For Arel, the blissful happiness of being a newlywed to the man of her dreams comes to an abrupt halt as the days turn into weeks in the Cadell household. Nightmares she hoped had ended have come back vengefully haunting her dreams. Eir, the oldest of the vampires, has become the designated babysitter entrusted to keep Arel safe. For Eir, it is a joyful experience reliving the tales of her youth, and her friendship with Manea, the death bringer of the Darken. The rest of the vampire families see Arel as a constant reminder of the imprisonment they live in under the Darken rule. Sebastian must find a way to rectify the ancient laws he has broken and protect Arel and their unborn child. The venerable laws, guarded by the law keepers, clearly detail the punishment the Cadell heir must face for his crimes, death. Never one to miss a chance of providence, the law keepers propose a simple solution, give the child to save Sebastian's life. A darken sacrifice to free the vampire lines. Frustrated by their archaic beliefs, Arel further alienates the vampires and the heads of the families. As they struggle to gain support for Arel among the vampire lines, Dmitri plots to overthrow Sebastian's father. Arel sees the possibility that Dmitri's plans will be successful despite Sebastian's assurance in his father's standing among the vampires. Besieged by those that wish to do her harm, Arel must formulate a plan to protect not only herself but her unborn child as well. A chance encounter with the Darken may unsettle Arel's plans of freeing the Vampires from under the rule of the Darken.