Charlie Estes moved back home to heal a broken heart, but one chance encounter is enough to catapult him into a whirlwind of intrigue, desire, and age-old feuds. When high school math teacher Charles Estes meets a tall, dark stranger at an exclusive event, he can barely believe his luck. He's almost reluctant to go home with him for fear of disturbing the mirage. But rather than worry about could-have-beens, Charlie opts to bite the bullet. He has no idea that he's about to be bitten in return. Micah is not like other men. He hails from the nearby town of Freeburn-a forbidden enclave populated by vampires and their serfs. Charlie really ought to know better than to get involved with someone like that. If only Micah didn't keep cropping up all over Charlie's town like a bad penny. He's everywhere, in the nearby woods, at the high school where Charlie teaches, even in his dreams. One night of passion changes everything. Faced with a murderer on the loose and the resurgent turmoil between their worlds, Charles must soon choose between the life he knows and the promise of a future with Micah.