Dark Shadows
/1/129726/coverbig.jpg?v=d952b45e9b05aae9f5803a8b2c8d4fc6)
The Hockey Prince's Secret Ice Queen
All I wanted was to find a computer genius to process the non-linear dynamic equations for my ecological model. Instead, I found myself cornered by Julian Andrews, the university's hockey prince, trading a public, staged kiss for his academic support. To finalize our "deal," I was dragged to the campus ice rink. The cheerleaders and puck bunnies immediately swarmed him, mocking my plain clothes and treating me like a pathetic joke. Brooke, the head cheerleader, even set up a figure skating competition with a date with Julian as the grand prize. She performed a basic spin, blew him a kiss, and smugly waited for me to fall flat on my face and humiliate myself. His hockey teammates laughed from the sidelines, watching me try to support Julian as he stumbled around the ice like a newborn giraffe. But as I held his warm hand to keep him from falling, I couldn't help but feel something was terribly wrong. Why was a top-tier athlete faking such awful balance? And why did his ice-blue eyes stare at me with such knowing anticipation, as if he already knew about the professional figure skating past I had spent years trying to bury? "Just let go and skate." He whispered, slowly releasing my hand. I took a deep breath, glided to the center of the rink, and landed a flawless double Axel. As the entire rink fell into a dead, shocked silence, I realized I had just exposed not only my own hidden past, but also the biggest secret of the campus god.
Chapter 1 No.1
Sage POV:
"Let me kiss you."
The request was a low, hurried murmur—warm, quiet, and laced with the faintest edge of mortification.
Stunned, I snapped my head up toward the sound.
Julian Andrews filled my vision. He easily towered a head over me, his lean, athletic frame silhouetted against the bright morning glare, casting a long shadow across the cobblestones. Briar University's star forward. Team captain. The athletic department's untouchable golden boy.
Campus rumor had it that Julian was notoriously indifferent, never sparing anyone a second glance.
Behind him, a solid wall of navy-and-gold varsity jackets blocked the brick path. His teammates were whistling, shoving each other, and effectively cutting off my only exit.
The sudden commotion immediately bottlenecked the morning foot traffic. Whispers rippled through the crowd, and within seconds, a dozen students reached into their pockets out of sheer muscle memory, black camera lenses catching the light as they aimed squarely at us.
Julian's sharp eyes tracked the movement, his jaw tightening into a hard, irritated line.
Before I could take a single defensive step back, he closed the distance between us. Leaning down into my space, his broad shoulders shifted in a subtle, fluid maneuver—throwing up an impenetrable physical wall that completely shielded my face from the intrusive glare of the cameras.
His sharp, striking face hovered breathtakingly close. His deep baritone brushed against my ear, lost to the autumn wind, meant for me alone:
"Sorry to drop this on you," he whispered, his pale blue eyes disarmingly earnest, holding a quiet heat that sent a tremor straight down my spine. "The guys backed me into a locker-room dare... but I'm not here to use you as a joke. We can fake it. Angle it so it looks real—whatever you're comfortable with. Just help me get them off my back, and I owe you one."
It was only then that my brain finally rebooted.
What on earth? He's actually trying to kiss me?
A sharp flare of pure absurdity hit me, and my gaze dropped to my reflection in the dark glass door of the adjacent building: an oversized, faded gray hoodie that swallowed my frame whole, soft, thin jeans worn at the knees, bare-faced dark circles carved beneath my eyes from forty-eight hours of non-stop coding, my dark hair hastily twisted into a cheap plastic claw clip, and a pair of oversized, thick black-rimmed glasses sitting heavy on the bridge of my nose, completely hiding my face.
I looked like a refugee from an all-night disaster. How had Briar's golden prince ended up in front of me?
When I looked back up, my breath trapped in my throat anyway. He was too close, his clean scent of winter mint and cedar wrapping around my senses. Having those pale blue eyes staring straight down at me made my chest tighten in a way I really didn't want to acknowledge.
"Clock's ticking, Cap!" Landon howled from the sidelines, hands cupped around his mouth as the rest of the players lost their minds laughing. "Plant one on her, or enjoy the five-AM bag skate!"
A raucous chorus of barks and chest-thumping went up from the team.
A few yards away, two girls heading toward the dining hall froze in their tracks, pointing their phones.
"Wait, who the hell is that?" one of them laughed loudly, zooming her camera in on my face. "She looks like she just crawled out of a dumpster. There's no way Julian's actually kissing her. Post it on Sidechat right now—this is going straight to number one."
The cruel words hit like a splash of ice water, snapping me out of my daze and instantly killing the stupid flutter in my chest.
I hated the attention.
Four years ago, after my family and my former training partner framed me and destroyed my competitive skating career, I swore I would never be public entertainment again. I buried my name, switched majors, and hid behind oversized fleece and thick glasses just to live an invisible life. If I ended up on the campus forums with Julian Andrews, the internet vultures would dox me before noon—and drag up the toxic scandal I had bled to walk away from.
