Showing results by narrator "Stefanie Kay" in Literature & Fiction

Mysterious and tragic, Madame Tan’s menagerie is the only home I’ve ever known. It’s a place where two worlds merge; a twilight zone between Earth and the magical Kingdom of Nerifir. The menagerie is filled with fantastic animals, but I discover that Madame captures and displays sentient beings too. One of them is locked in a crate day and night, not seen by anyone, and one day I learn why—looking at him kills. Even talking to Kyllen is forbidden, but I break that rule. I break many rules for him.

I live in a world where secrecy reigns. A Society rooted in power, wealth, and long-held dynasties. Where men are Kings, and women are pawns. For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamt of escaping the shackles of my expectations.

I never thought I'd look for a woman in a strip club until I laid eyes on her—a redhead with a story. Her eyes weren't just sad; they were screaming for a way out. I could tell she didn't belong there. She's definitely hiding secrets, wrapped in pain, and I couldn't look away. When I saw some sloshed goon getting handsy with her, refusing to take a hint, I knew I had to protect her. Reaching out to help her felt like the only decent thing to do. I offered her a place to stay and a lead on a new gig—but it wasn't just her. Her kid, Sophie, with those wide, scared eyes—they got to me.

When the Wildbloods presented their daughters to me on the night of the Tithing, they knew what was to come for the chosen girl. The crescent moon that marked Willow made her mine. I had no choice but to take her. Destiny determined our fates long before we were born, laying our roles out for us. A sacrifice would be made. A tithe paid. Only then would our families be free, at least until the next payment came due.

Serious relationships? Not my usual ride. As the Prez of the Steel Demons MC, my life has always been all about the thrill of the chase. But lately, those club bunny flings ain't cutting it. Deep down, I crave something more real, something with meaning. Then, outta nowhere, my past roars back. A night from five years ago, a hazy memory, and in a flash—a son I never knew about. This is how Ellie comes into my life, the game-changer. Her sister's vanished, and she's been raising my kid all by herself. The moment I lock eyes with Ellie, I'm hooked.

An ancient curse. Two families bound. A forbidden love. When the Wildbloods presented their daughters to me on the night of the Tithing, they knew what was to come for the chosen girl. The crescent moon that marked Willow made her mine. I had no choice but to take her. Destiny determined our fates long before we were born, laying our roles out for us. A Sacrifice would be made. A Tithe paid. Only then would our families be free, at least until the next payment came due. I would have done my duty as Penitent. I tried.

Valerie Darkmore’s entire life has been building up to this moment - her initiation into the Marionettes, the prestigious league of witches sworn to serve the vampires. As one of the last remaining blood witches, her spot is almost guaranteed. At least, so she’d thought. The academy is full of sabotage and secrets as the tasks begin, and Valerie quickly realizes she has more than her spot on the line. Her survival seems just as uncertain. The closer she gets to the final trial, the more she learns everything - and everyone - around her isn’t quite what it seems.

Want to know what happens to a man who barely claws his way out of a tragedy, only to fall right into the arms of the one girl in the world he can never have? Another tragedy, that's what. When I was six years old, my father made a choice that altered the course of my entire life. Because of what he did, the only girl I ever loved became the only girl I couldn’t have. In a lot of ways, I did have her; I had her first steps, her first words, her first smile. I had her milestones, her heartbreaks, her dreams.

Ren has to be the grumpiest Voxeran in the universe. So why does his touch light me on fire? With the arrival of a ship from Vox, we’ll finally have a chance to escape Nuthora. Unfortunately, the blue-skinned alien rebel who comes to rescue us is the most frustrating man I’ve ever met. From our very first meeting when he pulls a knife on me, to the pointed barbs we trade back and forth, I think it’s safe to say we don’t like each other very much. But that doesn’t explain why he suddenly kisses me in the middle of an argument…or why I kiss him back.

Lyr has only three months to prepare for a test that will decide her fate. Despite Rhyan's promise of additional training, her life has never been in more danger, and her enemies inch closer every day. Staying safe means more time under Rhyan's protection. But the closer they become, the more their desire ignites, and the harder it becomes to resist temptation. Secrets can only remain hidden for so long.

