Carden is on the run, on the other side of the world in the ‘cradle of civilization’ in Petra, Jordan. Far from his human lover, Rory, he’s learning that reclaiming his father, Declen, the King of the Vampires might restore world order—but hasn’t done much to strengthen familial ties. Declen is angry that Carden worked as a whore and that he is gay…worse, he is furious that Carden not only fell in love with Rory, a mortal man, but abandoned him. Declen declares Carden unfit to help him in the epic battle between good and evil. He tells Carden to right his wrongs with Rory, that without love, without….entasy he is useless in the final showdown set to take place in the City of Blood.