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

    Our most imaginative literary minds have been devoured by these incredible creatures and produced exciting, insightful, and unflinching new works of zombie fiction. We've again dug up the best stories published in the last few years and compiled them into an anthology to feed your insatiable hunger….©2014 Paula Guran (P)2014 Audible Inc.• Joanne Anderton, “Trail of Dead”• Michael Arnzen, “Rigormarole” (poem)• Marie Brennan, “What Still Abides• Mike Carey, “Iphigenia in Aulis”• Jacques L. Condor (Mak a Tai Meh), “Those Beneath the Bog”• Neil Gaiman, “The Day the Saucers Came” (poem)• Roxane Gay, “There is No ‘E' in Zombi Which Means There Can Be No You Or We”• Ron Goulart, “I Waltzed with a Zombie”• Eric Gregory, “The Harrowers”• William Jablonsky, “The Death and Life of Bob”• Shaun Jeffrey, “Til Death Do Us Part”• Matthew Johnson, “The Afflicted”• Stephen Graham Jones, “Rocket Man”• Joy Kennedy-O'Neill “Aftermath”• Caitlín R. Kiernan, “In The Dreamtime of Lady Resurrection”• Nicole Kornher-Stace, “Present”• Joe R. Lansdale, “The Hunt: Before and The Aftermath”• Shira Lipkin, “Becca at the End of the World”• David Liss, “What Maisie Knew”• Jonathan Maberry, “Jack & Jill”• Alex Dally MacFarlane, “Selected Sources for the Babylonian Plague of the Dead (572-571 BCE)”• Maureen McHugh, “The Naturalist”• Lisa Mannetti, “Resurgam”• Joe McKinney, “The Day the Music Died”• Tamsyn Muir, “Chew”• Holly Newstein, “Delice”• Cat Rambo, “Love, Resurrected”• Carrie Ryan, “What We Once Feared”• Marge Simon, “The Children’s Hour” (poem)• Maggie Slater, “A Shepherd of the Valley”• Simon Strantzas, “Stemming the Tide”• Charles Stross, “Bit Rot”• Genevieve Valentine, “The Gravedigger of Konstan Spring”• Carrie Vaughn, “Kitty’s Zombie New Year”• Don Webb, “Pollution”• Jay Wilburn, “Dead Song”

    After weeks alone with two sexy men, tenderness warms her heart and the hostile world becomes a paradise. Enjoying erotic dreams of both Keir and Zarod, not knowing they're a couple, she suggests the only sane solution in an insane world—a ménage. They may never leave this planet and what's a life without love—or sex? Once she accepts that lady makes three, she finds true paradise in her lovers' arms. Prism By Nikki Soarde: Dax and Clay are happy. The sex is great. They've been in a committed, fulfilling relationship for years and see no need to change anything. Until they realize they've become a little too comfortable. They've fallen into a rut and need something to nudge them out of it. And then tall, raven-haired, exotic Sidney stumbles back into their lives. Fresh out of a painful divorce, she needs some comfort and excitement. When she seeks out her two best college buddies, she gets far more than she bargained for. They all do. Twilight By Anya Bast: The dark, the light and one to merge them. Nico and Dai have searched for years for the third member of their Sacred Triad. Their combined energy released in a sexual ritual will drag their reality back from the Encroaching Darkness, a mystical force that threatens their world. Finally, Nico and Dai have found her. But Twyla has been emotionally damaged by an event in her past and has lost her magick. It will take all of Nico and Dai's deep love to help her overcome her fear and give her the sexual healing she desperately needs.

    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.

     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.

    In Spellbound, a beautiful lady casts a thousand-year spell on the man of her dreams—and unleashes a nightmare only love can conquer...Ever After follows an enchanting woman as she journeys to an otherworldly land—and introduces a handsome artist to the transforming power of love..In Dreams links a young woman to a stranger's past—and to the curse that has trapped him forever in the eternity of his own dreams...

