Occult Fantasy

Thrust into a new world full of magic and monsters, Layla has finally come to terms with her supernatural powers - and left her old life behind. But her enemies are relentless. Sixteen months after her life changed forever, Layla and her team are besieged during a rescue attempt gone awry and must fight their way through to freedom. It turns out that Avalon has only grown since their last encounter, adding fresh villains to its horde. Meanwhile, revelations abound as Layla confronts twists and betrayals in her own life, with each new detail adding to the shadow that looms over her.

Layla Cassidy has always wanted a normal life, and the chance to put her father's brutal legacy behind her. And in her final year of university she's finally found it. Or so she thinks. But when Layla accidentally activates an ancient scroll, she is bestowed with an incredible, inhuman power. She plunges into a dangerous new world, full of mythical creatures and menace - all while a group of fanatics will stop at nothing to turn her abilities to their cause.

To the uninitiated, Savannah shows only her bright face and genteel manner. Those who know her well, though, can see beyond her colonial trappings and small-city charm to a world where witchcraft is respected, Hoodoo is feared, and spirits linger. Mercy Taylor is all too familiar with the supernatural side of Savannah, being a member of the most powerful family of witches in the South. Despite being powerless herself, of course. Having grown up without magic of her own, in the shadow of her talented and charismatic twin sister, Mercy has always thought herself content.

Gorgons might be stony-faced but they know how to rock. After his adventure in an apocalyptic alternate dimension, Cain is ready for some downtime and mangoritas. But when a gorgon asks Cain to help her remove the curse of Medusa from her bloodline, he sees an opportunity to learn about his origins. He might even be able to help Aura with her curse. Three birds with one stone seems like a pretty good deal. Their quest leads them to the Shalthaes Woodlands, a.k.a., the Dead Forest. Somewhere inside lies the lost city of Fyeth Elunore and its ancient library that may hold answers.

Fifteen of the biggest names in weird literature come together to pay tribute to Hellboy and the characters of Mike Mignola’s award-winning line of books! Assembled by Joe Golem and Baltimore co-writer Christopher Golden, this anthology boasts 15 original stories by the best in horror, fantasy, and science fiction, including Seanan McGuire (October Daye series), Chelsea Cain (Heartsick), Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger series), and more! The new writer of Hellboy and the BPRD, iZombie co-creator Chris Roberson, pitches in as well!

While on a singles tour of Europe, Seattle's own Pia Thomason is looking for a man and trying not to think about her 40th birthday. Too bad her choice of suitors is less than appealing. But when she meets two mysterious strangers in Iceland, Pia becomes immersed in an undead love affair.

Does Earth have portals to an extraterrestrial world? Do these portals lead to the legendary island paradise where the old grow young again? Our ancestors believed in a physical place that promised health, happiness, and immortality. Today we consider the old legends to be myths, nothing more than sailor's fish stories. Yet some of the most prominent names in history devoted their entire lives to searching for the lost island of paradise - and they found it.

Nothing ruins a romantic evening like a brawl with lowlifes - especially when one of them later turns up dead and my date, Detective Isabella Cherabino, is the number one suspect. My history with the Atlanta PD on both sides of the law makes me an unreliable witness, so while Cherabino is suspended, I'm paying my bills by taking an FBI gig. I've been hired to play telepathic bodyguard for Tommy, the 10-year-old son of a superior court judge in Savannah presiding over the murder trial of a mob-connected mogul.

Librarian-witch Jane Madison has been invited to join the prestigious Washington Coven - a necessary step, if she’s going to hold onto her feline familiar, her beloved arcane books, and her sexy warder, David Montrose. As the Coven’s tests become more challenging, though, Jane must decide if she can trust her new witchy friend, Haylee. And then there’s that handsome Brit, Graeme Henderson, who is proving to be most distracting...Jane is about to be tested in ways she’s never imagined - and, pass or fail, nothing will ever be the same!

