Hollow Ascension - Chapter 126: The Shifting Shadows

Doctor Irish Lane- 28 years old, was a renowned psychologist in New York. She looked stunningly attractive, sexy, and smart—a real beauty with the flesh of ice and bones of jade to every man's eyes.

One day, she woke up with a dashing and mysterious stranger on her bed. Recalling last night's event, she can't remember how they end up together in the huge bed. She stared at the calm face before her and was startled when his phone rang. The man woke up and quickly answered the call.

She clearly heard the conversation he had. The stranger was getting married today! Composing herself, she hastily took money from her wallet and handed it to him without giving him a chance to explain. She sprinted to the door and disappeared from his life.

Unexpectedly, when she started her new job, the stranger once again appeared in front of her, dragging her into a murder case his company, Runestone Group, involved.

She refused him immediately, but no way he would let her escape.

He calmly said, “It's very dangerous for you, being so beautiful, to get into my car in the first place. And I take no for an answer!”

Irish tried to calm herself down and then did her seat belt. “Mr. Dover, I've told you that I also usually charge overtime pay.”

“Doctor Irish, don't you think your professional fee is high?”

“Is it?” Irish rolled her eyes, and an idea occurred to her, “No, the price of basic commodities nowadays is increasing, so doctors should increase their salary too.”

“You are a smart woman.” He said a half-sentence, and the end of his words was meaningful. “Of course, the extra money on the check was just an advance deposit. We can negotiate about the related remuneration once I'm satisfied with your performance.”

His scheming trick clearly trapped her, and it was too late for her to take back her words and realize the implication of her abrupt action.

A dangerous game of love that is full of lies and deception. Two exceptional individuals that fate collided, leading to the past they tried to bury.

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.

When 18-year-old Chu Miao dies in a tragic car accident, her soul vanishes; but her body does not remain empty for long. A formidable warrior from an ancient era, the daughter of a renowned general, awakens in her place. Sent into the future by a prophecy, she finds herself in a world on the brink of destruction.With only a month before typhoons ravage the land, extreme weather shifts without warning, and terrifying mutations transform animals and plants into deadly threats. Worst of all, a horrifying virus spreads like wildfire, turning humans into flesh-eating zombies. Civilization crumbles and only the strongest survive.Though her new body lacks the powerful cultivation she once had, she still possesses an invaluable advantage; her ancient spatial ring. Filled with elixirs, weapons, demonic beast cores, and rare cultivation resources, it becomes her greatest tool for survival. But modern supplies are also essential, and she must act fast to stockpile resources before the apocalypse fully takes hold.As chaos reigns, she fights to protect her family and secure a foothold in this brutal new world. Along the way, she crosses paths with a mysterious and powerful man, one of the rare few who awaken supernatural abilities and is just as determined to survive. Together, they forge an unbreakable bond, battling both the relentless undead and the desperate survivors willing to kill for a chance to live.Armed with ancient wisdom and modern strategy, she refuses to bow to fate.In this new life, she will rise again—not as a lost soul from the past, but as a warrior destined to rule the apocalypse.

“Give me a group of adorable little players, and I can effortlessly overturn the other world!” – Revnor Murphy Lessenbra.Murphy finds himself reborn as a vampire in a world of sword and magic. But he’s not just any vampire – he’s a test administrator for a mysterious VR game called Reality Realm, and his unique system allows him to summon players from his own world to assist him in this dangerous, new reality.He must navigate the complexities of this new world, learning to command his players all while trying to understand the mysterious forces shaping this world.As he faces threats from all sides. He discovers that the players, despite their naivety, hold a unique strength, unfazed by death and fearless in the face of chaos. Their wild, unconventional tactics often prove more effective than the rigid strategies of established forces.He must learn to adapt to this new world, embrace his newfound vampire powers, and master the extraordinary abilities of his otherworld warriors.Murphy must decide how far he is willing to go to reach his goals – and whether he can truly control the unpredictable force he has unleashed into this world.