in the shadows of the night in caldwell new york theres a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers and there exists a secret band of brothers like no other six vampire warriors defenders of their race of these zsadist is the most terrifying member of the black dagger brotherhooda former blood slave the vampire zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike anger is his only companion and terror is his only passionuntil he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil lessening societybella is instantly entranced by the seething power zsadist possesses but even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both zsadists thirst for vengeance against bellas tormentors drives him to the brink of madness now bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past and find a future with her