Bonds

Set in both the 17th century and the modern day, Bonds is a dark fantasy novel which tells the story of Becca Martin's struggle to accept her birthright as a witch and Antony Cardover's battle to break his vampire curse. The two are linked together by Isabella Cardover, Antony's adulterous wife and Becca's ancestor. To break his curse, Antony must destroy Becca. To save herself, Becca must use her gift of the Craft. Only one of them can survive... Towards the end of the 17th century, Antony Cardover has slaughtered most of the village of Breccan, seeking vengeance for his wife Isabella's betrayal. Anna Martindale, Isabella's mother and a practising witch, is the only one who can stop him. Antony can only be stopped by breaking the curse, but the curse can only be broken by Antony destroying Isabella and all her descendants. In an attempt to break the curse, Antony realises the truth too late, just as Anna's spells condemn him to a stone sarcophagus buried in consecrated ground for eternity. In the present, Becca Martin starts her first day at the new Ramply Homes site of St Martin's Church, in the grounds of which Antony resides. Soon Becca is haunted by visions and nightmares that leave her wounded and afraid. The desecration of the church has weakened the spells and people start to die as Antony breaks free. To find answers, Becca visits her estranged mother, where she discovers the truth about her ancestry and is forced to face up to whom and what she is. Only a small wooden box and her gift of the Craft hold the key to her survival. Inspired by Stephen King and James Herbert, Bonds is a gripping read that will appeal to fans of fantasy novels, in particular those with an interest in vampires, witches and the supernatural.