In this third installment of The Obsidian Series, everything seems to be going well for the Emery family on Amelia and William’s wedding day. That is, until Logan finds his fated mate, only to have her reject him almost instantly. That leads to Logan questioning himself, the mate bond, and what will become of the Obsidian Dragon Clan if he never finds his mate. Logan feels his only hope is if he is given a second chance mate, and he knows that rarely happens. Things become confusing for Everly after she meets her mate. Like her sister, Amelia, when she met William, Everly is not sure she is ready to have a mate and is adamant that she will never leave Obsidian. Will that change as she is drawn to her mate? Amelia has her hands full. Running the Obsidian Community Art Center would be hard enough, but she does it while she and her mate, Will, raise two exceptional children. Her oldest daughter, Isla, already has fairy magic and can communicate with and control animals. Her little sister Willa has bigger issues. At three years old, she has uncontrollable cravings for blood. That means William and Amelia must find a way to combat them before someone is injured or worse. As if more were needed, Ben, Damian, Darla, and Bethany are among those who find their mates, and only some are happy about it. Thankfully, they have their families to support them and help them through it. Two of the biggest helpers are Aunt Freya and Aggie, and not everything they do goes as planned.

When Callie returned to her hometown, it was not under the best of circumstances. She had finally divorced her abusive husband and was left with what she could pack in her SUV and, most importantly, her four-year-old daughter, Maya. Things change for her when she learns her brother's friend is helping out her parents while her father's sprained ankle heals. Mark was the heir to the local ski resort, and she had a crush on him when she was a kid. Callie doesn't know how things will work out, but she fears he will want nothing to do with her when he discovers why she has returned home. Will Callie's worst fears come true as she tries to put her life back together, or will Mark be the savior she did not know she needed?

This book contains original short stories from a wide range of genres. Those include but are not limited to comedy, true crime, horror, science fiction, action, romance, and short biographies of hijinks and mayhem. Many of these stories came into creation as a way for me to break writer's block or other projects that never came to fruition. As you read, if you find a story you would like to see as a full-length book, let me know in the comments. Some I can do that with, and others, I can't. Either way, there is no harm in asking. Not only that, but it lets me know what you want to read. To make it easier to find the type of stories you like most, each short story lists the genre in the title. I hope you enjoy it! I am adding several new horror stories to get everyone in the mood for Halloween and the spooky season. Some of them have never been published, and others have. I hope you enjoy them. - - #Horror# #Spooky# #Scary#

*COMPLETE* * When Sara Walker went on vacation, she could have never predicted what would happen. After an accident and storms force her to take shelter in an old cabin while hiking, Sara discovers the journal of Herschel Allen, the man who built the cabin. As Sara reads the trappers diary, she learns that he and his partner had been trapped during a blizzard. Ultimately, one was forced to resort to do the unthinkable to survive. By the end of the journal, Sara is reading of one man's descent into madness or his transformation into a monster.

