the sanctuary burns

[My WSA 2024 Entry novel! Please vote] Sanctuary—a word that conjures visions of peace, protection, and unyielding safety. But what truly defines a place as a sanctuary? Can any refuge withstand the relentless forces of destruction, or does it take something more—a spirit of defiance and hope? For Ruseigner and Mae Yakane, renowned wildlife conservationists and environmentalists, the word became their life's mission. As the march of human progress devoured the natural world, the Yakanes spearheaded a monumental effort to carve out a haven for the threatened wildlife and ecosystems they cherished. With global support, they set out to create a sanctuary—a symbol of hope in a world teetering on the brink of environmental collapse. But fate is a cruel architect. Just as their dream took shape, tragedy struck. Ruseigner and Mae were lost, leaving their vision unfinished. Their son, Froja Yakane, inherited not just their legacy but the weight of their unfulfilled promise. At just 19, Froja’s life was stolen by an assassin’s hand. In his final breath, he vowed to seize any chance at redemption—to be stronger, bolder, and more relentless in pursuing his parents’ dream. And fate, for once, showed mercy. Reborn in a parallel world, Froja becomes Canna—a young man with a second chance to build the sanctuary his parents envisioned. But this world is far from welcoming. As Canna traverses lands filled with strange races and uncharted territories, he faces challenges that test his resolve and his belief in the very concept of sanctuary. Enemies, both seen and unseen, conspire to crush his efforts, but in the darkest of moments, Canna finds allies in the most unexpected places. Through trials of strength, cunning, and heart, Canna learns that a true sanctuary isn’t just a place—it’s a beacon of hope, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a defiance against the forces of chaos. Will Canna succeed in creating the sanctuary his parents dreamed of, or will he be consumed by the perils of this new world? In a tale of courage, transformation, and unwavering determination, Canna’s journey will reveal the true meaning of sanctuary—and the price one must pay to protect it.

( ON BREAK TILL FURTHER NOTICE ) “Protect, what needs to be protected. Help those you find worthy of help. Don’t let anger take over you, fight through sorrow, and rise a victor. Destiny did not choose you, you chose it, learn from what you’ve lost, and adapt right afterward, that's what it means to be a Martial Artist”

Dante Russo is a lethal vigilante hiding behind a charming smile and a fake therapy arrangement. Adeline Fitz is the brilliant psychologist who unknowingly opens the door to his darkest desires. What starts as an assignment spirals into an obsession neither of them can control. She's the light in his chaos — and the only thing keeping his darkness from swallowing him whole. But when secrets start bleeding into passion, one thing becomes clear: She was never just his therapist. She was always his weakness.

In the jagged, rain-lashed peaks of the Black Timber Range, Elara Solari is done running. A twenty-four-year-old sorceress of immense but physically draining power, she has claimed a decaying mountain manor as the foundation for an impossible dream: a kingdom where magic, fang, and claw can coexist in peace. But in a world governed by "Low Honor" and centuries of genocide, peace is the most dangerous ambition of all. ​ Her first ally is Vardos, a massive, battle-scarred werewolf who was left for dead by his own pack. Bound to Elara by a life-debt after she nearly kills herself to heal his mangled body, Vardos is the ultimate cynic. He doesn't believe in her "sanctuary"—he only believes in the weight of his fist and the sharpness of his teeth. ​ As the manor transforms from a ruin into a fortress, it begins to draw the misfits and runaways of a broken world. But building a throne requires more than compassion; it requires the grit to do the "dirty work" the history books leave out. While Elara fights to keep her vision alive, Vardos must act as her High Executioner, standing between his new Queen and the relentless tides of vampires, werewolf legions and other enemies coming to burn The Lost Sanctuary to the ground. Every 10 collections ill drop 5 chapters.

