Guardians of the Dark Series by Erin McCarthy, Bianca D'Arc, Jennifer Lyon

*Note: This story was previously published in the “Half Past Dead” anthology. Special circumstances, special soldier… Simon Blackwell ended his affair with Mariana Daniels after his life changed irrevocably on a top secret mission, but he’ll never stop protecting her. Now, he’s back on the same base where she’s working and he has vowed to watch over her only from afar…until fate steps in and changes things again... more*Note: This story was previously published in the “Half Past Dead” anthology. Special circumstances, special soldier… Simon Blackwell ended his affair with Mariana Daniels after his life changed irrevocably on a top secret mission, but he’ll never stop protecting her. Now, he’s back on the same base where she’s working and he has vowed to watch over her only from afar…until fate steps in and changes things again. She’s a healer with a broken heart… Mariana was bereft when Simon walked away without a backward glance. She’s never forgotten him—or gotten over him. When he walks into her clinic, torn up and in need of medical attention, she can’t turn him away. Nor can she stop the leaping of her heart at his return. Secrets and science experiments run amok… Mariana has no knowledge of the dark, deadly creatures that lurk in the forest surrounding her, or of the mysterious changes that make Simon the only one who can safely defeat them. Soon, he’ll have no choice but to reveal the truth, and urge her to trust in an explosive passion that never died… Praise for Bianca D’Arc “D’Arc delivers a creepy and pulse-pounding story of danger.” – Romantic Times on Simon Says in the Half Past Dead anthology “Simon Says offers a creative interpretation of the zombie myth and blends it with genre Romance…” – Dear Author on Simon Says in the Half Past Dead anthology “Between defending his lover's life and playing a sexy game of "Simon Says", Simon is one hot ex-marine zombie hunter!” – Darkly Reading on Simon Says in the Half Past Dead anthology less

When police officer Sarah Petit investigates a disturbance in an abandoned building, she expects to find a few underage drinkers. Instead, she's attacked by creatures straight out of a horror movie. Waking a week later in a hospital, Sarah is visited by Special Forces soldier Captain Xavier Beauvoir. The zombies who attacked Sarah are the result of military research gone terrifyingly wrong, and Sarah's immunity to the virus makes her the perfect person to help Xavier eradicate them... moreWhen police officer Sarah Petit investigates a disturbance in an abandoned building, she expects to find a few underage drinkers. Instead, she's attacked by creatures straight out of a horror movie. Waking a week later in a hospital, Sarah is visited by Special Forces soldier Captain Xavier Beauvoir. The zombies who attacked Sarah are the result of military research gone terrifyingly wrong, and Sarah's immunity to the virus makes her the perfect person to help Xavier eradicate them. But his smooth Cajun accent, whiskey-coloured eyes, and dizzying kiss are risky to her in a very different way. Sarah attracts danger like a magnet - and the smart, fearless cop attracts Xavier too, instilling a bone-deep need that's undermining his steady facade. Enlisting her aid is a necessary gamble, but vicious undead creatures are not the only enemy they face. And the only way to keep each other safe is to trust in an instant connection that could be their greatest strength - or the perfect way to destroy them both. less

*Note: Previously published under the title "Once Bitten, Twice Dead” She’s a cop, unprepared for what she finds in an abandoned building…<.b> When police officer Sarah Petit investigates a disturbance in an abandoned building, she expects to find a few underage drinkers. Instead, she’s attacked by creatures straight out of a horror movie... more*Note: Previously published under the title "Once Bitten, Twice Dead” She’s a cop, unprepared for what she finds in an abandoned building…<.b> When police officer Sarah Petit investigates a disturbance in an abandoned building, she expects to find a few underage drinkers. Instead, she’s attacked by creatures straight out of a horror movie. He’s a soldier, inescapably attracted to his latest recruit… Waking a week later in a hospital, Sarah is recruited by Special Forces soldier Captain Xavier Beauvoir. The so-called zombies who attacked Sarah are the result of military research gone terrifyingly wrong, and Sarah’s immunity to the virus makes her the perfect person to help Xavier eradicate them. But his smooth Cajun accent, whiskey-colored eyes, and dizzying kiss are risky to her in a very different way. Together, they’ll face danger, and find love… Sarah attracts danger like a magnet—and the smart, fearless cop attracts Xavier too, instilling a soul-deep need in him. Enlisting her aid is a necessary gamble, but vicious undead creatures are not the only enemy they face. And the only way to keep each other safe is to trust in an instant connection that could be their greatest strength—or the perfect way to destroy them both… The Guardians of the Dark series starts with the short novel called Simon Says. It continues in the much longer novels, Once Bitten, Night Shade and Shadow Play. There’s a novella-length story called Smoke on the Water, that is set during the events of Night Shade and therefore fits between this book and the next full-length novel. The three longer novels are all close to 100,000 words of action-packed sexy military romance. Check the end of this book for a complete list of books by Bianca D’Arc, in series order. Praise for Bianca D’Arc “I thought it was very cool and creepy the way Bianca built her military world around the zombie outbreak... Very different! Nice job!” – Author Lisa Kessler on Once Bitten, Twice Dead “…what a great find! I like a touch of sci-fi-fantasy with a little science and romance mixed in. This was good for all three -- I like that there was a scientific reason (well, oops scientific mistake) behind the existence of the zombies. Excellent read…” – Amazon reviewer on Once Bitten, Twice Dead “…the story grabs you and then doesn't let you go.” – GoodReads reviewer on Once Bitten, Twice Dead less

