Book picks similar to
Martyrs and Monsters by Robert Dunbar
horror
short-stories
fantasy
fiction
The Alpha Vampire's Proposal
Colbie Dunbar - 2019
But Declan, the omega he’s guarding, is human, and the alpha is undead. Declan wants nothing to do with the vampire, but Alexander is present for major changes in his life, and the omega can’t ignore him. While the alpha mourns his lost humanity, the omega also grieves for something he can’t get back, and they form an unlikely friendship. After a catastrophic event, the pair are forced together, emotionally wounded and unsure of their feelings. And when Alexander proposes a solution, his brother, Ambrose, a rich and powerful vampire and head of their coven, pushes Declan to make a decision. Deceiving the rest of the world, they struggle with their past and avoid thinking about the future, until the omega learns the truth and fears losing what he already has. Craving emotional and physical intimacy, the changes allow both human and vampire to explore new possibilities. Against the backdrop of a society where vampires administer the law are unexplained disappearances and kidnappings, missed opportunities, a troubled teen and a baby. But when Alexander and Declan witness something they weren’t supposed to, it threatens the life they’d hoped for. This is a 35,000-word, mpreg novel, and it’s the first of three books in the Flickering Shadows Series.
The Marrying Kind
Ken O'Neill - 2010
So Adam decides to make a change. Organizing a boycott of the wedding industry, Steven and Adam call on gay organists, hairdressers, cater-waiters, priests, and hairdressers everywhere to get out of the business and to stop going to weddings, too. In this screwball, romantic comedy both the movement they’ve begun and their relationship are put in jeopardy when Steven’s brother proposes to Adam’s sister and they must decide whether they’re attending or sending regrets.
Pendulum
Joel Abernathy - 2019
All I wanted was a fresh start when I left my abusive ex-boyfriend behind in Austin. What I got? A den of wolves. No, I mean literal wolves—moon worship, fangs and all. Sebastian and Victor? One’s troubled and dangerous, the other’s as overprotective as he is overpowered, and they’re both alpha males. Speaking of alphas, each of them thinks I’m his “fleur.” Which I’m guessing is another term for “omega.” If I wanted anything to do with the wolf pack or its super-exclusive “gentleman’s club,” I’d be flattered that the twins are fighting over me like a scrap of meat, but I’m not that kind of guy no matter what they insist I am and there’s nothing gentlemanly about the wolves who run the Lodge. Problem is, they’re not the only ones who are after me. Keeping the wolves at bay is hard enough, but when a vampire from my past comes calling, I’ll have to choose sides—and a mate—just to survive. Pendulum is a 140k romantic fantasy and the first in a series of three books. This book has been re-edited and republished, V. 2.0. The first two books end in cliffhangers and the third (final) book ends in an HEA for Remus and the brothers. The entire series will be released by the end of April 2019. Please see inside cover for content warnings, audiences 18+ only.
A Wizard's Shelter
Hollis Shiloh - 2014
Elliot is drawn to him, and his magic seems to calm down around the handsome and mysterious Rue. Elliot sinks gratefully into the unexpected grace of Rue's kindness and friendship. He doesn’t understand why his magic is broken or why it feels whole again around Rue. But right now he’s just trying to survive, grateful for the reprieve Rue’s friendship provides.But then a a potential tragedy on the beach culminates in Rue revealing his true nature: he’s a selkie, both man and seal, with a magic that somehow complements and heals Elliot’s when they’re together. And that might not be possible for much longer.
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy
Cassandra Clare - 2016
But the events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows he was friends with Clary, and that he convinced the total goddess Isabelle Lightwood to go out with him…but he doesn’t know how. And when Clary and Isabelle look at him, expecting him to be a man he doesn’t remember…Simon can’t take it.So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. His new self. Whomever this new Simon might be.But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. And that differences—like being a former vampire—are greatly looked down upon. At least Simon is trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. These ten short stories give an epilogue to the Mortal Instruments series and provide glimpses of what’s in store in the Dark Artifices.
Soulless
T. Baggins - 2013
Crippled by a riding accident and embittered by his injuries, he shuns the world, focusing on his laboratory and experiments. But when the sale of his country estate, Grantley, leads to an encounter with a vampire, Nicholas realizes there is more in heaven and earth than he ever dreamed possible.A Creature of DarknessAlthough three hundred years old, Bancroft Ulwin is young by supernatural standards. Enslaved by his cruel, deformed maker, Ban is forbidden from relations with mortal men unless it ends in death. But his liaison with Nicholas, expressly against his master’s wishes, soon expands beyond mere lust to something more.A Love PredestinedLong ago while still mortal, Ban met Serafino, the only true love of his life. When death separated them, Ban accepted his role as an enemy of human kind. But as he comes to suspect Nicholas is Serafino reincarnated, Ban begins to question everything he once believed. Including his own damnation.
Spirits Abroad
Zen Cho - 2020
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. An earth spirit gets entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord, and Chang E spins off into outer space, the ultimate metaphor for the Chinese diaspora.
