Jax ‘The King of Chaos’ Carter and Lily’s story begins the new era of the Beneath the Secrets series.

From the moment I walked away from my old life and started a new one in the small town of Shadowvale, I learned there were three rules I should follow if I wanted to survive—One: don’t go outside at night alone. Two: don’t ask questions about the obviously haunted house at the far side of town. And three: don’t catch Hunter Reed’s attention. Me? I broke all three almost immediately. The Reeds own Shadowvale. They live in the haunted house, and everyone seems afraid of them

My favorite time of year meets my favorite thrill. Amusement rides and haunted houses. Only, there’s a jester following me through each attraction. An unexpected overshot leads to broken rules and midnight promises. A new job with a strict code. Don’t touch the attendees. But, they didn’t say I couldn’t keep an eye on her. A fortunate miscalculation has me ready to risk it all.

Everyone knows that Halloween is the one night of the year when monsters, ghouls, and nightmarish creatures of all types can walk freely among us. Caution is needed. But for Evie, caution is the last thing on her mind when she follows a masked stranger into the woods after he saves her from a gruesome fate.

The rabbit's foot sways in the car, a bad omen that I choose to ignore. Her innocent face and offer for a ride are too tempting. Little does she know that I'm a dangerous man on the run, a sociopath with a thirst for the thrill of the hunt. Selena is my rabbit, and I'm about to ensnare her in my trap. As we speed toward the border, emotions I thought I was incapable of stir within me. What will happen when we reach our destination? Will I let her go, or will I keep her by my side forever? The game has just begun, rabbit.

I’ve been fascinated with Kayce James since the night we first met. My infatuation with her has only grown as we spent countless nights revealing our darkest secrets and deepest desires with each other. There is only one word to describe what I feel for her—OBSESSION. One small thing plagues our otherwise perfect relationship. Kayce only knows me as the masked man behind her computer screen.

Nine years ago, I killed my brother, and I’ve been running from my past ever since. I find a home in Darkwood, finally safe from those who hunt me. But no matter what I do, the darkness keeps pulling me in. I allow my shadow magic to edge closer to the surface to feel something, anything. But no matter how much I want to embrace the power, I can’t. My magic thirsts for violence but I won’t let it kill again. It remains dormant... until he shows up.

I'm wanted. On the lam, running from the law and my mistakes. The house tucked into the trees seems safe—an excellent place to hide out. Once inside, I find something unexpected. A nurse that can do more than heal my wounds. But the longer I'm awake, the more reality starts to blur, and I can't tell what's real and what's not anymore. Plagued by ill fantasies and temptation, I try to keep her safe from me. It works until the lines between us also begin to blur.

There’s no way out of the maze, there is no way out of the maze. No way out of the maze. No way out. None. A teacher. A student. A scarecrow. One dangerously lusty Halloween night in a small Ohio town that will never be forgotten.

Once upon a time there lived three men bonded by darkness and pain. Each fighting a past that wants to drown them. All of them damaged and broken. None of them complete. Until her.

I was no one—until the auction. Four wealthy men. Four dates. And then I would just go back to my boring life with my cat and never see them again, right? Now that they’ve had a taste, they won’t let me disappear into my old life. They want me to be theirs. Benjamin, Alexander, MacKenna, and Colin—who also happens to be my brother’s best friend.

According to the FBI, I was considered a serial murderer after three kills. What do they call me after fifty-two? They call me the Silencer. One final bullet would have been all it took to stop me from taking another soul, and I would have been doing Meridian City a service by pulling that trigger. An angel crying for help stopped me, and that night, I took three lives for her. Then three turned into eight. Then eight turned into twenty. Twenty turned into twenty-one. Twenty-one turned into twenty-three.

One, two, I'm coming for you. She's my obsession. Three, four, kneel on the floor. I want to possess her in every way. Five, six, I'm up to my old tricks. She knows me as The Portland Serial K!ll3r. Seven, eight, lay in wait. Little does she know I'm watching her. Nine, ten, never to be seen again. Welcome to your worst nightmare, Little Lamb. Who am I? Let me introduce myself. I'm Death. And I have found my Queen.

The Daymakers were the hottest alt-rock band since the nineties, the masked members making fans swoon at the very thought of who might be hiding under the skull masks. Known only by their stage names—Royal, Hero, Poet and Knight—their real identities were a carefully held secret.

Two years ago I made her my final girl. Perhaps I'm a little obsessed. The shrine covering my bedroom wall would certainly agree. I've even played out a few scenarios that end with her taking my knife in much more creative ways than usual. Today is the day I finally take her life. I'm ramping up the carnage and tying up loose ends in bloody bows.

I read her words. I felt her soul. I knew she was destined to be mine. She's the light in the darkness, the epiphany of my redemption. I'll do whatever it takes to get my hands on her—though I'd rather her believe it was her own idea. So, I set the bait, luring her into making a deal with the devil. But surprisingly, she doesn't take it. And now, I'm left to force her hand. Because without her, I'm afraid I'll be devoured by the monster inside me.