    For the first time together in one volume, here is the complete short story collection starring Louisiana’s favorite telepathic waitress, Sookie Stackhouse—from #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris. New fans can fill in the gaps in their Sookie lore while old friends can revisit some of their favorite moments and characters. From investigating the murder of a local fairy to learning that her cousin was a vampire, from remodeling her best friend’s house to attending a wedding with her shapeshifting boss, Sam, Sookie navigates the perils and pitfalls of the paranormal world.Belly up to the bar at Bon Temps’s favorite watering hole and hear stories that will make you wish Sookie never left, including...“Fairy Dust”“One Word Answer”“Dracula Night”“Lucky”“Gift Wrap”“Two Blondes”“If I Had a Hammer”“Small-Town Wedding”“Playing Possum”“In the Blue Hereafter”This definitive collection is the perfect binge read for people who like their stories with bite!

    She did her part to pull him off the High Throne. But his daughter, the would-be Queen, and her sisters must still tame their conquest. If her victory is to last, Dafne must forge peace with the subtle, ruthless methods of a diplomat--and the worst memories of her life... The Undying King by Grace DravenThe stories are told in whispers, even after so long: of a man whose fair rule soured when he attained eternal youth. Imprisoned by a sorceress wife in a city out of time and place, he has passed into legend. Few believe in him, and fewer would set their hopes on his mercy. But Imogen has no choice. To break the curse that's isolated her since birth, she'll find the Undying King--and answer his secrets with her own... ^^Author Note: The Undying King is intended for more mature audiences and contains graphic descriptions of physical intimacy.

    Butcher and Stephanie Tyler and Larissa Ione, writing as Sydney Croft. Sydney Croft's special forces couple, Annika and Creed, work for the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives (ACRO), all of whose members have special powers, while Shannon K. Butcher's hero is an ex-Navy SEAL. But these fighting men and women have a gentler, protective side; hard-edged weapons when on active duty, they can be caring lovers, of special forces teammates or the civilians they protect.

    He does all he can to resist temptation, but when Jake bumps into the gorgeous Robyn DiMarco at a bistro in Little Italy, all bets are off. Scarred and Kilt Laurann Dohner Matty has a new neighbor, and she strongly suspects the kilt-wearing hottie is a vampire—he only goes out at night, has weird visitors and the blood bank is making regular deliveries. But he doesn’t seem to hurt anyone, so “live and let live” is Matty’s motto. Until she sees a guy armed with crosses and wooden stakes breaking into the neighbor’s house. Matty charges to the rescue—and ends up in Mr. Hottie’s bed…and on his desk…and… Tinderbox Regina Carlysle Set in the same world as Jaguar Hunger. Private investigators Nate and Daniel don’t expect to find their mate while working a case. But they recognize Olivia as theirs the second they catch the missing woman’s scent—the scent of a female jaguar shifter in heat. Nate and Daniel’s task? Find then claim Livvy in every raw, animalistic way possible…and release her inner beast. Asterion Katalina Leon Betrayed by her village chief, Larisa is brought to a mysterious island and left bound in a subterranean labyrinth, where drops of her blood summon the mythical Minotaur. She expects the man-beast to take her life…but it’s her body that’s sacrificed. Darron, a shapeshifting being, ravishes Larisa, and she gives herself freely to the pleasure—a decision that will change both their worlds forever. Decadent Dance Aubrey Ross Surely the dress Zoe purchased did not transport her to an alien ship, right? No. Hallucinations. Must be. Though…the gorgeous alien who greets her seems real enough. And the sex? Out of this world. Vaden has waited years for his Decadent Dancer, and though Zoe swears she didn’t know what the dress could do, Vaden has been lonely too long to be easily thwarted. He’ll use every sensual trick he knows to convince Zoe she’s right where she belongs. Sahara Heat Diana Hunter As a favor to a friend, author Carla Braun agrees to meet with archaeologist Josef Anderson to discuss his recent desert find. To her dismay, the man’s infuriating…as well as tall, blond, gorgeous—and into BDSM. If she can look beyond Dr. Anderson’s cool exterior, Carla just might discover some scorching Sahara Heat…

