Devour the Sun: A Bloodless Saga, #1

By Bri Mooney

"Devour the Sun" merges the post-apocalyptic chaos and high-octane action of "Mad Max: Fury Road" with the origin story and power struggles of "Dracula Untold." It is a best-selling paranormal, dark fantasy, romance in a dystopian war-torn setting. With themes including war, violence, and adult situations, this adult book is not suitable for readers under 18. Please check the Reader's Advisory before reading.

She watched it fall.

The peace she'd built brick by brick, the family she'd cultivated over the centuries, the home she'd finally found. It's all gone. Burned to ash by the Rebel Vampire King.

Sigríð Storråda never wanted to be a hero. Left with a country fallen to despair, she is left with a choice. To do nothing would mean the death of all who remained and waging war against a tyrannical vampire regime may just be what Sigríð needs. In her relentless pursuit to dismantle the oppressive crown, an encounter with Alex, a daring scientist executing forbidden experiments on vampires, turns the tables on Sigríð in more ways than one.

"Devour the Sun" weaves a paranormal dark fantasy tapestry where alliances arise from the ashes of a once-peaceful kingdom, forbidden love emerges amidst the ruins, and Sigrid's unyielding spirit sparks a rebellion that will reshape their world forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bri Mooney
• Release date: Oct 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9781954870109

Bri Mooney

When it comes to books, Bri Mooney can't pick a lane. She's a mood reader and writer, letting her imagination lead her to new worlds, characters, and stories. The one thing you can always expect when you pick up her books are some delicious grey morals, magic, and myths. Between the shifter-vampire squabbles, alien ship landings, and coven meetings life in the woods with three cats is rarely the quiet. And to the nun who told me I'd never excel at writing...hah.

Book preview

Chapter One

Forty-Seven years before Swallow the Moon

Sigríð!

My footfalls were quiet. How she found me every time I entered the building, I’d never know. King Carl had assigned her to me years ago, and she seemed to be the only person capable of catching me whenever I crept into the Vampire King’s home. Avoiding her had become a game of sorts as I hunted down my dear friend and leader.

Ignoring Betty, I stalked through the maze of hallways determined to throttle Carl's neck. With the country in the state it was, it may very well be the last thing I did. I growled as I barreled down the hallway. We’d come too far to fail now. If only Carl had heeded my warning. Now the enemy had grown and breached our city.

The echoing slap of Betty’s soles on the stone floor made it difficult to gauge how far they were behind me. But with the double doors to the King’s chambers in sight, she had no chance of stopping me. Carl would hear what I had to say before we all died today.

Sigríð, a familiar, smooth voice froze me in my tracks.

I whirled to face her. The door had been closed when I’d passed, but now stood ajar, framing the Queen. She wore a violet dress, which could only mean one thing.

I touched the sleeve of her gown. He isn’t dead yet.

She reached for me, Don’t. It’s too late. They are already in the city.

An explosion punctuated her words.

I can save him. Both of you. Stop this nonsense and come with me.

Ada shook her head, her curls brushing her shoulders. This is the end for us. But you can still leave before they breach our walls.

I turned from her, focusing my glare on the wooden double doors before me. Is it so easy for you to forsake your people? You’re right, they’re already here. For all we know they could be inside these very walls. The city will die tonight, and instead of waging war against the rebels who betray us, our crown chooses to lay down arms and die?

That's not fair— she started.

Life rarely is.

She huffed in indignation. I am your Queen.

No, you aren’t. My Queen would never forsake me. I kicked in the double doors, shattering the wood around the lock.

King Carl stood by the open windows, admiring the view of the city. The edge of the horizon glowed with a touch of the ebbing sun. It made the skyscrapers appear as if they were burning in the darkness of night.

I know what you’ve been up to, he said with his back to me.

Stepping into the room, I sent a fragment of wood at him and tried to temper my anger. Do you, now?

He spun on a heel and shot me a warm smile. You’ve started evacuations. Set up a safe haven on the shore. I hear you’re looking for boats.

Is that why you’ve done nothing to protect this city? I told you—

He cut me off, Staying in the city was a bad idea. Advertising our stronghold was a worse idea. His chuckle prodded my anger.

Our enemy is upon us and you laugh? I stepped into his space, stabbing a finger into his chest. Am I the only one here who is fighting to save the lives of all who live in the city?

You will not touch our King, Ada said from the broken doorway.

Ada, stop with the formalities. Sigríð is right. He skirted around me to embrace his wife. We have failed our people by bringing our old ways with us. I see it now.

Hope sprung inside of me. So come with me. Let me save you so we can—

No. We will die with our people.

