Fantasy Short Stories

After his son gives him a pair of "X-ray" glasses as a gift, Martin Blackstone tries them on just for the hell of it - and all they do is give him a headache...until he sees things he can’t possibly be seeing. Glimpses of things on the other side of a wall or beneath someone’s clothing. He wants to believe it’s just his overactive imagination, but the “X-ray” specs actually work.

It’s a story you may think you know - an aging baseball coach is challenged by the very boy he took in and raised. But in this near future world, "smart” houses talk and listen, and - privy as they are to the secret life of the household - family life gets interesting. Creepy and funny, unsettling and entertaining, this is a story that stands on its own even as it proves the perfect follow up to Gish Jen’s critically acclaimed novel The Resisters.

New York Times best seller, master-class alternate historian, and creator of the Ring of Fire saga Eric Flint delivers an explosion of tales filled with well-turned action, wit, and wonder.

A whimsical tale about an inherited house with a garden full of gnomes. It presents a heartwarming mystery that includes a few giggles along the way. Great for all Ages.

A poison salesman bargains for his life with a beautiful, mysterious customer.... A devious virgin mage pits her two best friends against each other for the right to take her to bed.... A male spy sells his virginity contract to a much more experienced sorceress.... A young woman finally earns the title of queen--only to launch an affair with her king's deadly brother.... A successful lord chooses a wife from his magicless farmworkers, but the alluring young woman is much more than he bargained for.... And two men on the field of war learn how cheat at a card game--and how to be honest with...

I guess you could call my latest job interview a success. I got hired, and it's way beyond my wildest dreams. The pay isn't great. And the hours are pretty much 24/7. But there's magic. And a portal to a fantasy world. Those kind of outweigh the negatives. At first, I thought I was just testing the latest VR survival RPG, but I'm starting to think this might not be a game after all. The monsters are definitely life-like and capable of carving me apart on their worst days. But on their best days, I make them mine.

Desiree just turned eighteen and wants to get a tattoo for her birthday. Her and her friend Alice go down to get one at the local tattoo parlor, but Desiree is too nervous to go through with it. Since an artist had been called on to take care of her, the two women go out for coffee instead. Desiree immediately likes Clarissa, but more so, starts to feel something that she has never felt before for a woman. Desiree desires the older tattoo artist and it finally pushes her to go back in with more courage. She asks Clarissa to give her the tattoo and when Clarissa puts her hands on her, it ...

The storm unearthed the dragons—Anna vowed to set them free. But with her ex leading the war against them, she must choose: the man she loves… or the creatures she was born to protect. In the aftermath of the Great Typhoon of 2030, the United States is unrecognizable—ravaged by chaos and fire-breathing fury. When ancient dragon eggs from the Pacific Ocean wash ashore with the storm, no one could have predicted what came next: the dragons awaken and unleash destruction on a scale the world has never known. The only protection? Salt and subzero temperatures. As dragon meat becomes a ...

What's your forbidden fantasy? Mine involves my wife spread eagle on a bed with another man buried deep between her thighs. Call me a dirty bastard if you must, but tonight that dream is about to become reality. We're out of town on vacation in Rockville and just scored an invitation to a private party. The theme, you ask? Naughty schoolgirl. Yes, this is happening. Warning! Heat level - 5/5 flames. This one is scorching.

In the eight years since his first full-length novel, Gridlinked, was published by Pan Macmillan, Neal Asher has firmly established himself as one of the leading British writers of science fiction, and his novels are now translated in many languages. Most of his stories are set in a galactic future-scape called The Polity, and with this collection of marvellously inventive and action-packed short stories, he takes us further into the manifold diversities of that amazing universe.

Only an act of pure love can shatter Shida the Silent's celestial bonds. Forged by divine hands to serve the whims of a powerful sultan, Shida the Silent, the enchanting genie, was endowed with unparalleled beauty and beguiling charm. Bestowed with the ability to satisfy every sexual desire of humans, Shida's only purpose is to infiltrate the ranks of the sultan's political adversaries, weaving her magical influence to sway their allegiances. Her mesmerizing presence becomes a formidable tool in the sultan's intricate game of diplomacy. However, amidst the intrigues of the court, Shida ...

As Eva Moretti continues her work at the Ghent International Exhibition, in addition to nursing her beloved Jed, a familiar darkness slips back into the light. Jed, rousing from a coma, is still healing from a devastating fall, yet senses something far worse—an enemy once thought gone, now moving in the shadows. Old secrets surface. Fires ignite. And in a city caught between celebration and collapse, Eva and Jed must face what they’ve been avoiding: the truth.

Tackling some of humanity’s oldest questions along with new quandaries only he could imagine, these stories will change the way you think, feel, and see the world. They are Ted Chiang at his best: profound, sympathetic, revelatory. Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions along with new quandaries only he could imagine.

Everyone thinks I'm in control, but I've never wanted to surrender more. After hearing about my friend's adventure at a freeuse resort, I can't stop thinking about it. When I finally confess to my husband my secret fantasy to be freely used for others' pleasure, he's immediately supportive—especially when I suggest booking a weekend at an exclusive resort where colored wristbands signal my consent. While my husband watches men use me throughout the resort, I'm finally able to turn off my mind and embrace my inner goddess. I'm trading control for pleasure, multiple men at a time.

Taylor Scott is the hot shot quarterback of the Allman University Bulldogs. An All-American good old boy, Taylor is both excellent at his sport and demanding of his teammates. He accepts nothing less than perfection. Travis is the freshman tight end. New to the team, he's having trouble getting along with Taylor. In fact after a few dropped passes, Taylor and Travis quickly become enemies! Travis wants to be a good teammate, but he can't stand Taylor's cocksure attitude. When coach locks them in the film room to study plays, they have no choice but to get to know each other. As their walls ...

Horror writer Michael Richards is disturbed from his daily grind by blood dripping from the ceiling, which steadily worsens. Soon, the blood becomes Michael's personal metaphor in a battle of denial. When a compulsive gambler is forced to seek out a loan shark rooted in myth, he discovers the dark saviour teaches more to his pupils than deliverance from debt. Trapped within a room of sinister dolls, an average man is forced to confront his very worst fears ... and quickly learns staring into the abyss does not grant you a reprieve from them. Interweaving horror into socially relevant ...

Four women, and a freshman year beyond his wildest fantasies. My life flipped upside down the day an older woman decided to take interest in me. At nineteen, I thought I had a normal, boring college life. Then she walked into my life with her knowing smiles and promises of pleasure I’d never imagined. Before I knew it, my mundane freshman year transformed into an education no university could provide. I had no idea how much my life was about to change. Volume 1 includes books 1-5. His First Taste His First Seduction His First Lesson His First Challenge His First Encounter

"A Song For Sadye" is a tale of the DemonWars, and offers new insights into the life of the bard, Sadye.

Chloe As the only human bartender at the Moonlight Den, I've learned to navigate the supernatural world with my wits and observation skills. But when a brooding bear shifter steps behind my bar one night, something shifts inside me. Kade's protective nature and haunted eyes draw me in, even as danger closes around us. When a rogue shifter targets me for my knowledge, I find myself caught between my independence and the undeniable pull toward the mountain man who's determined to keep me safe. But I won't be relegated to the sidelines—I have knowledge that could help save his world and mine...

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.