Gingerbread houses, caroling carolers, brightly trimmed trees, big family dinners, pristine snowfalls-the familiar pleasures of the season. But what better pleasure is there than a good holiday story? So open this winter solstice sampler and indulge in fully festive fantasies, nightmares before Christmas, and stunning space-age celebrations. These stories will warm hearts and minds like a blazing Yule log. Fantastic Holiday Stories by Kevin J. Anderson, Mercedes Lackey, Mike Resnick, Kristine Rusch, Jonathan Maberry, Eric James Stone, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Quincy J. Allen, Ken Scholes, Sam Knight, David Boop, Heather Graham, Brad R. Torgersen, and Patricia Briggs.

    At all. But Scarlett would never dream of letting her adopted-brother (and secret love of her life) hang for a crime he swears he didn’t commit. And she believes him too. Only problem is, she’s the only one who does. The evidence isn’t good. There’s a dead fae on shifter land, and Mercer’s DNA is all over the body. Scarlett has only hours to prove her brother’s innocence or risk losing him forever. But when the truth finally comes to light, Scarlett’s world and everything she thought she knew will be rocked to its foundation, leaving her questioning who she really is, and worse yet, who she can really trust…

    1. A Questionable Client (Kate Daniels, #0.5) by Ilona Andrews: Kate Daniels guards shifter Saiman, less trustworthy than the enemy.2. Even Hand (Dresden Files, #11.6) by Jim Butcher: "Gentleman" John Marcone, Chicago's most dangerous crime lord, fights water demon with defenses against White Council wizard Harry Dresden. 3. The Beacon by Shannon K. Butcher: Hereditary fighter faces monster that killed his father and town, with a little girl that attracts said monster. 4. Even a Rabbit Will Bite by Rachel Caine: Liesl trains the new Dragonslayer before she faces the last dragon.5. Dark Lady (Vampire Files, #12.75) by P.N. Elrod: Vampire nightclub owner Jack Fleming promises radio to resident ghost.6. Beknighted by Deidre Knight: Artist tries to free knight painted in real gold.7. Shifting Star (Signs of the Zodiac, #4.6) by Vicki Peterson: Skamar, Tibetan for star, newly created tulpa, fights another vicious male of Tulpa. 8. Rookwood & Mrs King by Lilith Saintcrow: Vampire private eye is hired by wife to kill the woman's vampire husband. 9. God's Creatures (Kitty Norville, #0.8) by Carrie Vaughn: Cormac follows a werewolf to convent school.

    Ironic considering that's what my hipster loving, sex addicted mother named me. Instead of dealing with my mother's woo-woo touchy feely ways, I'd rather keep my mind and my weak ass magic focused on business.Today of all days, I especially can't deal. Not only do I have a meeting with some influential investors that I need to expand my skin care line, it's also my fiftieth birthday. That's right. The big 5-0. Ugh. Witches may not age like humans so I don't look a day over twenty-five. But in my business age is everything and my customers expect, well, magic.So the fact I woke up this morning in the form of a white wolf is kind of a problem. Witches can't shift, so why the hell am I looking at a wolf in the mirror?As if that wasn't enough, there's a silver fox now trying to sniff my butt. The fact he shifts into a smoking hot Gerard Butler look alike with a salt and pepper beard shouldn't matter. Uhhhh... Now he wants to be my guide for a cross country road trip to some nowhere town in West Virginia so I can figure out what's wrong with me. This should be epic. Not. Go ahead, cue the banjos. If you don't hear from me in a week, please send help.

