The Beast of Exmoor is a legendary phantom big cat that haunts the moors of Devon in southern England. After it apparently took a farm girl, the Queen ordered Sir Differel Van Helsing to hunt it down and destroy it. But she soon learns she may be after the wrong monster. A rousing adventure involving a famous English cryptid. This is a short story.As the United Kingdom's monster hunting bureau, the Caerleon Order will go after any paranormal creature that becomes a threat to Sovereign, Church, and Country. However, it serves as a defensive paramilitary organization, not an investigative agency, so it normally ignores cryptids, creatures whose existence have been suggested but are not yet recognized by scientific consensus, unless they go on a rampage.The Beast of Exmoor is a famous legendary phantom big cat that haunts the moors of Devon and Somerset in southern England. Reported sighting became national, then international news starting in the mid-seventies, but except for some wild deer and farm animals, it had never attacked a human being, so far as anyone knew.However, during the latest rash of sightings and animal maulings, a little farm girl has disappeared, rumored to be a victim of the Beast. In response, the Queen has ordered the Caerleon Order to hunt it down and destroy it. Sir Differel Van Helsing has decided that the best tactic would be to deploy snipers around the area, with herself as one of them, using farm animals as bait to lure it into rifle range.She has every reason to believe her plan will work, given time. But what she and no one else can know is that she is hunting the wrong monster.

Medb hErenn is commissioned by the Cats of Ulthar to retrieve their most sacred artifact, stolen from the Temple of the Great Ones and spirited away to the onyx city of Inganok, which cats are forbidden to visit by ancient decree. Seemingly a simple enough task, but she soon discovers that the force that had the idol stolen is after more than mere financial gain. This is a short story.Medb hErenn serves Seidhloch the Moneylender of Ulthar as the steward of his business interests in the Dreamlands, because she owes him a debt. Though she serves him faithfully and honestly, she does not like being beholden to him, so when the Cats of Ulthar offer her a large reward to retrieve their most sacred artifact, stolen from the Temple of the Great Ones, she accepts without hesitation.It seems a simple enough task, but it has been taken to the onyx city of Inganok in the far north, where cats are forbidden to go. On top of that, who or whatever took the artifact seems to be after more than financial gain, despite its priceless value, because upon reaching the city it has vanished without a trace. Then Leng Men appear, old enemies from previous adventures. Are they somehow involved, or will they prove to be a red herring?Medb and her companions must find the artifact, not just for the reward, but also before it can be used to release an evil that could threaten the whole of the Dreamlands. But how can one find a needle in a haystack?

Eile and Sunny of Team Girl are visiting Sir Differel Van Helsing at her ancestral manor when the estate is overrun by a horde of monsters. Their first and only thought is to protect their friend and her son, but will they have to pay the ultimate price to succeed? This is a short story, with a Bonus Story, Preface, and Story Excerpts.Eile and Sunny of Team Girl have been best friends with Sir Differel for several years, serving as Van Helsing family retainers and special agents for the Caerleon Order, as well as unofficial aunts for Differel's son, Henry. They consider the British aristocrat and her son family, and they believe they would do whatever is necessary to protect them both.They are frequent visitors to Caerleon Hall, Differel's ancestral estate in County Norfolk. On their latest jaunt, they are getting ready to attend dinner with Differel when the manor house is overrun by a horde of monsters. Their first and only thought is to get to Henry, reunite him with his mother, and get them both to safety. But they may have to pay the ultimate price to succeed.In a bonus story, Differel invites Eile and Sunny to inaugurate a new Finnish sauna she had built on her estate, but Vlad Drakulya crashes the party.

