Book excerpt: I'm not afraid of the shadow. He's the only thing keeping me alive. "Intense. Delightful. Unrelenting. A no-nonsense heroine, a sword of questionable origin, and a plot that sinks its claws in and does not let go. Grab a reading buddy and buckle in. This is one hell of a ride." - Melissa Wright, Bestselling YA Fantasy Author I'm hiding in my father's closet, desperately picking the lock on a box containing an ancient evil when he emerges. He doesn't seem all that evil. But neither did my friends before they turned into monsters. I'd like to think that I don't need him. But I love books and he loves battles. I'm used to drinking tea and he's used to drinking the blood of his enemies. Or whatever his kind drink. In a world stricken by plague, all my friends have become terrifying monsters, and I have no other option but to trust him to keep me safe. He'll teach me to hunt those monsters and I'll try not to fall hopelessly in love with him.