Dark Fantasy Short Stories

Since last Halloween, Kindle and Ebony have experienced the unexpected. Now, more than ever, both women need the men they only get to share their worlds with once a year. One evening, three beautiful, eerie young ladies appear at Kindle's door. They offer a solution to her and Ebony’s problems. Skeptically, Kindle finds it strange the three are already in the loop about what's going on with her and Ebony. As time spent with the love of their lives dwindles, Kindle and Ebony have a hard decision to make. Because this Halloween, neither can fathom another year to recur before seeing LP and ...

Unity waits. Unity is there to help people like you and me. Do not betray Unity. A house on the beach that no one ever visits. A house with a history. It craves company. A killer. The other side of the mirror. A seaside town, remote and fearsomely private. The fragments of a family, ancient and invulnerable. A Scottish town gripped by cold. A lone creature, isolated and far away. The ignored, the unwelcome, the denied. Solace comes from an unearthly, mysterious place. It comes at a price. * This is a collection of horror stories, birthed up and presented in all their grim glory. “We never...

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a dark fantasy story about the folly of arguing over something you'll never need. In the remote hamlet of Ehrendvale in the Aevalorn Wilds, a happy chance reveals a hidden treasure! However, its ownership is questioned, and tensions run high, threatening to split the once-peaceful community. Maedrey Puck, a Priest of Yondalla, is called to help settle the dispute. To put the matter to rest, she must administer three Trials by Ordeal to a landowner and a pig farmer, but can she quell their unbridled tempers and keep the hamlet from ripping itself apart...

An incurable sickness has infected a fishing village along the coast of Ishalar. The sick do not die - they vanish, leaving behind footprints and ashen shadows. Delanis, the fourth throne of Ishalar, has already lost his wife to The Vanishing, and now his daughter is deep in the throes of the illness. More in his village are succumbing almost every day.

A collection of eight horror stories created by New York Times best-selling novelist Scott Sigler, author of horror/thrillers Infected, Contagious, Ancestor, Nocturnal and the young-adult Galactic Football League series.

* Originally Shortlisted in a 2023 Writing Competition * From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a fantasy story about loneliness and connection. Delve into a world where sunflowers bloom, plums ripen, and love is forged by two unlikely strangers. Far away, in the Hamlet of Hollowgarde, Harlan Springbrook is a peculiar, curmudgeonly halfling who prefers his own company. Eldewine Kettlebloom, a nurturing gardener, tries to draw him out by building a bridge of neighborly communication. Unfortunately, things go amiss, and she nearly kills him. Will Harlan—if not their relationship—survive?...

Destinies can’t be ignored. No one knows that better than Annita. For as long as she can remember, it's been foretold she would find a dragon. A real-life dragon. She’s beginning to think it was all some kind of mistake until she’s swimming in one of the many caves around the island and discovers none other than a dragon. There is no fear as she approaches, utterly transfixed at the sight of the creature. Then he shifts into the shape of a thoroughly gorgeous man who spears her with bright blue eyes.

In this darkly comic and surreal collection from celebrated author Alissa Nutting, misfit women scramble for agency in a series of uncanny circumstances. Throughout these breathtakingly creative 17 stories spread across time, space, and differing planes of reality, we encounter a host of women and girls in a wide range of unusual jobs. A space cargo deliverywoman enlists the help of her cybersex partner to release her mother from cryogenic prison.

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.

When a mega popular band from Liverpool sang about Maxwell’s silver hammer, most listeners considered it a catchy, if dark tune. Flash forward half a century later, and something curious is happening around the world. Magic is returning-powerful enough to activate creations once lying dormant. Including some classic songs. When a silver hammer appears in the hands on one of Samantha Moon’s closest friends-along with a bloodthirsty need to use it-the vampire detective is about to discover just how clever (and literal) the universe can be..... Click BUY NOW or READ FOR FREE today!

This is a SHORT STORY set within the ongoing THE UNSEEN franchise. Potential spoilers ahead! This action-packed thriller stars Jillian Moon, recapping her initial encounter with the Unseen inside New York’s Museum of Natural History, an event that occurs during ORIGIN (The Unseen Book 1).

