Nathan Blair

Sirens are at the top of the food chain. They are shifters that can shift into any animal. Sirens originally have snouts like foxes, can change their fur to any color and long bunny ears. Humanity has been given five years by the aliens to prepare for an apocalypse. ********* Blair is blessed to be reincarnated with a Siren System. In order to level up, her system requires her to transmigrate into other worlds and galaxies and save distressed FEMALE LEADS. She is also required to find a partner and they should both do these quests together. BLAIR is also a half werewolf that had her wolf locked up in a storybook and she must reach 100% Werewolf veto power to unlock her werewolf self and be the strongest shifter and save the world!!. ******* YOU ARE READING THE BIGGEST WEREWOLF AND FEMALE LEAD SYSTEM OF THE YEAR!!

Junichi Asai, a College student was living his life routinely. Waking up, eating, working, sleeping, and repeating however, his routine life was cut short due to a fatal car accident that landed him in the hospital and millimeters away from deaths door and he opened that door. After death he is reborn as Otto Von Blaire in the land of Vistaria. However, he is born with a curse! He cannot use magic! This makes him an average human being in a world of monsters and the unknown. How will Otto overcome the challenges presented to him?

In a world where summoners wield the power to call forth vampires, elves, angels, demons, and all humanoid creatures from across the realms, Nathan found himself unable to summon beings except from beasts.  However, those beasts are not ordinary beasts. They are divine beings who once stood at the same level, if not higher, than the legendary creatures the world ever knew.  Casting his gaze to the left, Nathan sees numerous summoners accompanied by the likes of demon kings, archangels, vampire progenitors, and other legendary beings. Turning to the right, a massive army of alien symbiotes is waiting to attack.  There was no fear in his eyes, because standing on his left is a majestic wolf who managed to kill a god, the legendary eight-headed serpent coils on his right, above him is the bird who is glowing like the sun, and behind him is a dragon that once gnawed the roots of the world tree.  “Let the war begin.”

21-year-old Nick Woods was isekaid into a world where women rule the grid, and everything else. Dragged through a childhood of race paddocks and press rooms as his sister chased F1 glory, Nick found his own escape in streaming iRacing, blissfully average and mostly ignored. Now dating Blair West, his childhood friend turned rising F1 star, Nick watches from the sidelines as fame begins to change her, and their relationship. But when Ivy Hunt, a three-time world champion with violet eyes and an obsession with winning, sets her sights on him, everything shifts. To her, Nick is more than just a distraction, he’s a strange new source of luck. And as her victories start stacking up, so do her reasons for keeping him close. Closer than anyone ever has. Gender role reverse world. 1:1 https://discord.gg/bQ4GzeBXV8 Yandere

To everyone in the Full Moon Pack, Hailee Stones was just an omega, the quiet daughter of the pack house cook. No one ever guessed she was more than that. As an omega, she was often overlooked, belittled, and disrespected, especially by Nathan, the Alpha’s son. He always singled her out, teasing and tormenting her in ways she couldn’t understand. Why did he bother to notice someone like her at all? Everything began to change when Callum, the Alpha heir of the Nightshade Pack, transferred to Moonridge Academy to finish his final year. The school was located in Full Moon Pack territory, and Hailee was surprisingly chosen to be his guide. But they weren’t the only ones to cross paths. Nathan's cousin, Dane, the charming and mysterious Beta heir of the Snowmoon Pack, known for always getting what he wanted, also took a sudden interest in her. Dane, who had never glanced twice at an omega before, seemed drawn to the fiery girl who refused to bow her head. Things escalated quickly. Soon, all three young heirs, Nathan, Callum, and Dane, were fighting for her attention. The tension between them grew unbearable, and Hailee was caught in the middle, torn and confused by her feelings for each of them. Then, just a week before her eighteenth birthday, everything changed. Hailee slept with all three of them… on the very same day. And the very next morning, she vanished without a trace. Ten years later, Hailee returned to the Full Moon Pack. But she wasn’t alone. She came back with three boys, triplets, each bearing a startling resemblance to one of the men she had left behind. Now Nathan, Callum, and Dane each claim that at least one of the boys is their son, if not all three. As for Hailee? She has no idea who the true father or fathers are.

