A collection of stories from a rising new writer offers a parade ground packed with such heroines as Peace Corps volunteer Samantha and scientist Katherine Collier and the marines who, despite all their training, love them.

    Lord Roland is far beneath the ideal knight she's dreamed of! But how can she distract the brute from consummating their marriage until morning when she plans to steal away from the keep and return to the convent?Lord Roland is very pleased with his bride. Besides the lands and fine castle she brings, she's pleasing to the eye and has a suitably demure demeanor. The only thorn in the ointment is he has no experience tupping a gentlewoman. Bedding his modest bride will prove a true test of this knight's steel!Dance of the Plain Jane By Lillian FeistyShy Jane Holliday has loved sexy Navy SEAL Michael Sky from afar for over a year. But one night the sultry beat of an exotic drum loosens her inhibitions and empowers her to seduce her dream lover.It's the wrong time and place, but the instant Michael spots the veiled dancer weaving her sensual magic he's stopped dead in his tracks. His hands itch to touch not just the curve of her undulating hips but every spot on her enchanting body.But having Michael run out on her after she's revealing her deepest, darkest desire reminds Jane that trust is a difficult issue.Club Vamp By Allyson JamesWhen master vampire Kenelm sees Helena Girard, he knows she's the one destined to restore him to power. He sends his lover, Adam Chase, to bring her to his club. Helena is instantly smitten with gorgeous Adam, but knows she can't be with him because of the deadly electricity her body sends off when she orgasms.Kenelm demonstrates he can siphon off her power so she can make love to Adam — as long as he is with them. Helena revels in the excitement of both of them, until the deadly Guardians attack, revealing the truth about who she is.Reader Advisory: Contains male/male sexual interaction.Choosing Madison By Sherrill QuinnGaelen Brecca has to track down the errant fiancée of his world's leader. When he finds her hiding out on Earth, Gaelen has no choice but to take along Earthwoman Madison Marquette as well. Finding a mate was the last thing he and his bond-brother, Leax Ilan, expected on their mission.When she discovers that her new friend is actually an alien princess, Madison is ready for a grand adventure with her. She's immediately drawn to Gaelen and Leax, who make no secret of their attraction for her. Can they secure her sensual surrender?Come Howling By Denise RossettiBeing a banshee is a lifetime Curse — and a magical pain the ass. It's lonely, oh so lonely. Needing a career change in the worst possible way, Maeve O'Brien the banshee visits an employment agency. Surely someone will listen!Luc hangs on every single word. The woman's voice is sex incarnate. She might dress in bag lady chic, but a single whisper and he's got the hot chills. Two sentences and he's hard enough to pound nails. To help Maeve — Hell, Luc would do anything, even go to the devil.Lyrael's Sacrifice By Jory StrongLyrael's blonde hair and blue eyes mark her as Azzura, one those raised to be given to the Djinn. When she dreams of a panther that shifts into a bird before changing into a serpent, she knows she will be the next Azzura sacrificed.Whether she lives or dies will depend on her courage, her determination. And her trust in Asrafil, the Djinn prince who introduces her to carnal pleasure and will name her the wife of his heart, his flesh, his spirit—if she passes the tests necessary to enter the city of the Djinn.

    With swords, through sorcery, and in the course of some of the hottest nights ever experienced on the Inner Hebrides, Scottish heroes stake their claims, both in the bedroom and out. Dreams come true and legends are born as ancient prophecies are fulfilled by time travelers from the future, in a Scotland where real historical figures exist side by side with Pagan magic and werewolves. Dashing lairds and Scottish barbarians fight for love and honor in a wild, magical world.Let Julianne MacLean, Patricia Grasso, Lois Greiman, Marta Acosta, Donna Grant, and many more lead you into the fierce, sexy, irresistible heart of a Scotland that is, was, ans might still be.

