Butch O`Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he`s the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world-to engage in the turf war with the lessers. His heart belongs to a female vampire, Marissa, an aristocratic beauty who`s way out of his league. And if he can`t have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers. But fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he`s found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him.