    These stories--by writers such as Roberta Gellis, Bertice Small, Jennifer Ashley, Claire Delacroix, and Mary Jo Putney--honor Ireland's rich heritage as a land of poets, magic, and mystery. The publication will be just in time for St. Patrick's Day.THE BLUE PEBBLE by Shirley KennedyTHE BALLAD OF ROSAMUNDE by Claire DelacroixORACLE by Margo MaguireTHE TRIALS OF BRYAN MURPHY by Cat AdamsNIA AND THE BEAST OF KILLARNEY WOOD by Cindy MilesBEYOND THE VEIL by Patricia RiceSHIFTER MADE by Jennifer AshleyDAUGHTER OF THE SEA by Kathleen GivensTHE WARRIOR by Jenna MaclaineETERNAL STRIFE by Dara EnglandQUICKSILVER by Cindy HolbyTHE FEAST OF BEAUTY by Helen Scott TaylorCOMPEER by Roberta GellisON INISHMORE by Ciar CullenTHE MORRÍGAN’S DAUGHTER by Susan KrinardTARA’S FIND by Nadia WilliamsTHE SKRYING GLASS by Penelope NeriTHE HOUNDMASTER by Sandra NewgentTHE SEVENTH SISTER by Sue-Ellen WelfonderBY THE LIGHT OF MY HEART by Pat McDermott

    Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.She’s haunted by dreams of her own death…After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she’s drawn to him in ways she doesn’t understand.They’ve waited in the shadows for centuries…Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he’s ever loved again.

    As the seduction game begins, two weeks never looked so short.SADIE AND HER COWBOY - USA Today Bestselling Author Paige Tyler - A beautiful ranch owner hires an infamous gunslinger to protect her against a ruthless cattle baron, but risks losing everything when she falls for the sexy hired gunTHE BILLIONAIRE HUSBAND TEST - NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author Elle James - Skeptical billionaire takes a risk on a friend's dating service and finds the cowgirl of his dreams, only he has to convince her he's her perfect match.HER UNIFORM COWBOY - Donna Michaels - Texas Guardsman never planned his attraction to a curvy, military-hating Pennsylvanian, or saddling her with his stress issues. Will the town’s newest resident support him, or abandon him like others in his past?I AM NOT YOUR MELODY - NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author Shoshanna Evers - The baddest cowboy in Bear Creek Saddle partners with a sassy new bartender to save the family business. His rules: Don’t kill her. Don’t kiss her. And don’t fall in love.CHASE AND SEDUCTION - USA Today Bestselling Author Randi Alexander - Country music superstar Chase Tanner is determined to seduce screenplay writer Reno Linden. She risks the plunge into Chase’s arms, but will their attraction survive the glitz and stress of fame?THE COWBOY WINS A BRIDE - NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author Cora Seton –Jamie Lassiter just made the bet of his life—He’s got six weeks to prove to Claire Cruz he’s the man for her, or pay for her round-the-world trip. (The Cowboys of Chance Creek #2)THE HARDER THEY FALL - Beth Williamson - Cowboy Hank Beltane has no idea what's in store for him when he tries to seduce the stubborn, beautiful and sexy as hell rodeo owner TJ Maguire.THE REAL MCCOY - NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author Sabrina York - At a wild, girls-only weekend at a rowdy “stud” ranch, she meets the gruff, dominant man of her dreams. It’s too bad the sexy stripper is only a pretend cowboy…or is he?BADASS - Amazon Bestselling Author Sable Hunter - Isaac McCoy - Badass Isaac McCoy, as at home on a Harley as he is on a horse, is in love with the preacher's daughter— the angel of Kerr County—and that will never do.COWBOYS NEVER FOLD – Award-Winning Author Lexi Post – When a cowboy honors a promise by working at a nudist resort, he discovers that to win the sexy owner's heart he must go all-in, which could mean baring more than his soul.CUPID'S COWBOY - Amazon Bestselling Author Becky McGraw - Struggling country singer is struck by cupids arrow when delivering a breakup singing telegram on Valentine's Day to a beautiful music exec who could make all his dreams come true.

