A Hospital for Souls
(The Downfall of Us All, #1)

Every year in Sempiternal, thousands of humans willingly volunteer for The Dragnet Games with the hope to transcend their subjugation by winning and laying claim to the prize; upward mobility into the vampire ruling class by being allowed to become one. 

But, eternal life is an afterthought when Dante Alonso Hidalgo enlists in The Games hellbent on vengeance instead.

Five years ago, his older brother, Xavier Alonso Hidalgo, became Sempiternal’s sole authority in light of his victory at the inaugural Dragnet Games. Forced into exile, Dante was then taken-in and hand-trained by his uncle, Clayton Alonso, who used to be the leader of an underground resistance of vampire hunters called The Masquerade. In light of mastering his uncle’s teachings, Dante comes back to Sempiternal with a clear plan having since transitioned into a man: enroll in The Games to gain access to the Sulod District where the vampire elite currently live. Then, kill his brother to rectify the current imbalance between the realms of the living and the undead.

However, his first night back, Dante realizes that he cannot survive The Dragnet Games entirely on his own. After Xavier announces that he will act as the leader of The Games’s Hunters; a group of hand-picked vampires that seek to eliminate all the human Participants—who can only win if all the former are killed—Dante enlists the help of two other Dragnet Games hopefuls, Chase Zhu and Rue Alvarado; the latter of which bears supernatural powers of unknown origin that are his best shot at survival. However, as Chase, Rue, and Dante begin to uncover the true motive as to why The Games are held, they all soon realize that it not only implicates the whole of the government, but the entire foundation of their society that has become dependent on Smart Objects; AI-powered technologies with a human-like interface that has launched Sempiternal into its current, digital age.

But, as Rue and Dante grow closer while daring to unearth the roots holding up the entire conspiracy, Dante must also confront the truth of his past and ask himself, can love blossom despite circumstance, or is it because of adversity that truly sees it conquer all?

Trigger Warnings

• Coming soon!