In the wake of the devastating events of the last book, Victoria finds herself striving to adjust to her new role as the head of the Vampire hunters just as the vampires are maneuvering towards yet another play for dark power. Victoria and her fellow Venators must prevent them from gaining the secrets a puissant alchemist holds, secrets more valuable than turning lead to gold, and more deadly for the human race if the monsters learn them. Once again, she finds that she must place trust in the two men she dares not trust, though her heart begs her to love them both, Max, the man who she first met as a fellow hunter, but who has since seemed to be on the side of the vampires, and Sebastian, the grandson of a vampire, and a man with more secrets than anyone has any business having. As blood is spent all around her, Victoria follows a path that will lead her to the most ghastly of fates and require even more sacrifices.

Gripping action will chill your blood, and the detail of the prose is so vivid that you will believe it is all happening right here and now around you. The "triangle" continues to intensify, but to my view, Sebastian might be the stronger contender. He and Max are two of the most intriguing anti-heroes to come on the scene. Even if you normally shun historicals, if you love a good story, particularly a good vampire one, get this whole s eries.