As long as God's light has existed so has the darkness, and thus creatures of the darkness--ancient creatures nearly as old as the devil himself. God, however, in all of His mysterious ways, has a plan. A plan that may yet bring enlightenment to one man and salvation to others. Unfortunately, not all participants in His plan are willing, and being volun-TOLD, for anything, is where Ray Segal draws the line. Ray had his own plans and they didn't involve a mythical sky daddy, a shady priest, a beady-eyed "book collector", and least of all burying the one person in the world who always had his back. Now, Ray must open his mind and his eyes to new possibilities and find a way to deal with the harsh reality of his brother's passing. But, to do so means going deep within the bane of his whole childhood existence...the church. Will he find the answers he seeks? And if he does, can he bear the burden of that knowledge? Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
The hustle and bustle of the bar didn't render my bad mood. Staring down at the empty glass, I tapped my finger and then my leg impatiently. The television sounded loud even through the noises the bar visitors made. I heard it all. The news report about Brad Segal being mauled by some wild animal in an alley--the shit didn't sit right with me. Nothing about the story made sense. An animal? They wouldn't allow me to see the body. His wife said it was even too much for her to handle to just identify him. I definitely don't know how she did it.
"It's a damn shame what happened to him, Ray." The bartender said, taking me out of my daze. "Your brother was a good man." I only nodded, shaking the glass in my hands to gesture to it being empty. He sighed as he poured the contents of the clear liquid back into my glass. With one gulp, it was gone again. "You really believe what the news is saying?" He waited for me to answer, but I didn't. "You really think it's some kind of animal out there?"
I scoffed while massaging my head. "My brother was murdered, Charles. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. The fucking news don't know shit about what's going on." I argued trying to keep my anger at bay, but it spilled over. "Just turn that shit off." It worked. The silence of the TV now caused me to close my eyes at the pounding in my head and the emptiness in my heart. Brad and I were really close, even though we were opposites.
He settled down, started a family. I, on the other hand, was with a different woman every chance I got. My job made it easy for me to meet a lot of sexy ladies. There was no way I was going to turn them down by settling with one of them. Brad was religious, went to church every time the doors opened, not just on Sundays. If there was a sin, he had to confess it. I thought him to be a fool for believing in such nonsense. Everyone knows the dark rumors surrounding the catholic churches, but nevertheless, Brad never judged me, so how dare I judge him.
It was what made him so great. He never judged others, only himself. Thinking of how great he was made me realize how much of a shitty human being I was. His family was mourning. My nieces counted on me, needed me. But here I was drinking my life away at the same bar I visited almost every Friday night. This time, my heart was just heavy and I needed anything to take my mind off the fact my dear brother was now gone.
"It's still a damn shame. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you," Charles offered. I only nodded, holding my glass out, again.
"Just keep 'em coming Charles." This time he didn't argue. The sad look on my face must've convinced him I needed a little extra tonight. After I lost count of the shots and I could barely walk, I stumbled out of the bar, with Charles calling after me but I didn't stop. The night air was much needed as I looked into the sky, feeling the droplets of rain. Just my luck.
My feet lead the way as I continued to stumble into the night air. Before I realized it, I was on the steps of the very church Brad attended. My anger, most likely, was driving me to confront anyone responsible for his murder. I staggered, falling over as I burst into the doors. No one was there. No one I could see, anyway, in my drunken stupor. Taking a cautious step forward, I grabbed on to anything I could. The pews in front of me led the way to the alter.
Once I was out of leverage, I fell on my knees right before the Jesus statue, turning my head to see Brad doing the same thing. It brought me comfort and anguish all at once. "Why didn't you just go home? How could you leave me?" I cried. In my drunken state, I was in no condition to hold in what I truly felt... pain. I sobbed the kind of cry that left you breathless and empty.
"I'm sorry? Child of God are you talking to me?"
I looked up to see the priest, not as old as I thought he should look. He bent down and placed his hand on my back to comfort me, but I sat up aggressively nearly toppling backward. "Don't touch me!"
The priest stood up with a pout of disappointment on his face. "You must be Ray Segal."
