Study in Scarlett
I arrived at The Obsidian Marrow as a Null—a hollow space where magic goes to die. I didn't realize I was the one who was going to devour it all.
View Book
The Darkling Catalogue · Curated shelves
Browse independent stories by genre, trope, and heat—or let the Library choose your next obsession.
The complete catalogue
Explore approved independent books from the Darkling Library. Open any title for its full description, tropes, heat level, and reading link.
I arrived at The Obsidian Marrow as a Null—a hollow space where magic goes to die. I didn't realize I was the one who was going to devour it all.
View BookBy night, I’m Pheonix—reindeer shifter, fire dancer, and performer at The Arctic Room’s legendary fire bar. By day, I’m… still Pheonix, but with a bit more soot under my nails and a passion for igniting every stage I step onto. Santa’s gentleman’s club might pay my bills, but fire dancing is my art—and it’s the one place I feel truly free. It’s also where my family’s secret—that we’re not just caribou shifters but also legendary phoenixes—can be seen as performance art rather than something hidden in the farthest reaches of the North Pole. Thanks to a last-minute security change, my upcoming week at Burning Man will be spent under the constant gaze of Everett, the one person I’ve never seen eye to eye with, no matter how much I’ve tried.
View BookA thief marked as a Heartseeker and a genio fae chained by wishes embark on a quest, where forbidden love and an ancient relic could destroy them all.
View BookA spur-of-the-moment hookup in New York, a wild night with a brooding billionaire, and a secret he never saw coming. My life was simple: run my boutique, expand my business, and maybe find Mr. Right along the way. A foolproof plan. Everything changes when Cash Parker, my best friend's older brother and a billionaire with a hidden soft side, walks back into town. Our past fling complicates things, especially when he realizes I have a daughter with his eyes. Dealing with Cash's family and commitment issues gives me emotional whip lash! Can I trust him to be the father our daughter needs, or will our tangled history tear us apart?
View BookWhen Cami was 19, she almost asked her brother's best friend to teach her everything he knew about the bedroom. 5 years later when she finds out he doesn't have bedroom experience, she offers to be his bedroom tutor on a one-week wedding party trip. The rules are simple: 7 days, 7 lessons, no falling in love.
View Book10 years ago, Jenna’s life changed forever when she watched her brother Ricky die in a racing accident. No longer the outgoing party girl who spends her weekends racing the quarter-mile strip, she spends her days battling anxiety and tries just to get by. The nightmares still come, and the only person who has ever been able to save her from the nightmares in her dreams and the nightmares in her reality is Marco. Can their 14-year friendship survive the relationship trial he requests? Will this week-long trial be what they need to make things work finally, or will they lose each other in the process?
View BookDon’t kiss your best friend’s daughter is an unspoken rule of life. No one says the words aloud because everyone knows kissing someone young enough to be your child is wrong. After crossing the line, I knew the best thing to do was avoid her because one taste wasn’t enough. But fate had other plans for us.
View BookShe said, “Hands off my brothers.” I put mine all over her dad. My dad’s marrying a 20-year-old homewrecker half his age. She corners me with a snotty warning: keep my mitts off her frat-boy brothers. I smile sweetly. Say nothing. Then I proposition her silver-fox father—tattooed, 45, built like sin—at the reception bar. One slow dance turns filthy. One locked coatroom door unleashes everything: tie-bound wrists, ripped lace, his mouth and hands wrecking me against the wall. Her brothers offered sharing, but I chose Pops instead. We burn the wedding night down, no regrets, no strings.
View BookFrankie and Giulietta have been inseparable since childhood, growing up as best friends in a family they both desperately wish to escape. When tragedy strikes, instead of tearing them apart, it binds them even closer. Frankie becomes Giulietta's unwavering protector, determined to shield her from the dangerous forces that threaten her. Haunted by a shared past, Frankie is willing to make any sacrifice to ensure Giulietta's safety, even if it means putting his own life on the line. As the stakes rise and loyalties are tested, their bond deepens, and their love becomes the beacon of hope amidst the shadows of the Mafia underworld.
View BookParker is trouble. Everyone warned her to stay away, but Lexi cannot forget the way he touched her, how it left her trembling and wanting more.
View BookThe Washington family has three rules: protect each other, keep the magic quiet, and never talk about what's buried in the woods. They've followed two out of three. Edwin is a Technomancer, running on bloodletting rituals and too much coffee. His brother, Nathalian, is an Echo Mage, staging a theatrical comeback while barely holding his life together. And Nathalian's wife, Blythe, is a Cajun Noirmother, running a magic practice and an online fitness business and absolutely not spiralling...no matter what anyone says. They are a coven of morally grey, modern-day witches who are very, very good at keeping secrets. Until the secrets start keeping them. Featuring a cast of wonderfully chaotic witches, slow-burn romance, and a paranormal mystery that goes deeper than any of them signed up for.
View BookPhoebe always expects her partners to leave. Then an Alpha werewolf decides she's his reason to stay. Book 5 of an interconnected series.
