The grief of losing one of their own, coupled with their frustration at the careless behavior of newborn immortals forces Julia Agrippina to employ Samantha Moon to find out who took Alexei, find him and bring him home safely.  Sam finds that its an offer she can’t refuse. It seems The Watchers have been very active in the background of Los Angeles, ensuring that the locals don't find out too much about the various creatures of the night that live and hunt among them... but the time to pay for their services has arrived.  Sam teams up with prolific vampire hunter Veronica, a close friend of Alexei’s, to locate the boy and with a little help from his sister, the two investigators are soon hot on the trail. But, of course, neither is used to things sailing smoothly for very long. A warning from an unlikely source, reveals a deeper, sinister reason behind Alexei’s abduction and deep in the Central American jungle, Sam uncovers a mad man’s plan to destroy an entire nation.  In a display of their all-encompassing power, The Watchers move swiftly into action and while Sam and Veronica bring their lost friend home, Julia leads the others onto the battlefield for one more stand against evil and corruption.

    As the town’s medium, Connie Winters is the only person who can see the ghosts who call Mystic Springs home. When young temptress Lola is killed, the dead Mayor and the dead Sheriff are determined to investigate, and since they’ve never been replaced, they’d better get on with it. But they need Connie’s help. And if Connie’s helping, her sister Sage is going to get involved too - she’s beautiful, slim, and twenty years dead. It may be the first time in history that a murder-solving squad is a mixture of real live people and real dead ghosts. Connie, and the residents of Mystic Springs, will be forced to question everything they thought they knew. This is a full-length paranormal cozy mystery. Spooky not scary. Lighthearted and fun. First in series by Mona Marple, author of the Waterfell Tweed cozy mystery series.

    When Julie, a new client, comes to her about a disturbing recurring dream, Pauline has a murder case on her hands. The souls of three ghosts are at stake: Mack is the household haunter who irritates Pauline with his habit of knocking over furniture, but she's secretly comforted by his friendship. Mack has an amusing request, and what he does in return for her reveals more of the secret life of spirits. Mack brings Carla to Pauline for help. She's a little girl with a tragic ending and an old soul. Carla touches Pauline's heart with her stunning idea of how to set things right. Michael is a vile young man with a dark past, and worst of all, the light has never come for him. And perhaps, it never will...

    With his apprentice, Matthew, Levi operates one of the most ferocious covens in the world, known as The Black Fang. Managing the coven like an international corporation, Levi controls its enormous wealth while running a moonshine operation as a front. But when a plot to assassinate Levi is exposed, the warlock decides it's time to destroy The Black Fang and the destruction could create a new beginning. The Black Fang Betrayal features today's best horror, dark fantasy and thriller writers collaborating on a unique and fascinating novel. Armed with nothing but a prompt and a character name, each author became a warlock of The Black Fang and wrote a first-person account as a member of the coven. Using themes and sequences woven throughout the complete narrative, a cohesive page-turner emerges.

    But now, the evil sorcerer Mordak has broken free, and the time for battle has come once more.Brunar, a noble Mage, turns to the magick of six powerful and ancient weapons, the Jidaan. Using the power of these mystical spears, Brunar finds those Chosen to fight as Guardians of Talwynn, but only five of the six accept their destiny. Gart, a farmer with scars on his face and his soul, angrily refuses the call of the Jidaan. Nevertheless, Brunar plunges forward, teaching his new students the ways of magick and combat.Afire with insanity, Mordak makes an unholy bargain with a Daemon-God. Filled with unfathomable power, he unleashes his hideous army of creatures and undead soldiers across the land. When Mordak’s forces murder Gart’s family, Gart sets out alone, swearing revenge.As war erupts in Talwynn, Brunar prays that his teachings will be enough to save the Guardians. . .and the Realm.

    First, the psychic ability she believes she has just been pretending to have since middle school might actually be real.Second, her mother, who disappeared abruptly and completely almost a decade ago, might still be alive.Morgan finds herself in the drawn into a centuries-old struggle involving a group of people who quietly coexist alongside the common people of the world. This shadowy group believes it is time for them to reclaim their former positions of power—and they believe Morgan is the key.But when the time comes, will Morgan be able to do what it takes to reunite with her mother and fulfill her destiny?