Ever since the Tower of Genesis appeared twenty years ago, kids dreamed of becoming Hunters. So did Nathan. He waited. Not trained—just dreamed. And one day… it finally happened. He was summoned. For a moment, he thought he was chosen. That he was finally going to become a Hunter. He wasn’t. It was a bug. A glitch in the system dropped him straight to the 100th Floor—powerless, gearless, and caught by monsters with questionable mommy instincts while being watched by a Tower Manager who loves his special hand move. ***** [Disclaimer] This story may confuse you, arouse you, offend you, make you laugh at the wrong time, or make you wanna throw a chair at me. Proceed with no expectations. Just vibes. Just madness. *****

[Advertencia: R18+] Cuando el Odio se transforma en Amor... y la Venganza en Pasión... ¿Elegirá empezar de nuevo con ella? El alma de Phantomflake se separó de su cuerpo después de suicidarse frente a su enemigo, Nathan Sparks, el Líder Supremo de la Mafia de Syphiruz. Despertó solo para descubrir que su cuerpo (que estaba en estado de coma) estaba siendo retenido por Nathan '¡el Diablo!', quien intentaba prolongar su vida. ¿Y cuál era su motivo? ¡Matarla con su propia mano y torturarla hasta la muerte! Nathan siente un profundo resentimiento contra Phantomflake, ya que ella fue quien asesinó a la persona más preciada en su vida. ¡Él quería venganza! Y las cosas se volvieron más emocionantes cuando una criatura mágica apareció frente al alma de Phantom, dándole una misión ridícula a cambio de recuperar su cuerpo. —¡Haz que se enamore de ti en 100 días! —dijo la criatura voladora, señalando con sus pequeñas patas a Nathan, quien se mantenía inexpresivo junto a su cama. Con los ojos muy abiertos, Phantomflake hizo una cara de '¡debes estar bromeando!' a la criatura voladora. ¡De ninguna manera! ¡Eso es una misión imposible! Este tipo la detestaba mucho. ¿Cómo iba a hacer eso??! ****** Extracto: Nathan la agarró por el cuello. —No juegues conmigo, Phantomflake. —La fría voz de Nathan resonó dentro de la habitación, sus ojos ardían de ira. Pero Phantomflake solo sonrió con suficiencia, presionando sus manos contra su pecho, sus dedos lo provocaban. —No puedes matarme, Nate. Admítelo. Ya te has enamorado de mí. Con un movimiento rápido, Phantomflake jaló su camisa, cerrando la distancia entre ellos mientras aplastaba sus labios contra los de él. Sorprendentemente, Nathan se encontró respondiendo a ella. ¡Perdió! No pudo resistirse a ella. ===== Soy dueño de la portada del libro Artista: Bea Cortez Únete al servidor del autor para obtener actualizaciones y anuncios sobre el libro. Enlace de Discord: https://discord.gg/WymeFaeQe

"I DO" → "I DIE." Hours after marrying her longtime crush—icy CEO Nathan Jang—heiress Vanessa Belmont is stabbed, kidnapped, and left to bleed out in a wrecked car. The final insult? Watching Nathan rescue his precious childhood sweetheart (*cough* Vanessa’s killer *cough*) instead of his actual wife. So yeah. Worst. Wedding. Night. EVER. FATE REWINDS Reborn six months before her murder, Vanessa upgrades her life with new rules: * Ditch the doormat era. (Badass mode: activated.) * Live for herself. (And okay, fine—revenge.) * Avoid Nathan like he’s the reason she died. (Oh, wait…) TOO BAD NATHAN 2.0 IS OBSESSED Now he’s everywhere—lingering touches, midnight texts, and panty-melting kisses. Not to mention his hungry gaze—like she’s an all-you-can-eat buffet and he's starving. VANESSA'S SECOND CHANCE PLAN 1. Don’t die. (Again.) 2. Don’t fall for Nathan. (Too late.) 3. Eat more carbs. (Donuts!) As for Nathan? She’ll forgive him when hell freezes over. Or when he takes off his shirt. Whichever comes first. ***|***|***|***|*** ASH CITY BILLIONAIRES Love is the ultimate power play. ***|***|***|***|***

