fantasy – dark fantasy

Word Count: Click here to reveal174300 (Click here to hide)

Summary: My sister is in grave danger, captive in the city of Witch Hunters. As Manalar prepares for war, her only chance lies with infiltrators from Augran. I shall join them. The prosperous port of Augran thrives in diverse trade with the Dwarven Clans. The Bishops of Manalar have withdrawn defiantly into the Temple of the Sun, scorning their past allies. The Ma’ab Empire has sent their dark army out of the Far North, seeking not riches but a small, well-protected spring high upon a mountain. The sacred pool of Manalar is said to bless all mages who control it. On the fringe, there’s Gavin and me. Each dedicated to our purpose, we garner allies from Augran and the Clans of Taiding willing to see them through. My Dragonblood bodyguard, Mourn, reinforces our strengths as we expect others like us to jump out of hiding and into the fray. I failed one sister. I will not fail another. Sirana’s desperate search upon the Surface reaches its culmination in Battle for Manalar, where foes and allies unite and clash in this transformative event driven by opportunity, righteousness, and reprisal. Sister Seekers is dark epic fantasy for adults with an ever-broadening scope. The saga genre-hops a bit so things never get stale. Found Family is a core theme throughout. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuanced intrigue, intense action, and fantastical magic.

Word Count: Click here to reveal75000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: The neon lights of Las Vegas mask the horrors hiding in the shadows. Horrors like my ancient vampiric maker, the Goddess Tawaret. Tawaret promises me power in exchange for helping her. She wants to be worshiped again, and has me gathering vampire followers. My boyfriend, Jack, tries to warn me about her, but I don’t listen. Too late, I realize my mistake in accepting. Now there is no escape. After the slaughter she left behind in Portland, no one wants to risk her wrath. With Jack suddenly abandoning me, no one will come to my rescue. I’d rather die than be bound to her for eternity. It just might come to that.

Word Count: Click here to reveal29722 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Adam Drowen… Azreal, the Onyx Knight… His journey has been long and arduous. He gained power in death, lost his mentor, found truth in a dream, got lost in a fantasy, embraced his rage, challenged The Fates, offered compassion, crossed the line, hunted a monster, and realized that Darkness was enveloping his soul. A Warrior’s life is not for everyone. Adventure, excitement, glory; these are not what a true Warrior desires. A Knighthood does not grant privilege, offer fame, or promise riches. It can be a hard life, full of painful choices. It is a life of service, not reward. It is a never-ending journey in search of knowledge and beauty. The Way of the Warrior is the perpetual pursuit of perfection that none will ever attain. Why would anyone choose such a life? Not everybody can; but if you wish to learn what drives someone on this ceaseless quest, then pay attention; for I am the One Arm Bandit and I have stories to tell... Now, for the first time, ShyMuse Publishing presents the tales of Azreal, the Onyx Knight; collected in a single anthology. All ten short stories chronicling Azreal’s journey from a young Sapphire Knight to a cold-blooded killer and finally to a contemplative, stoic guardian, are now gathered together in one volume. In addition to the Best Selling Way of the Warrior short story series, this book contains never before seen artwork and concept designs. Visit us at www.ShyMusePub.com

Word Count: Click here to reveal11500 (Click here to hide)

Summary: A dark fairy tale in a modern Welsh setting. The lives of a diver and a reclusive mermaid collide. Will one be the death of the other? When Erin comes to the aid of a sea creature caught in fishing nets, she's shocked to discover she's rescued an injured mermaid. Though it quickly disappears, Erin is determined to find the creature again. A twist of circumstance finds her trapped in the mermaid's lair, wrestling with her own conscience and the instinct to survive... This is a standalone novelette of about 11,500 words, and is the third installment in the Dark Folklore series.

Word Count: Click here to reveal75000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Sleepwalking may be the death of me… again. I thought things would get better now that I no longer had assassins after my head. Although it’s fun eating people who misgender me, I’m just so thirsty all the time. And until I improve, I’m barred from seeing Jack, my were-jackal boyfriend. My babysitter, I mean ‘vampire mentor,’ isn’t much help either. As if things weren’t bad enough, the amulet that started this mess is whispering to me. Calling me somewhere. I think it might be my mysterious maker. Judging by the trail of bodies they’re leaving across the globe, I don’t want to know what will happen if I can’t keep resisting.

