Fantasy Short Stories

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a dark fantasy story about binding promises. Enter the world of Godwick Emberfoot, a Halfling Warlock enslaved to the Archfae Aurusel the Gardner, sent to wrest a treasure from a dragon’s hoard. But, in the dark, nothing is what it seems, and the dragon isn't willing to just hand it over. Trapped in the dragon’s lair, Godwick finds himself in a high-stakes game of wit and will against a dragon whose motives are as enigmatic as his methods, and there’s an old score to settle with the Archfae. Godwick must bargain for the treasure and his life and...

Join the Endurance's crew - a trigger-happy first officer, a hyperactive engineer, a shy covert operative, a conspiracy-spouting physicist, and a captain trying to earn his way back into his superiors' good graces....

In Virginia DeMarce's witty and touching "Pastor Kastenmayer's Revenge", a Lutheran pastor gets even with the American who eloped with his daughter by scheming to gain new adherents through eight separate arranged marriages between Lutheran down-timers and American up-timers. Also included: Gorg Huff's "Other People's Money", plus much more.

Nineteen sparkling stories that weave between the lands of the living and the lands of the dead. Spirits Abroad is an expanded edition of Zen Cho’s Crawford Award winning debut collection with nine added stories including Hugo Award winner “If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again”. A Datin recalls her romance with an orang bunian. A teenage pontianak struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love, and eating people.

When Jessica Davis is offered the opportunity to be transferred to her employer’s newest location, she decides to make the move. Sure Hawaii sounds like the perfect relocation, but for Jessica it was her family’s rejection of her lesbian lifestyle that sent her packing. Starting her new life alone is more than daunting for Jessica. As soon as she walks in to the new hotel and sees Leilani however, she knows she is where she should be. Leilani, the gorgeous caramel skinned receptionist is quick to make friends with Jessica and within a day they are planning a beach trip. When Leilani and...

Keeping up-to-date with the most buzzworthy and cutting-edge science fiction requires sifting through countless magazines, e-zines, websites, blogs, original anthologies, single-author collections, and more - a task accomplishable by only the most determined and voracious readers. For everyone else, Night Shade Books is proud to introduce the latest volume of The Best Science Fiction of the Year, collecting the finest that the genre has to offer, from the biggest names in the field to the most exciting new writers.

Only two things matter to Dwayne, his Harley and the military… until he meets Ava. Dwayne doesn’t do relationships, doesn’t do feelings, and he doesn’t talk about Afghanistan. When this sharpshooter returns home on forced leave, the last place he wants to be is in doctor’s office discussing all the nightmares he wishes he could forget. After meeting is curvy therapist, he can barely contain himself not to throw her down and have his way with her – she is like no women he has ever met. Ava is no stranger to soldiers, but she isn’t accustomed to patients who defy every textbook ...

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.

Cat burglar takes on a whole other meaning when you are a werelion. But thief, Trisha Sandstrom considers it her livelihood; her sole purpose in life is to steal from the rich and make herself well-off. No Robin Hood philosophy for her. Ever since she was turned into a werelion, life has taken on a rather selfish patina for Trisha. Ready to shake the dust of Georgia from her heels, one last heist lies between her and the beaches of Saint-Tropez. Summer Branson is one of Savannah, Georgia’s wealthiest women. She operates a business catering to men’s most base and sensual desires, but ...

The Last Hieroglyph is the fifth of the five-volume Collected Fantasies series. Editors Scott Connors and Ron Hilger have compared original manuscripts, various typescripts, published editions, and Smith's notes and letters, in order to prepare a definitive set of texts. The Last Hieroglyph includes, in chronological order, all of Clark Ashton Smith's stories from "The Dark Age" to "The Dart of Rasasfa".

Seabury Quinn's most famous character, the supernatural French detective Dr. Jules de Grandin, investigated cases involving monsters, devil worshippers, serial killers, and spirits from beyond the grave. The Complete Tales of Jules de Grandin, presents all 93 published works featuring the supernatural detective. Presented in chronological order over five volumes, this is the definitive collection of an iconic pulp hero. The third volume, The Dark Angel, includes all Jules de Grandin stories from "The Lost Lady" to "The Hand of Glory", as well as The Devil's Bride.

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.

In a futuristic world where predictive software can map out the lives of every living person and their descendants, Naomi Prynne is on trial. The charge: endangerment by way of a pregnancy. Thirteen jurors will determine whether Naomi is allowed to carry the pregnancy to term, but the jurors are also all plaintiffs, the software having predicted how Naomi Prynne’s child will affect each of them in life-changing ways.

This sequel to the Hugo and Audie Award nominated METAtropolis features interconnected stories by today’s top writers of speculative fiction – performed by a galaxy of Star Trek stars. As the mid-20th century approaches, the Pacific Northwest has been transformed - politically, economically, and ecologically - into the new reality of Cascadia. Conspiracies and secrets threaten the tenuous threads of society. And the End of Days seems nearer than ever.

Herbert George Wells was one of the most prolific and visionary British writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. H. G. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels, although he wrote across many genres, including nonfiction. His fiction embraces history, science fiction, horror, satire, fantasy, and social commentary. Wells was also a futurist, foreseeing air travel, tanks (as in “The Land Ironclads” - part of this anthology) space travel, nuclear weapons, and even satellite television.

Get ready for a collection of thirteen short stories that will chill your bones, tingle your spine, and scare your pants off. Debut author Josh Allen masterfully concocts horror in the most innocent places, like R. L. Stine meets a modern Edgar Allan Poe. A stray kitten turns into a threatening follower. The street sign down the block starts taunting you. Even your own shadow is out to get you! Spooky things love hiding in plain sight. The everyday world is full of sinister secrets, and these stories show that there's darkness even where you least expect it.

Expect fast-paced action, aliens, and more aliens, planet hopping, a mysterious quest, and a bossy spaceship who likes to meddle. Includes all four books in the Space Gypsy Chronicles.

Christmas is coming to Beechwood Harbor, but will the manor residents be ready for his magical visit? With mischief and mystery at every turn, Holly and friends have to rally to save Christmas before it's too late! A Very Beechwood Christmas includes four mini mysteries set around a wild and magical Christmas when the real Santa Claus comes to town!

Grim leads those who have passed into the next life across the river to be judged. His work is endless and his life dull...until he meets Isabella. Read this cute romantic short story that is sure to have you hanging on for dear "life."

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...