* Originally Shortlisted in a 2023 Writing Competition * From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a dark fantasy story about hubris and the abuse of knowledge. Set against the backdrop of the fantasy world of Aevalorn Tales, we follow the ambitious Mulzunite academic Vabriel Shuno on his quest to possess luck itself. After spending two years collecting purportedly lucky creatures, Vabriel seeks one last creature believed to be the pinnacle of good luck. And armed with the luck of his collection, he believes he’s too lucky to fail! On a gloomy night near the Free City of Enceröss, Vabriel ...

A collection of horror/thriller stories with surprise endings to chill you and thrill you to the bone. The creepers include: THE MALL OF THE DAMNED: During the zombie apocalypse, a masked assassin with unusual skills terrorizes five survivors seeking refuge in a mall. SHADOW OF A DOUBT- There's something Timothy is not telling about the fatal accident that took his sister's life. METAMORPHOSIS: A young teenager is repulsed when she looks in the mirror and pursues black magic to become beautiful. ANOTHER DAMN DAY IN VEGAS: Two detectives have a particularly grisly day chasing bad guys. ...

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 ...

Discover the stories inspired by some of the greatest songs of all time. Dark fiction that will keep you turning the pages as you read stories influenced by songs like Satisfaction, Angie Baby, She Loves You, Maggie Mae, The Hotel California and more. Dark stories inspired by dark lyrics that tell the tales hidden behind the popular melodies that are so familiar to us all. Ten different authors bring you their literary visions provoked by their favorite song lyrics to create a chilling read you will not soon forget. Experience the insanity of a young woman who seeks refuge from reality in ...

In Caitlín R. Kiernan’s The Ammonite Violin & Others, one of contemporary dark fantasy’s most bewitching and distinctive voices is back with another banquet of the weird and unexpected. Within this book, you’ll discover a dazzling suite of stories situated on the borderlands between the unspeakable and the erotic, the grotesque and the sublime.

She's stuck in a dark, underground dangerous medical experiment. He's on the hunt to find and rescue her... After being kidnapped and drugged, Renee keeps her wits about her while in captivity. With her fate tied to her ability to survive the medical testing, she focuses on staying alive and escaping. Sent to find her, super-soldier Dr. Bastian Fox will do anything and everything to rescue her from the atrocities of breeding experimentation. But from the information he's gathered, rescuing her might not be enough to save her life. He might need to make a permanent commitment and be willing ...

Welcome to futures profound, dark and unexpected… A businessman in the year 2047 awakens late one morning to discover that everything that has ever been written or entered on the internet has become instantly accessible to him. Then comes the terror of realising that his entire sordid life is now in the public domain. An Arnold Schwarzenegger replica arrives on Planet Strong, a theme-world teeming with Schwarzenegger look-a-likes, to compete in the Mr Arnold bodybuilding contest. Suddenly he finds his existence weirdly paralleling that of the plot of the movie Total Recall – and someone...

Introducing Book One of The Surprising Catch, the long-awaited follow-up to The Stubborn Suitor and The Reckless Secret. If you’ve been waiting for Ashley's story, this is it! Ashley Woodsen has sworn off all men. The love of her life walked out on their marriage over a year ago, for a slimmer, younger version of Ashley. She couldn't forget his hurtful parting words, and it was just easier to go it alone. So why does she feel her heart flutter and her insides tense every time someone mentions…him? Preston Alcott has always been a playboy. Wealthy, successful, and as alpha as they get, ...

Far, far away, a very long way from here, in the Halfling hamlet of Pondaroak, you’ll find an Inn named the Swindle & Swine. Elina Hogsbreath, the inn’s proprietor, comes from a long line of hedge witches — she learned the craft from her mother, who had learned it from her mother, tracing back generations. Stay for a spell. Come wolves, worgs, or worms, Elina will serve you right. This anthology contains five previously published stories: A Thyme of Trouble The Keening Cup The Magnificent Marion Maloney Midnight Tea The Song at Harvest’s End And one story totally unique to this ...