

Introduction
Amaranthine is created by Joleene Naylor, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.
Chapter 1
The door was locked. Katelina knocked and rattled the knob, but the only answer was silence. This was just like him. Their relationship might not be committed, but it should involve basic respect.
She moved the grocery bag to her other arm and struggled the key out of her purse and into the lock. The door clicked and, with a gentle push, swung inwards.
The small apartment was dark except for the bright swath of light let in by the opened door. It was like a glowing path that beckoned her forward; a yellow brick road bound for hell.
She followed it.
The light switch felt loose as she clicked it. Part of her was screaming, "Don't turn around! Just walk away!" but she didn't listen to it. She couldn't. The past couldn't be changed by shouting at it.
She turned around and a strangled cry escaped her lips. He lay on the floor in a heap. A puddle of congealing gore, so dark it looked black, spread out around him and made the carpet fibers stiff. The flesh of his throat was torn away. Muscles were stripped to reveal the gleam of his spine shining through the gelatinous, clotted blood.
"Patrick."
Her knees gave in and she fell to the floor. Oh God, she needed to call someone - the police, an ambulance, but she couldn't even stand-
"Katelina?"
The voice tore through her thoughts and brought her back to the newspaper office. She sat on a stool in the break area, her elbows planted on the counter top. A forgotten mug of coffee steamed next to her, untouched.
"Katelina?"
She swung her eyes to see Sarah standing next to her. Her friend was the picture of independent feminism; soft brown curls framed her face and her khaki dress clung in just the right places. Though she usually wore a smile, her eyes made it clear that nonsense was not acceptable; she had things to do, places to go and people to see. At the moment, though, those eyes reflected uncertainty.
"Are you all right?"
Katelina shook her head to chase away the tattered remnants of a nightmare become reality. "Yeah," she answered flatly. "I'm great."
"You don't look great." Sarah's lips clamped together as she scrutinized her. Though Katelina's blonde hair fell down her back in a tight ponytail, and long bangs carefully framed her pale face, her blue eyes were rimmed with lack of sleep and a month's worth of depression. She'd tried to look "okay", but it wasn't enough.
"Are you thinking about Patrick again?" Sarah asked softly.
Katelina waved her hand as if she could make Sarah's concerns drift away like smoke. "No. I'm fine. What did you need?"
"You have a phone call." Sarah sighed and then added softly, "If you decide you want to talk about it-"
"I'm fine, I told you. So who's on the phone?"
"I don't know." Sarah turned teasing. "It's a man. He asked for you by name, said it was personal."
"Personal? I bet it's just the police again." In the last month they'd called more times than she could count. Always the same questions and the same answers. "No, I don't know who might have wanted to kill Patrick. No, I don't know who he was last with. No, I wasn't really his girlfriend; we just had an arrangement-"
She wound her way through the office, her shoulders slumped, and cautiously approached the secretary's desk.
"I have a call?" It was more a question than a statement.
The secretary glanced up, her eyes narrowed and her tone acidic. "Make it fast. You know the rule about personal calls."
"Of course." Katelina wanted to say that there was no need to be so impatient. She hadn't asked for any of this. But she kept the thoughts to herself and pressed the receiver to her ear. "Hello?"
"Katelina?"
The voice was deep, warm and, despite the fact that very few people had her work number, unfamiliar. "This is she. Who is this?"
"I know who killed your lover."
She blinked and lifted a hand to her throat. A flash of Patrick's mutilated form appeared behind her eyes. "Excuse me?"
"I know who killed your lover. Meet me tonight just as the suns sets. I'll be at a house on Farm Mill road; it's the only house, the road is a dead end. Come alone."
The phone clicked loudly and she called, "Wait - I . . ." but there was no point. Her only answer was the quiet buzz of disconnected line. She clutched the receiver to her ear, as if it would bring the stranger back.
Sarah appeared in front of her. "Who was it?" At Katelina's expression, the smile died on her lips. "What?"
"I - I don't know," Katelina whispered. Her shock was replaced by sharp anger. "Some kind of joke." She slammed the receiver into its cradle and ignored the dirty look from the secretary. "I need to go home."
"We only have an hour left." Sarah softened in sympathy. "I'll take you."
"No thanks. I didn't feel like walking, so I brought my car today."
"At least tell me what it was about." Sarah followed her to retrieve her purse and then to the time clock. "Who was it?"
"I don't know who it was. They said they knew who killed Patrick."
Sarah's green eyes went wide and her voice came out low and strangled. "They know who did it? Who?"
"They didn't say. They want to meet tonight." She stuck her badge in her pocket and stopped to run distracted fingers through her bangs. "I'm sure it's a joke."