Isabelle Montgomery - the sole heir of Montgomery Holdings, an empire spanning real estate, fashion, and lifestyle media , gave up everything for the man she believed was her true love. She broke off her engagement to the kind man her father had chosen and married Nathan Blackwell - her first love from school. For five years, their life appeared perfect to the world. But behind the glittering façade and the smiles for the media, a devastating betrayal was unfolding. Nathan wasn’t just unfaithful. He had also transferred all of Isabelle’s assets into his own name through legal manipulation and loopholes in the very marriage he had so cunningly orchestrated. And when the truth finally came to light, Isabelle lost more than just her love and fortune. She lost her life , in a car crash beneath the pouring rain. In the final moments before death claimed her, she saw her husband and his mistress smiling in satisfaction as her body lay broken. But fate granted her a second chance, Isabelle woke up in the past, on the night of Montgomery Holdings' 20th anniversary gala, the night when it all began. This time, she will not fall in love. She will not choose Nathan. And she will not let anyone take what is rightfully hers. The love that once killed her, she will now destroy with her own cold hands.

Sirens are at the top of the food chain. They are shifters that can shift into any animal. Sirens originally have snouts like foxes, can change their fur to any color and long bunny ears. Humanity has been given five years by the aliens to prepare for an apocalypse. ********* Blair is blessed to be reincarnated with a Siren System. In order to level up, her system requires her to transmigrate into other worlds and galaxies and save distressed FEMALE LEADS. She is also required to find a partner and they should both do these quests together. BLAIR is also a half werewolf that had her wolf locked up in a storybook and she must reach 100% Werewolf veto power to unlock her werewolf self and be the strongest shifter and save the world!!. ******* YOU ARE READING THE BIGGEST WEREWOLF AND FEMALE LEAD SYSTEM OF THE YEAR!!

Nathan Cole had it all—money, a stable business, even a fiancée. He wasn’t a billionaire, but he was building something solid. Then, everything crumbled. His business went bankrupt. His fiancée walked out. His dignity? Shattered. He became a failure, humiliated and alone. And just when rock bottom seemed permanent… "System Activated: Harem Tycoon Protocol Initiated." "Mission: Conquer. Seduce. Build your empire—one woman at a time." Each woman Nathan seduces fuels his empire with new skills, cash flow, influence—and raw desire. From corporate queens to lonely housewives, from rivals' wives to desperate heiresses—no one is off-limits. With every conquest, his reach expands… and so does his hunger. Now, he’s not just rebuilding a business. He’s building a kingdom. And in this kingdom? He rules. With charm, ambition… and lust. Business is war. Women are weapons. And Nathan Cole? He's about to become unstoppable. — Warning: Contains steamy adult content, high-stakes power play, morally grey decisions, and a dangerously addictive system harem journey.

He was a nobody, as long as he remembered. Marrying into a wealthy family was a reward for saving an old man years back. But the moment the old man died, tables turned, and not in Nathan’s favor. Everyone hated him, including his wife. They scorned him and reduced him to a servant. Then one day, his wife slammed the divorce papers in front of him and said, “You never really had a place in this family, much less, in my heart. Sign the papers and get your pathetic self out of this place. I and the father of my unborn child need to start a family.” The woman he had not touched was sleeping with another man, and she was so proud, slapping her infidelity in his face. Nathan took that as the last blow. He signed the papers and left with nothing but the dirty, torn clothes he wore. Wandering on the street, he heard an alarming scream from a girl calling for help. Without thinking, he confronted the bunch of goons assaulting the lady. But who was a weak, ravenous man against the trained and armed goons? He tried his best, managed to help the girl escape, but that left him lifeless… Except that a strange miracle happened. His blood touched a ring he always wore… Memories came rushing in in waves… Revelations jogged his memory, bringing his identity and everything he stood for to realization. He stormed back to life with a fire that would leave his enemies bleeding.

After losing her sister, Elena Moore is left hollow—adrift in a world that no longer feels familiar. Desperate for space to breathe, she leaves behind the noise of the city and moves to a small coastal town where the ocean is wide, the streets are quiet, and no one knows her name. Nathan Hale has lived in that same town for years, quietly tucked away in a weathered house on the cliff’s edge. Once a renowned author, he’s now a recluse—his pen abandoned, his world closed off after a heartbreak he never speaks of. When Elena and Nathan cross paths, it’s not instant or electric. It’s slow—deliberate. A glance, a pause, a word. Their connection grows not from sparks but from shared silences, aching memories, and the quiet recognition of someone who understands what it means to lose everything. As seasons shift and their walls begin to crumble, both must choose: retreat to the comfort of solitude, or take the risk of loving again—imperfect, fragile, and real. Beneath the Blue is a tender, deeply felt story about grief, healing, and the unexpected love that finds you when you stop looking and start feeling again.