Bound By Blood
Jourdan Lane - 2006
Like Peter, a young man with a strict rule about one-night stands with locals. He breaks that rule for Lucien, the owner of The Den, a rival nightclub where there are no boundaries, no taboos. Only he doesn't realize just who Lucien is when he does. When Peter finds out that the man he wants to get to know even more is a vampire, he figures he should have stuck to that rule. He's not fan of vampires or most other creatures of the night, but Lucien is relentless in his seduction. Peter resists Lucien as long as he can, but when he gives in, he does it in a big way, falling headfirst in to the dark, violent world of vampires, werewolves, and other creatures he's only read about. Peter and Lucien begin a very dangerous dance of sensual heat and deep emotion, one that causes them nothing but trouble. No one approves of the human and vampire match, including those in Lucien's Coven, old enemies, and even older friends. Peter and Lucien have to struggle to stay together and protect those they love. Can they beat the forces that will try to tear them apart forever? And can they face what will become of Peter if they stay together?
Magic Terror
Peter Straub - 2000
Welcome to another kind of terror as Peter Straub leads us into the outer reaches of the psyche. Here the master of the macabre is at his absolute best in seven exquisite tales of living, dying and the terror that lies in between…No one tells a story like Peter Straub. He dazzles with the richness of his plots and the eloquence of his prose. He startles you into laughter in the face of events so dark that you begin to question your own moral compass. Then he reduces you to jelly by spinning a tale so terrifying – and surprising – that you have to sleep with the lights on. Now, with these seven acclaimed stories he has given us his finest and most imaginatively unsettling collection yet.‘WHEN STRAUB TURNS ON ALL HIS JETS, NO ONE IN THE SCREAM FACTORY CAN EQUAL HIM.’STEPHEN KING
Mad Dog Summer: And Other Stories
Joe R. Lansdale - 2004
Originally available only in limited-edition hardcover, these tales run the gamut from devilish fantasy to twisted courtroom drama to vampire-robot western. Each story has an introduction in which the author relates the background of and inspiration for the story, whether it was drawn from history, literature, or pure imagination. The title story, about a serial killer in Texas in the 1930s, won the 1999 Bram Stoker Horror Award for long fiction.
Pyromancer
Amanda Young - 2007
When the people around him keep dying, he forgoes personal attachments. The thought of his pyromancy hurting anyone else isn't something he's willing to risk.Tanner O'Bannon is broke and desperate. The recent loss of his father has thrown Tanner into a tailspin of debt he can't afford to pay. Working as a rent boy allows him to pay the mortgage and his college tuition, but it's eroding his soul in the process.Through the machinations of Male Companions -- the escort agency for which Tanner works -- the men are thrown together. Smoldering embers of desire fan the flames of love, but will it be enough to make Christian overcome his fear of love, or to save Tanner from the fire?Only one thing is certain; both men will burn.Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Male/male sexual practices (anal/oral sex), violence.
Skin
Kathe Koja - 1993
Her solitary existence ends when she meets Bibi. A self-proclaimed "guerilla performance artist," Bibi pushes her body to the utmost in her dancing, sculpting it into a finely tuned machine. But the limits of her body frustrate her. With Tess, she creates a performance art of mobile, bladelike sculptures and human dance that becomes increasingly violent and dangerous. Still this is not enough for Bibi. Her desire to grow and transform leads her to body piercing, then to ritual cuttings and scarrings. And further. Though Tess breaks their partnership, she cannot stop Bibi's dark exploration of the limits of her body. Her search is self-destructive, all-encompassing...unstoppable.
The Immortal Coil
J. Armand - 2014
Since the beginning, humanity has been locked in a never-ending cycle of destruction and rebirth. Wars are fought and civilizations crumble only to be reborn and start anew. Names and faces may change with each cycle, but the game remains the same.Humans are not the only players on the board, however. Sinister forces watch from the sidelines waiting for every opportunity to manipulate the fate of mankind for their own benefit. These immortal beings have purged the knowledge of their existence from our archives and stricken the true past from the record books to shroud the world in ignorance so that they may gain every possible advantage over the hapless cattle they seek to control.Now, with the modern era coming to a close, it is time for the immortals to make their move once more. And for some, their plans include young Dorian, whether he likes it or not.
The Youth & Young Loves of Oliver Wade
Ben Monopoli - 2015
Through a computer screen, a high-school boy falls in love with his oldest friend; in a dorm room, a college boy opens up to his newest. At a hospital, a young man looks into his future; on snowy Cape Cod, he connects with his past. In the passenger seat of his car, a grown man seizes the day with a soldier; under summer fireworks, he shares his story.Ollie shows us how even the most ordinary days can move us in profound ways. In "The Youth & Young Loves of Oliver Wade," we see that our lives may be just a series of moments, but it's these moments that become our momentum.A stand-alone companion to "The Painting of Porcupine City."