They Come for Beyond Anthologies invites you to join eight authors for tales of holiday love that span the stars. Whether it be by hunting for the perfect Christmas tree or discovering the joy of the season in various small, meaningful ways, these eight tales celebrate the promise of hope and new beginnings with the magic of the season.

    But we don’t know the half of it.Yet.MY ship was raided. And now I’m owned by a monster.He saw me. Felt me. And claimed me.I became a pet.His property.I never broke under the lash.The pain only made me stronger.I’m determined that I will win.He will yield to the desire I bring out.His will is my command.His words are my truth.Some may think that he broke me.Other’s will think I’ve tamed him.You know what?I don’t care.All I know is this.I’ve won the love of this monstrous alien warlord.He makes me feel like someone treasured.Rather than something used.This giant brutish beast…Who has stolen a little piece of my soul.Has merged it with his own.Monster explores a much darker and grittier side of the Athenaverse. It can be read as a standalone, but it still shares the same universe that you’ve found in other books. Themes in this book should be approached with caution.

    He has always been quietly stoic, considering it an honor to carry the mantle of duty and leadership, while overseeing all the engineering aspects of Command Warship 1. But don’t let his stoic nature fool you, he is as lethal as any warrior among his people. Sent by his Commander and Sire to Earth to aid in the recovery of a fellow warrior’s kidnapped female, he himself is taken hostage. Heavily sedated, beaten, starved and tortured relentlessly, he has forgotten who he is and where he comes from. He’s now a violent, animalistic creature, living only for the chance to kill everyone and everything in his path. Even the infuriating female that keeps telling him she’s his mate is just one more body to add to the pile.Elisha was more than a little overwhelmed when Ba Re’ declared she was his Ehlealah, his life mate. She thought it meant the end of all her dreams of becoming an interstellar translator and computer analyst. Whisked away to live with him onboard Command Warship 1, she finds she does love the stubborn male, more than she ever thought she could. But his determination to make her his mate, versus her determination to continue to be her own person, creates a stalemate neither can seem to overcome. Throwing their hands up, they walk away, accepting the fact they’ll both live out their lives with broken hearts.But now, Ba Re’ is missing and the Cruestaci have had no success in locating him despite continuing raids on Earth. But that’s okay, because Elisha is on her way back to Earth. There is nothing, NOTHING, she’s not willing to do to bring him back to his people, and hopefully into her arms. Even if he hates her for eternity, she can live with that, because he’ll be alive to hate her. Come hell or high water, she’s bringing him home. She knows who's holding him hostage, and she's leading the Cruestaci right to them.Warning: This story is intended for mature readers. It contains violence both real and suggested, and intimacy. If you find these subjects disturbing please do not buy this book.

    The only the thing is, it usually happens when I’ve been drinking… and I’d been dry for the better part of two years. I’m Commodore Jeremy David Riker… my friends call me JD or just plain “Dog.” I have the dubious honor of running a starship boneyard in the middle of nowhere.

    7th Fleet discovers that one of those races is moving to attack. In a moment of panic, the commanding admiral orders the fleet to attempt a risky jump through hyperspace. They miss hitting their target star’s gravity well and end up deep in unexplored space with a shockingly long trip home and not nearly enough food to last that long. With war now raging in their home systems, the officers of 7th Fleet must find a way to put aside their egos, ambitions and fears in order to make it back, and they know that not all of them will. Scimitar’s Glory is the first book in a new, fast-paced, action-packed military SF series: Swordships Odyssey. The second book, Excalibur's Quest, is already available for pre-order. Excerpt: With a long, risky jump like this, Dejanus would have expected Corregidor’s astrogational AI to take at least ten minutes to aim the ship as precisely as possible to the distant star’s center. She was therefore surprised and somewhat alarmed when the flagship signaled to the rest of the fleet that they could start to match her trajectory after only half that time. “Goddammit, what’s the rush?” she said to Koenig who was the only other human on the Bridge. “There’s no possible way the Jab fleet can catch us before we jump, even if we take another hour to do it. Why not take a few extra minutes to get the most accurate trajectory possible?” When it became clear that Koenig had nothing to say, she continued. “Astro, I want you to check the flagship’s alignment with Alpha9 while we match vectors. Let me know if you think the flagship’s vector could be better.” That extra task delayed Excalibur’s alignment, and therefore she became the last ship in the fleet to signal her readiness for the jump. “Fleet Commander on Tac2, Commander,” said the com AI. Dejanus switched channels to her Command Pod. “Excalibur Actual speaking,” said Dejanus in the formal form of address that ship COs normally didn’t bother with. “What’s taking your Astro so long to get aligned, Commander?” Rostov didn’t bother to hide his annoyance. “Just double-checking the overall jump trajectory, Admiral.” Dejanus thought she heard Rostov swear under his breath, but it could have been her imagination. “You tell your Astro that if Excalibur isn’t aligned in the next two minutes, I’ll order him replaced and transferred to a cargo hauler. FC out!” The astro AI managed to get the ship aligned within the deadline to no one’s surprise. With all ships in the fleet now aligned perfectly with the flagship and jump velocity attained, the order was given to enter hyperspace. It was 131.3 hours later when both Koenig and Dejanus were on the Bridge again watching the jump chronometer countdown to the second when the ship should drop back down into normal space. Koenig watched the countdown clock hit zero and then start counting up again. After ten more seconds, Dejanus began shaking her head. She had a horrified expression on her face. “We’ve missed. That bastard has killed us all.” Genre categories: space fleet, military SF, space opera, galactic empire, alien invasion, first contact, space exploration.

