Discover the story behind Cajun cop Rick LaFleur’s cat tattoos — and the powerful witch who inked them. And, in the final, all-new story, find out what happened between Jane and Rick seconds after the end of Mercy Blade. Plus, get a never-before-seen index of vampire clans and alliances and a letter from the author about the origins of Jane Yellowrock. And don’t miss a special excerpt: the first three chapters from the newest Jane Yellowrock novel, Raven Cursed!

    No unauthorized teleporting. 2. If a human can’t do it – a human shouldn’t see it. 3. Clothing check at the door. You have allure. It can get you killed. Know it. Learn it. Wear it. 4. No roller blading in the house. 5. We have excellent hearing. The music doesn’t have to be loud enough to rattle the windows. 6. We are not allowed to own a blood bitch. 7. Don’t discuss our strengths or abilities as a supernatural in front of humans. 8. Dare can and will stake our asses to the door and use us as a knocker if we break his rules, just ask Cole. 9. There really is a dungeon. Think about that if you are ever threatened with it. 10. No question is stupid, even if I tell you it is. Do as you’re told, follow my rules, toe-the-line and I won’t have to kill you. Signed: DARE

    NOTE: This story has been re-released in the Dark Bites anthology.Celebrity necromancer Jaime Vegas is headlining a sold-out séance tour, but behind the scenes, a disgruntled ghost has a bone to pick, in Kelley Armstrong's The Ungrateful Dead.Plus tales guaranteed to get under your skin - in a good way - from:* Janet Berliner* Don D'Ammassa* Nancy Holder* Nancy Kilpatrick* J. A. Konrath* F. Paul Wilson* Joe R. Lansdale* Will Ludwigsen* Sharyn McCrumb* Mark Onspaugh* Mike Resnick* Steven Savile* D. L. Snell* Eric James Stone* Jeff Strand* Lucien Soulban* Matt Venne* Christopher WelchSo let the blood flow and laughter reign - because when it comes to facing our deepest, darkest fears, a little humor goes a long way!

    Of course, dates between the Beast Lord and Kate Daniels don’t always go as planned. Undead run amok, heads are chopped off, lawyers are deployed with extreme prejudice, and drunk vikings call people out.Novella is after Magic Slays, same time as Andrea in Gunmetal Magic, both intersect.Note: This novella can be found at the end of the Kindle edition of Gunmetal Magic.

     After a mysterious man saves her from a dangerous encounter at a nightclub, she can't help but know more.. Ian has been living for ages, searching for his mate to break an ancient vampire curse. When he spots Selena outside of the club, he feels an instant connection. He realizes she is The One, and he will have her at any cost. Selena feels the connection too, but soon realizes she is in great danger… Mated to the Vampires is a 5 part serialized novella. Serials are short and end on cliffhangers. Note: This story contains steamy, graphic scenes between 2 vampires and a BBW.

    Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community.When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder.With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.The Vampire Hunter's Daughter is the first in a series of short stories by Jennifer Malone Wright.

    She can't eat, she heals quickly and she dreams of nothing but blood. She also finds that she has a hot cop working her case. Can she find her attackers and discover what has happened to her before her secrets are exposed?

    But surviving as a lone child-werewolf was more than he could manage—until Jeremy came along and taught him how to straddle the human-werewolf worlds, gave him a home…and introduced him to the Pack. So begins this volume, featuring three of the members of the American Pack—a hierarchical founding family where bloodlines mean everything and each day presents a new, thrilling, and often deadly challenge. For as Clayton grows from a wild child to a clever teen who tests his beloved mentor at every turn, he must learn not only to control his animal instincts but to navigate Pack politics—including showing his brutal archnemesis, Malcolm, who the real Alpha is…Links to the individual short stories and novellas on Goodreads:"Infusion" (1946) Savage (1967) Ascension (1972)"Kitsunegari" (2007)

    Banks, Kelley Armstrong, and many more! Horror fiction explores the dark side of human nature, often pushing the limits of violence, graphic gore, and extreme emotions. But with the popularity of shows and movies, such as "The Walking Dead," "True Blood," "Twilight," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," audiences have demonstrated their love for the genre--especially accompanied with a dose of humor to tone down the terror."Blood Lite III: Aftertaste" continues to put the fun back into dark fiction, featuring a wide range of humorous and highly entertaining horror-filled tales. Edited by Horror Writers Association founding member and award-winning author Kevin J. Anderson, the stories vary in tone from wry to downright laugh-out-loud funny. Featuring such well-known horror writers as Jim Butcher, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christopher Golden, and many others, this collection of tales is perfect for anyone who enjoys being entertained as much as they love a good scare.Contents:I was a teenage Bigfoot / Jim Butcher --Blood-red greens / Joel A. Sutherland --V plates / Kelley Armstong --Put on a happy face / Christopher Golden --Devil's contract / E.S. Magill --Nine-tenths of the law / Eric James Stone --Scrumptious bone bread / Jeff Strand --Let that be a lesson to you / Mark Onspaugh --Mint in box / Mike Baron --Great zombie invasion of 1979 / J.G. Faherty --Dating after the apocalypse / Stephen Dorato --Typecast / Jeff Ryan --Making the cut / Mike Resnick, Lezli Robyn --Acknowledgments / Will Ludwigsen --Mannequin / Heather Graham --Short term / Daniel Pyle --Distressed travelers / Nina Kiriki Hoffman --Bayou brawl / L.A. Banks --Steeple people / John Alfred Taylor --For sale / David Sakmyster --Man who could not be bothered to die / Norman Prentiss --Last demon / Don D'Ammassa --Misadventure to call your own / Adrian Ludens --Smoke and mirrorballs / Chris Abbey --Brians!!! / D.L. Snell --Still life / Ken Lilli-Paetz --Day in the life / Sherrilyn

