To hunt a mass murderer in Venice, Nightroad works with Asta, who holds a great deal of contempt for all things human.

The Puppet Master has turned Ion's childhood home into a carnival of carnage, and with the young vampire blamed for the atrocities, Abel must seek help from the only other vampire he's ever let live.

Abel and Asta plan to plead Ion's case to the Imperial Council, and Ion and Esther search the city for answers. But when their trail leads to further intrigue, betrayal comes from beyond the grave.

While Esther recovers from her injuries with the help of the enigmatic child Seth, Ion is stunned to find himself face to face with Radu.

Ion and Esther find themselves unwitting pawns in an elaborate plot to murder the Empress. As treachery emerges from shadow, so does a ghost from Ester's past.

Esther and Ion are freed from prison, and the true identity of the Empress is revealed. When she joins Abel in battle against Dietrich, secrets of the past come to light.

Cain and Isaak Fernand von Kampfer begin the first phase of their quest to destroy the people of the world, both human and vampire. Meanwhile, a startling revelation awaits Esther, one that will forever reshape her destiny.

Allies and enemies, both human and vampire, work together against the enemy of the world - the Contra Mundi. Resurrected from the grave, not even death can keep Abel Nightroad from his fate.