Most often the realm of male authors writing about male vampires, over the last century the genre has seen a refreshing swing toward authors of both sexes exploring the other side of the vampiric gender—the women of the night.The sixteen stories collected within these pages are among the very best of their kind, from many of the best fantasy and horror authors writing today. From an encounter with a predatory spouse in a New England storm to a continuation of the Dracula story featuring a completely different tale of love, longing and loss, these stories explore both what it is to be female, human—and vampire, and often all at the same time.The selected stories include: "One for the Road" by Stephen King. The regulars at Tookey’s Bar know better than to wander around Jerusalem’s Lot—especially at night. But when a husband needs help during a snowstorm, they travel into the heart of the blizzard ... and an encounter with pure evil. <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /> "Sister Death" by Jane Yolen. Even the heart of a millennia-old vampire who accompanies the Angel of Death on his appointed rounds can be swayed by the yearning look of a young child. "Queen of the Night" by Gene Wolfe. The lady in white came for the boy in the dead of night, spiriting him away to her dark castle, wherehe would experience such things that would change his life forever... "Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu" by Norman Partridge. The real story of what happened after the events of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula is told against the vast, wild Texas frontier, as one of Dracula’s hunters returns home to claim everything that is his ... including his one true love.  With stories by:Stephen King    *      Neil Gaiman    *     Eric Van Lustbader    *     Philip K. Dick    *   Nina Kiriki Hoffman    *     Kristine Kathryn Rusch     *     Nancy Holder    *    Tanith Lee    *    Gene Wolfe    *    P. D. Cacek    *    Jane Yolen    *    Susan Shwartz    *   Tanya Huff    *    Esther M. Friesner    *    Roxanne Longstreet    *    Norman Partridge

    She is in danger of losing her own when attraction to her handsome charge blooms into a forbidden love.USA Today Bestselling author Melissa Schroeder: Callum: The Cursed Clan - His duty to the Clan was all that mattered until he fell for the one woman who could expose their secret.Brandy Walker: Craving More: Tiger Nip - A late night tryst finds two tigers discovering their mates and two humans stunned. Add a brother, a best friend, a crazy ex-girlfriend, and you have a recipe for disaster.Buffy Christopher: The Mating Moon - Ivy Landry fights a mystery attacker and tries to find a mate before the full moon. Can she find him and fight for her life at the same time?Crystal-Rain Love: Moonlit Dream - Ming's true love is brought to her with a little magical help, but before they can reach their happily ever after, they must outrun the bloodthirsty wolf pack on their heels.Christle Gray: Forever, My Love - With a visit from her dead husband, Eric, Darcy Abrams is sure she’s losing her mind. Or will Eric’s promise of forever turn her entire world inside out instead?Heather Long: Marshal of Hel Dorado (Fevered Hearts) - Sam Kane is the oldest brother, the steadfast son and the confident marshal. He's never met a problem too hot to handle until he caught Scarlett robbing the town’s bank.Saranna DeWylde: How to Lose A Familiar in 10 Days - Hemlock Butterbean's familiar from hell isn't really a cat at all, but a warlock under a curse. When her fantasies make him flesh, she finds out just how familiar he can be.

    It is told from the point of view of Mab Monroe and shows how the Fire elemental grew up, including her first meeting with Eira Snow, Gin’s mother.

    Is that how it goes?No one should have to be on the run from their family. Family is who you can trust, right? Dark magic users are the ones on the don’t trust list. Yet, when Greta learns the werecat tribe plans to sacrifice her on the full moon to steal her potent magical blood, she ditches common sense in favor of running to the one man who can protect her. Will Dayne kill her as he has so many others of her kind, or is his grudge against her family strong enough to save her?CLAIMED:… Vampires claiming amnesiacs is the new black.Anthony is cold, ruthless, undead, and hard to like. Yet, all it takes is one human with amnesia, to soften his heart. Ever since being bitten, Charlotte hasn’t been the same. More than anything, he wants to return to a time when she saw him for the man he is, instead of the monster she’s discovered. A time before she feared him. In the midst of a power struggle for vampire king, it soon becomes clear that the only way to protect a fragile human in his care is to claim her as his mate. Meanwhile, his deepest wish is to have his lover awakened from the memory loss that took everything... not just the memories he meant to erase. MATED:A classic, sweet werewolf love story. Or maybe not.Be small. Be invisible. It’s an odd life mantra for a human woman in a world of monsters. But Jane’s blood contains a touch of vampire magic, making her their victim over and over. With her faster-than-normal healing time, she’s an ideal punching bag for the abusive vampire she’s been living with, the one she thought might protect her this time. Paul owes a debt to the werewolf alpha, and Cole doesn’t care how he gets paid: flesh or coin. $10,000 or Jane? The human is a small price for the vampire to pay to be debt-free.Cole is attractive and warm---so different from the coldness and death Jane has grown used to. If the werewolves didn’t have a worse reputation than the vampires, being taken by the alpha might feel like rescue, but Cole’s growing possessive nature, makes Jane fear he’ll only abuse her like the others. If he doesn’t, could becoming an alpha’s mate free her from the vampires for good?