    Bad. (Barely) in Plaid.You know those Scottish bad boys...they don't wear anything under their kilts, and who would want them to? Now, USA Today bestselling author Donna Kauffman introduces the Chisholm brothers, three of the sexiest lads ever to leave a woman hungry for moor...Bottoms UPRascal Brodie Chisholm has more charm than the law allows, which is a good thing given he's bailed out of university to run the local pub. Brodie loves everything about the pub life: the community, the darts, trading barbs with the lads, flirting outrageously with the lasses - except for Kat Henderson, of course. She'd probably kick his ass. But Kat's about to show Brodie that the woman of his dreams might just be the tomboy next door and that billiards tables can come in handy for games other than shooting pool...On TapReese Chisholm is a definite man, sure of his ideas and strong of opinion about running the family distillery - until American Daisy MacDonnell shows up. The red-headed beauty has a lot of fancy ideas about promoting his family's whiskey on the Web, singing their praises (very embarrassing) or something. Not that Reese can remember what she says when she's sitting in front of him. He's too busy fantasizing. Moors. Heather. Frolicking and rolling and moaning and....No. Reese Chisholm is all business. He knows what he wants. And what he wants is Daisy...Night WatchTristan always felt he'd been born a century too late. He was a sheepherder, both by profession and desire, with a poet's heart and a need to share a deep, hungry passion with one special woman. Bestselling author Bree Sullivan has come to Scotland looking to escape the paparazzi. Now, a surprise rainstorm has her stuck in the middle of nowhere, rescued by the world's hunkiest sheepherder. And suddenly, being along is the last thing on her mind... Go on...Tartan up your sex life....

    Join New York Times bestselling authors Cathy Maxwell, Jeaniene Frost, and Tracy Anne Warren, along with USA Today bestselling author Elaine Fox and RITA Award winner Sophia Nash, for tales of noble danger and devilish desire.Delicate young ladies must be protected from him.What do you do with three dukes‚ a dog named Duke‚ and a devil? You put them into an anthology! We′ve combined five of today′s bestselling and popular authors into one volume to deliver romance like you′ve never experienced before. First he steals her clothes, then he steals her heart.Most would be terrified of this powerful vampire—but not him.He's "the catch of the century". . . but she's the only one he can't have.A young miss demands a kiss. But he won't rest once she's touched her lips to his.With four dukes and one devil, there's no limit on love.

    There are typical vampires who would be right at home in a horror story or a gothic romance; historical vampires; contemporary, gritty, urban vampires; fang-in-cheek comedy; boy-meets-girl sweetheart stories (if a little bloodier!); and erotic tales of inhuman passions and midnight pleasures. Look out, too, for stand-alone stories relating to existing series and characters of contributing authors, or stories which develop more fully characters who have only walk-on parts in those authors' longer fiction. Includes writing by big-name authors such as Jennifer Ashley, Kim Harrison writing as Dawn Cook, Caitlin Kittredge, Diane Whiteside and Eileen Wilks.

     Suspenseful, surprising, sometimes dark, sometimes humorous-these all-new stories will ensure that readers never think of vampires (or birthdays) in quite the same way again. In New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris's "Dracula Night," Sookie Stackhouse is the only human at the annual commemoration of Dracula's birth. But this year, the Prince of Darkness actually shows up-and finds Sookie to be a tasty-looking present. New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher's crime-solving wizard Harry Dresden, of the Dresden Files novels, heads to a role-playing party to give his vampire brother a birthday present in "It's My Birthday Too," only to discover there are some bloodthirsty party crashers who don't share their brotherly love. In "Twilight," Cassandra DuCharme, who appeared in New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's Dime Store Magic, knows she has to kill to live as a vampire another year-but finds herself disturbingly disinterested in the hunt. Plus ten more bloody good birthday stories that take the cake.Contents xi • Preface: A Few Words (Many Bloody Returns) • (2007) • essay by Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner1 • Dracula Night • [Sookie Stackhouse 4.3] • shortstory by Charlaine Harris21 • The Mournful Cry of Owls • novelette by Christopher Golden50 • I Was a Teenage Vampire • novelette by Bill Crider73 • Twilight • [Women of the Otherworld Short Fiction 7.2] • novelette by Kelley Armstrong100 • It's My Birthday, Too • [The Dresden Files 9.2] • novella by Jim Butcher146 • Grave-Robbed • [Vampire Files] • novelette by P. N. Elrod176 • The First Day of the Rest of Your Life • [The Morganville Vampires: Extras 2.5] • novelette by Rachel Caine201 • The Witch and the Wicked • novelette by Jeanne C. Stein230 • Blood Wrapped • [Henry Fitzroy] • novelette by Tanya Huff254 • The Wish • shortstory by Carolyn Haines265 • Fire Ice and Linguini for Two • [Garnet Lacey 2.5] • novelette by Lyda Morehouse [as by Tate Hallaway ]290 • Vampire Hours • novelette by Elaine Viets318 • How Stella Got Her Grave Back • novelette by Toni L. P. Kelner

