Fantasy Short Stories

A group of cabinet ministers queries a supercomputer containing the minds of the country’s ancestors. A child robot on a dying planet uncovers signs of fragile new life. A descendant of a rain goddess inherits her grandmother’s ability to change her appearance—and perhaps the world. Created in the legacy of the seminal, award-winning anthology series Dark Matter, Africa Risen celebrates the vibrancy, diversity, and reach of African and AfroDiasporic science fiction and fantasy and reaffirms that Africa is not rising—it’s already here.

Welcome back to Beechwood Harbor, the small town where witches, vampires, shifters, and werewolves all work, play—and mostly—get along! This boxed set includes Books 10–12 in the Beechwood Harbor Magic Mysteries by Danielle Garrett.

Abby’s best friend had set her up on a date at a new restaurant in the city she has never been to before. She got lost and was late. When she finally arrived, her blind date was gone. Instead of leaving, she starts chatting up the server Katie and invites her to have dinner with her after her shift was over. The two women have a good time together talking and they exchanged numbers to meet again later in the week. Throughout the weeks after their first meeting, Abby’s feelings for her new friend start to change into something more than just friendly. Abby also finds out that her new ...

Before The Road by Cormac McCarthy brought apocalyptic fiction into the mainstream, there was science fiction. No longer relegated to the fringes of literature, this explosive collection of the world’s best apocalyptic writers brings the inventors of alien invasions, devastating meteors, doomsday scenarios, and all-out nuclear war back to with a bang. The best writers of the early 1900s were the first to flood New York with tidal waves, destroy Illinois with alien invaders, paralyze Washington with meteors, and lay waste to the Midwest with nuclear fallout.

Hunting vampires is her legacy. Detective Rainey Astor walks a dangerous line between the human and supernatural worlds. As a vampire hunter, she's a formidable opponent, having killed hundreds of their kind. Yet, when her latest foray into the supernatural world goes terribly wrong, she finds herself rescued by the very creature she's vowed to kill.

Arthur Cain was a hero to his city, the most accomplished and respected of the firefighters in his entire district. But when a call comes in from the so-called "Halfbreed Heights", the monsterfolk part of the city, Arthur's life gets flip-turned upside down. Though he saved the life of a matronly lamia that day, he was also partially crippled and forced into early retirement. Now unable to fit the image of her personal superman, Arthur's wife divorces him and leaves him to move into a cheaper home in the same monsterfolk slum that caused his current situation.

Dr. Alison Winters has a secret: She’s looking for a cure for vampiric blood madness. After years of research, Alison is hopeful she might, at long last, have the answers that will save her high school friend from an eternity of blood madness. And the handsome, mysterious vampire who shows up at her door can’t just be there by coincidence. The gorgeous woman isn’t what the vampire Laurent expected to find. She’s tempting, but he suspects things aren’t at all what they seem. Barely able to keep his hands off her, Laurent knows Alison is his fated mate, and he’s determined to ...

Rick LaFleur, former New Orleans undercover cop, now a black were-leopard stuck in human form, is at the PsyLED academy, training to become a special agent of the government agency that would, at one time, have preferred him to be dead, on a slab, and under autopsy. When he discovers that students have gone missing, he and his team go on the hunt to find out why.

The supernatural, the surreal, and the all-too real...tales of the dark. Such stories have always fascinated us, and modern authors carry on the disquieting traditions of the past while inventing imaginative new ways to unsettle us. Chosen from a wide variety of venues, these stories are as eclectic and varied as shadows.

Sinister mushrooms growing in a dank cellar. A family's first glimpse at Martians. A wonderful white vanilla ice-cream summer suit that changes everyone who wears it. All those images and many more are inside this book, 31 of Bradbury's most arresting tales - timeless short fiction that ranges from the farthest reaches of space to the innermost stirrings of the heart.

The best science fiction scrutinizes our culture and politics, examines the limits of the human condition, and zooms across galaxies at faster-than-light speeds, moving from the very near future to the far-flung worlds of tomorrow in the space of a single sentence. Neil Clarke has selected the short science fiction (and only science fiction) best representing the previous year's writing, showcasing the talent, variety, and awesome "sensawunda" that the genre has to offer.

"Shadow of the Moon" by Sherrilyn Kenyon: Angelia has fought her entire life to make herself strong. Now, with her patria under fire, she has to protect her people from Fury and his werewolf clan. Vowing to bring him to justice, Angelia sets out alone...until the hunter becomes the hunted, and the only way for her to survive is to trust the very wolf she's sworn to kill.

Jane Yellowrock has motorcycle trouble and pulls into Bayou Oiseau, hoping for help from a local motorcycle shop. Instead, she is drawn into a war between the local witches and the local, non-aligned vampires.

Every woman wants them. Only one can have them. I never thought the four alphas would notice me. I'm plain. Average. Boring. And they're... incredible. When I attend their mating ball, I expect them to ignore my presence. All of a sudden, all four of them are claiming me. And they won't take no for an answer. They're best friends. They do everything together. Why shouldn't they take a mate together, too? And when they make me theirs, what heights of erotic bliss can they show me? (Mating Their Omega is a standalone paranormal reverse harem romance with dark elements. For mature readers only!)

If you're a fan of detective stories, look no further! I H Laking's debut novella will wrap you up in the new world of the Empire. Mrs Milliard is on the verge of financial ruin. With a business deal about to expire unless her mechanical baker remembers his secret recipe, Mrs Milliard turns to Inspector Ambrose for help. But as Ambrose soon discovers, no one in Mrs Milliard's neighbourhood is ready to talk. Will Inspector Ambrose uncover the truth before Mrs Milliard's midnight deadline? Can he solve a mystery that seems impossible on first inspection? The culprit is closer than it seems, ...

Haunting, harrowing, and downright horrifying, this classic collection from the modern master of the fantastic features: "The Small Assassin": a fine, healthy baby boy was the new mother's dream come true - or her nightmare.... "The Emissary": the faithful dog was the sick boy's only connection with the world outside - and beyond.... "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone": a most remarkable case of murder - the deceased was delighted! And more!

Grab the first three books in the bestselling, scorching-hot Real Men Shift series in one boxed set! Real Men Howl: Mason Blackwood's inner wolf will go crazy without her. Lucy thinks he's already crazy. Werewolves aren't real. Right? Real Men Snarl: Ally doesn't want to have anything to do with werewolves. Kade Blackwood is a werewolf who wants to do everything to Ally. Real Men Growl: Gavin Blackwood expected gratitude, but what he got was a gorgeous she-wolf who defied him at every turn.

Notes from the author: The following is a short story I wrote in the Elantris world back in January of 2006. There were always a few holes in Elantris where I decided not to include viewpoints or sections of explanation in the name of streamlining, particularly at the end. In the back of my mind, I knew what happened. This story talks about one of those holes; it is meant to be heard after you’ve finished the novel and takes place during the events of the climax.

Earth is dying, and humanity is scrambling to set up colonies in other star systems. But the search process for habitable planets is not perfect, as the crew of the Ouroboros discover on arrival at their new home.

They'll make me their mate. All I ever wanted was to be like everybody else. But I'm not. I'm an omega, subject to my pack's rules and traditions. Without my knowledge, my parents promised my hand in marriage to two alphas. Each. Now all four alphas are saying I'm theirs, and I'm bound by shifter law to be their mate. If they can unlock my submissive nature, maybe they can make me fall in love with them. But does love even matter when I was promised to the alphas? (Promised to the Alphas is a standalone paranormal reverse harem romance with dark elements. For mature readers only!)