Showing results by narrator "Sam Stark" in All Categories

Losing your sight at the age of ten was not fun. Losing your best friend was even worse. Not every kid befriended the monster under their bed, but Shade hadn’t been a monster. He’d been sweet, kind, and the best friend I’d ever had. He’d also saved my life. I’d thought I would never see him again, but then the thing that kept me safe and stopped me from getting hurt started tugging me somewhere, and following its pull led me straight to Shade. Finding him again was nothing short of a miracle, and there was no way I was letting him go again.

What were the chances of running into my mate the first time I visited the human world? Almost none. And yet, there he was, with sparkling blue eyes, brightly painted nails, a wide smile, and a sassy as fuck mouth. There was no way I was dropping the ball on this, but it wasn't as easy as asking him out, even though he'd left me his number on my coffee cup. Being a supernatural in the human world was tough, but bringing a human into your world? Yeah, I was going to need some help.

This issue of Weird Tales presents a batch of entirely new short stories, flash fiction, poems, and an essay dealing with monsters who defy death, including zombies, vampires, mummies, and various and assorted revenants. There are some real heavy hitters here—bestsellers and names listeners might not yet know … but should. And will.

It’s hard to imagine dating when I secretly share a bed with my best friend every night. When we can barely spend an hour apart. When he’ll kill anyone who tries to touch me. We finally escaped the trailer park, but maybe we weren’t ready for freedom. My best friend Beck doesn’t know how to leave the gang he’s always known, even if it costs him his life. And I don’t know how to find my purpose and confidence as a trans man.

Lucky is anything but his namesake. First, he gets tricked into marrying a woman when she claims he got her pregnant. Now, he's getting divorce papers claiming he's been unfaithful. To add insult to injury, no one will even listen to his side of the story. A kind hearted bartender saves him from sleeping in his car, but can he handle sharing a house with eight other men?

Henry McCarty William H. Bonney Billy the Kid He’s one of the most famous figures in the Old West, no matter what name he goes by. His exploits are the stuff of legend, but the most fantastical of all of them have been lost to history. Until now. It’s 1949, and the famous gunslinger is now a federal agent called William Kidwell, and he’s returned to where it all began—Lincoln County, New Mexico, to face the demons of his past and wrest control of his soul from the immortal witch Scáthach.

My first visit to the human realm in decades was…memorable. I visited a comic book store, and made a new friend. Liam was just as geeky as me, and while he might seem scary to humans, all I saw were his sweet smiles and kind gestures. Discovering he was my mate was a surprise, but when Liam didn’t react the way I expected when I accidentally revealed I was a jorogumo, hope unfurled. Maybe he would be the one to accept me exactly as I was.

The good news is that I finally reunited with my soulmates after 7000 years and found genuine happiness. The bad news is that we’re now running for our lives. The worse news is that the ones after us abducted my best friend.

I’m not paranoid. There really is someone out to get me. I know, because they took my grandmother hostage. Now, to help her and reconnect with my fifth soulmate, I have to play along with Nana’s captors, despite my misgivings and those of my mates.

Case of the Covered Hermit is a reverse-harem paranormal romance featuring multiple love interests, a slow burn focusing on emotional connections with a steamy fade to black, and the reincarnation of the oldest recorded reverse harem story in human history. Oh yeah, and lots of tarot cards.

I reconnected with two of my five soulmates from a previous lifetime 7000 years ago, so there are three more—somewhere, out there. While I help one soulmate clear up his past by talking to his dead ex-wife, I asked the cards to help us find my third soulmate.

I read tarot cards. I’m the real deal, but my psychic abilities scare the shit out of me. I see the auras of the living. Sometimes the dead speak to me—and not always when I want them to. Just reading cards? Now, that's safe.

Alistair Woodson is a loner by choice. Since the traumatic night that ended his only friendship, he’s isolated himself by letting his classmates believe he’s a criminal and an arsonist, best to be avoided at all costs. But on his graduation trip across Paris, Switzerland, and Italy, Alis discovers that isolation isn’t so easy to maintain in hostel rooms and cross-country trains.

In 2236, the world has largely settled after two centuries of magical apocalyptic events and heroic interventions. The Icelandic Citadel of Knowledge oversees the Accorded Territories, the nations which rose from the ashes of The Aperien Event. The Citadel enforces a set of magically binding laws called The Accords. While those who live within the Accorded Territories can find everything they need, those who strike out on their own as Independents have no such protections.

I don’t mix well with people; I prefer the birds. I spend my time trying to find the Trickster—a finch treasured by the locals. My smart mouth, brash behavior, and being non-binary in this secluded southern town keep me on the periphery of Spastoke’s society. Fine by me. All I need are the birds and my uncle Jeremy. Until he dies, and I can’t do anything to stop it. I want to withdraw from the town into the comfort of birdwatching and forget everything. Instead, Adrian Turney, my uncle’s friend and mentor, is found dead in the woods.

Bekka is a young Ranger working as a caravan outrider for the first time. After a lapse in judgement causes her to question whether she is cut out for this sort of a life, she runs off and finds herself drawn into a mysterious adventure set in motion by the Gods themselves. Thrown together with three complete strangers, the group encounters a mad priest in control of an ancient and damaged artifact of unfathomable power; A mystical organ that has the power to transcend worlds.

Locke worked hard to become a pro gamer, getting paid to do something he loves. But with the dream comes some unexpected challenges. The demand is overwhelming and it gets lonely. Adam works in the historical district, where he gets to dress up and entertain tourists. He loves to play games casually as a way to relax and often sets up at Randy’s Diner. The last person Adam expected to walk into the diner was his favorite streamer.

In November 2039, marine scientist Wend Taylor heaves themself aboard a zero-emissions boat skippered by elusive nature photographer Viola Yang. Guided by instinct, ocean dreams, and a shared birthday in 1972, they barter stories for passage across the Pacific. Aljon, Viola’s younger cousin, keeps a watchful eye and an innovative galley. Story by story, the trio rethink secrets, flying dreams, and how they experience their own minds.