In a future world of Omens, Nathan Powell must face his past and use his Gift to stop them. Joining a squad of Venators, they use their powers to fight beings stronger than them and to some day find the source of this powerful disease.

Completed MM/GAY Mafia Ties Series on AlphaNovel App by Zarkia Blair ( Book 1: Golf Player anD Mafia Boss 76 Chapters & Book 2: Mafia Student and His Professor 78 Chapter & Book 3: Sniper and His Captain 38 Chapters(Ongoing) ) Diego: He hates me. I see it in the way he glares. Feels it in the way he follows me like a shadow. But I won’t break. I didn’t come here to be stepped on — not by anyone. Especially not by him. Bruce: He’s trouble. Beautiful, stubborn, impossible trouble. I tried to stay away. I told myself I didn’t want him. But I’m failing — and now it’s too late. Because once I fall, I’ll never let him go.

When Darkness falls in New Orleans, innocence dies. Nathan's entire life shattered in one horrific night. But the true question to ask is... What happened last night...

London, 1878. Thick fog hides secrets... and crimes. Nathan Blauth, newly graduated and full of ambition, finally gets the chance to prove his worth when he is assigned to investigate an opium trafficking network that is corroding the alleys of London's suburbs. But there is one obstacle: his partner is Eric Félix, a seasoned veteran, ruthless... and incapable of working as part of a team. Amid mistrust, dangerous investigations, and chases through the city's narrow streets, Nathan finds himself not only confronted by a past he tried to forget, but also by unexpected feelings: a silent and dangerous passion for the man he swore not to trust. In a London consumed by fog, addiction, and desire, uncovering who is behind the trafficking may be less risky than discovering himself.

After regressing, my second marriage to my ex-husband was solely for pregnancy. A miserable marriage life. My only hope in my loveless marriage was the child. My first life ended tragically, attacked by an unknown assailant. ‘If I could go back, I wouldn’t love him.’ In this second chance, unlike my past life of seeking love, I marry him solely to meet my child again. “Just maintain our marriage for a year.” In exchange, I’ll help him uncover the secret of the incident from 10 years ago. I thought we were just a couple in name… “There’s no need to consummate on the first night.” “I want to.” He was different from my previous life. * I planned to quietly leave once I had the child. But upon seeing his mistress, I couldn’t stay silent. “That woman, she’ll be the one you love.” Confronted with my words, his unexpected reply was, “You’re my wife until this contract ends.” “…….” “I’ll do this and more, only with you.” Seeing his chilling obsession, I reminded myself. Don’t forget, Blair. He doesn’t love you. So this time… I’ll leave you first.

After dying young in an accident, an ordinary woman is reborn as Adelina Gavrila—the youngest daughter of a wealthy conglomerate family. Her new life is full of luxury, but the most surprising thing is not the wealth... but the figure of Nathan Gavrila, a handsome older brother who is cold to everyone—except her. Nathan is very protective, even possessive. But the more Adel lives in this body, the more she realizes: her brother's feelings may be deeper than just family affection. What if the love she has been looking for... turns out to come from someone closest to her—and most taboo?

Nathan Arrhenius is thrown into the body of a dead prince and given a mission he doesn't understand: Save the villain. But Caleb isn't just a villain. He's a noble disgrace, a walking disaster, a boy grasping for power that will ruin him. And Nathan isn't here to play hero. The Church is watching. The cult is waiting. Magic is forbidden, but someone is using it to kill students, one by one. Lurking beneath it all is an ancient entity, whispering in Nathan's mind, waiting for him to break. Power comes with a price. Redemption isn't guaranteed. And love— love might just be the most dangerous of them all. As Nathan will come to realize, the villain isn't the only one who needs saving.

