A must-listen prequel novella in the Stolen Warriors series from USA Today bestselling author Ella Maven. Contains mature themes.

The blue alien warrior pacing in his cage terrifies me. His long dark hair is wild and messy, and his scarred body looks made for murder. I deliver food to him every day, and I'm sure by the way he stares at me that he'd rather eat me. Yet there's something about him that captivates me, and I can't stop watching him. When he lets the snarling, fearsome mask slip, I start to see there's a cool calculation to his actions. I would be risking everything to help him escape, but do I dare let this monster free from his cage?

As a third daughter on the farming colony of Meterion, Susan’s future prospects aren’t too promising. A pretty face, top-notch skills, and hard work mean nothing if your dowry doesn’t include fertile lands. With her 25th birthday approaching, and no suitors, her only way out is to settle for an arranged marriage through the PMA - the Prime Mating Agency. She just never expected to be paired with a grumpy, massive lizardman, and above all not to grow so fond of his scales and quirky ways.

Sunny has spent years of her life hiding from her own desires and hiding them from those she loves. Forced to face the idea of denying that part of herself forever, Sunny takes a nose dive out of her routine and into her fantasies. All she needs is the help of Monster Smash Agency and one exceptionally talented Orc. Khell'ar has mastered his work with Monster Smash Agency, satisfying his clients with perfect expertise. Guiding inexperienced Sunny into a new realm of extreme pleasures should be easy, simple. All he has to do is follow her requests, play his part, and not form a mating bond.

Some people have monsters for a boss, but not everyone has an undead Necromancer Lord at the office. Lily has been the Lich's secretary ever since his evilness took over the company. She loves her job, but she's got some questions about her boss. Like what's under that cloak of ever-billowing. Her wondering intensifies when one day the Lich needs something from her that isn't just scheduling appointments—but a shiver. He needs it for a spell, but it feels like it crosses a line from their usual workplace banter.

It's been 1097 days and 14 hours since I've been locked in this place. And they've come to me every night. The monsters in my dreams worship my body, and when I wake up I'm desperate for more. But they’re never there to finish me off. Dr. Adams says I can leave the asylum if I start to take my meds, but I've always hated how they made me feel...and I'm not sure that I agree with them that I'm actually crazy. Because dreams don’t make you crazy, right?

After my ex announces his wedding to someone other than me, I'm eager to leave town. A new life and a new job are just what I need to restore my mojo. On the way to my destination, I overnight at a hotel where edible unmentionables and a tattooed orc construction worker rock my world. I sneak out the next morning, figuring I'll never see him again. Until I walk into my new job. That hot orc construction worker? He's my boss.

Ketahn did not want a mate. Fate has a different plan for him. When the queen he despises declares her intention to claim him, he retreats into the jungle.

Sammi is having the worst weekend. When what was supposed to be a secluded romantic getaway turns into a near-death experience when she is stranded alone in the mountains during a snowstorm by her two-timing boyfriend. She doesn't think it could get worse until an accident leaves her unconscious and vulnerable. She awakens to find herself in a warm cabin, and her rescuer a creature of fantasy - an orc. And he thinks that she will be a perfectly obedient pet. Ha! He wishes.

He says his name is Malphas, that he’s something called a Sombra demon, and I’m his mate. Monster, demon…whatever he is, his muscles are bigger than my head, and that club between his legs…. I don’t know if mate means the same thing to him as it does me, but he’s gotta be kidding.

When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year. When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.

Living in a year around Christmas town has its drawbacks. The caroling, the decorations, the insanely cheery spirit, it never disappears. It's why I like to hibernate away in my cave - I mean housekeeping a healthy distance from the holly jolly spirits. And all was going according to plan until my nemesis, Storee Taylor, moved in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Without blinking, she turned my simple world into a real nightmare-before-Christmas, especially when she decided to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest - which she was determined to win.

There's no place like home for the holidays ... especially for Lesley Carver. Life in the big city just wasn't her jam and now she's back in Hickory Falls, working at the family diner and helping her mom after she took a tumble. Lesley longs to build a life here, working at the cafe, selling her handmade ornaments and ... er, apparently reviving her high school crush on her best friend’s older brother. Only one problem, her mom wants her to leave Hickory Falls far behind.

All newly minted pediatrician Jamie Malek wants is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, that requires her to interact with Marc—her best friend’s troublemaking brother, who’s now a tech billionaire. He’s the one who got away. She’s the one who broke his heart. Outside, a howling blizzard. Inside, a crackling fire. Suddenly, being snowbound with the man she never expected to see again might not be such a bad way to spend a winter’s night.

Ryder, Garrett, Kenzo, and Diesel - The Vipers. Their deals are as sordid as their business, and their reputation is enough to bring a grown man to his knees, forcing him to beg for mercy. They are not people you mess with, yet my dad did. The old man ran up a debt with them and then sold me to cover his losses. Yes, sold me. They own me now. I’m theirs in every sense of the word. But I’ve never been meek and compliant.

Five Years Earlier: Henry Dunne knows three things: that agreeing to host this raucous house party was a terrible idea, that he absolutely cannot show up to his nursing shift tomorrow with a hangover, and that the beautiful redhead in the corner will be sleeping in his bed tonight.

Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.

Obituary writer Nadine Barbault doesn’t mind being called “Lady Death”. It suits the ice queen persona she’s cultivated to survive the fast-paced Toronto Herald. So when Nadine learns that famous (and reclusive) author Dot Voline has died, she doesn’t hesitate to run the obituary…only to discover that Dot is very much alive. Nadine’s screw-up has brought Wesley Chen of the rival Spear no end of joy—she’s been a thorn in his extremely ambitious side for years. But the renewed interest in Dot also surfaced chatter about a mysterious past scandal.

