The Fall

But while the others waited for the air to clear above, Eph would be waiting for something else.

He would be waiting for his Zack to return to him as a vampire.

He had learned from his mistake. He could not show any forbearance, as he had with Kelly.

It would be a privilege and a gift to release his only son.

But the worst thing that Eph had imagined—Zack’s return as a vampire seeking his father’s soul—turned out not to be the worst thing at all.

No.

The worst thing was—Zack never came.

The worst thing was the gradual realization that Eph’s vigilance would have no end. That his pain would find no release.

The Night Eternal had begun.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Ilona Zsolnay of the Babylonian Section in the University Museum at the University of Pennsylvania.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, GUILLERMO DEL TORO made his feature directorial debut in 1993 with the film Cronos, and has since gone on to direct Mimic, The Devil’s Backbone, Blade II, Hellboy I, Hellboy II, and Pan’s Labyrinth, which garnered enormous critical praise worldwide and won three Academy Awards. He will direct two films based on The Hobbit, to be produced by Peter Jackson.

CHUCK HOGAN is the author of several acclaimed novels, including The Standoff and Prince of Thieves, which won the 2005 Hammett Award and was called one of the ten best novels of the year by Stephen King. Prince of Thieves will soon be a major motion picture.