    Gillian’s sprained ankle makes her unable to travel, so she and Brandt wait while Paige and Tony cross difficult terrain to find help.Paige and Tony run into problems with both their mission and their relationship, but discover that nothing matters more than the burgeoning love they share.Gillian and Brandt take advantage of their privacy to explore their deepest desires, and a centuries-old mystery draws to an unearthly conclusion on Gillian’s island.Devon’s Vix by Rebecca AiriesAfter a single bite from a rogue vampire, Jessie Coulter discovers she’s changing. If that wasn’t bad enough she’s been marked for death by a fanatical anti-vampire society. Even then, she was certain she could handle it. But she couldn’t handle Devon Knight’s sudden reappearance in her life. She’d broken off her relationship with him when she’d learned he was a vampire. Devon hasn’t been able to get Jessie out of his mind. When he discovers she’s in danger and transforming into a vix, he’s determined to protect her. Even as danger gathers around them, desire flares. They’ll have to confront their enemy and win or lose any chance at a life together.Wendy’s Summer Job by Charlotte Boyett-CompoWendy Cole has been given the boot by her evil stepmother and there will be no more college tuition for the budding actress. With her funds cut off and her credit cards frozen, the young woman knows she’ll have to support herself.Responding to a receptionist wanted sign in the window of an automotive shop, she comes face to face with hunky Drake Quinlan, co-owner of the shop. Darkly handsome with a killer smile to go along with a devastatingly well-honed body, he’s just the kind of man for whom Wendy would love to work.But there’s a catch: Drake and his two brothers, Kyle and Lance, enjoy very intimate, sharing games that only certain, extraordinary women would be willing to play. The right woman is the one they are looking for and they’ve got their eyes on Wendy.A delightful romp through the fertile imaginations of three delightful men who are seeking Miss Right. Only serious players need apply.Chasing the Dragon by Megan KeransCaptain Jade Ahnat is on a mission to acquire the rare Dragon’s Eyes seeds from the only source—The Dragon. The seeds are the only cure for the Dark Sickness, the only way to save her sister and thousands of innocent people from agonizing death. Success will also bring Jade a promotion to general.Raj Cad, The Dragon, has no desire to assist the United Planetary Federation that betrayed him and massacred his fellow warprinces. But once he sets eyes on Jade, he desires her enough to make her submission for twenty-four hours part of the price for Dragon’s Eyes seeds. But after the day is up, can Jade be willing to give up the role her people and family expect of her in order to follow her own desires?Viking’s Pledge by Melany LogenMista is terrified of her master, the warrior Raynor. Yet he has never touched her in any way, only offered her his protection. When he returns from a six-month voyage, however, his lust is uncontrollable—and Mista finds him irresistible. But a slave is not a suitable wife for a warrior, and her longing for her native Ireland is more than she can bear.Raynor will give her anything, including her freedom. As the time approaches for her to return to her homeland, though, Mista realizes she might have given up the only home she knows—or wants.Taking It All by Cheyenne McCrayLisa Peterson’s life is boring and average—until she runs into a man. With her car. Instead of asking for her insurance card, he asks her out for a drink. What can she say, but yes?Brad Akers is anything but average. He’s sexy, witty, interesting, and a man with muscles in all the right places. Lisa experiences things she’d only dreamed of—turning over control and allowing herself to be bound and spanked for his pleasure and hers too. As he draws her deeper into his world of BDSM, she has no qualms about taking it all—especially if that means Brad.