    With their engagement now broken off, Regan decides that a no strings attached, hot affair is what she wants now. Regan was raised as a good, dutiful, Southern girl and now she wants to be naughty. When she meets Sam Daniels she knows he is her man.Sam has no intention of settling down. He loves traveling the world as a pilot working for a computer company. The occasional affair is all he wants. When he meets Regan he is instantly and intensely attracted to her, so Regan's offer for a weekend of hot sex is irresistible.Throughout the weekend, Sam and Regan find themselves wanting more than sex from each other, but Sam can't give up flying and Regan's family would disown her for being with a man like him that will not meet their expectations, so it looks like a quick affair is all they have, or is it?Her Secret Thrill - Donna KauffmanNatalie Holcomb is a corporate lawyer. She is visiting her very good friend Liza at a huge party she is throwing when she meets cattle rancher Jake Lannister. Jake's friend Con and Liza are going at it pretty heavily in the bedroom leaving Jake locked out without his wallet. Natalie, feeling the need to escape the raucous lovers herself, takes Jake out to get coffee.Good Time Girl - Candace Schuler(Rodeo Cowboys, #1)Roxanne Archer is tired of being a good girl so she gets a make over and heads off in search of a cowboy to fulfill her fantasies. Roxy goes to a bar where she meets Tom Steele. The chemistry between them is instant and they head straight to her motel room for a night of unbridled passion. Roxy and Tom decide to continue their affair throughout the summer. At the end they will go their separate waysRoxy travels the rodeo circuit with Tom. They learn a lot about each other and as time goes by they start thinking more along the lines of forever instead of for now. Neither think that they have a future with the other though so they keep their feelings to themselves. What will happen when the summer is over? Will they be able to walk away?

    After years of being a devoted, dutiful housewife, she's found out her husband is leaving her for a younger woman. Then her friends let her in on their delicious and dirty little secret. It's called The Channel, and it lets every woman unleash passions beyond her wildest dreams. Suddenly Nora is living out her most intimate and sensuous fantasies--and before long, she realizes she can have everything she ever wanted.

    When Kayla Martin tries to revolutionize the sex toy industry she calls on the one person she's grown to count on more than anyone else, her best friend and downstairs neighbor, Dylan Thompson. When Kayla approaches him about being a test subject for her newest invention, an anal toy, Dylan is intrigued and aroused. That is until he finds out that The Walnut Wand is an anal toy for men. Kayla's sure that a prostate stimulator will be a hit, all she needs is a willing participant. Far from willing, Dylan flat out refuses, but that's not enough to deter Kayla. After their monthly poker game, Dylan and Kayla decide to make a risky bet. Kayla wants a test subject and Dylan wants the one thing's he's being craving for years. They'll risk it all on one hand, but anything can happen when jokers are wild. This book has been previously published. Warning, this title contains the following: explicit language, use of sexual aids and graphic sex.

    Set includes Waiting for Her, Sweet Thursday, Reach You, Full Position, and Everything Nice.This anthology is a must-have for fans of menage and an amazing way to “test drive” five of Mari Carr’s most popular series, including Wild Irish, Sparks in Texas, Second Chances and Big Easy.Waiting for Her - Jeannette's past has taught her one thing--trust no one. However, not only are lovers Luc and Diego a danger to her libido, but also her heart. The two firefighters have had a hunger for Jeannette, and they're willing to do whatever it takes to claim the shy, sexy cook.Sweet Thursday - Soldiers Justin and Killian are blown away when quiet Lily proposes a one-night (three bodies) fling too tempting, too hot to resist. But just one no-holds-barred, explosive evening with the stunning woman will never be enough.Reach You - Christian has been lusting after Shelly. There’s something about her that makes him believe she’s the one. Unfortunately, Lance—Christian’s best friend—has set his sights on the sweet blonde as well. Instead of pistols at dawn, the two friends come up with a deliciously erotic answer to their shared dilemma—if the shy beauty will accept their racy proposal.Full Position - Though Bella has crushed on Justin and Ned since her first day on the job, she’s smart enough to know a ménage with her hot bosses is probably number one on the list of workplace no-nos. But a genius wouldn’t say no to their exceptionally tempting offer — a no-holds-barred night of wicked fantasies at a local sex club.Everything Nice - After Alex confesses that he wants both her and his best friend, Charlie, in his bed, Allie skips town like a thief in the night. Now, Allie is back in their lives, all grown up and more alluring than ever. What starts as a night of three friends catching up turns into intimate explorations in Charlie’s truck…and Alex’s shower…and his king-size bed…This anthology will be available for a limited time only, so act fast.