The Dark Moon should be the best night of my life as a shifter. Instead, my sweet little house cat just combusted into flames in the middle of my bedroom, my tormenting alpha says he’s my mate, and three hellish men just blazed into my life like sinful gods. With nowhere left to run, I’m forced to acknowledge the gorgeous existence of the three dark stalkers hunting me. They offer me something I can’t ignore: protection in the realm of Hell…as well as answers about my past. My magic and my wolf grow stronger, fiercer, and deadlier in their presence. But I’ll never trust them.

Grant Palmer spends his days in an expensive suit and tie, funding charitable works for his family’s foundation. His nights are reserved for patrolling the small city of Asheville and the bordering mountainside in an effort to protect residents from rogue vampires. Why? He has his own collection of kills to atone for from his own days as a rebellious, bloodthirsty killer.

David Ash, detective of the paranormal, is sent to the mysterious Comraich Castle, secluded deep in the Scottish countryside, to investigate a strange, high-profile case. A man has been found crucified in a locked room. The reports suggest that the cliff-top castle is being haunted.... Who or what is the reclusive hooded figure that Ash has seen from the window walking across the courtyard in the dead of night? What are the strange, animal-like sounds that come from the surrounding woods?

A vampire has a number of handy skills - he can walk through walls, shrug off bullets, and hypnotize mortals. But one thing this particular vampire cannot do is trace his mother - until now. His trail leads him to a 200-year-old gigolo with a taste for blood, who claims not to know where she is - but who would trust a vampire?

As war rages in 1944, young army lieutenant Lucas Athan recovers a sarcophagus excavated from an Egyptian tomb. Shipped to Princeton University for study, the box contains mysteries that only Lucas, aided by brilliant archaeologist Simone Rashid, can unlock. These mysteries may, in fact, defy - or fulfill - the dire prophecies of Albert Einstein himself.

Fifteenth-century Venice is a safe haven for the masterless dregs of the vampire world, a city where they can live without the fear of retribution for violating another's territory. Still, there are plenty of ways for a young vampire to die in the glittering city, a lesson that prince turned pauper Mircea Basarab must learn quickly. But there are opportunities, too - in the service of a secretive courtesan, in the bed of a beautiful senator, and in the hunt for an ancient assassin.

When our universe falls in the gods' crosshairs, only one woman can stand against them.... Kat Dubois. Immortal. Ex-assassin. Humanity's last hope. Kat has finally embraced her role as the Nejeret figurehead, diving headlong into the mission to forge an alliance between her people and the human race. Only then will they finally be able to defeat the Senate. Progress is painfully slow, and not remotely steady...until a terrorist attack provides Kat with a lead that just might turn the tide of the war.

They say no good deed goes unpunished, and Cain is living proof of it. His quest to help the gorgon Dusa and his favorite bartender, Aura, went terribly right and horrifically wrong. Now, the sword Soultaker has claimed two more souls and added them to its undead army. Zeus and Mars tell Cain to fix the situation, or they'll erase him permanently along with everyone he cares about. To free souls from Soultaker, Cain needs information from the original Thanatos, Greek god of death.

How do you fight a foe that is fast, smart, and relentless? How do you prepare for an enemy that doesn't know pain, fear, or mercy? How do you stop the dead from rising again, ripping apart everything you've tried to rebuild? John Talon and his crew race across the state, trying to stop the wave of zombie children from destroying the fragile communities struggling to rebuild after the Upheaval. John will learn the terrible lesson of sacrifice as he makes a final stand against the dead.

Dustin Graves has three days to live. The darkling mage has found himself in the company of scoundrels. Maybe that’s what Dustin deserves: a werewolf, a vampire, and a talking sword for teammates, and a rogue sorcerer as his mentor and master. But a doomsday cult has surfaced. Twelve mutilated bodies are found drowned in blood and in wine. The massacre stinks of both the divine and the supernatural. Worst of all, an ancient god sends Dust on a lethal mission, one he must complete in three days. The reward? He gets to live. Well...maybe.

This collection contains a mixture of stories about ghosts and contacts from spirits, some by celebrated authors, together with essays on psychical research. As Joseph French notes in the preface, even for the skeptic, tales of ghostly activity retain a distinct fascination. The widespread interest in psychic phenomena in the early twentieth century proved to be a significant stimulus to literary production.