by Les Daniels
First published 1978
Spain, 1496. Sebastián de Villanueva stalks the night as a vampire, feeding only when hunger demands it. His brother Diego wields the power of the Inquisition, torturing victims for his own pleasure and authority. The Church sees Diego as righteous and Sebastián as damned, but the vampire kills from necessity while the Inquisitor inflicts suffering by choice. Both brothers desire Margarita de Mendoza, a witch whose beauty draws them into direct conflict. As the Inquisition spreads its terror across Spain, Sebastián must survive not only his vampiric nature but also his brother's holy crusade. The question becomes which brother represents true evil and who will claim Margarita's soul and body. In this moral battleground, survival depends on more than fangs or faith.
Genres: historical-fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, moral-ambiguity
Setting: Spain
Period: 1496
241 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: violence