Oliver Nocturne lives a pretty normal life—he deals with bullies, has an obnoxious older brother, and generally feels misunderstood. But being a vampire presents another host of problems, especially when he feels—he knows—he's not quite like everyone else. When Emalie, a human girl with a troubled past, takes a picture of him, Oliver ignores the rules that forbid him from interacting with humans and agrees to show her the darkest secrets of the Seattle underworld.

When a vampire's best friends are a human and a zombie, he's bound to feel like a freak Two months after Dean's death, Oliver is a hero in the vampire world. But even though he wasn't responsible, he's having trouble sleeping and has never felt more alone. Surprisingly, Dean returns—as a zombie, no less—and though Oliver is glad to have his friend back, they need to hurry; someone has been slaying vampire children, and all the evidence points to Emalie.

Finally, school's out for summer. To avoid the lethal sun, the Nocturne family is taking a trip to Isla Necrata, the exclusive resort owned by the Half-Light Consortium, whose destinations are always located near a natural disaster, which makes for plenty of vampire fun. But for Oliver, it's hard to look forward to a big dose of time with his family when everything he does seems to disappoint them. Luckily, they stop to visit some Old World relatives in Morosia on the way.

It's the last night of summer and Oliver is hoping to have some fun with his two best friends. Once school starts, he'll be one step closer to receiving his demon . . . and fulfilling the prophecy to open the Nexia Gate. Meanwhile, a series of gruesome animal attacks on humans has threatened to expose the vampire world. The evidence points to Oliver's brother, Bane, who has recently acquired Occupying power—the ability to inhabit animals.

The Anointment is approaching, and soon Oliver will receive the power necessary to journey to Nexia and fulfill his terrible destiny. But that isn't what he wants—and he may have finally found a way to change his fate. Yet the toughest part for Oliver hits closest to home: Whom will he choose—his friends or his family? No less than the fate of the world hangs in the balance. As powerful forces converge and sinister plots are hatched on all sides, Oliver, Emalie, and Dean race to pull off their dangerous plan. Nothing is certain—except that everything is about to change.

It's the beginning of the end. With the Anointment complete and Emalie gone, it seems that nothing can prevent Oliver from being summoned to the Nexia Gate to fulfill his terrible destiny. Illisius is coming. Oliver and his parents are being carefully watched by the Half-Light Consortium. One sliver of hope remains: If Oliver and Dean can solve the baffling mystery of the Triad of Finity, there might still be a chance to change the future. But without Emalie, is it even possible?