Intrigue, terrifying betrayals, and a dangerously commanding hero make Bianca D'Arc's newest paranormal romance an irresistible temptation... Tapped for a classified military program, Dr. Eileen McCormick has nothing left to lose. Bad enough her genetic experiments were used to turn innocent victims into zombies; worse still, a ruthless ex-colleague is threatening to expose her unless she joins his sinister research project... moreIntrigue, terrifying betrayals, and a dangerously commanding hero make Bianca D'Arc's newest paranormal romance an irresistible temptation... Tapped for a classified military program, Dr. Eileen McCormick has nothing left to lose. Bad enough her genetic experiments were used to turn innocent victims into zombies; worse still, a ruthless ex-colleague is threatening to expose her unless she joins his sinister research project. Now the only way she can set things right is to develop an antidote under the watchful blue eyes of Commander Matt Sykes. And the last thing Eileen needs is Matt's penetrating gaze, easy understanding, and compelling kiss uncovering all her deepest secrets... Matt has a sixth-sense for lies as well as danger, and Eileen promises plenty of both. She's the only person who can eradicate the zombie virus before it reaches epidemic proportions, but he still can't let her passionate determination affect his steely cool...or keep him from discovering where her true loyalties lie. But as the clock ticks down, Matt and Eileen's uneasy trust may be their only way to avert catastrophe;if it doesn't get them killed first... less

*Note: This story was previously published in the “The Beast Within” anthology. The most dangerous trail of his career… In the misty fog of a lakefront dotted with vacation cabins, zombies are roaming wild - and CIA operative turned zombie hunter, John Petit, must stop the carnage. He’s paired with a fresh-faced recruit brought to the team more for her immunity to the zombie contagion than any particular skill... more*Note: This story was previously published in the “The Beast Within” anthology. The most dangerous trail of his career… In the misty fog of a lakefront dotted with vacation cabins, zombies are roaming wild - and CIA operative turned zombie hunter, John Petit, must stop the carnage. He’s paired with a fresh-faced recruit brought to the team more for her immunity to the zombie contagion than any particular skill. She never asked for any of this… Donna was attacked and lived to tell the tale. One of the rare few who are naturally immune, she’s part of the top secret team trying to stop the spread of this alarming technology. She doesn’t want to let her partner down - especially in light of the fact that the more they’re together, the more she’s attracted to him. A passion they cannot deny… Facing danger together only adds fuel to the fire of need between them. Their chemistry is explosive, but will it fizzle in the harsh light of day? Or, can it last past the heat of the moment, once they’ve neutralized the deadly threat that endangers all humanity? Praise for Bianca D'Arc “This well-written, entertaining anthology has werewolves, zombies and wizards - something for everyone! Things start out strong with stories by McCarthy and D’Arc.” - RT Book Reviews Magazine on The Beast Within anthology “I love that John can be alpha, but still understand Donna and try to accommodate her. He even admits being wrong! *swoon*” - GoodReads reviewer on The Beast Within “Definitely love my experience with this lady’s books will definitely be reading more...” - Late Night Sexy Book Reviews on Smoke on the Water in The Beast Within anthology less

"New York Times"-bestselling author McCarthy teams up with Bianca D'Arc and Jennifer Lyon for a spooky, sexy anthology featuring a trio of superb paranormal stories. "The Howling" BY Erin McCarthy - When Liv Lugaru's boyfriend Sebastian disappears, she finds comfort in his brother's arms. But Sebastian is much closer than Liv realizes...and he'll stop at nothing to protect her from the feral danger that comes alive only when she sleeps.. more"New York Times"-bestselling author McCarthy teams up with Bianca D'Arc and Jennifer Lyon for a spooky, sexy anthology featuring a trio of superb paranormal stories. "The Howling" BY Erin McCarthy - When Liv Lugaru's boyfriend Sebastian disappears, she finds comfort in his brother's arms. But Sebastian is much closer than Liv realizes...and he'll stop at nothing to protect her from the feral danger that comes alive only when she sleeps... "Smoke On The Water" BY Bianca D'arc - In the misty fog of a lakefront village, zombies are roaming wild - and zombie hunter John Petit must stop the carnage. John is also fighting a different kind of battle: a forbidden passion for his new partner, Donna. With her help, killing zombies is a walk in the park, but keeping his desire in check is making him sweat... "Redeeming The Wizard" BY Jennifer Lyon - Gage Remington was once a powerful wizard; now he's a recluse who keeps the world at bay. But when Mira Tate arrives at Gage's door, she stirs in him an attraction he can't deny. Soon, Gage will risk everything to keep Mira close - even the secret that may be his ruin... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. less

