Fantasy Adventure Short Stories

When the Colonial Marines set out after their deadliest prey, the Xenomorphs, it's what Corporal Hicks calls a bug hunt - kill or be killed. Here are fifteen all-new stories of such "close encounters", written by many of today's most extraordinary authors. Set during the events of all four Alien films, sending the Marines to alien worlds, to derelict space settlements, and into the nests of the universe's most dangerous monsters, these adventures are guaranteed to send the blood racing - one way or another.

Adventure calls! Reality and fantasy finally collide when a new member joins Azure's party. A dangerous encounter with a mimic makes him think twice about touching large chests. And learning magic proves to be a bigger pain than he could have ever imagined. The adventure continues in books 4-6 of the popular LitRPG series The Realm Between!

Gotrek Gurnisson was the greatest monster slayer of the age, who met his doom at the End Times. The heroic duardin stepped forth into the Realm of Chaos to fight the daemons gnawing at the world's ending and satisfy his death oath, leaving behind his companion Felix Jaeger. Now Gotrek has returned, having outlived the old gods and the Old World. Spat from the ruinous depths with his redemption unfulfilled, he emerges into the Mortal Realms, a strange new world where gods walk the earth and dark forces are ascendant. Nothing is as he remembers.

A classic tale featuring two of the most-memorable characters in sword and sorcery, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Over a span of 50 years, the late Fritz Leiber wrote dozens of adventures, set in the fictional city of Lankhmar, featuring the seven-foot-tall barbarian and the diminuitive thief. The stories were recognized with both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

When the vampire Lord Constantine returns to oversee his favorite haunt, Castle Belan, he’s shocked to discover a quirky, curvy woman has claimed sanctuary in his home while he was away. Despite her anxieties over his blood-drinking dependency, Daria Stoica seeks sanctuary with Constantine after a trusted witch delivers a dark portent that scares her even more than the vampire’s blood lust does. To keep busy, Daria has taken on maid duties, exploring Castle Belan, and also exploring her newfound guardian. Daria’s not the only one curious about the new living situation, but ...

A classic tale featuring two of the most-memorable characters in sword and sorcery, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Over a span of 50 years, the late Fritz Leiber wrote dozens of adventures, set in the fictional city of Lankhmar, featuring the seven-foot-tall barbarian and the diminuitive thief. The stories were recognized with both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

You know the invasion has begun. You know we are all that stands in their way. You think we are alone. You will see we have hidden allies. They think they have won. They are wrong. They do not have our power. They do not know the truth. We have a secret weapon.

Sam Wilson has a heavy shield to lift as the new Captain America. Listen to an action-packed anthology about Sam Wilson. Inspired by the Marvel comic book universe, the stories will see Sam prove he is ready to carry the shield as he faces Skrulls, Sabretooth, Kingpin, and other infamous villains.

Forty years after the Wild Card Virus' release, the World Health Organization decides it's time to take a delegation of Aces, Jokers, politicians, and journalists on a fact-finding mission to learn how other countries are dealing with the virus that reshaped humanity. Leading the team is Gregg Hartmann, a senator with presidential aspirations and a dangerous ace up his sleeve.

David Weber himself here contributes three never-before-published excursions into Honor's world, among them the story of how she first discovered her own inner strength and courage; and a chapter in the history of the telepathic treecats, who form a bond with their chosen human that can only be severed by death.

When things go bump in the night, there's only one federal agency that stands between the supernatural and humankind...CERBERUS. C.E.R.B.E.R.U.S. stands for “Clandestine Enforcement and Reconnaissance Bureau, Extranormal Rampart Division of the United States”—the American law enforcement unit that was created to deal with all things magical and unexplained. Follow along as Deputy Marshal Tony Mendoza is inducted into the supernatural underworld by the shadowy agency and its enigmatic leader, Director Strickland.

People work; folk play. That is how it has been in this country for as long as Sam can remember. He is happy, and he understands that this is the way it should be. People are bigger than folk. They are stronger. They do not need food or water. They do not need the warmth of a fire. All they need are jobs to do and a blacksmith to fix them when they break. The people work so the folk can drink their moonshine, fish a little, and throw horseshoes. But once Sam starts to wonder why the world is like this, his life will never be the same.

The very first Spellmonger anthology! Includes two audio exclusive stories, Stonesinger and The Ugliest Maid in Castal.

The beachside town of Oyster Cove had everything a man could want—endless white sand beaches, plentiful summer activities, and of course, more beautiful women than you could shake a tail at. I came to Oyster Cove to enjoy a leisurely summer of surf and sun, but I find out pretty quickly that there’s more to this town than meets the eye. My next door neighbor has eyes that are very similar to a cat’s, and I could have sworn the gorgeous waitress at my favorite food spot has scales on her legs.

On the surface, Xi Tianyi was the only son of Sword Empress Xi of the Buzhou Immortal Sect, the number one expert in the Huang Realm. His birth was noble, his status exalted. But the truth was that Xi Tianyi was actually a reincarnated man from a world known as Earth.

Farseek Mercenary Series Commander’s Mate – Farseek Brigade returns to find their world bombed to ruin by the Sargan Empire. Over a million people are missing, taken to become slaves by the Sargans. With their ten dreadnaught warships, they vow to find their missing people. Because their mission is unsanctioned by the Consortium, they dub themselves the Farseek Mercenaries. Among the slaves they rescue are four women abducted from Earth. Commander General Zared Maktu recognized Harper Avery as his soul mate or solmatu. He laments that it’s not the best time to start a romance amid ...

Encounter an extraordinary world of mystery, magic, and romance with "The Legend of Tarn & Beck" short story collection. Tarn and Beck, armed with intellect and courage, unravel a Sherlock Holmes mystery and confront enigmatic vampires at a dinner party. Amidst the intrigue, Tarn harbors a powerful magical force—the elfin light—yet remains oblivious to its origins. Their journey takes a thrilling turn when Beck is kidnapped and Tarn tries to save him with help from Jobe & Paracleus. Theo discovers a necromancer’s grimoire, fearing the involvement of Garth, an exorcist haunted by ...

The successor Chapters of the Space Marines number in the hundreds, founded to fight for the survival of the Imperium. Across 13 short stories by 10 different authors, discover the history, customs and stories of 12 different successor Chapters, from famed warriors to unsung heroes.

One glimpse a decade ago was all it took. The vampire Draven’s dreams have been plagued by the sensual woman ever since. At the command of a witch, widow Amara Madan has set out on a journey to see the world and recapture her life. Draven is overcome with years of lust the moment Amara returns. He’s unable to resist her call, giving into every desire he’s held onto. But once the initial need subsides, guilt over his rash seduction plagues him, and he pushes Amara away. The enthralling woman’s call doesn’t subside though, and Draven is forced to admit the truth: Amara is his long-...

Maxine was made to do one thing: die. Except the minor non-player character in the world Riley is building makes her own impossible decision - veering wildly off course and exploring the boundaries of the map. When the curious Riley extracts her code for closer examination, an emotional relationship develops between them. Soon Riley has all new plans for her spontaneous AI, including bringing Max into the real world. But what if Max has real-world plans of her own?