A reluctant bride. A lord of shadows. A prison beneath the vampire world is beginning to crack.

Raven Velacroix has always known her family was fading, but she never knew why. On the night she is forced into a blood marriage with Lucien Morvayne, lord of one of the most feared vampire houses, she learns that her life has never truly been her own.

Their union was arranged to strengthen an ancient seal.

For centuries, the noble vampire houses have hidden the truth of their origins. Vampires were not the first creatures of the night. They were created as soldiers by the Noctari, beautiful and monstrous winged beings who once sought to erase humanity from the world. When the vampire bloodlines rebelled, Velacroix blood became the lock that imprisoned them, and Morvayne shadow became the chain.

Now the prison is failing.

As Raven is pulled deeper into a world of Council conspiracies, buried histories, and forbidden blood magic, the man she once loved returns from captivity with accusations that could destroy everything she believes. Darius, a hunter marked by old secrets, claims Lucien's family helped ruin his life. Lucien claims Darius is more dangerous than Raven knows.

But the enemy beneath the earth does not care for human heartbreak or vampire politics.

Hadeon of the First Wing is waking, and he remembers the soldiers who betrayed him.

A dark gothic vampire romance filled with forced marriage, ancient bloodlines, shadow magic, betrayal, and a love that must be chosen freely or become another chain.

For fans of dark vampire romance, gothic fantasy, blood-bound lovers, dangerous secrets, and atmospheric horror in the tradition of Dracula and Interview with the Vampire.