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Excerpt:
Twin dirt bikes tore through the night, shattering the stillness of the woods. The riders couldn’t ride fast enough to escape the vision chasing them. The vision of the skeleton sprawled across the cave floor, the rotting stake lying against its rib bones. Or of the resurrection begun when they’d pulled the stake from its resting place.
Back in the cave, that resurrection accelerated. Arms and legs rippled with muscle. The rib cage re-fleshed itself as the face re-formed. The skeleton moved its arms and worked its mouth. A croak issued from newly formed vocal cords. A shout split the dark.
“I’m alive!”
The echoes bounced off the cave walls as the figure inched forward and stood. The man, a coal black giant with shaved skull and massive shoulders, tore off the rags clinging to his new flesh and stood naked in the night. His new body raged with thirst. He sniffed the air and caught the scent of prey.
The man didn’t know where he was, though he knew where he’d been. He knew who’d drained his body of life-sustaining blood and buried him in the cave. He didn’t know how much time had passed but it didn’t matter. If he was alive again, then his nemesis, that interfering highfaluting white doctor, the recipient of the dark powers he himself had unleashed—he was somewhere near as well. And by all the dark gods, he would find him. But first, he must have blood. He sniffed the air. He cared not if the prey was animal or human. He must hunt. He must stalk and capture, bite and tear. And drink. And drink. And drink.
He stood, naked under the moonglow, and reveled in his rebirth.
“I’m aliiiiiiiiive!” he shouted again. His laughter rushed out over the woods and moved on further, filling the deepest reaches of the swamp. Night fishermen, tending their lines along Stone Creek, stopped dead in their tracks and shivered. The night noises of the frogs and crickets ceased. No hoot-owl or whippoorwill sent forth its distinctive calls. Even the swamp snakes ceased to slither. The heartbeat of the woods and swamp stopped. It took a remarkably long time for it to resume.
Reader Reviews:
...I guarantee you will not regret reading this awesome tale. It is difficult to explain the depth of this story. I have read few books (and believe me I have read HUNDREDS of books in my lifetime, possibly thousands) that have reached into my inner being as this one has. There is so much good to this tale: history, paranormal (ghosts, vampires, demons, etc.), love, family, friendship, romance, loyalty, racial unfairness and lastly but not least, Southern hospitality. I just loved the book. ... am dragging my feet because I don't want it to end. I seldom feel that way. I just don't want it to be over. I so highly recommend you read this book. One of the best.
Linda L. Roy "bookworm extraordinare", Amazon 12/18/12
I am a huge fan Of Mrs. Roughton's work, Having said that I just knew that I was going to need to wait for a day where I could sit undisturbed and read this book from start to finish! It was well worth the wait ... If you want to feel like you are a part of a story, Pick up this book! She painted such a beautiful picture not only of the characters but of their surroundings. I truly felt like I was there with them! It is rare to find such a talented author who can write such a vast array of genres and do it all so well!!! Congrats Mrs. Roughton on another amazing book! An thank you for sharing it with all of us!
Julie, Amazon, 11/16/12
Oh my...just finished The Color of Seven & once again Gail Roughton leaves me speechless with her creative (& eclectic) writing talent. Wow, unlike any book I have read (but then I am finding all of her books unique and pretty darn wonderful) and I can honestly say I liked Seven very much ... Seven is not for the faint of heart and by nature, I am kind of a wuss but it did grip me and I could not put it down. At times it was down right scary and I must admit I read the ending with the sun shining outside. Perfect reading with Halloween around the corner and a new spin on Vampires. I admire GR's gift for telling a story in a whole new light. Don't even try to guess what will happen, she will surprise you every time!
Longtime DF Fan, Amazon, 9/29/12
Ms. Roughton's epic tale single-handedly renewed my interest in the vampire genre. At once a sprawling gothic horror saga spanning decades and a wrenching emotional tale full of heart, you won't want to put it down. The villian, Cain, is an instantly classic iconic character, the stuff of which nightmares are made, and there's another great, plucky Gail Roughton heroine. ... A great read.