    . . New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh delivers a smouldering story with Secrets at Midnight, as the scent of Bastien Smith’s elusive lover ignites a possessiveness in him that’s as feral as it is ecstatic. And now that he’s found his mate, he’ll do anything to keep her.In #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews’ novella, Magic Steals, when people start going missing, shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau and jaguar shifter Jim Shrapshire must uncover the truth about the mysterious creatures responsible.From Milla Vane—a warrior princess must tame The Beast of Blackmoor to earn a place among her people. But she quickly discovers that the beast isn't a monster, but a barbarian warrior who intends to do some taming himself. It’s seer Makenna Frazier's first day on the job at Supernatural Protection and Investigations, and her first assignment is more than she bargained for when bodyguard duty for a leprechaun prince’s bachelor party goes every which way but right in national bestselling author Lisa Shearin’s Lucky Charms.

    Introduced in Heaven and Hell, readers learned, after a heartbreaking journey through grief, Luci was ready to take another chance at love. But Hap was adhering to “the code” between brothers, unwilling to betray his dead friend Travis by falling for Travis’s widow. Further, Hap can’t quite believe a beauty like Luci could fall for a normal guy like Hap. But for Luci and Hap the heart can’t be denied. Especially when the stars align.The Favor, a short story – Deacon and Cassidy from Deacon of the Unfinished Heroes series go back to their favorite cabin at Glacier Lily, and there, Cassie asks her husband a favor. He’ll give her anything she wants. Including this.More Than Everything, a novella – Readers left Diesel, Maddox and Molly at a crossroads at the end of The Greatest Risk of the Honey series. Maddox and Molly were all in with their commitment to their unconventional love triangle. But Diesel was letting the pressures and prejudice of family and society sink under his skin, making him hold himself distant from the man he loved. Can Maddox and Molly lead Diesel fully into their lives and give him more than everything?Rock Chick Renewal, a short story – Tod has been planning Rock Chick weddings for years. He’s got a new one on his hands. And it’s not what he expected.

    What about the were-goats? The were-crows and were-wasps? Here are seventeen stories of urban fantasy by today’s leading science fiction and fantasy authors that introduce you to some of those other were-creatures, the ones hiding in the dark background shadows, waiting to bite. Join Seanan McGuire, Ashley McConnell, Susan Jett, Eliora Smith, David B. Coe, April Steenburgh, Gini Koch, Mike Barretta, Elizabeth Kite, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Jean Marie Ward, Katharine Kerr, Sarah Brand, Anneliese Belmond, Faith Hunter, Patricia Bray, and Phyllis Ames as they take you into the hidden corners of our world to see some lesser known were-creatures. You may want to bring along some silver … just in case.Introduction copyright © 2016 by Joshua Palmatier“Best In Show” copyright © 2016 by Seanan McGuire“We Dig” copyright © 2016 by Ashley McConnell“Eyes Like Pearls” copyright © 2016 by Susan Jett“Among the Grapevines, Growing” copyright © 2016 by Eliora Smith“A Party For Bailey” copyright © 2016 by David B. Coe“Cry Murder” copyright © 2016 by April Steenburgh“Missy the Were-Pomeranian vs the Masters of Mediocre Doom” copyright © 2016 by Jeanne Cook (Gini Koch)“Paper Wasp” copyright © 2016 by Mike Barretta“Point Five” copyright © 2016 by Elizabeth Kite“The Promise of Death” copyright © 2016 by Danielle Ackley-McPhail“The Five Bean Solution” copyright © 2016 by Jean Marie Ward“Witness Report” copyright © 2016 by Katharine Kerr“Attack of the Were-Zombie Friendship With Benefits”copyright © 2016 by Sarah Brand“The Whale” copyright © 2016 by Anneliese Belmond“Anzu, Duba, Beast” copyright © 2016 by Faith Hunter“Shiftr” copyright © 2016 by Patricia Bray“Sniff For Your Life” copyright © 2016 by Phyllis Irene Radford

    For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden-as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What's worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she's beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems.... Thistle & Thorne by Ann AguirreAfter a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside-in the Red Zone-is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they'll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside...for good. Sun Storm by Karen DuvallSarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms-in the cosmos and beyond. And she's not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She'll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.