We were designed to feed for survival. What began as simple sustenance, a bulwark against decay, evolved with time into pleasure—and then, in sin, transgression. Killing others had been the same—just another necessity, now forbidden. But prohibitions meant nothing to someone like me, long severed from faith or its comforts. Holiness never tempted me—not even ...

The Hangar is teaming with activity. Crewmembers weave in and around the submersibles. “Wow, this is as busy as I’ve ever seen this place,” Sophie comments. She sidesteps two crewmen carrying an underwater drone. Nathan nods, watching groups of three stock each sub with torpedoes of every size. “We started when Xander messaged me what ...

My first reading of “Little Red Riding Hood” left me pondering the wolf’s ability to impersonate the grandmother, leading to the girl’s demise. Years later, it’s clear it was not about the girl being too naïve but about the beast’s commitment to his goal, and I truly related to it. Years passed, and my father’s ...

The clamor of her ringing cell phone earned a groan from the hungover blonde. With a swipe of a hand, the device sailed to the floor to disarm the blaring ringtone. Shifting away from the noise, she peered out the window, trying to tell the time. Her estimated guess, was midday by the bright sun ...

The following silence is deafening. I try to wrap my head around this information. Nathan frowns. “Are you sure?” “I’ve been staring at that thing for the last two days.” Sophie swallows. “I’m sure.” “Christ. Aren’t they extinct?” Xander runs his fingers through his hair. “How are they in the sixteenth century?” Eddie clears his ...

Even with Astor’s head on her shoulder and her fingers tracing post-coital patterns along her side, Luna couldn’t get Dunnagan’s stupid expression out of her mind. Inhaling the floral scent wafting off her golden waves only strengthened Luna’s conviction of her innocence, but left to the stillness of her thoughts, the irreconcilable information she’d learned ...

Moths use the moonlight to navigate and understand the right direction to keep rising in the night sky. That’s why sometimes they also get attracted to other sources of brightness. When drawn by fire, they will not feel the danger until their wings burn, but they won’t stop or pull back. They will keep sinking ...

We stand around the Command Center, staring at each other with uncertainty written on each of our faces. “Now what?” I say what I’m sure we are all thinking. Eddie blows out a breath. “We wait until the next super storm?” “We have to,” Xander sighs. “That one is gone.” I look out to where ...

Morality is something questionable, built upon a multitude of variables. I learned from a very early age that those who shout louder about their holiness are the ones hiding the ugliest sins. If even Adonis drowned in his vanity, how would a mere mortal fight against temptation? That parent-teacher meeting had two big effects. After ...

The air crackled with energy as the wind gusted around us. Ralph, Liz, Roxanne, and I held hands, reciting ancient spells. The candles we had lit had long since blown out, proving useless, but the sage bundle nestled in the amethyst bowl glowed in red and yellow hues. Smoke twisted and danced to the whims ...