COMPLETE!!! * 51: The Beginning Lindsay Gold has recently been fired from her deputy’s position at a small county sheriff’s department in the Missouri Ozarks. Just as her family has begun to recover, however, two members of the county commission show up at her door. It seems the previous sheriff has quit, and they want her for the job. When Lindsay assumes control of the department, she soon finds herself dealing with an incident that occurs on the local military base. Even worse, she's receiving calls regarding strange creatures and paranormal activities. Fortunately, she has the help of a federal agent who is in charge of the program that caused the problems. Unfortunately, that agent, Wren Gold, happens to be her husband, who never told her what his job really involved. Now the couple must work together in order to manage the strange events of the county. Lindsay had expected a normal sheriff’s job, but she could not have been more wrong. Award Finalist: 2018 Best Book Awards (Fiction: Science Fiction) - 51: The Storm When Sheriff Lindsay Gold had taken the job only a few months earlier, she had no idea how bad things would get for her and her department. Not only does she have to contend with the chaos created by an incident on the nearby military base, but she is also dealing with many of her deputies quitting because of it. Now, with a major storm system moving in to make things worse, she has to find help where she can get it, even if that includes a deputy fresh out of the academy and her head dispatcher’s brothers. After some serious incidents occur, putting several lives in danger, Agent Wren Gold decides to tell his wife, the sheriff, everything he knows. This information includes everything which his agency had been holding or held in the past. Some of that information, none of them are ready for and causes tension both personally and professionally for everyone involved. - 51: Monsters Sheriff Lindsay Gold thought she had enough to worry about in her county, and then the only monster she knew existed shows up, her mother-in-law. While her husband, Agent Wren Gold, is away on assignment, Lindsay must contend with both Margaret Gold and a new deadly threat. This new threat leads Wren to many more questions about what is taking place in the county and from where some of the creatures have come. Deputy Max Cartwright makes an accidental and unnerving discovery about the Sheriff's first husband, James, which could turn everyone’s world upside down. Things may be very different from what they have appeared, and now the search for the truth begins. - 51: Secrets Everyone has secrets. Sheriff Lindsay Gold and Agent Wren Gold are no exception and have kept many secrets from each other. Lindsay has kept them to protect the people she loves and who are like family to her. Wren has kept them the protect his wife and because his job requires it. Now they are both finding out some of those secrets which could break the trust they have. Lindsay’s son Dillon and his friend make an unexpected discovery while they are hiking on the property newly purchased by his friend’s family. What they find shows many others have been keeping secrets, including Lindsay’s late husband, James. Some of the secrets could have deadly consequences. Discovering them may also lead to answers to many of the questions everyone has and to the true identity of those responsible for the disaster on the base. - 51: Damages As Sheriff Lindsay Gold and Agent Wren Gold begin to find the answers to the rest of their questions, they are also left to take stock of all the damage done to the county and themselves. The discovery of the compound leads them to the person responsible for much of the chaos and damage within the county. Getting the information they need leads Lindsay and Wren to do things they never thought they were capable of doing. When things come to a head, an unlikely hero comes to the aid of others as things take a deadly turn, and not everyone will make it out alive. In the end, the biggest question is who will be left standing. For those who are left, their lives will never be the same.

Sephi and Dee return home to the underworld after spending years living in Tarpon Springs, Florida. when they return to rule the underworld, they children and extended families join them which leads to chaos and fun.

An alpha werewolf who went rogue years earlier returns runaways and missing to their packs. When he is asked to find a woman from his old pack, he finds her and discovers she is his mate. They both struggle with the idea of having a mate. Him, because of being a rogue and living alone for years unless he was transporting someone. Her, because of what she went through and watched what happened between her mother and step-father, who were chosen mates after her father died.

The story of Hades and Persephone is centuries old. The ancient Greek tale is one that many know. Hades saw young Persephone picking flowers, and it was love at first sight. He was so taken by her that he kidnapped her and took her to the underworld. Persephone refused all of his attempts to woo her. She even refused to eat or drink until, one day, the temptation of a pomegranate became too great. When she ate four seeds, it sealed her fate and bound her to the underworld. As time went by, Persephone fell in love with her uncle, Hades. Persephone went from being the goddess of spring and nature to the queen of the underworld. Hades and Persephone were the king and queen of the underworld, where they ruled with iron fists. This is not that story. This is the story of Sephi and Dee, mild-mannered professionals who live in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The pair enjoys gardening, cooking, and spending time on their patio sipping cocktails as they watch the sunset. Or at least that is what they want you to believe. In the modern world, Persephone goes by the name Sephi. She has found her calling as a hospice nurse at a local center. She grows flowers for her patients to help them be more comfortable and bring joy to what is left of their lives. It also allows her to guide them to the underworld when it is their time. Hades, now Dee, is an attorney for the hospice center, allowing him to get to know patients and their families easily. By doing this, he can more accurately assess which level of the underworld each soul needs to reside in. Sephi and Dee have many ups and downs in their work. They see young and old, families and loners, saints and sinners, and all must be brought to the other side. Some, they wish, could stay on Earth longer so they can continue to spread love and joy. For others, they want to create new torments to punish them for what they have done in their lives. Their children Melanie and Zach, along with Darius, who has worked for Dee and Sephi as a representative of the underworld for eons, assist them. Melanie is the goddess of nightmares and madness. Zach is the god of rebirth. This allows for additional torment and rewards even before someone is sent to the underworld. Things heat up even more when Melanie and Darius admit their love for one another. They explore their relationship in ways befitting ancient Greece. Zach also finds love. However, it could end in tragedy before he can find true happiness. - *WARNING* With a rating of 18+, this story is the spiciest I have ever written. A story involving Greek Gods must include lust, passion, and debauchery among the characters. Please keep that in mind as you read.

