Dead Rising

Book excerpt: Guard the Temple. Safeguard Pilgrims on the Path. Record knowledge—both holy and unholy. Those are the three mandates Templar Knights have followed since the twelfth century. But it’s the twenty-first century and Aria is not a Knight. She’s refused to take her oath, and instead is barely making ends meet as a part-time barista in Baltimore. Just before she’s served an eviction notice, the Mistress of the local vampire family offers her a job—to research a magical symbol. It’s an easy task for a woman who has spent most of her life either in armor or with her nose in ancient manuscripts. But when her research reveals a sordid connection between the vampires and a mass murder, Aria needs to decide who is in the right and worthy of her protection. Modern Templars believe only God should judge, but Aria must do exactly that or watch the Baltimore streets run red with blood.