Dr. Nettie Jones is a new agent for The Society for the Exploration of the Unexplainable, a secret organization protecting England from unnamed sources. Being half-vampire is an added complication. The Society doesn't yet appreciate Nettie but fate steps in when invaders from a dying planet begin following her the same day Queen Victoria chooses to be turned into a vampire. Things become dangerously interwoven when Nettie discovers that a supposed accident was in fact an act of betrayal by one of the agents of the Society. The first shot in a larger conspiracy Nettie and her fellow Society agents must pull together to thwart the alien invaders, fight off the vampire infestation, and rescue the Queen from becoming the longest ruling undead monarch, even if that rescue is against her will.

     Rhiannon 'Rain' Finlay sucks at being a druid. Her gift of communicating with animals works just fine, but she doesn't know a Thurisaz rune from a Wunjo, and she can't even cast a circle of protection without a cheat sheet. That's why she decided to leave her tiny village on the Isle of Parthas, North Sea, for a normal non-magical life halfway around the world. But when her beloved grandfather disappears along with a handful of villagers, she's forced to return home and use her gift -- and her crappy druid magic -- to help them. Unfortunately, she's not exactly prepared to face the very real monsters that are popping up all over, from mutant spiders to banshees, black dogs ... and worse. That's when she learns all the crazy stories her father told her growing up, about the old deserted castle on the island having belonged to King Arthur, might not be so crazy after all. The legends are real. They're returning to Parthas. And they have unfinished business with Rain Finlay.

    A dashing dragon rider in the right place at the wrong time. And an unlikely pirate captain with nothing left to lose.Being a dragon rider is not in Anakisha’s plans. And Anakisha’s stubborn. She’s not giving up her dreams anytime soon.When Anakisha’s brother is murdered by a gang, she joins the Night Wings, a team of local vigilantes, and takes to the streets to avenge him. With a soft spot for defending underdogs, she’s found her niche.The Night Wing’s leader is the dreamy golden-haired son of the village arbitrator — a fine catch. If she can impress his father, she can marry him and improve her family’s fortune. But the underbelly of Fieldhaven is rife with politics and deceit. Although Anakisha is good with a bow and a dagger, she’s not always the best judge of character…And her plans do not include a dragon.But then, the King’s Rider appears on his sleek onyx dragon.And a bloodthirsty pirate captain rises to power, spreading terror on the Naobian Sea.Leaving Anakisha torn between her dream and her duty…

     An extinction-level asteroid is cannonballing toward Earth. In humanity’s final hours, a lucky few earn a one-way ticket to the brand-new, ultra-immersive, fantasy-based VRMMORPG, Viridian Gate Online. Making that leap of faith might mean survival, but it comes with a steep price tag: “Travelers” will forever be stranded as digital avatars inside a fantastical world filled with vicious monsters, all-powerful AIs, and cutthroat players. Let the games begin … Six amazing authors. Six incredible new tales. All set in the best-selling Viridian Gate Online Universe. Side Quests is an anthology for fans, by the fans! Included in Side Quests: “A Gentleman’s Work” by James A. Hunter When an Imperial Inquisitor captures a Thieves Guild Operative, Cutter must undertake a deadly rescue mission while using every grift in the book to stay one step ahead of a Headsman’s Blade. And the prize for this extraordinary quest? Nothing short of the keys to the Rowanheath Thieves Guild. Deception, subterfuge, and heavy drinking—all in a day’s work for a Gentleman … “The Funeral Parlor” by Raymond Johnson A young spiderling is stranded in an alien land, surrounded by hostile creatures. Forced to fight for her life in a bid to find her way home, she must transform into the predator she is destined to become or die alone and forgotten, trapped in a dark world know as the Shadowverse. “The Raiding of Rowanheath” by J.D. Astra The Crimson Alliance has breached the walls of Rowanheath, inciting Aleixo Carrera’s rage. Now Abby and her rag-tag invasion crew must reach the keep’s Command Center before the defending troops mobilize and shut down the takeover, else they’ll lose the battle and the war for Eldgard’s freedom. “The Ballad of Jaro Edgewalker” by N.H. Paxton Jaro is an assassin, and he’s good at it. But when he finds a foe that is insurmountable by normal means and uncovers a plot to destroy everything he loves, Jaro has to balance his morality with his love for his friends and make an incredibly difficult decision. “Buried Alive” by Nicholas Reid Carlos Vega thinks he’s escaping certain death by entering the virtual world of V.G.O., but instead he’s swallowed alive by the deadly Barren Sands. He’ll have to overcome the riddles and horrors of a long-forgotten temple in order to escape, but can he do it before the evil sealed there centuries ago finds him? “A Final Kindness” by D.J. Bodden Alan Campbell was a talker, not a fighter, until someone murdered his girl. He’d almost given up on finding the killers; now he’s got a fresh lead, a trio of mercenaries who outclass him in every way but his wits. He’ll cheat, bluff, and steal to get his revenge, and as one of V.G.O.’s immortal travelers, he’s willing to die trying. Want to keep up with the Viridian Gate Online Universe? Visit Shadow Alley Press and subscribe to our mailing list!

