in a gentler tone. 'If I should faint, I want you to carry me.'
'When do we continue this meeting?' one of the many surrounding the circular grey table spoke up as they made to leave.
'The king will have something arranged in time' she told them, moving with her husband out of the room. 'You will be gathered again when that time comes.' She snapped the door shut behind them before she could be interrogated further, sighing heavily and leaning against the door.
She straightened and to face her husband the king.
'How do you feel?' she asked him.
The king drew a deep and steady breath before answering.
'Ghastly' came his answer at last.
'Well you look terrible' she said walking past him, and then she paused. 'Are you coming?'
The king moved towards her, walking slowly with his body hunched over and head hung. The queen held him by the arm as they walked, trying her best to support him, but he was larger than she was, and heavier, and she struggled as they went.
They managed to leave the building that was the council's office without being bothered, or even seen by anyone, for which the queen was extremely grateful. They left the empty halls with their grey and black marble floors behind them, stepping through the ornate glass doors and descending the high steps which led to the courtyard below. Here waited a carriage to take them back to the palace.
They reached the bottom of the stairs and ambled towards the carriage. Miranda stumbled under the weight of her husband as she carried him. He was not a heavy man by any means, in fact he had lost weight, but Miranda was delicate of frame, and she struggled as they moved closer towards the carriage.
This story is a soft-core yaoi/slice of life about Haru, a boy aged 17, living in boarding school where he meets his new friends. Weak both mentally and physically, he finds new strength when he meets Aubrey, a carefree and confident boy whom he falls in love with. But Haru is too afraid to admit his feelings for him, afraid of what might happen.....
When a famous model and actor falls on hard times, he decides to rent out a room in his apartment and find a tenant to help split the bills. That is when he finds Kevin. This story is a slice of life about Kevin, a 20 year old, trying to find his place in life after losing someone close to him. He moves out, and finds a place to stay with a man, the model and actor, who turns out to not be what he first thought. Kevin gets caught up in Justin’s life, a prisoner to his drive now, Kevin begins a physical relationship with the star, unable to free himself. Slowly, piece at a time, Kevin gives himself up, surrendering his body to another. Gay sex – mouth fucking – and constantly mounting the uke and treating him like a slut and making him moan like the little bitch he is.
In a world where magic is a well kept secret, two brothers, two guardians able to wield magic, stumble across a creature more powerful than anything in the three known worlds. A girl, a philosophers stone. Frightened and lonely, they care for her, bringing her into their home, in so doing become tangled in a chain of events that spiral out of control as they try to protect her from the two groups that seek her. One who claims to want to protect her, the other that wishes to harm her and take her powers for their own. But she is not the only one being hunted. There is another powerful like her, another philosophers stone, one older, stronger and wiser. The fight to save them both drags in more than the two brothers, but their friends also; changing lives forever as they discover the doorway to another world, a world where magic thrives, the world where magic was born. A light hearted fantasy set in the modern world. Follow the two brothers in the story where it all began, back when their lives were simpler, before the brothers entered the other worlds, before they turned on each other, and fought for the power they once tried to protect.
Descend into the chaos, ridiculousness and mayhem that is this book. Follow Waltz in this story where the events of a single day changed his life forever. After losing his own guild in tragedy, he realises a new dream of forming his own and being the leader. After he meets a woman who fell from the sky, events in his life lead him on a new path entirely. A story of monsters and magic, Waltz begins his adventures with his strange companions as they search for the truth behind the celestial woman, fight to break the hold a witch has over Waltz, and traverse the road to glory and riches, and become the strongest and most revered guild in the land This is the tale of how these unlikely beings all came together, and began their adventure…
Lilith has always been an outcast, rejected even by her own parents because of what she is. But when she leaves her home, she discovers there are others of her kind. Together they set out in search of the Earth Maiden, whom they believe has the power to cure the sickness which is infecting the land, bringing about the end of the world. 'I wasn't born the way I look. You know, many believe that fallen angels are usurpers and betrayers of God, who have no place in heaven or on earth.' Lilith has always been an outcast, rejected even by her own parents because of what she is. But when she leaves her home, she discovers there are others of her kind. Together they set out in search of the Earth Maiden, whom they believe has the power to cure the sickness which is infecting the land, bringing about the end of the world.
‘Hardly anyone ever comes to this part of the library’ Ken said casually. ‘Is that right?’ Mustang said. ‘So…we won’t be disturbed.’ Ken’s heart jolted. He instantly tried to rise but Mustang stopped him, grabbing him by the arms and sitting on his lap facing him, pinning him down. ‘Oh no you don’t’ Mustang told him. He smirked again. ‘You practically ran into my trap…there’s no escape now.’ Ken stared back at Mustang in shock, wide-eyed and heart hammering in his chest. He swallowed at the lump in his throat. Mustang leant forward, resting his forehead against Ken’s as he spoke. ‘Are you going to call for help?’ he asked him. ‘There are people just on the other side of those bookshelves.’ He sneered. ‘But then what would they think if they saw us?’ ‘Don’t…’ Ken whispered. ‘Please…’ ‘I've wanted you for ages’ Mustang told him. ‘I can’t resist you any longer.’ Ken squeezed his eyes tight shut as Mustang leant forward, kissing him. He balled his fists, trying to lean away from him, but had nowhere to go. Mustang moved back slightly, looking into Ken’s face. He released one of his arms to stroke his face, his fingers coming to his lips. ‘Open your mouth’ he told Ken. When Ken didn’t listen, he said, ‘if you don’t, I will have you. Right here and now.’ Ken opened his mouth, breathing in a deep breath. Mustang descended upon him again, kissing him deeply, slipping his tongue inside his mouth, tasting him. Savouring him. After several seconds, Mustang drew back suddenly. He got off him, rising to his feet and simply walking away as if nothing had happened. He just left. Love Yaoi? Love sex? Love a good story? Ken had everything he thought he ever wanted, a future all planed out, a girlfriend, a loving family. But his life takes a different direction when he meets Mustang, a carefree and wild spirit, who challenges everything Ken thought he knew, as the events of a single day change his life forever. Thanks to Mustang, Ken begins to realise that what he wants in life, is not what he first thought, as he begins to experience feelings towards Mustang he never expected.
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.