Nina and William are underpaid adjunct professors at the same university, where winter break is no break at all: ’tis the season to make extra money. When their holiday side hustle has them stranded by a blinding blizzard in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing to do but cuddle up for warmth and play a game of Never Have I Ever to pass the time. But in the game of love, secrets never stay secret for long…

Blind, orphaned witch Claire has spent her entire life wondering where she belonged. She's grown up in a small coven on the outskirts of the Unitam Realm. While the teasing about her blindness hurts, the ridicule the coven members give her about her orphan status cuts deeper. What kind of disappointment do you have to be to have your parents abandon you?

In a world threatened to be besieged by extraterrestrial monsters, Bella finds herself thrust into a battle she never imagined. Skeptical of the alien threat, her disbelief turns to horror when she's chosen as a sacrifice to save Earth. Dragged away against her will, Bella confronts her worst fears when faced with Rakha, a formidable monster prince. Despite her initial terror, she discovers a fierce determination within herself, a fire waiting to be unleashed. Bella's inner strength and resilience captivates Rakha. Together, they embark on a journey to defy destiny and forge their path. The...

So here’s the deal—I’m a magical disaster. A witch from a family of witches, and the only one whose magic blows up in her face. Which is why I came up with my rules....

Since losing both her mother and the man she loved two years ago, all she wants is stability and peace. But her world is forever changed when her family is attacked on a journey away from home, and she must travel to the Aataran mountain range to find them. Across the realm, four ancient beings who control the elements of nature are awakening. They are being summoned to prevent a force that is greedy for power and threatening to overturn the balance of nature. When Isla's path crosses with one of these elementals, she finds her fate is more entangled with theirs than she had ever imagined.

It's near impossible to ignore my vampire neighbor, Bran Duval, when he has a habit of shucking off his clothes while the blinds are up. He's playing games with me, but I don't mind a challenge. Only problem is, I'm supposed to pledge myself to a rival vampire family and now all I can think about is Bran Duval, black sheep of the Duval vampire family, and the wicked things he's promising to do to me in the dark.

I guess this is where I introduce myself. I'm V. I was raised to be a badass huntress of evil. I trained and honed my craft--even when it was a cycle of just trying really hard not to die.

A witch on the run from her cruel family. Four sinfully hot gargoyles offering her a shot at revenge... for a price. For a witch without magic, marrying into a prominent coven was supposed be my greatest honor—and the only way to clear my father’s massive debt. But when my groom turns out to be a demon in disguise, I stab him at the altar and flee…Straight into the arms of New York’s most notorious mobsters.

I swear I was only looking for a roommate. Just someone to watch TV and eat dinner with. Nothing… romantic. No way. But when I see all these humans gazing at me with open adoration and blatant lust and other things that make me wildly uncomfortable, I realize what a terrible mistake this is. Until I spot the one human woman in the group who is definitely not pleased to see me. In fact, she's scowling at me. She looks really, really annoyed. I'm kind of into it.

All Gemma Bellefleur wants is to leave her past behind and forget the day scandal broke her heart. But when she’s captured by a trickster fae king who threatens to hold her for ransom, she’ll find herself at the top of the gossip column yet again. Unless... Plagued by a curse that will soon claim his life, the human-hating King Elliot will do anything to save himself. And if Gemma can use that to her advantage, she might be able to bargain her way to freedom. All she has to do is help him break his curse.

Sometimes, you realize the person you’ve been looking for has been right there all along. And he’s standing next to your husband, watching him eat a popsicle. My life couldn't be better. I have a thriving glassblowing business, a loving marriage to Casey — an engineer with arms that could make any woman swoon and cooking skills to boot — and an idyllic property in the mountains of Southern Oregon. But something is missing. And it's not just our cat's stash of stolen panties. Things get complicated when my old college friend Kai blows into town. And he's more than just a breeze — ...

Heartbroken redhead Rebecca Pruitt is escaping her toxic past when she bumps into the last thing she needs - but everything she wants. Business power couple Caitlyn Adams and Jane Wong fancy Becca from the moment they see her in an airline lounge. Jane’s tenacious flirtations and Caitlyn’s beauty queen charms are almost enough to draw Becca into their private plane for the night.

In retrospect, putting up a flyer advertising that I was planning to lose my v-card on camera—and was looking for a partner—wasn't the best idea I've ever had. I'm type A, the person who does all the work on the group project. I've never even thought about doing something like this, but I don't have a choice: I need fast cash so my sister can have the future she deserves.

Kidnapped from Earth, aboard a slave ship, Anya is thrown in a cell with Zar, a handsome half-lion gladiator, and forced to breed or be killed. Zar’s life is an unbroken nightmare consisting of sleep, eat, fight, repeat. He’s not interested in helping Anya, and he’s definitely not interested in love. Except she’s the first female to ever touch his heart - or remind him he has a soul.

I was sold to werewolves. They said I'm the lost princess of Howling Sky. I said I'm just Sorissa. They said I'm to be claimed by a lecherous prince and that I'll end some timeless war between werewolves, vampires, and humans. I made other plans. Then, four powerful werewolves from a rival kingdom came out of nowhere, and I was stolen again. They call themselves Phantom Fangs. Now, they're taking me to their kingdom to keep me "safe".

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.