Monarch Night - Chapter 65 - 30: Hot Potato

When Hazel finally turned adult, her father did not think twice before selling her to the emperor of a mysterious land. The man was famous for killing all her brides in less than a week but Hazel had a deep will to survive.

From behaving crazy to a villainess, she would do anything that keeps her safe until she find a way to escape. But why is that the Evil Vampire Lord behaves so differently than the rumors she had heard. Did she even want to run away now?

A cheating boyfriend and a traitorous best friend had always been a cliché start to a story. Fil often thought those things only happened in such narratives. Who would have thought this same cliché twist would happen to her?Fil was a devout Christian who held marriage and marital fidelity sacred. She had been a very good girl from childhood to adulthood. But when she caught her childhood sweetheart slash fiancé and her best friend rolling under the sheets, Fil wanted to rebel for the first time.The first step of her rebellious journey? Getting drunk.After drowning her sorrows with the help of alcohol, Fil met the enigmatic Jackson. The moment her eyes met those tantalizing golden orbs, words slipped past her lips without any notion of the kind of situation she was getting herself into:“Will I go to hell if I lose my virginity before marriage?”His thin, red lips curled up as a glint flickered across his naturally sharp eyes, and he said, “Who knows? But I can bring heaven to you if you want me to.”*****Jackson.A man shrouded in mystery and secrets, licentious to the core with zero morality, someone who had grown bored playing games with life. Until one fateful night, a woman suddenly appeared before him — a perfect prey for a boring night.Little did he know, a night with a rebellious wannabee wouldn’t be enough to quench his biological urge. Nor would he ever fathom the colors she gave to his gray-colored world.A good girl with dirty thoughts and a sinful man who had even dirtier thoughts.A relationship that started for revenge and to satisfy one’s need; was there even space for true love?How? When the man bending her down would nastily whisper in her ear, “You've been a fucking good girl.”****As the two grapple with their own demons threatening to tear them apart, doubts would start surfacing in their hearts. Was this rebellion worth sacrificing her principles for? Could she truly find happiness in the arms of a man so steeped in darkness?And for Jackson, was redemption possible for a devil like him? And if so, would she be the one to lead him towards the light? Would she even accept his darkest secrets and the hell of his world?In a world where trust was a rare commodity and love was a fragile flame, Fil and Jackson would have to navigate the treacherous waters of desire and redemption.Would they face the unknown together? Or would they let go to save themselves from the impending pain of being together?

Balthazar was just a random giant crab enjoying his life in a fantasy world full of bothersome human adventurers, but then he had to go and accidentally discover the secret of attributes and levels. And also pie. With baked goods and coin as his new life goals, he turns to the competitive business of trading the random junk adventurers loot every day.Follow Balthazar as he does everything to find a baker... except leave his pond, because exploring the dangerous world out there is for suckers. Witness how adventurers just can't seem to stop dying around his home. And cheer for a crab who makes great new friends by simply buying them.Book 2 is out now, with new chapters every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, fresh off the bakery!What to expect from this story:- No harems, not unless they're a harem of gold coins.- Silliness, lots of it. The story doesn't take itself too seriously, so you shouldn't either.- The only kind of OP here is how “overpriced” the crab's deals are.- A system simple enough for a crab to use, but still conveniently complex when necessary, for some odd reason.- Proper realistic adventurers: they're not very bright, and they make very poor decisions.- Did I mention there will be pastries?

He’s her stepbrother, her sin and her biggest mistake waiting to happen.Catherine Brown thought moving in with her mother’s new husband couldn’t be harder until she met the cold, arrogant and sinfully attractive Julian Vaughn, her stepbrother.He hates her, teases her and gets under her skin everyday. He’s everything she should stay away from, off-limits and untouchable.But when his anger turns into something darker and hungrier, when he looks at her like he wants to ruin her innocence, Catherine realizes danger has a new name.And no matter how hard she tries, she can’t stop wanting the one man she’s not supposed to have.When hate turns to desire, who’s really in control?EXCERPT✨“You’ve never had sex before?” Julian asked, disbelief flickering in his eyes.Catherine hesitated, then nodded, staring at the floor instead of him.He bit his lower lip, trying to rein in the thoughts crowding his mind. Goodness, she was too innocent for her own good.“So all you did with your previous boyfriends were just kisses and smooches?”She immediately stood, her cheeks flushed. “There are no boyfriends,” she blurted. “I’ve never even been kissed. Please don’t laugh at me.”Laugh? Hell no. Julian wasn’t laughing. He was fighting the urge to pull her close. Knowing she’d never been touched only made his hunger worse.She didn’t realize he’d moved until his breath brushed her ear, his voice dropping low and dangerous.“Catherine, just say the word and I’ll show you what it means to be touched by a man.”Her heart stuttered in her chest and he could hear every beat.