Blair is heartbroken on discovering her husband and younger sister were secretly dating. She badly looked for a child in her marriage with her husband, and was hurt to discover her younger sister is pregnant for her husband. Unexpectedly, an apocalypse starts out in the midst of a confrontation, and Blair’s husband chose to save her younger sister over her, causing Blair to perish and die a painful death in the hands of the monsters. Fortunately, Blair is reborn in one of her favorite apocalypse stories, weeks before the apocalypse hits— not as the kind female lead who gets doted on and sought after by the four male leads of the story, but as the jealous villainess whose end goal is to kill the female lead and make the male leads fall for her instead. However, Blair soon discovers that her younger sister and husband were also reborn into this same story, and they also retained their memories! Her sister is reborn as the female lead of this story, and her cheating husband, as one of the men in the story. Unlike those two who still had the same face from their past life, Blair now has the appearance of the villainess, giving her the upper hand and a perfect opportunity to avenge herself! Sadly, she is forced to halt her revenge plans and stock up for the upcoming apocalypse instead, since causing the female lead harm means she’ll meet the same painful end as the villainess met in the story. What’s Blair to do? To avoid that unfortunate end, she kisses her perfect revenge goodbye and focuses on stocking up, cause she wasn’t interested in being a villianess anyway or chasing after four men who were shallow and arrogant! The villainess’ reputation in the story is ruined, and everyone avoids her. But Blair is determined to repair it in the short period left, and help her new family survive in the upcoming apocalypse. However, her sudden changed personality shocked everyone, especially the male leads, who believed she had an ulterior motive, so now they wouldn’t leave her alone or stop pestering her!

After the Kingdom of Runalond united the world 500 years ago, its signature Rune Art became a part of citizens’ everyday lives. No matter one's identity or status, all children at the age of 16 are granted the right to study at a Rune Art Academy in order to secure a place in society. However, one region is an exception. Lostburg, inhabited by outcasts, scoundrels, and rejects, is a large town completely abandoned by any form of law and support from the kingdom. Though poor and uneducated, it remains a relatively comfortable place to live... if you know how. Nathan Modernson, a young boy born and raised in Lostburg, has never met his mother and lives a humble life alongside his rogue father. With his wits of speech and mindfulness of the environment, he believes nobody knew how to live freely and happily in Lostburg more than him. Just when Nathan thinks this is as far as his life goes, one ordinary day, his father suddenly asks him a simple yet peculiar question. Nathan’s seemingly careless response, changed him, and possibly the entire world, forever.

Nathan was born with a special bloodline but he was unaware of the truth of his past. His father had given up everything to ensure Nathan would be safe before he was even born. When an enemy kingdom found Nathan's secret, he must run and find out who he really is. As war is about to break out, Nathan joins forces with Irena the fearless princess but wanted to be a real fighter and her father was died by a fatal sickness. Together they're determined to stop the darkness and save Irena's king father, knowing that the fate of the Tenaria world relies on his life. Nathan faces an impossible choice in the end as he must overcome a vital sacrifice to vanquish the darkness and save the humanity. This is a heroic story of adventure, saving humanity, hidden acients, epic, heartwarming moments and a person's struggle between duty and fate.

[Warning: R18+] When Hate turns into Love... and Vengeance turns into Passion... Will he choose to start over with her? ======= Phantomflake's soul got separated from her body after committing suicide in front of her enemy, Nathan Sparks, the Supreme Leader of Syphiruz Mafia. She woke up only to find out that her body (which was in a coma state) was being held captive by Nathan 'the Devil!', who was trying to prolong her life. And what was his motive? To kill her by his own hand and torture her to death! Nathan has a deep resentment against Phantomflake as she was the one who assassinated the most precious person in his life. He wanted revenge! And things just got more exciting when a magical creature appeared in front of Phantom's soul, giving her a ridiculous mission in exchange of regaining her body back. "Make him fall in love with you within 100 days!" The flying creature said, pointing his small paws at Nathan who expressionlessly stood next to her sickbed. With her eyes going round, Phantomflake made an 'you-got-to-be-kidding-me' face at the flying creature. No way! That's a mission impossible! This guy loathed her so much. How would she do that??! ****** Excerpt: Nathan grabbed her by her neck. "Don't play tricks with me, Phantomflake." Nathan's cold voice reverberated inside the room, his eyes burning with rage. But Phantomflake just smirked at him, pressing her hands against his chest, her fingers teasing him. "You can't kill me, Nate. Just admit it. You've already fallen for me." With one swift move, Phantomflake pulled his shirt, closing their gaps as she crushed her lips against his lips. Surprisingly, Nathan just found himself responding to her. He lost! He couldn't resist her. ===== I owned the Book Cover (=";"=) Artist: Bea Cortez Join Author's server to get updates and announcements about the book. Discord link: https://discord.gg/WymeFaeQe

