Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1)

By Nora Roberts

• The story begins in 1652 in Maryland, Giles Dent can feel the evil coming towards him in the guise of a man. He sent his mate, Ann Hawkins, away as she is pregnant with triplets, all boys. He knows that what he is about to do cannot vanquish the evil but he can hold it until some generations later those that will be able to vanquish the demon can do so.
  
  Giles and Ann Hawkins are accused by Hester Deale of being witches. The crowd of men and women with his death on their mind caused by the power of the demon. The crowd begins to beat him but he reaches out with his power and grabbed the demon to him and they burst into flame leaving nothing alive in the glade by the stone.
  
  In Hawkins Hollow, Maryland it is July 6, 1987 and 3 boys who are best friends will turn 10 tomorrow on the 7th. Caleb Hawkins, Fox O'Dell and Gage Turner are all from very different circumstances but have been best friends as they were all born on the same date and the same time.
  
  They decide to camp out in the woods and in particular by the Pagan Stone, which has many rumors about it. When they decide to become "blood" brothers and spill their blood on this ground by the Stone, they unleash something good and something evil that visits their town every 7 years the week of July 7th beginning that year.
  
  It is now February 2008 and Caleb, Fox and Gage (who is traveling about) know that come July the horrible week is coming again. Quinn Black, an author of some paranormal type books and still magazine writer as well, is coming to town to investigate the legends and stories of Hawkins Hollow. Caleb is not too sure he should have encouraged her to come and not sure he should've agreed to talk to her and take her in the woods to show her the Pagan Stone.
  
  The 3 boys who are now grown men have kept their secrets for almost 21 years now. They are reluctant to let anyone else into their very close-knit group. However, Quinn is aided by Layla, a young woman she meets at the hotel where she is staying, and Quinn's best friend Cybil who is a bit mysterious herself and comes to town to help Quinn.
  
  The evil is showing up sooner and more people even outsiders are seeing it. What can it all mean? Will Caleb and Quinn learn to trust each other? How can they possibly defeat this demon? I'm sure the next two books will answer those questions and more and I look forward to reading them.