BendtedWreath

Love and loyalty overcame it all in the end.

This story showcases the struggle of self-acceptance. Well worth the read.

I was young, and absolutely nothing bad had ever happened to me that I couldn't just talk, charm, or sleep my way out of. - Ah, the cockiness of youth. "I'm not gay," I choked out again, but it sounded completely pathetic this time. Less like a statement of fact and more like I was begging. - Been there. Sleep came. The deep sleep of a man who was cursed to live his truth. - Nicely illustrated.

Greed, and trying to profit from ending the war early. Not only was the truth uncovered, it was published for all to see.

Benny - If there's a Ben, I'm already invested. When we got to the table, Aunt Millie brought out several freshly baked sub rolls, various deli meats, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, sliced bell peppers, and a container of black olives. There was also a jar of mayonnaise a container of mustard, and salt and pepper shakers sitting on the table, along with a large bowl of potato salad that she’d covered with a cloth napkin. - I just ate and yet all these stories keep making me so hungry. Boys in the country only get it removed if they get an infection that can’t be treated or it’s too tight and is painful for them, like when they get a hard-on. - But I hear getting circumcised in old age is no fun. “She passed away in her sleep last night, and a neighbor who has been delivering milk and eggs found her unresponsive in her bed.” - Sounds like she went in her sleep, so hopefully she didn't feel any pain as she passed. In the end, Benny cared enough about the Aunt he was so reluctant to get to know to try to follow in her footsteps in his own way.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

His buried trauma climbed right on out like a zombie. I felt that. Deeply.

Wow, thank you for the in-depth comments! I really appreciate it. I'll do my best to take those details into consideration on my next project. But, as you've seen, this iteration has already been seen by many sharp eyes. I still very much would like to hear of anything you catch with your eyes along the way, as it will help me learn what to look for.

Chapter 2: First Burn On his way to campus, Nos took the long route, hoping to avoid Orion and his crew. The eastside entrance featured rows of marble statues, lining both sides, of key vampire figures from the past, including a founder who happened to be Nos’s ancestor, a Neroli. The art professor frequently sent students there to study and write papers on the sculptures. Finding the area empty was a rare stroke of luck. At the very least, he hadn't run into any huma

Is it constipation or something worse? Find out why Julian keeps taking so long in the restroom!

Reishi mushrooms aren't meant for cooking, are they?

Unique and thought-provoking.

A glimpse at humanity from a unique pair of eyes!

I like how Julian's mom's immediate reaction was "those knuckleheads." 😂

Between this story and Sweet Sour Paradox Logic, I'm really starting to get hungry.

This story takes "cooking with flair" to a whole new level.

When he had let Kevin taste it, he hadn’t realized the candle had fallen into his sauce pot. He sure as hell wasn’t going to admit it now. - 🤣 Oh no! "Okay, to be honest, I have no idea how happy the hen was when it died. I know the wings were happy in my oven but if you don’t want to try, I understand. - 🤣How can you even tell? The color shifted — not gradually, not the way color usually moved through different shades. It changed in a drastic explosion of an atomic bomb. Caden stood very still and watched it settle./"That's not a normal color for a wing sauce - 🤣 I'd still try it. What a wild ending!

I'm glad you think so far!

Thank you! A third of the way in, I realized I bit off more than I could chew. I don't regret asking for help and noting all the different perspectives from the more experienced writers around me. It really made me appreciate writing as a whole.

When I was reading some of the unfortunate details regarding vampires and incubi throughout history (the real historical origins are not nearly as cool as the made up lore, real life is always darker than fiction), I couldn't help but wonder about what mixed vampires and incubi with human heritage would feel, and how they would interact with their peers. The story was more challenging to complete than I thought, and in the process, I came to appreciate my favorite writers all the more. So, I hope I did everyone who helped me proud.

Jack, I can't thank you enough. I've learned so much these last couple of years and I am fully aware it's still only the tip of the iceberg. Your work was undoubtedly one of my inspirations and one of the sparks that compelled me to try to write.

SA should be kicking off soon, so there will be no shortage of interesting stories to read in the meantime. There are 11 chapters and an epilogue. Dhampirs in this story's world only have traits that the parents already carried. Some carry more of one side than the other, but they're just mixed supernatural kids.

🤣

And I can't thank you enough! @weinerdog Remember that there's no such thing as a bad dog. 😂 I promise there's less than a handful of "frightful vampiric" moments in the story, the focus is on Nos and his fated mate. 😄

Believe me, every little bit I learned these last couple of years from everyone helped a great deal. And every story I've read (yours included) served as great inspiration.