Ann Van Helsing was a beautiful but mysterious young woman. But she had a secret – if she made physical contact with anyone she immediately knew everything about them; their history; their thoughts; their desires. Far from embracing this talent, Ann wished that she didn't have it anymore. If she was able to control it somehow then it wouldn't be so bad but she didn't have the luxury of that control and was forced to become a virtual recluse, cutting herself off from all human contact.

Her cousin, intent on inheriting her fortune, had decided to force her to marry him and, once he had grown tired of her physical charms, intended to have her committed to an asylum leaving him free to spend her inheritance. At first Ann was protected by her uncle but after his death she was left alone.

Her only freedom was to walk through the woods around her home at night, when everyone else was home asleep. However, one night she came across something that would change her life forever. Lying on the ground was a man. Badly beaten and bleeding he was unable to save himself. Somehow Ann was drawn to this man and, before she could stop herself she reached out to touch him - an instantly knew everything about him. She discovered that the man was Stephen Sincai, a vampire who was driven to act as a vigilante – seeking out and killing anyone who has been "made" by a vampire.

Ann and Stephen are drawn together by some strange force. But can there ever be a "Happy Ever After" for this couple?

This book was superb and a truly original concept. You have Ann, a psychic who cannot control her abilities and has been labelled "insane" by the local people. A typical case of people being afraid of what they don't understand.

Stephen Sincai is a vampire but rather than going round biting/killing humans he has been shaped into a vigilante and dedicates his existence to seeking out humans who have been "turned" by other vampires and killing them.

When the couple first meet it seems unlikely that they will have anything in common but somehow a spark is ignited and they find themselves driven to help each other to escape their personal problems and find a free life.

This is a definite adult book. Some of the concepts, forced marriage, sexual torture etc are not for the faint of heart but the story is superb and kept me enthralled from the first word to the very last. A compelling and original tale that has to be recommended.

Years of torture trained vampire Stephen Sincai to be the Harrower, killing all made, as opposed to born, vampires, so that he could seek to atone for his one mistake. His search for Killkenny, one of the made vampires, has brought him to the quiet village where Ann Van Helsing is kept a virtual prisoner in her aging uncle's castle, for her own safety. She was cursed with a psychic talent that reveals a person's entire life to her with a simple touch.

As her uncle's death draws near, Ann's fate is uncertain, though it is probable she will be forced to marry her cousin, Erich Van Hellsing, and that is something completely repugnant to her. Her path collides with Stephen's when they both witness a murder. Attraction such as neither has never dared feel comes to life between them, but for various reasons, is something they should not act upon. Or perhaps, it is the salvation they can not turn from.

Though often dark and graphic, Ms. Squires pens a tale that reveals the power of touch and clearly defines the difference between lust and love. When readers see the name Van Hellsing, they will surely expect a somewhat different story than this, but they can be prepared to be surprised. This is not a conventional vamp romance.

Synopsis
This work is set in 1821. All who know the beautiful, mysterious Ann Van Helsing believe she is insane. Yet, Ann's curse is the deep psychic ability that allows her to know everything about another human being - their history, thoughts, and desires - simply by touching them. Overwhelmed by a power she can barely control, Ann roams the woods and caves near her estate, searching for an elusive peace. Here, she encounters the man who will change everything...To atone for an unforgivable transgression against his own kind, vampire Stephen Sincai has become a vigilante who must hunt and kill those whom other vampires have made. When Ann discovers Stephen bleeding in the woods, she reaches to touch him before she can stop herself. In an instant, Ann knows every fibre of Stephen's being - and the knowledge is at once frightening and irresistible...Ann and Stephen are drawn together by a powerful force. As Stephen and Ann fight against the evil surrounding them, an enemy bent on destroying them will make them choose between what they love and fear the most...