Page 1 of Crimson Devotion (The Sacred Seven #1)

ONE

Faith

A piercing scream reaches my ears, only fueling the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

The moment I pull the metal stake out of the vampire’s heart, thick, almost black blood splashes my face, coating me in the disgusting liquid.

The vampire bares its sharp teeth, eyes turning pitch black.

If it could, it would bite me, but not even a second later, it falls down on the cobblestone, limp and dead.

I blow away the fallen strand of my hair, turning around to survey the scene. The night is dark, the moon at its peak up in the sky. Stars twinkle, almost as if they’re smiling down at me.

My breathing is labored, and I take a moment to regain my composure. The used stake is in my hand, and I grip it tightly, using it to ground myself. Although there are at least ten dead vampires here, it’s still not over, and my senses are as sharp as ever.

It won’t be over until I find her.

“You good, Faith?”

The voice of my superior, Stephanie, comes through the small earpiece. Worry laces her tongue, though she tries to play it off. She loves that she’s well-respected and highly feared at the agency, and she won’t risk her reputation taking a hit by showing a little concern.

“Perfect, Steph.’’ I wipe the blood off my cheek with the back of my palm. “Around ten are dead.’’

“Still nothing about the one you’re looking for?”

“No,’’ I sigh. “I don’t know where else to look. There has to be a vampire who’s at least heard of her, if they don’t know her personally.’’

The vampire I’m looking for is the one who killed my parents. She drank all their blood, then left them in the living room, in a sitting position, with their eyes closed, like a fucking psychopath. All the evidence I have of her coming there is a small gold bracelet.

Steph recognized the bracelet immediately.

There are seven of them, for the seven oldest vampires to have ever roamed the Earth. Everything we know about them comes from tales as old as time — as old as them. They’re legends in their world, the untouchable — unapproachable.

I don’t know their names, who they are, what they look like, or where they are. But I know that one of the seven has killed my parents. We have a couple of witches on our team, and one of them, Octavia, was able to tell that a spell was put on the bracelet.

The spell that’s as old as the vampire herself, too strong for Octavia to break. It’s a protective spell, shielding the vampire woman from the sun, and it makes her wound heal quicker. Now without it, she’s confined to the moon.

And I’ve spent the past two years roaming the United States, killing vampires left and right, seeking her out. Not a single one knew who she was. Of course, they’d heard of the sacred seven, but I don’t even have her name, let alone anything else.

I step around the dead bodies of the vampires, ensuring they’re all dead.

When a vampire is killed, their skin tone turns an ashy grey, and their eyes start bleeding out some black mass.

Not something I want to ever touch; it looks disgusting.

By morning, they’ll all turn to stone, and the cleanup crew will handle the mess.

Abruptly, I stop. The small branch snaps beneath my boots, and my eyes narrow a fraction. Immediately, I scan the area, holding the stake in my hand, holding on to it for dear life.

The vampires I’ve killed alone are the babies.

They were created not too long ago, and they’re still sloppy, getting adjusted to the new life.

They’re bloodthirsty and cannot see reason.

Which is why it’s easy to overpower them.

In theory, they’re way stronger than me, a mere human, but because they don’t know the power they wield, nor how to control it, it can easily be taken as an advantage.

Something in the air shifts. Despite having killed ten vampires within the past hour, I’m no longer the one with power here. My heart starts beating rapidly, and for the first time since I became a vampire hunter, I’m scared.

I’m no longer alone.

And the depths of the forest around me give me no way out.

Swallowing thickly, I turn around. I’m met with nothing but eerie silence, and even the crickets can no longer be heard.

My breathing is the only thing I can hear, and soon enough, the sound of my heartbeat is loud enough to create a ringing noise in my ears.

“Who’s there?” I yell out, demanding the person to reveal themselves.

The wind blows, the fallen leaves on the ground moving with the force. This chilly October night causes the smallest hairs on my neck to stand up straight, and I’m tempted to make a run for it.

Then, from the corner of my eye, I see someone approaching from the deeper parts of the forest. Immediately, I turn with my stake ready to attack. I’m in my battle position, trying not to let the sudden rise of fear consume me.

A figure starts approaching me from the dark. They’re hidden by the shadows, but even from the distance, I can tell they’re extremely tall. They’re walking with confidence, with a purpose, their footsteps light on the muddy ground, not a sound to be heard.

They come to a stop a couple of feet away from me, their face now clear for me to see.

It’s a man. Long black hair falls down his waist. It’s pin straight, shining under the moonlight. Barefoot, he’s wearing a pair of black dress pants and a silk robe that’s half undone, revealing his toned, pale chest.

But that’s when I take a better look at him, and my blood runs cold, face draining of all color.

One of the identifying aspects of the Sacred Seven vampires are their eyes. They’re said to be as red as rubies, and those who have seen them have been completely enamored by the sight. It’s been said that it’s like a sea of blood, dark, deep, and all-consuming.

This man has red eyes.

