‘Massimo Montaldo’ is the nickname of hacker living on the fringe of society. What can happen when these two very different people meet each other?Massimo has discovered something, something that could shift the balance of power among the superpowers of the world. A Black Swan. What is a Black Swan? “A black swan, when it arrives, cannot even be recognized as a black swan. When the black swan assaults us, with the wingbeats of some rapist Jupiter, then we must rewrite history.”As a journalist, Luca must investigate, learn the truth – or should he? What if this is all beyond him, beyond his ability to fully grasp? Memristors? Euro-Liras? Spies and the possibility of an Alternate Italy?What if the risk is too high, the danger too great?Warring between what is safe and what is right, Luca had to decide if reporting the truth is worth the risk…

    Everyone knows that summoning demons and alcohol is a very bad not good combo, and that Dark Entities Are Not Personal Playthings or Party Favours.So, long story short, I’m now stuck with that absurdly hot guy you can see in the picture. He owns my soul and the bastard won’t even tell me what I sold it for…I just hope that he’s not as bad as that smirk would suggest and that my story will have a happy ending.Photo Description: A photograph from the chest up of a stunning dark-haired man. He has his hands behind his head and he’s looking into the camera with a look that is both devious and challenging. The smirk around his lips doesn’t promise much good— or a lot of it— depending on your perspective.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story. This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

    it really is.i mean—he was gorgeous, and so hot for me i could give him a boner by picking my nose.so it was great. repeatedly.but a man has other needs, y’know?like electrolytes.__________________________________2,807 wordsedited by brona littlecover designed by vanessa northwith thanks to www.queerromancemonth.com

    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.

    Unfortunately, she's a total disaster. After landing herself in prison following an attempted heist gone very wrong, she strikes a bargain with the prison warden: He'll expunge her record if she brings back a long-lost treasure rumored to grant immortality. Cora is skeptical, but with no other way out of prison (and back in her family's good graces), she has no choice but to assemble a crew from her collection of misfit cellmates—a disgraced warrior from an alien planet; a cocky pirate who claims to have the largest ship in the galaxy; and a glitch-prone robot with a penchant for baking—and take off after the fabled prize. But the ragtag group soon discovers that not only is the too-good-to-be-true treasure very real, but they're also not the only crew on the hunt for it. And it's definitely a prize worth killing for.

    Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories. He received numerous awards for his writing, including seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards. This volume collects 8 classic stories:WITCH OF THE DEMON SEAS (1951)DUEL ON SYRTIS (1951)SECURITY (1953)SENTIMENT, INC. (1953)THE SENSITIVE MAN (1954)THE CHAPTER ENDS (1954)THE VALOR OF CAPPEN VARRA (1957)INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (1963)And if you enjoy this volume, don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see the more than 170 entries in the MEGAPACK™ ebook series, covering science fiction, fantasy, horror, mysteries, westerns, classics -- and much, much more!

    It features 16-different stories starring the World's Greatest Super Heroes including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Metamorpho and the Metal Men, written and Illustrated by some of the comic industry's top talents. The 11" x 17" trim size to approximate the Sunday funnies was spearheaded by DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, whose past editing credits include BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE, and DC: THE NEW FRONTIER. The full list of featured stories and creators is as follows: BATMAN, by the Eisner Award-winning 100 BULLETS team of writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso ADAM STRANGE, by writer/artist Paul Pope (BATMAN: YEAR 100) METAMORPHO, written by New York Times best-selling writer Neil Gaiman with Art by Eisner Award-winner Michael Allred (Madman) THE DEMON AND CATWOMAN, written by Walter Simonson (Thor, MANHUNTER) with Art by famed DC cover artist Brian Stelfreeze DEADMAN, written by Dave Bullock and Vinton Heuck, Art by Dave Bullock KAMANDI, written by Dave Gibbons (WATCHMEN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS) with Art by Ryan Sook (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, ARKHAM ASYLUM: LIVING HELL) SUPERMAN, written by John Arcudi (The Mask) with Art by Lee Bermejo (JOKER) WONDER WOMAN, written and illustrated by Ben Caldwell (Dare Detectives) GREEN LANTERN, written by Kurt Busiek (TRINITY, ASTRO CITY) with Art by Joe Quiñones (TEEN TITANS GO!) TEEN TITANS, written by Eddie Berganza with Art by Sean Galloway SUPERGIRL, written by Jimmy Palmiotti (JONAH HEX) with Art by Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL) HAWKMAN, written and illustrated by Kyle Baker (PLASTIC MAN, Special Forces) SGT. ROCK, written by Adam Kubert (SUPERMAN: LAST SON), ilustrated by legendary comics artist Joe Kubert THE FLASH, written by Karl Kerschl (TEEN TITANS YEAR ONE, THE FLASH: THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE) and Brenden Fletcher, illustrated by Karl Kerschl METAL MEN, written by Dan DiDio with Art by Ian Churchill (SUPERGIRL)

    Trust No One. And work just hard enough not to make enemies.Here, in the last sanctuary for the dying embers of the human race in a world run by artificial intelligence, if you stray from the path - your life is forfeit. But when a Party propagandist is killed - and is discovered as a "machine" - he's given a new mission: chaperone the widow, Lily, who has arrived to claim her husband's remains.But when South sees that she, the first "machine" ever allowed into the country, bears an uncanny resemblance to his late wife, he's thrown into a maelstrom of betrayal, murder, and conspiracy that may bring down the Republic for good.WHEN THE SPARROW FALLS illuminates authoritarianism, complicity, and identity in the digital age, in a page turning, darkly-funny, frightening and touching story that recalls Philip K. Dick, John le Carré and Kurt Vonnegut in equal measure.

