I will sacrifice my blood for them. They will lavish me with their love. Forever. Just when Elle thought her life couldn't suck more, she met them. Vampires. Four extremely hot and mysterious cousins that had a supernatural pull she couldn't explain. Life gets flipped upside down and turned inside out when the secret of who she is and what she can do is revealed. Braden, Logan, Cole, and Zac develop an unbreakable bond with Elle. They won't let go. They can't. She is a Life Blood. These four cousins will do anything to protect her from the danger of a psychopathic vampire who will stop at nothing to get to her. Elle will never be the same again. But does she even want to be? Because love bites. In a good way. The Banner cousins and their appetite for more than just Elle's blood will have you flipping pages to experience their story of unyielding love and devotion.
I leaned my back against the brick wall of the coffee shop and watched as a car passed by. My stomach dropped as the reality of me walking home in the dark set in. I decided I'd give him a few more minutes ...
even though I was off work twenty minutes ago.
This was right up there with one of the worst days of what felt like a never-ending semester at Westfall Community College. Everything was going surprisingly well until my professor slapped down that piece of paper with the bright red, glaring letter F on it. What was this, the third grade? What teacher still graded with the infamous red pencil? Mrs. Brooks did, she and her oversized glasses couldn't seem to figure out she wasn't teaching elementary school anymore.
She promised she'd let me off easy being that I had just buried my grandmother a week before our winter break was over, but apparently, my grace period had run out.
Not many people I knew were as connected to their grandmother in the way I was, but she was practically my mother. Now, I had no mom at all, or at least that's what it felt like.
My mother might've been physically present in my life, but she had been mentally checked out for years. She had allowed alcohol to ruin her life, and if I weren't careful, it would end up ruining mine too.
I did my best to care for her when she would come home black-out drunk every night from Brown's Bar. Sometimes I wondered why she ever bothered coming home at all. I hated everything about that place, and the owner's son-my boyfriend-was about to make that list as well.
It seemed like he was never around when I needed him, especially tonight when he was supposed to pick me up from working late at the coffee shop. This was yet another awesome addition to my shitty day.
I glanced down at my watch again, no beat-up Honda Civic around or any vehicle in sight for that matter. Damn you, David. I should've taken the offered ride from my boss. Now, I would have to walk close to three miles to get home on this freezing cold, misty night. I sighed and tried calling the jerk for the last time-straight to voicemail.
I could've tried calling the only other person in the world I could count on, my best friend, Jen, but it was late, at least that's what I told myself. The truth was that I didn't want to bother her because I didn't want to hear about how worthless David was because he couldn't deliver on his promises... again.
I lifted my chin and took off toward Mixon Street, the road that led to home. I was tough, and maybe walking off the ending to this nightmare of a day would be good for my sanity. Perhaps tonight I'd be in a better mood to deal with my mom when she fell through the front door drunk again, babbling incoherently.
Crossing the street, I almost jumped when I heard a loud whistle come from my right. "Work that ass for me, baby!"
Give me a break! I glanced over and noticed Jackson Cross and his group of friends-I liked to call them his shadows-slowing down the car just enough to play games with me.
"You're an asshole," I snapped, picking up my pace. The last thing I needed was the most popular guy on campus and his friends pestering me, especially tonight.
"Where's that geeky boyfriend of yours? His car break down again or something?" Paul Rice, one of Jackson's shadows, called out.
I wasn't going to deal with this. I stopped, turned to face Jackson's sleek black BMW, and planted both hands on my hips. "Why don't you do us all a favor and just get the hell out of here!" I demanded.
"Oh, little Ellie is feisty tonight!" Jackson said with a slur followed by a laugh. He shifted his head back to Paul sitting right behind him. "Hey, bro, you should walk the bookworm home tonight."
This wasn't good. My heart started to race as I felt the bad vibes coming from these guys.
The car door shut, and I grabbed for the phone in my pocket, wondering if calling the police would do any good. The guy approaching me, Paul Rice, his dad was the Chief of the Edgewater Police Department, and this kid got away with everything.
Without warning, he ripped my phone out of my hand and shoved it in his back pocket. He smiled and twisted a strand of my long, brown hair between his fingers. "Wow, Ellie, you are actually pretty sexy for a nerd."
"Don't call me Ellie," I stepped back and shoved my hand out, "and give me my phone."
That prompted two more doors from the car to open and shut. Shit! More asshole jocks! My five-foot-six height wasn't going to be enough to intimidate their tall six-foot-plus muscular builds. Damn it, think, Elle!
I looked over to see Jase and Luke jogging over to Paul who was still screwing with me. These guys were douchebags, and there was no telling what they were going to do to taunt or bully me tonight. They knew I was out here alone, and this was apparently their idea of a good time. The perfect way to spend a Tuesday night at 10:30 p.m. ...for dickheads.
Jase stepped up to me, cocked his head to the side, and cupped my chin with his hand. "Listen, Ellie, we just want to get to know you a little better." "You've known me since the first grade, you jackass. What the hell are you doing?" I looked over at Jackson who was slowing the car more. "Call
your minions back to the car and get out of here."
The black BMW screeched its tires and practically drove up onto the curb before Jackson threw the car in park. He jumped out of the car and marched toward me, and that's when I realized these guys were tweaking pretty hard on something.
All these blonde haired, blue eyed jocks were now after me for something, and I had no plan to get out of this situation.