Kuranes has asked Differel to deliver some important messages, but she must cross a range of mountains and she cannot do it before nightfall, so she accepts of the hospitality of a fellow adventurer to share his camp for the night. Michael is a witty, mischievous rogue who puts her at ease, but he isn't what he appears to be. This is a Short Story, with a Bonus Story, Preface, and Story Excerpts.It is only Differel's fourth visit to the Land of the Dreams of Men, since she acquired the ability to travel there on her own, and she is still something of a novice. However, thanks to the mentoring of Team Girl and her husband, Victor Plunkett, Marquis of Elissa, as well as her Waking World monster hunting training, she is better equipped to handle the dangers of the Dreamlands than most newcomers.When she reaches Celephais, she discovers that Victor had been sent on an important diplomatic mission and will not return for some time. To keep herself busy until then, she decides to take a walking tour of the Naraxa River Valley. Kuranes, King of Ooth-Nargai, asks her if she will deliver important dispatches to the outposts and communities that dot the valley, and she agrees. She is now coming to the end of the her journey and she has one stop left, but to reach it she must cross a range of mountains, and she cannot do it before nightfall. As she looks for a place to spend the night, she stumbles upon the camp of a fellow adventurer, a person of short stature who extends an invitation of hospitality to share his fire for the night.Michael turns out to be a witty and mischievous rogue who puts her immediately at ease, but she eventually learns that he isn't what he appears to be.In the Bonus Story, the Princess in Orange is concerned that people mistake Sir Differel for a guy, and she takes steps to correct that.

A horde of the walking dead is ravaging ancient Ireland, and only Donall the Red knows that they are being led by his long-dead friend Somhairle the Black. The Morrigan, the goddess of war and death, has charged him with destroying Somhairle, or the whole of the land will be scoured of human life, but Donall loves Somhairle more than life or honor, and he cannot do it. This is a short story.Donall Ruad Mac Roibeaird and Somhairle Duhb O Nollaig love each other more than their lives and honor. They eat together, fight together, and sleep together, and are closer then husband and wife. They have even sworn an oath, that should either of them fall in battle, the other would willingly surrender his life, so that even in death they might never be separated.Yet when Somhairle was killed in a war with tribes from the south, Donall was too grief-stricken to fulfill his oath, and so he continued to live. That one act of betrayal destroyed him, and he withdrew from life even as he clung to it.Now Ireland is being ravaged by a horde of the walking dead, driven to scour the land of all human life, but only Donall knows that the revenant that leads it is his long-dead beloved. The Morrigan, the goddess of war and death, has charged him with destroying Somhairle, but his love for his companion of old is stronger than ever, and he cannot make himself do it.

Being turned into a vampire is a real bitch, but the ordeal doesn't end when you're cured. For someone like Eile, it can be just the beginning.... This is a short story.When Eile was turned into a vampire, her partner Sunny and their mentor Medb hErenn moved heaven and earth to find a cure, with the help of their nemesis, Dr. Mabuse. Unfortunately, that was not the end of her ordeal.She must now come to terms with what she did, and find a way to assuage the terrible guilt she feels concerning what she did, despite the fact that she had no control over her actions.

Eile and Sunny are commissioned by an apothecary in Ulthar to collect medicinal herbs in a remote forest, but what starts out as an adventurous lark turns into a battle for their very souls. This is a short story.Having proven themselves intrepid and experienced adventurers in the Dreamlands, Eile and Sunny of Team Girl now receive regular commissions to undertake risky, sometimes dangerous, missions on behalf of others for pay. Some of their clients have become repeat customers; one is Mephitis, the Apothecary of Ulthar. Her medicines, ointments, potions, and poisons require a wide variety of natural ingredients, and she prefers to spend her time preparing the former rather than gathering the latter. With few exceptions, the ingredients can be gathered with no special preparation, so anyone can do it. Since Mephitis is friends with Team Girl's mentor Medb hErenn, she trusts them and gives them most of her business.However, some of these ingredients are only located in perilous locations, requiring the special talents of adventurers to brave the dangers and overcome them long enough to collect whatever is needed. One such location is the Dark Wood, a remnant of the ancient forest that used to cover the Dreamlands in the dim past. Its reputation is even worse than that of the Enchanted Woods, and few people who enter its precincts ever leave. Yet it contains the rarest and most powerful ingredients in all the Dreamlands.Eile and Sunny knew what they were getting into when they accepted the commission to enter the Wood and collect a dozen or so of its most important medicinal plants, but from the beginning their excursion proves to be disappointing: it turns out to be so pleasant and relaxing that they become bored.Yet very soon they would find themselves in a battle for their very souls.