    They satisfied those annoying primal urges which left the rest of their free time to be used as they saw fit. More than happy with such a solution they never even thought a bit of rough and spice could change everything - until it did.Original Prompt:Dear brave author and concomitant Muse,Because I think some Love can get extreme and there are all kinds of closets... :) I'd like you to consider this odd moment from a sweet, raunchy story, a wacky meet-cute between two fellas who have known each other for years yet not known each other at all...Yowza. :) My sense is that this is a random hookup that sparks an unexpected connection between casual fuckbuddies as they discover that they are both much less vanilla than they've pretended to be in the past and more connected than they'd ever realized. Could be coworkers or neighbors or simply acquaintances with benefits.Either or both of these guys may start out closeted about being gay, but this story is really about coming out of the extreme buttsex/fetish?/BDSM? closet and ultimately the ready for real commitment closet.Here's the twist: this should be ultimately a sweet story, not just raunchy porno hookup with numbers exchanged for subsequent boning. Expectations should be reversed on both sides over the course of time (a night?) together as these guys get past bland hokey-pokey, past spit-on-me and stuff-furniture-into-that-ass, to something tender and hopeful and fragile that stuns them into happily ever after closure. Raunch is great, but it's the meaningful connection that they're after. Surprise them and us! :)Can you dig it?Photo Description: A husky red-headed man in work boots, a shoulder harness and not much else, contorts himself against his partner, face straining between tension and pleasure. He hauls one leg up to jam fingers in his own ass. His darker-skinned partner in latex gloves stares down intently as he squeezes a cock ring over the redhead's rampant erection.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Hot Summer Days" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.Read the story here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 3.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, friends to lovers, bdsm, dirty talk, bondage, sex games, blue collarWarnings: sex with furniture is possibleWord Count: 9,419

    Where rats grow big and sweat falls in rain. There's a stranger in town, a stranger with claws and a penchant for killing assassins. Finding him is the job of Inspector Alex McLeod, detective, disfigured war veteran and reluctant widower. Some days are worse than others on the Slab but this one's going to be a gem.

    Written may 1948.First published in Saturn, October 1957 as The Elephant Circuit.First collected into The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag, 1959.

    But for those determined to retain power, the prolonged stalemate cannot be tolerated so desperate measures must be taken.Max Halloran has no idea. He's living the brief and glorious life of a hunter-killer pilot. He's an ace in the air, on his way up through the ranks, in love, and with his family's every need provided for in thanks for his service, Max has everything . . .. . . right up until he hears something he shouldn't have, and refuses to let it go. Suddenly he's risking his life and the lives of all those he cares about for a secret which could expose corruption at the highest levels, and change the course of the war.One man, one brief conversation . . . a whole world of trouble . . .

    Pursued for a secret he does not possess and with the fleet at his heels, he has but one thought: to stay alive. His pursuers aren’t inclined to sit down and talk, although that’s not the end of Elei’s troubles. The two powerful parasites inhabiting his body, at a balance until now, choose this moment to bring him down, leaving Elei with no choice but to trust in people he hardly knows. It won’t be long before he realizes he must find out this deadly secret — a secret that might change the fate of his world and everything he has ever known — or die trying.

    Its cities are deserted, with every trace of their inhabitants erased. Only a handful of nomadic tribes remain, none of whom remember the ones who went before.An expedition from Earth has been excavating one of the planet's many ruins, and attempting without success to find the cause of its people's disappearance. Now the expedition is in trouble, its funding cut; unless it makes a major discovery, and soon, it will be shut down. Then the United Planets will invade Nevermore and strip it of its resources, and destroy its ancient and enigmatic treasures.Aisha, the daughter of the chief archaeologists, tries to save the expedition by opening a sealed tomb or treasury-and manages instead to destroy it. But one treasure survives, which may be the key to the planet's mystery. That treasure is alive, and deeply dangerous: a long-forgotten king and conqueror, sentenced to be preserved in stasis centuries before his world was abandoned.Khalida is a Military Intelligence officer with a quarter-million deaths on her conscience. She has retreated to the near-solitude of Nevermore to try to come to terms with what she has done, but her past will not let her go. The war she thought she had ended still rages, and is about to destroy one planet and spread chaos through a hundred more. Her superiors force her back into service, and dispatch her to a world that may also offer a clue to the mystery of Nevermore.With the alien king, the sentient starship he liberates from an unholy alliance of Military Intelligence and the Interstellar Institute for Psychic Research, and a crew of scientists, explorers, and renegades, Aisha and Khalida set off on a journey to the end of the universe and beyond. What they find will change not only the future of Nevermore, but that of all the United Planets.

    Beautiful, evocative and playful, the stories of "How the Whale Got His Throat" or "The First Letter Written" paint a magical, primal world. It is also deeply rooted in British colonialism. Kipling saw the Empire as a benign, civilizing force, and his writing can be troubling to modern readers. Not So Stories attempts to redress the balance, bringing together new and established writers of color from around the world to take the Just So Stories back; giving voices to cultures that were long deprived them.