"A cruel one." Sarah's eyes narrowed. "You're not going? That's how people get killed!"
"To meet some stranger by myself? Are you kidding? Give me some credit!"
Katelina headed for the door and Sarah followed her out and down the sidewalk to the parking lot. Katelina stopped to dig through her purse, searching for the familiar pack of cigarettes, when her friend gently reminded her, "You quit."
"Oh, right." She managed a sick smile and resigned herself.
"I'm proud of you, you know. For not smoking. Even with all of this."
Katelina nodded, but didn't tell her how bad the cravings were. It wasn't the nicotine she wanted, just something to hold on to - something to make the world normal again.
The pair made their way to Katelina's red car. It waited for her under the late autumn sun, dead leaves sticking out from beneath the wipers. Katelina plucked at them absently before she unlocked the door and climbed into the driver's seat. She gripped the steering wheel as if she could strangle it.
Sarah stood stubbornly next to the car like a guarding sentinel, worry on her face, until Katelina said, "I'm not going to meet 'him', so you don't need to worry. And I'm not buying a pack of cigarettes either, though I wouldn't rule out a bottle of brandy."
"Alcohol won't help," her friend said sagely, eyes still locked on her. "Maybe you should see someone. My therapist . . ."
Katelina cut her off, tired of the never ending suggestion. "I don't need to see anyone. I'm fine." She shook her head and stuck the key in the ignition. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"I'll stop by after dinner. Unless you want me to cancel with Brad?"
"No, you've already moved this date twice. You two go and have a nice time. He may never get another night off." She forced a tight smile. Sarah deserved an evening out with the sexy bartender. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Sarah mumbled an appropriate goodbye while Katelina started the car and backed out of the parking lot. She glanced back in her rearview to see her friend standing next to the empty parking stall alone. The breeze played with her soft brown hair and whipped the khaki dress around her knees. An eerie feeling crept over Katelina, but she shook it off and turned the radio on. She let the blaring music drown out her thoughts and memories.
Whoever made that phone call deserved to be tortured to death.
Last Chapters
#693 Chapter 693: A Different Time Part 7
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#692 Chapter 692: A Different Time Part 6
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#691 Chapter 691: A Different Time Part 5
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#690 Chapter 690: A Different Time, Part 4
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#689 Chapter 689: A Different Time, Part 3
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#688 Chapter 688: A Different Time, Part 2
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#687 Chapter 687: A Different Time, Part 1
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#686 Chapter 686 : Honeymoon Havoc, Part 6
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#685 Chapter 685: Honeymoon Havoc, Part 5
Last Updated: 1/7/2025#684 Chapter 684: Honeymoon Havoc, Part 4
Last Updated: 1/7/2025
You Might Like 😍
The Wolf Prophies
A pack of their own
Into the Alpha’s Keep
To protect her sister, she flees, searching for a safe place to endure this agonizing time away from any pack.
But fate has other plans. Her journey leads her into forbidden territory, where the land is ruled by Fenrir, a powerful and ruthless alpha.
Fenrir has never known loss of control—until he crosses paths with the omega in heat, lost and vulnerable on his lands.
Their wolves take over, and an unimaginable bond forms between them: a mating bond neither of them wanted.
Confused and enraged by what has transpired, Fenrir decides to imprison the omega in his home, determined to figure out why their destinies are now tangled.
As the two struggle to keep their distance, their hatred for one another grows—but their wolves demand closeness.
The beasts within them are relentless, and neither can bear to be apart.
My Dominant Boss
Mr Sutton and I have had nothing but a working relationship. He bosses me around, and I listen. But all of that is about to change. He needs a date for a family wedding and has chosen me as his target. I could and should have said no, but what else can I do when he threatens my job?
It is agreeing to that one favour that changed my entire life. We spent more time together outside of work, which changed our relationship. I see him in a different light, and he sees me in one.
I know it is wrong to get involved with my boss. I try to fight it but fail. It is only sex. What harm could it do? I couldn’t be more wrong because what starts as only sex changes direction in a way I could never imagine.
My boss isn’t only dominant at work but in all aspects of his life. I have heard about the Dom/subs relationship, but it isn’t something I ever thought much about. As things heat up between Mr Sutton and me, I am asked to become his submissive. How does one even become such a thing with no experience or desire to be one? It will be a challenge for him and me because I don’t do well at being told what to do outside of work.
I never expected the one thing I knew nothing about would be the same thing to open up an incredible brand-new world to me.
Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Upon meeting the three Lycan kings, Zirah learns that the Kings are no prince charmings. That this would be no fairy tale love story, but one where her life is constantly balanced on the sharp edge of a knife's blade. A knife that is poised to take her life or leave her horribly broken. The Kings want nothing to do with her or each other and plan to get rid of her.
