Palbert City Underground Series

"Hey, now." I jumped at Ben's quiet words. He sat beside me on the bench and pulled me to his side, his cheek on the top of my head. He didn't say anything, just held me. It was so familiar, so normal. "I'm so sorry," I whispered. "What for?" "I shouldn't have told you. You're going to go back to work and you're going to be breaking so many rules…" "It's okay." I shook my head. "That's what you're most upset about?" I shrugged. The worry rolling off of him made me wrap my arms around him. "Babe, talk to me." "It's just a lot. Everything that just happened." He chuckled. "Yeah." "I'm pissed you lied to me. I'm pissed at Carey for blaming you for what happened. I'm scared of these powers I'm supposed to have. I'm confused because I love both of you and I don't know how that works. And I'm sad because everything I thought I knew isn't real and I don't know what to focus on to stay grounded. I keep going from pissed, to scared, to confused, to sad…" "What are you right this second?" I took a second to think about it. "Safe." It seemed it didn't matter what life altering event I found myself in, I'd always feel safe in Ben's arms. "If you need to feel grounded, you think of that. You think of me. I'm real. How I feel about you? That's real. What we have is real. Carey? He's real too. He might be acting like a dick right now, but that man adores you. That's real." I glanced up at him and he tucked the hair behind my ears. "We will figure out something to help you with your magic. We will find the bastard who killed Trini. Babe, it will be okay." "How do you know?" I whispered. "Because the instant I saw Carey in that house, I was positive I was losing you forever, but I didn't. You're still here," he whispered. "You're still here and you're still mine and I'll be damned if I'm going to let anything mess that up."   Being a vigilante when your boyfriend is a cop? Never a good idea. Finding out magic exists and I'm half fire faerie? That's a twist I didn't see coming. Reading a letter I wrote to myself telling me my long lost best friend is actually my mate? Yep, that happened. Oh, but here's the best part: having zero control over my powers? Well, that's just icing on the cake. Now, if someone could explain to me how I'm supposed to navigate aforementioned revelations while catching the hunter killing off the people I love, that would be great, because the war isn't coming. It's already here… * This story was published briefly in the Born of Shadows and Magic boxset as A Fire Awakens under the author Mireille Chester

He smiled and I melted.  This was pure torture. Why had I asked to come in? We were friends. We got along great. He didn't want anything else from me… But just like every other time I tried to convince myself he wasn't interested, I caught a look from him that had me wanting to tear the clothes from his body so I could lick every inch of him. Like the looks he'd given me all evening. Like the look he was giving me now.   Abby From the first time I saw Trey, I've felt drawn to him. After two years, It's turned into a bit of an obsession. He's all I can think about. So, of course, on the day I decide to take a risk and tell him how I feel, my life gets thrown into chaos. Because Trey isn't who I thought he was. Hell, he's not even what I thought he was.   Trey Two years ago, my tiger picked Abby as our mate. There's just one small problem: she's human and I have no idea how to go about letting her know about what I am and the world I've been keeping from her. The truth is, I've been keeping her close witout pushing for more because I'm terrified she'll refuse to have anything to do with me if she finds out. When fate takes matters into her own hands and Abby is put in danger because of the hunters after me and my friends, I have no choice but to reveal what I am. Will the hunters manage to destroy everything I've ever wanted, or will I get the happy ever after I've been dreaming about...

Raven Life has been rough. I mean, after being alive for two and a half centuries, things are bound to happen, I know that. Having said that, not many vampires are forced to put down their own sire. Not every vampire attracts the attention of a death crazed reaper who gets pleasure from the pain he inflicts. Being rescued by my new family is the best thing that could have happened to me. It's taken almost a hundred years, but I'm finally starting to feel free again. All my pain and terror are manageable... until I see him. They say he's different, that I can trust him. I want to believe that. I start to believe that. Then, he shows me who he really is.   Ryne I wasn't always a good guy. I'm a reaper. We aren't known for our good behavior. I've spent the past nine hundred years taking those ready to leave this existence and sending them to their next one. And some who weren't ready. Alright. Fine. A lot that weren't ready. But a being can change, right? I think so. I hope so. I have a lot of things to make up for and I'm trying my damnedest to right some wrongs. Finding my mate? I never expected that. Not many reapers are blessed with one. Instead of being happy to find me, my mate runs and after hearing why, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to convince her to trust me. Hell, maybe she's right to be scared because the hunters are back and I'm about to unleash the worst version of myself on the world to keep her safe...