"How the fuck do you know me?"
"Mind your words, boy, in the house of God." The priest snapped, face now turning serious as I scoffed with a smirk that didn't reach my eyes.
"Where was this God, or you, when Brad was getting murdered? Why weren't you there to protect him?" I pointed to the priest, taking several steps forward as he seemed saddened by my words, as if I struck a nerve.
"What happened to Brother Segal is truly terrible. The entire mass felt the loss when I told them the news. I, too, am greatly saddened by his ascension. But I have comfort in knowing he is with the Father. It may take some non-believers, like yourself, more time to accept this to be true, but Brother Brad is in a much better place."
I shook my head. "Tell that to his two little girls who are wondering where their father is. Don't pretend to know what I am going through..."
The priest took another step closer to me and this time I was paralyzed with the death glare in his eyes. My body refused to move and the only thing I could do was act tough. It was cooler than shitting my pants, which was sure to happen if he took another step to me. "Brad used to pray for your soul more than anyone, Ray. I could tell he loved you dearly and I see the love you have for him that you don't know how to express. Just try to remember, Ray, you do not want to go down this path of vengeance. You won't like where it will lead you."
"He has the same percentage that Brother Brad has." A voice said as I turned my head to see who spoke. I could only look horrified as the priest, finally, took a step back releasing me from whatever hold he had on me. I fell back hard with a thud.
"Who said that?" I asked in a panic.
The priest didn't even seem too worried. "He has the potential, but he is a non-believer. This could go very wrong." I looked even more confused as to what they were talking about. "Ray is just grieving, as we all are, for his loss. He just needs to forget." I opened my mouth to protest, but the priest stepped forward to me, again, and placed his thumb on my forehead before I could open my mouth to say anything. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and everything went black.
The world is full of corruption, tragedy, and disaster. Rape, murder, embezzlement, human trafficking. You name it. There is nothing humans won’t do for money, power or self-gratification. More than that it always seems that the downtrodden and the good-natured always suffer the most. The cherry on top? All this suffering is supposed to be rewarded in heaven when you die…if you make it there that is. Sounds ridiculous, right? Don’t worry you aren’t alone. My name is Jasmine Peters and I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired as the world around me crumbles while Sky Daddy watches from his ivory tower. I was cursed with the ability to read minds and now I’m owning this curse on my own terms and saving whoever I can with it. If God won’t help us… I will.Gabriel: I’ll never understand The Almighty’s infatuation with these creatures. Humans demand so much, but yet they give so little and whatever they are given they destroy. The audacity of this human especially leaves me particularly annoyed. She dares to defy divinity and scoffs in the face of The Almighty when it was divinity that has gifted her with the ability to do so in the first place. Only a creature as lost as a human would be given a gift and label it a curse. Nonetheless, as the hand of The Almighty, I will do as I am asked by tending the flock and heard this lost sheep back to pasture. As troublesome as she may be, I fear there is something much more sinister at play and she appears to be at the epicenter of this chaos. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
If Amarria Martin knows anything in life then it's definitely heartbreak. Once she meets the inhumanely strong and handsome Savion however, she soon learns that she, like her fierce new protector, is much more than what meets the eye. Overcome with an inexplicable attraction Savion has placed himself in the beautiful Amarria's path - and potentially placed her in the midst of danger as well. Will these unshakable feelings be explored or will she high tail it out of Savion's inviting reach to reclaim the quiet life she has always known? Will their time together lead to an amazing adventure filled with challenges they can only overcome together or will Savion’s judgment now intertwined with desire lead to unspeakable tragedy? Indulge yourself in a world of secrecy, passion, rage and preternatural feats then decide. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