* Note: Previously published under the title “A Darker Shade of Dead” She holds a terrible secret… Tapped for a classified military program, Dr. Eileen McCormick has nothing left to lose. Bad enough her genetic experiments were used to turn innocent victims into zombies. Worse still, a ruthless ex-colleague is threatening to expose her unless she joins his sinister research project... more* Note: Previously published under the title “A Darker Shade of Dead” She holds a terrible secret… Tapped for a classified military program, Dr. Eileen McCormick has nothing left to lose. Bad enough her genetic experiments were used to turn innocent victims into zombies. Worse still, a ruthless ex-colleague is threatening to expose her unless she joins his sinister research project. Now the only way she can set things right is to develop an antidote under the watchful blue eyes of Commander Matt Sykes. An uncompromising man… Matt’s penetrating gaze, unnerves her and attracts her in equal measure. The Navy Commander has a sixth-sense for lies as well as danger. Eileen may be the only person who can eradicate the zombie virus before it reaches epidemic proportions, but he still can’t let her passionate determination affect his steely cool...or keep him from discovering where her true loyalties lie. She is a target. He’s her protector… As the clock ticks down, Matt and Eileen’s uneasy trust may be their only way to avert catastrophe - if it doesn’t get them killed first. Eileen is terrified of her former colleagues and drawn to Matt’s compelling kisses. The commander will uncover all her deepest secrets, but can they survive the revelations? less

For Emily Parkington, the thrill of flying charter planes for Praxis Air has lately been tinged with dread. Mysterious cargo flights and a high number of fatal crashes lead Emily to suspect something sinister behind the scenes. And if her new colleague is involved, Emily won't hesitate to turn him in, in spite of Sam Archer's sexy charm and irresistibly easy confidence. Enemy or potential ally? Sam can't be sure of anything where Emily is concerned, except how much he wants her... moreFor Emily Parkington, the thrill of flying charter planes for Praxis Air has lately been tinged with dread. Mysterious cargo flights and a high number of fatal crashes lead Emily to suspect something sinister behind the scenes. And if her new colleague is involved, Emily won't hesitate to turn him in, in spite of Sam Archer's sexy charm and irresistibly easy confidence. Enemy or potential ally? Sam can't be sure of anything where Emily is concerned, except how much he wants her. Immune to the zombie virus created through military research, Sam is working undercover to find out if Praxis is trafficking forbidden technology. It was a potentially deadly assignment even before he found himself distracted by a woman he scarcely knows. And when a 'controlled' experiment goes horribly wrong, there will be no limit to the danger they both face...or how far he's willing to go to save her... less

* Previously published under the title “Dead Alert” She knows her life is in danger… Emily asked one too many questions at the last board meeting and ended up having her car sabotaged. She’s become more wary of voicing her suspicions, but she still has them. Someone is using the small charter airline her mother co-founded to smuggle drugs – or maybe something even worse. When a new pilot is hired, she is sure to check him out before trusting that he’s just another fly boy... more* Previously published under the title “Dead Alert” She knows her life is in danger… Emily asked one too many questions at the last board meeting and ended up having her car sabotaged. She’s become more wary of voicing her suspicions, but she still has them. Someone is using the small charter airline her mother co-founded to smuggle drugs – or maybe something even worse. When a new pilot is hired, she is sure to check him out before trusting that he’s just another fly boy. He’s on a mission… Going on undercover investigations isn’t exactly within Sam’s bailiwick, but he’s a highly qualified pilot and the best choice to embed in the small, charter airline on short notice. When he meets Emily, he’s not sure if she’s as genuine as she seems or if she’s hiding some dark secret. Either way, he needs to find out. Working by her side, he soon finds himself intensely attracted to her quick wit and easy manner, but she’s wary of him and he isn’t sure of her despite the attraction that just won’t quit. Only by working together will they succeed… When the time comes to trust each other, they will learn whether or not teaming up is the best way to end the deadly threat. Passion flares between them as the entire situation becomes incendiary. Will they be able to overcome their enemies and live to fight another day? Or will they go down in flames…hopefully taking the bad guys with them? less