    They know just the right spell to kill a man with one kiss—or raise him back again. And they’re not afraid to exact sweet revenge on those who dare to cross them. But what if you’re the unlucky soul who falls victim to a conjurer’s curse? And if you had the power to cast a magic spell of your own, would you use it?In this bewitching collection, nine of today’s hottest paranormal authors tell all-new, otherworldly tales.  Spellbinding stories featuring bigfoot, albino vampires, professional wizards, resurrected boyfriends and even a sex droid from the twenty-third century named Silicon Lily.  But as our conjurers are about to discover, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hexed.  And sometimes, even the best spun spells can lead to complete and utter mayhem. Includes:Retribution Clause by Ilona AndrewsBigfoot on Campus by Jim ButcherHolly’s Balm by Rachel CaineSnow Job by Carole Nelson DouglasOutside The Box by P. N. ElrodHow Do You Feel? by Simon R. GreenThere Will Be Demons by Lori HandelandCherry Kisses by Erica HayesThe Arcane Art of Misdirection by Carrie VaughnLength: 13 hours and 8 minutes

     Scratch the surface of the real world to find alchemy, were-creatures, and witches waiting! Prepare to fall in love with sexy alphas and the kickass heroines they live to chase. But be sure to keep your hands inside the ride at all times – because when it comes to these urban fantasy tales, love just might bite… From USA Today Bestselling Author Aimee Easterling - Shiftless: After years of suppressing her inner wolf, Terra struggles to forget her old pack. But when her past finally comes calling, she has no choice but to reclaim the predator within. From USA Today Bestselling Author Sylvia Frost - Moonbound: Seven years ago, werebeasts murdered Artemis's family and marked her as the mate of a monster. Now that monstrous mate has tracked her down and threatens to make her his own. From Bestselling Author L. M. Hawke - Black Moon Sing: A dark force is targeting a secret enclave of shapeshifters in the desert southwest, delivering them to grisly fates. Suspected of witchery and cast out of her human society, it's up to Ellery Chee, a lone coyote shifter, to stop this dangerous magician before her world disappears into thin air. From USA Today Bestselling Author Tasha Black - Curse of the Alpha: Episodes 1 & 2: As she struggles to come to terms with her werewolf nature, Ainsley Connor is thrust into the center of a steamy web of shifters, ghosts, witches and warlocks, caught up in a life-or-death struggle for control of the pack she tried to leave behind. From Bestselling Author Marina Finlayson - Moonborn: Since childhood, Garth has lived on the edges of the pack, the human stepson of the pack leader and an eternal outsider. He always dreamed of becoming a werewolf—until one day he got his wish. From Bestselling Author Val St. Crowe: The Toil & Trouble Trilogy: Book 1: Born into an underground ruling class of witches, eighteen-year-old Olivia has always tried to steer clear of both magic and monsters. But a struggle for power and a handsome face combine to turn her life upside-down until suddenly she's knee deep in both.

