The Red Winter

In 1785, Professor Sebastian Grave learns that the Beast of Gévaudan has returned, killing across the French countryside. Sebastian is a monster-slayer with centuries of experience who fought the creature twenty years earlier in a brutal winter campaign. With help from his indwelling demon Sarmodel—who demands living hearts as payment—he barely survived that encounter. Two decades later, Sebastian is summoned back to the hunt by Antoine Avenel d'Ocerne, an estranged lover who shares a dark history with the Beast and a secret with Sebastian. Drawn by the possibility of defeating the creature permanently and reconciling with Antoine, Sebastian accepts. However, Gévaudan has changed. The people are desperate after years of suffering, and France approaches revolution. Sebastian's arcane practices and demonic companion have also drawn the attention of the French clergy. Meanwhile, the Beast threatens to engulf them all and destabilize the continent. This debut novel reimagines the historical hunt for the Beast of Gévaudan, weaving together hidden supernatural history with real events from Imperial Rome through the French Revolution, including the stories of Saint Jehanne d'Arc and Gilles de Rais.