When I was a little girl, I dreamed a handsome knight would come and rescue me from my wretched mother. He'd ride up on his white steed and break the curse I've been fated to carry since the day I was born. Funny how things changed over time, how the fairytale twisted into something far more crooked—and darker—than I ever imagined. In reality, my knight is scarred and broken, living alone in a castle of bones that overlooks the sea. He isn’t searching for me. He never was.

When alien pirates stole me from Earth years ago, the trauma of my abduction wiped away my memories. I can’t remember who I was before I was taken. All I know is that I’m not going to let myself be held captive again. The blue-skinned warriors I'm now living with seem different from the pirates who abducted me, but every alien I’ve ever known has tried to hurt me. So when I see my chance to sneak away from the Voxeran village, I take it. I’d rather face the dangers of Nuthora on my own than risk losing my freedom again. There’s one thing I didn’t count on, though. Bohrir.

Blindsided by betrayal and stripped of their royal titles, Lyr and her sisters' only hope of survival is to throw themselves into the Bamarian Court. Struggling to hide their illegal magic while living amongst their enemies. But the Imperators are determined to set their plans into motion, with Lyr's true identity placing her at the centre of their twisted game. As Morgana's magic intensifies to its breaking point, she comes face to face with the Lumerian Empire's most insidious secret - one that threatens all their lives.

As Moriel's reincarnation nears, Lyr is determined to fulfil her oath: harness the power of the red shard and defeat him. But Lyr has uncovered the Empire's darkest secret—her cousin Jules still lives and the Emperor is enslaving vorakh for their forbidden magic. Now, she's vowed to bring the Empire to its knees. But freeing the realm will require more power than even Lyr and Rhyan combined possess. Their only opportunity is to make a far more sinister deal with the person who has the most to gain—and the person Rhyan trusts the least.

Loyalty. Duty. Deceit. I never imagined my first trip to Italy would be to bury my father. But there I stood, alone in the ancient cathedral with my father’s casket, a handful of soldiers standing guard. It never occurred to me that anyone would disrupt the sanctity of the moment. But the Caballero brothers have little regard for the church and even less for my family. They marched in, weapons in hand, and turned my world upside down.

Lady Lyriana Batavia is third in line to the Seat of Power in Bamaria. And with the most eligible bachelor and master mage, Lord Tristan Grey, soon to be her fiancé—life is perfect. But at the ceremony that should have revealed her power, she uncovers something else entirely—Lyr is powerless. Faced with uncertainty, Lyr has no choice but to accept a deadly offer. She has seven months to train as one of the kingdom's most brutal warriors—the Sotrui—and survive training at the academy.

Stunned. That's the word when Peyton Brooks, my son's ex, shows up at my door in the middle of the night, asking for protection. Hell, I'm always stunned around her. She's something else—all smiles and curves in one hell of a confident package. Right up my alley. Problem is she's off-limits. Too young, too attractive, and way too much of my kid's ex. Now, she's not just a hottie; she's my job too. Someone offed her roommate, and now her life's in the crosshairs. That's why she came knocking on my door for help.

Keira Garrison has never known affection from her husband. After being tricked into giving up her family ranch, she finds herself lost and miserable in an unhappy marriage. But one night, she meets the arresting Gerard Sovereign, her husband’s rival and the owner of the biggest cattle ranch in Montana. Sparks fly. Their chemistry is undeniable.

Life in Nerifir is beautiful, magical, and dangerous. I came to the Kingdom of Lorsan hoping to find a new home but found envy and betrayal. When everything is taken from me—my sight, my freedom, and my love—I need to search deep for the strength to go on. Now, I no longer wish for just a safe place to live. I want a true home, a place where I belong. And I'm ready to fight for it, even if that means taking over the kingdom.

Something is wrong with Valerie Darkmore. She may have made it through her initiation into the Marionettes, but she’s quickly learning that was only the beginning. Everything she used to know has changed, including maybe herself. She can’t count on her partnership with a dangerous vampire prince to be enough to save her.