With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can't be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is. Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it's impossible to protect herself when she doesn't know what she's running from or why she is being pursued. She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her. Ari won't stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

    Her boss Pete is a handsome werewolf - missing. Her roommate Nina is a fashionista vampire with teen nephew Vlad. Her new partner gorgeous detective Parker Hayes is not what he seems. A killer takes eyes, blood, hearts - is Sophie next?

     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.

    But fate has other ideas. Now, Grace finds herself not only the keeper of tremendous power, but the only person in the world able to control it.Change isn’t the only battle Grace must face in this new and frightening world. Seth McPhee, vampire and master in the art of seduction is hot on her heels. While Graces' power will ensure his leadership in the underworld, her beauty will make her captivity a pleasure. Rushing to her rescue is Lucian, a man who is more than he seems. Will he prove to be the white knight who he claims? Or is he just another beautiful monster?

    The area's normally shy wolf population has begun stalking human prey, and their victims have been disappearing...or worse. Something is happening in the woods. Something brutal and primitive...Officer Jessie McQuade has seen plenty in her years on the force—but nothing as intriguing as the gorgeous, naked man she encounters while tracking a rogue wolf. Professor Will Cadotte is a Native American activist. He's also the only man capable of distracting Jessie from her work. And for a cop, distraction—no matter how pleasurable—can be deadly. It's against Jessie's better judgment to accept Will's help in her investigation, yet she soon finds herself doing exactly that—and more. Will's dark, penetrating eyes see into a part of Jessie's soul she never knew existed. It's exhilarating...and terrifying.Now, as a town's deepest secrets come to light, no one is safe: not friends, lovers, or strangers. And as Jessie follows a bloody trail to the shocking truth, she'll have to decide who she can trust when the moon is full...

    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.

    Her Dragon, His Demon - Julia Mills - Her Dragon is strong and loyal, a leader among his kin. His Demon is beautiful and alluring, the other half of his soul. Together they must battle a darkness unlike any other led by Hell’s Chancellor himself. It’s not just their love that’s at stake…this time it’s their very existence. Kiss Of Fire - Catherine Vale - What begins as a one night stand with a mysteriously handsome stranger, turns into something far beyond the scope of imagination as Arianna finds herself led into a world of mystery, and magic...where tales of flying dragons, and dangerous witches come to life, and where nothing is ever what it seems. Dragon’s Treasure - Isadora Montrose - Dragon Lord Hugo Sarkany discovers money can’t buy the love of Leah, the feisty BBW he has transformed into his dragoness. How will this arrogant Alpha Male win the heart of his curvy fated mate? Dazzled - J.K. Harper - Love-scarred dragon shifter Sebastian must find his family's stolen legacies, or he will die. Curvy human Lacey is drawn to Sebastian, yet his dark secrets will only cause heartbreak and loss. She's his fated mate—but can she unlock his shattered heart in time? Bringing Christmas to the Dragons - Rinelle Grey - Dragon shifter Jayrian needs to convince the elders to accept help from the humans before his clan’s prince is discovered. Gretchen longs for adventure outside of the books she reads in her job as a small town librarian. Together they must find a way to save his prince and clan, without sacrificing who they are, or their budding relationship. Finding His Dragon - Élianne Adams - After months of torment at the hands of her own clan, Charlotte is sold to a rival clan. She refuses to be claimed by a man who is known for his mistreatment of women, and so she runs. The last thing she wants, or expects to find is her mate, but that's precisely what happens. If only she could stop running long enough to take what is rightfully hers. Alien General’s Wife - Scarlett Grove - He's her last hope ... and she might be his. When Indigo Robertson learns that her name has come up in the Draconian mating lottery, the timing couldn't be worse. The benevolent dragon shifter aliens need human women to replenish their DNA ... but their ancient enemy, the Mulgor, have just invaded! The Lost Tribe - Lola Kidd - Fae princess Lena is banished to strange land filled with strange creatures. When her tribe is threatened, she teams up with the handsome dragon shifter prince Troy. Together they fight to protect their homelands while also fighting their growing attraction to one another. Kiss of a Dragon - Alisa Woods - Lucian is a Dragon Prince of the House of Smoke… and he’s dying. He has to spawn a dragonling to uphold the treaty and keep the mortal world safe, but a dragon’s mate rarely survives… and he can’t face the horror of another death. When he rescues a beautiful woman, he has to seduce her without losing his heart… and before he turns feral and breaks the treaty forever.Taurus - Kim Faulks - Marcus Kane is the first of twelve. Dragon-born in the sign of Taurus he carries all the traits of the bull--the good and the bad. He's strong-willed, unbreakable. Deadly on land and in the sky, but when Marcus falls in love, he falls hard. He wasn't meant to fall for the wolf, Abrial. His only job was to protect those he loves--his family. Her Dragon's Bane – Harmony Raines - Forced to offer herself to a dragon to save her sister, curvy Serena finds their first encounter confusing, and intimately satisfying. But she can't let her guard down, men are cruel, she has been taught that her whole life, and this beast of a dragon can't be any different. Or can he? Is it possible that the creature she has been taught to fear, is the one she must learn to trust.

