A nest of vampires are dependent on the once famous Alchemist, Perenelle Flamel, to retain their immortality. When Sebastian brings home a modern Alchemist, the vampires are in peril and must escape destruction by the Old Blood.

A nest of vampires hiding in plain sight among the Goth community in the city are dependent on the once famous Alchemist, Perenelle Flamel, to retain their immortality. When Sebastian, Perenelle's first and favourite among her brood brings home Alison, a modern Alchemist, professional jealousy is second only to Perenelle's fear of losing her hold on the vampires. Meanwhile, the Old Blood vampires pose a greater threat when they take an interest in this new breed of artificially sustained undead. As the full moon approaches, plans are made to turn their young human slave, Ciara, into one of them. Meanwhile tempers rise as Sebastian protects Alison from Perenelle's resentment and the malevolent advances of Bernard, who wants the human to be killed out of hand. When it looks as though Alison may at last be accepted by the Perenelle's nestlings, the vampires themselves are in peril and must escape destruction by the Old Blood.—Denise Channing