E K Stokes

The steeple of Oakhaven Community Church pierced the twilight like a jagged needle. Inside, the muffled sound of a pipe organ groaned through a hymn—a sound that used to make Leo’s stomach twist into knots of dread. Now, it just sounded like a funeral dirge for a world that didn't know it was already dead. Silas walked beside him, his presence a silent, terrifying gravity. He didn't need to speak; the bond between them pulsed with a shared, hungry anticipation. "The stage is set," Sila

That is what's happening, we will have to see what Leo does?

Although he didn't know that when he first met Silas?

The "Morning of the Reforging" did not come with a sunrise. Instead, the amber glow of the Citadel turned a bruised, metallic silver. Silas, still in his towering demonic form, stood over a shivering Leo. The air between them tasted of copper and ozone. The ritual was not a gift; it was a grafting. Silas reached into the center of his own chest, his obsidian claws sinking into his skin as if it were water. He pulled out a pulsing thread of pure, liquid shadow—a vein of his own primordi

There is and it will be... I hope youre ready for retribution!

Leo’s acceptance was a quiet landslide. The suburban life he had known—the dusty bookshelves, the stifling silence of church pews, the constant fear of being "found out"—seemed to belong to a man who had died in his sleep. But as the days in the Citadel passed, Leo realised that while his shame was gone, his autonomy had been traded for something far more beautiful and far more terrifying. He was no longer a ghost, but he was very much a Vessel. Life in the Citadel was a choreographed

@drsawzall (Be careful of what you wish for) very true, Leo was seeking, looking for something, someone, but it looks like he got more than he bargained for. @akascrubber (Will Leo keep staying with Silas? Will Silas send him on a mission back to his old world?) We will have to see how things progress, but you are not wrong! @VBlew (Looking forward to the story and the world building.) We will certainly get to learn more about this other world. Thank you for your comments.

The glow of the laptop screen was the only thing keeping the shadows at bay in Leo’s bedroom. At 2:00 AM, the blue light felt like a lifeline, a cold sun illuminating the one place where he didn’t have to pretend. He stared at the blinking cursor in the search bar of The Queer Mirror, a forum for gay men who weren't quite ready to be seen in the daylight. His fingers hovered over the keys, trembling slightly. Every time he logged on, a knot of guilt tightened in his chest—a remnant of a tho

Leo is an abused lost young man desperately seeking someone, anyone, an escape, a salvation. He finds Silas, a demon who lives in another realm, who has crossed to the real world in search of someone he needs, and has found Leo, who can serve him as his Prince. Revenge and retribution, Leo will get everything in return for submission and devotion, but at what price. A chain of events is set in motion as Leo changes from hunted to hunter, and all that happens is by design to maintain the Citadel and an existence that isn't human, it's demonic.

Well, no takers for story participation. Nevertheless, this latest story will start publishing soon! The Team by Edward Kyle Stokes A national football (soccer) team prepares for an under-21 international competition. The intense pressure of professional sport, combined with personal secrets and toxic power dynamics among staff and players, pushes three rising stars to their breaking points. Sponsorship deals, family struggles, relationships, all combine in an explosive high-stakes environment that promises a lot, but threatens destruction. How far are they prepared to go and what are they willing to sacrifice? I'll drop a link in here when it goes live...

Don't know if anyone has done this before, I got the idea from all those chapter comments readers make. It seems to me that, if it's a good story, readers like to speculate about the characters, the plot, and what might happen. I can see this is a fun thing, becoming almost part of the story publishing process. My idea is to take this one step further. I am currently writing a story with scope for a number of characters. So far there are four or five main characters and a few secondary ones. The idea I have is to allow readers to take part in the story. You create a character who interacts in the story. What you do is either short and simple or more detailed. You start off with a name, then you reply to choices I propose, you can add as much detail as you like, so invoke actions, relationships, dialogues. I write the characters and what they do into the story. So let me know if you are interested. Here is a brief overview of the story: the story is titled, The Team. It is the about an under-21 international football squad, soccer for my American readers, but it doesn't matter whether or not you know anything about the sport. The theme revolves around the pressure of the game combined with personal secrets and toxic power dynamics between players, staff, families and friends, it could be any sport setting. It starts out following three rising stars to their breaking points, but the scenario allows for lots of characters and their stories. Add any comments about this idea of being part of the story and say if you want to be involved. If you want an idea of the type of writing and author I am, take a look at my recent stories, Jude or Rókus, this is a modern day story. Just to qualify participation requires nothing more than you are willing to give, no commitment, if you don't reply to story choice options or drop out somewhere down the road, it's okay, the story gets written anyway and you can always come back to it.

