Dark Fantasy Short Stories

Since the dawn of modern man, Erebus was Hades' secret weapon in the war between the immortal realms. Until Hades lost the minor god in a bet to his older brother Zeus. For the last 100 years, Erebus has trained Zeus's Siren warriors in warfare and the sexual arts. But he's never stopped longing for freedom. For a life filled with choice. And lately, he also longs for one Siren who entranced him during their steamy seduction sessions. A nymph he quickly became obsessed with and who was ripped from his grasp when her seduction training was complete.

Valerie’s Tale is a story about a little girl with a heart filled with courage and strength, living in a world plagued with war and where magic is divided by clerics, who believe in using magic conservatively, and mages, who use it for whatever their heart’s desire.

This was the book that launched a genre. Modern fantasy collections trace their lineage back to Lord Dunsany, and this was his first work that today's listeners would recognise in tone and settings.

This is a collection of 10 strange tales of horror and dark science fiction. Included within are monsters, ghosts, zombies, aliens, and even a few special Halloween stories. Releasing this special compendium for all the ghouls, goblins, gremlins, and spooks looking for something to listen to during the dark and dreary nights!

Brian is a two hundred year old vampire who is hiding out from his duties. He's been a part of the vampire government for too long and now that his time in office is over he's only looking for a break from all of the noise and complaints the undead badger him with. Brian decided to head to an old cabin in Maine that his family once owned. After the years in Rome he's ready for the peace and silence of a snowy winter. Finally, he can be at peace with himself. Christine has always been a dreamer. She is introverted by nature and had always preferred sitting at home with a cup of tea and a ...

When an American man discovers that he's the last descendant of the De la Poer family, he travels to England to take over their crumbling estate. Accompanied only by his cat, the man follows the incessant sound of rats to a dark place beneath the estate, unearthing horrible, dark, gruesome secrets about his ancestors and the type of activities they partook in. Taken by madness, the man falls into a dark pit of despair and commits unthinkable crimes. This jarring story from a renowned writer of horror fiction utilizes fear-inducing themes to entice its audience.

Meet the Kitchen Imps - mischievous creatures who lurk behind the cupboard and under the fridge. Where do all the missing socks go? Find out with "The Joy of Socks". Learn the mysteries of the "Secret Kitchen" and gaze upon a rather familiar world with "Free Will". Dare you risk the king's wrath when you venture into the "House of Treasure"?

Contains books three and four of Descendants of the Fall. Age of Gods: Pursued by the inhuman Tangata, Lukys flees on foot through the wilderness. He and his companions make for the ocean, a stolen ship their only hope - but even that may prove fleeting. For should they reach the island of Perfugia, a war is brewing between the kingdoms of humanity. Dreams of Fury: On the distant shores of Perfugia, Lukys and Sophia have finally found sanctuary - and an unexpected power left by their ancestors. But their refuge cannot last.

Sixteen years old, Caina is a student of the Ghosts, the spies and agents of the Emperor of Nighmar, and from them she learns the arts of stealth and infiltration, of disguise and intrigue. But when a man dies of a mysterious poison, Caina faces a deadly test. Because if she doesn't solve the murder, she might die next....

This pretty much is what the title says. Many of the stories/novellas here will have only been done in limited print runs, such as in fanzines, magazines, pamphlets, special editions or online magazines. It’s a mixed genre of stories and these are what Brian considers the best of the rest of the stories in his body of work. We’ve got 111,000+ words in this collection so that means lots of enjoyment in what is likely the last collection coming from Brian.

Four dark tales of the holiday spirit. In "Christmas Eve Gift", Old Bill sets out on her annual Christmas Eve journey to her niece's house and encounters an unexpected darkness along the way. In "A Dark Christmas", Alice, a dark daughter of the vampire, Elizabet, turns the table on a family of hunters. In "On the 7th Day of Christmas", Sunny finally gets to throw a party, only a monster shows up and twists a small kink into her New Year's Eve festivities. In "Twelfth Night", A 13-year-old encounters the Woman with No Face for the first time.

On a dark winter's night in 1970, Horley and Grinstead huddle for warmth in the Senior Common Room of a college in Oxford. Conversation turns to the two impressive works of art that Horley has recently added to his collection. What the two men don't know is that these pieces are connected in mysterious and improbable ways, and they are about to be caught in the cross-fire of a story which has travelled time and worlds.

"Brainfire-Light and Dark Stories to Ignite Your Imagination" is a collection of 30 fictional, nonfictional, humorous, and autobiographical stories. There is something for everyone in "Brainfire, "including Sci-Fi, Action Adventure, Fantasy, and Humor. A bonus section on "Surviving Lethal Threats," features five short stories on situational awareness. These informative stories will help the reader understand and use situational awareness in everyday life. Each story in "Brainfire" begins with an introduction by the author, giving the reader insight into the story and its creation.

In the late 1590s, Scotland was on the verge of many changes that would shape its future, such as religious reformation and the union of the crowns with England. But in many ways the country, was still rooted in its medieval past, and fear of witches and demons was still a large part of everyday life. Seton confronts his demons, both internal and external, as he wanders on the fringes of history.

Spiders. Magic. Horror. Guts. Sisters Skylar and Mia drive deep into the countryside to clean up their dead father's house. Little do they know that they've been followed. Listen to this story for the spider shaman magic. Remember this story in flashes during the night. Better buy some bug spray.

Submitted for your approval - Ten Tales of a Dark Tomorrow, a collection of speculative fiction inspired by the original Twilight Zone series. In the spirit of that iconic, timeless show, these mysterious and gripping narratives explore parallel worlds, faraway planets, dystopian societies, and unsettling reality.

With Silas and her sisters away, Emma Hazelton can finally go through with her plan without any distractions. It’s time to grow up and prove herself worthy of becoming heir. She’s already made the first step in becoming a woman by sleeping with the vampire, now she has to commit the ultimate sin. Murder. Except that Silas doesn’t want her to do it and his opinion is becoming important to her. Can she go through with her plan and save everyone she cares about before it’s too late? Falling for the Vampire 4 is the fourth book in a five part series.

This lesser-known character isn't so much a typical Lumley hero as an innocent bystander, who all too often seems to be standing by in the wrong place at the wrong time - a man in collision with various weird horrors, who can never state definitely that the things he experiences are real. So here he is - the neither hero nor anti-hero narrator of these stories - though, in The Nonesuch and Others, he's at least seen to be brave, if not actually heroic.

Five knights tell stories of ancient lands, madness, and terrifying monsters...but no one can top Knight Elric's tale of the Land of Hershel, a monstrous swamp filled with horrifying creatures and an ever-present threat. If you stop moving, you drown. "In the Land of Hershel" is a short story set in the thrilling world of SunRider.

From astronauts in deep space to the ghosts of the Civil War, New York Times best-selling author Alethea Kontis creates worlds of wonder and delight, of weirdness and despair, of whimsy and darkness. Here are 20 stories and poems that will transport you to the magical dangerous worlds you've always known should exist, but have never quite been able to find.