THE INCUNABULUM Book One (Paperback)

Fifteen year-old Nathanael Christian lives on a dead end street in Queens in a house bordering the grounds of a ruined and neglected cemetery. And one night, after witnessing an extraordinary and frightening occurrence in connection with this old cemetery, his life changes forever as area residents (in accordance with this portentous event) begin to die and disappear mysteriously on a day to day basis. A lonely boy, unloved and abused by the cold-hearted aunt who took him into her home following the tragic death of his parents, Nathan frequently resorts to this derelict graveyard next to his house if only to escape for a few hours from his aunt's cruelty. But during one of his idle rambles among its graves and tombstones, he encounters the slender, dark-eyed girl named Phebe. Nathan immediately assumes Phebe is a 'runaway' since he meets her inside one of the cemetery's decaying mausoleums which she openly admits to sleeping in and sheltering herself in. After convincing Nathan to let her "rid" him (forever) of his abusive aunt, Phebe eventually reveals to the boy the secret and very sinister condition that afflicts her -- she is a Vampire. She also discovers to Nathan that, according to a centuries-old legend, there exists, in a very rare and ancient book known as an incunabulum, an incantation which can undo her curse and restore her mortal nature. And although Nathan is told by Phebe he must first willingly offer her some of his mortal blood in order for this spell to work, he agrees, nonetheless, to help Phebe in her quest to seek and obtain this fabled incunabulum.