    Could the humans accept her now that she was half alien? Could she learn to interact with them and still retain her freedom? And why the hell did they keep asking her for answers when they didn’t want to hear them?

    The alien traders are willing to do just about anything for the right price, and Shansa's in no position to bargain over their terms. Fortunately for Shansa, working off her transport debt in a luxury pleasure house turns out to be anything but a hardship. Every alien she meets has some new and fantastic way to drive her wild with ecstasy. It's not long before she begins to see herself living this life long after the Torians are repaid. But when Shansa meets an alien who wants her all to himself, he threatens a lot more than just her very enjoyable gig. This book is a standalone and contains a lot of aliens and a lot pleasure!

    She’s tired, weak, and still trying to find her place in the universe, but she knows exactly what she wants when it comes to the handsome liaison officer who frequents the sanctuary. From the moment he set eyes on the Tarin beauty, Liaison Officer Eli Eaton was mesmerized. Cerys is fragile, a little unsure of herself, but he doesn’t mind taking things slow. There isn’t anything he wouldn’t do to see her smile—even follow her to the ends of the galaxy. As their relationship progresses, Cerys finds herself frustrated by Eli’s desire to protect her from everything, including himself. In fact, she’s beginning to worry that no matter what she does, he’ll never see her as anything more than broken. 3013: TRINITY Helios shifter Natalia Hess spends her life in the ring, moving from one fight to another, but she has always fallen just short of her dream—winning the grand prize at the annual Baxxtora Tournament. Maybe she’d have better focus if she wasn’t so distracted by a couple of gorgeous, persistent elites she can’t get out of her head. More like brothers than friends, Commanders Oz Michaels and Quaid Jansen share everything…with one major exception. They refuse to share a female just because the Alliance declared it. Then, three years ago, a feisty Helios female waltzed onto their station, captivating them both, and nothing has been the same since. When they show up in Natalia’s locker room after a fight, asking her to decide between them, she doesn’t know whether to laugh or scream. Asking her to choose is like asking her not to breathe, and she’s never exactly been one to follow the rules. Can she convince them that three is better than two? Or will their stubbornness ruin any hopes of a happy trinity? Includes Bonus Short 3013: FAMILY

    My breath saws in and out of my lungs as I run for my life. A sudden sting in my leg proves I’ve been hit. Earth is a mess, but that doesn’t mean I want to be kidnapped by aliens and taken from it.The cage I wake up in has me silently screaming. Fear becomes my constant companion…until I see him. I’m inexplicably drawn to him. Can he save me? The look in his eyes says he can. But how? This place is dangerous and deadly.Din Zar TocGar ~ A loud commotion from the sell-block nearby piques my interest. Have these aliens captured something of great interest or is it just another fight among bestial beings?I scan the rough crowd until my gaze lands on her. My heart pounds wildly as she gains my full attention. Passion fires my blood. I must have her. I’m not leaving this planet without the little human. She is mine to rescue…mine to protect…mine to mate.5005 is a violent year to be alive but passion burns through the darkness.Warning: Adult content. This story could be offensive to some.

