[The War of Blood and Roses 02] • Virulent

Nobody knows the exact time or day. Even the year it happened has been lost and forgotten—as time does when it slips by unnoticed—but the end of the world came and went, leaving in its wake a path of death and destruction.

The apocalypse warned and foretold about for centuries was upon us, and millions perished under the force of rock, water and flame. Tens of thousands fled major cities seeking safety upon higher ground, while others went to smaller, underpopulated towns and untouched lands. Years of disaster passed leaving the planet’s surface and the life on it forever changed. Buildings were ransacked, and towns were destroyed, and highways and streets were littered with abandoned vehicles. God and country had been replaced with fear and self-preservation; it was Martial Law, and then every man for himself.

Life on our planet was dying, we wanted to survive, and they wanted to live, so when the Vampires offered a solution to both of our problems, we readily and greedily signed on the dotted line, neither party aware of the oversight they were making.

A world without humans meant a world without blood. Blood became the driving force that both needed to exist, so while they created “I-M”, we formed the receiving lines. It wasn't mandatory; it was optional, but thousands of us lined up anyway.

It wasn't until it was too late that we both understood what that would mean and that we had made a terrible mistake.

Everything dies, and when it does it stays dead—or so we thought.

Abby Rose is a smart and capable member of the Vanguard. She also waits tables at the O Motel Bar Grill between her shifts of zombie killing. When a town full of people close to Abby's home are murdered in a strange and viscous way, Abby and her Vanguard team find themselves fighting side by side with members of the VIG (Vampire increment guard).

Abby and the Vanguard narrowly escape with their lives thanks to the VIG members and Abby soon gets close to Ethan, a tall, dark and handsome vampire. Now, both species, living in an already ravaged world, find themselves battling the dead and fighting for survival while dependent on the other.

Team members are killed or turned into the dead and Abby becomes bait to lure Ethan into a trap. Finding herself in the middle of a tangled web of lies as secrets are revealed, truths of her past come to light and she learns that she’s not who she thought she was – or what she thought she was.

Loss is prevalent in this world, but can Ethan and Abby find their way to avoid the loss of love? Or will secrets from the past keep them apart forever...