View BookLaney chases headlines, not love. Then an Alpha werewolf saves her life and calls her his mate... Book 4 of an interconnected series.
View BookDaya knew her soulmate was a werewolf, but it wasn't the one she was expecting! Book 3 of an interconnected series.
View BookRhena says she's ready for a werewolf mate's bond, but she doesn't know it's going to awaken her submissive side. Book 2 of an interconnected series.
View BookAria's tour of the werewolf community wasn't supposed to end with meeting her fated mate and yet... Book 1 of an interconnected series.
View BookFenix stepped out of a changing room and into a strange world teeming with huge orcs. Why can't she keep her hands off their army's captain?
View BookMeet Ruby, who talks to the trees. Not much unusual about that - except they talk back.
View BookCarmela, the daughter of a powerful Mafia boss, is destined for an arranged marriage in America. However, her heart belongs to Dante, her private security officer. In a clandestine affair, they plan to defy familial expectations and marry in secret. As they embark on the luxurious Titanic, shadows of danger loom over their love. Will Carmela and Dante's forbidden romance survive the impending tragedy that awaits them, or will the sinking of the Titanic consign their love to a watery grave?
View BookVivienne goes to Glastonbury to search for an ancient relic. When her life is imperiled, Noah joins her in the search for the Holy Grail.
View BookLeora has never known hunger, fear, or want. In the Garden, everything is given before she can ask. The seasons never change. The paths are safe. The rules are unspoken—but absolute. When Theren arrives, born of the same Garden and bound by its promises, Leora believes she has found the balance she was meant to share eternity with. Together, they are cherished. Protected. Watched. But the Garden has secrets. Drawn to a forgotten place where decay and beauty coexist, Leora begins to discover desire, curiosity, and the dangerous power of choice. As her world tightens around her questions, she must decide what she is willing to lose for truth—and whether love can survive awakening. Paradise is not the same as freedom. And this time, “Eve” will not be tempted. This time, she will choose
View BookAfter nursing her broken heart, small-town sweetheart Lily is ready to stop being perfect. When her friends convince her to try online dating, she figures there’s no harm in letting them set up her profile—until she discovers what they wrote. Seven first dates with seven different men. Then she’ll choose one—whether for true love, a casual fling, or something in between.
View BookMina wants to escape her sheltered life. Blue needs a fresh start. Together they might find the satisfaction they both crave. Mina has spent the last five years being house servant to her three older siblings. But her entire life is changed in an instant--when she is almost run over by a mysterious black horse-drawn carriage. Count Vlad “Blue” Draugr flees his castle in Transylvania after an unspeakable act draws too much attention. Now secluded in his rural English estate, he finds himself drawn to a most unlikely creature. The sweet and innocent Mina Van Deem from the neighboring estate. Unable to get her out of his thoughts, Blue wants nothing more than to make her like him – a vampire.
View BookShe swore to kill him. But Fate bound her to be his. Redlynn has spent her life training to hunt the beasts that haunt the night— the werewolves who steal innocent girls and leave only blood in their wake. When her best friend is murdered, and another girl is taken, Redlynn defies her order and sets out to slay the monster responsible: the ruthless King of the Weres. But when she finally comes face to face with her prey, she learns a devastating truth— He’s her fated mate.
View BookHe wants to get rid of his wolf, but fate has other plans for the witch he seeks. A Red Riding Hood retelling.
View BookWhat if the sea witch isn't the villain? A Little Mermaid Retelling.
View BookDaesia doesn't know why the stranger's voice ties her all in knots, but she needs to find out. A Pied Piper retelling.
View BookJordyn doesn't think commitment is possible with her secret, but a stranger in the nightclub proves her wrong! A Rapunzel retelling.
View BookMyth paints her as the villian, but every story has two sides. This is hers.
View BookZenith Hall is an academy for Chosen Ones. For heirs with readable Fate Marks. For bloodlines with approved magic. For students whose futures have already been written by the Council. Astra Verita arrives with none of that. Her Mark is illegible. Her family is dead. And the academy has only one use for a girl whose power refuses to be assigned: classify the threat, assign the bond, record the consent, punish the refusal. But Astra’s Mark does not obey the Council. It reaches for three men.
View BookKatrina Amerie spent eighteen years wondering why she was abandoned with nothing but a children’s book about gods and a sealed letter with no answers. On her twenty-first birthday, a burst of Heavenly Light kills two of her closest friends and exposes a power she never knew existed. Within hours, she’s taken to Divine Academy, a hidden world ruled by the descendants of gods. Claimed by four powerful heirs bound to her by prophecy, Katrina discovers her blood carries two impossible powers: the light of an archangel and the dark hunger of a succubus. If the ruling council discovers the truth, they’ll destroy her. A dark, why choose, romantasy with divine heirs, mate bonds, found family, and explicit scenes.
View BookOphelia chose the alien once, but as he prepares to leave Earth, can she do it again? Part 2 of a duet.