     Five hundred years is truly enough for a man like me. A monster. Yet a ten-thousand-year treaty will die with me, if I don’t spawn a dragonling to take my place. My two brothers are no use in this task. It falls to me, the eldest by a hair’s breadth, and yet, I cannot face the horror of another sealing. Another death. Another woman’s blood on my hands. ARABELLA I was saved from death in a dark Seattle alley by an impossibly beautiful man who swooped in on golden wings. Now he’s taken me to his lair, opened my eyes to a world of immortals I didn’t know existed, and given me an impossible task—find him a mate. Then, and only then, will he set me free. He needs her more than he wants; she wants him more than she should; and the fate of both the mortal and immortal worlds depends on not just repairing their hearts, but finding a Love that’s True…

    The same vicious creatures that killed her mother four years ago are still on the hunt, and she’s the prey. She thought she’d come to terms with her solitary existence until Drake comes along, reigniting her dreams of family and belonging. His tall tales of a missing queen and the looming extinction of a race of people she never knew existed has her agreeing to go on a journey to Avalore. Traditions as old as time stand in her way as she tries to convince Drake that he’s her choice for a mate. With the enemy breathing down her neck, all she has to do is figure out a way to make it work before she ends up joined to some stranger, or worse, dead. Drake Sperwell has spent years searching for one woman, the Queen of Avalore. Time is running out. With the survival of their entire species hanging in the balance, failure is not an option. When he finds her deep in battle in New York City, all his prayers are answered. What he didn’t count on was his reaction to the woman, or his dragon’s need to claim her as its mate. Denying their chemistry might just kill him, but she’s off limits. Her destiny lies with her true mate in Avalore.

    Despised for what she is, she will be lucky to make it through her senior year alive. However, Ella suddenly finds herself thrust onto a journey where she not only discovers she is a powerful True Witch but a life mate has also been chosen for her. Slowly falling for her soul mate, the Sexy Nordic God lookalike, Jaxx. While trying not to give into the naughty urges that are screaming throughout her mind… Ella is reunited with a family who accepts her for exactly who she is. Ella starts to find comfort in this new life and love she has found, right before her world is ripped apart. As she travels the path Fate has set her on… Chances must be taken. Decisions must be made. Death stalks her every step but she must uncover the secrets hidden from her or die trying.

    Possessing the rare ability to read the memories of dead, she volunteers to help catch the culprit behind the string of drained witches. Gwen has to team up with the one man who broke her heart, deal with a ghost who pulls her into the deathly realm at will, and a fight off the advances of sexy but frustrating vampire who not only craves what runs through her veins—he wants her heart.

    Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

    His only chance for survival is to find a remote, warm dry place to live, as both man and dragon.Deeply in debt, Terrie Holbrook has no choice but to sell her family’s remote cattle station in the far North of Australia, and a mysterious buyer saves the property from falling into the hands of a mining company. The overwhelming attraction between them has Terrie on the run and one large blue dragon on the chase. Things take a violent turn when the mining company owner comes after what lies beneath their land. They discover an ancient puzzle, dating back to time of gods and men.When Terrie is threatened, Kaden must do whatever it takes to save his one true mate—and the world—from the hands of a mad man.

    BUTCHER * LUCIENNE DIVER * CHRIS MARIE GREEN * CHRISTINA HENRY New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine has modern-day potions witches Holly and Andrew facing off against a firebrand politician who wears literally killer boots in a Texas-sized rodeo of trouble. Boot-loving Cadogan vampire Lindsey must team up with off-again, on-again vampire partner Luc when a woman from her past is targeted by supernaturals in New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill’s all-new adventure. And New York Times bestselling author Rob Thurman features Trixa Iktomi from her Trickster series dealing with magical vengeance and magical footwear. Taking kick-ass urban fantasy literally, USA Today bestselling authors Kalayna Price and Faith Hunter bring together the best of the genre to once again prove when you’re fighting supernatural forces, it helps to keep your feet on the ground.

    Turned by rogues who wager her life, Lissa is running from her maker who is determined to kill her, hunted by the Council who has branded her a rogue and blackmailed by werewolves, who utilize her newly-developed talents for their own gain.