An unexpected guest. A tempestuous liaison. A marriage falling apart. In the eclipse of her marriage, Valerie's days are cold and lonely. As Ethan Vertigo's new bride, she suffers from isolation and hostility from the townspeople. That is, until an unexpected traveler appears at her door to seek refuge from the snowstorm-Mircalla Karnstein. The mysterious and charming visitor's presence is accompanied by feverish nightmares and itching puncture marks, and Valerie's reputation is threatened when Mircalla draws her close with passionate midnight escapades. As rumors of a plague terrorize the town and the dark secrets of Vertigo Peaks surface, Valerie struggles to reconcile her growing desire for Mircalla and her role as Ethan Vertigo's wife. When every love story begins with blood, does it matter who bleeds first?