Albuquerque, New Mexico is home to a small population of demons, fey, and vampires, who are mostly well-behaved and disinclined to start trouble.

That's why the Grey Brethren, a vampire syndicate, assign Regan O'Connell there. Regan is a Wolfe, a secret operative for the Brethren. Out-of-the-way Albuquerque is the perfect place for an operative whose diplomacy starts wars and who struggles with rudimentary magic.

But Regan attracts trouble like a black sweater invites white cat hair. First, a friend sets her up with tall, dark and sexy Jason Lake. Jason is a Holder, a member of an ancient order devoted to protecting mankind from things that go bump in the night; things like half-vampire Regan. And then there's the sudden population explosion of deranged Lesser vampires. Next, there's the murder of a prominent businessman and the murder weapon is outlawed, chaotic magic.

The Brethren issue an ultimatum: find the murderer or find a new job. And the deeper Regan digs into the mystery, the more Jason looks like her prime suspect. Except Regan is certain that Jason is neither a killer nor stupid enough to use a power that can rearrange the fabric of the universe. To prove his innocence and stay out of the unemployment line, Regan will have to tap into the ability she's long denied and find the order in chaos.