View BookOphelia has always had a thing for tentacles, but is she prepared for the alien being held captive in her lab? Part 1 of a duet.
View BookA beast in the shadows. A destiny she can’t escape. A fire that will either consume her—or set her free. When Belle stumbles into the ancient fortress on the cliffs, she never expects the dangerous stranger waiting inside. Malrik is ruthless, commanding, and impossibly beautiful… with a secret that should terrify her. He isn’t just a man. He’s the last living dragon king—cursed to walk in darkness, and bound by fate to claim her as his mate. Belle swore she’d never surrender her heart again, but Malrik’s touch awakens something buried deep inside her. Something powerful. Something deadly. His fire ignites her hidden bloodline, threatening to unravel the fragile line between love and destruction. She was meant to fear him. He was meant to destroy her. Instead, their bond could shatter ki
View BookThe Dark Fae Prince doesn't ask permission to take me. He has desire, and the unchecked power to inflict it. Renaud Gautier killed my mother—his best friend. I killed his only son in revenge. Now the sleeping Prince wakes and comes to claim me, the halfling his city scorns, as his Consort. Our altar is drenched in blood, but if I fight, if I refuse, he will burn the city down. Our war moves to the High Court where sanity unravels along with eons old secrets. I am the Mad Dog of Faronne. But to the ancient Prince, I am much, much more. I lied to you. I schemed. I stole your identity and shrouded mine. I made you love me, and you don’t even know who I really am. Murder is the least of the lines I will cross to cage you to my side. For this conflict between the Blue Rose and the Tr
View BookThe last child born beneath a blood moon will destroy the thrones of every kingdom. They murdered a queen to kill the prophecy before it was born and told the kingdom the bloodline was gone forever. But they were wrong. Lysaria grew up an orphan in a city where vampires rule from the shadows and magic is buried beneath bones and burned pages. But when a forbidden ritual awakens something ancient in her blood, the truth begins to unravel. Now the rulers of the night are hunting her before she remembers who she truly is. No longer the forgotten girl they tried to bury. Lysaria is the daughter of a fallen queen. Bearer of the Hollow Blade. And the living key to a prophecy the courts fear more than death. Because the prophecy was never meant to be stopped. Only fulfilled.
View BookNaomi's new job holds a dark, demonic secret. But is it too much for her, or the answer to all her problems?
View BookBrielle was prepared for war, but what about a demon's desires?
View BookDoes a botched love spell give Eliana a horrible stalker or the monster she deserves?
View BookDeneice is supposed to bring the vampires to their knees, not fall in love with them. Book 4 of an interconnected series of standalone books.
View BookCadence never thought agreeing to have a vampire's baby would turn into a whirlwind romance! Book 3 in an interconnected series of standalone books.
View BookTaylin never expected exploring pain to lead to a blissful romance with a vampire. Book 2 of an interconnected series of standalone books.
View BookNobody wants Maia and the vampire prince to be together, but their passion is too hard to ignore. Book 1 of an interconnected complete series.
View BookElsbeth died of the Black Death and clawed her way out of a mass grave three days later with dark blood that could heal the dying. When the Church sen
View BookElizabeth's life at the dragon sanctuary takes an unexpected turn when she falls into the pit and is killed The goddess offers her a second chance
View BookShe's a not-so-normal low-ranking shifter. He's the heir to the Lycan throne. Together, they could change the entire werewolf world; apart, they could start a deadly, bloody war. Shifter River Whitetail always knew she was different. Unable to shift or connect with her wolf and always passed over by males, her world turns upside down after a traumatic encounter with a rogue Alpha Lycan who tries to claim her against her will. It turns out she’s actually an Omega – a secret kept from her by her parents. Four years later, just as she's preparing for her first big art show, fate intervenes again. Prince Ares, heir to the Lycan throne, is convinced River is his Fated mate- and so is River's wolf. But River, wary of her past, isn't keen on falling into his arms or his mating plans.
View BookRunning an exotic pet shop on a space station rules: Feed them on time, don’t touch the snakes. Also, Bartleby knows exactly what you’re thinking.
View BookWhen thirteen souls are summoned to an impossible labyrinth ruled by an immortal architect, they are told only this: the way forward is through one another. But the labyrinth is no mere maze it breathes, hungers, and reveals. Its corridors twist with temptation and trial, drawing out the soul-deep truths the world above never dared ask. A paladin bound to light is tempted by the incubus she was sworn to destroy. A druid and his former familiar must trade power for partnership. A masked bride searches for love behind her own deception. And at the heart of it all, Seth Manjaro—the labyrinth’s immortal creator—faces a reckoning as the game he built begins to turn on him. To survive, each must surrender more than flesh: they must yield their pasts, their secrets, and their hearts.
View BookCordelia Prosser wakes in 1888 with no way home, a room above a laundry, and the dawning certainty that something in the river has noticed her.
View BookHer grandmother left her a house. A pile of notebooks in three languages. And a man inside the volcano.
View Book