Showing results by narrator "J.S. Arquin" in All Categories

Trouble is dead. Long live trouble. Killing the leader of a violent cult was supposed to make the city a safer place, but instead it created a power imbalance that’s left a deadly war raging in the streets of Bulari. When Willem Jaantzen is approached for help by local casino magnate Phaera D, he has the sinking feeling the only way to end this war is to betray the people he loves the most. And he’s starting to suspect that Phaera wants more from him than just his help. Whatever decision he makes feels like the wrong one.

The beautiful Sally Anne has everyone fascinated, including Tommy's best friend, George, who kisses her the first chance he gets. But it isn't just a regular kiss! Sally Anne's kiss is ice cold. Even knowing her chilling gift, Tommy can't help but get close to her and ultimately discover her big secret.

In the final installment of the Core series, the Razznians are defeated, yet no one feels like a winner. New Lassa is devastated, Azrom is in shambles, and planet Razzna itself has had its surface razed, forcing the population to flee - which leaves a bad taste on everyone's palate. With so many secrets filled with animosity and shame now brought to light, both Azrom and New Lassa must face their own demons.

Sex. Horror. Discomfort. In five stories and one poem, you'll find questions and answers, and you might learn something about yourself along the way. Something uncomfortable. Something dark. Come on in and join us. Lean back, open up, and let us take a look at that tickle. We're sure it's nothing serious. Just...something in your mouth.

The Core Series continues with the second installment, where we see the battle on earth over and Chardon taking his place as the leader of New Lassa. Halfar returns to Azrom resuming his role as Supreme Ruler. A new conflict rises from the reptilian race, Razznians. Bitter about a broken deal set up long ago by Chardon’s mate, Sestis, they are coming to collect. Discontent among the Lassians and Azrominans rears its ugly head yet again as members in their trusted circle seem to have their own agendas. The two leaders have a lot of work to do as an enemy assault lurks in the horizon.

Dozens have fallen before a mysterious menace hiding among them. Their only connection is the grisly condition of their bodies — hollowed-out chasms where their eyes used to be. Setting aside the aging case on his wife’s murder, Detective Greg Loren has returned to the city with the task of stopping the bearer of the Medusa coin — an artifact with power over Death himself — from continuing to slaughter the people of Portents.

The beasts Detective Loren and Soriya Greystone battled in Lou Paduano’s debut book Signs of Portents were just a hint of what lurks in the city. Tales from Portents explores the city’s immersive history, including stories of Loren’s descent after his wife’s death - and his opportunity to have her rise from the grave. Soriya battles gremlins, navigates lessons with Mentor, and meets the werewolf Luchik. Follow new characters with expansive histories as they come face to face with the horrors of Portents - both human and otherwise.

To save his family.... A boy must be quick. But can he survive the game? Twist’s parent’s died in a prison colony. He has to save his sister from the same fate. But to escape, Twist will need allies, and all of his speed and wits. He and his crew must do the impossible.... And defeat the children of the ruling class within the world of The Game.

When you've lost everything, there's only one way to go...unless you find a new direction. Stranded in the scablands, Twist is lost in the dust again. To find his way out, he’ll have to make new allies, learn new skills, and overcome crippling self doubt. Will Twist find himself in time to save Canyon City?

Valentinian and his friends never imagined being trapped underground with their worst enemies - the Widow and her crew. Above-ground, an entire tribe of sex-crazed cannibal mutants rampages, coming for their souls. Enemies must make deals with each other, planning for the inevitable double and triple-crosses, as well as ferreting out the secrets of the long-forgotten vessel known as Princess Rualoh. Princess Rualoh - the sixth novel in the Shadow of the Dominion series - forges new deals and trickery between enemies as well as friends.

Kryuome: the desert world on Valentinian's treasure map. A place where he hopes to find friends and surprises if his crew can survive the dangerous aliens of Wildspace, while the Widow tracks him and his crew mate. The next exciting installment of the Shadow of the Dominion series!

The Widow never rests. She takes the ship Dominion-427 across the galaxy to chase down her ex-husband and his friends. Athanasia and Glaxu duel on far-flung planets, and double-cross one another again and again, until someone dies. And Valentinian keeps running. Dominion-427 - the fourth novel in the Shadow of the Dominion series - puts friends in danger while continuing to explore this fascinating new galaxy of characters!

Valentinian and Dave have escaped the Dominion’s Internal Security Bureau. Now they’re fleeing for their lives, heading for systems outside of Dominion control, looking for a place where they can rebuild their lives. Figure out what comes next. Who they want to be, or to become. Hard Bargain - the second novel in the series, Shadow of the Dominion - takes you even further into Wildspace, human variants, and maybe even a crooked card game or two.

Valentinian just wants to make a living hauling cargo between planets and stations. His new charter promises to be profitable, hauling an all-girl band all over the Dominion. But trouble starts before they take off, and Valentinian has just hired a crewman with a shadowy past, big muscles, and the sort of military training that only the Dominator’s Elite Assault Cavalry wields. What else could possibly go wrong?

Two tiny lizardmen scientist-criminals power up their illegal wormhole generator, getting ready to kidnap their next victim by pulling the poor human across the galaxy in an instant, forever trapping him in the Accord of Souls. Maybe this human won’t destroy everything they love. The last human they kidnapped killed the big boss, took over their criminal gang, and now, threatens to conquer the entire galaxy. The problem? Despite being criminals, the human they want to kidnap is a cop. What could possibly go wrong?

When Duncan MacGuire sets out to help a slave escape the Great Houses of the South, little does he know they'd send a demon to capture them. Set in the Boston Metaphysical Society alternate history universe, this short story is a prequel to the award winning novel, Boston Metaphysical Society: A Storm of Secrets and the popular graphic novel, Boston Metaphysical Society.

The gods of the Accord of Souls return to judge humanity itself, and they intend on simply eradicating the species to make the galaxy a safer place. Gareth finally confronts his old enemy again, as well as the very gods of the Accord itself. Nothing will ever be the same for anyone. Trial of the Star Dragon is the fifth and final Star Dragon story - science fiction written with a 1950s pulp flair - and completes the adventures of the Star Dragon and the Accord constabulary in the galaxy where the gods are real, and angry.

Six-hundred-twenty-seven convictions later, the career criminals Morty and Xiomber have seen the light and joined the good guys. Gareth must go undercover to stop his nemesis from unleashing another crimewave across the Accord of Souls. While the leaders of the Accord of Souls send an agent to Earth to stop its top scientist before he can open the way for the rest of humanity to flood into the galaxy.

An alien impostor sneaks into the most secured facility in Earth Force, confronting Earth’s top scientist Royston with his worst nightmares. Gareth’s near death at the hands of the rogue androids fuels his rage to use the Star Dragon to pursuing justice, because somewhere, his ex-best friend continues to plot his conquest of everything. And in the shadows, a dark, ancient powers awaken.

A Vanir cop stares back when Gareth St. John Dankworth looks in a mirror these days. However, that will not stop him. He will happily embrace any cost to stop the man who was once his best friend in the solar system from conquering the galaxy. Even if it involves living the rest of his life as a Star Dragon. If crime never sleeps, justice will not either.