    Then, they, along with humans, line up for the chance to see him work and maybe, just maybe, get a little ink of their own. He’s made a name for himself as a traveling tattoo artist, but he’s a loner and his only rule is to never stay any place long enough to learn names. But then, he sees her... Bex is alone now. No family since her mother passed. Few people she would call friend. And she’s just sold the last remaining link to her childhood. None of it seems real and yet, it’s all too much reality for her. She wants to start her new life and she wants out of her small hometown. Her way out comes in the form of a broad shouldered, tattooed biker, offering take her anywhere she wants to go, even if it means going over the infamous Tail of the Dragon mountain pass and through territory that isn’t always friendly to his kind. She’s never been on a motorcycle. She’s never been this close to a shifter. She’s never done anything reckless. Can she trust him to keep her safe? More importantly, can she trust herself and her feelings when she climbs on and wraps herself around him?

    A scientist and a single mother, she's used to fighting for what she wants, keeping a cool head, and doing whatever it takes to protect her daughter Janie. But "whatever it takes" has never before included a shotgun wedding to a dangerous-looking stranger with an attitude problem. Or Else! Sure, the mysterious Talen says that he's there to protect Cara and Janie. He also says that he's a three-hundred-year-old vampire. Of course, the way he touches her, Cara might actually believe he's had that long to practice. . .

    This is NOT a full-length book. Parts must be read in order to enjoy the story. ***Wicked Wolf Shifters serial, Part 1Cassandra Wakefield's life is about to  change. College student and regular girl, she also comes from an  isolated mountain town that for centuries has been under the thrall of a very wicked pack of wolf shifters. If the insatiably hungry shifters don't get their annual female sacrifice, all hell will break loose on the town. This year, Cassie lost the draw. She's about to face down a magnificent pack of sexy alpha men. Despite her nervousness, she's undeniably intrigued...and deeply aroused. Steely-eyed yet magnetic alpha Trevor, outrageously hot, flirtatious Mac, and drop-dead gorgeous Finn, who has headlined her most secret fantasies for years now, await her.Pack Alpha Trevor Reginald doesn't do three things: drama, hysterics, or emotions. Pack dynamics are for drama, town surrenders tend to get annoyingly hysterical, andemotions--well, emotions are useless things for which Trevor reserves no time. He's here with his packmates for one reason only: to take the surrender's virginity and thus ensure his pack's continued healthy existence. But bringing the lovely Cassandra into the Wicked Mountain Wolf Pack stirs something in Trevor he hasn't felt in years. Something he will fight tooth and claw to resist before it overwhelms his reason and his very way of life ....Because Cassie and all the wolf shifters are in for a huge surprise - one that Cassie might not survive after she is surrendered to the pack.To the reader: This story contains hot sex with all the dirty details, naughty language, characters who say "oh, hell yeah" to the fun times, the potential edges of shifter violence, and yes, a cliffhanger. If that isn't your thing, this story probably won't be either. But if all that sounds great, this short piece of Sexy Shifter Smut is for you!coming soon in the Wicked Wolf Shifters serial:Part 2: Claimed by the PackPart 3: Taken by the PackPart 4: Mated to the Pack

    But who said having it all was easy? On the band’s first tour, bassist Deacon discovers a desire for a lot more than tour chef Harper’s chocolate coconut popovers. But is the woman he craves a momentary way to satisfy his hunger or are they on their way to a lifetime love?What’s included in The Opening Act boxed set:- Book 0.5: Seduced prequel- Book 1.0: Rocked- Book 1.5: Rock, Rattle and RollALSO includes TWO brand new bonus Christmas scenes featuring Deacon and Harper and the rest of the Oblivion gang, as well as a bonus scene from Jazz’s point-of-view of a certain *ahem* event in Seduced!

    Kadence is the goddess of Oppression, more angel than woman. Together they will enter the flames to battle a dangerous horde of demon lords - and discover a passion unlike any other.The Amazon's Curse - a tale of AtlantisZane, a fierce vampire warrior, has been enslaved by the Amazons. Nola, a lovely Amazon soldier, has been cursed with invisibility. Now, these two stubborn enemies must overcome the pasts that haunt them and embrace a love that can set them free….The Darkest Prison - a Lords of the Underworld taleOnce, Atlas, the Titan god of Strength, was the Greek goddess Nike's slave. Now, he is her master. And soon these sworn rivals destined to destroy each other will be forced to risk everything for a chance at love.

    Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is no typical Southern belle. She can read minds. And she's got a thing for vampires. Which, in a town like Bon Temps, Louisiana, means she'll have to watch her back-and neck... This boxed set includes: Dead Until Dark Living Dead in Dallas Club Dead Dead to the World Dead as a Doornail Definitely Dead All Together Dead From Dead to Worse

    Desperate to escape the unwanted wedding, Imogen pleads with the mysterious, handsome rogue to rescue her. Alistair Graham is a proud Scotsman who rebelled against British rule, and since the defeat of the highlanders at Culloden he has taken to robbing rich Englishmen travelling through Scottish lands. He is no gentleman, but he is certainly not a man who would ignore a young woman’s pleas for help, and he agrees to do what he can to assist the beautiful girl he has waylaid. Though Alistair warns her that he expects a woman’s complete obedience both in bed and out of it, Imogen cannot help being drawn to him, and she soon finds herself longing for him to take her hard and thoroughly. When he claims her, Alistair’s mastery of her virgin body leaves Imogen utterly spent yet still aching for more, but after her shock at her own wantonness leads her to speak disrespectfully to him he bares her bottom and punishes her soundly. A highwayman is no suitable match for a lady, however, and Alistair fears that her association with him can only put them both in danger, so he makes her promise that she’ll tell no one about what took place between them and then ensures that she is delivered safely to the home of her honourable cousin in Kirkleven. Yet despite her best efforts to put Alistair out of her mind forever, in her heart Imogen knows she will always belong to the man who rescued her, mastered her, and made her his. But will her highwayman ever return to reclaim his lady? Publisher’s Note: The Highwayman’s Lady is an erotic romance novel that includes spankings, sexual scenes, anal play, elements of BDSM, and more. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

     Book 4: CravedWhat happens in the bayou, stays in the bayou ...Devon Michelson is a man with a past. One he’s worked hard to bury. But when the one woman he’s always loved walks back into his life, suddenly he’s willing to put everything on the line ... including his freedom. Five years ago, Scarlett Jacobs left everything behind in order to start a new life. But when someone close to her is murdered and her life is threatened, she’s forced to go on the run. Again. And right back into the arms of the one man she never thought she’d see again ... Devon Michelson.Book 5: SilasHe’s not supposed to love her ...Silas Davenne has wanted Hannah Valentine since the day he walked into her life six years ago. The problem? He promised her mother he’d protect her from his dangerous shifter life. And Silas Davenne never breaks a promise. Hannah Valentine is on a mission. She wants Silas Davenne. After years of sexual tension brewing between them, she’s determined to either become his mate or move on for good. But after one tragic night, suddenly fate has other plans.Book 6: DarienHis wolf has already chosen ...Darien Davenne is a man of honour. And when he comes across Thea Johnson, the woman recovering from a traumatic kidnapping, he promises to protect her. But who’s going to protect her from him when everything in him longs to make her his mate?Thea Johnson’s world has been turned upside down. All she wants is some quiet time in the bayou to recover. Instead, she gets sexy Darien Davenne, a wolf in gentlemen’s clothing. But he might not be the only threat. With more than just her heart on the line, she’ll need to find a way to survive if she wants her happily-ever-after.Book 7: WrenHis wolf can’t forget her ...Wren Davenne can’t forget those two nights he spent with his raven-haired beauty. And now, after going MIA for over two weeks, Bella Stone is suddenly back in his life. Only she’s all business, while he’s all play ... mostly. But when her life is threatened, the games are off and he’ll stop at nothing to save her.Bella Stone has a past. An ugly one. But she’s put that all behind her and joined the FBI. And now she has a job to do ... even if she keeps getting distracted by the wolf Wren Davenne. But when her current case and her past collide, there’s a lot more than her job on the line. She’s going to have to endure the fight of her life is she wants to survive and find her happily-ever-after.