Broken and bleeding on the forest floor, a wounded warrior must choose between the finite end of his supernatural existence and an undeniable bond with the healing hands of an enemy. After a fearsome battle with a pack of rabid werewolves, wounded vampire Luca is abandoned by his coven. His wounds are many, and with the gaping gash of a werewolf bite poisoning him from the inside out, he has no hope of healing. He lies on the forest earthy ground, watching his crystalline form disintegrate. Addled by pain, his mind wanders as one by one, his senses begin to fade. Then a stranger appears in the clearing, casting a new light over Luca, a light that warms him from the inside out. Dashiel offers Luca a chance of survival...a chance to live, but, first, Luca must decide if his brittle heart is ready for the life Dashiel is offering.