    But Clarissa knows what she’s seen. Unfortunately, she’s a little distracted, and her actions earn her a suspension. Great. Life is really looking up. Maybe her therapist is right. Maybe she’s under too much stress and is seeing things.
 But then a vamp seeks her out, telling her to knock it off and leave them alone or else he’ll knock her off.
 Clarissa isn’t the kind to back down, though, and she’ll do whatever it takes to keep Bethlehem safe. She’s just hoping that won’t require her to lose a lot of blood… or her head.

    All dragonkind are born with a deeply ingrained calling to protect the innocent. As Primalthorn, the Ultimate Guardian, it becomes Skulla’s duty to preserve his dying race as well. But with his responsibility comes a great burden as he’s tasked with ending the lives of those on the verge of going rogue. Year after lonely year, only his obligations keep Skulla clinging to sanity, until the day he meets his mate. Kiah-thorn brings light back into his darkened soul. With the lives of not only dragonkind but his family at stake, Skulla is hesitant when the Ilyium call on him for assistance. For his choices may just end all dragonkind.Get Dracones Primalthorn and delve into the magical world of dragonkind to find out how the curse came to be. Can be read either before or after bk1, Dracones awakening.

    Heat vision? Super strength? Flight? They are nowhere to be found. Instead, powers like photosynthesis or the ability to spontaneously change hair color seem to be the best the world can offer. To make matters worse, the gifted individuals tend to suffer from psychological issues. Nonetheless, in hopes of finding enough functional meta-humans to form a squad, in 1965 the US military created The Guardian Project. The head of the Army's current incarnation of the project hires Dr. Adam Aiken, a psychologist specializing in the meta-human condition, to filter out the most dangerously unbalanced of the prospective super-soldiers. The screening process is to be done with all possible secrecy. This proves to be more easily said than done. A misfiring superpower leaks news of the recruitment effort to the public, attracting a flood of misfit meta-humans from around the nation, each hungry for heroic validation. A sleazy PR officer knows publicity when he sees it and converts the secret program into a nationally broadcast competition with all of the dignity and grace of a reality show. The ultimate prize is a coveted spot on a government sanctioned super team.The Other Eight follows the exploits of the applicants deemed sane enough for consideration. On one side are earnest but underpowered heroes like the twitch-inducing Nonsensica or the fluorescent tube-hurling Phosphor. On the other are the better equipped but less dedicated recruits like walking good luck charm Johnny on The Spot and seed-spitting loose cannon The Hocker. Who will win a place on the team, and what will be done about the jilted heroes who didn't make the cut?

    ENTRY #10 IN MERCEDES LACKEY'S CELEBRATED SERRATED EDGE URBAN FANTASY SERIES! Deeply depressed Olivia, whose parents are divorcing, is ripe for manipulation. And swimming star Blake is looking for someone just like her. Although her friend tries to warn her, Olivia falls for his ploys and accepts an invitation to go to the Adirondack resort camp of Lake Endor with him and his family. But all is not as it seems at the hundred year old resort. Not only does Olivia discover that Blake is not the guy she thought he was, there is something sinister afoot at the lake. There is something lying beneath the waters of Lake Endor. Something not of this world. Will Olivia be drawn under or will she allow true friends to draw her from the lure of oblivion? At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About The Waters and the Wild: "Impressive worldbuilding . . . series fans will no doubt find plenty to enjoy."—Publishers Weekly About Mercedes Lackey: "She'll keep you up past your bedtime."—Stephen King "A writer whose work I've loved all along"—Marion Zimmer Bradley "With [Mercedes Lackey], suspense never lags..." —Kliatt "[C]omes together seamlessly. . .an awesome and lightning-paced story: read it on a day when you will not have to put it down."–San Francisco Book Review on World Divided About Rosemary Edghill: “Edghill has a chatty, witty style that keeps the action fast-paced.” —USA Today Mercedes Lackey is the New York Times best-selling author of the Bardic Voices series and the Serrated Edge series (both Baen), the Heralds of Valdemar series, and many more. She's the coauthor of the contemporary meta-hero SF series The Secret World Chronicle. Among her popular Baen titles are The Fire Rose, The Lark and the Wren, and also The Shadow of the Lion and Burdens of the Dead with Eric Flint and Dave Freer. She lives in Oklahoma. Rosemary Edghill is the keeper of the Eddystone Light, corny as Kansas in August, normal as blueberry pie, and only a paper moon. She was found floating down the Amazon in a hatbox, and, because criminals are a cowardly and superstitious lot, she became a creature of the night (black, terrible). She began her professional career working as a time-traveling vampire killer and has never looked back. A woman of many, many talents, she’s written more than a dozen novels with Mercedes Lackey.

