Ancient vampires. Treacherous beheadings. Bomb-filled body bags. This mage is on a course that's set to explode.

From USA Today bestselling author Ilana Waters:

Ah, Rome. The city of Raphael . . . Bernini . . . Caravaggio. And an ancient and evil vampire who's recently come out of a deep sleep.

The mage known as Joshua is finally reunited with the mother who disappeared when he was a teen, but there's little time to celebrate. His mother's kidnappers may be dead, but their master - a merciless vampire who wants to rule humanity - is very much alive. And he grows more powerful every night, making followers and plotting overthrows.

The only hope Joshua has of stopping this tyrant is a daring scheme that puts him in the belly of the beast - a beast that includes treachery, gas attacks, fake corpses, beheadings, and bombs.

Can a few witches, a possibly-repentant blood-seeker, and a lone mage save the world? Or is the whole situation about to explode?

Literally.

(Caution: this supernatural thriller may contain elements of adventure, mystery, horror, wizards, and general funny business).