things to do at midnight

'God, I'm late again!' Jane thought as she hurried through the streets. 'Mr. Smith is going to be so mad!' She decided to take a shortcut through some back alleys that she would normally rather avoid. Suddenly, she heard a series of whimpers, thumps, and yelps coming from another alley nearby. It sounded like a dog in pain, being beaten by something heavy 'Maybe if I make a noise, whatever is attacking that dog will get scared and run.' She stopped. She had just peaked her head around the corner and saw not one but two . . . men? . . . standing at the other end of a dead-end alley and overlooking a very large, furry pile of animals that seemed to be twitching. Normally, Jane would have been filled with terror at that moment, but terror was normally reserved for those with something to lose. There was a part of Jane, however, that still clung to the charade that was her life. Her hands began to tremble and her lungs released a scarcely audible gasp. Then the two standing figures turned and faced the end of the alley where Jane was hiding. "I'm going to call the police!" she shouted, lacking anything better to say. One of the figures shook his head and smiled. All his teeth seemed to be far too pointy. "That would be a very . . . terrible . . . mistake," he hissed, his words escaping his mouth like dead air from a pharaoh's tomb. And then both of them headed towards her at an inhuman pace. "No," one of them rasped. "Finish it. I'll get the girl." The other one stopped and snarled some kind of response.

"Darby.” My name comes out as a low snarl and I struggle to think. “I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Alpha.”"That's how I like you.” This almost purrs. He shifts his weight to the thigh between mine, brushing against my clit and I tremble as agonizing pleasure spirals through me. His nostrils flare with his next breath and the purr is a low sensual growl. “The better to see to every pleasurable need you have.”Big bad devilishly sexy wolf. Oh shit.

When a child mysteriously disappears from a small town and even his mother seems indifferent, it’s time for the new sheriff to step in. Meet Chris Baker, the new sheriff of the quiet Adirondack town of Clifton Heights. As one inexplicable case after another forces him to confront the townsfolk in The Skylark Diner, it’s the furtive Gavin Patchett that hands Chris a collection of not-so-fictional short stories that tumbles him into a world of monsters, ageless demons, and vengeful citizens. As Chris reads through the stories the veil starts to lift, and he soon questions what is real and what’s not, and whether he really wants to know. Nothing will ever be the same again. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

The things we want are so very rarely the things we need. Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen. Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new... Until night falls once more. Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

“You can leave if you want. No one will stop an ungrateful person like you after all.” Those were the words that Maliyah heard from Jake who is handsome but blunt. She flew to Iloilo for a certain reason. Maliyah could've done her plans faster he didn't come into the picture. Jake is someone who ruins her mood often. She believed she will never want him not until a kiss happened. Maliyah knew that everything's ruined because of that one kiss. But can she give up the plans that she's been preparing her entire life? What if she'll discover a truth that will haunt her for the rest of her life? What is it that she's capable of giving up for love?

What I thought was fictional turned out to be real, and I eventually fell under the spell of the two beasts that shifted under the moon. Meet Jasper, the young man who lives next door and whom I trust the most. Then I met Damon, one of my class's most mesmerizing and strange students. They aren't just good-looking teens because they have a secret that only I know. And knowing their secret is what will put me in danger. The closer I get to them, the more dangerous it is for me. The moon will show what kind of creature they are. And what are they? It's a secret!

Sarah had lived a normal life since she was adopted at 9 months old, that is until her 18th birthday arrived. Discovering that she was born a werewolf has everything in her life changing. After finding her mate and finding out about the prophecy made before her birth the pressure to fulfil he destiny starts to weigh on her. Can she survive what is coming or will she fold under the pressure of her destiny?

𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬. It is about a woman finding her courage in this world. Upon finding it she craves to relinquish the feeling of always being on the edge of the cliff while being the one who solely helps her family from crumbling into pieces. She was hired by Alessandro as their Assassin in their mafia, but their hearts start to recognize the sparks igniting turning into the indomitable flames of their desires. Their fates are always not in favor, but can they test fate and vanquish the plague surrounding them. Or are they meant to dwindle and let it destroy them instead of being their salvation? ... “Gattina, I love it when you are in this position, you should do this more often. And the reason next time won't be picking up your black clutch.” She looked up and scowled with amusement dancing in her eyes. Mio Dio. “I bet you do. I look good in a lot of angles sir. But you won't be able to see if I will be performing one.”

Insomnia, depression and what's worse, he had absolutely no appetite. Things couldn't get any worse for him. Yet when life had already made him hit rock-bottom, there was nothing left to lose anymore. Thrown into such situation, a young man who wasn't in the best mental condition, suddenly got nicknamed Midnight and found himself visiting the same girl over and over again every night in her backyard. The girl being the same one he had had a crush on years ago. The problem is... This girl has no idea who he is, nor did he have any intention to let her know. In such situation a question arises: How do I make her like me back?

There is something in the rain. At the very beginning of the rainy season, same nightmare hunts Luisa every night. A dream that lies between reality and fantasy. Sa tuwing umuulan ay may bigat siyang nararamdaman na hindi maipaliwanag ng dalaga. Isang panaginip na gumugulo sa tahimik niyang isipan. Ngunit isang gabi, nagbago ang lahat ng iyon nang mag-krus ang kanilang landas ng isang binata. He is the mysterious guy who she often caught standing in front of her house at midnight every single time the rain pours. Noong una ang akala niya ay masamang loob. Ngunit lumipas ang mga gabi, sa maraming beses itong bumabalik doon at tila naghihintay. Curiosity kicks in. Isang gabi nang maabutan niya ulit ang lalaki sa tapat ng kanyang bahay, naglakas-loob nang lapitan ni Luisa ito. Nang gabing iyon ay nakilala niya si Levi. He is waiting for someone. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit ito naroon at madalas maghintay. Lumipas ang mga araw at linggo, sa tuwing bumubuhos ang ulan, palagi pa rin niyang natatagpuan doon si Levi. Hanggang isang gabi ay pasukin ng masamang loob ang bahay ni Luisa, nanganib ang kanyang buhay, at ang unang nagligtas sa kanya ay walang iba kung hindi si Levi. Mulan ang gabing iyon, mula sa pagtayo nito sa labas ay tuluyan nang binuksan ni Luisa ang pinto ng kanyang tahanan sa binata. Luisa finally found a friend and comfort in Levi. Pakiramdam niya ay nagkaroon ng kulay ang buhay niyang puno ng kalungkutan at katanungan. Hanggang sa tuluyan nahulog ang puso ni Luisa kay Levi. Nagkaroon ng kabuluhan ang lahat nang masuklian ng binata ang kanyang damdamin. Sa gitna ng masaya at bagong pag-ibig, paano kung malaman ni Luisa isang umaga na ang lahat tungkol kay Levi ay hindi totoo?