Undisclosed Desires A G.E.M (Government Enhanced Men) series is a romance, action, choose your own path story. The government has kidnapped and tortured children transforming them into super beings to carry out their own agenda. This story follows the bravery of Savion and Shadow, twin brothers and their adopted family David, Melody, Sara and Jet who escaped the government fiends who call themselves the Cloak, which includes five members total. Savion’s and Shadow’s mission is to protect their family from the Cloak’s advances while unveiling the secret plot that threatens to consume the world. Enthrall yourself in this action-packed romantic novel with superpowers.With Savion and Armarria on kiddie detail his twin brother Shadow, as a result, is left alone to do the grunt work which is to locate the next cloak member poised to fill Raul's newly vacant role. As if that in itself weren't enough of a headache, he is also on the hunt to track down a water elemental by the name of Sephora. However, when Sephora and Shadow finally do cross paths he finds that she won't go along so easily as she is on a grueling quest of her own - to find her long-missing sister. While she may be somewhat enamored by Shadow’s quick-witted charm it doesn't change the facts: 1) he's a heartless killer and 2) they both have important yet conflicting missions. With nothing but a darkened past behind her and an uncertain future ahead, she has to make a decision about Shadow and soon. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
If Amarria Martin knows anything in life then it's definitely heartbreak. Once she meets the inhumanely strong and handsome Savion however, she soon learns that she, like her fierce new protector, is much more than what meets the eye. Overcome with an inexplicable attraction Savion has placed himself in the beautiful Amarria's path - and potentially placed her in the midst of danger as well. Will these unshakable feelings be explored or will she high tail it out of Savion's inviting reach to reclaim the quiet life she has always known? Will their time together lead to an amazing adventure filled with challenges they can only overcome together or will Savion’s judgment now intertwined with desire lead to unspeakable tragedy? Indulge yourself in a world of secrecy, passion, rage and preternatural feats then decide. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
Ken has always hated who he is: a half vampire. His guardian, Allen, encourages the young man to embrace the darkness within. Vampires can’t help but feed on humans. Why fight something that’s a part of you? Ken knows that behind Allen’s charismatic demeanor lies a monster. He also realizes that every step he takes into the world of blood and brutality moves him further away from love and humanity. Ken has managed to carve half a life for himself by refusing to give in to his temptations, but that all changes when he meets Teya. Teya is a lonely college student who is recovering from a painful breakup. After she witnesses several vampires savagely murder her roommate at a frat party, she finds herself in grave danger. She has information that vampires would kill to keep secret and that vampire hunters would just plain kill to keep. Ken vows to protect Teya but begins breaking his own rules as he grows closer to her. Ken has always believed he can never be with a woman due to his nature, but Teya just might inspire him to start thinking differently about his identity and his future. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
Teya never realized how much she would miss the pleasures of having a normal life. From lifestyle changes to relationship altering circumstances to an army of nocturnal, blood-lusting New Breeds trying to sink their teeth into her flesh, Teya needs more help than what she thinks. As her love for Ken grows, she becomes desperate for her fight for normality and begins to search for it. This leads to some interesting finds... Meanwhile, her lover, Ken, is trying to adjust to his new life as well. With the darkness of his vampiric ancestry coursing through his mind and body, he is fighting barbaric nature in order to stay sane. With the threat of the New Breeds lurking, he will need assistance from his father, Kenneth and the Leader of the Vampire Association, Markees, to bring the fight to the New Breeds. Ken, in a blood rage, embarks on a search for the one thing he wants. To kill the one who turned him into this God forsaking Vampire. Author: Shaniqua Hill Publisher: EasyReading
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
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?"
Julia and Evan were the perfect couple-or so she thought. But everything changed when Evan abruptly ended their relationship, leaving her heartbroken and unable to tell him she was carrying his child. Years later, Julia has built a life for herself and her son, Andy, while Evan has risen to unimaginable wealth and success. Their paths cross again at a chance meeting, but Julia soon discovers Evan has moved on with someone else. Julia is done with the pain. She's fought battles alone, raising a son who deserves the truth about his father, even if Evan doesn't deserve her forgiveness. When Julia told Evan years ago she had something to say, he didn't listen. Now, it's time for him to listen. But is it too late to reclaim what he lost? "We should break up," he'd said, the words cutting through her like glass. The pregnancy test in her pocket stayed hidden, just like the child they would never share. Now, it's Evan's turn to hear the truth-and to face his deepest regret.
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.