From the Indie Ink Award nominated author of The Fealty of Monsters and The Cradle of Eternal Night comes a new, blood-soaked tale of vampires and selfish desire, in this folk horror retelling of Carmilla, taking place in 19^th Century Poland.
Laura Toperz's husband will be only gone for a week. Despite hiring a new maid to pick up her duties, she expects the days to go by as they do when her husband is present: mundanely and without incident. She is not prepared to solve a murder.
Elżbieta dreams of riches. Being hired as a maid for the wealthy Toperz household might just be her ticket to security. After one of her shifts, she sneaks into the manor's forbidden basement in search of treasure, hoping for valuables or jewels. Instead, she discovers something starving and solitary, begging to be unleashed. Elżbieta can only give in.
Soon, sanguinary terrors descend upon the town. Unaware of her maid's transgression, Laura remembers the bloodthirsty woman trapped below: Karmila, who comforted her in her youth. Karmila, whom her late father swore was just an imaginary friend. Karmila, who now paints the town and its maidens red.
Having escaped under her watch, Laura must decide what she's willing to sacrifice to bring back peace and quell the lustful frenzy entrancing everyone around her.
Even if it means herself.