King Or'Ang LaNault’s search for a bride has left him weary and disheartened. As the powerful ruler of a prosperous kingdom—one rich in both wealth and a hidden, mythical power—he must tread carefully, knowing that few can be trusted with his heart. Yet a chance encounter with a spirited human woman, whose boldness, kindness, and thirst for adventure catch him off guard, has him wondering if a shifter king could truly choose a human as his queen.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author S. E. Smith presents two heartwarming holiday stories that will transport listeners out of this world.

Embark on an exhilarating journey into the vibrant worlds of S.E. Smith, where seven captivating series await your exploration. Each story offers a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of the unforgettable characters created by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author S.E. Smith, woven together in a rich tapestry of love, adventure, and magic. Don’t miss this captivating collection of short stories that will transport you to realms beyond imagination!

Since she was a child, Wynter Stormhold’s curious nature has taken her to far-off worlds. In one world, she touches the life of a human boy. In another, she finds her most trusted friend, a stone dragon she calls Pow-pow. Hiding her growing powers from her mage family started out as a childish prank, but now she uses them to go on secret adventures.

Rose McKenzie may be far from Earth with no way back, but she's made a powerful ally - a fellow prisoner with whom she's formed a strong bond. Sazo's an artificial intelligence. He's saved her from captivity and torture, but he's also put her in the middle of a conflict, leaving Rose with her loyalties divided. Captain Dav Jallan doesn't know why he and his crew have stumbled across an almost legendary Class 5 battleship, but he's not going to complain. The only problem is, all its crew are dead - all except for one strange, new alien being.

When introverted cartoonist Remi Stephenson dumps her cheating ex and goes on their Hawaiian vacation solo, even her creative mind can’t imagine being purposely stranded in the ocean…with a handsome, muscular, brave Navy SEAL. Even more unbelievable is the spark between them. Surely this is just rebound hormones. Right? Because who finds their soulmate in the middle of a life-or-death situation? And what would a SEAL want with a curvy, nerdy artist, anyway? Of course, none of those doubts stop Remi and Vincent from making plans to get together back in California, even before they’re rescued.

Nelle Zhao is a loner, born and bred. Her own company is plenty, and her thoughts are certainly way more interesting than the tedium of reality. But she's also fiercely loyal—to her honey badger teammates and their mission, and now to the three gorgeous big tiger shifters known as the Malone brothers. Especially Keane, who doesn't know how to accept a friendly paw. But Nelle excels at helping! And at ignoring other people's irrational demands, such as doing it all alone.

Lacey Adams lives in the small town of Magic, New Mexico, where she devotes herself to the animals at her Touch of Magic Animal Shelter. The strange assortment of animals helps heal the pain and loneliness inside her since the death of her husband three years before. Frost is a Star Ranger. He travels the star systems, bringing intergalactic fugitives to justice. When a maximum-security fugitive escapes from the mining prison, he is sent after him. Only this time, the fugitive has violated a major law…

Aimee Wheels loves her free-living lifestyle. She doesn't need the trappings of money to find happiness. All she needs are her crazy friends, her job as a courier in New York City, and her skateboard.

In the blink of an eye, my whole world has collapsed around me. Headed towards my dream vacation, I was snatched right out of the air. My husband, the love of my life, was destroyed right in front of my eyes. He fought bravely trying to protect me from a horror neither one of us could have ever imagined. I find myself standing in the spotlight on a stage.

Calexa Acura and her crew of misfits are lost, and their ship is in desperate need of repairs. When a massive spacecraft appears in their radius, they're helpless to resist its magnetic pull. The terrifying ship is bigger than any craft she's seen in her life, and somehow, she doubts its occupants will turn out to be the friendly sort. First Encounters are always better when they're amicable, but if necessary, Calexa and her crew will fight.

Abducted off the space station where I teach the standard galactic language, I'm imprisoned with two other women in a cold, dirty cell on an alien ship. We're destined for something worse than death until a fierce, blue-haired alien male rescues us. We recover on his ship with his group of Heveian pirates. There, the attraction that formed when he first carried me in his arms grows into a force neither of us can deny. But something else has taken up residence on the ship. Something that will stop at nothing to destroy us all.

Harlow has been ready to stand at her mate's side as he Ascends to the position of alpha for years. But he crushes that dream and wrenches her heart out when he chooses another female to be his mate. Unable to stay and witness her would-be mate’s continuing betrayal, Harlow flees to the small town of Forest Crest and finds work at a local vet. But malicious hunters are hot on her scent and she's forced to seek Sanctuary with the enigmatic Gravecrest Pack where she's drawn into the orbit of powerful Alpha Atlas and steadfast Beta Colt.

One minute, I'm working as a cook, the next, I've been abducted by robocops and sent to a distant planet where I'm attacked by a ferocious beast. Then a seven-foot-tall, blue-skinned alien rescues me with crystal spears slashing. He cuddles me in his arms, and I feel safe for the first time since fleeing my stalker ex. Until he tosses me over his shoulder and takes me back to his clan where he announces I'm his new bride. I'm determined to return home, but there's something about Aizor I can't resist. Am I falling for this musclebound alien with a killer smile?

When space pirates attack the exploratory spaceship I work on and I'm forced to evacuate in an escape pod, I never expected to crash land on an alien planet. I have no idea where any of my fellow crew members are or if they even got away. I'm entirely alone. Or so I think. Instead, I'm rescued from a fierce predator by a towering purple alien with a tail and color-changing tattoos who ignites strange feelings inside me.

Jesse Sampson and her two younger sisters have lived a hard life on the streets of Seattle, Washington, for the past several years. Four years before, the Earth received its first visitors from space, causing mass fear. Alone in a world gone mad with just her sisters, Jesse has learned to use the darkness and the remains of the city to survive and keep what was left of her family alive. She has seen the savage side of human nature and finds they are not much different from the aliens who conquered the Earth.

Abby Tanner is content to live on her mountain while she creates beautiful works of art and enjoys the peace and quiet. All that changes when a strange golden spaceship crash lands on it. Now Abby has to deal with a golden ship, a tortured alien, and an insane local sheriff.

Gracie Jones was little more than a child when Earth was invaded by an alien species. Escaping into the subway tunnels of New York City, she hid in fear of being captured. Discovered by four men who became her protectors, she fought alongside them, and they became known as the Freedom Five. At 17, she made a decision that turned the tide in the war between Earth and the Alluthans, but in exchange, she gave up all that she knew.

Riley St. Claire has always followed her own rules. When she discovers her current employer is not as law-abiding as she thought, she has to leave town in a hurry...or end up buried with the dead guy she discovered. She doesn't expect to be picked up by a passing trader from another world. As the ruling king of Sarafin, Vox d'Rojah is expected to produce a son who will be joined in marriage with the first-born daughter of the king of Valdier.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author S. E. Smith presents two heartwarming holiday stories that will transport listeners out of this world.