Anita Blake should be concentrating on a dangerous situation: the ardeur, the sexual power that flows between Anita and Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City - and Richard, the volatile werewolf who loves her passionately - is reaching new levels, perhaps evolving into something entirely new. It seems to be choosing new lovers for Anita, acting with a will of its own. The unexpected effect of this is that Jean-Claude's own powers as a Master Vampire have grown to new levels - and Richard, always unpredictable, is changing too. However, as the days pass Anita finds herself less interested in vampire politics than in an altogether more personal concern. She may be pregnant. And if she is, whether the father is a vampire, a werewolf or something else entirely, she knows full well that being a Federal Marshall, known for raising the dead and executing vampires, is no way to bring up a baby.

Jean-Claude, Master of the City, is throwing a party to welcome a vampire ballet company to town. Among the guests are several visiting master vampires and the leaders of the various local lycanthrope groups.

During the ballet, a powerful force tries to take over the minds of all the guests. The attack brings on a metaphysical visit from the Mother of all vampires and when Mommy Dearest shows up things go from bad to scary as hell.