Blood Paternal (Origins of Blood)

Anton Weiss, father of all vampires, returns from a long, mysterious sabbatical and swears genocide on his entire family. His letter of intent is abrupt, its reasoning unclear, and consequently his descendants choose to ignore the threat, and assume their beloved creator has simply gone mad. Until the slaughter begins. Unprepared and caught by surprise, the survivors are forced to leave their sanctuaries and forge new, hasty alliances in a desperate bid to protect themselves. But can they stop their revered ancestor? And whom can they trust? In the struggle to survive, Gilles and Mina are joined by Mark, an enigmatic and vengeful newcomer, who was tortured and left for dead by one of their society's powerful Elders. Subsequent events suggest the three have been brought together for a purpose, but one that proves elusive. But when loved ones are threatened, and companions begin to die, enemies must become friends, and for Mark in particular, that might also include the man who brutally murdered him. *** Blood Paternal is a modern vampire novel which successfully blends the familiar gothic angst and melancholy of the classic tales with a slickness and style that conjures images reminiscent of The Matrix, Inception and Equilibrium. Holden’s vampires bite but they also lock and load. -- Greg James. Ginger Nuts Of Horror "Holden creates a vampiric demimonde that is as uncompromising as it is beautiful, that confronts its denizens with the consequences of power while offering the indulgence of every dark desire. Human life is the first casualty, but definitely not the last." Kyla Lee Ward, author of Prismatic, and The Land of Bad Dreams.