Eile, as the fighter and thief Braveheart, and Sunny, as her magic-user partner White-Lion, are playing a scenario in the online role-playing game Otherworld. They have been hired by a powerful count to rescue his young wife, kidnapped by a dragon. However, there is a snag; the mission won't be as simple as it sounds. This is a short story, with a Preface and Sample Excerpts.About a year before they met in the real world and became Team Girl, Eile Chica and Sunny Hiver played an online role-playing game called Otherworld, a more family-friendly version of World of Warcraft and other such games. Eile had created the fighter and thief Braveheart, whereas Sunny played a magic-user named White-Lion. They met while independently exploring a lost temple of evil, became friends and partners, and adventured together afterwards.This is one of their sessions. They broke into the country villa of a powerful count to steal whatever they could, but were caught. Rather than have them hung, he "hired" them to rescue his young wife, who had been kidnapped by a dragon. However, the mission won't be as simple as it sounds, because a previous rescue attempt went seriously wrong, and now the Girls have to clean up the resulting mess.If they can.

Eile and Sunny of Team Girl love to go pub-crawling in the Dreamlands, especially when a mysterious patron offers them adventure and financial reward. However, trouble follows them like a love-starved puppy, and this Friday night will be anything but relaxing. This is a short story.Eile and Sunny of Team Girl have been lured to a slum tavern with an offer of adventure, sweetened by a rich advance in gold. When they arrive, however, they quickly discover that the deal isn't kosher, and they refuse the offer. Afterwards they decide to enjoy a relaxing evening just having fun.Unfortunately, trouble always seems to follow them like a love-starved puppy, and if two bruisers have their way, this Friday night will be anything but relaxing.

Wendy Stroud is afraid that her mother's abusive boyfriend will hurt the members of her family. She wants him to go away forever, but she can't make him do so on her own. So she decides to ask a friend of her uncle for help. And all she has to do is recite a magic spell. This is a short story.Wendy Stroud fears for her family. Eric, her mother's new boyfriend, has a fearful temper, which gets worse when he drinks. He regularly beats her mother, he hits her on occasion, and he sent her Uncle Timothy to the hospital. He even killed her pet Siamese cat.Wendy wants him to go away and never come back, but she can't do it on her own. Her Uncle had told her about a friend who could help, but Eric beat him almost to death before he could ask.Wendy cannot wait until he recovers, if he ever does. Who knows what Eric might do in the meantime? She decides to contact her Uncle's friend herself. Fortunately, he had told her how to do it.All she has to do is recite a magic spell out of one of his books....

Checkers Pizza feeds the appetite of the college students of Keekishwa University in Delasalle, Illinois, by offering guaranteed 30-minute delivery or the order is free. The delivery drivers often see some weird people and happenings, but nothing tops the night they delivered 24 pies to a haunted cemetery. This is a short story, with a Preface, a Bonus Story, and Story Excerpts.Checkers Pizza is very popular among the students of Keekishwa University in Delasalle, Illinois, because it offers guaranteed 30 minute or the order is free. Business is usually brisk each night, even during the summer, but one night it died early and might have stayed that way, if a bizarre gentleman hadn't ordered 24 pies and paid with a solid gold coin.Just one catch: he wants them delivered to the gate of a haunted cemetery....In the Bonus Story, a woman passing through a cemetery late at night is assault by a couple of ghouls, who fight over her, allowing her to escape. But then they start to court her....

Eile and Sunny are newbies to the Dreamworld, inexperienced and vulnerable. Their mentor, Medb hErenn, is teaching them the facts of Dream-life, but she can only do so much, and trouble seems to follow the Girls like a love-starved puppy. So when she leaves them in the care of a friend who owns a tavern while she runs an errand, it isn't long before all hell breaks loose. This is a short story.Eile and Sunny first learn of the Land of the Dreams of Men when the Cats of Ulthar kidnap and force them to help Medb hErenn save it from an eldritch threat. Afterwards, back in the Waking World, Medb offers them a way to return to the Dreamlands whenever they wish. So, the next night they decide to check it out for themselves....The Girls are relative newcomers, and while they can take care of themselves, there is much they need to learn before they can go off exploring on their own. Medb takes the responsibility to mentor them, to educate them on the ways and nature of the Dreamworld and train them in armed combat with Medieval weapons. Part of this includes taking them on tours to familiarize them with the people, communities, and landscape, and to introduce them to potential friends and warn them of potential enemies.However, if she feels they are not yet experienced enough to handle encounters she must face, she leaves them in the care of friends with instructions to stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, trouble follows them like a love-starved puppy, so often times it isn't long before they find themselves neck-deep in some kind of disaster, even if it isn't their fault.

