Power, it comes down to this... those who have it, those who want it. Revenge, the need for it is a fire in the soul, a goad for the unwise. Hunted, the fate of the foolish when they think to become the hunter. The Lord of the Midwest is dead, and the powerful vampires of North America are gathering to choose his successor. The Vampire Council will be there to oversee the competition and to keep the violence to a bloody minimum, including Raphael, who will do whatever it takes to ensure the victor is a vampire he can trust. But someone is determined to stop Raphael and his mate, Cyn, from ever reaching Chicago, a hunter who may soon become... the hunted.