The System was sealed a decade ago. Or so the world believed. In the city of Mistport, ten-year-old Raine starts seeing things in mirrors—cracks, fog, and a woman who smiles with broken teeth. His father, Nathan Fielding, is the mayor and the last man to face the Veil realm. But when forbidden Mist energy begins to surface across the city, he realizes the truth: The System never shut down. It was waiting. Now, Luna—a rogue smuggler with her own haunted past—crosses into Nathan’s life again, carrying more than secrets. She holds a code that could restart everything the world tried to forget. When reality begins to glitch, the System awakens. And it chooses a new Candidate. * Hidden powers * Secret bloodlines * A living System * Enemies-to-lovers romance * A city caught between order and magic Will Nathan sacrifice everything to protect his son—or let the System rewrite their fate? *Mist & Mirror* is a slow-burn fantasy romance with high stakes, powerful emotions, and a system that watches every move.

"Behold, the Apocalypse has begun. Humanity must rise or perish." ... The Apocalypse dawned upon the world, everything that was normal was soon destroyed and it brought humanity to... The age of survival. The gods wanted entertainment and so the virtual MMORPG Eclipse: Dawn of Ruin has bled into reality, every human awakens a Core System — a game-like interface granting stats and abilities to battle monstrous Specters. Gray Mercer, an introvert that lived with his friend and his wife dreams of carving a name in this brutal new world. His grit and quick reflexes mark him as a potential hero among the survivors. During the global Awakening, as the Organizing Gods declare Earth a live-service game with a World Ranking for kills, Gray’s Core System evolves into something unique: the Survival System. [Host found, system binding...] [System binded successfully.] [Congratulations, Player, you have awakened the Survival System] [Ding! You can now see HP bars, exploit weaknesses, and claim loot from fallen Specters.] [Ding! First skill unlocked: Weakpoint Strike – deal 20% extra damage to critical points.] His only ally in this world is Emma Brooks, the healer-bound widow of his best friend Nathan and together they would conquer the apocalypse for all it was worth.

Alpha Derrick's long life plan was to kill that traitor that destroyed his family as well as everyone in his lineage for revenge. But he couldn't. Not when that blue eyed boy made his heart race faster than it ever could. Not when his hands refused to stay off his body. Not when he wants him constantly beneath him, moaning his name. But what can he do when that blue-eyed boy is that traitors only son? ************ “You're a monster,” Nathan spat, his eyes blazing with hatred as he took a step back. Derrick's smile was cold and calculated as he moved forward step by step until Nathan was finally trapped between himself and the wall with nowhere to run. He could hear Nathan's heartbeat skyrocket in his chest, and his smile widened. “Oh, is that so?” he drawled. “But you sure as hell didn't think so when you were screaming my name, did you?” Derrick's hands slid down Nathan's chest, his fingers tracing the curves of his body. He could feel him react and shiver to his touch. Nathan's eyes flashed with anger, but Derrick could see the desire burning beneath. His lips brushed against Nathan's ear, his breath hot and sensual. Nathan moaned involuntarily, but Derrick heard it and his smile grew wider. “There, just like that,” Derrick whispered, his voice low and husky. “Let me hear you scream out the name of the man you hate.”

As soon as he opened the door, a fast and light whisper of air passed through him. Through the window, small, light pink petals were now entering the room. One of them landed softly on the bed, and Lucian, following with his eyes, noticed the man who was now sitting, watching outside. He was awake. Nathan, noticing a presence, turned around, looking at the other man directly in his eyes.

Written by Nathan Verenakis and Haiden Peak Muhai: Origins follows the childhood of three thirteen year old boys belonging to prestigious clans- Kaji Honogami (Center), Kuro Kurai (Left), and Ryuji Hyoga (Right). Decades ago, the Honogami and Kurai clans went into hiding to protect their clans from demonic spirits, arising from the Sanzu River- the Yurei. The boys' destinies become entangled in forbidden rituals, political warfare, and the reawakening of extreme powers. Each must face the burdens of their bloodline, in hopes of purification between the realms of the living and the dead.