    But instead of using magic to transport himself to his new lands, Minalan decides to leave cross-country, in a wagon with his father. Down the Bontal River, Min and his dad make a stop at Robinwing, get snowed in at Barrowbell, and enjoy a few days as guests of Baron Astyral. Along the way Minalan comes to terms with many things in his life, and with his father's advice and some introspection he prepares for the great challenge ahead in distant Vanador. No one knows what the future holds, but as the stakes for Callidore grow higher, and weigh more heavily on Minalan's shoulders, it might be possible for Min to find inspiration on the Road to Vanador!

    headlines a sinful new anthology where the dark and light sides of desire collide... Embrace the darkness and experience the light in this all-new anthology filled with touching stories of happily ever after alongside smoldering tales of irresistibly dangerous, otherworldly passion. From bewitching emotions and untamed desire to dazzling romance and tantalizing sensuality, these novellas explore the complex facets of the human heart-both the light side and the dark.

    #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh returns to her sensual world of the Breeds in an all-new novella that explores just how savage, and how far, a man is willing to go in the name of desire. Plus three other stories of irresistible passions from three masters of hot paranormal romance.

    An anthropologist by trade and a questioner by nature, she wants to find out who he is and how he's managed to do what no other alpha has―unite the entire shifter population of Appalachia. What she finds is a man that exceeds her wildest expectations. Handsome, brilliant, and unaccustomed to being denied, Shan is soon captivated by Harper, who is every bit as enigmatic as he is. Shan knows there are things Harper isn't telling him. Her life is a carefully constructed facade and for all his cunning, he can't figure her out. As he chips away at her mask, his instincts urge him to claim her as his own. Harper is a full-length novel, approximately 300 pages long. It is part of the Shifters of Appalachia universe. Enjoy Destined as a standalone novel series, or see the author page for a reading order.

    When the eldest son of the rich Dumont family, Ashton, wins her heart and hand in marriage, he showers her with every advantage money can buy. But when their worlds collide, Sadie faces the first sacrifice she isn't sure she can make: leaving her family and lifelong dreams of owning a bakery behind for the man she loves.

    For Tom Dargin, courting an ailing spinster was only one duty in a long life of service to his sire. But after he meets the curious Miss Shaw, will Tom become the seducer or the seduced? Can a love fated to end in tragedy survive a looming grave? In Gaslight Hades, Nathaniel Gordon walks two worlds—that of the living and the dead. Barely human, he's earned the reputation of a Bonekeeper, the scourge of grave robbers. He believes his old life over, until one dreary burial he meets the woman he once loved and almost married. Lenore Kenward stands at her father’s grave, begging the protection of the mysterious guardian, not knowing he is her lost love. Resolved to keep his distance, Nathaniel is forced to abandon his plan and accompany Lenore on a journey into the mouth of Hell where sea meets sky, and the abominations that exist beyond its barrier wait to destroy them.

    The next book in Black Dog's supernatural series, Demons presents thirty-six terrifying, tantalizing tales in which evil spirits wreak havoc on the world. Neil Gaiman, William Peter Blatty, Kim Harrison and Robert R. McCammon join H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, Charles Beaumont, Bentley Little, Maggie Stiefvator, Danielle Trussoni, David J. Schow, Karl Edward Wagner, Richard Christian Matheson, Adram-Troy Castro, Amelia Beamer, Cody Goodfellow, Carlton Mellick III, and dozens more, both old and new. Horror legend John Skipp, editor of Zombies and Werewolves and Shapeshifters, provides fascinating insight into the history and details of demon lore, and its role in popular culture. Between the extensive resource materials and the lovingly selected stories - ranging from fantasy, horror, paranormal romance, and magic realism to full-blown Bizarro - Demons is an indispensable text, and the most fun you'll ever have with the forces of evil.