Henry Helsing-Plunkett, the son of Sir Differel Van Helsing, finds a black lacquer puzzle cube in a secure storage vault in the family mansion. Curious, he takes it and solves it, and accidentally summons the Cenobites. Can his mother stop them before they take him back to their realm of eternal torment? This is a short novella, with a Preface, Postface, and Story Excerpts.Henry Helsing-Plunkett is the 14-year old son of Sir Differel Van Helsing, and her heir to take over the directorship of the Caerleon Order when he turns 21. Though he is being trained by her staff to handle his duties at that time, at present he still has a lot to learn. For instance...One day he helps inventory the contents of a secure storage vault located in the catacombs under the ancestral manor, when he discovers a black lacquer cube. He recognizes it to be a puzzle made of individual interlocked pieces. Intrigued, he "borrows" it without his mother's permission and solves it. Too late, he realizes there had been a good reason why the cube had been locked away, when the Cenobites led by Pinhead appear in his bedroom. He flees to his mother for protection, but the Cenobites follow. Only then does she discover that the cube, known as the Lament Configuration, had been planted in the vault by an enemy, hoping someone would solve it and the Cenobites would destroy the Caerleon Order.Pinhead grants Differel an hour's grace before he and his companions do just that. Somehow, she must find out who planted the cube, and how to drive the Cenobites back to their realm, before they can seize her and Henry and torture them for eternity.

Guy Trousseau, Hollywood agent, doesn't much care how his clients make use of his stable of luscious young "actresses"; to him, they are nothing more than disposable commodities. But when he gets a chance at the The Big Time, he finds that Lily, his very silent partner, no longer wishes to remain quite so silent. This is a short story.Guy Trousseau believes he has the key to success as a Hollywood agent. He started off with a captive stable of luscious young women, supplied by his very silent partner Lily, that he could provide for clients needing actresses for film, video, and Internet productions. And he doesn't particularly care how his clients use them, even if they don't survive the experience. He has an almost limitless supply, allowing him to provide as many beauties as needed as often as they are required.Besides, to him they are nothing more than disposable commodities. Their only purpose is to satisfy his desires, all of them, including making him rich.Finally he has a chance to make it into The Big Time, by providing an actress for an Oscar-winning director to appear in his next epic blockbuster. From there, there would be no limit to the heights he could reach.Just one significant hitch: Lily doesn't want to be quite so silent anymore. And Guy is about to learn that to her, he is a disposable commodity as well.

After a snowstorm, Eile and Sunny find a cat nearly frozen to death. They take it to the vet, who finds an identity chip with an address. It turns out to be an abandoned factory, but they go in to try to find the owner. That's when they encounter the robots, which take them captive and present them to their mad scientist creator. This is a short novella, with a Preface and Story Excerpts.Eile and Sunny met three weeks ago, fell in love, and decided to move in together. Each morning Sunny makes them breakfast, and then they spend the day together having adventures. One morning, after a bad snowstorm, Eile finds a stray cat outside their front door while fetching the paper, buried in snow and nearly frozen to death. She and Sunny warm it until it awakens, then take it to a nearby vet. While examining it, the vet discovers an identity chip under the skin. When she scans it, she finds an address, but no name.Intrigued, the Girls go to find the owner, but the address leads them to an abandoned factory complex. They go inside and are captured by robots, which take them to their mad scientist creator, Dr. Mabuse. She demands the return of the cat for an experiment, otherwise she will use them in one of her other projects. She sends Sunny to retrieve it, holding Eile as hostage.Sunny must return in an hour. If she fails, or if she tries to get help, Mabuse will use Eile as part of a particularly nasty experiment. And yet, the cat will almost certainly die if Mabuse gets her hands on it. Can Team Girl save themselves and the cat, or will Mabuse go back on her word? And why does the vet insist on coming along?