Hi, my name is Nikita Slater and I'm the International Bestselling author of The Queens series, Fire & Vice series, The Sanctuary series, Driven Hearts series and several standalone novels. I've loved the written word my entire life and am an avid reader, as well as a writer. I live, eat and breathe books and I'm always working on something new! ​ I live on the beautiful Canadian prairies with my son and crazy awesome dog. I have an unholy affinity for books (especially dark romance), wine, pets and anything chocolate. Despite some of the darker themes in my books (which are pure fun and fantasy), I am a staunch feminist and advocate of equal rights for all races, genders and non-gender specific persons. When I'm not writing, dreaming about writing or talking about writing, I love to help others discover a love of reading and writing through literacy and social work. Only the strongest can survive in a hostile world ravaged by a disease that turns humans into primitives. She is the Desert Wren, a rebel bent on providing safe passage to illegal refugees entering into her Sanctuary city. If she’s caught she’ll be executed, but the price is worth the privilege of doing what she knows is right. Except when she’s finally caught, the sentence isn’t death, it’s her freedom. It’s the Warlord’s job to weed out the weak and sacrifice them for the good of the Sanctuary. Brutal and autocratic, he is the highest authority. The only threat to his dictatorship is a rebel faction rising up from the slums of his city. When he arrests a rebel leader, the Desert Wren, he sees his redemption. She will help him guide Sanctuary into the future. He just needs to convince his little captive that she’s better off with him than flying free. What is the price of Sanctuary in a dying world and is it worth the sacrifice?

~Excerpt~ "What could have happened to him...I mean the man that suddenly appeared screaming," the young girl asked with a face full of curiosity, With a shrug, Miraken replied accepting her money before stashing it in the big tower box on his left, "I don't know but what I do know is that the world is a dangerous place and sometimes, it messes with us and makes us all, a little crazy," he replied giving her, her exit slip before shouting in a loud voice, "Next," A signal for her to leave and for another to take her place, ----------- Kiya Hosten is a strong beautiful woman who has everything she could ever need: Money, Power, houses, cars and the looks to go with it. Men trip and fall, either on their butt or on their Knees whenever she walks by. It's a regular day in the office at Hosten's Enterprise and Kiya sits at the head of a table in a shareholder's meeting ruling and monitoring her company's account with an iron fist when the sky darkens and everything suddenly goes to shit... Can Kiya and Amy survive the unimaginable events that occur? * * * What happens when your world and everything you know burns?

Warning: Only read, if you have a real appetite for the dark. It’s been six years since Danny and Rain last saw each other. Six years since best friends blurred into almost lovers. Since childhood affection ignited into something reckless, consuming, impossible to name. Then after one glorious night, Danny disappeared. No explanation. No goodbye. Just absence and the wreckage he left behind. Rain rebuilt herself on distance and control, convincing herself the spark had finally burned out. She was wrong. Now Danny is back. Harder. Colder. Hotter. Carrying a past he refuses to explain and a violence that clings to him like a second skin. The boy she loved, the boy who cooked for her is gone , replaced by a man tangled in blood, secrets, and enemies who don’t stay buried. Rain doesn’t just cross paths with him again. She’s pulled into his world. A world of ritualistic killings, whispered threats and blood-curdling violence. Every step closer to Danny drags her further from the life she fought to build , and deeper into a fire she knows will change everything. Their connection reignites fast and furious, desire burning like wildfire. But love isn’t enough to save them from what’s coming. The spark between them was never extinguished. It was only buried. And now it’s about to set everything ablaze. Will the fire consume them both , or will they survive loving each other in a world built to tear them apart? Guaranteed HEA and toe-curling smut;) Excerpt: “ Do you not want me?" I whisper, the question trembling right against his lips. His jaw tightens. His eyes darken. "You don't understand how much I want you," his voice comes out raspy. "How much I want from you." My pulse stumbles. "Then what's stopping you?" I breathe, pushing my chest forward without thinking, nipples tightening under the cool air, awareness pulsing through me. "I'm a greedy man, Rain." He holds my gaze. There's heat there. But there's fear too , both in equal measure. "I will take everything out of you. Everything." His voice carries a dark unmistakable hunger. His hands slide lower, deliberate and possessive. His fingers squeeze my ass hard, then settle there, pulling me closer into the hard line of his hips. "Everything. Until the only thing that remains in you is me." The words land low inside me, hot, aching. My sex throbs in answer, needy, traitorous. "And I will let you," I tell him, voice steady, eyes locked on his. "Only if I get to do the same to you." Silence stretches. His breath skims my cheek. His fingers tightening and then gone. Something flickers across his face hunger, and something I can't begin to understand. And then he looks down in defeat, knowing that he cannot give me what I want. Something fragile cracks between us. Whatever this is looms between us, darkening every moment , a shadow neither of us will name, stretching and stretching until it's all I can feel Contains intense slow-burn heat, emotional angst, and consensual light BDSM. "I'm going to do something," he says, voice low, deliberate, "And I need you to trust me. Do you trust me, Rain?" My mind is drifting somewhere far away — hazy, floating — but my body knows the answer instinctively. Yes. Yes. Yes. I nod slowly. "Yes." "Good," he murmurs against my warm skin. He kisses both my knees one last time, then pushes them up, pinning them tightly against my chest, spreading me completely open for him. Like I'm offering myself to him. His hand slides down, rubbing my pussy in slow, deliberate circles, like he's learning every response and cataloging it . He looks at me — really looks — eyes dark, hungry, ruined. "I'm going to spank you right here," he says, still stroking, like he's soothing me into obedience. "Right where you're swollen for me." All I can do is shiver. "You're going to count," he continues, calm and merciless. "Five."

