Publishers WeeklyMismatched vampire lovers find romance and danger in the midst of a secret war against genocidal wizards in Staab's debut. Newly anointed vampire king Thad Morgan is appalled to find his prophesied mate, Isabel Anthony, orphaned and estranged from her racial community and hiding among Orlando's ravers and kinksters. Not thatIsabel has little desire to be a vampire queen, but her connection to Thad makes her a target for wizard assassins who gain power through blood sacrifice. Though the vampire society is somewhat shallowly depicted and its centuries-old denizens' dialogue jarringly modern, Thad's struggle to protect his remaining subjects and his awkward courtship of independent Isabel are engaging. A strong cast of supporting characters includes Thad's powerful half-human sister, Tyra; Lee, his buddy and bodyguard; Isabel's human friend Alexia; and Anton, estranged son of the wizard leader.
