The final season of True Blood got off to a bang on Sunday night, as one of the show’s most popular characters suffered a shocking death at the hands of a pack of sick vampires. If this episode indicates what fans can expect for the rest of the show’s run, the body count will be pretty high.

The seventh season of the HBO series found a group of vampires infected with the Hepatitis-V virus invading a festive barbecue in the quiet Louisiana town of Bon Temps and turning the happy event into a bloodbath. Among the casualties was True Blood regular, Tara Thornton, played by Rutina Wesley, who meets her end while attempting to save her mother.

On a show where many of the characters are not exactly alive, or even human, it can be difficult to tell when dead means truly deceased, but Wesley put possible rumors to rest by telling TV Guide, “She’s dead. I hate to say it, but she’s dead.”

The diseased vamps also kidnap other victims including Arlene Bellefleur (played by Carrie Preston), Holly Cleary (Lauren Bowles) and the very pregnant Nicole Wright (Jurnee Smollett-Bell). The latter is in even greater danger since she is very close to giving birth to a baby fathered by Mayor Sam Merlotte, (Sam Trammell).

After the vamps imprison their abductees in the basement of vampire club Fangtasia, Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer) are hot on their trail. Unfortunately, the pair has to tangle with a new pack of anti-vampire raiders.

Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Pacquin) is devastated by the carnage and tries to help but is turned away by Tara’s mother, Lettie May Daniels (Adina Porter), who blames the mind-reading waitress for the tragedy. Sookie knows the “ugly, ugly truth” behind the bloodbath and can be expected to seek vengeance in future episodes.

Mysteriously missing from the season opener was vampire, Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård), last seen bursting into flames when he suddenly lost his ability to survive in daylight. Of course, on a series like True Blood that does not necessarily mean that he is actually gone for good, which is why Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) has traveled to Marrakesh in hopes of finding out the fate of her maker.

This is exactly the sort of premiere that will keep fans of True Blood tuned in until the show finally ends its long and successful run later this year.