Author Virginia Black burst onto the queer speculative fiction scene with her powerful debut, Consecrated Ground . Now Joan of Crows returns to Calvert in this high-octane thriller that pits good versus evil in a penultimate showdown. War witch Joan Matthews wants little more than to build a life with Leigh Phan. Their hometown is rebuilding under Joan's protection, but not everyone is happy with her solution to the most recent vampire crisis. Meanwhile, Leigh's bloodling powers lead to unforeseen consequences, and Joan is forced to honor a favor owed to a dangerous foe. Neither knows a greater threat lurks behind seemingly unrelated attacks across the land. Together, Joan and Leigh once saved the town of Calvert. Now that they are separated, each must learn to save herself, or all their gains will be forfeited--and everyone they know will pay the price.