     Suspenseful, surprising, sometimes dark, sometimes humorous-these all-new stories will ensure that readers never think of vampires (or birthdays) in quite the same way again. In New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris's "Dracula Night," Sookie Stackhouse is the only human at the annual commemoration of Dracula's birth. But this year, the Prince of Darkness actually shows up-and finds Sookie to be a tasty-looking present. New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher's crime-solving wizard Harry Dresden, of the Dresden Files novels, heads to a role-playing party to give his vampire brother a birthday present in "It's My Birthday Too," only to discover there are some bloodthirsty party crashers who don't share their brotherly love. In "Twilight," Cassandra DuCharme, who appeared in New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's Dime Store Magic, knows she has to kill to live as a vampire another year-but finds herself disturbingly disinterested in the hunt. Plus ten more bloody good birthday stories that take the cake.Contents xi • Preface: A Few Words (Many Bloody Returns) • (2007) • essay by Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner1 • Dracula Night • [Sookie Stackhouse 4.3] • shortstory by Charlaine Harris21 • The Mournful Cry of Owls • novelette by Christopher Golden50 • I Was a Teenage Vampire • novelette by Bill Crider73 • Twilight • [Women of the Otherworld Short Fiction 7.2] • novelette by Kelley Armstrong100 • It's My Birthday, Too • [The Dresden Files 9.2] • novella by Jim Butcher146 • Grave-Robbed • [Vampire Files] • novelette by P. N. Elrod176 • The First Day of the Rest of Your Life • [The Morganville Vampires: Extras 2.5] • novelette by Rachel Caine201 • The Witch and the Wicked • novelette by Jeanne C. Stein230 • Blood Wrapped • [Henry Fitzroy] • novelette by Tanya Huff254 • The Wish • shortstory by Carolyn Haines265 • Fire Ice and Linguini for Two • [Garnet Lacey 2.5] • novelette by Lyda Morehouse [as by Tate Hallaway ]290 • Vampire Hours • novelette by Elaine Viets318 • How Stella Got Her Grave Back • novelette by Toni L. P. Kelner

    Stevens to find a legendary creature that he believes lurks in the Piney Woods. What she doesn't count on is leading a motley team of field investigators: Sam, the pompous anthropologist; Julie, the know-it-all biologist and survivalist; Ben, whose tattoos hide more than they reveal; and Hal, a seasoned adventurer. In the unforgiving boggy Texas woodlands, their days-long foray to seek Bigfoot leads Lux and her team to a remarkable discovery. Or a hoax. When one of the team disobeys her orders, the tables are turned and the predator becomes the prey. Now, it will take all of her instincts, training, and courage to help her team survive the danger and emerge from the woods. Five adventurers go into the deep woods seeking proof, but will they live to tell the world what they discover? SASQUATCH is K.T. Tomb’s first novel featuring Lux Branson in the Sasquatch series, and is her twenty-fourth book. “Epic and awesome!” —J.T. Cross, bestselling author of Beneath the Deep “K.T. Tomb is a wonderful new voice in adventure fiction.” —Aiden James, bestselling author of Plague of Coins

    And the only protective shields he’s never been able to find a way around are those of the powerful Keene Family.For a long time, Jeff has only had eyes for the beautiful Fallon Keene. Unfortunately, she is the only sister of the lethal North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene. The intricate balances of power and politics make it all but impossible for Fallon to trust her feelings.But fate takes a hand when the Pack’s totem is stolen—threatening the Keene family’s rule—and Fallon enlists Jeff’s help to retrieve it before the Pack is thrown into chaos. Can she and Jeff find the totem, and restore order, before it’s too late? And will Jeff finally be able to prove himself to the only person he truly loves?