My eyes dip down to his wrist, and there’s a bracelet there. The exact one that I’m carrying in my pocket. It’s gold, thin, and made to fit his wrist perfectly.

He does not move.

He does not speak.

He does not blink.

I’m a good hunter. I’ve killed many vampires and came out alive to tell the tale. I’ve never feared a single one I’ve met, whether it be a young or old one. But this man? He’s a league of his own. I can’t overpower him, much less kill him. Tonight, I’ll die.

I make the mistake of blinking, and when my eyes open, he’s right in front of me.

He’s towering over me, his eyes looking down into mine. His expression remains passive, but the look of something so dark and sadistic stays locked on me, one that makes my stomach churn.

“Who are you?” I breathe out, my voice a mere, pathetic whisper.

The man tilts his head to the side, observing me silently. He inches closer, inhaling the scent of my neck.

Oh, God. Is this how I die? By having my blood drained from my body by a vampire? Just like my parents?

“You smell disgusting.’’ He grimaces.

His voice is deep enough to cut through any confidence I thought I had, and when he steps back, I know it’s too early to celebrate. It could very well be a play of sorts, and I can’t risk lowering my guard.

“My name is Valerio D’Achille, my dear ,’’ he murmurs, sending a wave of chills down my spine. “And you must be the brave little human who’s been seeking one of my own. For what purpose may I ask?”

His tone softens a fraction, almost as if he’s trying not to scare me. Despite having a very stoic expression, and the previous tone suggesting something akin to darkness, right now, he doesn’t seem malicious. I don’t believe it, not for one second.

However, we’re in the middle of a forest. Around us is a torn-down castle that’s been here for years, along with ten dead vampires. No doubt he knows I’ve done it. He was probably watching it, too.

“I’m only looking for one of you. I don’t know her name or what she looks like. But I know she’s missing her bracelet.’’

Valerio’s eyes briefly flick down to his wrist, and he nods. “I assumed as much. But that doesn’t answer my question, my dear. Why?”

“She killed my parents.’’

He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth and slowly nods. “You’re seeking revenge.’’

“Yes.’’

“Do you,’’ he pauses, looking me up and down, “truly believe that a human could murder one of the oldest vampires alive? Do you truly believe you possess what it takes?”

“Yes,’’ I respond, confidence returning to my body. I straighten up, lowering the stake but still keeping it next to me.

“Such foolishness.’’ He chuckles. “That stake you’re holding is a great weapon against those weaklings. But the seven of us?”

I don’t have the chance to react — he’s too fast. He grips my wrist and forces the stake deeply into his chest. My eyes widen, almost falling out of the sockets. Blood gushes out in one spurt, only the handle of the metal weapon remaining out. Then slowly, he removes it.

I watch in pure horror — or perhaps, fascination — as the massive hole in his chest starts closing immediately. Not a single scar is left, nothing that would indicate that a seven-inch dagger was just lodged in his chest.

“What the—’’

“As I said, my dear, you cannot hurt me.’’

My jaw clenches, and another round of shock follows. The blood on the stake evaporates completely, leaving clean, shiny metal behind. My eyebrows lift to my hairline, and I slowly drag my eyes toward Valerio.

“Does that mean you’re here to kill me?”

“No, my dear.’’ He chuckles. “But…we do not take what doesn’t belong to us.’’

“Pardon?”

I’ve gotten used to regular vampires. I’ve never had to deal with someone with Valerio’s strength, of his caliber. Hence why him reaching into my pocket, retrieving the bracelet, and dangling it in front of my face in less than a second gets me pissed.

“I’ll return this to the rightful owner. The woman you’re looking for is Ophelia.’’

“Ophelia.’’ I repeat the name, letting it roll off my tongue with ease. “Where can I find her?”

“Currently, she’s in our family home. In the castle in the mountains of Transylvania.’’

“Family home?”

Valerio simply nods, then takes a step back. “The seven of us…we’re siblings.’’

Now that’s unexpected. The revelation leaves me more confused than anything, and I try to wrap my head around the fact that the seven oldest, strongest, and hardest vampires to kill are siblings. It simply means that they’re just as unreachable as I thought they’d be.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I like drama.’’ He smiles. “And because I cannot wait to see how Ophelia reacts to a human hunter appearing on our doorstep.’’

“Should I worry about the rest of your siblings?”

“No, only Ophelia is residing there at the moment. And Lucifer. But I don’t think you should worry about him. He’s been in a deep slumber for the past two hundred years. He won’t be waking up any time soon.’’

“Then—’’

“I’ve answered all your questions, my dear,’’ he interrupts, keeping his voice polite. “I must go now. I’m rooting for you. It’s been time someone put Ophelia in her place.’’

By the time I blink, Valerio was gone. The leaves rustle, falling next to my feet, and I’m left in a state of shock, daze, and something I can’t quite name. Excitement rushes through my veins, and a smile tugs at the corner of my lips.

Four years.

I’ve been looking for this information for four years, and finally, I can get my revenge.

And there’s no one to stop me.