There’s no way out of the maze, there is no way out of the maze. No way out of the maze. No way out. None. A teacher. A student. A scarecrow. One dangerously lusty Halloween night in a small Ohio town that will never be forgotten.

Everyone knows that Halloween is the one night of the year when monsters, ghouls, and nightmarish creatures of all types can walk freely among us. Caution is needed. But for Evie, caution is the last thing on her mind when she follows a masked stranger into the woods after he saves her from a gruesome fate.

Trista has been on the run for years, attempting to escape a past that isn’t willing to let her go. Life taught her that she can rely only on herself for survival, and in turn, it’s made her cold, calculating, manipulative, and just a little vindictive. She knows they’re out there searching for her. She knows someone will always be right behind her, but a life spent running and hiding is exhausting. A life spent fighting and outsmarting her pursuers takes a toll.

Nine years ago, I killed my brother, and I’ve been running from my past ever since. I find a home in Darkwood, finally safe from those who hunt me. But no matter what I do, the darkness keeps pulling me in. I allow my shadow magic to edge closer to the surface to feel something, anything. But no matter how much I want to embrace the power, I can’t. My magic thirsts for violence but I won’t let it kill again. It remains dormant... until he shows up.

My favorite time of year meets my favorite thrill. Amusement rides and haunted houses. Only, there’s a jester following me through each attraction. An unexpected overshot leads to broken rules and midnight promises. A new job with a strict code. Don’t touch the attendees. But, they didn’t say I couldn’t keep an eye on her. A fortunate miscalculation has me ready to risk it all.

Everbound University is the mandatory graduate school for anything that goes bump in the night. Not going isn’t an option unless you want to be hunted down for illegally inhabiting the mortal world. All legacies—the descendants of the Four Houses—are required to attend because we’re all cursed, and the only way to break our curses is through binding our hearts in a quintet. Becoming part of a quintet is a dream come true. Destiny fulfilled. A gods-given, merciful blessing. For me, it’s a hard pass. I can’t be bound to anyone else. Trust me, it wouldn’t end well.

It was Halloween, my favorite time of the year. I had my dream job as a tattoo artist, a loyal best friend, and an ex who happily tended to my needs without complicating our arrangement with feelings. Everything was going great until Devil’s Night when the masked man watched me from the shadows like a predator stalking his next meal, and that’s what I was: his prey. Like any natural-born predator, he was bloodthirsty, staking his claim to me before I could see the face behind his mask. He wasn’t afraid to kill for a bite of what he craved.

Two years ago I made her my final girl. Perhaps I'm a little obsessed. The shrine covering my bedroom wall would certainly agree. I've even played out a few scenarios that end with her taking my knife in much more creative ways than usual. Today is the day I finally take her life. I'm ramping up the carnage and tying up loose ends in bloody bows.

I'm certifiably insane. Just ask my amazing therapist. He's my soul mate and a vampiric serial killer. There's no one I'd rather stalk more. Except no more slinking for me. I'm in the Asylum, committed as a danger to myself and others. They tell me I'm delusional, and they aren't wrong...except about what. See, this place is for supernaturals too dangerous to let roam free. The doctors, the staff, the family members that helped put us here are all in on it, trying to convince us magic is another delusion. And aren't we perfect test subjects for inhumane experiments?

Fear and desire have always intertwined together in my brain. When I’m afraid, my body reacts, makes me crave touch, makes me ache. So the idea of going to a sex club's Halloween horror house is making me nervous... Curious. In the maze, a masked man stalks me through the shadows. It’s terrifying, and feels alarmingly authentic.

I detest Fate. All vampires crave more than the rich taste of blood is their beloved, but I'm betrayed. I'm left hopeful and hopeless. Against all attempts, my heart has been poisoned against me. My belief is gone. A lie has been weaved for far too long and I fell into the web like so many others before me. I must ease the ache of time. No longer will I yearn for a fairytale. This torture comes to a stop. To find love, I follow tradition instead. A matching ceremony. And she changes all I know.

I thought I had everything I could possibly desire. Until I set my eyes on her. My angel. Too pure for this world, too pure for me. She’s all mine. No matter the cost. No matter the lives that stand in my way. She has always been mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Edgewood Elite rule this town, but that doesn’t mean they can rule me. After my dad goes missing, my family falls apart. News of an inheritance from a long-lost relative gives us the restart we need. At least, that’s what I think until we get there. Edgewood Academy is ruled by the town’s four heirs. Wes, broody and stuck up, wants me run out of town. He never misses an opportunity to tell me he thinks I’m trash and don’t belong. Wyatt, the jokester who wants to possess me, doesn’t take no for an answer. From day one, he told me I would be theirs.

Sticks and stones may break our bones…Hockey is my life. After Wren Davis puts my dreams of the NHL in jeopardy, I vow to make her life hell if she ever comes near me again. But she’s my best friend’s foster sister, and even though they don’t live together anymore, their bond is still tight, which makes avoiding each other extra difficult.