The guys stepped aside, giving Jackson full access to me. I turned to run, but I was stopped when I felt a strong hand clamp onto my shoulder. In less than a blink, Jackson forced my back to the fence that lined the sidewalk. The guys all grouped around, laughing while Jackson clenched down on both my shoulders.
"Listen, Elle," Jackson said in a weird, raspy voice. "You're a book nerd, we get that, but damn you are hot, you know that?"
"What the hell are you on?" I said, my voice shaking.
Jackson shook his head and laughed, his eyes met mine again, "That's none of your business, Ellie," he said with another laugh.
All I had was adrenaline on my side right now, and after this, I'd be the first in line to sign up at the martial arts class for self-defense. My fight or flight mechanism had me paralyzed and at the mercy of what these jerks were planning.
"Don't," I pleaded softly, hating that I was scared out of my mind and that my body wouldn't react appropriately to defend itself against these tweaked out pricks.
I felt Jackson's lips press onto mine, his tongue trying to pry my pinched lips open. I gained some strength and wedged my arms in between us. As hard as I pushed, the star quarterback wasn't budging. In fact, all I did was spur the asshole on.
The sound of a motorcycle roaring down the street gave me a moment to react. The distraction caused Jackson to turn, and I used it to my advantage. I brought my knee up, but unfortunately, Jackson was too quick for my impulsive decision to knee him in the balls.
Jackson's eyes were fierce, staring into mine while I heard the loud motorcycle screech to a halt. "Get your fucking hands off of her," a male's voice boomed.
I’m head over heels in love with my best friend. Although, I can’t pinpoint exactly when Reeve Lancaster became my entire world. Was it when we were little kids, practically brought up together, after Reeve’s mom died during childbirth and his dad subsequently fell apart? Or when I doodled his name in my school journal at age ten? Maybe it was when we became boyfriend and girlfriend at fourteen or when we shed our virginity at sixteen, pledging our forever? I was there as his star ascended—like I’d always known it would—and there wasn’t a prouder person on the planet. As the only child of Hollywood’s golden couple, I’ve lived my life in the spotlight enough to know it wasn’t what I wanted for my future. But I sacrificed my own desires, because Reeve’s happiness meant everything to me. Until he crushed my heart into itty-bitty pieces, forcing me to fly halfway around the world just to escape the gut-wrenching pain. The opportunity to study at Trinity College Dublin came at the perfect moment, and I jumped at the chance without hesitation. If I’d known fate was meddling in my life, perhaps I would have chosen differently, but my future was cemented the instant I laid eyes on him. Dillon O’Donoghue was Reeve’s polar opposite in every way, and perhaps, that’s why I felt drawn to him. He was the dark to my light. The thorn in my side, irritating me with his cold disdain, wild recklessness, and a burning rage hidden deep inside him that spoke to a silent part within me. Yet Dillon showed me what it was like to truly live, opening my eyes to endless possibilities. What happened next was inevitable, and I only have myself to blame. He warned me, and I knew my reprieve was temporary, because there is only so far I can run. Especially when fate hasn’t finished messing with me yet.
Marriage is their mission! From bad boys -- to powerful, passionate protectors. Three tycoons from outback rescue their brides-to-be... Meet Ric, Mitch and Johnny- once rebellious teenagers, they survived the outback to become best friends and formidable tycoons. Now these sexy city hotspots must return to the outback to face a new challenge: Claiming their brides..
Kate Bishop thought she was an ordinary woman living and working in Chicago. But when she unexpectedly finds herself in the middle of a police investigation into a brutal murder, Kate makes a shocking discovery: she has the ability to identify killers just by looking into their eyes. Trying to grasp the implications of this revelation, Kate is drawn deep into a world of terror. She is tracked down by Jack Raines, a mysterious author with shadowy connections to those who share her ability. He tells Kate that her unique vision also makes her a target, and only he can help her. Now, hot on Jack and Kate’s heels are a force of super-predators, vicious and bloodthirsty killers who will stop at nothing until Kate is dead. But even as she fights for her life, Kate still isn’t sure if Jack is really her salvation, or another killer coming to slaughter her. An explosive mix of action and suspense. Travel with Edima Wealth on a dangerous journey to the back alleys of the darknet, to the darkest corners of our minds, and to the very origins of what it is to be human.
Greenwich, south-east London. The Met's crack murder squad, AMIP, is called out by nervous CID detectives to a grim discovery. Five bodies, all young women, all ritualistically murdered and dumped on wasteland near the Dome. As each post-mortem reveals a singular, horrific signature linking the victims, officers realize that they are on the trail of that most dangerous offender: a sexual serial killer. Detective Inspector Jack Caffery - young, driven, unshockable - finds himself facing both hostility within the force and echoes of his past in this, his first case with AMIP. Haunted by the memory of a death long ago, he employs every weapon forensic science can offer for he knows it is only a matter of time before this chaotic, sadistic killer strikes again.
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
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.
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?"
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Becky endured three years of marriage to the cold-hearted Rory. In all that time, she naively reasoned that one day, he'd gradually come to like her. But the second he forced her to kneel down and humiliate herself, she knew she had been wrong about him. This man had no feelings for her at all. So why should she still love him? When Rory gave her the choice between kneeling down and divorcing, she didn't miss a beat and chose the latter. After all, why should she waste her youth on this scumbag? Wouldn't it be nicer for her to just have fun every day with her billion-dollar family fortune?