When anthropology professor Dr. Jacob Taylor was asked by a friend to investigate a possible bigfoot sighting in a small Kentucky town, he was less than thrilled. He does not want to get involved in another of his friend’s wild goose chases. However, the more he looked into Bailey, Kentucky, the more he thought it would be a nice vacation during his winter break. When Jake arrives in Bailey to backcountry camp and hike the hills and forests that surround the town, he is surprised by the warm welcome the locals give him. All of them except for one woman he can not get out of his head, Kaitie Bailey. Nurse Practioner Kaitin Bailey despises nothing more than when big city monster hunters come to her hometown. Her family founded the town and has been hiding the secret of what lurks there for generations. When she meets Professor Jake Taylor, it is hate at first sight. While she will admit that he seems to be honest about his intentions for being in town, she can not force herself to trust him, even after she finds herself thinking about him far more than she cares to admit. After Jake is injured while in the forest, he is left on Kaitie’s front porch for her to care for him. With a massive winter storm quickly approaching, Kaitie has no choice but to care for him. Now, Kaitie and Jake find themselves trapped in her secluded cabin by the weather. They try to fight their undeniable attraction for each other and stick to their respective boundaries. But, the more time they spend together and learn about each other, the harder that fight becomes.

Aggie and Freya's Magic, Mischief, and Mayhem is a collection of short stories about the escapades of Aggie and Aunt Freya in and around the Obsidian Dragon Clan. Freya is a werewolf/fairy hybrid. Aggie is a witch mated to a dragon. As best friends they never fail to find adventures in the clan.

*Excerpt* A twig snapped nearby, breaking the tranquility she had. Amelia bolted into a sitting position and looked around. Her eyes fell on a man she had never seen before. Her heart skipped a beat. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was so attractive that it was distracting. A whiff of juniper and honeysuckle hit her strongly. This time, Lily took notice of it in Amelia's head. "Mate! He's our mate, Amelia," Lily said as she bounced from side to side in Amelia's mind. "And look at him. He is perfect," Lily chirped before she gave a little gasp. "He is a vampire." "No. This can't be happening," Amelia said as she scrambled to her feet. The man smiled tenderly at her, "I assure you this is happening. I had given up hope of ever finding you." "No!" Amelia yelled at him. "Why now?" Amelia made a quick gesture with her hand. The vines in the trees above the man began to move and morph until they reached him and wrapped around him, binding him in place. Tears started flowing down her cheeks as she turned and ran, shifting midstride as she raced toward home and away from the one person who could take away the only thing she knew she wanted. "Well, that did not go the way I expected," the man sighed to himself, still standing, wrapped tightly in the vines. He dug deep, straightened his arms, and pulled hard, breaking free of the vines around him. He quickly picked up Amelia's shoes and her torn clothing. As he picked up the last article of clothing, he shook his head and grumbled, "Yeah, this is going to go well." - Description It is a horrible feeling to feel as if you do not belong. Amelia Emery felt that way even though she knew she was welcome in two worlds, and Amelia is soon to find out she is welcome in even more when she unexpectedly encounters her mate. At eighteen, Amelia rejected taking over the Dark Moon Pack, controlled by her biological father, Nicholas Williams, Alpha of Dark Moon and CEO of Dark Moon Industries. While she had the right, she did not feel it was her place. She had been born in the Obsidian Dragon Clan, where she was raised by her mother, Olivia Cook, and her step-father, the man she considered her dad in every way, Tyson Emery, the Dragon Lord of Obsidian and the CEO of Emery Technologies. She knew how fortunate she was to have parents who could and would pay for any education she chose and support her if she decided not to go to school. As an award-winning photographer, her mother had proved that college was not always needed to be successful in a chosen field. The problem was Amelia felt lost and did not know what to do with her life. Things become even more confusing for Amelia when she takes a walk to clear her head and meets her mate. She wasn’t sure she wanted to settle down so young, and finding her mate, vampire William Stone, makes her question everything in her life. When William insists that he will always allow her to do as she pleases and help her in any way possible, it gets her attention. The only thing he asks in return is that Amelia allow him to court her. Just as things begin to settle in her life and Amelia has found her place in Obsidian, an attack on her family rocks everyone. Even more surprising is who offers to help find the perpetrator and bring them to justice. That will lead to an unexpected family reunion and major changes in the lives of everyone.