@Talo Segura, @chris191070, @drsawzall, I admit I'm not very good with happy ever after endings, love is probably not tapping on everybody's door, or at least not if you're undecided about looking for it or maybe changing yourself, your direction. I hope everyone grows, growing up is kind of inevitable, so I would look on the positive side and count on Rókus finding someone, and Tomas too...

Interesting point of view, but do you think any twenty year old thinks about where they will be when they are forty or fifty? In any event, life is often led by circumstances not always foreseen. Of course, and has choices to make, although perhaps not everything is within his control.

While Rókus was out with Elias, Tomas had chosen to spend his Friday night partnered with Laren. They met at the club, danced under the strobing lights, and drank cocktails, the tension between them a familiar, intoxicating force. They soon left the noise behind, heading back to Laren’s apartment. Once inside, the mood shifted to one of dark anticipation. They each popped a pill Laren provided, and as the euphoria began to bloom, Laren fixed Tomas with an intense stare. "I have a gift and a

@drsawzall says the same, but to whom was Tomas a disappointment?

This link https://artsandculture.google.com/story/lgbtq-club-culture/AAVxK14iAwOEGA gives a good insight into the attraction of LGBTQ club culture.

Rókus arrived at the club early that next Friday night, the familiar pulse of the music already comforting. He settled at the bar and was greeted by the usual friendly smile from Carl. He ordered his drink, the sweet cocktail with the little rainbow umbrella—a nod to his first, disastrous night. As Carl set the drink down, he gave a subtle nod toward the far end of the bar. "There's someone looking a little lonely," Carl smiled. Rókus turned and saw Elias. The nurse, his good Samaritan

The week dragged on with the new, comfortable rhythm of work and shared lunch breaks. Rókus and Tomas were inseparable during the day, deepening their bond. But on Friday, as they packed up their tools, Tomas posed the question that had been hanging between them like a cloud. "Are you going to the club tonight?" Tomas asked, his tone casual. Rókus knew exactly what the question implied. Did Tomas mean they were going to have their new 'usual night out,' which now meant hooking up with

Thank you @VBlew and @andy cannon for your kind comments, much appreciated.

Rókus woke slowly, savouring the comforting warmth of the body next to him. Tomas was still sleeping, and for a long moment, Rókus simply stared. He took in the sight of his ruffled, unkempt hair, the lean line of his shoulder, the delicate curve of his back, and his slim hips. The duvet had slipped halfway down the bed, lying just across Tomas's hips, and Rókus couldn't resist pulling it down a little lower to reveal his small, enticing bottom. The sight of the firm, round curves had an immedia

Thank you @drsawzall, I am very pleased that you engaged with the story, as an author I tend towards gritty reality rather than escapism, but I think, hope, there is room for both. I also appreciate your feedback, it's important for me to know what readers think and how they receive the story, because I strive for a balance, there's always love, even if sometimes you don't think so, in the darkest hours.

Thank you so much @chris191070 for your reactions and comments throughout the story, I really appreciate your active feedback.

Very good question, I'm not sure I know the answer, but things will become clear. Hopefully!

Jacob left his door open and that's where we found ourseleves, all the pieces on the chequered board of his game. He was the master who wore the crown, the King who moved one step at a time. That night, the conversation was a blur like a television turned on with something flickering on the screen, but it didn't register in my head. The closeness Jude and I had shared, the strange, vulnerable intimacy, was gone. My mind was replaying events. Damien on his knees in the bathroom, the sad, vac

The week at work passed in a haze of unspoken tension. Rókus and Tomas were like two magnets with the same polarity, repelling each other with a silent awkwardness. Rókus would catch Tomas’ eye across the garden, a fleeting glance filled with an unreadable mix of emotions, and then quickly look away, the guilt a heavy stone in his stomach. He ached to talk to him, to apologise for the night's events, to explain that he had never intended for any of that to happen. Finally, on Friday afterno