Dark Fantasy Short Stories

Drawn from the myths and histories of the American Midwest, Piasa: Rite of Talons combines the legend of the Piasa dragon-bird with the Cahokia Mound City. A dark pact is made between the royal line of Ouatoga and the man-eating monster. What horrible price must be paid to ensure the prosperity of the Mound City? Who is the true enemy of the progress of mankind?

Red Dead Redemption meets The Witcher Always. Shoot. First. That’s what my dad always taught me. Always deliver. Trust no one. And put a bullet in them before they put one in you. You don’t survive as a courier in the magic-blasted Badlands by being soft. Everyone wants your cargo. Everyone wants you dead. And even so I’ve got some peculiar immunity to magic, that doesn’t mean I can stop watching my back for even a second. I’ve got some dangerous cargo to deliver. And Cataclysm damn me if I don’t get the job done. Even if the package could potentially tear the Badlands apart… ...

Meet the Caanlin, a race of shape-shifting humans of dark skin that can become leopards. Enslaved by the Salesicans, a half-breed joins a revolt in Leopard of Night. In Sight For Jaygas, a man attempts to find a purpose in his tribe. A breeder finds love and shame in Disgraced. Sythara of the Hicaanlin leads a group of warriors toward certain doom. Finally, how the Caanlin War is envisioned.

One family rule has shaped Esson’s life: never open a door. Esson comes from a family of doormakers - people who unleash otherworldly violence when they open something even as simple as a refrigerator door. Esson’s family lied to him. Esson didn’t die when he opened a door.

Pick a master and serve. Serve them well and die. Marigold wants to die the right way. She wants a transformative bite from her master. Vampires have it all: the statuesque look, the immortal life, and the power to enchant others. All she has is debt, a distracted boyfriend, and a desire to be more than human. When unwanted holiday gifts are exchanged between two master vampires, Marigold’s wish might come true if she can survive until dawn. A perfectly sized introduction into the new paranormal worlds created by urban fantasy and paranormal romance author Azaaa Davis. Start reading Hiss,...

In a world where her magic means death, she doesn’t know how to live.Mizna’s existence is worthless. She has no life skills, her magic will kill her before her thirtieth birthday, and the recent death of her first love has left her hopeless and empty. So when a dangerous encounter threatens her father’s life, she plunges recklessly into a violent conflict she can’t possibly win. Acting as a sacrificial lamb gives her life the sort of value she thought impossible, so she clings to it desperately. But she’s not alone in this bloody fight, and she can’t save everyone. Will she ...

From USA Today Bestselling Author, Uvi Poznansky, comes an anthology of dark fantasy stories: Come into a strange world, where everything is firmly rooted in the familiar—except for some quirky detail that twists the yarn and takes it for a spin in an unexpected direction. So prepare yourself: keep the lights on. If you like to read Edgar Allan Poe, you’ll love this horror anthology, where a woman—or rather, her ghost—finds a way to outwit the devil.★★★★★ "To say her stories are one of a kind would be a disservice as they are really one of no other kind: Twisted is unique....

First you discover you might have some supernatural helpers on your lonely third shift job. And then you discover that even supernatural helpers sometimes need human assistance....

Journey from the fabled city of fabric in Paeu to the demon-infested landscape of Ishambria, from the Machiavellian scheming in Quing Tzu to the cat-littered crags of Al Kutz as you embark on a vivid voyage through this immersive high fantasy anthology, encountering along the way legendary Guardians, magic scarves, barbaric priests, duplicitous gods, cackling Witches, and wind-riders.

The workings of heaven are shrouded in mystery and myth, leaving us to only theorize as to what awaits us when we pass. There are those among us, however, that are special cases. These are good people who have committed a horrendous crime, such as murder. What makes their cases special, however, is the fact that by committing these egregious acts, one could argue that they have made the world a better place.

Beelzebub's got a busy day ahead of him and his printer's gone on the fritz. People to do, things to visit...what's a stressed-out Prince of Darkness to do?