    THE HAVEN is book two in a completed series of two full-length novels that tell the tale of eight kids, ages nine to seventeen, who are taken from their homes in the middle of the night and wake up after their kidnapping in a frightening and mysterious world full of secrets.What readers are saying about THE HAVEN:"I absolutely loved The Haven. It completely captivated me. A page-turner from start to finish that kept me guessing and on my toes. A truly amazing follow up book to The Unknown. I couldn’t recommend enough." - Carly, Amazon ★★★★★"I loved the ending of this duology! I fell in love with this group of kids in the first book. The second gives you a fabulous follow up. The ending definitely won't disappoint you. I certainly found a new author to follow in J.W. Lynne." - Saundra, Amazon ★★★★★"I thought the sequel could never be as good as the first one because it seemed like their adventures were over but boy was I wrong. This was just as good, if not better than the first one! Lovedddd ittttt!" - Jessica, Goodreads ★★★★★Books in the UNKNOWN series:Book 1: THE UNKNOWNBook 2: THE HAVENIf you like fast-paced thrillers with intriguing mystery, captivating suspense, unexpected twists and turns, heartwarming friendship, a dash of romance, and surprising climaxes that bring everything together, don't miss this original new series!

    Then he claimed me like one.Xander didn't just win me in the arena. The alien brute claimed me there too, with my punished bottom still burning and my screams of climax almost drowned out by the roar of the crowd.Almost...Victory earned him freedom and the right to take me as his mate, but making me truly his will mean more than just spanking me into shameful surrender and then rutting me like a wild beast. Before he carries me off as his prize, the dark truth that brought me here must be exposed at last.

    Sure, restoring the ship won’t be easy, especially when the Feds figure out she’s running an illegal salvage operation, but she’s never shied away from hard work. Or challenges. Good thing, too. Because she’s on a collision course with her competition. If you like sailing the black with rogues and rascals, then you’ll love Arch Allies. A must read for fans of Firefly and Star Wars. Pick up your copy today!

    So what if there's little excitement in it, and little love in her future when she'll allow the government to choose her spouse for her. Her life is safe, and that's all that matters. At least, that's what she tells herself right up until the moment she sees him. The alien held captive in the lab she works in is unlike any man she's ever seen. He's tall, dark and gorgeous, but he also looks lost and alone. Her heart goes out to him, but there is nothing she can do, because helping him would bring her all kinds of trouble. What was supposed to be a simple scouting mission has turned into a disaster for Synn Argysass. His pod has crashed on a strange planet, he wakes up naked in a strange room and the two warriors he was traveling with are gone. He has to get out, and thinks he has his way out when he sees the voluptuous Miranda. Something about her stirs him, and he finds he can't hurt her, no matter how much he wants to escape. Miranda tries to put the sexy alien out of her mind, but when she learns he's scheduled to be killed she can no longer be the good citizen she's always tried to be.

     She joined the Commonwealth Space Fleet to please her mother, a high-ranking military officer; he joined as an escape from the crushing poverty and crime of the Trans-Angeles Public Housing Blocks, and the unlikely friends envisioned boring, peacetime careers as shuttle pilots. The Tahni Imperium had other ideas… Caught in the desperate fury of the Battle for Mars, the two young pilots wind up the last defense against an alien armada, but their war is just beginning. Recruited to fly the Fleet’s newest weapon in this new war, they take the fight deep into the heart of the Imperium and battle not just against the enemy but against incompetent leadership and ineffectual tactics. Can the unconventional strategies of a pair of hotshot young pilots change the course of the war? And when the time comes that a choice has to be made between duty to command and loyalty to a friend, which of the two will be willing to make one last flight alone…

    The new planet discovered in the solar system, Klaskar has been accepted as a reality and a peaceful truce drawn between humanity and the blue skinned Klaskians. The species would have remained separate until it was proved that a human would could birth a Klaskian young.Life has come down to two choices for Janelle Speirs. Apply to the surrogacy program and be paid to use her womb to bear an alien young or find herself homeless. Joining the program might be risky but at least she’ll have the money to start over after she comes back to earth. Once Janelle arrives on Klaskar things aren’t like she pictured. She’s shocked to find that she’s to be mated not only to one male but two. Legend has it the Klaskians are superb lovers and it means a bigger payment so Janelle agrees. Janelle never planned on surrendering more than her body. Can her Klaskian males capture her heart as well? Is she willing to take the risk and learn to trust and love after a lifetime of abandonment?This boxset is full of sensual passion and exciting action. There’s hot and heavy sexual dalliances, edge of your seat close calls and near misses, and at it’s core a girl from one life and a boy from another thrust together and unwilling to let one another go. Once you start reading The Klaskians series, you won’t be able to put the book down, at least not until you’re reaching for the next. All three The Klaskians Series books are included in the set:1. The Alien Surrogate2. The Alien Seduction3. The Alien Paradise