Only the fact that protecting Beth, the half vampire daughter of his closest friend was that friend's final wish impels Wrath to take that duty. Beth does not know who she is, but she is approaching the time of Transition, that will either bring her into her vampiric life or kill her.

If that doesn't kill her, the slayers and the Lessers, soulless beings who are the enemies of vampires and mortals, will. Wrath's pure breeding makes him scorn humans, but he is able to move beyond that to find it in his heart to love Beth, to the point of being willing to die for her, and he just might.

This is an extremely complex world that Ms. Ward has crafted. Subplots and secondary characters interweave; and focus shifts constantly. There are almost too many minor characters introduced, making it a challenge to keep one's eye on the main thread of the story. However, as this is set to be an ongoing series, it would be advisable to get on board now. It will be critical to know what the foundation of the world is to follow later novels.

Synopsis
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.