Looks can be deceiving. Believe me, I know. I was captivated when I first gazed into Luc's eyes. He was breathtaking and formidable, and his darkness stirred something deep within me. But beneath the angelic mask lay the devil, and I had stepped into his inferno. Thanks to Luc, my life has become a relentless torment. Just when I’ve lost all hope, he comes to my rescue. I’m broken, and he’s slowly picking up the pieces as his haunting mistakes confront him. Now, I find myself torn between two conflicting truths. I can’t decide if he’s the hero of my story or the monster. This is a...

In this set of four short stories, the perennial struggle to catch the bad guys gets the supernatural treatment. Like holding a murder trial in a twilight zone, anything can happen—but in the end, justice will be served. In “Judge and Jury,” a violent gang tries to make its own rules. But out West, a kangaroo court is the only law, and this time, there’s a ghost in attendance. He knows the truth about their terrible crimes, and he won’t stop until someone pays for it. Capital punishment gets a vengeful twist in “The Wheel,” as the victim’s family gets involved in choosing ...

Embrace your destiny. Uncover the power within. In the bustling streets of Tokyo, Hiroki Kubo's life takes an unexpected turn. Working diligently at Mizuho Bank, Hiroki finds himself torn between the traditions of his family and the desire to forge his own destiny. But when he crosses paths with Genzo, a mysterious restaurant owner who sees potential in Hiroki's hidden talents, everything changes. As Hiroki grapples with the decision to embrace his newfound abilities as part of the Unhidden, a group with extraordinary powers, he faces opposition from his family and the uncertainties of a ...

In the sleepy town shrouded by an unrelenting snowstorm, Victoria Ashburn's fascination with forbidden knowledge unleashes a terrifying force. A snowman, born from the darkness of winter folklore, stalks the streets, claiming lives and souls. As Victoria's nightmares become reality, she must unravel the secrets of the ancient texts and stop the snowman's deadly reign before the entire town is consumed by the abyss of winter.

So you think you know all about superheroes? Those guys in the capes and the lightly starched spandex speedoes. Leaping tall buildings and always getting the girl. You don't know nothing. Join Steve Vernon, Nova Scotia's hardest working horror writer, as he takes you into the world of Captain Nothing. It's a world without hope, a world that is as cold and dark as a landlord's heart, three days after the rent is due. It's a world that could give the Batman a case of the squirming night fears. NOTHING DOWN is a collection of stories that will show you the darker side of courage. It will show ...

Galen is an innkeep, a humble man who cares about his work and his patrons. He also lives on the edge of a haunted forest. One inhabited by a fell wizard far too many of his guests are intent to meet. Despite Galen’s warnings and admonitions, most travelers passing through his doors only stay long enough to ask a few questions before entering the dark wood. Far too few come back. These are the tales of some of those adventurers who return. These are the tales of those Galen wishes had never left his door. Tales of the Fallen is a short work of fantasy fiction totaling about 10,000 words.

An evil stepmother, a dark enchantment and a charming stranger... Life as I know it will never be the same again. I always knew my stepmother wasn’t too fond of me, but I never could have imagined the depth of her hatred—or why. A secret diary hidden within the quaint little coffee shop I run could be the key to everything—as could be the charming stranger who appears one day. Who is he, and why do I feel such a connection to him? ✨ FAIREST ROSE ✨ is a spicy novella perfect for fans of: fairy tale retellings new adult romantasy friends to lovers mystery with high stakes paranormal...

O Chamado de Cthulhu é um conto do norte-americano H.P. Lovecraft que logo se tornou um clássico do terror. Foi escrito em 1926 e publicado pela primeira vez na revista estadunidense Weird Tales em fevereiro de 1928. Cthulhu é um deus que nos primeiros minutos do conto aparece como um ídolo de argila quase indescritível, possuindo um culto multimilenar dedicado a trazê-lo de volta, o seu retorno desencadearia o fim da humanidade. Neste audiolivro, encontramos esse clássico e mais sete contos consagrados do autor na literatura de terror.

Sometimes, a thread pulled through the flesh is all that holds you together. Sometimes, the blade of a knife or the point of a nail is the only way you know you're real. When pain becomes art and a quarter is buried deep within you, all you want is to be seen, to have value, to be loved. But love can be fragile, folded into an origami elephant while you disappear, carried on the musical notes that build a bridge, or woven into an illusion so real, so perfect that you can fool yourself for a little while.