Josh and Ashley are in love and engaged to be married. When they buy their dream house, an old Victorian home, things take a turn. They are unaware that the house is haunted by the original owner, Henry. It isn't Josh dies in an unfortunate accident in the home that the truth is known. Not only is Josh now a ghost in the house along with Henry, he finds out the truth about the home and his fiancee, Ashley.

The Sisterhood revolves around a group of Severn women who have been friends since junior high school. They include a Baptist preach who is also a voodoo priestess, a doctor, a psychiatrist, a former paramedic turned assassin, a photographer, a hit man (hit woman) who will take any job for quick money, and a Gold Digger who realizes she has made a tragic mistake by marrying a mafia don.

Seattle police detective Cassandra “Cassie” Blake is in a difficult position. Cassie is a werewolf who straddles the line between the human and supernatural worlds. While being a werewolf aids in her job as a police officer, hiding what she is makes it difficult to have friends and a social life with the humans around her. Cassie dreads her annual trip back home to Bloodstone, Washington, for her birthday. It falls on the winter solstice, and the town holds a festival to honor the Moon Goddess Selene, the mother of werewolves. It also means that everyone, including her family, largely overlooks her birthday. The one exception is her best friend, Malekai Stone, the town mayor and pack Alpha. Seeing him is the bright spot of her trip, as always. Unfortunately, Cassie’s trip home does not go as planned. The night of the festival, a local girl is killed, leading Cassie to oversee the investigation. She calls in a favor and asks her friend, Jackson Davis, to come to Bloodstone and assist. This is a risky decision because Jackson is human and has no knowledge of werewolves. Cassie and Malekai must explain what they are for him to stay and help solve the crime. Things get even more complicated for Cassie when she finds her mate in her hometown. He is not what she had ever expected. All because of a magic spell cast years earlier in an act of love. - This book was originally written to be in print, not on an app. Due to this, some chapters were too long to be published here and have been split. Most have been split at the existing paragraph breaks that fell in the chapters, but a few are not. This has led to the unusual numbering of the chapters. Please remember this as you read. - #StaryWritingAcademyVI

After a one-night stand with her Alpha and boss, Nicholas Williams, CEO of Dark Moon Industries, staff photographer Olivia Cook finds herself pregnant. When she tells the Alpha, he makes it clear he has no interest in her or their child. Olivia decides it is the right time to travel and further hone her photography skills in some of the locations she has always wanted to visit. When she reaches Oregon, Olivia chooses to settle in the small town of Blue Hills for a while. However, her plans quickly change. In a twist of fate, she meets Tyson Emery, CEO of Emery Technologies. To her surprise, he is not only a dragon but her fated mate. After Alpha Nicolas changes his mind about wanting Olivia and putting a bounty on her, Tyson vows to protect her and her family and goes to great lengths to do so. The only questions are, what is Alpha Nicholas willing to do to get her back, and how far will Tyson go to protect the ones he loves? #WhoWillBeHerMates