Word Count: Click here to reveal54418 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Mercy must unlearn her past if she hopes to find her future. After eluding hunters who wanted her dead, Mercy finds herself in a strange new place to call home. With the help of the bizarre Thomas Farrell and the mysterious Leyda, she discovers how different the world is from what her father taught. The violence of her past still haunts her, but the truth she uncovers rattles her core. Mercy must put her past and fears behind her, unlearn what she once believed to be doctrine, and uncover her true capabilities as a burgeoning scientist if she hopes to make a difference in Kanta. Drawn to the laboratory and to caring for the werewolves she once worked so hard to capture, Mercy discovers her own true passions instead of those demanded of her. When Andrei, a young, handsome werewolf, enters her life, Mercy sees firsthand the harsh realities of the werewolves she once demonized. She wants to help, but does Mercy have the courage and the wits to do the impossible?   Book 2 of The Wolves of Kanta series

Word Count: Click here to reveal128000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: In the wake of a worsening climate crisis, magic runs rampant and demons roam across the Canadian prairies. A long-dead god stirs in the Pacific Ocean, while the wilderness is choked by invasive, screaming grass. The Cascade has shattered political stability, leaving a scandal-plagued government clinging to power in Ottawa. As catastrophe looms ahead, a precognitive rainman, Ian Mallory, stands between run-of-the-mill corruption and a nightmarish, dystopian future. It is up to a diverse and unlikely band of activists, scientists, journalists, and one underpaid, emoji-spell wielding intern to save their beleaguered country from its own worst impulses

Word Count: Click here to reveal105000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: A girl detective. A boy genius. A warrior princess. A young magician. Four young people with extraordinary gifts. For years, they solved mysteries, caught crooks, and slayed monsters. They were secret heroes, keeping an idyllic small town in the middle of America safe from the things that lurked in the dark. Then, the year of their high school graduation, the darkness came for them. During what the media called “New Year’s Evil,” a demonic force rose to turn their hometown into a literal Hell on Earth. They gathered to stop it. They fought. And they won. The rest of the world never discovered the truth behind the disaster. For 20 years, the four tried living like normal people. Now their past is coming back to haunt them. The darkness is gathering once more. They’re summoned back to their hometown to face it, along with everything else they left behind. Last time, they saved the world. This time, they’ll have to do something much harder. They’ll have to save each other. For fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Victoria Schwab, REUNION is the story of what happens when the good guys grow up.

Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Mankind’s survival hangs in the balance… In the year 2066, the artist haven of Santa Fe, New Mexico emerges as ground zero for the conquest and destruction of Earth by the evil Zolteots. Nick Clements and Daniel Vigil-Cruz — a writer and an artist still deeply in love after 12 years together — become the improbable fulcrum through which Earth might survive. As they weigh what must be done to save our planet, they are forced to confront shocking truths which will transform the Earth — as well as their future together — forever.

Word Count: Click here to reveal75000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Waking up undead is just the start of my bad night. This night is going from bad to worse. My roommate is dead. My sexy neighbor, who I’ve never worked up the guts to talk to before, is standing in my living room. I have a gold amulet I just stole from the museum hidden in my pocket. Oh, and I’m dead... or undead? All the myths about vampires, were-wolves, and the like? Turns out, all true. My sexy neighbor claims I’m a vampire now. I don’t quite believe him, but then again, he turned into a coyote in front of me. Jackal, whatever. Plus, you know, my fangs. Oh, did I mention my sexy neighbor is an ex-cop? And his cop buddies just knocked down my door. I’m pretty sure this night can’t get any worse…

Word Count: Click here to reveal8700 (Click here to hide)

Summary: A dark fairy tale in a modern Norwegian setting. Ida, a young girl grieving the loss of her mother, is wandering in the snowy wilderness when she meets the mysterious Maja - a huldra from myth and legend. Taking comfort in Maja's kind arms, Ida makes a desperate wish for her family to be whole again... and gets far more than she bargained for. With her own home turned against her, Ida must race across the wild valley to save her Pappa and confront the huldra before time runs out.

Word Count: Click here to reveal31131 (Click here to hide)

Summary: The daughter of a werewolf hunter will become so much more. Thirteen-year-old Mercy Pinkerton thought her days of cleaning house, fixing the barricade, and wiring electric prongs were over. She would finally get to train to be a werewolf hunter, what she has always wanted. She doesn’t know that there are worse monsters in Kanta than the werewolves that plague Kanta each night. Danger lurks around every corner. She’ll have to avoid her father’s temper and follow his orders, even if it means risking her life. It is supposed to be Mercy’s big day, but will take a drastic turn for the worse. She’ll have to keep her wits about her, remember her training, and prepare for the ultimate test of bravery if she hopes to survive. Book 1 of The Wolves of Kanta series

