For centuries, the myth of the vampire has intrigued mortal minds. A creature so loathsome, but at the same time so alluring, has inspired literature throughout the ages. This collection contains stories and extracts by established masters of horror such as Bram Stoker, M.R. James and Sheridan Le Fanu.
Most of us are familiar with the idea of a werewolf—that someone can change, either deliberately or unwillingly, into a ravenous creature—but is there some justification for such a belief? And if so, how is it achieved—through magical potions or ointments or simply by the light of the full moon? Or is the whole thing simply a form of delusion, the product of a disturbed mind? In Werewolves, author Dr. Bob Curran examines the deep psychological perceptions about the linkage of man with the natural, bestial world. Do the roots of such a belief lie in the supernatural world, or are there other explanations? How has the discovery of feral children, living in the wild, shaped our ideas of human-beasts? And what is the future of such beliefs? The book considers genetically-based speculations regarding the possible fusion of human and animal genes in order to alleviate some human diseases and suffering. Is the idea of man into beast really so far fetched? Werewolves is an essential reference book which looks, in depth, at a fascinating subject. One word of warning though: it must never be read under the baleful rays of a full moon. You have been warned!
Vampires are much more complex creatures than Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Twilight, True Blood, or scores of other movies and television shows would have you believe. Even in America. American vampire lore has its roots in the beliefs and fears of the diverse peoples and nationalities that make up our country, and reflects the rich tapestry of their varied perspectives. The vampires that lurk in the American darkness come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can produce some surprising results. Vampires in North Carolina are vastly different from those in South Carolina, and even more different from those in New York State. Moreover, not all of them are human in form, and they can’t necessarily be warded off by the sight of a crucifix or a bulb of garlic. Dr. Bob Curran visits the Louisiana bayous, the back streets of New York City, the hills of Tennessee, the Sierras of California, the deserts of Arizona, and many more locations in a bid to track down the vampire creatures that lurk there. Join him if you dare! This is not Hollywood’s version of the vampire—these entities are real!
An erotically charged, addictive thriller from the future queen of suspense. Living in Toronto for a year, Elena is leading the normal life she has always dreamed of, including a stable job as a journalist and a nice apartment shared with her boyfriend. As the lone female werewolf in existence, only her secret midnight prowls and her occasional inhuman cravings set her apart. Just one year ago, life was very different. Adopted by the Pack when bitten, Elena had spent years struggling with her resentment at having her life stolen away. Torn between two worlds, and overwhelmed by the new passions coursing through her body, her only option for control was to deny her awakening needs and escape. But now the Pack has called Elena home to help them fight an alliance of renegade werewolves who are bent on exposing and annihilating the Pack. And although Elena is obliged to rejoin her "family," she vows not to be swept up in Pack life again, no matter how natural it might feel. She has made her choice. Trouble is, she's increasingly uncertain if it's the right one. An erotically charged thriller, Bitten will awaken the voracious appetite of every reader, as the age-old battle between man and beast, between human and inhuman forces, comes to a head in one small town and within one woman's body.
I was sold to werewolves. They said I’m the Lost Princess of Howling Sky. I said I’m just Sorissa. They said I’m to be claimed by a lecherous prince and that I’ll end some timeless war between werewolves, vampires, and humans. I made other plans. Then four powerful werewolves from a rival kingdom came out of nowhere, and I was stolen again. They call themselves Phantom Fangs. Now, they’re taking me to their kingdom to keep me “safe.” They probably intend for some other prince to claim me instead. But I’m going to change their minds. They’re different from the other werewolves. They’re kind, they listen to me, and they make my blood run hot. Can I trust them? Claim the princess, rule the world. — The Lost Princess of Howling Sky is a high fantasy with dystopian elements. It’s also a why-choose romance starring some LGBTQ+ characters. It’s intended for readers 18+. This book contains episodes 1-3 of The Lost Princess of Howling Sky Serial. All books have been published; this series is complete.
'These days my life is a cross between a preternatural soap opera and an action-adventure movie.' The first hit man came after me at home, which should be against the rules. Then there was a second, and a third. Word on the street is that Anita Blake, preternatural expert and vampire killer extraordinaire, is worth half a million dollars. Dead, not alive. So what's a girl to do but turn to the men in her life for help? Which in my case means an alpha werewolf and a master vampire. With professional killers on your trail, it's not a bad idea to have as much protection as possible, human or otherwise. But I'm beginning to wonder if two monsters are better than one...
Welcome to Patricia Briggs’s world, a place where “witches, vampires, werewolves, and shape-shifters live beside ordinary people” (Booklist). It takes a very unusual woman to call it home—and there’s no one quite like Mercy Thompson. By day, Mercy Thompson is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shape-shifter with some unusual talents, Mercy’s found herself maintaining a tenuous harmony between the human and the not-so-human on more than one occasion. This time she may get more than she bargained for. Marsilia, the local vampire queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan—and she’s out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relationship with its sexy Alpha), it won’t be Mercy’s blood Marsilia is after. It’ll be her friends’.
In the hills of Southern California, a series of violent and gruesome deaths occurs within the space of a few hours. The murders are attributed to some unknown, savage animal.Precisely one month later, college student Meg Talley is attacked in the same manner. Astonishingly, she survives, but when she insists that her assailant was a hideous monster-like creature, she is called hysterical. Journalist Douglas Morgan, private eye Nick Grundel, and horror novelist Blake Corbett, however, have each theorized that the mangling, incredible though it seems, might be the work of a werewolf. Now they team up with Meg to peruse an intensive investigation. When a suspect is apprehended and confined, the four are on hand. But neither skeptics nor believers are prepared for the bone-chilling terror and cataclysmic violence that will be unleashed in the night of the January full moon…