Some call them "tramps." In Greek, they are called vrykolakas, or "vryks," which sometimes gets translated to "freaks." They are the vampires of Athens, created centuries ago by the Maenads. They live in caves beneath the acropolis, without economic resources and according to rules imposed on them by the Olympians. They are forbidden from turning humans into vampires, which happens when all of the blood is drained; however, they are allowed to drink from a willing mortal. Some mortals are willing because a vampire bite will infect the body for six hours, and, during that time, the mortal has the powers of flight, invisibility, strength, speed, x-ray vision, and mind control. Such great power can become irresistible, though dangerous and addicting to mortals. As seventeen-year-old Gertie, studying abroad from New York, uncovers the unfathomable secrets of this ancient city, she unwittingly becomes a catalyst in an uprising led by Dionysus, the god of wine and lord of the vampires.