For centuries, the world of night believed the Rakshasa Dynasty was extinct. Then Tasim Singh, a lion- shifting vampire with the ability to cast illusions and walk in the sunlight, shows up on the Lilim's doorstep.

The Lilim fear that Tasim might be working with the demon Chaos, and Tasim's lack of memory and odd behavior only fuels that fear. The only person who can manage Tasim is Bay Harper, the human best friend of Lily Quinn, Queen of the Lilim.

Bay quickly finds that Tasmin is a man who has both suffered and caused destruction, who needs someone with both softness and strength to keep his own essential wildness in check. Additionally, he seems to have a sort of PTSD: certain sights and sounds will set him off unexpectedly, for reasons he doesn't understand. As suspicions about him run rampant through the Lilim, Bay becomes Tasmin's defender...though as his blackouts become more frequent and his behavior during them more unpredictable, she struggles with keeping his secrets.

Bay and the Lilim discover that Tasim is possessed by a demon and that eventually his soul will be devoured whole. Bay sets out to find Tasim only to be trapped by Chaos. Summoning his remaining strength, Tasim attacks Chaos to free Bay. He succeeds, but is badly injured. Realizing she can't live without him, Bay saves Tasim by allowing him to drink her blood, turning her into a Rakshasa in the process.