Dark Fantasy Short Stories

Nobody likes getting bullied, and Donny has had enough. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he solicits the help of the old Asian man at the end of his street to teach him Karate. During a grueling two days of training, Donny earns belt after belt, until he finally becomes a Karate Master.

A celestial entity sets out on an extraordinary quest to breathe life into a barren planet, weaving the foundations of existence itself. But as creation takes shape, unforeseen challenges arise, testing the limits of its power and purpose. "What a great fiction book about the cosmos! From the very first page, the story immerses you in the fascinating life of the cosmic builder, whose ability to create planetary life for the first time is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The vivid descriptions and imaginative storytelling by the author immediately draw you into this cosmic realm, making you ...

Five tales of dragons are included within this special Young Adult fantasy collection. The overall theme is dragons and features a sample of J.E. Feldman’s work. There are no triggers. Inferno A time traveling grandma and her granddaughter discover the true cause behind the burning of the Library of Alexandria. The Loch Legend An orphaned teenager harboring a secret of her own discovers the Loch Ness legend is real, but can she trust her new family with the truth? Instinct Vaccines made from dragon shifter blood turns the world into apocalyptic chaos and there’s no promise of surviving ...

From Roger Zelansky's delightful tale of Death's disobedient godson to Peter Straub's blood-chilling examination of a gargantuan Cinderella and her terrible twisted "art," here are stories strange and miraculous - remarkable modern storytelling that remold our most cherished childhood fables into things sexier, more sinister - and more appealing to grown-up tastes and sensibilities.

A scientist suffering from PTSD is faced with the terrible knowledge of the impending destruction of our species. In his desperate attempts to prevent humanity's fate, he commits violent acts and is branded a terrorist. How far would you go to save the planet from annihilation? Where do humans come from and how did we get here? Scientists have theorized about the human race's origins for many years. But no one was prepared for what was found in orbit, seven ancient alien probes that have been monitoring the planet for billions of years. The data and video images recorded inside them show ...

Predatory kraken that sing with - and for - their kin; band members and betrayed friends who happen to be demonic; harpies as likely to attract as to repel. Welcome to a world where humans live side-by-side with monsters, from vampires both nostalgic and bumbling, to an eight-legged alien who makes tea. Here you'll find mercurial forms that burrow into warm fat, spectral boy toys, a Maori force of nature, a landform that claims lives, and an architect of hell on earth.

A collection of horror/thriller stories with surprise endings to chill you and thrill you to the bone. The nightmares include: JACK IN THE BOX: Harold fixes up old houses and sells them for a nice profit. That is, until he bought the dreaded house on Elm Street. THE SECOND VIRGIN BIRTH: At midnight on Christmas Eve, a nun rescues a baby left on the chapel steps in the freezing cold. GRANDPA: The zombie apocalypse has begun and Grandpa is near death in the next room. TATTOO: Bad things start to happen after Marla picks a ferocious black panther for the free tattoo she won. THE JACK THE ...

Night Portals is a metaphysical series that explores the hidden secrets of life around us. Twelve "What If" short stories from the mind of Ernie Howard. Aida is the first story in the series. Love is a many splendid thing. It can make you blind. It can make you feel like you're floating on a cloud. It can make you go crazy. In this fast-paced romantic thriller, we see that love can be the end of all things. A kiss can contain eternal bliss or eternal madness. What would you do for Love? George would do anything.

In this anthology, everybody is Black. Filled with epic battles, complicated families, soft kisses, and sharpened blades, Magic in the Melanin is an adult fantasy anthology that showcases Black authors who write magical stories of all kinds.

The first in a series of anthologies devoted to the Lovecraftian gods, Ordo ab Chao follows the highly successful The Gods of HP Lovecraft (published in 2015 by JournalStone Publishing). We begin our series with the primal origins and the god Azathoth, who represents primordial chaos in the Lovecraftian Mythos.