The pounding steps of my tail stole our attention. Betty broke into the room, sweat beaded on her forehead from the effort to keep up with a centuries old vampire. She came to a stop between us, folding over as she fought to catch her breath.

There is no reason for you to— I started, but the wisp of a human cut me off.

I. Have. A couple of hacking coughs. A message from the King.

He can tell me himself, I grumbled.

Carl laughed. You have served us well, Sigríð. All of us owe you a debt we cannot pay.

I don’t want payment. I want—

You are to come with me to the pier. The King’s word to evacuate has been spread. You are to lead the survivors. She staggered closer to me. Come, we are late. I’ll lead you to the location.

What is this? I grabbed Carl’s shirt and shook him. What have you done?

What I should have done when you first spoke about it. We will distract them, but you must go. Now. The fate of our people rests with you. He brushed away my hands and pressed a kiss to my cheek. We don’t know where the refugees are heading so the secret is safe. But Betty set everything up. Take her and go now!

A scream erupted from beyond the window. Shouts and gunfire. Carl rushed to the open window as another shriek deafened us.

There are still people in the city! Give me your soldiers and I can—

No! Carl clasped his hands behind his back. The soldiers, the people who remain, do so to buy you time. We are outnumbered and outmatched. They are choosing to die with me so that you may live. Leave.

Betty grabbed my hand, tugging me toward the hallway. They need you!

I let her pull me for a few moments. More gunfire echoed and I scooped her up. Hold onto me. I was faster than she’d ever be. And if the King and Queen wanted to die then so be it. They had allowed this to happen. Maybe it was fitting that this was their end.

Where? I asked.

Betty pointed to the stairway and I started downward.

No. Up, up.

Up? Down led to the street. Up led to the roof. Why would survivors be on the roof?

I rushed up the staircase, doing my best to ignore her incessant drumming on my back. All the way?

Yes. To the roof!

I bit back a snarky reply and ran faster. Opening myself to the power that allowed me to eat emotions, I fed on her—anger? This slip of a human had more rage than I did for the King.

We stumbled out onto the roof and I set her down. The night sky was brimming with stars. A mirror of the grounds below it, reflecting the fires burning through the city. A gust of wind rustled my hair, clattering the silver beads that adorned it. Touching a bead, I clenched it in my fist and contemplated the scene below.

We didn’t stand a chance. They were everywhere.

We’d known what was coming. Our own kind had betrayed us. Vampires who demanded an end to the peace with humans. Instead of rationing and keeping the balance Carl had worked so hard to cultivate between vampires, humans, and shifters, they wanted to feed as they liked. This idea that we were top of the food chain would damn us all. Without a supply of human blood, vampires would die. There was no us without them.

An explosion rattled the museum we stood atop of. Carl had chosen it for its location near the heart of the city, and the architecture reminded him of his home.

They have broken past the guards. Betty stood at the edge of the roof, her attention focused on the bloodbath occurring below.

The vampires on our side don’t stand a chance. Those attacking us are blood drunk and high on the slaughter. The King and Queen are doomed.

But you stand a chance. You can feed in other ways, the King said so.

I blanched. The King and Queen were all who knew of my ability to eat emotions. It didn’t fill me quite as well as blood did, but it sufficed. But this wasn’t the moment for such thoughts. The city burned around us.

I told her, There is no way I can kill them all.

I could eat to my heart’s content with all the terror and carnage below. It was overwhelming, ratcheting my blood pressure as I fought to contain it.

She took my hand, guiding me back from the edge and toward a wooden pole anchored to the corner of the roof. This is the way. We must go.

The King, I started. Wrestling my hand from her grip I turned toward the door. I can’t just leave the royal family to die.

Your job was never to protect the Monarchy. You are of the people. Those who fight for peace and unity. Those are the people you are meant to protect, and right now they need you more than ever. She took my hand and pulled me to the corner of the roof, and I let her.

How am I supposed to make it to the docks when you’ve stranded us on the roof?

Simple. We fly. She looped a small metal hook over a wire that stretched into the distance.

Eyes straining, I followed it to another rooftop, where someone had secured it to a pole that anchored yet another line leading off to another rooftop.

Who…this is brilliant.

I know. People rarely look up.

We both glanced down as more gunshots echoed into the chilly night air. The rogue vampires were entering the building in droves. Running was the only way we could save what we’d started here.

She attached a belt to my waist and connected it to the line. Are you ready?

My voice was caught in my throat. It felt wrong, like a betrayal to leave the leader I had so vehemently followed for so long. But the intensifying chorus of screams announced our enemy as they closed in.

