Finally and especially, Amanda, my blood and fire.
ALSO BY
JAY KRISTOFF
Nevernight
Godsgrave
Darkdawn
Aurora Rising (with Amie Kaufman)
Aurora Burning (with Amie Kaufman)
Lifel1k3
Dev1at3
Truel1f3
Illuminae (with Amie Kaufman)
Gemina (with Amie Kaufman)
Obsidio (with Amie Kaufman)
Stormdancer
Kinslayer
Endsinger
The Last Stormdancer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JAY KRISTOFF is a #1 international, New York Times, and USA Today bestselling author of fantasy and science fiction. He is the winner of eight Aurealis Awards, an ABIA, has over half a million books in print, and is published in over thirty-five countries, most of which he has never visited. He is as surprised about all of this as you are. He is six-feet-seven-inches tall and has approximately 11,500 days to live.
He does not believe in happy endings. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Epigraph
Sunset
Book One: The Death of Days
I. Of Apples and Trees
II. The Beginning of the End
III. The Color of Want
IV. Lamb to Slaughter
V. Fire in the Night
VI. A Monastery in the Sky
VII. Shaped Like Heartbreak
IX. Sweetest and Darkest
X. Blood of the Frail
XI. How Stories Work
Book Two: This Endless Night
I. Injustice
II. The Three Ways
III. Small Blessings
IV. On the Perils of Matrimony
V. Divine Providence
VI. Promises, Promises
VII. Stars in a Yesterday Sky
VIII. At the Gates
IX. The Beast of Vellene
X. Red Snow
XI. Out of the Storm
XII. Two Glasses
Book Three: Blood and Silver
I. Auspicious Beginnings
II. The Five Laws
III. Hunters and Prey
IV. House of the Dead
V. A Beautiful View
VI. The Scarlet Foundry
VII. A Library of Ghosts
VIII. Dealing with the Devil
IX. Blood on the Star
X. An Errant Speck of Flotsam
XI. Silver Heels
XII. A Letter from Home
XIII. Every Shade of Bloody
Book Four: Light of a Black Sun
I. Deep and Deeper
II. Godthanks
III. Monsters who Wear the Skins of Men
IV. One Capitaine, One Course
V. A Hard Thing to Come By
VI. The Plan
VII. The Battle of Winfael
VIII. From Holy Cup
IX. Two Words
X. No Flower Blooms
XII. Old Monarchs, New Sovereigns
XIII. Sorrow and Solace
XIV. Liathe
XV. A Prince of Forever
XVI. The One Thing
XVII. Remembrance
Book Five: The Road to Hell
I. Truth Beyond Truth
II. Unwelcome Guests
III. Trouble of a Different Flavor
IV. Raven Child
V. The Age of the Fall
VI. Where Mortal Girls Fear to Tread
VII. The Faithless
VIII. Lionheart
IX. Dressed for War
X. The Sin Shared
XI. Which You Will Be
XII. Now Dance with Me
XIII. Blood and Fire
XIV. This Moment
XV. In Red
XVI. Last Son
XVII. Sword of the Realm
XVIII. A Story You Can Live
XIX. On this Fire
XX. Broken Glass
Book Six: As Devils Can Fly
I. Fear no Darkness
II. A Once-Green Kingdom
III. Blame the Blacksmith
IV. The Price
V. Clever as Cats
VI. Church Business
VII. Bleeding but Unbroken
VIII. Magik
IX. A Shadow Moving Slow
X. Dim and Dimmer Still
XI. Night and Knives
XII. Everything Falling Apart
XIII. Forward Not Backward
XV. Sunshine and Pouring Rain
XVI. Lord of Carrion
XVII. A Shoulder to Cry On
XVIII. The Worst Day
XIX. Unmade
XX. A Promise in the Dark
XXI. All and Everything
XXII. The Lion Rides
XXIII. Réunion de Famille
XXIV. This Endless Night
XXV. Gentle as Starlight
XXVI. Broken Vows
XXVII. A Fond Farewell
XXVIII. Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Dawn
Acknowledgments
Also by Jay Kristoff
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
First published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group
EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE. Copyright © 2021 by Neverafter PTY LTD. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
www.stmartins.com
Interior illustrations by Bon Orthwick
Sevenstar logo design by James Orr
Maps by Virginia Allyn
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Kristoff, Jay, author.
Title: Empire of the vampire / Jay Kristoff.
Description: First edition. | New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2021.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021016214 | ISBN 9781250245281 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781250245298 (ebook)
Subjects: GSAFD: Fantasy fiction.
Classification: LCC PR9619.4.K74 E47 2021 | DDC 823/.92—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021016214
eISBN 9781250245298
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First Edition 2021