Santa has a dirty surprise for you . . . It's Christmas season at MetroGen, and the social event of the season is the New Year's Firefighter Ball! Secrets are coming to light and you'll find out who's been naughty and nice . . . These bite sized naughty stories are perfect for the MetroGen super fan and casual readers. It pairs great with a bottle of wine and the F R E E exclusive Stolen Kisses and Near Misses Boxed set available this holiday season only! Besides, while picking out your favorite dress for the ball, you might find a mostly naked Santa stripper in your closet . . .

Waking up on his day off, Alex Fry (Beams) sees an impenetrable magical barrier in the sky over his hometown of Golden City. It turns out that the barrier was constructed by the Zero Knight called Mirar, who has come to Golden City to avenge the death of his fellow Zero Knight from the previous book. To that end, Mirar has trapped every man, woman, and child in the city, and even worse, has set a 24-hour-deadline, at the end of which everyone inside the barrier will die. To save his friends, family, and neighbors, Beams must ally with an old enemy of his, whose magical knowledge is the key to lifting the barrier. Yet Mirar leaves nothing to chance, sending his deadliest servants after Beams to ensure he cannot save the city. With time rapidly running out, will Beams be able to save himself, much less the whole city and everyone within it?

'A sparklingly delicious confection to satisfy the mystery reader's appetite' Helena Dixon, bestselling author of the Miss Underhay Mysteries Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is back! When popular TV baking contest and national institution 'The Best of British Baking Roadshow' rolls into town and sets up camp in the grounds of Boskern House, a historic stately home near Penstowan, former police officer Jodie 'Nosey' Parker finds herself competing to represent Cornwall in the grand final. But with a fellow contestant who will stop at nothing to win and a drag queen host with secrets of their own, Jodie discovers that the roadshow doesn't just have the ingredients for the perfect showstopper cake, but also for the perfect murder... And when a body is found in the grounds of the house, Jodie is drawn into another high-stakes case along with local DCI Nathan Withers. Can Jodie expose the culprit? Or will the murderer become the real showstopper?

Beautifully written speculative fiction from Metaphorosis magazine. Forty-nine great science fiction and fantasy stories and an equally great serialized novella. All the stories we published in 2021.ContentsFrom the EditorJanuarySuperbloom - Lynne Peskoe-YangAll We Ever Look For - Cécile CristofariUnifiers - Edward AshtonNot All Rot Is Ruin - E.A. PetriconeEsma's Margaret - Damien KrsteskiFebruaryVacation Gnomes - Aaron DaMommioRock-Adda's World - Chloe SmithEndless - Ted S. BushmanReach for Your Ocean Heart - C.M. FieldsMarchSpells for Going Forth by Day - V.G. CampenGoing Home - Martin WestlakeSanctuary - Chris CornettoSiberia in Four Dimensions - Esem JuniorAprilThe Big S - David HammondThe Otherside of Memory - Kelly...

"You know, when you live in a time of progress, it seems that progress is the only possible way. The idea that everything we'd gained, all of those hard-won rights, could be taken away from us, and that open minds could be closed again? But then the Outrage happened." Welcome to England, where the Protectorate enforces the Public Good. Here, there are rules for everything - what to eat, what to wear, what to do, what to say, what to read, what to think, who to obey, who to hate, who to love. Your safety is assured, so long as you follow the rules. Gabriel is a natural born rule-breaker. And his biggest crime of all? Being gay. Gabriel knows his sexuality must be kept secret from all but his closest friends, not only to protect himself, but to protect his boyfriend. Because Eric isn't just the boy who has stolen Gabriel's heart. He's the son of the chief inspector at Degenerate Investigations ­­­- the man who poses the single biggest threat to Gabriel's...

Bestselling author Jennifer Estep continues her Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series where magic reigns, alliances are tested, and a dangerous attraction could tear down a throne. . .Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things—and determined to stop an enemy from using magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.Gemma's quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals in attendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas—Gemma's charming and dangerous nemesis.Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcane tradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and the other kingdoms. Despite her best intentions, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.When a...