Word Count: Click here to reveal148000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: I’ve confronted the half-blood mercenary who has what I need to find Jael, wherever she may be. Neither of us will leave until we reach a bargain which yields what we most desire. The Dragonchild has brought me into a city he knows to its foundations, where I am at a disadvantage. My devout Deathwalker may be content to wait for the coming war between Manalar and the Ma’ab, secure in his value to a newly revealed influence in the conflict, but my position seems neither secure nor desirable to anyone but me. I must dig deeper into the motives of all involved, including my own, to convince the Guild's leaders to lend me their vast knowledge and far reach within strangely familiar plots. I have to succeed for Jael’s sake, for she is my only sister left. In The Guild’s Design, outcasts from the Deepearth dare to reveal resolute hopes waiting within quiet hearts. This time and opportunity must not pass them by, lest the promise of war rend their chances for a future beyond the next conflict. Sister Seekers is dark epic fantasy for adults with an ever-broadening scope. The saga genre-hops a bit so things never get stale. Found Family is a core theme throughout. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuanced intrigue, intense action, and fantastical magic.

Word Count: Click here to reveal26000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Jealous angels with no genitals discover the passion and ecstasy that humans experience through sex. In revenge, the frustrated but impotent celestial beings banish the men to the wilderness. Will the women save the human race, or will they become the mothers of great evil?

Word Count: Click here to reveal119000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Enter the world of Mulgara, where conquerors and ghouls and sordid necromancers await. "In The Scrolls of Sin, David Rose paints a fully realized fantasy realm with ingenious plotting, complex characterization, and cleverly lush language. It's also viscerally involving. The collection is so steeped in the sin of the title that it plunges the reader into a sordid otherworld of corruption, treachery, violence, torture, lust, murder, and dark magic — though not without fleeting moments that grope toward something like tenderness and redemption." --- Matt Cardin, author of To Rouse Leviathan

Word Count: Click here to reveal36000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: INK (NOUN) Five definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) A colored fluid used for writing 2) The action of signing a deal 3) A black liquid ejected by squid 4) Publicity in the written media 5) A slang word for tattoos Ink features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Hell Bound or Heaven Sent? Some of us will never know until it's too late. From an infernal fiend reduced to baking cookies to distract a small child, to a pastor's kid rescued from a fall from grace by an unlikely pair, and every iteration in between, Devilish & Divine explores the spectrum of mankind's encounters with beings of power beyond our comprehension. Are you ready to explore otherworldly hosts-both heavenly and otherwise? With stories by James Chambers, John L. French, Robert E. Waters, Jenifer Purcell Rosenberg, Christopher J. Burke, Michelle D. Sonnier, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Russ Colchamiro, Michael A. Black, Patrick Thomas, Hildy Silverman, and, John G. Hartness

Word Count: Click here to reveal111,000 (Click here to hide)

Summary:

Word Count: Click here to reveal128600 (Click here to hide)

Summary: I escape into a twisted wilderness with a stolen relic protecting me from madness. Behind me is the mysterious stalker from across the plains. He’s caught up to us. My sisters are out there somewhere out, and my unborn is here with me. Struggling to tell guardians from beguilers on a warped battlefield, I worry for all our fates. Somehow, I must bear the terrifying risk of bargaining with Surfacers in ways which ensure enslavement back home. No Red Sister can give up her mission when compelled by her Queen to see it through. Surrounded by allies and enemies alike seeking to influence the only free Davrin Elf on the Surface, I must relearn my limits when confronted by those who have none. The true scope of Etaski's saga arises in The Mark of Gold. Tangible peril meets cryptic visions, forcing a driven few to redefine what it takes to break the shackles of compulsion and forge them as bonds of loyalty. Sister Seekers is dark epic fantasy for adults with an ever-broadening scope. The saga genre-hops a bit so things never get stale. Found Family is a core theme throughout. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuanced intrigue, intense action, and fantastical magic.

Word Count: Click here to reveal120552 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Like a spout pushing its way through soil extending deep mighty roots as it grows firm and tall, Michael like those around him has become renewed in the sun. The Wheel of Creation continues to turn through tragedy and triumph with secrets and mysteries revealed, truth discarding deceit to rot away into dust. Terror still lurks in shadow, hinting at battles yet to come and while the union of souls may reign down catastrophe upon all involved, there is a newly shared optimism that this town, rebirthed and revived again after decades can meet the oncoming storm together. Bonded in battle, humbled in heart new friendships have replaced old animosities as all the residents are finding their place in creation.Despite the odds, the couple continues their path toward blending, but if the sun sets on their hopes or the union is not supported by the Mother, disaster could befall not just Michael and Kurra but the entire Grove.Book four of The Place Of Things is Blood. The blood spilled and shared through trial and combat, forged in a family or spilled through injury, death, or pain and joy. Will the Great Mother approve of a blending of souls, or will the remains and splatter of not just Michael, but all those he holds dear be splashed in chunks upon the wedding alter.As this story concludes in the middle it continues on like the cycle of the seasons. Never ceasing always evolving. Until next time, Love from the Sacred Grove.