She pushed me and we fell for a moment before the line went taut. Then we flew. Gunshots, explosions, and the roar of monsters as they tore everyone apart chased our flight to the next building.

Glass shattered. The King, bloody and broken, plummeted from the window where I’d left him. His bride, the Queen I’d known for so many years, stood framed in broken glass and shrouded in shadows. It was impossible to know if she saw us. But the weight of her stare was heavy as we glided to safety.

Feet skidding across the asphalt roof, we slowed and unhooked ourselves from the line with care and speed. Time was not on our side. She was right. I’d wasted too much of it trying to save what couldn’t be saved.

Scooping her into my arms I asked, Which line?

What are you—that one! She pointed and I sprinted.

She wriggled as I latched myself to the line.

I’m not connected.

I have you. Stepping from the roof, we careened through the air and she clung to me like a frightened kitten. Calm down.

You’re going to drop me!

I sighed, my boots grinding against the next rooftop. With her body steadied on my shoulder, I unlatched my belt from the zipline. This is faster. Where?

One more. It leads to the shore. She pointed to the farthest corner of the rooftop.

We crossed it in moments, her fear and worry fueling me as I pushed myself to the limit. Once latched, we were airborne once more. But this line didn’t lead to a rooftop. It sloped downward. Gravity plummeting us toward the earth.

She screeched in my arms, her fear like bile in my own throat as her fingers tore at me for purchase. Her cries of terror were a beacon in the dark for my kind. The vampires would be coming in earnest.

I hauled her down my body, squeezing her to my chest as I clamped a hand over her mouth. The black of the sea was highlighted in moonlight. We sped toward—what the—the line was attached to a utility pole. We we’re heading straight toward the giant wooden stake with enough speed to splatter us both.

I cradled her to me, using my free hand to grip the line. If only I could slow us. Instead my hand was torn open. Detaching the latch from the line would only hurt me more. Grabbing the belt on my waist I tore it from my body.

She was screaming directly into my ear as we dropped the last few feet onto the street. I cradled her to me, wrapping myself around her the best as I could. We bounced, rolling with the momentum of our flight until the utility pole broke our momentum, stopping us.

Is she dead? She was panting atop my chest. Blood spattered her forehead. Are you okay?

She coughed into my face. I’m alive. Is that enough?

More than enough. I rolled her off of me. I need you fired up and on your feet.

She sat up. Her eyes were wide and she shivered. I think I’m in shock.

I groaned, pushing myself to my feet. Get out of it then. They’re coming and I need food. My elbow straightened, cracking back into place as it healed.

Hurried by the stampede of rushing footsteps, I yanked her to her feet. They were closing in fast, faster than they would be if they weren’t overfed rogue vampires. We were running out of time. The impact had wreaked havoc on my guts, and it took all of my energy to keep my internal organs from failing.

She pulled her arm from my grasp, anger searing out from her. I’m starting to wonder if the King chose correctly.

Pounding feet from multiple directions. Two from behind us. Slower than the rest. The others were fast. Too fast to be friendly. Four, maybe five of them. I turned onto her, flashing my fangs. Fear permeated the air as she took an unsteady step backwards.

"I’m the only vampire around who isn’t trying to eat you."

Chapter Two

Leaping forward, she flinched and ducked. I soared over her head and into the vampire reaching for her. Clashing in the air, we fought as we fell. I kicked the vampire off of me when we hit the ground and whirled in time to spot two more skulking in the shadows.

Run, I told Betty. South east.

I could only hope that the two souls in that direction were friendly.

Both vampires stalked forward. I recognized one of them. They had long, dark hair that lifted in the breeze and framed blue eyes. Krystov. I’d worked with him before. The third struggled to their feet beside us as their arm healed where I’d snapped it in two.

Krystov was once under my command. He was fierce and loyal, a commendable soldier. We’d watched our kind die as we fought for peace with the humans. The same fragile peace that imploded around us.

Sigríð, you’ve chosen the wrong side, Krystov said as he waved for the other two to stand down. Following Carl would starve us all.

Carl has led us to coexist with humans. We’d have never gone hungry again. But now, now you’ve damned us.

"The new King gives us freedom. Do you really want to live under their thumb?" He stepped closer, assessing me.

We are parasites. Without them we die.

No. They will die. With the new King we will flourish.

One vampire I didn’t recognize stepped forward, but Krystov reached out, stopping them with a hand on their shoulder.

I will not fight you. Not here. Not after all we’ve been through together.

I eyed the two with him. They hadn’t been in our army, hadn’t seen what we had under the command of King Carl. Humans were fragile in body, but in mind they were fierce and innovative warriors. Together we could accomplish anything. Apart we would fall. No side would prevail in a war waged by hunger and greed.

