Yolanda Olson

I don't like the shadows or the darkness that they hide though it's all I've ever known. Fear resides there-lurking and consuming what little is left of me. I'm intimate with my demons. I know their game, but I cannot master it. I've been running for a long time but there's only so far to go before they catch me and force me into a devious dance so dark that there'll be no turning back.And that's why I need him. That's why I came home. My brother's my salvation from this malevolence. He's taken inventory of my skeletons and knows how to calm the rage when it washes over me like a typhoon, drowning me in pain and regret. But August doesn't know the monster that I've become. I'm afraid of what he'll do if he finds out. He's my salvation and I refuse to lose him.Not because I got carried away.And certainly not to her.Because my older brother has plenty of demons too.And one of them is sleeping in his bed.

The WannabeThe best and worst idea I've ever had blew up in my face big time.Willa and Dexter are gone; traded away for the worst man I've ever met in my life and the most obsessive little fiend that would sooner die than not have his full attention.I'm on the road again, but it's nowhere I want to be.I don't even know where the destination is exactly. All I do know is that I'd rather be anywhere than here or there.My friends...I'm sorry.The ReplacementI thought my luck had run out on the curb of a rest area somewhere in Pennsylvania.I've never been so wrong. Someone found me, tucked me under his arm, and promised me a great time-and for the most part, I suffered one disappointment after the other.Until him.He sees me, knows me in ways that I don't even know myself, and when he smiles at me...I'll never let him go.The FuryIf it's not the emo kids at the stupid church, it's something else.I spent most of my time happy at home with nothing but my ... friend ... to pass the time.That was all I ever thought I needed to be honest, and I know damn well, it's all he's needed. I mean anyone that comes into my crosshairs usually knows they're in for a time as magnificent as the sight they're beholding, and I like to do my best to show them that.Of course, that's not to say that I don't like to have my own fun.In my special ways, that is.But now I've got the chance to show up at the doorstep of someone that's haunted me for longer than I care to admit.What's one more road trip to the pits of hell to see this through to the end.Am I right?

The JackalThey say that the apple never really falls far from the tree-no matter how withered the branch or how rotten the core.Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that my dad is a great guy, but he never counted on me showing up. None of them did, and that's exactly what's going to make this so fun. We won't talk about my mother because chances are, he doesn't even remember who she is. To most people that's important, but not if you're a Meyer.I just want to make amends with him before I move on-not that I've done him wrong, it's more the other way around. He was too busy getting his rocks off to be a father and that's understandable. I don't fault him for it. Hell, I would have done the same thing.Guess we'll see if he lives up to the legends I've heard about him because if I'm going this far, I expect fireworks.The TagalongThis better be worth my time.I didn't want to drive hundreds of miles just to stare at someone that's supposed to be some kind of god. But my partner-in-crime promises that whatever happens will be something neither of us will ever forget, and I never could say no to a good adventure. I've heard weird rumors that his father lives with another man-someone he "won" from some girl they both used to hang out with, and honestly, that's the only reason I came. Besides knowing that the jackal would lose what little grip he has left on reality if his father doesn't meet his expectations, I'm curious about how someone could be so easily manipulated.Lucky for me, I'm not one of those people.The Stowaway If either of them find me, they're going to be pissed off. I just hate that they're always going places without me when I want to go too. He told me that he was my friend but he slights me at every turn. She said she has nothing against me but she acts like I don't exist when he's around.What's so special about him, anyway? It can't be his personality because that sucks something fierce. He's the most arrogant person I've ever met in my life, but if I looked like him, I guess I would be as well. He seemed really excited when they hopped in her car to drive to ... I don't even know where we're headed. I'm just lucky enough that they haven't found me yet and maybe when they do, they won't mind.After all, where am I supposed to go when I'm in a place I won't even know?

The Convert Life has never been this good. True, I miss my friends and everything I used to have but now there's hope in a place where it never lived before. Inside of me-her. Us. She's built something great and all are welcome. The only problem with that is that he thinks he's welcomed too. She doesn't remember him, or at least that's how she likes to live her new life. I can see it in his eyes.The disgust, the disdain ... the jealousy. I'll do everything I can to protect her from all of the evil in the world. Including my own father. The Zealot Past lives are in the past for a reason. I've been blessed with so much more than I used to be, and I can only hope that I can do the same for everyone that comes to my home in the desert. A place where only love and light shine-where the terrible things I used to do and be were left to rot in the proverbial rearview mirror. He doesn't like that I don't remember him or his friend. He seems to think that I'm lying to him. I do recall some of the trauma but not all of it and I never want to again. Maybe he'll learn to forgive and forget. Maybe he won't. Either way, I'll lead him to the light and show him that he can be so much more than what he is, and in the end, he'll thank me for it. The Deviant Blondes and junkies have always been my no-go's. Everyone has something that makes their skin crawl, and those are mine. Granted, things could be worse when it comes down to it, but I've seen more than enough. After I came home, I saw the disappointment in his eyes-and felt it like a kick to the face when he accused me of being the one thing I never have been. Back out to the holy land I go to get some answers. I don't understand how someone can be so happy living a lie and forget the past as quickly as she did. I promised him that I'd bring her back and I will. All's well that ends well, right? Guess it depends on who's ending you're looking at.

