Darren and Kavon have finally hit their stride, both personally and professionally. The team is expanding, the FBI finally understands the importance of Talent-based law enforcement, and Kavon and Darren have settled into a strong partnership. They are prepared for the long wait until the evil ifrit reappear on Earth, and they plan to be ready. However, when the first of these ancient powers returns, their preparation might not be as complete as they had assumed and the dangers they face are much more than either of them had expected. Worse, old faces from Kavon's past force him to look at the choices he has made in his life--the choices that have defined him as a man, a lover, and an agent. How can he believe in anything when he loses faith in himself? His relationship with Darren is the one touchstone that allows him to hold on through the storm that follows the reappearance of the exiled ifrit. But if Kavon and Darren are not strong enough--if their love or their guides falter for even a moment--the lives of every magic user, every shaman, and every human on Earth may be forfeit.