"Abominations, created rather than born, with unnatural powers—and hungers. ..."

* Demons poisoned with vampire blood who retain the traits of both species.

* Previously thought to be truly mythical; considered abominations by most in the Lore.

* Strongest of any sentient immortal being.

* Colloquially known as vemons.

* Two warring factions, the Horde and the Forbearer Army.

* Each vampire seeks his Bride, his eternal wife, and walks as the living dead until he finds her.

* A Bride will render his body fully alive, giving him breath and making his heart beat, a process known as blooding .

* The Fallen are vampires who have killed by drinking a victim to death. Distinguished by their red eyes.

"And a time shall come to pass when all immortal beings in the Lore, from the Valkyrie, vampire, Lykae, and demon factions to the witches, shifters, fey, and sirens ... must fight and destroy each other."

* A kind of mystical checks-and-balances system for an ever-growing population of immortals.

* Occurs every five hundred years. Or right now ...

Chapter 1

Demon plane of Oblivion, City of Ash

Year 192 in the Rule of the Dead

"Do we go to our death—or worse?"

Malkom Slaine gazed over at his best friend, Prince Kallen the Just, wishing he had a better answer for him, anything to ease the apprehension in Kallen's eyes.

As the vampire guards shoved them along, deeper into their stronghold, Malkom suspected death might be welcome before the night was out.

"The rumors are likely untrue," he lied, putting up a renewed resistance as the dozen guards forced them down a flight of stone steps. But his bonds were mystical; Malkom was unable to teleport or break free.