All I wanted was a night out alone to try and feel normal again.Instead, I spent most of my time drowning my sorrows in whiskey and listening to every song that Blondie has ever produced.I left before the liquor got the best of me, but not before putting the jukebox out of commission, and the self-appointed DJ wasn't impressed.I tried to get away, but he followed.When I decided to confront my newfound demon, I found myself face-to-face with one of the most beautiful men I had ever laid eyes on. But there's a saying about the Devil appearing as everything you ever wanted, and it's true.Because to me, for that one moment, he was everything I needed.I didn't want him to come home with me, yet he refused to leave.He wanted to have some fun.I was going to be his new game and he was going to play with me until he was bored and went on his merry way again.See, he doesn't know that I'm a monster too.He only sees the outside and not the in.One night with the devil is what I've got and I'll show him that not everything that's as equally beautiful as he is, is made of innocence and grace.He wants to play ... and now?So do I.A Brush with the Devil brings together Gray Talbot from Death Blooms and Lakyn Meyer from the Maldecition Duet for one night of hell that you won't soon forget.

Embers is not a standalone. This is the conclusion to the Inferno series. It is highly advised to read Inferno, Cinere, and Sparks first. I swore to myself that I would never love you.I promised my children that they wouldn't suffer for my sins. But it's so hard, Daddy. It's hard to not love the man that gave me life. It's hard to not love the man that's taken care of me the only way he knows how. I know it's not your fault, and maybe one day, I'll find out why you became a monster. While we still have time left together, I want you to know that I forgive you for everything you've done. I want you to know that I do love you, even if not in the way you would have hoped for. It's almost over, Daddy. Close your eyes and go to sleep; I'll be here with you, holding your hand and letting you know that everything will be alright. Because it will be, won't it? That's the promise that you made to me-that no matter what happens between us, everything will always turn out okay. I know you don't care much for anything you can't control, but sometimes life folds its cards and we have to go when it's our time. Please stop fighting it, Daddy.It hurts me to see you suffering so much. I've done my best to take care of you, but it's time to go. Hurry along and know that we'll be behind you shortly because I can't live in a world that doesn't have you in it. I love you, Daddy. Always and forever.

The ... Beatrix It's getting closer and the time for change is now. He thinks I don't know his plan with all of this, but he's not as smart as he seems. I've watched him long enough-dealt with how high in esteem he holds himself, and that will be his downfall. He won't hurt us. He can't hurt us. The winds are starting to shift in my favor, and I'll make him beg for a mercy he won't receive.The ... LakynStupid kids.Both of them. They think they're so brilliant, that I don't know that they've been plotting against me since we took to the road, but I've got a little weapon that neither of them are even aware of yet.The little perfect princess thinks that when we reach the end, it'll be over.But for me? That's when the fun will finally begin.The ... Ichabod I'm torn in two. My loyalty for Beatrix is unshakable, but Lakyn ...He's starting to make me feel wanted-truly wanted, and he's helping me stand on my own two feet. I love Bea, but she's never done this for me before. He's opening my eyes to how she only thinks for herself and how the world will crumble beneath her heel when she snuffs out another life over her birthday candles. But will it be mine? Am I the one thing standing in her way of everything she's ever wanted?

The PriestessLoyalty is a fickle thing, but I've found mine in two men. Nothing about them is the same, yet the similarities that only I can see, are enough to draw me to them. I want to protect one and destroy the other, but what happens when their true intentions are brought to light? They see me as someone to worship-or so I thought. Danger is on the horizon and I'll face it head on because that's just the kind of gal I am. The DevilFeelings are boring and emotions are useless, yet the one thing I want in this world seems to keep eluding me. A beautiful evil carefully disguised as someone who knows how to pull my strings and can stop me before it's too late. For her? For me? For her friend? I don't know. I see her for what she really is and she won't be able to keep slipping out of reach. Why? Because eventually, even the devil gets his due. The BurdenLife isn't something that's been easy for me, yet her presence alone makes it all seem worth it. I never expected to feel what I do for someone who I know should be out of reach, but it's not just her anymore. It's him too, and he knows it. They both do. They play me against each other. One testing my loyalty, the other testing my ability to feel, and I let them. I can't live without one, but I know that I won't be able to survive if I cross the other. Times are going to become more difficult and even though I know what side I should choose, I'm afraid that when faced with the choice, I'll lead with my heart and not with my head.