My research was already on the verge of falling apart. I didn't have time for this circus.
I locked my grip around my heavy binders, my knuckles straining white.
"Find someone else for your dare, Andrews," I said coldly, taking a step back to put distance between us, my voice tight with adrenaline. "I'm not interested in being part of your game. Move."
I kept my head down, attempting to brush past him.
"You're Sage Kelley, right?"
The sound of my name brought my boots to an immediate halt.
I blinked up at him, caught completely off guard.
"Professor Beaumont's senior research student," Julian straightened up slightly, his cadence measured and even, carrying an intellectual sharpness that seemed impossible beneath a varsity jacket. "I saw your Havenwood Creek senior capstone proposal sitting on his desk over Sunday dinner."
My heart gave a hard, hollow thud. Professor Beaumont was my academic advisor—and the guardian of the final research endowment my late father had left behind.
Julian leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near-whisper against the whistle of the wind. "I spent an hour going over your codebase."
My lips parted. "You... read my proposal?"
"Your simulation keeps crashing because your core fluid algorithm strategy is flawed," Julian murmured, his pale blue eyes deadly sharp. "And Uncle Des mentioned that if you don't deliver a working version by this Friday, the department is pulling your grant—which means you don't clear your senior thesis, and you don't graduate in May."
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.
Friday was the deadline. If the funding was pulled, the project died, my senior capstone failed, and I would be forced to stay another semester without my degree. Worse, my father's final ecological legacy would be reduced to scrap paper.
I had been panicking over that exact deadline for two days straight, and Julian had just laid it out like it was nothing.
Worse, I couldn't even brush him off. I had heard the rumors about Beaumont's nephew—the CS prodigy everyone in the department talked about. I just had never realized it was him.
"I know how to fix your algorithm," Julian stated plainly, laying his cards on the table, his gaze locking onto mine with an unshakeable, quiet certainty. "Help me get through this bet. In return, I'll rewrite your boundary calculations tonight. Deal?"
/0/51645/coverbig.jpg?v=885678c795c9d44a690d159b08e5201d)
Dark shadows
In the heart of a forgotten forest, where ancient spirits whisper ecrets and moonlight dances among leaves, lies a village haunted by a dark and mysterious curse. Legends speak of a creatures that transform under the pale light of the full moon, their bodies consumed by the primal instincts of the
/0/58183/coverbig.jpg?v=f2a25874171b78db063864ae8fe0d0f2)
SHADOWS BETRAYAL
"Are you rejecting me after one-year of being your Luna?" Amelia asked. "Yes, I will continuously reject you till the day it gets to your skull," Kessler said angrily. Amelia thought she would finally be free after being Alpha Kessler's Luna but the worst is yet to come when she finds out he wa
/0/78199/coverbig.jpg?v=d88c814d1da5653371001314464100d1)
Eternal Shadows
In a world where shadows dance, ordinary Elara's life is irrevocably altered when she crosses paths with Alessandro, a powerful man. Their forbidden love ignites a dangerous flame, tested by secrets and external forces. He's darkness in a tailored suit. She's the light he was never meant to touc
/0/27576/coverbig.jpg?v=eb931868d4593c1ad5714afde77b341e)
Chasing Shadows
One girls story of love, pain, revenge and the man who changes her life. Hannah was an ordinary little girl...until her father was brutally murdered. Now she vows to never let anyone close to her again...until fate stepped in!
