I read this book first in the series, totally out of order. Then reread after reading the others that came before it... and again after reading the entire series. Each read was different. In the context of the entire series, which to me is really the stories of Acheron and of Nick, it's hard not to view this book as pivotal. Important and tragic events occur that play a role in the story entire. Nick moves from a background character, to a major character.

The volume's core story line, pretty much follows the formula of most of the books in the series. It's a love story between two the characters. Tabitha is a human wild-child vampire hunter who beats to her own drummer and feeds the homeless hungry. Valerius Magnus is a stuffed-shirt, 2,000-plus-year-old Roman Dark-Hunter hated and misunderstood by all the other Dark-Hunters who are mostly Greek and natural enemies. So he is a loner. Their story follows how they surpass their own inner obstacles to find love.

Like all the books in the series, their love story is used as vehicle to tell the continuing story of Acheron and his Dark-Hunter's fight against evil. As a stand-alone, I give it 3 stars, in the context of the entire series, I give it 4 stars.