JosiI was so lost when he found me.A young man of no experience, not knowing what love was, but he showed me. He made me feel what it's like to be alive and opened my eyes to what the world truly is. I'm nothing without him and he knows it because he's nothing without me. His words are often full of praise, of need, yet I know he deserves better. I need him. I can't live without him. I'll adjust to what he wants. And maybe, when he's ready, he'll show me just how much he needs me too. BishopBefore him, I lived my life with such rigidity that my shoulders were perpetually riddled with knots. I followed a strict code. He's sweet and young and sees the world through a different lens which helps me relax. The rules I abide by are important for many reasons, but he makes me do things I normally wouldn't. Things I shouldn't, but saying no to him is not something I seem to be capable of. To help him learn, I teach him the rules and punish him as needed. They say love knows no bounds. That it doesn't judge and it isn't biased, but can it survive his recklessness and my proclivities?

We know each other quite well by now and I think you won't find any surprise in me telling you that I'm not the holiday cheer kind of guy. I'm only doing this to give the kid one more nice Christmas because I think she deserves it. I extended an invitation to some of her favorite friends-all special monsters you've met elsewhere before. I don't know why she gets such a kick out of them but whatever. It makes her happy and gives me a moment of peace. Tis the season, right? Anyway, I'm kind of hoping you won't leave before the party really gets going because I'm sure there will be some surprises along the way. Presents for the kid. Dinner for the rest of us. Maybe even shake a couple of these bastards loose from the shit they carry every day before we all go our separate ways again.I can tell that this is going to be a bad idea in the long run, but what baby girl wants, baby girl gets. And in the end? Eventually so do I.

My son is a good man.I know what you think about him, because I know what he's done, but you have to understand that it's not his fault.He was something of a misanthrope in his youth and that can be attributed to his father.Please understand that I will take the blame for my part in wrecking his soul, but it's so hard to resist a boy so sweet.He's always loved me most of all and I took advantage of that.Until you feel what I felt in his arms don't judge me too harshly.Don't hate my son for the sins of his mother.I betrayed his trust.I made him into the man he's become.God help me.This is my confession.

I've always thought of myself as a damn good father. The first three shouldn't define what you think about me. It's not my fault that they were fuck ups; I did my best with what I was given and I almost got it right. I think I've learned enough from those mistakes to know that I'll do better this time. After all, fate has decided to bestow a beautiful baby girl on me, and she doesn't know what the others went through.I've been doing alright with her so far. She loves me the same way she loves picking wildflowers out in the yard, but she doesn't understand that sometimes, innocent love just isn't enough. Especially not for a man like me. I don't tend to fail much in what I do, and I don't see the last few years as failing. I see it as learning from my missteps and becoming a better man because of it. Times are getting harder on me without someone special to warm my bed at night. I've got another chance to do it right, and this time, I'll be the man that my little girl deserves.

Running away has always been something I'm good at. I've run far away from home and back again thinking that each time would be the last. But things are a lot different lately. I've learned that tides turn, seasons change, and sometimes, people do too. I haven't seen Hoyt Blackburn in a decade because I was so convinced he wasn't worth my time anymore. I guess this is where I've changed since I found out that his execution is one of those inevitable things that life handed him. I can't ever remember him being a bad man, yet I can't shake that something isn't right about what's happening to him. Maybe it's because I miss him.Maybe it's because I wanna lay eyes on the man one last time. Will he remember me? Will he even care? I don't know; the only thing I can honestly say for sure is that there are still some secrets we have left between us that have to be spoken before he draws his last breath. Otherwise, when that day comes, they may have just killed me too.

Four short horror stories to ignite your darkest fears from USA Today Bestselling Author Yolanda Olson. As Sadie Sleeps - Find out what happens when a fatal moment is caught in an endless loop of hopelessness and chaos. Dead Zones Are Arbitrary - Take the road less traveled and attempt to escape your demons. Can you find the path home or will you fall by the wayside? Skin - Beautiful things happen when all the fragile pieces finally fall into place, but how much is the price of perfection truly worth? A Day In The Death - Do all small towns really have deadly secrets? Sometimes it's best to heed the warning from the voices in your head.

Content Advisory. The following book contains vivid depictions of sex, gore, and death. There are scenes that will make the reader uncomfortable, anxious, and slightly agitated. You been warned so you should know what you're in for. Reader discretion is advised.I've spent most of my time in a cage. A beautiful, steel structure that gives me a sense of safety.I've been let out and I don't like this. I can't tell if this is a mind game or if I'm no longer of use. Nothing seems real anymore and I've been left alone.I want to be put back into the world I know but he's been gone for days, and I don't know when he'll come home, or if he'll come home and it breaks my heart. I won't try to run. I won't try to escape and gain some false sense of freedom. If I've earned that much, there's no doubt he would have granted it to me. I don't know how much longer I can survive without him. I want him to come home so that I know I haven't failed him in some way. Sir? Do you still need me like I need you? Please? Can I go back into the cage?