Stuart R. West, Amazon 9/23/23
Twin dirt bikes tore through the night, shattering the stillness of the woods. The riders couldn’t ride fast enough to escape the vision chasing them. The vision of the skeleton sprawled across the cave floor, the rotting stake lying against its rib bones. Or of the resurrection begun when they’d pulled the stake from its resting place.
Back in the cave, that resurrection accelerated. Arms and legs rippled with muscle. The rib cage re-fleshed itself as the face re-formed. The skeleton moved its arms and worked its mouth. A croak issued from newly formed vocal cords. A shout split the dark.
“I’m alive!”
The echoes bounced off the cave walls as the figure inched forward and stood. The man, a coal black giant with shaved skull and massive shoulders, tore off the rags clinging to his new flesh and stood naked in the night. His new body raged with thirst. He sniffed the air and caught the scent of prey.
The man didn’t know where he was, though he knew where he’d been. He knew who’d drained his body of life-sustaining blood and buried him in the cave. He didn’t know how much time had passed but it didn’t matter. If he was alive again, then his nemesis, that interfering highfaluting white doctor, the recipient of the dark powers he himself had unleashed—he was somewhere near as well. And by all the dark gods, he would find him. But first, he must have blood. He sniffed the air. He cared not if the prey was animal or human. He must hunt. He must stalk and capture, bite and tear. And drink. And drink. And drink.
He stood, naked under the moonglow, and reveled in his rebirth.
“I’m aliiiiiiiiive!” he shouted again. His laughter rushed out over the woods and moved on further, filling the deepest reaches of the swamp. Night fishermen, tending their lines along Stone Creek, stopped dead in their tracks and shivered. The night noises of the frogs and crickets ceased. No hoot-owl or whippoorwill sent forth its distinctive calls. Even the swamp snakes ceased to slither. The heartbeat of the woods and swamp stopped. It took a remarkably long time for it to resume.
Reader Reviews:
...I guarantee you will not regret reading this awesome tale. It is difficult to explain the depth of this story. I have read few books (and believe me I have read HUNDREDS of books in my lifetime, possibly thousands) that have reached into my inner being as this one has. There is so much good to this tale: history, paranormal (ghosts, vampires, demons, etc.), love, family, friendship, romance, loyalty, racial unfairness and lastly but not least, Southern hospitality. I just loved the book. ... am dragging my feet because I don't want it to end. I seldom feel that way. I just don't want it to be over. I so highly recommend you read this book. One of the best.
Linda L. Roy "bookworm extraordinare", Amazon 12/18/12
I am a huge fan Of Mrs. Roughton's work, Having said that I just knew that I was going to need to wait for a day where I could sit undisturbed and read this book from start to finish! It was well worth the wait ... If you want to feel like you are a part of a story, Pick up this book! She painted such a beautiful picture not only of the characters but of their surroundings. I truly felt like I was there with them! It is rare to find such a talented author who can write such a vast array of genres and do it all so well!!! Congrats Mrs. Roughton on another amazing book! An thank you for sharing it with all of us!
Julie, Amazon, 11/16/12
Oh my...just finished The Color of Seven & once again Gail Roughton leaves me speechless with her creative (& eclectic) writing talent. Wow, unlike any book I have read (but then I am finding all of her books unique and pretty darn wonderful) and I can honestly say I liked Seven very much ... Seven is not for the faint of heart and by nature, I am kind of a wuss but it did grip me and I could not put it down. At times it was down right scary and I must admit I read the ending with the sun shining outside. Perfect reading with Halloween around the corner and a new spin on Vampires. I admire GR's gift for telling a story in a whole new light. Don't even try to guess what will happen, she will surprise you every time!
Longtime DF Fan, Amazon, 9/29/12
Ms. Roughton's epic tale single-handedly renewed my interest in the vampire genre. At once a sprawling gothic horror saga spanning decades and a wrenching emotional tale full of heart, you won't want to put it down. The villian, Cain, is an instantly classic iconic character, the stuff of which nightmares are made, and there's another great, plucky Gail Roughton heroine. ... A great read.
Stuart R. West, Amazon 9/23/23
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