As stated above, this is your last chance to turn away if you are not 18, or otherwise capable of dealing with mature and/or otherwise relatively graphic scenes. While there aren't many, I'm still required to mention it (multitple times!)

This book contains graphic content not intended for those under the age of 18, I highly suggest as both the author and a person interested in books that contain content listed therein to either have parent’s permission or be over the age of 18 before reading.

This book also contains bits of Japanese (all noted with subscripted numbers and translated at the end of the book for reference) in case you don’t want to waste your time reading anything with a language you don’t know how to read.

In the event you disregard this disclaimer about the contents of the book, then I seriously hope you are the recommended age of 18 or older or have parent’s permission to read.
I don’t want a bunch of emails about how the book isn’t meant for those under the age of about 15 or so (when it really is not, hence why the age marker is set to 18!) and that it needs to be changed to be more kid-friendly (which I won’t, as the book isn’t meant to be kid-friendly.)

In the event you are 18 or older and are reading this book simply because the title, genre it’s in, description, or your own interest in books that feature vampires/werewolves and the like brought you to it, then I say to you enjoy and let me know what you think needs changed, if there are any spelling/grammatical errors that you think can be changed to something else, or just curious as to the release of the second book.

Acknowledgements

For my only son, Tristan, you are a bright light in a dark world.

For my Grandma Jeannie and Grandpa Terry, for all the bad, there was a lot of good. I’m sorry I had to take the path less travelled in the yellow woods where the roads diverged. I miss you both and wish we could meet again.

To my sister Amber and brother Ayden, I’ll see y’all again, someday.

To my mother Angela, I hope you can get your life together someday and do what you wish.

To my father, Kris Slater, I never got to meet you before you passed away, and I wish I could have. I’d heard a lot about you, but never got to confirm for myself. I wish I could’ve talked to you at least once before you left this world for the next life. Just know you’re in my heart, even though we never met.

For the rest of my family who I may not have mentioned, I love and miss you all and wish I could see you all again. Especially my Grandma Rosetta Miller, may you rest in peace.

Credits to any and all artists who helped make the imagery come to life with their exceptional talents.

Credits also go to all the authors of the various poems used within the book. I own none of the rights to them and have credited them properly (via the title of the poem and author’s name following) underneath each poem at the beginning of each chapter.