Vampires have conquered the living world, eradicated human society, and rule an undead empire from their underground palace of Aeterna. No longer forced to hide in the shadows, they build a luxurious metropolis of epicurean excess, savage rituals, and royal lineages, all existing in perfect eternal harmony.
Of Aeterna's byzantine rites, the Bloodlet is the greatest: a spectacular hunt held once a century to choose which royal house will ascend the throne. But for Marcus Atreidae, the last vampire to be created before the annihilation of mankind, the Bloodlet offers a chance to explore the ruins of a dead city and learn all he can about those creatures of myth and legend: humans.
Barred from participating as punishment for his curiosity, Marcus sneaks to the surface but, when catastrophe strikes, he finds himself trapped amid the dystopian ruins with an unlikely ally -- a beautiful and fearless clone named Bo. Together, they discover a web of lies that stretches all the way to Aeterna's putrid core. Will the truth of Marcus' own mysterious past set him free? Or will it destroy an empire?
In Aeterna, Kim Bannerman weaves an astonishing tale of intrigue, betrayal, mystery and adventure. From warrior kings to soothsayers, bio-engineers to slaves, ogres to phantoms, this sweeping epic is as rich and haunting as the undead who populate the city, and sure to delight fans of fantasy and dystopian fiction.