    But she has something else going for her no other genre investigator does—the mysterious ability to see a death-predicting aura over the people around her. And she just can’t help but help them avoid the unthinkable—at all costs.Now available as one complete box set, this irresistible murder mystery series is sure to be a treat for international suspense armchair travelers that like their cozy female sleuths smart, savvy, and a tad psychic. Think traditional British mystery with a metaphysical twist. THE AURALife spins out of control for Kate Benedict when she sees a dancing aura above certain people’s heads that seems to signal death. Suddenly she’s psychic. But that can't be! Psychic’s not acceptable in her circle, where the supernatural is strictly for the superstitious. And yet…people are dying. People close to her.Kate's tentative attempts to talk about her new-found metaphysical gift are met with eye rolls, so much so that she can’t even tell the nice Scotland Yard detective who's investigating the death of a close friend, Rebecca Williams. And now Rebecca’s neighbor has an aura.DOUBLE BLINDTwo politicians and her best friend have the death-predicting auras London architect Kate Benedict can see despite her most fervent wishes. She’s had the dubious gift for a year now, and suddenly there’s no longer any ignoring it.But the only way to get to the two pols is via her old friend, DCI Clarke; yet her warnings go unheeded. Her frustration builds when her best friend, Anita, refuses to believe in the auras’ existence as well —even when one appears over Anita’s boss in the hospital where she works. And then Anita develops her own aura. THE FLORENTINE CYPHERWhat began as a quiet Friday night dinner date with an old childhood friend turns into a manhunt when Kate arrives at the rendezvous just in time to find her friend Ethan leaving in a taxi. Kate is alarmed to see the distinctive swirling pattern above his head. When Ethan’s disappearance is followed by a series of cryptic text messages, Kate goes looking for him at his sister’s house in Florence, but it’s immediately clear that whatever danger threatened Ethan in London has followed Kate to Italy—his sister Claire has a matching aura! Soon Kate and Claire are on the run, constantly watched and followed,repeatedly threatened and attacked … never knowing who they can trust. THE SCOTTISH CONNECTION Kate is off to a glamorous weekend party in Scotland at the formerly grand castle belonging to the uncle of her boyfriend Josh. But the festive occasion turns solemn when Kate notices an aura above the head of Josh’s beloved Uncle Fergus. Blessed – or cursed – with the ability to see auras that indicate that death is imminent, Kate can sometimes avert disaster –if she can discover the source of the danger. Otherwise, Josh’s favorite uncle will die in a matter of days.Thus is the scene set for a deliciously traditional British cozy with a touch of the paranormal thriller – complete with ghostly characters from the past; the requisite medieval weapons collection; and a creepy, ruined, closed-off wing of

    P. Kelner, editors of Home Improvement: Undead Edition? Your worst school nightmares—taking that math test you never studied for, finding yourself naked in school assembly, not knowing which door to enter—will pale in comparison to these thirteen original stories that take academic anxiety to whole new realms. In #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris’s story, "Playing Possum," Sookie Stackhouse brings enough birthday cupcakes for her nephew's entire class but finds she's one short when the angry ex-boyfriend of the school secretary shows up. When her guardian, Kate Daniels, sends her undercover to a school for exceptional children, teenaged Julie learns an all-new definition of "exceptional," in New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews's "Magic Tests." For those who like fangs with their forensics, New York Times bestselling author Nancy Holder offers "VSI," in which FBI agent Claire is tested as never before in a school for Vampire Scene Investigation. And in New York Times bestselling author Thomas Sniegoski's "The Bad Hour," Remy Chandler and his dog Marlowe find evil unleashed in an obedience school. You'll need more than an apple to stave off the creatures in these and nine other stories. Remember your first lesson: resistance is fruitless! Includes stories by: ILONA ANDREWS, AMBER BENSON, RHYS BOWEN, MIKE CAREY, CHARLAINE HARRIS, DONALD HARSTAD, STEVE HOCKENSMITH, NANCY HOLDER, FAITH HUNTER, TONI L.P. KELNER, MARJORIE LIU, JONATHAN MABERRY, THOMAS SNIEGOSKI

    These days, women are quite capable of solving their own problems and slaying their own dragons (or demons, as the case may be).In this all-new anthology, Kerrie L. Hughes and New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine have collected original stories from thirteen of today’s most exciting urban fantasy and paranormal authors. Each story features a strong heroine who kicks butt and takes names in a dangerous world and makes that world a better place for everyone in it—except the bad guys, of course. And if she finds a bit of romance along the way, well, a little heat warms the heart and sharpens the mind…just as long as the man can keep up. Includes: Shiny by Rachel CaineIn Venito Veras by Karen ChanceHunt by Rachel VincentMonsters by Lilith SaintcrowVampires Prefer Blondes by P.N. ElrodNine-Tenths of the Law by Jenna BlackDouble Dead by Cheyenne McCrayA Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red by Elizabeth A. VaughnSuperman by Jeanne C. SteinMonster Mash by Carole Nelson DouglasWanted: Dead or Alive by L.A. BanksMist by Susan KrinardBeyond the Pale by Nancy Holden

    Martin and Gardner Dozois. Also available in Side Jobs.