My name is Erzsébet, Countess Dolingen of Gratz, and I am a vampire. I am also Vlad Dracula’s one true love. For centuries, we shared a love that consumed us whole. But betrayal can turn the greatest of passions bitter in the hearts of lovers. In anger, he impaled me on an iron stake and left me to suffer in a mausoleum hidden from the world. Now, my mind wanders through the centuries, recalling the triumphs and defeats of my long life. From my childhood as the daughter of an Archwitch to my time as the wife of Vlad the Impaler that eventually resulted in my captivity, I remember all the triumphs and the failures. But what my beloved doesn’t know is that I am not yet defeated…
"All Lady Glynis Wright ever wanted was the freedom to live her life as she pleased. Unfortunately, her aristocratic parents want her to marry well and settle into a life of luxury. When her family becomes guests to one of the most fearsome and powerful vampires of all time, Glynis finds her fate is far more terrible than an arranged marriage"--Page 4 of cover.
In the great city of Buda, Hungary, I have sought to establish myself as a member of the new vampire court, and create a family with my love, Ignatius, and my fledgling vampire daughter, Laura. Yet, I am constantly menaced by unknown forces, and the threat of my blood union to Vlad Dracula looms over me. Though I am no longer his prisoner, Vlad Dracula’s voice echoes in the recesses of my mind. His blood binds us together in a twisted matrimony in spite of the deep hatred for him that burns within my soul. I yearn to be free from this darkest of magic for I fear that he will return one night, and I will not be able to resist the call of his blood.
A sensual, terrifying, incredibly accomplished first novel, this fascinating prequel to the classic and most popular horror novel of all time, Dracula, focuses on Dracula's great-nephew, who inherits the job of managing his great-uncle's estate...and his appetite. Written in diary form as Dracula is, this compulsively readable book has revelations that will shock and delight readers of the original. More erotic than Anne Rice, Kalogridis is a major new voice in vampire fiction. The first chilling tale in an exciting new trilogy is a rich and terrifying historical novel set fifty years before the opening of Bram Stoker's Dracula. At the castle of Prince Vlad Tsepesh, also known as Dracula, Vald's great-nephew Arkady is honored to care for his beloved though strange great-uncle...until he beings to realize what is expected of him in his new role. It seems that either he provides his great-uncle with unsuspecting victims to satisfy his needs, or Vlad will kill those Arkady loves. He is trapped into becoming party to murder and sadistic torture. And it is in his blood. When Arkady learns that his newborn son is being groomed one day to follow in his footsteps, he knows that he must fight Dracula, even if it means death.
String garlic by the window and hang a cross around your neck! The most powerful vampire of all time returns in our Stepping Stone Classic adaption of the original tale by Bran Stoker. Follow Johnathan Harker, Mina Harker, and Dr. Abraham van Helsing as they discover the true nature of evil. Their battle to destroy Count Dracula takes them from the crags of his castle to the streets of London... and back again.
"A great stone bridge built three centuries ago in the heart of the Balkans ... stands witness to the countless lives played out upon it" and to the sufferings of the people of Bosnia.--Cover.
From a New York Times–bestselling author: A former spy is recruited to unmask a vampire hunter in this Locus Award Winner. James Asher, a retired member of the Queen’s secret service in Edwardian England, has settled into quietude as an Oxford professor of philology with his physician wife, Lydia. But his peace is shattered when he’s confronted by a pale aristocratic Spaniard named Don Simon Ysidro, who makes an outlandish claim that someone is killing his fellow vampires of London, and he needs James’s help to ferret the culprit out. The request also comes with a threatening ultimatum: Should James fail, both he and his wife will die. With James’s talent for espionage and Lydia’s scientific acumen and keen analytical mind, the couple begins an investigation that takes them from the crypts of London to the underworld circles of the unliving to the grisly depths of a charnel house in Paris. Now James and Lydia must believe in the unbelievable—if they’re to survive another night in the shadow of Don Simon Ysidro. This first book in the James Asher series is “one of the more memorable vampire novels of recent years—smoothly written, suspenseful, awash in moral ambiguity, and rich in vampire lore . . . a must-read for vampire fans” (Kirkus Reviews). Barbara Hambly gives “Anne Rice a run for her money” (Publishers Weekly) and “Don Simon is unforgettable” (Charlaine Harris). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Hambly, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from her personal collection.
In 1939, Giacinta sets sail from Italy to Australia. Decades later, a granddaughter discovers the true story of her family... A stunningly crafted novel of family, secrets and facing adversity, perfect for readers of Victoria Purman. Imagine marrying someone you've never met ... When Sofie comes to stay with her grandmother in Stanthorpe, she knows little of Nonna Gia's past. In the heat of that 1984 summer, the two clash over Gia's strict Italian ways and superstitions, her chilli-laden spaghetti and the evasive silence surrounding Sofie's father, who died before she was born. Then Sofie learns Gia had an arranged marriage. From there, the past begins to reveal why no-one will talk of her father. As Nonna Gia cooks, furtively adding a little more chilli each time, she also begins feeding Sofie her stories. How she came to Australia on a 'bride ship', among many proxy brides, knowing little about the husbands they had married from afar. Most arriving to find someone much different than described. Then, as World War II takes over the nation, and in the face of the growing animosity towards Italians that sees their husbands interned, Gia and her friends are left alone. Impoverished. Desperate. To keep their farms going, their only hope is banding together, along with Edie, a reclusive artist on the neighbouring farm and two Women's Land Army workers. But the venture is made near-impossible by the hatred towards the women held by the local publican and an illicit love between Gia and an Australian, Keith. The summer burns on and the truth that unfolds is nothing like what Sofie expected ... The author of Mezza Italiana brings to life a unique point of migrant women's untold experience, in a resonant novel of family, food and love. Includes 12 traditional recipes. PRAISE: 'Zoe has crafted a beautiful coming-of-age story as Sofie learns of her nonna's secret past' - Australian Country 'An authentic and heartfelt read that examines the connections we make when faced with hardship ... It's an inspiring look at women coming together to form their own community.' - Better Reading 'With tradition, culture, superstition, identity and community paving the way in this novel's moving journey, Zoe Boccabella has composed a pensive read ... illuminating.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews 'A deeply engrossing and authentic story, with such passionate realism you must keep reading.' - Jackie French
