A short story from the world of Department 19.

In 1891, Abraham Van Helsing and a group of friends faced Dracula, the world's first vampire - and won. The survivors of that battle founded Department 19, and have been secretly saving the world ever since. A highly classified archive exists recording every act of bravery in that time.

That archive is now open. These are the Department 19 files.

Rome, 1918.

The Great War is over, but the world is in the grip of a Spanish Influenza pandemic, and people are dying in their millions. Quincey Harker and his Special Reconnaissance Squad recuperating in Rome, trying their hardest to drink away their memories. But they are not the only visitors to the Eternal City: Valeri Rusmanov, the oldest and most powerful vampire on earth, and his wife are roaming the dark streets on a ghastly holiday, delighting in the death that surrounds them, soaking in the sounds of the sick, feasting on innocent blood... and about to cross paths with Quincey and his men.

This book is part of a book series called Department 19 .

This book has been graded for interest at 13+ years.

There are 96 pages in this book. This book was published 2013 by HarperCollins Publishers .

Will Hill grew up in the north-east of England and worked as a bartender, bookseller and in publishing, before quitting to write full-time. His first novel, Department 19 - the first in a series of five - was published in 2011 to widespread acclaim, garnering Will, and the series, a huge fan base. Will now lives in east London with his girlfriend.