"Like the blood of God…" In New Orleans, a passage from a Renaissance-era book is Ethan's only hope to save the woman he loves. He's a vampire, so he can live forever. Ellie, however, is mortal, ill, and running out of time. "If Sanguan vampires drank synthetic blood, like Spectavi vampires, the world would be so much safer for humans." In the Spectavi laboratory where synthetic blood was created, Vera is making no progress with her current projects. But for her devotion to the Spectavi cause-and their leader-she will go to any lengths. "She would hold me when she bites, and at least while she sips my blood, I wouldn't be alone." In a nightclub in France, John has an unusual encounter with a gorgeous vampire, but his love for a mortal woman forces him into a devastating choice. Reason or passion, good or evil, duty, love, or pure pleasure-in a world with two vampire factions at war, choosing the right master is everything.