There are stories we tell to pass the time… and then there are stories we never tell, because telling them gives them power. The Witch in the Well: Return of Her is one of those stories. Set in a small town carved into the wilderness — a place where everyone knows your name but no one dares speak of her — this tale unfolds like a nightmare remembered. It follows the slow unraveling of peace when a sinister presence, once banished, makes her return. What happens when you open the door to something you were never meant to find? And what happens when it finds its way back? In this story,...

Tarn and Beck have reset the clocks and gone back to the beginning. They used the power of the elfin light to time travel and save their family and friends, changing their pasts. Now they’re living new lives, free from shadows, but they’re separated from each other. Tarn and Beck have never met, nor have they met their friends. But the villains Komotuvu, Tobias, Damian and Orfea have teamed up. They remember their past lives and how Tarn, Beck, and their friends ruined their plans before. The villains hold grudges against Tarn and Beck as they’re trying to reach the mystical city of ...

Brian Lumley's Cthulhu Mythos writings began in the 1960s when he was included in new collections by August Derleth's Arkham House. While today, the author is probably better-known for his Necroscope and Psychomech series, he has continued with his Mythos stories for over 40 years. This volume spans that career, using Derleth's suggestion that the Mythos monsters could be viewed as "Elementals", and includes a new novella-length story.

Josh Malerman is a master weaver of stories—and in this spine-chilling collection he spins five twisted tales from the shadows of the human soul.

ROMANTIC LIES (BOOK 2) Five years after coming to New York for her cousin Emma's funeral, Abby has it all: the man of her dreams, a well-paying job, and a luxury apartment that she shares with her billionaire boyfriend. Little does she know that Liam has been keeping a secret from her...one that could ruin things forever. When he suddenly ends their relationship without any explanation, Abby's beautiful world comes crashing down. Her best friend, Isabella, gives her a clue that might explain everything, and Abby sets out on a journey to solve the mystery of why Liam left. What she discovers...

A cursed wolf. A witch’s dangerous legacy. A love that defies fate itself. When Ruby inherits her grandmother’s cottage, she expects a fresh start—not a beast bound by dark magic. Lorcan, once a man, now wears the form of a monstrous wolf, his fate sealed by an unbreakable curse. The key to his salvation lies in a forbidden grimoire, hidden somewhere within the cottage’s enchanted walls. But breaking the spell comes at a terrible price. As Ruby delves into the secrets of her grandmother’s magic, she discovers a power within herself—one that breathes life into her soul and binds ...

Fifty-One Tales is a collection of fantasy short stories by Irish writer Lord Dunsany, a major influence on J. R. R. Tolkien, H. P. Lovecraft, Ursula K. Le Guin and others. Each story is a short vignette, a single moment of strangeness or horror in the face of death.

Year of the Lepper, 746 - 3rd Cycle of the Dragon Every couple of thousand years the Dark Citadel rises in the East, within the Endless Ruins looking to bring darkness and evil to the world of Capris. Every couple of thousand years, the races of Capris are charged with fighting back the darkness or succumbing to its eternal death. In the year of the Lepper, it is no different. Four maybe heroes are called into service of the kingdom to ensure the Dark Citadel is once again vanquished. One, a human past his prime, but a great warrior in his day. One, an energy mage of the Engeli (humans who ...

The four previous volumes in Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling's anthology series of fairly-tales retold with a distinctively modern edge have been hailded by reviewers as "brilliant", "provocative", and "disturbing". In this triumphant new collection of original fiction, 21 of today's leading writers spin the cherished fables of childhood into glittering gold - offering magical tales for adults, as seductive as they are sophisticated.

A Hot Erotic Story Designed for MAXIMUM AROUSAL. *Adults Only 18+* *Read On Your PC, Mac, Smartphone, Tablet Or Kindle! * Wet & Sticky: Vol. 9 (A Preview): Like most people their type, they wanted nothing more than a night of fun. He was a struggling young writer with a hankering for booze and a hunger for sweethearts. She was the perfect blend, cute, smart, and coy to a fault; the type of girl who had no idea just how beautiful she really was. But her silence belied a powerful lust. For behind closed doors, it is the quiet ones who make the most noise... Seize Your Copy NOW Tags: erotic ...