What they don't expect is for Zirah to fight back, only she plays with something far more dangerous than weapons. She’ll play with their hearts.
Zirah has to pick one King, but secrets will be revealed, and the battle between the Kings will be for more than just the throne. They will battle for the queen that they tried to break. But there's just one issue: Zirah wants revenge, and what better revenge than taking away their precious throne?
A FORCED CONTRACT MARRIAGE WITH THE DEVIL
MXM R18+
A FORCED CONTRACT MARRIAGE WITH THE DEVIL.
I sucked in my breath when he all of a sudden took hold of my jaw and kept my other hand above my head" "Let go of me, you devil," I beat against his chest repeatedly. I wanted to shove him off me but he didn't even budge a bit. Within minutes , l brought my knee up and kicked him in the shin. As soon as I did, he groaned out in pain and I took that as an opportunity to free myself from his grasp. I rushed quickly to the other side of the room desperate to get away from him.
He wasn't going to do as he pleases with me and yet we are fellow men
Second Chances
When lover found their way back. I was pregnant 12 years ago but I vanished from is life. As my daughter grows and resembles him more, my longing deepens now at a gala, I unexpectedly see him again now a charming CEO.
I loved Nicolas with all my heart for years while we where in Uni but one night I got pregnant the only night we didn't use any protection. I had to run away from him he had a bright future ahead of him he had a business he was groomed to do since he was a child I couldn't get in the way of that I couldn't destroy his hope and dreams like the pregnancy will destroy mine so I had to run and I had to run where he wouldn't look for me. 12 years later I'm a nurse which was not my dream at all but it put food on the table and that is what was important. One of my colleagues gave me tickets to go to a Christmas Ball and who do I run into, the love of my life the man I ran away from the man who my daughter looks like and on his arm was off course the most beautiful model. Since I've left him I made sure to follow him on social media and the papers obviously I used a other name on social media and he always had a model on his arm always. The thing is not one of them looked like me which made me realized he was over me. Seeing him in real life and not just on my phone or in the papers ripped my heart right out of my chest especially with the model by his side.
An Ice Queen for sale
Alice is an eighteen-year-old, beautiful figure skater. Her career is just about to climax when her cruel stepfather sells her to a wealthy family, the Sullivans, to become the wife of their youngest son. Alice assumes that there is a reason a handsome man wants to marry a strange girl, especially if the family is part of a well-known criminal organisation. Will she find the way to melt the ice cold hearts, to let her go? Or will she be able to escape before it’s too late?
Shattered Girl
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Was that too much?” I could see the worry in his eyes as I took a deep breath.
“I just didn’t want you to see all my scars,” I whispered, feeling ashamed of my marked body.
Emmy Nichols is used to surviving. She survived her abusive father for years until he beat her so severely, she ended up in the hospital, and her father was finally arrested. Now, Emmy is thrown into a life she never expected. Now she has a mother
who doesn't want her, a politically motivated stepfather with ties to the Irish mob, four older stepbrothers, and their best friend who swear to love and protect her. Then, one night, everything shatters, and Emmy feels her only option is to run.
When her stepbrothers and their best friend finally find her, will they pick up the pieces and convince Emmy that they will keep her safe and their love will hold them together?
Up North
My hands move from his jaw to his hair, tagging at its ends. His hands travel down my body and pull the material from my shirt up my body, he places a wet kiss right beside my belly button. I tense as I let out a gasp. He makes his way up, showering my stomach with slow kisses, studying my body as he goes until the shirt is completely off and his mouth is on my neck.
Aelin has been mistreated by her pack for as long as she can remember, but as the threats of the Vampire Kingdom becomes more and more palpable, her pack has to call the Northerners to help them train and prepare for the Vampire Kingdom. What happens when the Northern Alpha takes a liking to Aelin?
Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother
The problem is, he's the brother of my ex-boyfriend Bradley.
As a lowly Omega werewolf, I have no right to desire a union with a superior wolf, especially this Alpha leader. Derek Stone isn't just the leader of the Darkwood Pack; he's also a formidable business tycoon. His reputation for ruthlessness makes other packs tremble.
But the ancient werewolf law is clear: if a Pack Alpha rejects his Soul Bond, a curse will descend upon us both.
When Derek suddenly hires me as his assistant secretary, I find myself in a dangerous game. Daily close contact makes the wolf inside me excited, while his cold attitude breaks my heart. Is he deliberately torturing me, or is there something more complex hidden beneath his icy exterior?
As the attraction between us grows stronger, I must make a choice: continue to endure this painful connection, find a way to break the Soul Bond, or make the Pack Alpha fall in love with me and accept me as his Soul Bond.