    

    As a human born in one of the colonies of Karthia, Thalia’s extremely rare blood type is her ticket out of the life of poverty and hardship that normally befalls her species. During her first Blood Fair, she intends to entice the Vampire Lord Konstantin into claiming her. But unable to resist an unexpected offer, her long years of hard work and carefully planned future are derailed by a stunning, silver-eyed Lycan named Drogo.Struck by a rare but deadly illness, King Drogo’s only chance of survival relies on securing some golden blood. Yet, the moment he sees Thalia, the rabid emotions the clever female awakens in him surpass even his thirst for her unique blood. But the Lycan King’s efforts to claim Thalia as his mate revive a century-old rivalry with his nemesis, Konstantin.As the realm braces for a cataclysmic event, the clash between the two most powerful males of Karthia escalates. Will the battle to claim Thalia bring about her ultimate demise?

    P. Kelner, editors of Home Improvement: Undead Edition? Your worst school nightmares—taking that math test you never studied for, finding yourself naked in school assembly, not knowing which door to enter—will pale in comparison to these thirteen original stories that take academic anxiety to whole new realms. In #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris’s story, "Playing Possum," Sookie Stackhouse brings enough birthday cupcakes for her nephew's entire class but finds she's one short when the angry ex-boyfriend of the school secretary shows up. When her guardian, Kate Daniels, sends her undercover to a school for exceptional children, teenaged Julie learns an all-new definition of "exceptional," in New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews's "Magic Tests." For those who like fangs with their forensics, New York Times bestselling author Nancy Holder offers "VSI," in which FBI agent Claire is tested as never before in a school for Vampire Scene Investigation. And in New York Times bestselling author Thomas Sniegoski's "The Bad Hour," Remy Chandler and his dog Marlowe find evil unleashed in an obedience school. You'll need more than an apple to stave off the creatures in these and nine other stories. Remember your first lesson: resistance is fruitless! Includes stories by: ILONA ANDREWS, AMBER BENSON, RHYS BOWEN, MIKE CAREY, CHARLAINE HARRIS, DONALD HARSTAD, STEVE HOCKENSMITH, NANCY HOLDER, FAITH HUNTER, TONI L.P. KELNER, MARJORIE LIU, JONATHAN MABERRY, THOMAS SNIEGOSKI

    Gin goes to Mab's funeral to say her goodbyes and runs into some of Ashland's most notorious underworld power players, including Jonah McAllister and Phillip Kincaid. McAllister wants her dead, and Kincaid has his own murky motives when it comes to the Spider, and Gin once again finds herself fighting for her life. Only this time, she might wind up in the cemetery right next to Mab.

     It's mine. Before I lost my ability to think like an adult. Before my body became stuck between wolf and human. Before I knew the supernatural and Rylee even existed. This is the last of what I remember before becoming a werewolf. . . .this is the last of what's important to me. And the moments I fought so hard to hang on to. My name is Alex, and this is my story. **14k Word Stand alone short story** Haven't read any of the Rylee Adamson books? This short stands alone and is a great intro to the characters.

    A shift in the balance of power. And one reject.Malik Demonbreun, the rejected heir of the Southern Vampire Realm, is thrown in the center of a deadly controversy, which may cost him his life. Again.Malik sleeps during daylight and drives a wrecker at night. When his father forces him to return home, he becomes the focus of a deadly bid for a change of leadership within the realms. With no idea who is friend or foe, Malik searches for a way back to his disavowed life. But each step he takes moves him closer to his father's throne. A throne that Malik has never wanted.He had no claim to riches in the reject life. But at least he wasn't living in a sick game of fifty ways to kill a vampire. He never thought he'd miss licking the blood from the seats of wrecked vehicles. One thing was for sure, rich or reject, Vampin' Ain't Easy.Start this gritty and humorous series, Legend of the Vampire Reject, with Vampin' Ain't Easy by Kimbra Swain, author of the Fairy Tales of a Trailer Park Queen series. This is book one of four in the series plus a prequel which can be found in the Urban Magic Anthology.