/0/50373/coverbig.jpg?v=22532312abb581bb0af87ccc4a8b6038)
MOONLIGHT SHADOWS
Moonlight Shadows: A Tale of Betrayal, Hardships, and Triumph In the mystical realm of Everwood, where moonlit groves weave tales of enchantment, Sarah's life unfolds with the promise of love and the looming shadows of betrayal. As she navigates the twists of destiny, a web of trust begins to unrav
/0/55269/coverbig.jpg?v=fffa4a3c8cc06f6d32263f118cd6fee6)
Scars & Shadows
Seraphina Hawthorne carries baggage that no child should ever have to carry and has endured more heartache than anyone should in their lifetime. Tyrone Davis is the sensational bad boy of the school, capable of blinding wrath, acting on impulse, and destroying anyone who stands in his way. Then, o
/0/73113/coverbig.jpg?v=c53f429d7d7ca2e1e31101e3d87ba059)
Falling Shadows
In the bright world of art and beauty, Jasmine Carter's life appears like a dream. As a respected artist married to the charismatic billionaire Ethan Sterling, she appears to have it all--until a shocking revelation shatters her extremely clean mask. When Jasmine finds Ethan's ties to a violent cri
/0/39319/coverbig.jpg?v=44c6bf5fe3cd037436bb714e44b27dd1)
Moonlit Shadows
Emma is a young journalist who has just returned to her hometown in the Pacific Northwest after a failed stint in the big city. She's looking for a fresh start and a new story to sink her teeth into. But when a series of gruesome murders rocks the small town, Emma finds herself drawn into a world of
/0/61807/coverbig.jpg?v=07523aa12e7ba87ff8c758b690d9c173)
Crossing Shadows
Zimmoni is no stranger to trouble, but when she encounters Kaere—known to the streets as Lonelle or Lonnie—her life takes a turn she never could have anticipated. Kaere, a feared and ruthless figure, rules the criminal underworld with a cold, iron grip. Yet, behind his hardened exterior lies a man w
/0/48959/coverbig.jpg?v=d120edfc595220e29f599bab7a546f88)
Bright Shadows
In the town of Silverwood, a series of brutal murders terrify the residents. Emma, an investigative journalist, uncovers a forgotten werewolf curse. With the help of Gabriel, a haunted werewolf hunter, they delve into Silverwood's dark history. As they uncover a malevolent force behind the curse, th
/0/43385/coverbig.jpg?v=0cf7cb2f2b56959feb1a8ea05bbc2bc1)
Shadows Unveiled
Shadows Unveiled is a captivating tale that weaves together the genres of suspense, romance, and the supernatural. Set in the enigmatic town of Ravenbrook, this story takes readers on a thrilling journey through the intricate web of a love triangle and the haunting presence of a werewolf. As the st
/0/73685/coverbig.jpg?v=27f2a74181df514f2a55f57f4ba4d982)
Dark Chemistry
"Everything of you is a non-existing dangerous drug, Natalia. And I'm addicted to it." He rasped beside my ear then slowly but seductively brushed his nose on my neck and then my hair like he was smelling my body and my hair. I stopped breathing as I started feeling like I was going to pass out.
/0/31201/coverbig.jpg?v=1255536fd43b2cb11e44995799e0b444)
Dark Goddess
( 18➕ ) Hadria Blake went from living in a group home to being whisked across the country to the most prestigious school of the USA, Deitus Academy, school for deities. Until her seventeenth birthday she had believed herself to be a normal human girl. Her biggest worry being what she would do in a
/0/42747/coverbig.jpg?v=c9ed3231749133673b0d8958678d7cfe)
DARK OBSESSION
Obsessed with awaking his wife, Augustine vowed to sacrifice anyone in order to bring her back to life, be it his daughter. Is it because of his immense love for his wife or is there a hidden motive behind it? Celine, a young 18 year old maiden vows to protect 'the vessel' from her father. Will she
/0/65204/coverbig.jpg?v=20241127113905)
DARK PARADISE
What happens if the King of all Demon Kings falls in love with a human? That's what Alarik Bruce Skyler, the devil Lucifer who has the strongest and greatest throne among demons, feels. The immortal creature accidentally falls in love with a pure human who is the eldest daughter of one of his foll
/0/66478/coverbig.jpg?v=16c16c83d0347a9d0064cae9340d81de)
Dark Hearts.
Melia Rixe's life is seriously flatlining. Between being abused by her addict mother, working multiple jobs and paying off her debts, she's more than fed up with her life. A night of drunken confessions and passionate kisses brings Bastian Monroe into her world. The hot Manhattan elite billionaire C
/0/20488/coverbig.jpg?v=fb5c6848491d64da39ea3437177b680b)
Dark Love
Sweet Aphrodite Villegaz is a girl who has a simple life. Scholar of the Ruther University and an independent woman who lives her life alone. But then everything changed since that day she met a man wearing a black mask. He saves her from danger. But it included chaos... Secrets began to unfold Her
/0/19448/coverbig.jpg?v=e9aaf9531e6680e2cd6d888e64c9db97)
DARK MYSTERIES
~“Hello, Daniel.” The man growled as his lips contorted into a twisted grin. Daniel’s eyes widened as he backed up a bit. There was something eerie about this man which gave him the creeps. “ Who are you and how do you know me?” He said fearfully. The man chuckled darkly and Daniel noticed a sud
/0/19219/coverbig.jpg?v=78b665ac19581b55a83ab39c7b959344)
Dark Deception
When Olivia Adams, a YouTuber was invited to VidCon, a social meeting event, by her idol Sam, she didn't miss it for the world! In fact, she was willing to travel all the way to Los Angeles on her own to meet him.Upon meeting Sam in person, she began to develop feelings for him unknowingly and was d
/1/107204/coverbig.jpg?v=8129e08c5be673a953fc32d0071ef17d)
The Shadows of Eldoria
Hook: A 30-year-old hero, Kael, finds himself in a mysterious forest near the ancient Eldoria Castle. Strange creatures, forgotten magic, and hidden secrets test his courage, heart, and wits. Each chapter reveals new dangers, mysteries, and emotional struggles, keeping readers hooked.
