Southern England, 1735. She is known as the Belle of Brighton. The eldest daughter of well-landed gentry, Emelyn Morley is expected to rescue her family's crumbling estate by marrying not for love, but for wealth and rank.

Having reluctantly secured the favor of a man known as the Bloodhound of His Majesty's Navy, Emelyn agrees to travel with Lord Captain Van Croft to the secluded estate of his godparents, perched high upon the chalk cliffs of Beachy Head. Chaperoned by her brother, she soon discovers that the ancient prophecy of Saunmoor has followed her here-and Vaela is not the only one watching.

A dark force descends upon the House of Galecliff even as Emelyn confronts her feelings for Van Croft, whom she finds both impossible and intriguing, while in London, the haunted Mr. Arkwright-unable to forget her-is drawn back into her orbit by a most unexpected and courageous act.

Meanwhile, a proud order of vampire hunters, led by the ruthless and visionary Lord Dramen, sets its sights upon Hastelbrook. Black storms rise from the west, and Emelyn begins to uncover the truth: there is more to the legendary vault beneath her home-and more to her role in its story-than she ever imagined.