Llew’s life takes a turn when her so-called friend accuses her of murder, sending her to the gallows. Llew survives, leaving a trail of death behind her. Unfortunately, she falls into the hands of Jonas: the man with the knife and the power to kill Llew’s kind. If Llew can nurture the attraction he has to her, maybe she can keep that knife from her heart. But lurking in the shadows is Jonas’s half-brother, Braph: the man who has learned to combine magics into infinite and addictive power.

For as long as they can remember, Vampires have struggled more than most to not just survive, but thrive. Divided into five regions (or holds), each is governed by a Count. The Counts together form a council to handle broader threats to all Vampires. Yet, they have grown complacent in their ways and change comes slow. The common folk are yearning for greater things. Caught between the narrowed perspective of the counts, the dangerous wild country of Heartland, and increasing hostilities with mortals, their last hope is the Maiden's Chosen; A vampire hand-picked by the Maiden of Death to be her blessed champion.