It takes a witch to outwit another witch, so when Daniela finds herself in the catacombs of Rome intent on retrieving the legendary Staff of Octavius, she's prepared to wield her innate fire magic to claim the staff and keep it--and its overwhelming power--from getting into the wrong hands. All her Foundation training, however, never prepared her for Luc. One breath of her scent is enough to reawaken a thirst Luc hasn't felt in six hundred years. It's enough to make him almost forget his vow to keep the staff out of the wrong hands--and to never give in to his bloodlust. The moment he touches Daniela, the last shreds of his humanity revive with a violent fury and drive him to claim her...blood, body and soul. He's her enemy. He's arrogant and infuriatingly secretive. And his kiss makes her want things she shouldn't--like abandoning her mission to spend eternity in his arms. Crossing that line, though, could not only send them up in flames...it could condemn all mankind to hell on earth.