A howl disrupted us from our thoughts. Betty had found the two I’d pointed her toward. Better than human, they were shifter. A great wolf barreled toward us, carrying Betty precariously on its back. Behind them was a rat just smaller than the wolf, but no less terrifying.

Join me, Krystov. If you truly worry about starving then think! With uncontrolled feeding the human race will be reduced to nothing. I reached for him. Come with me.

He shook his head, pulling on his companion’s arm. We follow the new King.

The vampires turned, rushing back into the shadows. To think, after a lifetime of war, plotting against empires, and eradicating my enemies that I was now a harbinger of peace.

Betty dismounted in a flourish. Blood dripped from her head, too much blood. She swooned on her feet, grabbing my arms to steady herself.

Are you okay? I asked.

I’ll be fine. She wiped at the red that dripped Are you?"

Luckily, I knew one of them. Fought with him. I stared into the dark after the vampires. The weight of the King’s dying wish crushing my shoulders.

Betty clung to me. I need to get you to the refugees.

You’re bleeding too much. I lifted her gently. You need a doctor.

Follow the shifters. They know where to go, she mumbled.

They turned, sprinting down the barren street at top speed. I struggled to keep pace with the rat. Opening my power, I ate all Betty had to give. Her worry, the fear. I ate and listened as her heart slowed and her breathing grew shallow.

It was the all encompassing terror of a large group that signaled we were close. Betty lay still in my arms. The wolf panted hard. The rat seemed ready to go another lap.

Betty, I shook her as we entered the camp. Wake up. We’re here.

We made it? Her eyes blinked open, her head hanging limply against my shoulder.

We made it. I’ll get you to a doctor. I started toward what I hoped was a medical tent.

For so many people, the silence was disquieting. Occasionally the scrape of a boot on pavement or the clatter of metal on metal would break the quiet. No smoke. Hardly a light. The camp had been planned and executed with the vampire rebellion in mind.

Betty cupped my cheek. Doctors can’t save me.

Ignoring her, I pushed into the tent and placed her on a table. A person in bloody garb rushed over, prying the hair from her face to assess the wound.

Betty reached for me. I’ll die in peace.

The nurse looked at me, giving a sort of half shrug before leaning close. Only vampire blood can save her.

Betty tapped my face, leaving a trail of her sticky blood to cool against my skin. No.

I— I started.

I’ve completed my mission. Death is fitting. Now it’s up to you.

I can save you. Her fear had ebbed. In its wake was contentment. Not a single shred of worry left in her soul.

You already have. Be well. Sigríð.

The nurse pushed me away. Betty lay so still on the table as her heart stopped. Her blood pooled under her head, saturating the off-white linens.

The nurse finished examining Betty’s corpse, coming around the table to touch my shoulder. She died from impact to the head. It crushed her skull.

We fell, I offered lamely. How could I save a nation when I couldn’t keep one soul safe?

Not a fall, the nurse whispered. Looks like a vampire swiped her. An inch would have saved her.

The vampires. I thought I’d caught the bulk of his attack. One touch, a tap to her skull, and he’d broken her. Betty had run with that wound. She’d fought to get the shifters and bring them back—to me. She’d fought to ensure I’d survive.

I’d never stood a chance against three vampires full of blood. Betty knew it, she knew far more about me than I’d ever cared to admit. Always lurking, always following me.

She died for me.

Someone touched me and I fought the growl that burned my throat as I yanked myself from their grip.

Knowing this was coming, I’d warned the King and all who I trusted who’d listen, but that list had been small. Carl had been so sure he could squash the rebellion. Now his body lay torn to pieces in the street.

And what of Queen Ada?

I’d left her there to watch the murder of her beloved. She was most likely killed in a similarly horrific way. Ada, Carl, and Betty. Victims in such a useless war.

Sigríð. We await your command, a kind voice said.

I rubbed a hand through my hair. I had to move. To somehow become whatever it was that Carl had seen in me.

How many can fight? I asked.

They had dark hair that curled over their shoulders and azure eyes that harbored a lifetime of tragedy. Fifty soldiers from the King, they replied as they led me from Betty’s cooling corpse and toward the water.

I asked who can fight, not how many vampire soldiers we had. What’s your name?

Marion, Sir. She tapped a nail next to her grass-colored name tag, much like my own, which meant she went by she/her. The rest of this camp are humans.

I breathed deep the salty night air. Humans can fight, if they so choose. We need to think, to plan, and to discover our own weaknesses. Who better than the humans who used to hunt us?

Marion snorted before straightening her spine and glaring at the sea. "You’re right. I’ll have someone look into the humans and see if