"I am really back in time by 5 years." Sunny dies at 25 due to an outbreak in the year 2305, but he suddenly finds himself back in time due to reasons unknown. Having experienced death due to insufficient money, he decides to earn money by playing a newly launched VRGame. But, 3 months after the game launch, the future he knows takes a drastic turn towards the unknown. An unknown that even the 6 Entities themselves are apprehensive about. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cover isn't mine. If you are the artist and want me to take it down, just drop a comment on any chapter's chapter comments.

Lu Chen was reborn back in 2014 and became the director of Yinhe Hospital. He is bound to the god-level hospital system, and his goal is to build a world-class medical palace. many years later. "Dean Lu Chen is the richest man in the world!" "Yinhe Hospital's annual income has broken through trillions!" "Galaxy Hospital ranks first in the world!" "Galaxy Hospital has developed a special drug for cancer!" "Galaxy Hospital successfully overcomes all difficult and miscellaneous diseases in the world!" The attention of the world. Lu Chen held a press conference and announced: "Yinhe Hospital has conquered the elixir of life! Those who believe in Yinhe Hospital will have eternal life in this world!" (This is a translation of a Chinese novel)

After an accident leaves pro-gamer Eric Lieu both mentally and physically scarred, he’s forced to leave the pro circuit and any chance he’d ever have at being the “best.” In real life, socially-awkward loners whose facial muscles only seem to recognize “surly frown” and “smug-ass smirk” as expressions don’t get to rule the world. But then eccentric genius Zhao Jianyu launches Viren’s Refuge, the first full-immersion VRMMORPG, and Eric decides to join this game of Gods and monsters to rise from the ashes even stronger than before. Citing his belief that “Games belong to the Gamers,” Zhao Jianyu refuses corporate investments and offers an unbelievable deal to hardcore gamers: Play for Shares! The first 10,000 players to buy the insanely expensive VR gear and game subscription will receive stock in Zhao Jianyu’s private company. Furthermore, once the initial 9 Mythic Realms of the game are defeated, the Final Player Rankings will determine who inherits the company. Zhao Jianyu does all he can to make the playing field equal against the corporations determined to exploit his game, but it will be up to the gamers themselves to prove that those who enjoy the game the most will always be the ultimate winners. With the help from a quirky cast of friends Eric definitely didn’t ask for (and can’t understand why they keep sticking around), Eric is determined to win the game for the gamers and help Zhao Jianyu realize his dream of a world safe for all types of people—even the loser loners. But with so many real-world stakes, will Eric be able to survive long enough to prove the true worth of a gamer?