    But all that changed one day when a gorgeous stranger with ocean blue eyes rode into tiny Edenville, Texas, on a Harley. Grace knew in her heart that the chance meeting was just the beginning of a grand new adventure....Don't miss this prequel story to bestselling author Susan Wiggs's novel, "The Ocean Between Us"!

    Included titles: Dire Straits by Helen Harper Dog with a Bone by Hailey Edwards A Demon Bound by Debra Dunbar Influential Magic by Deanna Chase Forbidden by Selene Charles All for a Rose by Jennifer Blackstream The Keepers by Donna Augustine Dire Straits - A half-dead daemon, a massacre at her based PI firm and evidence that suggests she's the main suspect for both ... Bo Blackman is having a very bad week. She might be naive and inexperienced but she's determined to get to the bottom of the crimes, even if it means involving herself with one of London's most powerful vampire Families and their enigmatic leader. Dog with a Bone - Half-bloods with Thierry’s skill set are given two options. They can join the conclave’s marshal program, or they can pack their bags. Turn down the job offer, and you’ve just booked yourself a one-way ticket to Faerie. Texas is the only home Thierry has ever known, and she’s not going anywhere. Even if it means following in her notorious father’s footsteps as a peacekeeper. But pinning on the badge opens her eyes to the fact sometimes fae need protection too, and that sometimes humans are the real monsters. A Demon Bound - Samantha Martin is an imp, enjoying an extended vacation from Hell. All she wants to do is drink beer by the pool, play mischievous pranks on the humans, and get her hot neighbor in the sack. It’s a relaxing break from her infernal home as long as she manages to avoid the angels, who won’t hesitate to execute her on sight. But when her naughty hellhound lands her in trouble with the local werewolf pack, Sam is blackmailed into helping track and catch a killer. The steps she must take to appease the werewolves will put her right in the crosshairs of the angels. And with angels, there is no second chance.Influential Magic - Willow Rhoswen, part-time vampire hunter for the Void, is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother’s mysterious death, Willow’s life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner—her ex-boyfriend turned vamp, David. But unsure of where David’s loyalties lie, Willow turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, for help. Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who’ll stop at nothing to control Willow’s gifts, she’ll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust. Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life. Forbidden - Flint DeLuca and her dad have moved three times in the past year. But that's the life of a carnie. Even an ex-carnie like her. Her father swears this is the last move. All Flint wants now is to graduate from High School and put the carnival life behind her. Unfortunately, one of the two ain't gonna happen. Cain. No last name. Wears shades in school. Dresses entirely in black. And only speaks to her when he's insulting her. And yet... there's something about the Goth boy that draws her like a moth to flame. God, she can't wait to graduate, only problem is she's pretty sure her high school’s infested by vampires. Cain might be one of them. And for some reason, she seems to be on their menu. All For a Rose - A tale as old as time… An enchanted rose. A witch’s curse. A beast’s temper. A maiden who can see the potential for good even beneath the scales of a monster. It’s amazing what can transpire…All for a Rose. The Keepers - Two days ago, Jo Davids was a waitress by night and a college kid by day, with the unnerving problem of objects floating around her.

    The first three books in New York Times bestseller Jill Shalvis's award-winning series are guaranteed to make you laugh and fall in love. In SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE, Maddie's whole life needs a makeover. She's lost her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision), so what better time to leave LA for Lucky Harbor - the little place she used to call home. Renovating the ramshackle inn left by her mother is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start. Facing a tall, dark hottie contractor, and a past she needs to overcome, will Maddie learn that there's no place like home?In THE SWEETEST THING, Tara has a million reasons not to return to Lucky Harbor. But anywhere away from her unfulfilled dreams and sexy ex-husband will do. So joining her sisters getting their newly renovated inn up and running is the perfect chance to get her life back on track. But with a sexy, green-eyed sailor on the scene, and her ex appearing out of the blue, three is most definitely a crowd. Can she face up to her past, and find her heart's desire?In HEAD OVER HEELS, Chloe likes living on the edge. A quiet life running the family inn just isn't for her. But it's not long before her misbehaviour draws the attention of the rugged, sexy sheriff - who'd love to tame her wild ways. Suddenly she can't put a foot wrong without him hot on her heels. And for the first time, she actually wants to get caught. Will Chloe's colourful past and rebellious ways stop her from find finding love in Lucky Harbor? Return to this heartwarming little town in the other exclusive Lucky Harbor collections. And don't miss Jill's Cedar Ridge books - the gorgeous series set in the Colorado mountains, that we promise will capture your heart.

    This is writing which is more direct, less euphemistic, and frankly accepting of sexuality.