    Girl’s Guide to Witchcraft begins the series, introducing Jane to her magical abilities – as well as to her sexy warder and her quirky, cat-like familiar. The story continues in Sorcery and the Single Girl, when Jane is invited to join her exclusive local Coven. Jane’s story moves on to Magic and the Modern Girl, when she discovers the consequences of letting her powers lie fallow for just a little too long. This omnibus edition contains bonus recipes related to the series!

    But when Omar is accused of murder over the north sea, his quest for answers may end in a watery grave. Welcome to a fantastical world where strange machines sail the seas and the skies, enormous prehistoric beasts roam the earth, and the restless dead whisper to the living.

    For Adam Hale, the thrill of plunging his tiny ship into the unimaginable maelstroms on the king of planets helps him forget the blood-soaked tragedy that ended his military career. Rachel Price came to Jove Station to find her missing partner, Zane Hale, who is also an intelligence operative for the Republic. To do that, she must convince Zane’s brother—the man responsible for slaughtering dozens of her friends on Mars—to help her. Amid the crowds of the first annual system-wide storm diving competition, they stumble onto an insidious conspiracy that changes everything they thought they knew about each other and themselves. They must overcome the past and work as one or Jupiter will eat their bones.

    Virdi.Jonathan Hawthorne has lived over a century beholden to one rule: do not meddle in mortal affairs. He's broken it twice. So when he crosses paths with Cassidy Winters, he's forced to interfere again.Strike three. And the third time's not the charm.Hawthorne is swept along as Cassidy slips through the cracks in reality.And being hunted by bands of monsters doesn't help.To find the answers they need, they'll have to play in a dangerous world. One where the odds and rules are stacked against them. They will have to navigate magical courts, queens and lords all while trying to keep Cassidy out of their scheming hands.If they fail, she will end up a pawn in a plot that will consume them all.Hawthorne will have to face the consequences of his past, and risk his future to ensure Cassidy can have one of her own.For a man with all the time in the world--it seems to be running out--fast! Also by the author: The Dragon Award-nominated urban fantasy series, The Grave Report. (Ongoing)Book one: Grave Beginnings.Book two: Grave Measures.

    Commander Halsey wants it back. For decades they were among us, silently infiltrating the power structures of society. Now the Swarm stands on Earth’s doorstep. As humanity launches a desperate counter-attack, the alien victory seems inevitable. For Halsey, this is personal. While the Fleet executes their battle plan, she leads a do-or-die suicide strike at the heart of the alien force: her own INVINCIBLE, turned into a weapon against mankind. With a few marines, a pirate ship, and an ex-lover by her side, Halsey fights to take back her command and save the human race--or die trying. She is a proud warrior. She is humanity’s last hope. She is INVINCIBLE.

    It's a game where legends come to life, the lines between reality and fantasy become blurred, and the impossible becomes - probable?Unicorn Magic is the 1st story in the Celtic Fey series set in Anthea Sharp's Feyland universe (with her kind permission). A stand-alone short story with a full plot arc, Unicorn Magic was first published in the anthology Chronicle Worlds: Feyland.This is a clean urban fantasy which is set in Scotland (and the faerie realm) and uses British English spelling and grammar.

    Her job sucks. Her apartment-the one with the unbreakable lease-has a ghost. And worst of all, her mother won't let up about her joining the "family business." Since that business is moving the spirits of the dead on to the next plane of existence and doesn't pay at all, Marie's not interested. She wants a normal job-a normal life. That's not too much to ask, is it? Apparently, it is. Even when she applies for the job of her dreams, Marie doesn't get what she wants. Well, not entirely. She does get the job-but she also gets another ghost. Farley Hewitt, the newly dead caretaker of the building, wants her to prove his death is not an accident, and she's pretty sure he's going to haunt her until she does. All she wants is normal. She isn't going to get it.