Dark Fantasy Short Stories

In The Dinosaur Tourist, Caitlín R. Kiernan’s 15th collection of short fiction, 19 tales of the unexpected and the uncanny explore that treacherous gulf between what we suppose the world to be and what might actually be waiting out beyond the edges of our day-to-day experience. A mirror may be a window into another time. A cat may be our salvation. Your lover may be a fabulous being. And a hitchhiker may turn out to be anyone at all.

In this remarkable collection the author has selected over two dozen of her best Lovecraftian tales ranging from 2000s “Valentia” to her more recent classic “A Mountain Walked” as well as including the complete Dandridge Cycle, as well as a new story, “M Is for Mars.” In short, this is a cornerstone volume for Kiernan fans and Mythos devotees alike.

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...

On the lonely planet Satu, where sun sunlight is a precious commodity, and fear is a constant companion, Hana lives a solitary existence. Her world is shattered when a mysterious stranger seeks refuge from the terrifying Rugaru, creatures who stalk the night. They forge an unlikely bond as they navigate a treacherous landscape of secrets and survival. But their fragile alliance is tested when a sinister truth begins to unravel, forcing them to confront a destiny neither could have imagined. The line between hunter and hunted is blurred with each heartbeat, and their survival hinges on a ...

Can love rise from the ashes of betrayal? Celia Bennet was once a queen on the dance floor—until heartbreak stole her fire. Now, she’s trapped in a future she never chose, buried under legal textbooks and a loveless engagement. She doesn’t dance. She doesn’t fight. Some days, she barely breathes. Until he returns. Asher Rudd—the boy who was once her world, now a storm of vengeance and desire. He shatters her carefully built walls, demanding answers, retribution… and her. She wants to escape. He wants her to pay. But as love and hate collide, their tangled past pulls them into a ...

Long ago, powerful sorcerers stole the power of a god. Only the courage and sacrifice of great heroes stopped them from conquering the known world. They thought it was over. But the god who was robbed so long ago remained. He swore that long after the heroes were dead, when his power returned, he would have his vengeance on all of humanity. Now, the time of his prophecy is at hand. A band of elite desert warriors crosses the sea, hoping faith and courage will be enough to turn aside the coming apocalypse. Their leader, Prelate Yazid Valerian, seeks the mythical city of sorcerers.

For an imperial assassin, assignment as a courtesan in the Floating World seems like a waste of her talents...until killers target her clan sisters. In the legendary Floating World, wars are waged with wit, the strongest soldier can be bound with threads of silk, and flesh is the currency by which life, death, and freedom can all be purchased. Half-elf Jie bemoans her temporary assignment as a Night Blossom in the most sought-after house, even if it's the perfect cover for her real work as an assassin in the emperor’s service.

This is a short story set in the Narcoscape of the Book of Dreams series. It is named "Dreaming of a White Christmas" and was originally printed in the collection A Cozy Christmas. In this brief installment, Nicodemus Smith has her hands full tracking down a lost philanthropist who fancies himself to be Santa Claus. Enjoy the yuletide oddness with Nic and the gang no matter what the season. I'll see you on the dreamside, ---Melanie

A selection of short fiction by Dusty McGowan; blending magic realism and dark comedy.

Even in the fathomless depths of the underworld and the bleak chambers of a damaged heart, the bonds of love can heal...or destroy. He holds the ability to annihilate souls in the palm of his hand. He commands the respect of the most dangerous of demons and the most powerful of angels. He can seduce and dominate any female he wants with a mere look. But for all Azagoth's power, he's bound by shackles of his own making, and only an angel with a secret holds the key to his release.

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...

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a dark fantasy story about resisting evil and fighting for what you believe in. Shambling from the depths of the Murkwode Fens comes a tale of courage, faith, and the unyielding nature of the human spirit. Bartram Humblefoot, Paladin of the Ancients, leads a contingent of Mumling regulars to retrieve a holy artifact from a ruined temple. Regrettably, the forces of darkness have other plans. War is coming, and the artifact would lend their evil disciples a great advantage. The dead are awakened, rising from death to secure the temple. Bartram must help...

This is a collection of the third six short stories in the Caverns and Creatures series.

"He had been created to replace a lost son. His face was made of porcelain and burnt clay formed his spine. The lips were painted on and showed a never-changing smile, while twisted copper wire held his body together. When the artificial boy looked down he could see through the gaps between the coils. There, deep down inside him, was a living thing - a fleeting flutter, visible for only one moment at a time. His creator called him Felix." In three interconnected short stories, Felix searches for the truth about how he came to be alive. He meets a strange butterfly catcher, a terrifying ...

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.

In her second collection from Trepidatio Publishing, award-winning author Gemma Files takes her listeners on journeys out beyond safe borders—from the trackless depths of the sea, to the empty desert frontiers of the Weird West, even to the edges of cracks between worlds. Here, in these narrow spaces between the known and the unknown, behind the paper-thin curtains of reality, lurk monsters both human and ancient: selkies and avenging revenants, voodoo priestesses and pirate sorcerers, ghosts and vampires, and the most famous murderer of all time.

Come one, come all! The Carniepunk Midway promises you every thrill and chill a traveling carnival can provide. But fear not! Urban fantasy's biggest stars are here to guide you through this strange and dangerous world....

Markas hears news about dead people with weird symbols on their bodies. He decides to investigate symbols at the library to see if he can find anything. Shortly after he starts having dreams about the people and the rituals done on them. In one of such dreams, Markas sees visions of his own dad… Markas learns more data about the killer from his visions. A police investigation is also underway. As soon as possible, Marcus wants to bring his father the artifact that he found. As the sword gets closer, he suspects the visions will last longer.This is the third book of "The Demon King’s ...

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 ...

Love Is Absolutely Disgusting, and You Know It Licking the Bottom of the Love Jar is a collection of surreal fiction stories and bleak poetry. Using these strange offerings, we explore the topic of L-O-V-E for what it truly is: one part magical fantasy, and one part mental sickness, stirred together and served to those lost romantics who prefer their fables with an extra goop of weirdness. Let’s go ahead and ask ourselves the important questions, such as: Can a snake and a rabbit overcome the obstacles of their forbidden love? Can the boy get the girl when he's incapacitated by depression...